Colosseum Night Tour Tickets: Full Moon Tour Guide
•8 min readThe Colosseum at night is a different monument. Crowds drop from 25,000 per day to about 250 per evening, the floodlights pick out the travertine, and the guided tour goes onto the arena floor and down into the Underground while the rest of Rome is at dinner. Officially it's called <em>Luna sul Colosseo</em> ('Moon over the Colosseum') and it runs every Friday and Saturday from late April through October.
Here's everything you need to know to book the official night tour for 2026 — price, release window, what's included, and the realistic alternatives when the calendar is empty.
What the night tour includes
The official "Luna sul Colosseo" itinerary is a small-group guided tour (max ~25 people, English or Italian) lasting about 75 minutes. It covers:
- • Entrance through the dedicated Stern gate, after public closing.
- • Standard ground tier with the lights low and the crowds gone.
- • A walk onto the reconstructed arena floor.
- • A guided descent into the Hypogeum (Underground) — the gladiator cells and lift shafts.
- • A short narration about Roman spectacle, nocturnal events and the velarium.
The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are not included on the night ticket — they close at sunset.
Where to buy Colosseum tickets
Start with the official Colosseum site, then compare Tiqets, Klook, and Trip.com — trusted booking partners — if official tickets are sold out.
OfficialColosseum SiteFace-value timed tickets from the official source.Official TicketsPartnerTiqetsTours and skip-the-line tickets when official slots are gone.Check PricesPartnerKlookAnother strong backup for sold-out dates and tours.Check PricesPartnerTrip.comUseful for comparing availability and bundles.Check Prices2026 season & schedule
- • Season: typically late April to end of October.
- • Nights: Friday and Saturday only (occasionally extended to Thursday in peak summer).
- • First entry: ~20:15 in shoulder season, ~21:00 in midsummer.
- • Last entry: two hours after first entry, departures every 20 minutes.
- • Tour duration: 75 minutes inside the monument.
Price & release
- • Official: €25 + €2 booking fee on ticketing.colosseo.it.
- • EU 18–25: €2 reduced + €2 fee.
- • EU under 18: free + €2 fee (still requires reservation).
- • Release: Full season opens on the official site roughly 60 days before the first evening — usually late February for the April opening.
- • Inventory: ~250 places per evening across all departures. Friday slots sell out faster than Saturday.
How to book
- Create a ticketing.colosseo.it account at least a day before the season release.
- Watch the official news section in late February for the season opening date.
- On opening day, log in at 08:55 Rome time and select "Luna sul Colosseo" from the visit type dropdown.
- Pick a Friday or Saturday, your timeslot and language, then check out within 5 minutes.
- For later dates: small drops of cancellations appear every Monday morning during the season.
Colosseum Priority Entrance
Best for: First-time visitors
~2 hoursSkip-the-line access to the Colosseum with entry to Roman Forum and Palatine Hill included. Perfect for first-time visitors.
- Skip-the-line entry
- Colosseum access
- Roman Forum included
- Palatine Hill included
🎟️ Compare Prices:
Colosseum Guided Tour
Best for: History enthusiasts
~3 hoursExpert-led tour with professional guide sharing gladiator history, architecture secrets, and ancient Roman stories.
- Professional English-speaking guide
- Skip-the-line entry
- In-depth historical commentary
- Small group experience
🎟️ Compare Prices:
Colosseum Arena & Underground
Best for: Unique experience seekers
~3.5 hoursWalk where gladiators fought on the arena floor and explore the underground chambers where they awaited their fate.
- Arena Floor access
- Underground chambers access
- Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
- Expert guided tour included
🎟️ Compare Prices:
Alternatives when sold out
The official €25 ticket sells out within an hour for most dates. Realistic backups:
- • Tiqets — Night tours with guide €55–€75, often with arena floor included.
- • GetYourGuide — "Colosseum by Night with Arena and Underground" €69–€89.
- • Klook — Small-group night tours in English, useful when Tiqets is full.
- • Trip.com — Bundles night tickets with hotel deals if you're still booking accommodation.
Resellers operate the same Friday/Saturday slots as the official tour but with their own guide allocation, so a "sold out" official calendar doesn't mean every option is gone.
What to expect on the night
- • Arrive 15 minutes before your slot at the dedicated night gate (Largo Gaetana Agnesi, opposite the Arch of Constantine).
- • Security is the same as daytime — no large bags, no glass bottles.
- • Bring a light layer; the upper tiers get breezy after 22:00 even in July.
- • The hypogeum lighting is intentionally dim. Phone torches are tolerated; flash photography is not.
- • Tour ends inside the monument — you can linger on the standard tier for 10–15 minutes before staff clear the floor.
Where to buy Colosseum tickets
Start with the official Colosseum site, then compare Tiqets, Klook, and Trip.com — trusted booking partners — if official tickets are sold out.
OfficialColosseum SiteFace-value timed tickets from the official source.Official TicketsPartnerTiqetsTours and skip-the-line tickets when official slots are gone.Check PricesPartnerKlookAnother strong backup for sold-out dates and tours.Check PricesPartnerTrip.comUseful for comparing availability and bundles.Check PricesIs it worth it?
For €25 the official tour is one of the best value premium experiences in Rome — it includes the Arena Floor and Underground, both €4–€18 add-ons during the day, plus a guide and post-closing exclusivity. The third-party €69–€89 versions are worth it only if you couldn't get the official slot. Skip the night tour if you have under-8s (it ends close to 22:30) or if your visit falls outside the April–October season.
Continue reading about the Colosseum
ColosseumColosseum Gladiators Explained
Who they were, how they fought, and how many actually died.
ColosseumColosseum Underground (Hypogeum) Guide
Restricted-access tour of the gladiator chambers beneath the arena.
ColosseumUnderground vs Arena Floor vs Full Experience
Side-by-side comparison of the three premium Colosseum tickets.
ColosseumColosseum vs Vatican: Which Should You Prioritise?
Time, cost, crowds — the decision most Rome first-timers agonise over.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Colosseum night tour tickets cost?
The official Luna sul Colosseo tour costs €25 + €2 booking fee per adult on ticketing.colosseo.it. Third-party night tours from Tiqets, Klook and GetYourGuide range €55–€95 and include guide, transfers or extras.
When is the 2026 night tour season?
The official season typically runs from late April through the end of October, Friday and Saturday evenings only. First entry is around 20:15 in spring/autumn and 21:00 in midsummer; tickets release ~60 days before the season opens.
Does the night tour include the Underground?
Yes — the standard Luna sul Colosseo itinerary includes a guided walk on the arena floor and a short descent into the hypogeum. Some private night tours add the Belvedere upper tier.
What if there's no full moon?
The tour runs whether or not the moon is actually full — the name refers to the brand, not the lunar calendar. The Colosseum floodlights provide the lighting; the moon is a bonus.
Can I just walk past the Colosseum at night for free?
Yes. The exterior is dramatically lit and the perimeter is open 24/7. You only need a ticket to go inside.