The Best Colosseum at Night Tours in Rome for a Unique Experience
As someone who’s visited Rome more times than I can count on one hand, I promise you that it’s worth booking a tour to visit the Colosseum at night! Make your Lizzie McGuire dreams come alive as you stand in the ancient stadium after nightfall!
And if you’re not a Lizzie McGuire movie fan, well, don’t worry. This is a unique way to experience one of the Eternal City’s most iconic sites regardless.
However, it is an elusive activity typically only offered a couple nights of the week, between the months of June-October. Tickets can be tough to get, so if you see availability it’s best to book well in advance. Read on for how to secure your tickets.
No time to read about all of the Colosseum night tours in Rome? The BEST option is VIP Colosseum Underground Night Tour.
What are the Best Colosseum at Night Tours to Take?
These handpicked Colosseum in Rome night tours offer the best options for discovering this ancient site, along with other significant areas nearby.
1. A Night at the Colosseum
This is the Colosseum at night tour offered through the official Colosseum website. However, tickets are tricky to get! They’re only available 7 days in advance and tend to get booked up as soon as they’re released.
But if you can’t snag tickets through them, there are other options in the form of the guided tours shared in this post.
2. Skip-the-Line VIP Colosseum Underground Night Tour
⭐ Rating: 5 / 5 | ⏰ Tour length: 1 hour & 15 minutes | 🎟 BOOK NOW
This VIP evening tour of the Colosseum allows you to explore both where animals were kept before combat and where they actually fought the gladiators in the Arena above.
Not only will you avoid the daytime crowds, but you also get fast skip-the-line entry with Colosseum at night tickets for this tour.
Pricey but going at night and no cues made it for a special, intimate and more realistic experience. The native guide spoke excellent English and was well versed in the history and able to answer questions.
– Daniel (READ MORE REVIEWS)
During your visit you’ll also learn, from your guide, all about the history of the Colosseum’s construction. You’ll also find out about the social and historical context of the games that once took place here.
While some of what you’ll learn on this and other Colosseum tours as night is similar to what you’d learn on daytime tours, the experience of visiting the historic site after dark is truly something else!
3. Guided Tour of the Colosseum by Night
⭐ Rating: 4 / 5 | ⏰ Tour length: 1 hour & 20 minutes | 🎟 BOOK NOW
This Colosseum evening tour commences with skip-the-line entry to Rome’s most famous landmark.
You’ll then head to the underground level to explore the subterranean chambers and tunnels here, before entering the higher level to discover what went on within the arena.
“Our guide was very friendly, spoke English very well and the entire tour was absolutely incredible!! Seeing it at night was magical and eerie at the same time. Definitely one of the highlights of our trip to Italy.”
– DONNA (READ MORE REVIEWS)
During the experience you can take pictures of the illuminated arena, and also learn from your guide all about what used to happen here, as well as why.
4. Skip-the-Line Colosseum Night Tour
⭐ Rating: 4 / 5 | ⏰ Tour length: 1 hour & 20 minutes | 🎟 BOOK NOW
With this tour, priority access will get you into the illuminated Colosseum after darkness has fallen over Rome. As the tour lasts for around an hour and 20 minutes, it makes the ideal start to your night out in the Italian capital.
“I did the day tour years ago, and it was crowded and hot and didn’t show much. This one was miles ahead of the day tour. Not only was there only one other tour, but our tour guide really made the colosseum come to life. The history is so interesting. In this tour they take you underground to where the gladiators slept and where they walked out and where they eventually fought. Highly recommend!”
– TRACEY (READ MORE REVIEWS)
Included in the tour cost are all applicable fees and taxes, skip-the line entry and the services of an English-speaking guide. The meeting point by Colosseum Metro Station is also very convenient.
5. Colosseum Night Tour with Underground and Arena
⭐ Rating: 4 / 5 | ⏰ Tour length: 1 hour & 15 minutes | 🎟 BOOK NOW
Learn all about how the historic structure was originally built with this after-dark Colosseum tour.
Not only does the arena look completely different when illuminated at night, but you can also benefit from exclusive access to the arena floor and the underground tunnels here.
“Excellent experience. Small group.with very knowledgeable guide. No crowd at all. In fact, at one time I believe our group of six including tour guide were the only ones inside the Colosseum. I highly recommend the Moonlight tour.”
– JIM (READ MORE REVIEWS)
Avoiding the daytime crowds at the Colosseum is a great reason to book a night-time tour like this one. Do note, though, that all visitors require ID to enter this ancient Roman site.
FAQs: Colosseum at Night Tours
As you plan your nighttime visit to the Colosseum, here are answers to some commonly asked questions:
Can you tour the Colosseum at night?
Though it’s not open to the general public, you can visit the Colosseum during the evening. To do so you’ll need to book an organized guided tour like the ones above.
Does the Colosseum get lit up at night?
The Colosseum in Rome is indeed illuminated at light, and makes for a very lovely sight while you’re walking or driving around the city. It also provides a unique photo opportunity, and lights the way for those taking Colosseum night tours.
Is it worth going to the Colosseum at night?
There are good reasons for visiting the Colosseum in the evening. It looks completely different when all lit up after dark, and you can also avoid the crowds by heading here after dark. Night tours also tend to offer access to the underground areas and arena, giving you a more well-rounded experience.
Is it better to go to the Colosseum in the morning or evening?
The best time of day to go to the Colosseum depends on your preference. To avoid the crowds, head here early in the morning if you’d like a daytime visit.
The site opens at 8.30 am, so get there then or earlier if you can. Otherwise, booking an evening tour can help you skip both the lines and the crowds.
Is the Colosseum Underground tour worth it?
The night-time Colosseum tours include exclusive access to the underground area and arena. This means you gain a much deeper appreciation of what really went on here when the Colosseum was used by Roman gladiators.
It’s well worth seeing the Colosseum both below and above the ground. You can see all the chambers and tunnels under the earth, giving you a fuller understanding of how the arena worked.
Is it better to do a guided tour of the Colosseum?
Whether by day or by night, a guided tour lets you get so much more out of your Colosseum visit. Under the guidance of a local expert, you can really appreciate what you’re seeing, and the role of the arena within the city and the Roman Empire.
Guided tours operate during the day and also at night. The latter gives guests exclusive access when the arena would usually be closed.
Final Thoughts: Colosseum Night Tours in Rome
There you go – the best tours of the Roman Colosseum at night. I cannot recommend heading here after dark enough, whether you do this as well as or instead of a daytime visit. It’s an experience you’ll never forget, for sure, and offers some unique photo opportunities too!
If you’re a solo traveler like me, taking a guided tour is also a great way to meet like-minded people who are also alone in Rome.
