Roman Forum

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    Roman Forum: Tours & Tickets

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    Rome

    5 historical facts about the Roman Forum's development

    Unlike the other forums across Rome's empire, the ancient capital's center of public life wasn't simply planned and built, but evolved slowly as the great city grew. Here are five facts about the original Forum Romanum's history!

    • It was a meeting point before a stone was laid

      1. It was a meeting point before a stone was laid

      Situated on a marshy plain between the key Capitoline and Palatine Hills of Rome, the site naturally became a local meeting point long before an official Forum was planned.

    • The marshland was drained by Tarquin the Elder

      2. The marshland was drained by Tarquin the Elder

      Legend has it that the initial Comitium emerged after both hilltop tribes made peace. Until Rome's 5th king built the Cloaca Maxima, most of the site was too swampy to be usable.

    • It served several uses

      3. It served several uses

      The forum served as the center of Rome's public life for centuries, hosting public speeches, military processions, criminal trials, gladiatorial matches, markets, and much more!

    • It became home to early Roman Catholic monuments

      4. It became home to early Roman Catholic monuments

      Constantine I built the Basilica of Maxentius in 312AD as the last major expansion of the forum. Over time, several of the other temples were converted into Christian churches.

    • Rising ground made it impossible to maintain

      5. Rising ground made it impossible to maintain

      Flooding of the Tiber river and erosion from its surrounding hills caused the ground to rise, slowing covering the monuments. By the Middle Ages the site was being used as a pasture!

    Planning Your Visit

    • When to visit?

      Tickets are valid for two days but also cover the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. That's a lot to see so make sure you arrive there nice and early on both days! The Forum opens from 8:30AM (except holidays), but closing times vary depending on the season. You'll have more time between April and September.
      If not booking in advance, use the Palatine Hill ticket office, as the queue will be mercifully short compared to that at the Colosseum!

    • How to get there?

      Don't let the maps fool you! Although there are Metro stations nearby, none of them are that close to an actual entrance! Colosseo (by the Colosseum, in case it's not obvious) is the closest but you'll still need to walk to the main entrance up Via dei Fori Imperiali. Otherwise, take either the 51, 85, 87, 118, or 810 bus to the stop Fori Imperiali.

    Good to know

    • When should I visit?
      The Forum opens at 8:30AM daily (except holidays) and closes an hour before sunset.
    • Is it expensive?
      The adult ticket is just € 12,00 and is valid for two days, for the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
    • Will I need a guide?
      It will definitely help. Might be worth it to check out our best-selling tours.
    • How to get there
      Plan to walk from the Colosseo Metro stop, or take the 51, 85, 87, 118 or 810 bus to the Fori Imperiali stop.
    • Additional information
      Admission is free the first Sunday of the month! | There is a € 2 booking fee for booking in advance and skipping the queue.

    What people are saying about Roman Forum

    Overall rating

    4.5 / 5

    based on 68,293 reviews

    Esperienza molto positiva. Sono riuscita a vedere tutta la città con una guida personale ( guida esperta e molto preparata). L’esperienza è molto ben fatta perché nella piena autonomia ti permette di visitare la città sfruttando 2 circuiti. Il promo parte dal Colosseo e il secondo da San Pietro. Entrambe hanno una frequenza di circa 1,5 ore tra una partenza e l’altra. La guida attraverso il suo smartphone parlava e spiegava la città e io la ascoltavo dal mio telefono attraverso l’integrazione di una radioguida digitale. Ho potuto godere appieno della libertà di seguire, lasciare e riprendere il tour guidato e sfruttare pure percorsi alternativi utilizzando a volte l’audio guida geo-localizzata che sempre attraverso il mio smartphone mi offriva percorsi e informazioni. La società sembra essere italiana e sono fiera di questa eccellenza nazionale. Ottima esperienza. La suggerisco

    Rome: Hop-on Hop-off Guided Walking Tour Reviewed by Angelika, 10/17/2020

    We loved Dennas! He was smart and funny and very engaging. We are a family of four and the way he interacted with my 8-year old son was wonderful! Dennas kept him engaged and interested. Our 3 hours flew by. I've been to both the Colosseum and the Forum before without a tour guide, and I really feel the experience with a guide like Dennas really enhances the experience. My only suggestion would be to get audio that has a longer range, so that we can be more than a few feet away from the guide without losing connection.

    Ancient Rome and Colosseum Small Group 3-Hour Walking Tour Reviewed by Jennifer, 10/25/2020

    My fiancée and I went on this tour and really enjoyed ourselves. Our tour guide Roger was excellent, really knowledgeable and enthusiastic. It rained quite solidly for an hour and a decent portion of the tour is outside so make sure to dress appropriately and check the forecast! However, we still had a great time, saw some fantastic ruins, and learned a lot. The historical context made the architecture even more interesting so I would really recommend getting a tour guide to show you around and explain a few things.

    Rome: Skip the Line Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill Tour Reviewed by Sam, 10/15/2020

    Amazing tour!!! Highly recommend for anyone who wants to see the Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum. Do a tour, ask for Dennis. He was WONDERFUL. So full of knowledge of the area and the sites we were seeing. This was my second time to Rome and on a tour of this area and I left this time with so much more information than previously. I definitely will recommend this tour, specifically Dennis, to any friends traveling to Rome.

    Ancient Rome and Colosseum Small Group 3-Hour Walking Tour Reviewed by Danielle, 10/19/2020

    We had a very nice and interesting tour of the Colosseum and the Forum. Ludwig was very knowledgable and shared really fun and interesting information. The whole Roman empire came to life! We would surely be delighted to book him again when we come back to Rome.

    Ancient Rome: 3-Hour Skip-the-Line Tour in Dutch Reviewed by Mayleen, 10/30/2020

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