The Colosseum is an iconic historical site in Rome, but BI’s reporter thought it felt like a tourist trap.
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.
My mood shifted drastically during my first visit to the Colosseum in Rome. I pranced down the cobblestone streets as I eagerly made my way to the iconic attraction. I was stoked for the views from within that would transport me to the past. But my excitement was soon replaced by confusion, frustration, and overall gloom.
When I booked my trip, I looked up Colosseum posts on Instagram and found several photos of people posing around the historic structure with a crowd-free backdrop. To me, these photos looked quiet and peaceful, and I wanted to have a similar experience.
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 reporter visits the Colosseum in Rome 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 Civitatis Tours.
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.
My ticket included direct entry to the Colosseum, allowing me to skip the crowds waiting to get inside, explore at my own pace, and access the nearby attractions of Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum.
I had no set time to leave the Colosseum, but my ticket suggested a one-hour stay.
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 and could once seat at least 50,000 people.
But even with a skip-the-line service, I was disappointed that there was no escaping the crowds of tourists.
Crowds inside the Colosseum.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
I wasn’t expecting the Colosseum to feel so cramped, loud, and stressful to get around.
While in awe of the historical landmark itself, the environment felt more like a tourist trap to me.
Tourists fill the Colosseum’s walls.
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.
The tourism boards of Italy and Rome did not respond to requests for comment about how crowds are regulated.
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.
Crowds near the Colosseum’s entrance.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
Along the way, I encountered several people blocking paths and sidewalks as they stopped to take pictures.
This made getting to the attraction itself difficult and frustrating. I suspected my experience wouldn’t be as stress-free as I had hoped.
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.”
People crowd the Arch of Constantine.
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.
A Viator representative apologized for the confusion, telling BI that the issue stems from tourist hot spots becoming increasingly congested.
Luckily, I found the small black flag just in time for my scheduled entry time, but not without a bit of stress first.
The reporter 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.
The bathroom line and a crowded space inside the Colosseum.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
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.
People wait to take pictures in front of the arena
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
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 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.
Tourists take photos at the Colosseum.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
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.
Restoration at the Colosseum.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
The ongoing restoration I saw at the Colosseum made it feel like one big construction site.
However, I understand that old buildings often need to be restored to last hundreds of years, 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, CarpeDiem 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.
Crowds around the Colosseum’s exhibits.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
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.
Crowds inside the Colosseum in Rome in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
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.
The reporter visits the Colosseum in Rome for the first time in October 2022.
Joey Hadden/Business Insider
There are fewer crowds in Italy during the winter. Next time, I’ll visit Rome during the colder months for a quieter experience.
