Combo (Save 33%): Rome Hop-on Hop-off Bus Tour + Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum Tickets

To see the colosseum as you turn a corner on a street is an absolutely unbelievable sight. To go in the colosseum is something I cannot describe. You need to be there to understand. When your standing inside it, it roots you to the spot. It's been a week since I visited and im still in awe.

It was an unforgettable experience to immerse myself in history. Everything went smoothly with the tickets, and getting in was surprisingly quick. There are security checks at the entrance similar to those at an airport, and you’re allowed to bring water with you.

Everything went smoothly, and the tickets were available right away. The Colosseum itself is an impressive structure. It wasn't as crowded as I expected, either. The Palatine Hill takes you far back in history.

Honestly, walking into the Colosseum for the first time completely knocked me sideways. You step through that archway and it's like the modern world just shuts off. No more traffic, no more selfie sticks, none of that. It's suddenly quiet and cool and you're standing in this massive, hollow shell. I just remember tilting my head back and feeling totally dwarfed by the walls. The light is all dusty and golden, filtering in through the broken upper levels, and it hits you that this place is over 2,000 years old. You're not looking at a ruin, you're standing inside a giant, weathered skeleton. My first thought was, "How on earth did they even build this?" Then we climbed up to the second tier, and the view completely changes. Now you're up high, looking out across the arena floor, and you realise you're packed in with tourists from every corner of the planet. It's this weird, chaotic mix of languages, people jostling for railing space, phones held up everywhere. But instead of being annoying, it actually felt kind of fitting. Like, this was always a place for crowds, right? We were all just the latest version of that, all of us craning our necks and going "wow" at the same time. You look past the ruin and see the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill in the distance, and for a second you forget you're in a crowd at all. You're just another person, thousands of years later, completely awestruck by the same view. But the real gut-punch came when I looked straight down. Leaning over the edge and seeing the hypogeum, those underground tunnels and cages, gave me actual chills. There's no marble or glamour down there, just raw, heavy brickwork and dark, cramped spaces where the animals and gladiators waited before their fights. You start picturing it, the chains, the nervous energy, the roaring from above. It felt so real, so brutally human. That's the part that stuck with me the most, not the grandeur, but looking into those dark pits and knowing that was where people spent their final, terrifying moments. It was haunting, but in a way that made the whole visit unforgettable.

The most memorable part of my visit was seeing the Iron Cross inside the Colosseum. It immediately caught my attention because it stands as a powerful symbol of remembrance and reflection. Although the Colosseum is famous for the gladiator battles and the impressive Roman architecture, the cross adds a different perspective by honoring those who suffered and died there. Standing in front of it made me think about the history of the arena and how it has transformed from a place of violence into a monument that promotes peace and respect for human life. The contrast between the ancient stone walls and the simple Iron Cross created a meaningful and emotional moment that I will remember long after my visit.

It was a great experience for us. I was with my two daughters, and they loved it too—though they weren’t quite as keen on the walking, since it takes up a good part of the day, so a good pair of sneakers is a must. It was pretty hot, but the good thing is that there are drinking fountains all over the place to fill up water bottles, and if worse comes to worst, there are water dispensers. Be sure to bring an audio guide if you don’t speak either Italian or English.