Visiting the Colosseum and the Roman Forum – our tips for the visit

Writer: Helena Bergström

Updated: August 2026 | The Colosseum and the Roman Forum are among the most impressive sights in Rome. Here you get up close to the history of the Roman Empire, among ruins, temples, triumphal arches and the enormous amphitheater where gladiators once fought in front of tens of thousands of spectators. We visited the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill in the same day and share with us our experiences and tips for the visit.

Visiting the Colosseum and the Roman Forum

The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are located right next to each other, making them a great place to visit during the same visit. Together, they provide a fascinating picture of ancient Rome – from the enormous amphitheater where tens of thousands of people gathered to the political and religious center where important parts of Roman social life took place.

Expect the area to be considerably larger than it may first appear. The Roman Forum stretches between the Palatine and the Capitoline, and here you can stroll along ancient streets among temples, triumphal arches and ruins. On the Palatine, you'll find remains of imperial palaces and fine views of the Roman Forum.

We visited all three areas in the same day and found the combination to be a much bigger experience. The Colosseum is of course the big symbol, but for us it was just as fascinating to walk around the ruins of the Roman Forum and try to imagine life here around 2,000 years ago.

Colosseum tickets – book in advance

The Colosseum is one of Rome's most visited attractions and it is wise to plan your visit in advance. For the Colosseum you normally book a ticket with a specific entrance time, and during popular periods attractive times can be fully booked.

There are different types of tickets depending on which parts you want to visit. Common combination tickets include the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, while other options may give access to, for example, the arena floor or the underground parts of the Colosseum.

Roman Forum – the heart of ancient Rome

For centuries, the Roman Forum was the center of public life in the Roman Empire. Political decisions were made here, religious ceremonies were held, and trade was conducted, and temples, basilicas, and other important buildings lined the streets.

Today, all that remains are ruins, columns and triumphal arches, but the size of the area still makes it surprisingly easy to imagine the importance the place once had. The Via Sacra, the sacred road, runs through the Roman Forum, where Roman triumphal processions passed, among other things.

We started our visit here and were fascinated by how big the area is. It's dizzying to try to imagine what happened here 2000 years ago and throughout history. If you're not going with a guide, our tip is to read up a bit beforehand, and then take your time to let the history sink in!

Sights at the Roman Forum

There are plenty of ruins and historical buildings to explore in the Roman Forum. Without a guide, it can sometimes be difficult to understand what you're looking at, so it's a good idea to do some reading before your visit. Some places to look out for include:

• Arch of Septimius Severus – the impressive triumphal arch was built in 203 AD to commemorate the military victories of Emperor Septimius Severus and his sons.
• Temple of Saturn – the eight tall columns are among the most characteristic ruins in the Roman Forum. In ancient times, the Roman treasury was also stored here.
• Temple of Castor and Pollux – today, all that remains are three tall columns of the once much larger temple.
• Arch of Titus – the triumphal arch was built at the end of the first century AD and is known, among other things, for its reliefs depicting the Roman victory in Jerusalem.
• Temple of Vesta and House of the Vestal Virgins – here served the Vestals, the priestesses whose task, among other things, was to keep Vesta's sacred fire burning.
• Basilica of St Maxentius – the enormous arches that remain give an idea of what a monumental building this once was.

You don't have to try to tick off every ruin. A big part of the experience is walking along the ancient roads and trying to imagine what the area looked like when Rome was the center of a huge empire.

Palatine Hill – Rome's Imperial Hill

Above the Roman Forum lies the Palatine Hill, one of Rome's seven hills and a place with a very special significance in the city's history. According to legend, this is where Romulus founded Rome in 753 BC, and archaeological finds show that people lived on the hill long before that.

During the imperial era, the Palatine Hill became one of Rome's most exclusive areas. Several emperors had large palaces built here, and it actually comes from the Latin Palatium from which our word ”palace” originates.

Today you can walk among the ruins of imperial residences, gardens and other buildings. From here you also get great views of both the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus.

Colosseum – the world's most famous amphitheater

The Colosseum began construction around 72 AD under Emperor Vespasian and was inaugurated in 80 AD by his son Titus. Its original name was Amphitheatrum Flavium, the Flavian Amphitheatre, after the imperial dynasty that had it built.

The amphitheater was the largest in the Roman Empire, able to accommodate tens of thousands of spectators. Despite earthquakes, centuries of decay, and the stone and marble later being reused in other buildings, much of the structure still stands.

It's only when you get really close that you realize how enormous the building really is. And when you enter and look out over the arena, it's hard not to try to imagine what the place must have looked like when the stands were filled with Roman spectators.

Gladiators and spectacles at the Colosseum

The Colosseum was built for entertainment on a grand scale. Gladiator fights, animal hunts, executions, and other spectacles were staged here in front of huge crowds. Exotic animals were brought to Rome from various parts of the empire and used during the public games.

Gladiators could be slaves, prisoners of war or convicted criminals, but there were also volunteers who chose the gladiator life. The fights were violent and could end in death, although the image that every gladiatorial fight had to end in death is exaggerated.

The games were not just entertainment. They also had a political function, where emperors and other rulers could demonstrate their generosity, wealth, and power to the people of Rome.

What did the Colosseum look like during Roman times?

The Colosseum we see today is just a part of the magnificent building that greeted visitors during Roman times. The facade was clad in stone and marble, the stands were organized by social class, and the audience could find their seats through an advanced system of entrances, stairs, and corridors.

A large sunshade could be placed over parts of the stands, velarium, stretched up to protect the audience from the sun. Under the arena floor there eventually was a complex system of passages and spaces, known as hypogeum, where gladiators, animals and equipment could be kept before being brought into the arena.

Today, large parts of the original arena floor are gone, leaving the underground structures open and visible, providing a fascinating insight into the advanced organization required to hold the games.

Our experience

For us, it was the combination of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum that made the visit so powerful. After first walking through the political and religious center of ancient Rome, we were then allowed to step into the place where huge crowds gathered for entertainment. Suddenly, history became a little more real.

I tried to imagine the opening ceremony, which lasted 100 days. The Colosseum was covered in marble, the stands were packed, and a total of 11,000 wild animals were killed during the ”games.” It’s easy to get historical vertigo when you try to think about it.

See more of Rome

We fell in love with Rome during our visit, and of course there is more to do than visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum! Although Rome is a capital city, it is a cosy city with charming alleyways where it is nice to stroll around.

This is also a city that is really packed with famous sights. For example, don't miss the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Venezia with its magnificent Victor Emmanuel monument and the beautiful Piazza Navona.

READ MORE: Things to see and do in Rome – our best tips

It is also exciting to see Vatican City, which is located in the centre of Rome but is actually a separate state. There are many daily guided tours of art and statues, including the Sistine Chapel. Buy tickets online in advance to beat the queues.

READ MORE: Vatican City - the smallest country in the world

Film from Rome

Check out Peter's film about the Roman Forum, the Colosseum and many other things we managed to see and experience in Rome.