Disappointing photos show what it was really like to visit the Colosseum in Rome

Tue, 07/23/2024 - 15:40

Expectation vs reality of visiting the Colosseum in Rome — Business Insider's reporter expected a less crowded experience at the Colosseum.
Maria Szymczyk/EyeEm/Getty Images, Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I visited the historic and iconic Colosseum in Rome for the first time in October 2022.
I found the reality of visiting the popular attraction in Italy didn't match my expectations.
Even though I tried to avoid tourists, I still battled crowds and long lines and couldn't see much.

When I visited the Colosseum in Rome for the first time, I wanted to experience stunning views that would transport me to the past.

This was in October 2022 during a two-week train trip through Italy, Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.

When I booked my trip, I started looking up Colosseum posts on Instagram and found several photos of people touring — seemingly alone — around the gigantic historic structure. To me, these photos looked quiet and peaceful, and I wanted to have a similar experience.

Although the Colosseum is one of the most popular attractions in Rome, it has a capacity of 3,000 visitors at a time, The Washington Post reported in 2021. "So, how crowded could it really be?" I wondered.

Turns out — incredibly.

The Colosseum is a 2,000-year-old amphitheater in Rome that once hosted gladiatorial games. It's also one of the most popular tourist attractions in Europe.

The author visits the Colosseum in Rome in October 2022. — The author visits the Colosseum in Rome for the first time in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The Colosseum is a symbol of Rome and one of the city's most popular tourist attractions, with about 6 million visitors a year, according to Cititavis Tours.

Ancient Romans built the Colosseum between AD 72 and 80 to host massive events like gladiator battles and reenactments, National Geographic reports.

After the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Colosseum was damaged by neglect and a series of earthquakes in the fifth century, according to the same article.

By the 20th century, two-thirds of the structure was destroyed. Restoration of the building began in the 1990s, according to National Geographic.

I booked a "skip-the-line" ticket that would allow me to enter the popular attraction without waiting behind thousands of other tourists.

Tourists at the Colosseum in June 2022.
Riccardo De Luca/AGF/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Five days before my visit, I booked a self-guided, skip-the-line ticket through Viator for $60. I found other similar skip-the-line services online but thought this was the best value at the time.

A basic admission ticket would have cost me less than $20.

According to Viator, my ticket included direct entry to the Colosseum, allowing me to skip the line, explore at my own pace, and access nearby attractions, the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum.

I had no set time to leave the Colosseum, but my ticket suggested a one-hour stay.

Once inside, I figured there would be plenty of room to explore the nearly 6-acre space at my leisure.

A panoramic view of the Colosseum in Rome.
Giuseppe Greco/Getty Images

According to Colosseum Info, the arena covers roughly 6 acres of land and at one time could seat at least 50,000 spectators.

But even with purchasing a skipping-the-line service, I was disappointed to find that long lines were unavoidable. There was no escaping the crowds of tourists.

Tourists crowd the Colosseum during the author's visit in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I wasn't expecting the Colosseum to feel so cramped, loud, and stressful to get around.

While I felt completely in awe of how massive the structure was, the environment felt more like a tourist trap to me.

Crowds inside the Colosseum in Rome in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The seemingly endless crowds of people throughout made me feel like I was standing in line for the majority of my visit.

Business Insider asked the tourism boards of Italy and Rome questions about how crowds are regulated. They didn't respond.

As I approached the Colosseum and encountered more tourists, I suspected my experience wouldn't be as stress-free as I had hoped.

Crowds near the Colosseum's entrance. — Crowds near the Colosseum's entrance in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

On my way to the Colosseum on a Wednesday in October, I noticed the streets felt more crowded the closer I got to the attraction.

Along the way, I came up against several people blocking paths and sidewalks as they stopped to take pictures.

This made getting to the attraction itself difficult and frustrating.

Upon arrival, I had to find a black flag next to the Arch of Constantine, another historical landmark near the Colosseum. But the piazza was so crowded that it felt like a game of "Where's Waldo."

Crowds at the Colosseum in Rome — People crowd the Arch of Constantine in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I got to my destination at 11 a.m. so I'd have ample time to find my tour guide before my 12 p.m. entry time — and thank goodness I did.

The grounds were packed with people looking for their tour guides and waiting for entry. As noon approached, I started to panic, thinking, "What if I don't find them?"

It took me nearly an hour to find the tour group's small black flag beside the Arch of Constantine outside the Colosseum's entrance.

Viator didn't respond to BI's request for comment about the flag being challenging to find.

Luckily, I found the small black flag just in time for my scheduled entry time, but not without a bit of stress first.

The author finds her tour group and retrieves her ticket.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

When I finally found my tour guide, she handed me my ticket for entry.

With my ticket, I was able to skip the general admission line, but I still had to wait in a relatively short line to be admitted and go through a security checkpoint.

Once inside, I had to go to the bathroom, where I found people shoving and cutting each other in line. I was shocked when someone pushed me into a stall, and it soured my experience.

I encountered people pushing each other forward and arguing about who was in line first.

One woman took her whole tour group and pushed to the front of the line, cutting several people off.

When it was my turn to use the bathroom, another woman shoved me forward as soon as a stall opened up before I even had a chance to take a step.

I was truly shocked at how people behaved in this situation, and it soured my experience at the historical landmark.

After my half-hour ordeal of waiting to use the bathroom, I finally got to see the epic view of the arena inside the Colosseum's walls ... sort of.

There were too many people at the Colosseum to walk up to the edge of the stands.

Instead, people formed lines in front of each viewpoint to get a quick glance at the arena below and take a picture.

While waiting for my turn, I stood on my tippy toes to see the Colosseum above rows of heads that obscured my view.

At each viewpoint, I waited in line for five to 10 minutes to see the arena for what felt like 15 seconds before people rushed up to take my place.

More than anything else, I wanted a few moments at the Colosseum to tap into my creativity and visualize the fights that happened in Ancient Rome.

But there were too many people trying to take my place for me to have that time.

When I had my turn to stand on the edge overlooking the arena, I noticed the Colosseum was under restoration, which wasn't the most stunning view.

Construction on the Colosseum in Rome. — Construction on the Colosseum in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

The ongoing restoration I saw at the Colosseum made it feel like one big construction site.

But I understand that old buildings often need to be restored to last hundreds of years, as The Foundation Experts, a restoration and repair company in Canada, reports.

And I think the current work on the Colosseum will improve the visitor experience.

In May 2021, NPR reported that the Colosseum planned to open a floor-level attraction by 2023. The attraction would allow visitors to enter the arena on a retractable floor and get a gladiator's view.

We haven't seen reports on the site's opening to the general public. Still, Carpe Diem Tours offers a VIP Colosseum excursion with access to select spaces, including the arena floor and underground tunnels.

Exhibits about the structure's history were just as packed as the viewpoints, and I quickly gave up trying to view them.

To view the Colosseum's exhibits, I shuffled along slowly with a crowd, simultaneously taking in as much as I could before people began to move forward.

The exhibits were more packed than almost any museum I've been to, and I only viewed them for about 15 minutes before I became frustrated and gave up.

The four-story structure also offered views of surrounding sites, but those areas were just as crowded.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to visit the nearby attractions. So I was excited that the Colosseum's interior also has views of surrounding Ancient Roman sites, like the Roman Forum.

But I found that these areas were just as crowded as the arena viewpoints, and since I'm 5'3", I couldn't see past other tourists and their outstretched phones.

I still want my quiet moment to walk the Colosseum floor and feel like a gladiator myself. Next time, I'll visit Rome during the winter for a quieter experience with fewer crowds.

The author visits the Colosseum in Rome for the first time in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider

According to SOTC Travel Limited, there are fewer crowds in Europe during the winter than at any other time of the year.

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Disappointing photos show what it was really like to visit the Colosseum in Rome