Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum Access

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.

Colosseum or colosseo is an emblematic monument in the heart of Rome. It's one of those places where you feel the magic that connects you to your past. Even though crowded it's absolutely stunning. It also hosts a very good exhibition on the city of troy that we enjoyed. Our tickets included a walk through the palatine hills and roman forum as well as mammertime prison and I have to say the whole visit was surreal. Absolutely worth the visit! And don't forget to get your tickets early to avoid the long lines😉

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.

It was very easy to book—in fact, it was the cheapest website—and even though I didn’t read the instructions carefully and only had the reservation code when I went to enter the Colosseum, right there, a woman at the entrance told me I had to pick up the tickets at a nearby pickup point, so I went there and they had everything ready for me. We didn’t use the audio guide that comes with it because it didn’t work for us… I’ll definitely use this company again.

The Colosseum is an amazing sight full of wonder and history. Our tour included access to both the upper and lower levels, accompanied by an audio tour guide as well. The tour also allows an in depth view of the history of Troy, leading to the founding of Rome itself. If you had a couple of hours to spare during your stay in Rome, PLEASE visit the Colosseum and immerse yourself in one of the worlds most famous landmarks!