The Colosseum, Rome - status, queueing and security

The Colosseum, Rome, Italy - information on security measures and queueing

Last updated Spring 2019

The information on this pages applies to ALL Colosseum entrance tickets, including those with a fixed entrance time, as well as tours:

Security measures as the Colosseum have been increased notably and this has resulted in often considerable delays for all visitors. Unfortunately, the metal detectors and security checks take place some time before the ticket desks and this means that ALL visitors that have booked, irrespective of whether they have a reservation for a specific time, are obliged to join the queue for security checks.

We understand, of course, how frustrating this is, but such measures are, regrettably, unavoidable; work is going on to increase the number of metal detectors and security equipment, but this problem is unlikely to go away any time soon. It goes without saying that these measures are imposed by the Rome authorities and have nothing to do with us and that therefore we are unable to offer any refunds (we have already paid in full for your reservation and are unable to obtain any refunds from the authorities).

What does this mean? It means ALL visitors need to arrive at the Colosseum well in advance of entry time. This clearly applies most in high season (Easter to end September), but it is still a requirement to get there well in advance at other times of year. If you are taking part in a tour, please arrive 30 minutes beforehand - if you are not in a tour then be there at least 30 minutes beforehand. Yes, these are long waiting times, but there is obviously no getting around security procedures; the staff on site do not permit latecomers to gain entry.

If you have a ticket without a fixed time then we'd advise you to avoid first thing in the morning and early afternoon as queues will be even longer at those times.

We're very sorry about these delays and we hope we can count on your understanding - obviously such matters are totally out of our control.