SanDiego1K

Is there a way to buy tickets in advance to the Sistine Chapel and to the Colosseum to be assured of being able to enter? Our niece is traveling in Italy with us. It is important to her to see these places. I read this week quite randomly that it is very difficult to get into the Colosseum without advance tickets. She found a site that sounded promising but then someone posted that the tour didn't include the tickets, just the ability to stand in a fast track line to buy them.

Is this the official site for the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St Peters?

http://www.museivaticani.va/content/...ollezioni.html

Is there an official site for the Colosseum?

rove312

Yes, that's the official Vatican site. For the Colosseum, I find https://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm .

For the Sistine Chapel, I've liked the Night Openings on Fridays. I last went in 2012, entering at 7 p.m.., and saw the chapel nearly empty; I don't know if that's changed.

iapetus

IME, the trick to either place isn't so much being able to enter as it is avoiding a dreadfully long line. Booking in advance is key, particularly during the high season. Although I'm no fan of the guided tour, the easiest way to get into Saint Peter's Chapel is to take a guided tour of the Musei Vaticani and the Sistine Chapel that also includes a visit to Saint Peter's Chapel.

Joanna2360

Actually, I'd like to second the suggestion to go on a Friday evening instead of during the day if you are going to be in Rome between May and October. There also are lines of a sort once you get into the Vatican and set out on your quarter mile walk for the Sistine. The walk to the Sistine can be a shoulder-to-shoulder experience in a crowd that does not thin out once it reaches the Chapel. On the way along the corridors leading to the Sistine, the crowd from time to time has to squeeze through open doorways. You may be caught in a bottleneck, and then you may suddenly feel yourself stopped by those in front but pushed hard by those behind you. It will cross your mind that should you fall, you will be trampled to death. The Vatican admits way too many people in a given hour, and they've been doing so for a long time. The Friday evenings are much more pleasant and also, I think, safer.

JBD

Piggy-backing on what the others have already posted, yes that's the official Vatican website that you have, and the link rove312 shared is the official one for the Colosseum as well as for other locations in Italy. And yes, you can purchase advance tickets for both, and it's much suggested to do so. Here's another link, to the official website just for the Colosseum (if you click on tickets from there, you'll be brought to the CoopCulture site already linked above: https://parcocolosseo.it/en/

Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel:
To avoid the worst of the crowds, the suggestion made above to visit at night is what I was planning for the next time I went. If interested here's the link to the "Vatican Museums by [Friday] Night": Vatican Museums by night - Vatican Museums

If that doesn't work for your schedule, in order to avoid the worst crowds I'd be sure to cross check with when the Vatican has free access and be sure to not go then All times - Vatican Museums

Colosseum Advanced Tickets:
Advance tickets are sold for a variety of offerings, starting with the basic Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Ordinary Admission, seen on this page listed first:
https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php...plate3&lang=en
I just looked at some random upcoming dates in May and did find a few times available, but not many! How soon is your trip? If it was me, and my trip was soon, I'd definitely book the advance tickets now.

In addition to that basic ticket, there are ones that add on access to the Arena, and ones that add on access to either the Underground or the upper levels which give you a "Panoramic View". Also you'll see you can buy advance tickets that come with a tour, and advance tickets for the night time visit that comes with a tour. I recently read a very informative post made by a tour guide on the "Slow Europe Travel Forum" on a thread titled "Colosseum Underground Tickets". He explains how these tickets are released and sold and suggest that the ones that give you access to the upper levels or Belvedere, are a better choice. His is the 4th post in this thread: https://www.sloweurope.com/community...-tickets.4440/
[I'm not endorsing this tour operator, but he posted frequently on the old SlowTravel site which I read for years, and though his posts obviously try to solicit business, I've found the info he shares very helpful]

Maybe what you read was referring to these Underground tickets that have been blogged about so much?

In any case, good luck and have fun planning!

progapanda

I recently returned from Rome (my fourth visit, so I have some experience there) and had no trouble getting same-day timed tickets to the Colosseum at the ticket office at the Palatine Hill entrance on the Via di S. Gregorio. Despite Easter Holiday crowds, waiting in line at 9:30am got us to the ticket office by 10:00 and we were able to get tickets to the Colosseum for an 11:50am entrance. All advance online ticket slots on coopculture.it appeared sold out for the entire week. Just something for you to consider - all three locations, the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum use the same ticket.

This ticket office has historically been the least crowded relative to the other locations at the Forum and the Colosseum gates.

iapetus

Ah, yes! IIRC, that is one of the "tricks" to use. Visit the Forum first to purchase tickets in the short line and then head over to the Colosseum. Most people just go straight to the Colosseum.

creditcardgeek

Thanks for this info! For the nighttime entrance I am not seeing an option to purchase online, is this something that should be purchased day-of?
EDIT: Nevermind, realize it has to be booked in advance.

SanDiego1K

What good advice. I attempted to move this onto the shoulders of the person who is going. She had difficulty and it is back on me. Basic tickets were sold out for the dates we are in Rome. When I stepped up to those that include the forum, I found some extremely limited availability. I haven't gone further, though now on seeing your suggestion about the Belvedere will do so. Do you know if you have to show up precisely at the time shown? I ask because I understand that the tickets are good for 2 days. If so, and a ticket is purchased for 2pm, can she actually arrive at 4?

JBD

I wish I had an aunt like you, your niece is a lucky girl! So, regarding the 2 day admission, that's the way it's been set up for years: the ticket price gains you access to inside the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine Hill, including the Palatine Museum and all the other fantastic areas that have become open on the Palatine in the last decade. So one could do the Colosseum one day, and Palatine and Forum the other gaining admission at the respective entry points.

However, now that they have timed-entry tickets to these (relatively) newly opened areas of the Colosseum, it's like a whole new business model. And like you, it's been many years since I've attempted to go inside the Colosseum. I've looked over the CoopCulture site and I admit to finding all the side bar stipulations on the right side of the page pretty confusing, and in reading the details of buying tickets that include the Belvedere, I admit to being pretty confused if an individual HAS to be already signed up with a tour guide.

Hopefully someone here will chime in with some anecdotal info. Or, maybe consider posting on that other forum that I linked.

But if I had to give you an answer right now, I'd say that the entry time of the ticket your niece purchases would have to be adhered to, but that she can visit the other areas of the site for up to two days.

Sorry to not be more helpful....

SanDiego1K

JBD, my niece is booked, all thanks to you. She is very appreciative.

JBD

That's a very generous thank you, you're very welcome! I hope you all have a wonderful Italian excursion, buon viaggio!

Boraxo

Trying to figure out why I can't get Colesium tickets or tours for Wed. June 5th when they are available every other day that week? Special event?

deniah

Last year getting to Colosseum was easy. Get in line at Palatine Hill on the day you want it. (BTW it wasnt that much shorter than waiting directly @ Colosseum).

A few weeks ago, I didn't know about the policy change that had been enacted since the Spring, and couldnt find any tickets online over the course of 2 weeks.

Vatican has always required weeks and weeks of early reservation online. Luckily we found one for a Night visit (Breakfast wasnt available).

The night visit wasn't any that much less busy than our previous day-time visit in the summer. But what made the bigger difference in enjoyment for a place that gigantic is knowing ahead what exactly to look for. I used www.romewise.com as general guide and it was extremely helpful. Highly recommend it for a trip to Rome.

The other useful resource was www.eater.com 's guide to Rome. Tons of discussions and blogs and opinions online about restaurants, but I found the eater guide almost canonical.