3 Big Mistakes I Made While Visiting the Colosseum in Rome
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Wondering how to tackle the Colosseum without getting overwhelmed by endless ticket options or confusing tourist passes, or—most importantly—missing out on must-see areas like the underground chambers?
Having spent an entire day exploring every corner of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill after visiting the Colosseum in Rome while solo, I know the frustration firsthand. I bought the Omnia Card and missed the underground access entirely.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through my hesitations about this Rome tourist pass, how best to prepare for your trip (especially if you’re going during peak summer, as I did), and how to choose between self-guided tours, group experiences, and tourist passes, so you don’t repeat my mistakes.
Colosseum Ticket Options
There are many options for visiting the Colosseum in Rome, so I’m going to provide a brief overview of the pros and cons of the most popular ones.
Using the Omnia Card
When I visited the Roman Forum and Colosseum, I got the Omnia Card.
If you’ve read my review of the Omnia Card, you’ll know it wasn’t the best option for my trip to Rome, as it was more costly than buying individual tickets for the things I wanted to see.
Pros of the Omnia Card:
- I took the hop-on, hop-off bus provided to get to the Colosseum from my Roma hostel
- I explored the top-tier walkways, exhibitions, and artifacts
- I was able to skip the line, cutting out a long wait I saw at the front
- An audio guide was provided, which was very easy to follow and offered tons of information about the Colosseum itself and several artifacts
Cons of the Omnia Card:
- You need to check availability first, as the pass does not guarantee entry
- It does not allow access to the underground or arena floor
- The card is expensive (€149) for most Rome itineraries
All in all, unless you already have the Omnia Card, I don’t think this is the best way to tour the Colosseum, as the only real benefit you’re getting is the skip-the-line and transport.
Self-Guided Tour of the Colosseum
You can, of course, buy tickets directly from the Colosseum and Roman Forum’s official website.
Their new MyColosseum app is the free, official tool for visitors that lets you find Colosseum tickets, explore the routes, and listen to stories of ancient Rome.
Available for iOS and Android, it contains free interactive audio guides in Italian and English.
The audio guide automatically follows you along the visit route, making it super easy to use!
However, the app is rather large, so it’s best to download it back at your accommodation, where you have Wi-Fi.
Be aware that, because it automatically follows you around, it uses GPS, which can drain your battery, so bring along an external battery pack.
I also recommend bringing a set of headphones, as the Colosseum is a rather busy tourist attraction and sound carries well, which may make it hard to hear (it’s also just more considerate).
The main negatives with this option are that their website is very slow and often down when I’ve tried to visit. So purchasing tickets online is often difficult. And that the app can be cumbersome.
However, if you’re looking for the cheapest option, this is likely your best pick.
Using GetYourGuide Tours
I believe the best way to tour the Colosseum and Roman Forum is to purchase a guided tour.
Pros of a Guided Tour:
- Can explore the top-tier walkways, exhibitions, and artifacts
- Can skip the line, especially helpful during peak seasons as this is one of the top attractions
- Can visit the underground areas, arena floor, or tour at night
- Professional guide so no need to deal with difficult apps or read plaques
Cons of a Guided Tour:
- More expensive than a basic ticket
- Can’t go at your own pace
I highly recommend either booking with Viator or GetYourGuide, both of which list dozens of tour options (night visits, skip-the-line, underground, etc), and if any issues arise, you can easily get a refund up to 24 hours before the tour.
Tickets are available offline, so no need to print them or have data/Wi-Fi access.
Their tour operators are reliable and offer small group and even private tour options.
Why is this my pick for the best way to tour the Colosseum?
Over the years, I’ve increasingly liked having a live tour guide, and this option would provide me with that. Guided tours I’ve found to have entertaining and knowledgeable tour guides, which, as a major history nerd, I appreciate.
I also don’t have to deal with audio guide apps that may cause me trouble, as they have occasionally in the past, which is incredibly frustrating.
My Colosseum Ticket Mistake
The first mistake I made while visiting the Colosseum in Rome was that I wanted to visit the underground section but had the Omnia Card.
I’d really wanted to feel like Maximus in Gladiator and ignorantly assumed I could add it on somehow, but upon arrival and seeing the long line, I found out that not only was there no “add-on,” but that they were already sold out well in advance.
Had I known it would sell out so quickly, I would have booked well in advance of my 3-day trip to Rome.
If you’re looking for a great tour, my blogger friend recommends the Dark Rome to the Colosseum.
You can bypass lines and access parts of the Colosseum not open to the public, such as the underground area with its 2,000-year-old original arena floor.
🎟️ Tickets: If you want to see the underground book in advance!
Helpful Tips for Visiting the Colosseum
Aside from buying your ticket online to avoid hour-long lines, here are my top tips!
- I spent the better part of a day walking several miles at the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. It is HUGE, so get ready for a LOT of walking by wearing supportive shoes. Sneakers with insoles have saved me on more than one occasion.
- If you’re wondering how easy it is to get from the Colosseum to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, worry not—they are right next door to one another!
- Bring a plastic water bottle with you as it will get hot, and there is little to no shade or places to rest! I visited in June, when temperatures in Rome are around 77°F to 85°F. You may also want to bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen, or at least apply some before leaving your accommodation. I didn’t bring any of this with me, and it was a BIG mistake risking my health like this, especially while solo.
- If you don’t want to book in advance (though I don’t recommend this), you can get tickets at the Roman Forum to avoid the long ticket line at the Colosseum. However, the two ticket offices (Salara Vecchia and Piazza del Colosseo) offer limited day-of tickets, so you won’t have guaranteed entry.
- To avoid the crowds and/or lines, book for the first thing in the morning (8:30 am).
- All tickets must match the name on an ID, so be sure to bring your identification.
How Long Should I Spend at the Colosseum?
I’ve seen online that 3-4 hours is recommended for both the Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
I really covered every corner of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill after seeing the Colosseum, and that took around 3.5 hours total based on timestamps from my photos, so that’s a good estimate.
Of course, this all depends on how fast you move and how much ground you want to cover.
I took my time reading plaques and photographing, so I was a bit slower than the typical tourist.
If you’re just visiting the Colosseum, 1-2 hours.
What to Expect at the Colosseum
After entering the Colosseum with the Omnia card and picking up the audio guide, I began my tour of the arena’s interior.
It was easy enough to get around, but when I visited, it wasn’t the GPS-enabled app audioguide; it was the handheld device you can see around my neck above.
Around the arena, signs were posted with numbered headphones to indicate which one to punch in.
You start at the top level and work your way down (just not as far down as the underground), or on that platform you see toward the bottom (I believe they were a tour).
Though I didn’t get to live like a gladiator for the day, I was still awed by my visit to the Colosseum. It’s truly remarkable that it’s still here despite the many times it almost wasn’t (fire, earthquakes, and stone robbers).
Though there are crowds and you can see many people in my photos, I never felt “crowded,” so they regulate the flow well.
You can walk around about half of the building, but as I stated before, it was hot in June, and there is little to no shade, so after taking it in and snapping some photos, I moved into the indoor museum.
Inside you’ll find a load of artifacts such as:
- Ornate ceramic vases
- Gorgeous marble statues
- Stone inscriptions telling of the Colosseum’s history
- Gold orphic tablet that are written on so small it’s hard to believe anyone read it
- The tops of columns of different styles (orders)
- and much more!
You’ll also spot a few cats lounging around the Colosseum and be able to get some decent photos of the Roman Forum from here, which is good to know in case you plan on skipping that (though I hope you don’t, as it was my favorite thing I did in Rome!)
FAQs
Do you need a tour guide for the Colosseum?
A tour guide is not mandatory for the Colosseum; you can visit independently using the official MyColosseum app (iOS and Android), which offers free audio guides in Italian and English that automatically follow your route via GPS.
However, independent visitors are limited to the standard walkways and the indoor museum.
The underground chambers, the original arena floor (over 2,000 years old), and night tours all require a guided tour booked in advance.
I visited with an audio device during the peak summer season and found it manageable, but I left wishing I’d booked a guided tour with underground access. Spaces sell out well in advance, and no same-day add-ons exist at the door, so I missed out.
For first-time visitors or anyone interested in the underground, a guided tour booked through GetYourGuide or Viator is the better choice, as both offer refunds up to 24 hours before the tour, so booking in advance carries minimal risk.
The MyColosseum app also drains battery quickly via GPS—bring a portable charger.
Should I go on a Colosseum guided tour or not?
Yes, a guided Colosseum tour is worth the extra cost.
The key reason: guided tours are the only way to access the underground chambers, the original 2,000-year-old arena floor, and restricted areas not open to general admission—experiences significantly more immersive than the standard upper-level walkways.
Beyond access, a live guide eliminates the frustrations of navigating the massive site alone, such as GPS battery drain, app loading issues, and difficulty hearing audio in crowds.
Guided tours include skip-the-line access and small group options.
If the underground is on your list, book that specific tour well in advance, not the week of your trip. I used the Omnia Card and missed the underground entirely because spaces were already sold out by the time I tried to add it on arrival.
How much time do you need at the Colosseum?
Allow 1 to 2 hours for the Colosseum alone, and 3 to 4 hours if you’re also visiting the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, which are directly adjacent.
I spent approximately 3.5 hours covering every corner of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill after my visit to the Colosseum—a solid estimate for anyone who reads the plaques and takes their time.
If you’re moving quickly or skipping the Forum, one hour at the Colosseum is realistic.
For visitors with underground access, add an extra 45 minutes to an hour.
Book the first available entry slot (8:30 am) to avoid the worst of the crowds and morning lines.
I visited in June, when temperatures in Rome reach 77°F to 85°F, and there is very little shade on the exterior walkways, so factor in the heat when pacing and bring water. The Roman Forum has even less shade than the Colosseum.
Can you do the Colosseum and the Vatican in one day?
Visiting both the Colosseum and the Vatican in one day is not recommended.
The two sites are roughly 3 miles apart and require transit between them, adding time on top of already long visits.
The Vatican alone—Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica, and the dome climb—constitutes a full day.
The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill together require at least 3 to 4 hours.
Attempting both risks, rushing through one or both, and leaving exhausted, especially in the summer heat.
I spent about 3.5 hours at the Colosseum and Forum complex alone, and the Vatican was a separate full-day trip.
For a Rome itinerary, the most practical split is to visit the Vatican on day one, the Colosseum and Forum on day two, and leave day three for additional neighborhoods and sights.
If you have only a day, you’ll need to prioritize one over the other; most first-timers choose the Vatican.
Thoughts on My Mistakes
Overall, my biggest mistakes while visiting the Colosseum in Rome were:
- Buying the Omnia Card, as it’s far too expensive for what I got out of it
- Not Booking the Underground tour in advance and assuming I could just add it on day of
- Not packing a water bottle or sun protection when visiting during the summer
Luckily, all of these are quite avoidable once you’re aware of them!
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