The two visits at a glance

Details are on the pages for the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums.

Which order?

There is no wrong order, but a few simple rules help.

  • First visit, two or three days: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine on day one, Vatican on day two. You follow the chronology, from antiquity to the Renaissance.
  • It is raining: the Vatican, whose galleries are indoors. The Colosseum, Forum and Palatine are mostly outdoors.
  • It is very hot: the Vatican at midday, in the shade, and the ruins late in the afternoon.
  • You arrive on a Sunday: the Colosseum, open every day. The Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays except the last of the month, which is free but very crowded.
  • You arrive on a Monday: both are open, but Ostia Antica and many state sites are closed; see what to do in Rome on a Monday.

Both in one day: possible, but demanding

The Colosseum and the Vatican are at opposite ends of the centre. You need the metro, changing at Termini between Colosseo (line B) and Ottaviano (line A), or a long walk. Allow about an hour of travel, to be checked from your starting point. If you still want to link them:

  1. 8:30 am: Colosseum at the first slot, with the basic ticket (75 minutes inside).
  2. 10 am: Roman Forum and Palatine, with the same ticket, if you have the energy.
  3. 1 pm: lunch, then the metro to the Vatican.
  4. 3 pm: Vatican Museums with an afternoon ticket (last entry 6 pm), and the Sistine Chapel before closing.

The reverse is risky: from 25 October the Colosseum closes at 4:30 pm and the last entry is 3:30 pm. The Vatican in the morning and the Colosseum in the afternoon leaves little margin. The museums alone take more than three hours: do not plan anything else after them. For the basilica, see Vatican Museums or St Peter's Basilica.

Booking: what really matters

For the Colosseum, online sales open 30 days before the date. Morning slots go fast in high season: book as soon as sales open. All tickets are named and photo ID is checked. Our Colosseum ticket comparison explains the difference between standard, arena and underground tickets.

For the Vatican, a ticket booked online costs €25 and avoids the ticket-office queue. If you want a small group or an early entry, read our early-access Vatican tours comparison, which shows that "early access" often means the first slot, not entry before the public. For all other sites, see which tickets to book in Rome.

Crowds: when to go

  • Colosseum: the first slot at 8:30 am, or late afternoon. On the first Sunday of the month entry is free but the queue is long from opening.
  • Vatican: opening at 8 am, straight to the Sistine Chapel, before the groups. Avoid Wednesday morning, the day of the papal audience, and the last Sunday of the month.
  • At both: in summer, the afternoon is the hottest and busiest period.

Around each site

After the Colosseum there is plenty to walk: around the Colosseum and where to eat near the Colosseum. On the Vatican side, see around the Vatican and the dress code in churches: shoulders and knees covered.

Our advice

  • One day only: the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine in the morning, then a walk in the centre. The Vatican deserves a day of its own.
  • Two days: one day for each site, Colosseum first.
  • Three days: add a day for the historic centre; the itinerary is in Rome in 3 days.