Visiting Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Rome (2024)

About the Roman Forum Buy fast track tickets Forum recommended route Roman Forum - what to expect

A walk around the Roman Forum is to glimpse into the founding of the ancient Roman Empire.

From what was marshland the Romans drained the area and turned it into a centre of political and social activity. The Forum was the marketplace of Rome, and later a gathering space for triumphal processions, criminal trials and gladiatorial matches.

The Roman Forum was home to some of the oldest and most important buildings in the ancient city – what you will see today is a mass of ruins, including shrines and temples, such as the House of the Vestal Virgins. The most ancient monuments at the Roman Forum are from the first kings of Rome, dating back to the sixth century BC.

The Forum was then abandoned some time in the Middle Ages, and over time, buried under layers of earth, Some temples were transformed into churches, allowing their preservation in the course of time.

During the Renaissance the area of the Forum Romanum was used as a marble and stone quarry. However, it was not until 1898 that excavations began to be carried out, revealing what we see today.

Time slot entries are now in place at the Colosseum/ Roman Forum. You are required to select your time slot in advance. You will receive a confirmation email upon booking and and on your voucher you can read how to reserve your time slot. Although you can do this at the Colosseum Ticket Office, it is sensible to do this online in advance because otherwise there is no way of securing your preferred date and time.

The standard admission ticket covers all three monuments, the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Opening hours are from 8.30am to one hour before sunset, exact times are again on the link below:

Opening hours Colosseum + Roman Forum

You can gain Colosseum and Roman Forum entrance by:

• Arriving first thing and queuing for a time slot later the same day or later that week (although still possible, this is risky because you are not guaranteed entry on the day you wish due to demand)

• Buying a skip the line ticket avoiding the queues in advance for a supplement

• Gaining entry using the Roma Pass

• By guided tour as part of a group

Note: Within the Colosseum, there are parts you can only visit as part of a “special access” guided tour (see section below) for which the standard ticket has no validity.

Free Entrance:

• Free entry on the first Sunday of the month (no reservation possible) – expect long queues

• Free entry for those under 18 and discounted tickets for EU citizens aged between 18-25.

  See Also

  Visiting the Roman Forum: 10 HighlightsUltimate Guide to the Roman Forum: Discover Ancient Rome with Roma ExperienceGuide To The Monuments Of The Roman ForumTop 13 Things To See in the Roman Forum - The Roman Guy

• Free for EU citizens with disabilities and their companion, with valid medical documentation of the disability

Dedicated page covering all types of tickets for Colosseum and Roman Forum

Skip the Queue/ Fast Track tickets can be purchased in advance on-line with immediate delivery of tickets by e-mail.

Main entrance

The main entrance gate for the Roman Forum is along the Via die Fori Imperiali between the Colosseum and Piazza Venezia, near the Piazza Venezia end. There is an exit gate from the Roman Forum close to the Colosseum. You cannot enter the Roman Forum at the gate nearest the Colosseum, this gate is just an exit.

The natural flow of a visit is to exit the Roman Forum at the Colosseum end of the site. You cannot enter or re-enter at this gate though. There are also exits at the Capitoline Hill end of the site, but again no entrance. The Palatine Hill towering above you is also linked both ways to the Roman Forum.

Where are the shortest queues?

The ticket kiosk at the Colosseum has by far the longest queues; we suggest you start and buy your ticket at the Palatine Hill entrance.

The ticket gate for the Palatine Hill often has no queues at all and is midway down the road Via di San Gregorio that runs from the Colosseum along the base of the Palatine Hill less than 5 minutes' walk from the Colosseum. Many of the hop-on hop-off sightseeing buses and tour buses board and drop between the Colosseum and the entrance to the Palatine Hill.

From the Palatine Hill entrance, walking uphill exploring the Palatine Hill is more gradual than from the Roman Forum and has more shade. After performing a circuit of the Palatine Hill you will get a great birds' eye view down onto the Roman Forum as you descend into it, getting a good initial orientation in the process.

The entrance of the Roman Forum is a long way from the Colosseum, but there is an exit only gate right next to the Colosseum.

The Roman Forum is a large area to cover with little shade, so do bring along plenty of fluids.

Another thing to bear in mind is that there are no food outlets at the Roman Forum. If you have, for example, spent the morning at the Colosseum and you go straight on to the Forum, be prepared to have a later lunch by the time you have walked round this ancient site.

Time needed to visit the Roman Forum

Most people allow a half day to visit the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill with the Colosseum. If you have a real interest in the subject matter you will need a day.

Your ticket allows you to see all three parts over two days (re-entry is not permitted) so you could take a more leisurely approach visiting the Colosseum on a separate day to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Taking a walking tour with an expert guide with headphones and fast track entrance tickets provided is an efficient and cost effective way of covering the Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum in around 3 hours.

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