The coliseum was known in ancient times as the Flavian ample theatre but was called the coliseum due to a giant statue of what was the emperor Nero. We got lucky again and got our group tour together to see the underground and the top top level.
From research the best way to get this tour (it is the only tour with access to the underground and third level) is to go to the site coopcultural.it. The web site is pretty sparse on details. Basically you have to reserve the tour a the month before. I kept checking cause I was never sure when they would release the dates in March and finally when they did around the middle of February the day we wanted only had 5 spots left. So I reserved those 5 for 9:20 and then 6 more in Italian at 10:20 cause it was all that there was. I figured my dad, Owen, and me would try some Italian. I got six just in case. To make the reservation cost €2 per reservation.
When we got to the colosseo it was like Mexico. Everyone wanted to give us a tour and they were all official.
So the next fun part was figuring out where in the world to go find our official tour. After three helpful people told us places to go we found out that you just enter in the colosseo with people with prenotazione (reservations). Then through the metal detector and finally to the left to the place where you pick up your reservation and pay for it. That line wasn’t bad at all. But then again it’s cold here in March and not the height of the tourist season.
When we got there I just made the sweet lady super confused. Even more so because I tried to speak Italian to her. Then we were all confused and she ended up just telling us we could take the 12:00 tour all together. This was even better than the original plan!
The cost is €15 for the tour. That was for each person. But on top of that you have to pay €12 for the combo ticket to get into the Colosseo and the Foro Romano. Fortunately the kids don’t have to pay that last fare. I like that kids get into most of these places free.
The tour was favoloso. We got to feel like VIPs!
I liked hearing about the elevator they used to put lions on the stage as well as seeing the tunnels the gladiators and slaves would go through.
The steps were pretty brutal. My poor parents were good sports. By the time we were done Maddie was done walking for the day. Pizza then back to our AirBnB and everyone took a nap! (Except Anne and myself!)
Then the day ended with gelato. As every day in Italy should.
(📸: Maddie)
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