Palatine Hill: imperial palaces and the view over the Circus Maximus

Updated on October 1, 2026

The Palatine Hill overlooks the Roman Forum on one side and the Circus Maximus on the other: according to legend, Romulus founded Rome here, and the emperors built their palaces on it, so much so that the word "palace" comes from its Latin name, Palatium. In October 2026 it is open daily from 9am to 6:30pm (last entry 5:30pm), then from 9am to 4:30pm from 25 October; it is visited with the same ticket as the Roman Forum, the €18 24h ticket with the Colosseum or the €18 Forum Pass SUPER. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the Palatine, more if you go into the House of Augustus. The hill is partly shaded by pines and gardens, which makes it a welcome break after the Forum.

Highlights

The Domus Augustana

The palace built for Domitian at the end of the 1st century was the emperors' residence for more than three centuries. Its brick walls, seen from the Circus Maximus, form the best-known outline of the Palatine.

The view over the Circus Maximus

From the southern edge of the Domus Augustana, you look down on the 600 m track of Rome's largest circus, where chariot races were held, and beyond to the Aventine. It is one of the few raised viewpoints over the circus.

The Palatine Stadium

This long open space, lined with porticoes, was part of Domitian's palace. It was probably a pleasure garden rather than a racetrack; you look at it from a terrace above.

The House of Augustus and the House of Livia

Augustus lived on the Palatine in a relatively modest house whose rooms keep brightly coloured frescoes. The neighbouring house, attributed to his wife Livia, also preserves wall paintings. Both are SUPER sites: the House of Augustus is closed on Mondays; the House of Livia has been closed for restoration since 24 August 2026, with no reopening date announced.

The Farnese Gardens

Laid out in the 16th century by Cardinal Alessandro Farnese above the Domus Tiberiana, their terraces give an overall view of the [Roman Forum](/fr/attractions/forum-romain). The exhibition rooms of the Domus Tiberiana, reopened to the public, are part of the SUPER sites.

Opening hours and tickets

Same ticket as the Roman Forum: one entry to the Forum and the Palatine with the 24h ticket (€18, €2 for EU citizens aged 18 to 24, free for under-18s), which includes the [Colosseum](/fr/attractions/colisee-rome) at the booked time, or with the Forum Pass SUPER (€18), without the Colosseum but with the Palatine's SUPER sites: House of Augustus, Aula Isiaca and Loggia Mattei, ground floor of the Palatine Museum. The SUPER sites open from 9:30am until one hour before closing and are closed on the first Sunday of the month, the free-entry day.

Infos pratiques

Tips

Enter from Via di San Gregorio, on the Palatine side, to see the hill first and then walk down to the Forum through the Farnese Gardens. If you want to see the frescoes in the House of Augustus, choose the Forum Pass SUPER or a Colosseum Full Experience at €24 (prices checked in October 2026), and avoid Mondays.

How to get there

Via di San Gregorio 30, 00184 Rome, between the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus; also reached from the Roman Forum along the Via Sacra, near the Arch of Titus. Metro Colosseo (lines B and C) or Circo Massimo (line B). Buses 51, 75, 81, 85, 87 and 118, which serve the area around the Colosseum.