Covers Rome, Paris and the south of Europe, and the famous sights that open their doors after dark.
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Short version: no reseller Colosseum night tour cleared our bar. Not one.
The way into the Colosseum after dark is the park's own programme, Una Notte al Colosseo. It runs on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in summer and early autumn, it takes you onto the arena floor and down into the underground, and it costs $56 (€50). It's sold only on the official ticket site. In 2026 it started on 14 July, and the Ministry of Culture lists the last date as 22 October. So if you're reading this in late 2026 or early 2027, it isn't on.
The two tours ranked on this page are night walks that end in front of the floodlit Colosseum. They don't go in. They're good walks, and they're honest about it, which is more than some of the evening Colosseum tours we looked at. Scores are our Night Score.
At a glance
Official night visit
Una Notte al Colosseo, Tuesday and Thursday evenings; 2026 run 14 July to 22 October
Price
$56 (€50) full, $31 (€28) reduced, under-6s free
Where to buy
Only ticketing.colosseo.it, 7 days ahead, names must match ID
Best tour we rank
Carpe Diem's Rome at Night walk (7.2), outside only
Skip
Reseller "Colosseum by evening" tours, rated 4.1 to 4.3
Winter hours
Closes 4:30 p.m. (last entry 3:30) until 28 February 2027
On this page
2 tours that passed our bar, ranked
Every tour we scored that includes this sight, in Night Score order. Night Score = 30% rating, 10% review count, 20% price per hour, 40% how much the night is the point. How we score
The best way to see the Colosseum at night when you can't get in, and the cheapest. It's a two-and-a-half-hour walk from Piazza di Pasquino by Navona, past the Pantheon and Trevi, then down the Imperial Forums to the Colosseum, floodlit, as the finish. $28 (€25), which earns a perfect 10 on our value factor. 4.9 from 409 reviews, groups of 15 or fewer. To be clear: everything is from outside, and the page says so. There's a 7 p.m. semi-private slot if you'd rather not share.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%7.1
Review countData · 10%6.2
Price per hourData · 20%10.0
After darkEditors · 40%6.0
What it is: A Carpe Diem Tours small-group night walk from Piazza Navona past the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the Imperial Forums to the Colosseum.
Good to know: Capped at 15; all sights are seen from outside and Pantheon entry is not included. Ends outside the Colosseum, it does not go in.
After dark: Navona, the Pantheon and Trevi are floodlit and cooler at night, and the walk finishes in front of the illuminated Colosseum.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
The more focused option: 90 minutes of ancient Rome only. It starts at Piazza Venezia, climbs the Capitoline and walks along the Forums to the Colosseum at dusk, when the crowds on Via dei Fori Imperiali have gone. That earns it a slightly higher after-dark score than the walk above. It ranks second on rating, 4.8 from 312, and on price, $45 (€40) for an hour and a half, about $30 (€27) an hour. Outdoors only, it ends in front of the Colosseum. The URL says adults only; the page sells kids' tickets.
How the score breaks down, and the fine print
Rated by travelersData · 30%5.5
Review countData · 10%5.8
Price per hourData · 20%6.5
After darkEditors · 40%6.5
What it is: An E & D Guided Tours walk from Piazza Venezia over the Capitoline Hill and along the Forums to the Colosseum at dusk.
Good to know: Capped at 15 and outdoors only: it ends in front of the Colosseum without going in. The URL says adults only but the page itself sets no age limit and offers kids' rates.
After dark: The Capitoline, the Forum and the Colosseum are lit after sunset and the crowds that fill Via dei Fori Imperiali by day are gone.
Rating, review count and from-price as shown on Viator on October 26, 2026. The price changes with the date.
Reserve links go to GetYourGuide or Viator. Booking through them can earn us a commission at no cost to you; it never changes a score or a rank. How we make money
Una Notte al Colosseo: the official night visit
This is the one to plan around. The Parco archeologico del Colosseo runs it itself, with its own staff as guides.
When: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 to 11 p.m., last entry 9:50 p.m. The 2026 series began on 14 July and, per the Ministry of Culture listing, ran to 22 October, with no visits on 22 and 24 September or 1 October.
How long: about 60 minutes, guided, a maximum of 25 people per slot.
Price: $56 (€50) full, which is the $27 (€24) Full Experience ticket plus a $29 (€26) guided visit. Reduced is $31 (€28). Under-6s go free. Membership Card holders pay only the guided visit.
Booking: only on ticketing.colosseo.it, opening 7 days before the date. Tickets carry names, and your ID has to match or you can be turned away.
The ticket also gets you into the Forum and Palatine on the day before, the day of or the day after. That's a decent bonus at that price.
What you see at night that you don't by day
You come in through the north arch, the old imperial entrance, which by day is just another way in. Then the arena floor, with the whole cavea rising around you in the dark. Then down into the underground, where the guide explains the lifts and winches that hauled animals and scenery up to the sand. The route ends on a new walkway through the perimeter corridors, which the culture ministry describes as moonlit.
The big difference is people. By day the arena and underground are sold in timed slots, and the building is full. At night there are 25 of you.
And the timing matters more than you'd think. In July the sun sets at 8:44 p.m. and it isn't properly dark until 9:59, so an 8 p.m. slot starts in daylight. If darkness is the point, book the last slot, at 9:50. By October sunset is at 6:29 p.m. and every slot is at night.
What the evening tours actually sell
Several companies sell a "Colosseum by night" or "by evening" tour. Our researcher read the ones on Viator. None passed.
City Wonders' "Colosseum by Evening with Optional Arena Floor" rated 4.3 on 959 reviews. There's no underground, and the arena floor is an upgrade. Discover Rome's "Colosseum by Night" rated 4.1 on 444 reviews and starts between 8 and 10 p.m. Its overview mentions the underground; its fine print says the evening option doesn't include it.
A GetYourGuide listing, "Colosseum by Evening Guided Tour with Optional Arena Access", showed 4.6 from 1,072 reviews, from $66 (€59) for 3 hours, but the product page wouldn't load for us, so we couldn't check what's inside the price. It looks like the City Wonders tour under another storefront.
My advice: if a tour promises the underground at night, compare its dates with the official series. If the date falls outside it, ask in writing what exactly you'll enter.
What to do instead, especially in winter
From 25 October 2026 to 28 February 2027 the Colosseum closes at 4:30 p.m., last entry 3:30. In December the sun sets at 4:39. So book the last entry of the day and you walk out into dusk, with the lights coming on. That's the closest thing to a night visit in winter, at the price of an ordinary ticket.
Then go up. The Capitoline terraces behind the Senate building look down over the Forum, lit, for free. Walk Via dei Fori Imperiali down to the Colosseum after dinner. Or take one of the two walks ranked above and let someone tell you what you're looking at.
For a wider choice of evenings in the city, see night tours in Rome. Metro line C stops at Colosseo, and the last trains leave at 11:30 p.m. Sunday to Thursday, 1:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Watching for the 2027 dates
Nobody has announced 2027 yet. The 2026 series was announced on its first day, 14 July, so don't expect much notice. Check the news page on colosseo.it from late spring. When dates appear, remember the 7-day booking window and the 25-person cap. Slots go.
Summer nights in Rome are warm, with lows around 69 to 70°F (21°C) in July and August, so dress for heat, not cold. Underground stairs and uneven floors are part of the route. Wear proper shoes.
Frequently asked questions
Can you visit the Colosseum at night?
Yes, but only on the official Una Notte al Colosseo visits, on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in summer and early autumn. The 2026 run ended on 22 October and 2027 dates aren't out yet.
How much is the Colosseum night tour?
The official one is $56 (€50) full price, $31 (€28) reduced, free for under-6s. That's a Full Experience ticket plus a $29 (€26) guided visit.
Does the Colosseum night tour include the underground?
The official visit does: arena floor, underground and the perimeter walkway. The reseller evening tours we read don't, or put the arena behind an upgrade. Check the inclusions, not the photos.
Where do you buy Colosseum night tickets?
Only on ticketing.colosseo.it. They go on sale 7 days before each date, and names must match your ID.
Is the Colosseum lit up at night?
Yes, it's floodlit every night and free to look at from the street. Both walks ranked on this page end right in front of it.
Further reading
Official sources
Parco archeologico del Colosseo: Una Notte al Colosseo 2026 (PDF)– From 14 July, Tuesdays and Thursdays 8 to 11 p.m., last entry 9:50 p.m., about 60 minutes, 25 per slot, route, sold only on ticketing.colosseo.it 7 days ahead, ID must match; checked October 26, 2026
Ministero della Cultura: Una Notte al Colosseo 2026– End date 22 October 2026, no visits 22 and 24 Sept and 1 Oct, prices 50 euro full (24 + 26), 28 euro reduced, under-6s free, moonlit walkway; checked October 26, 2026
