Colosseum

Location

Rome
Italy
41° 53' 24.756" N, 12° 29' 32.0316" E
IT
General info: 

The greatest landmark of Rome, Colosseum, stands in the center of the city, defying the earthquakes, fires and thieves that tried to desecrate its structure. It has survived almost 2 millenniums of turbulent times and still looks magnificent.

Its construction started in the 1 century AD in the times of rule of emperors from the house of Flavian, thus the Colosseum is often called the Flavian amphitheater. Even today this theater is the largest structure of its kind in the world, but in the ancient times, the Colosseum was really a wonder, seating up to 50 000 spectators.

In the Roman times, the Colosseum was used as a place where religious festivals took place, where stage shows were held, and where infamous gladiator fights were on the regular repertoire. The arena could even be filled with water to simulate sea battles.

Nowadays, the Colosseum serves as a touristic site and it is one of the most popular in the world. It has been an UNESCO World Heritage Site since the eighties and in 2007 was voted a part of the New7Wonders of the World.

Getting there: 

Piazza Del Colosseo tram station is located right in front of the Colosseum.

Costs: 

A ticket to the Colosseum that also includes admission to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum is €12.

Interesting places nearby

The ski resort Innsbrucker Nordkettenbahnen used to be a secret tip for insiders, today it's the place where the best snowboarders of the world meet. It takes just a few minutes to get from the town to the high Alpine area.

You can have both worlds - rest and recreation in the winter sunshine, and the fun of doing active sports.

The Silvretta - Arena in Tyrol lies in between the two mountain ranges Silvretta and the Verwall Alps. Their peaks reach up to over 3000 m altitude.

With less than 600 year round residents, the resort of Isola 2000 is nestled at the gateway to the Mercantour National Park; only 4km from the Franco-Italian boarder (not open through the winter).

This mountain village is a winter holiday resort too. The beautiful skiing area is open to skiers of all categories and ages. There is an illuminated cross-country skiing trail and many popular stops for ski tour enthusiasts.

Berchtesgadener region is renowned for its saline fresh air spas. The local region also offers much in the way of sports and recreational activities.

BASE: 1771ft
SUMMIT: 4639ft
VERTICAL DROP: 2867ft