Impressive ancient structure... and just fine viewed from a distance! My wife and I are seasoned world travelers and recently enjoyed a month-long drive throughout Italy. We spent nearly a week in Rome and experienced and re-experienced many of the popular Roman tourist sights. We wanted to again visit the Colosseum, but the crowds and the gotcha fees kept us at arms length this trip. That was just fine with us, since our telephoto lens captured all we really wanted to see of this classic architecture. Not all that long ago, many if not most of the structures, cathedrals and galleries in Rome and Florence were open to the public at no charge. It seems to us that these popular tourist attractions have simply become an opportunistic money grab. That's truly unfortunate, since many travelers today are unable to afford entrance to sights that we saw for free years ago -- and these experiences left a lasting impression on us for life. The cash register uber alles! read more

What an experience! I was totally taken back to the glory days of the Roman empire. I could almost smell the animals, hear the gladiators and the crowd. Amazing! I will definitely return! read more

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Great Experience! You will learn the history and great sights of Rome. Also visit The Forum and The Palentine hill to further go back how much we are all Roman. read more

Absolutely stunning marvel of ancient (or modern) achievement. You can visualize how the excitement of the spectacles/show would have aroused the throngs of onlookers, just as the ruins do today. There are two drinking fountains inside. You will need water to explore it all in the heat. Afterwards, to get to Panentino, walk towards the large arch/gateway just outside the Coliseum (and under construction), and walk 100 yards beyond and to the left, passing the grand arch/gateway to find the entrance. The main entrance is under construction. read more

The Colosseum is obviously legendary and a must visit in your visit to Rome. I think this is definitely a worthy spot for my 700th Yelp review. The history here is tough to fully understand but you will have to use your imagination to go back almost 2000 years! Tickets are very easy to get and I highly recommend going to the Co Op Culture website to get a timed entry. It's hard to get the underground tour, as they seem to take very few people a day so make sure you check the website beryvearly if you want to see it all. The panaramic view also costs extra but isn't necessary. We felt like we saw enough with the regular €12 tiles entry. This entry fee also gets you into Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum so it's a great deal for half a day entertainment! They have guided tours or video or audio guides but the Rick Steves app works quite well. read more

To stand where great warriors once stood is a feeling you won't get in very many places. Walking out of subway and out onto the street, you'll be looking at the majesty that is the Roman Colosseum. I'd highly recommend the audio guide as you walk through, because it tells some wonderful facts and stories about the stadium. Whether you're sitting where the senators once sat, or trying to imagine blood and guts pouring out onto the sand, the Colosseum is a genuine adventure for the inquisitive mind. read more

Wow! Worth the trip. Worth the money. The history of this place is rich...and sobering.

Let me start off by saying that I love historical archaeology, so to visit the Colosseum was a dream come true. I'll start off with a tip, if you just want to walk through the Colosseum on your own time and not be bound to a tour guide, buy tickets online and print them out. Do some reading on it (wikipedia, etc) and you will be fine on your own. We arrived by cab around 9:30-10 and were bombarded by the normal tourist trap necessities such as people selling selfie sticks, "acting" roman soldiers offering to take photos (some charge you 20 euro for a photo) and tour guides. One guy kept following us saying they can give us a tour and skip the lines, which he claimed were 1h30m long. We said no thank you and continued to the line for ticket visitors. I kid you not, we were through the security and inside the Colosseum in around 10 minutes. Once inside, you're free to do what you want. If you wanted to do one of the audio tours, the line seemed pretty long. We just wandered around and were quite happy with that. To me, just walking around and appreciating the magnitude of where you're actually standing. To think that almost 2000 years ago, this was built and the history that goes along with it is breathtaking. Take your time, look around and appreciate the history of where you are. You will thoroughly enjoy it. read more

This is another must see sight. If you are going to do the tour, you mist sign up for them early. Honestly, they're a little more pricier, and they don't take you anywhere you can't see yourself. And make sure you're getting your tour from the people that are supposed to be doing them. Taking the time to take this all in is awesome! There's not a whole lot of places inside that you can see/walk to, as they're crumbling, or being stabilized, but you can get into about 1/4 of it. If you look towards the left you'll see a small section that still has the seats in it. A fun game to play while you're there, is spot how many cats. They actually make a calender from the Colosseum cats! read more

Amazing experience. We did a skip the line and moved very quickly in. I do wish we had done a tour because the audio guides that we rented were a little difficult to follow. But the structure and views are incredible. A must do in Rome. read more

DO NOT ASK THE GUIDES IF THEY KNOW WHERE BRUCE LEE AND CHUCK NORRIS FOUGHT IN THE MOVIE "WAY OF THE DRAGON"! ...They do not like that question and I found out the hard way. Anyway, Dude, its the COLOSSEUM! This structure is older than your great grandparents! I was in absolute awe the moment I saw the Colosseum from the train station exit. It was like being 5 at Disneyland all over again. My wife and I wished we had purchased our tickets online. The lines were very long but the clerks were very nice. We got the tour because that seemed like the best idea. We really enjoyed it. From what I remember, the tour was the only way to go down to the Colosseum basement where they had all the gladiators and animals locked up. We also purchased the pass which allowed you to go to the Colosseo, Palantine Hill, and the Forum. I highly recommend that any visitors purchase that pass. You can get a top view of Constantine's Arch and see Palantine Hill from the top of the Colosseum. Before you leave, take a look at all the sculptures and exhibits they have located near the gift shop. I thought this place was awesome. read more

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I don't know what to say there are no words to describe what you will experience when you visit the ruins of the Colliseum I will say pay for a guided tour it's more than worth it! But you better pay attention the tour guides take their jobs seriously! read more

Colosseo - December 2011 Trip - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

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Breathtaking!!! Came towards the end of August. Make sure you come in the secound they open so you have the whole place to yourself,where no one would get in the way of your memorable pictures. I guess alot of out friends didn't realize that their was an elevator all the way in the back to go upstairs where one could take amazing pictures eith the entire view of the Colloseum&they city. My best friend and I were touring with our dance company and they all bought a $70 tour... I did some searching and bought a two-day pass online for the Colloseum,Roman Forum& Palatine for about $16 US dollars. (I'll post the webpage once i find it) Just grab an uber from tour hotel! PS we decided not to invest in a tour guide as we already new so much of the history. read more

This review is 100% positive for our tour guide. He said that I wouldn't remember his name and I'm embarrassed to say he's right. Be warned about the gladiators who want to have you take pictures with them. They stopped my daughter and grandson, cut them away from our tour group and took every euro she had. We did manage to catch back up and let our guide know what happened. He tried to take care of the situation but those are men with no honor. Once again we loved the tour and the guide was fabulous. We have two more tours with this group and are looking forward to them. read more

This is one of the most amazing places in the world , if you haven't been need to put on your bucket list . It's full of history

Worth it! This place is hard to get tickets for. The tickets become available, but they sell out within half an hour. In order to skip the line, if you aren't one of the lucky few, you need to purchase a tour from one of the local groups. This was the only place we did this on our European vacation, but it was worth every penny. The site is amazing, and there are so many things you can learn about it's past. Pay for the tour, skip the line, and see some areas you can only get with a tour guide. read more

Awesome place. I would definitely go back again. I recommend the audio-video guide for sure. read more

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Amazing monument . Whoever gets to visit the colosseum is lucky !!!!!! A lot of history behind this place . You're gonna remember it forever

Amazing the hair stood up on the back of my neck it was incredible day and night. It is huge I was tired just walking around taking pictures the best thing is it was free and restaurants are across the street you can eat and stare. Must see. Lots of traffic read more

The Colosseum is amazing! Make sure to get a tour of the arena level so you can understand what the gladiators went through. Tiquets was a great tour company with a non guided tour, so it was cheaper, but they were so helpful and sweet and answered anything we wanted to know about it anyway. read more

Definitely somewhere you want to go when in Rome. We went early in the morning with our preordered tickets and beat the crowds. We also took the metro at night (the stop is right there!!) and took some amazing photos. They had an exhibition going on and we really enjoyed seeing the different displays along with the interesting information they provided. You truly feel like you are going back in time and experiencing history. read more

I absolutely loved it!! We took the underground tour which was probably why I loved this tour so much. This tour you have to book ahead of time, but it is so worth it. With the underground tour you get access to areas that the general public doesn't get. For instance, you will be able to stand out on the arena of the colosseum. This is such a cool place. Also, they will take you underneath the arena as well. You are also taken to the top area of the colosseum that is normally roped off. This tour makes it worth it, would highly recommend the underground tour!!! One of my favorite parts of Rome! read more

Amazing sculpture, one of the most important and famous in Rome for sure. Your ticket to the Colosseum also includes entry to Palatine Hill and the Roman Forums over two days. The Colosseum, although in ruins, is definitely worth it to visit the inside, and it lights up at night too! It's simply amazing, and it is really big! I can't imagine it being used for a fighting arena in the past, but that's what it was! Come for a visit for sure; there's a metro stop right next to it and a bunch of bus lines as well. read more

It's the freakin Colosseum! You know where gladiators fought to the death. The place is amazing and well worth the 12 Euro entrance fee. The entrance fee actually gets you a 2 day pass, which also includes entrance to the Forno. There's also an audio guided handset tour for an additional I went on a weekday afternoon and there was barely a wait to get in. Be sure to also check it out at night, as you'll have a totally different experience viewing the Colosseum. The place is all lit up and results in some great pictures. Hey if you forget your tripod, there will be plenty of guys peddling mini tripods. read more

We paid for the underground tour €30, which included the dungeons and the upper tiers, as well as access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Our tour guide was excellent, but I do wish we had longer to linger around at some of the places we stopped. The last place, the upper tier, she let us stay for a long time and answered everyone's individual questions. Loved going down to the dungeon level, but really wished we could have had more access. We arrived for the 9:40am tour and the place wasn't too crowded yet, by the time the tour finished, it was packed. Earlier is better! The colosseum is visually amazing and well worth taking the time to research before arriving; I wish I had known more to help put everything in context better. Do yourself a favor and at least peruse the wikipedia site before going. Apparently a couple of decades ago, it was still open access to anyone. I understand that the need to pay for entry for preservation reasons, but it is a shame that you're now limited to trying to take it all in during one visit or else pay for another entry. It was beautiful to walk around at night as well, but all was closed off. read more

What a day. We got to our tour guide on July 4 2016 at 1 hour before our tour started. We are just early birds and do not like to take chances. We prepaid a guided tour when we were home in the US that offered a headset so we could hear the guy clearly. I highly recommend prepaid guided tours. There were people on line to buy sameday unguided tours who commented that why we got to skip all lines and go straight to the entrance (after passing through medal detectors )Our tour guide was amazing. Prepare to walk. We all had on our most comfortable sturdy sneakers, trainers, kicks whatever you call them. The floor changes constantly and you can twist and ankle or fall down the narrow steep stairs. I say that because I saw 3 people have mishaps with silly shoe choices. There was a woman who had 2 inch leather fashion sandals on. Now that was ridiculous. Bring your own over size water bottles before you get there. We purchased our large water bottles from the minimarket in the lower level of the train terminal the day before and i had a book bag that i carried all my stuff in. There are men that sell ice cold water at the entrance but it is more ice then water. When I heard that we would be walking up and down stairs long distances in hot (not humid at all) weather I knew I was going to bring my own super large water bottle. We kept hydrated and was able to keep up with the tour. If you take gulp of the water and then habe to wait for the ice in the water bottle to melt to drink the other half that is not practical. We also had cooling wraps. They are almost like flat scarves that you pour water on wring the water out and than pull them 3 times. This activates a cooling feature. We wrapped the scarves around our necks and felt cool. Serena Williams sells her own version of this scarf but I went with a cheaper brand since I had to buy three and they worked fine ($9.00 US dollars at the sports store back in America). This tour was amazing. I hope my son returns when he is older and tells me if they changed anything. read more

Colosseo - Enduracool cooling wrap - Local Flavor Near Me - Rome, RM

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How do you even rate seeing one of the top wonders of the world?? History, breathtaking history. This was our first stop on our honeymoon trip around Italy. We prebooked an amazing tour which I will write a seperate review. Our tourguide was a history buff and so enthusiastic about her job, you would think she was viewing the Collosseum for the first time as well. Our tour let us travel to every level which I would HIGHLY recommend. Don't short change yourself by NOT seeing the dungeon level. It's amazing to walk in the same spots that the gladiators once did. The history is remarkable and I can't wait to head back to Rome again. I would absolutely come back!! read more

I am in love with the Colosseum (Colosseo). In a big way. The history. The sheer amount of history here coupled with the impressive architecture is just amazing. I booked a trip using Viator before we arrived in Rome for the Colosseum and Palatine Hill/Roman Forum. I booked an early tour because it guaranteed us access to the third floor and and underground (which I believe was not previously open before 2011.. which was when we went). It was absolutely worth it. Our guide was fantastic. He was a doctoral student in architecture and full of interesting facts, and restaurant recommendations we would find out. The Coloseum is breathtaking upon entering. It is massive, especially when you consider the time period in which it was built. The pictures are all beautiful, but the gravity of the history and scale of the place really sinks in once you step inside of it. The tour we took I found was worth it for getting to see newly opened or recently reopened parts of the building that only gain access on a tour. Regardless of whether you book a tour or not, do not miss this if you are in Rome. This is one of the "touristy" places everyone talks about, and is unequivocally worth the trip. You simply must go. read more

Oh my!!!!!! Took the metro to here, and totally in shock when I got off from the station!!!! This place is magnificent. Amazing amazing!!!! Are history class alive! read more

This place is phenomenal. They are slowly restoring it, but they are not losing its charm. There are stores tucked inside of it, but it does not take from the sheet amazingness of it. You honestly would never realize that there is a bookstore tucked into it. I did not have to deal with lines because I booked with Dark Rome tours. That is worth it. You get to go into places that are normally accessible to the average patron. It is difficult to put into words the grandeur. There are some vendors but not as bad as some of the other Roman sites. I would say that you should pair this with the Roman Forum. They seem to go hand in hand with their history. read more

It was unreal to see the coliseum in person. You see it in movies, television shows, and pictures but you would never experience it the same without visiting! I would highly recommend taking a tour of the coliseum called the 'colosseum, underground and third ring'. The tour is about 75 minutes. You get to go beneath the arena where they will explain how the animals and gladiators were hoisted up onto the stage. You will also get to go to the highest ring where they give you time to take pictures. The best part of both those areas is that only your tour will be there and no other general tourists which makes it easier to see things and appreciate what you are looking at. read more

Wonderful experience...seeing the Colosseum in person was absolutely amazing! After years of reading about it in textbooks and watching documentaries I was beyond amazed. The wait in line was very short and the staff was very professional. read more

But your tickets online so you won't have stand all day long in long lines, especially in the summer where it gets very hot. Once you get inside, you can just wander on your own if you want to. It is quite a wonder, glad to check this off my bucket list. Don't fall into scams or people that try to sell you fake tickets. Bring plenty of water if you're visiting in the summer! read more

The Colosseo is a beautiful representation of the olden days. It's a shame that it was quarried and the marble removed. It must have been amazing back in the day. It's definitely a sight to see when you're in Rome but I wouldn't necessarily go back if I was in Rome again. read more

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"While stands the Coliseum, Rome shall stand; / When falls the Coliseum, Rome shall fall; / And when Rome falls - the World." - Lord Byron Rome was not built in a day, but damnit, you just can't see it all in one day either...but I tried. With one solitary day to spend, we hauled ass to the Civitavecchia to hop the first train en route to Rome. One in Rome,we did as the Romans do and hopped the metro straight to the world famous Colosseo. Stepping foot into the Coliseum is electric. An iconic structure depicted in countless films, whose image has been plastered on every Italian American restaurant, and whose stories of epic battles and tales of woe continue to shock and awe history buffs to this day- it had me giddy as a school boy. The weather in Rome on an early October morning was ideal. No clouds, plenty of sunshine and mild temperatures made for the perfect sight seeing day. You've already heard it before: this is a must see. As a Washington, D.C. native, I can say with full confidence that our monuments are pale in comparison to Colosseo. It's amazing to walk in the footsteps of spectators and Roman emperors that were around in 80 AD. The oldest city in the states is only 450 years old. The views permitted by the general admittance fee was worth the money. While some of the guided tours can afford you closer views of certain areas, I was content with my purchase. There is nothing I can add that hasn't been said already. I can only reiterate that it's a site worth ever dollar and euro. If all roads lead to Rome, make sure you head in the direction of Colosseo. read more

The Colosseum is breath-taking! You cannot be anything but in awe as you begin to imagine the significance of this site. I highly suggest that you get your tickets online. However, you cannot just enter at the Colosseum. You have to get your tickets (switch them out with your online tickets) over by the Palatine Hill. Go through the Palatine Hill/Roman Forum and then make the Colosseum your last stop. The Colosseum is.....oh, you just have to be there to understand. Even the ruins are beautiful. Look around at different spots. Make sure you have on a good pair of shoes. read more

I find the colosseo best enjoyed at night time. I feel Rome overall is most beautiful at night. Less crowds, more peaceful, and the buildings are much more striking. No need for tour guides in my opinion. Just walk at your own ease! read more

I liked the Colosseum and it was worth a visit, but I wouldn't say it was the most impressive thing I saw in Rome. I actually think the outside is more impressive and it is amazing as part of the skyline. The inside was cool, but it is a quick visit (for good or bad). We bought the Rome Pass (Roma Carta) for 30€ which includes skipping the line for a few sites including the Colosseum and the Forum (both sites count as one visit) and public transportation for three days. I would *highly* recommend purchasing this card. Even if you use it for nothing except for this site (which, as it turns out, is all we ended up using it for besides the trains and buses), it is worthwhile. The lines were insane when we went and we skipped them all. You have to be pretty observant too because it's not clearly marked that those with the Card can skip, but you can! I bought the audiotour for the Colosseum and I thought it was fairly worthwhile. As I mentioned elsewhere, there is not a lot of signage in Italian museums and historical sites so this provides some great background. Some of it is boring, but I think it helps you to visualize how the Colosseum was used. read more

Like most of Imperial Rome, overwhelming in it's scope and history. Not to be missed. A Metro subway station is RIGHT THERE in the B line.

Majestic. Definitely a must visit place when in Rome. Do not take the shorten line tour trips. It's a scam. You always end up doing the same line. Sundays free tickets and lines go by pretty fast read more