Rome is a gorgeous city, one I enjoy visiting any time I have a chance. Apparently I am not the only one, as tourists crowd at any time of year. I don’t think a week would be enough to visit all the main attractions in Rome (read more about the various things to do and see in Rome in this post). Anyways – whether you have just a day there or a month, you simply can’t skip visiting the Colosseum.
This is one of the symbols of Rome, the heritage of the Roman Empire, and usually, the first thing that comes to mind when thinking of the city, and first in the line of places people set to visit when there. Known as the Flavian Amphitheater, it was where the battles between gladiators and wild animals used to take place.
Needless to say, a good traveler wouldn’t dream of going to Rome without visiting the Colosseum – save for those who make it a point to stay out of the tourist track. Don’t get me started on what I think of those obsessed with off the beaten path travel (I have often claimed I am an unsuccessful backpacker because I am more than happy to go to all the most touristy places). Let me just say this: no sane traveler would dream of going to Rome and skip a visit to the Colosseum. It is – quite simply – a must; no matter how hard it is to get tickets to the Colosseum.
Visiting The Colosseum
I am a big fan of anything underground and/or scary and eerie. That’s why I went to Chernobyl, in Ukraine (doesn’t get eerier than that) and to Kolmanskop, an abandoned mining town in the desert of southern Namibia. To me, the best part of visiting the Colosseum is getting to the underground. This is the best-preserved part of the site.
TIP: Keep in mind that the only way to get to the Colosseum underground (as well as the arena floor and the third ring) is on a guided tour. Regular tickets to the Colosseum don’t allow visits to these parts of the site.
The underground has pretty much remained buried from the end of the Roman Empire until around 100 years ago. There are gorgeous marble coatings; some of the structures built on orders of Domitian and even traces and parts of the elevator that lifted wild animals and gladiators to the arena floor.
Even the channels that used to carry water all the way inside the Colosseum are still visible – apparently, water was used to flood the arena to recreate the perfect environment for naval battles! – as well as the sewage system thanks to which various objects testifying to the way of life of the spectators have been found.
To me, this is enough to make me want to invest in tickets to the Colosseum that include a guided tour of the underground! Indeed, while the rest of the Colosseum is certainly nice to visit, it’s a bit bare as throughout the centuries it’s been plundered of its marble and all the other decorations (did you know that in medieval times it was used as a sort of quarry?).
Some very steep steps take to the third ring. Getting there isn’t the easiest thing, but that’s where you’ll get the best view of the Colosseum, as well as that of the Roman Forum and the nearby Constantin Arch. This part of the site can’t be visited with just the standard ticket: you’ll need to get tickets to the Colosseum that include a guide and access to the underground, arena floor, and third ring. It’s surely more pricey but trusts an expert: it’s worth it!
The Roman Forum And The Palatine Hill
There’s little doubt that the Roman Forum is one of the most incredible places to visit in Rome, and it is right next to the Colosseum – so most people visit it on the same day and there are tickets to the Colosseum that also include a guided tour of the Roman Forum (more on that later!). When Rome used to be a Republic, the Roman Forum was a thriving place, with food stalls, temples, brothels, and the House of the Senate. The stalls were later substituted with a proper mall and tribunals, and the Forum became a ceremonial center during the empire.
The Palatine Hill is one of the nicest places in Rome. According to legend, this is where the twins Romolo and Remo were raised by the wolf, and Romolo, having killed his twin brother, founded the village that later on became Rome. Historically, the Palatine used to be the place where the emperors and the aristocrats lived. Many online tickets to the Colosseum include a visit to the Palatine – it’s a great way to complete a tour of Imperial Rome.