Can you visit the Colosseum at night?
Hey everyone, I’m planning our trip and keep seeing these incredible photos of the Colosseum all lit up. But can you actually go inside after dark, or is that just for special events? I’m wondering if it’s a tour we can book and if it’s a good alternative to the daytime crowds. What’s the deal?
YES! 100% you can and you absolutely should. We did the night tour last September and it was, without a doubt, the highlight of our entire trip. It’s a completely separate guided tour. Seeing the underground (the hypogeum) and the arena floor all lit up with almost no one there… it was just magical. So much cooler and more atmospheric than the daytime chaos.
Just to echo what Carter said, it’s a special tour. But one MAJOR warning: you have to book this way in advance. We almost missed out. I was checking the official ticketing.colosseo.it site daily, and the tickets would just vanish the second they were released. If you know your dates, I’d start looking to book them now.
Lakshmi Priya is right, the official tickets are like gold dust. We missed them. We ended up booking a third-party tour through Viator that specifically included the “Colosseum by Night” access. It was definitely more expensive than the official ticket, but honestly, it was worth it. Our guide was amazing, and it saved us the stress of trying to beat the bots on the official site.
We did the official “Luna sul Colosseo” (Moon over the Colosseum) tour. What’s great is that it’s all guided in a small group. Our guide took us down to the underground and explained how the elevators and trapdoors worked for the animals and gladiators. You just don’t get that level of detail or the spooky, quiet atmosphere during the day.
Just a quick heads-up so you can plan: the night tour does not include the Roman Forum or Palatine Hill. We learned this when we booked. Those areas are closed at night. The tour is only for the Colosseum building itself. So if you want to see the Forum, you’ll still need a separate daytime ticket for that.
I have to agree with everyone on the “vibe.” During the day, it’s a hot, crowded, massive stadium. At night, it’s a monument. It was so quiet. Standing on the arena floor in the dark, looking up at the stands… it was really moving. It felt so different, and I got my best photos of the trip there, with no one in the shot!
We were in Rome with our two teenagers last summer. I was worried they’d be bored (“another old building”), but they loved the night tour. I think because it felt like a special “event” and not just a hot, dusty history lesson. It was way more engaging for them, and for us!
We actually missed out on all the tour tickets, but I’ll offer a great alternative! We ended up just walking around the outside of it after dark with a gelato. It’s completely free, beautifully illuminated, and the whole area (Via dei Fori Imperiali) is buzzing. You get stunning photos from the street. So even if you don’t get inside, definitely make a point to go see it at night!