The Colosseum is far more than its façade. Inside, the Flavian Amphitheatre shows you the tiers of seating, the arena, the hypogeum exposed and the cross of the martyrs, plus privileged views of the Roman Forum and the Arch of Constantine, right next door. This guide runs through what to see at the Roman Colosseum so you miss none of the key spots.
The first thing that impresses you on entering are the tiers of seating, the cavea, where up to tens of thousands of spectators sat. The public was arranged by social rank: the emperor and the senators next to the arena, the knights in the middle levels and the humblest classes in the upper tier. Climbing to the upper floors lets you grasp the scale of the capacity and get the best photos of the site.
The arena was the oval stage where the gladiators fought and the hunts were held. Its name comes from the arena (sand) that covered the wooden floor to soak up the blood. Today part of it is reconstructed with a wooden platform that helps you picture the space. To get to know its protagonists, read our guide on the gladiators of the Colosseum.
As the original floor of the arena is mostly not preserved, from the stands you can see the hypogeum: the network of tunnels, cells and ramps that lay beneath the arena. There the gladiators and wild beasts waited before appearing on stage by lifts and trapdoors. It is one of the most fascinating parts of the visit and makes far more sense with a guide. To walk through it yourself, together with the Arena platform, you need the specific tour.
At one end of the arena you will see a cross commemorating the Christian martyrs. It was placed by the Church when, in the 18th century, the monument was consecrated to their memory, which helped halt the plundering of its stone. Every Good Friday the Pope leads the Way of the Cross here. You can expand on this context in our history of the Colosseum.
From the upper floors of the Colosseum you enjoy some of the best views of ancient Rome: the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill and, beside the exit, the imposing Arch of Constantine. Raised in 315 AD to celebrate the victory of emperor Constantine, it is the largest triumphal arch preserved in Rome and the perfect finishing touch to the visit. The Forum and the Palatine are included in the same ticket, so make the most of them: we tell you all about it in Roman Forum and Palatine.
With a guide you will understand every corner of the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine without missing a thing, and you enter skip-the-line. Guided tour from €59, or an audio-guide ticket to go at your own pace from €26.
See the guided tour from €59 →
⏳ The Colosseum sells out daily in high season. Book ahead · free cancellation.
The tiers of seating where the public sat by social rank, the arena (the stage of the combats), the hypogeum or underground exposed, and the cross commemorating the Christian martyrs. From the upper levels there are views of the Roman Forum, the Palatine and the Arch of Constantine.
From the stands you can see it perfectly, since the original floor is mostly not preserved. To go down and walk through the underground itself, together with the Arena platform, you need the specific guided tour, as that area is not included in the standard ticket.
Right next to it is the Arch of Constantine, the largest triumphal arch preserved in Rome (315 AD). Very close by are the Roman Forum and the Palatine, included in the same ticket, and a few minutes' walk away Nero's Domus Aurea.
Between 1 and 1.5 hours. With the Roman Forum and the Palatine, included in the same ticket, allow 3 to 4 hours in total. The ticket is valid for 24 hours, so you can split the visit over two days. More on the duration →
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