Any advice? I’m trying to book 3 tickets for Jan 2 from the official site but it seems as though the calendar isn’t open for booking. Any insight appreciated. I’ve spent all day struggling to book this. Specifically trying to get the colosseum (underground/tier III), forum and palatine hill. I can’t get any of the tours for Jan 2, 2020 booked thru the official site.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16032 posts
Hi -
The coopculture website states this (in bold, under "news"):
https://www.coopculture.it/en/the-colosseum.cfm
The opening of ticket reservations with access to the Arena and
Underground, for Forum Pass and Super is suspended until further
notice.
So some sort of issue - probably maintenance work - has necessitated temporary suspension of tours which include the areas noted. There's no indication when those will resume but tours which do NOT include these areas appear to still be operating.
Posted by
Colorado Mountains, USA
7589 posts
This might offer some encouragement, or not, but we were in Rome in December seven years ago. Arrived at the Colosseum without prebooked tickets, and got Underground Tour tickets on the spot. We had to wait about 20 minutes to see how many others would show, but the Underground tour, if it’s available, is definitely worth it! In case you got “regular” tickets and the Underground part has been made accessible when you arrive, hopefully they would let you upgrade to an Underground tour.
Same trip, 2 weeks later, we were in Sorrento, and planning to visit the ruins at Pompeii. By all official indications, the sight would be closed on New Year’s Day. The morning of Jan. 1st, they announced they would be open after all, but on a short schedule, closing at 1 pm. So we got to Pompeii on New Year’s Day, after all. Another example of, “In Italy, expect the unexpected.”
If you’re interested in an Underground experience in Rome, and weren’t already planning on it, see the Basilica di San Clemente, an easy walk from the Colosseum. It’s a wonderful, ornate church at ground level, but pay to go underneath, and after a long stairway, you reach the foundations of the earlier church upon which it’s built. Go down further, and you reach a street and buildings from Ancient Roman times, including a pagan temple and remains of a big house, complete with kitchen and a rushing water source. Three layers of history on one spot!
Posted by
OP
3 posts
Thank you both! How did I not see that. So disappointed though.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
16032 posts
To reveal ALL of the info text (and there's a ton of it), you have to click the [++] sign in the righthand column, right above "INFO AND RESERVATION". The text I copy/pasted is hidden until you fully open that column, and that's probably how you missed it. :O)
While I think being able to get underground tickets on a walk-up basis is a very long shot these days, just keep an eye on the website for any re-opening announcements or January ticketing ability. This suspension might not last into next month.