Too Many Colosseum Options? Let Us Quickly Guide You

Choosing a Colosseum tour can feel overwhelming, so let us briefly explain the different access levels of the Colosseum and the tours we currently offer. 

Access Levels: Which Areas Can You Visit?

Colosseum REGULAR LEVELS 

The Regular Levels are the standard Colosseum experience. You walk through the main visitor levels - the first and second tiers - look down onto the Arena Floor and into the Underground from above, and get a clear sense of the scale and structure of the amphitheatre. Regular access does not include entry onto the Arena Floor or into the Underground. 

Within the Regular Levels, we currently offer the following options:

> 1-Hour Semi-Private Tour - Max. 7 guests

This option includes a 1-hour guided visit inside the Colosseum in a semi-private group of maximum 7 guests. 

Your guide enters the Colosseum with you and explains the monument as you move through the Regular Levels. This is a good option if you prefer to have the history, architecture, and different areas explained while you are actually inside the monument. 

> 45-Minute Guided Introduction Outside + Independent Entry - Max. 16 guests

With this option, your guide explains the Colosseum from the outside for approximately 45 minutes. Afterwards, you enter the monument independently and explore the Regular Levels without a guide. 

The main advantage is flexibility. Guided groups inside the Colosseum follow a fixed route and must remain together throughout the visit, while independent visitors can explore freely and move at their own pace, pause where they wish, and can stay inside longer. 

Both the 1-hour and 45-minute options also include self-guided entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. 

> Private Tours

Private options are also available for the Regular Levels, including the shorter Colosseum-only visits and extended options with a guided visit to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. 

Colosseum ARENA FLOOR

Arena Floor access allows you to step onto a reconstructed section of the arena itself, rather than viewing it only from above. 

You enter through the Gladiator's Gate and experience the Colosseum from the level where gladiators once appeared before the crowd. This access does not include the Regular Levels or the Underground. 

We currently offer the following Arena Floor options:

> 3-Hour Semi-Private Tour - Max. 7 guests

This 3-hour experience includes approximately 1 hour at the Arena Floor, followed by a guided visit to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. 

> 3-Hour Group Tour - Max. 24 guests

This option follows the same structure: approximately 1 hour at the Arena Floor, followed by a guided visit to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, in a group of maximum 24 guests.

> 1-Hour Arena Floor - Private Only

A shorter Arena Floor option is also available privately. This includes a 1-hour guided visit to the Arena Floor, without access to the Regular Levels or Underground. A guided visit to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill is not included, but self-guided entry to both sites is included in the ticket. 

Colosseum UNDERGROUND - Private Only

The Underground is currently the most complete Colosseum access option we offer. 

You descend beneath the Arena Floor into the backstage areas where gladiators prepared, animals were kept, and lifts and trapdoors were used to move people, animals, and scenery into the arena above. This 3-hour guided tour includes the Underground, Arena Floor, Regular Levels, and a guided visit to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. 

At the moment, the Underground Experience is available as a private tour only and is subject to limited ticket availability. 

Colosseum Attic

There is one other special-access area you may come across when looking at the Colosseum tickets: the Attic. 

The Attic gives you access to the higher levels of the monument, including the third level and upper areas, with elevated views across the Colosseum and Rome. An elevator takes you up to the intermediate galley before the route continues on foot toward the upper levels. 

We do not currently offer an Attic tour. For this ticket type, we recommend checking the official Archaeological Park of the Colosseum website.

Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are separate archaeological areas next to the Colosseum and take you into the wider story of ancient Rome. The Roman Forum was the political, religious, and social heart of the city, while the Palatine Hill was home to imperial palaces and is closely tied to Rome’s legendary beginnings. 

Whether your visit there is guided or self-guided depends on the tour option you choose. 

Our 1-hour Colosseum tours include entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill for you to visit independently, while our 3-hour Colosseum experiences include a guided visit to both sites.

For official Colosseum ticket information, access conditions, and availability, you can also consult the official website of the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum.