The Roman Forum was the political and civic heart of ancient Rome, in the valley between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. It is now part of the Colosseum Archaeological Park and is almost always visited on the combined ticket with the Palatine and the Colosseum.
The main road runs past the Temple of Saturn, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina, the House of the Vestals and the Temple of Caesar, where flowers are still left.
The Arch of Septimius Severus stands at the west end and the Arch of Titus at the east. The Curia Julia, the senate house, survives largely intact.
The same ticket takes you up onto the Palatine Hill, with the imperial palaces, the Farnese gardens and a terrace looking straight down into the Forum.
The ordinary combined ticket covers one entry each to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine within 24 hours, with the Colosseum on a timed slot. A Full Experience ticket adds special enclosed areas. Prices and the booking fee change; confirm on colosseo.it and the official ticketing partner.
Buy the combined Colosseum, Forum and Palatine ticket once and plan the Forum and Palatine around your fixed Colosseum time.
There is little signage. A guide or a good audio guide is what turns a field of broken columns into the layout of a working ancient city.
There is almost no shade in the Forum. The first entry of the day or the last couple of hours before closing are far more comfortable in summer.
Can I buy a Forum-only ticket?
Normally no. Entry is through the combined ticket that also covers the Palatine and the Colosseum.
Do I need a timed slot?
The Colosseum part of the ticket is timed. The Forum and Palatine are less strict, but the whole ticket is valid for 24 hours from first use.
How long should I allow?
About 90 minutes to two hours for the Forum and Palatine together, more with a guide.
Is it accessible?
Parts of the Forum are on level gravel, but the Palatine involves stairs and slopes. Check the official site for the accessible routes.
The Roman Forum developed over centuries as the centre of public life in ancient Rome, holding temples, law courts, the senate house and triumphal monuments. It was gradually abandoned and buried, then excavated from the 18th century onward.
Today it is managed as part of the Parco archeologico del Colosseo, together with the Palatine Hill and the Colosseum, and is one of the most visited archaeological sites in the world.
This page is an independent guide for visitors, covering the Parco archeologico del Colosseo.
