Rome Colosseum Underground Tours & Tickets

10 Best Colosseum Underground Tours

Rome Colosseum Underground is a popular Roman attraction that was used for all gladiator fights in the past. The historical landmark was also used for public executions and hunting in the past and the location serves as a tourist attraction site today. Passages like the Hypogeum and several other sights can be explored in Rome's Colosseum underground, and visitors can also explore the walls built of ancient stones. With over 6 million yearly visitors, the Colosseum is one of the most visited attractions in Rome and it is also known as the main symbol or icon of Rome.

If you would like to expand your knowledge of the Colosseum and learn of its deep history, you can get guided tour tickets that allow you to explore the underground of Rome Colosseum with a knowledgeable guide. With private tour tickets to the Colosseum Underground, visitors can explore the various attractions on their own, and also enjoy other privileges including skip the line Rome Colosseum Underground tours, and other amazing combination tickets. Customers can buy online tickets for easier transactions that save them the stress of going to a ticket stand, and also access discount tickets and other great deals.

Rome Colosseum tickets and tours will expose tourists to the most intriguing sights, and the Tripindicator team has done a great job by selecting the best ticket deals and amazing tour combinations to enable visitors to experience the best activities at very affordable rates. Below is the standard pricing for tickets.

Colosseum Underground and Arena Price

Audults ticket €69
Children ticket €69
Infant ticket FREE

See below a brief description of Top-rated Skip the line guided tours of the Rome Colosseum. They're based on users reviews, cost, customer experience as well as all the best ways to see the famous Rome Colosseum Underground.

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Private Tour of Colosseum St Clements Underground & Crypts for Families and Kids

1. Private Tour of Colosseum St Clements Underground & Crypts for Families and Kids

clock Duration: 2 hours 30
  • Take the opportunity to explore Ancient Rome with this special private kid-friendly tour!

    Your private kid-friendly guide Donato will allow you to discover both the Colosseum and Saint Clement from a special perspective: Donato is not just a top-rated guide, he is also an expert archaeologist who will make sure you have an amazing...
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The Colosseum Underground Experience

2. The Colosseum Underground Experience

clock Duration: 3 hours
  • If it’s got big teeth and a taste for human flesh, there’s a pretty good chance it once called the Colosseum Underground home. This tour is our most comprehensive, and includes a access to two RESTRICTED areas of the Colosseum, plus Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum - all with premium skip-the-line access. The underground chambers we’ll...
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Colosseum and St. Clements Undergrounds Private Tour for Kids & Families

3. Colosseum and St. Clements Undergrounds Private Tour for Kids & Families

clock Duration: 2 hours 30
  • This private tour of the Colosseum & St. Clemens Undergrounds is specifically designed for families with children. An expert guide will lead a wonderful, family-friendly tour to the interior of the Colosseum. The tour includes also one of the most famous undergrounds of Rome: the subterraneans of St. Clemens Basilica. You will explore ancient...
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Skip the Line Colosseum and St. Clements Undergrounds Private Tour

4. Skip the Line Colosseum and St. Clements Undergrounds Private Tour

clock Duration: 3 hours
  • You will visit the Colosseum in depth, walking around the arena, visiting the seating levels and learning about the spectacles and gladiators lives. Then the guide will take you underground to discover the buried treasures of St. Clemens Basilica including an ancient Mytraic Temple and medieval precious frescoes. It is a tour for Indiana...
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Exclusive Private Tour of the Colosseum Undergrounds Rome

5. Exclusive Private Tour of the Colosseum Undergrounds Rome

clock Duration: 3 hours
  • The Colosseum is one of the most iconic structures of the planet. This tour is focused on the ground floor, first level, Arena level and Undergrounds of this famous amphitheater. If time permits, you will also be taken to admire the impressive Arch of Constantine. The Ancient Roman Forum and Imperial Forum were the political and commercial heart...
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VIP Colosseum Underground Private Tour

6. VIP Colosseum Underground Private Tour

clock Duration: 45 minutes
  • Journey back through history to a time of gladiators and emperors as you discover the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill with an expert guide.
    See the Colosseum, once known as the Flavian Amphitheatre, through the eyes of gladiators, as you stand on the arena floor, where they would have fought nearly 2000 years ago. Your guide will then take...
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Private tour Colosseum Underground and Ancient Rome

7. Private tour Colosseum Underground and Ancient Rome

clock Duration: 2 to 3 hou
  • This complete tour includes a special entrance in the underground space, arena floor, and the first level of the amphitheater. The first stop of the tour is the Colosseum Underground or “The Dungeons". The underground is organised with a central tunnel and other minor tunnels, where gladiators got ready for the combats and romans used an old...
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Colosseum: Tour of the Arena, the underground, the Roman forum and the Palatine Hill

8. Colosseum: Tour of the Arena, the underground, the Roman forum and the Palatine Hill

clock Duration: 3 hours
  • Thanks to this tour, travelers will have the opportunity to enter the true history of Rome and will be able to get excited by entering the Colosseum as real gladiators. They will visit the underground places not visible to the rest of the visitors of the Colosseum. They will pass through the tunnels where gladiators and wild beasts passed 2000...
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Colosseum Underground

9. Colosseum Underground

clock Duration: 1 hour 30
  • Thanks to this tour, travelers will have the opportunity to enter the true history of Rome and will be able to get excited by entering the Colosseum as real gladiators. They will visit the underground places not visible to the rest of the visitors of the Colosseum. They will pass through the tunnels where gladiators and wild beasts passed 2000...
  • read more
Exclusive Colosseum Underground VIP Tour with free tour to the Roman Forum

10. Exclusive Colosseum Underground VIP Tour with free tour to the Roman Forum

clock Duration: 2 hours 30
  • Visit Rome's symbolic monument with a tour that makes it easy and fun for all ages. Bypass the queue to avoid long waits. A professional guide, with an art and archaeological background, will escort you through the amphitheater's history. The unique feature of this extraordinary tour is to let you explore the hidden parts of the Colosseum in a...
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What is Rome Colosseum?

Built between 72 A.D. and 80 A.D. under the Emperor Vespian, the Colosseum in Rome is one of the world\'s most historical sites and is visited by millions of tourists yearly. Made from concrete and stone, this magnificent monument was built with tens of thousands of slaves. It is the largest amphitheater in the world, measuring 189 meters long, 156 meters wide, and 50 meters high. This arena can easily fit a modern-day football pitch inside.

The events which were previously held in the Colosseum were very brutal, and sometimes a few games held by the emperors would kill more than 10,000 animals in single day. As protection for spectators from the blistering sun and heat of Ancient Rome, there was an awning that could be pulled over the top to of the seating to provide shade, also referred to as velarium.

There were numerous rooms and underground passages below the colosseum where the gladiators and animals were kept. There were also three dozen trap doors in the arena which were mainly used for special effects. Although two-thirds of the Colosseum has been destroyed over the years, mostly the result of fire, earthquakes and vandalism, it remains one of the most popular tourist sites today.

Rome Colosseum

Quick Jump links to Rome Colosseum

Plan Your Rome Colosseum Visit

The Colosseum can be overwhelming especially for someone who did not do enough research. So we have done the hard work for you and left no stone unturned to get you the best insider tips when it comes to planning your Rome Colosseum visit.

Colosseum Tickets Cost and Opening Times
  • The Colosseum is open all days from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm from the last Sunday in October to the 15th of February;
  • 8:30 am to 5:00 pm from the 16th of February to the 15th of March;
  • 8:30 am to 5:30 pm from the 16th to the last Saturday of March;
  • 8:30 am to 7:15 pm from the last Sunday of March until the 31st of August;
  • 8:30 am to 7:00 pm from the 1st to the 30th of September;
  • and from 8:30 am to 6:30 pm from the first to the last Saturday in October.

The last entrance is an hour before closure. The Colosseum is closed on the 1st of January and the 25th of December.

  • When bough on site, the ticket costs €12 for the full price,
  • €7.50 for European Union members who are between 18 and 25 years old;
  • and free for all citizens under the age of 18.
  • Open tickets can only be used from 2:00 pm while admission tickets cannot be moved to another date.
Best time to visit

The best time to visit Rome is from October to April. This is when most of the tourist crowds have dissipated and the rates for rooms are lower. Weather this time of the year hardly dips below freezing but you will need a coat to keep yourself warm. If you want warmer weather without plenty of tourists and sweltering heat, you can go in May or September.

Go with a guide

Going with a guided tour helps you get the most out of your visit to the ruins. You get to jump queue and have someone knowledgeable tell you all about the amphitheater's history. You also get access to exclusive areas of the site which are not open to the rest of the public. Another excellent option is a group tour if you are on a budget but still want to all the highlights. With a competent guide, the glory of ancient Rome can be brought back to life.

Dedicate a whole day

The Colosseum is massive and can be overwhelming so dedicate at least one whole day so you can explore to your heart's content. Don't rush and sell yourself short. You already paid good money so you must see to it that you get your money's worth. Busy tourists crowd around the Palatine Hill, Roman Forum and the Colosseum and it can take you quite some time to get through everything that you want to see, the same reason why it is better to get a guide. There are plenty of Rome pass tickets to choose from so it shouldn't be that difficult to find one suitable for you.


Understanding Rome Colosseum Underground & Floors


Colosseum Outer Walls
Colosseum Outer Walls
The outer wall of the colosseum us 57 meters high and is built of travertine marble that is held together by iron clamps instead of mortars. The outer wall has been damaged several times by earthquake and in 1349, its entire south side collapsed. The fallen stone was used in the construction of buildings throughout Rome, but the original layers can still be seen in the arches and pilasters in the remaining north side.

Colosseum Interior
Colosseum Interior
The interior of the Colosseum was divided into different sections and spectators were seated according to their rank, or lack thereof. The emperor and the vestal virgins had the best views from the boxes at the south and north ends of the arena. Some of the names of the senators are carved in stone of the area between the south and north ends as the seats there were reserved for them. On the second course sat the noble families and the general public sat on the third and fourth levels.

The Hypoguem
The Hypoguem
The Hypoguem or the arena floor is 83 by 48 meters. It is built of wood and covered with sand. Although it has long been destroyed, visitors today can still see the walls of the hypogeum which is a massive two-storey underground labyrinth of tunnels connecting cages for exotic wild animals, training room for gladiators, and store rooms. Caged animals and scenery were lifted to the arena by elaborate machines. Sometimes the arena was filled with water for mock sea battles.

Arch of Constantine
Arch of Constantine
The Arch of Constantine stands beside the Colosseum and it is a triumphal arch in honor of Emperor Constantine who was known as the 'liberator of the city of Rome and the bringer of peace' after his victorious rally at the battle of the Milvian Bridge. It is the largest and best preserved roman triumphal arch standing 21 meters tall. Decorated with reliefs taken earlier structures, some of the scenes on the arch have little to do with Constantine's victory.



Rome Colosseum Sections Quick View Table

Colosseum Outer Wall

Colosseum Interior

The Hypoguem

Arch of Constantine

About -186 meters long and 156 meters wide, the Colosseum ha san oval shape although it appears circular -Created to satsify the public's cravings for games and spectacles

-The emperor. Noble families, and the public had different seating sections

-Vast network of tunnels and passages underground

-chambers for gladiators, animals, and slaves operated by pulleys and ropes which lead directly to the arena through trap doors

-A triumphal arch honoring the Emperor Constantine, the liberator of Rome and the brine rog peace
Best Views -Have different perspectives of the Colosseum while standing on the four main entrances -The top level was lavishly decorated but only a few fragments survived

-Standing at the top gives you a good view of the colosseum intersiors

-Being in the Hypoguem gives you a good view of the Colosseum interior from the ground up and makes you realize just how vast it is -Standing 20 meters high and 25 meters wide, there are three portals that punctuate the exceptional width of the arch
Things to do -Check the original layers of the pillasters and arches on the remaining north side -Stand on top and imagine just how ancient people stood there anticipating gladiatorial games -Explore the underground labyrinths connecting various rooms -Decorated with reliefs taken from other earlier structures, the Arch is one of the must-picture places in Rome

Rome was not built in a day and seeing the city in its entirety is also going to take more than a day. There are various free things to do in Rome, as well as Rome day trips to choose from but it is important to select one that will help you save time because the lines can get very long especially during peak season. Another great way to experience the city, as well as its most famous attractions is the Rome Hop On Hop Off bus. Rome deserves more than just a cursory glance so when in Rome do as the Romans do and take your time to truly experience it.