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Vatican and Colosseum in One Day: How to Plan Your Visit

Can you visit the Colosseum and the Vatican in one day?

Absolutely. But whether you should is another story.

If you have the time, we'd always recommend visiting them on separate days.

vatican colosseum one day st peters squareSt. Peter's Square buzzing with visitors on a sunny day

After all, they’re two of Rome’s biggest attractions, and each deserves more than a quick visit.

Splitting them up gives you more time to explore, take breaks, and enjoy each site.

But if you're only in Rome for a day or two, combining them is completely doable.

Just be prepared for a busy day with plenty of walking and an early start.

👉 If you'd rather leave the planning to someone else, consider this Rome guided tour covering both the Vatican Museum and the Colosseum, with lots in between, in only 7 hours.

Visitors gathered outside the Colosseum in Rome on a busy dayThe Colosseum is never quiet—it's a popular sight in every season

Here's how to make the most of your day:

We’d suggest two days. Both areas are quite extensive and can easily take more than three hours to explore properly. The Roman Forum and Capitoline Hill offer much more to see beyond the Colosseum, while the Vatican deserves extra time if you want to visit St. Peter’s Square and St. Peter’s Basilica—both are absolutely worth seeing.

Different ways to visit the Vatican and Colosseum in one day

Visiting the Vatican and the Colosseum in one day can mean different things depending on your plans.

→ You might simply want to see them from the outside—the Colosseum exterior and St. Peter’s Square without entering the basilica.

→ Or you may want to visit the Colosseum inside, then head to St. Peter’s Basilica and climb the dome.

→ Another option is combining the Colosseum with the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.

The combinations are endless, so the key is to decide what you want to prioritize most.

Once you know that, planning your day becomes much easier.

For more ideas, check out our guide to seeing Rome in one day, with a practical itinerary and useful tips.

Vatican and Colosseum in one day without going inside

Seeing the Vatican and Colosseum from the outside can make your day much easier.

Taking in the Colosseum without a ticket

No tickets, no long lines—and you still get the atmosphere, history, and plenty of great photo opportunities!

The Colosseum is especially fun to photograph from different angles.

Its arches and ancient walls look impressive from almost every side. And right next to it, you’ll find the Arch of Constantine, which is well worth a look too.

We recently took a golf cart tour with LivTours 🛺 and got some fantastic photos of the Colosseum along the way. By the way, we absolutely loved the tour—see our review!

You can also get a great view of the Roman Forum without going inside. Just head up Capitoline Hill and walk to the back terrace—you’ll get a beautiful view over the ancient ruins.

Seeing the Vatican from the outside

When we say seeing the Vatican from the outside, we mean visiting St. Peter’s Square. It’s completely free to enter and is a great place to take photos of the beautiful square, fountains (especially refreshing in summer), and the impressive façade of St. Peter’s Basilica.

The square is only closed when the Pope holds a mass or special event there. Even then, you may still be able to enter, but you’ll need to go through security checks.

Should you visit the Vatican or Colosseum first?

It really depends on how you want to experience Rome—are you planning to go inside the sights, or just enjoy the highlights from the outside?

Your hotel location can also make a big difference.

When we stayed at the Heart Hotel, we were right by the Vatican walls and only had to cross the street to get to the entrance—couldn’t be easier!

When we stayed somewhere in Monti, the Colosseum was just a 5-minute walk away.

And don’t forget to check the weather when deciding which site to visit first. ☀️

Visiting Rome on a hot summer day?

Start with the Colosseum in the morning, before the sun gets too intense, and save the Vatican for later.

In winter and spring, you have a little more flexibility, and the Colosseum can be a great midday stop.

Vatican & Colosseum: One-day tour options

The easiest way to see the Vatican and Colosseum in one day is with a full-day tour that includes both sites and transportation.

Both sites are huge, so a tour takes care of all the logistics for you. You can relax, enjoy the sights, and not worry about tickets, timing, or figuring out buses and the metro.

This was the BEST way to take in Rome when you have limited time. I had been to Rome once before and I learned so much on this tour compared to when I was there previously. It isn’t too strenuous - slow paced walk, lots of information, and a comfortable ride between the Coliseum and the Vatican. The guide is what made the tour so great! Enrica (hope I spelled that right) was informative, funny, and down-to-Earth throughout the whole trip. She made sure to stop for pictures and even help take them. Highly recommend!!

What tickets/passes to buy if you visit the Colosseum and Vatican on your own

If you’re planning to visit the Vatican and Colosseum in one day on your own, don’t skip the advance bookings.

Book both sites ahead of time and save yourself the hassle of waiting in line.

The Colosseum especially requires advance booking, and you may not be able to buy a ticket at the last minute.

So once you book your first visit, you’ll need to plan the timing of the second one carefully.

The good news? There’s a little flexibility. Most timed entries allow around 15 minutes on either side of your booking time.

For example, if you book the Vatican Museums for 1:30 PM, you can usually arrive between 1:15 and 1:45 PM. The same applies to the Colosseum.

Thinking about a city pass? Skip the Roma Pass if you want to visit the Vatican Museums—it doesn’t include them. There are other options that do, such as the TurboPass.

These are the tickets for Vatican worth booking

Vatican Museums opening times

  • From Monday to Saturday
    08.00 AM – 08.00 PM  (final entry 06.00 PM)
  • Every last Sunday of the month 
  • 09.00 AM – 02.00 PM (final entry 12.30 PM)

If you do decide to visit the interiors, plan your day carefully:

  • The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill open around 8:30 AM. They are best visited in the morning, especially in summer when it’s cooler and less crowded.
  • The Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) open earlier and can work well later in the day, but they will take up several hours.
  • St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square are separate from the Vatican Museums. The square is free to visit and is a great choice when you’re short on time.
  • For visiting the Dome, you'll need to go through security to Basilica. Next to it is a lift that takes you to the top of St Peter's Dome.

What is the distance from the Vatican to the Colosseum?

The Vatican and Colosseum are about 4 km (2.5 miles) apart, so getting between the two is fairly easy.

  • Walking: Around 45–60 minutes — a good option if you want to see more of Rome along the way
  • Taxi: About 15–20 minutes, depending on traffic
  • Public transport: Around 20–35 minutes, usually by metro with one transfer or a combination of metro and bus

Our tip: If you’re visiting both sites in one day, taking a taxi is the easiest and quickest option.

The easiest way to get from the Colosseum to Vatican (and vice versa)

Taking a Taxi from the Colosseum to the Vatican

We always like to hop onto taxi between the Colosseum and Vatican, if short on time. This is the best options, and it's not so expensive - around €12–15.

Taxi stand is right next to the Colosseum and also near the Monument of Vittorio Emanuele II.

How to get to the Vatican from the Colosseum in Rome by metro

It’s really easy. There’s no need to buy a ticket in advance; just tap your phone or bank card when you enter. The fare is a flat €1.50.

From the Colosseum or Cavour, take the metro Line B back to Termini, then switch to Line A toward Cipro or Ottaviano. The St Peter's Square and the Vatican Museum are only about an 8–10 minute walk from those metro station.

We did this ourselves recently, and it was super easy. One more tip: if you return to the metro within 100 minutes of your first tap, you still need to tap in, but you won’t be charged again.

Can I take a bus from the Colosseum to the Vatican

Yes, you can take a bus between the Colosseum and the Vatican, routes usually require a change and can be slow due to Rome's traffic.

The journey often takes 35–50 minutes, so we'd recommend taking the metro or a taxi instead if you're short on time.

Walking: We done this several times and it's pleasant 45-60 minute walk, but not recommended in the hot summer days.

Vatican and Colosseum in one day from Civitavecchia

Taking a Vatican & Colosseum shore excursion with a tour

The easiest way to see the Vatican and Colosseum on a shore excursion is to book a complete tour with round-trip transportation to and from your ship.

It takes the stress out of the day—you can simply sit back, enjoy Rome, and let someone else handle the timing and logistics.

👍 Private tour of Rome’s highlights, with a wonderful guide and a well-planned itinerary, is a great choice for this.

Doing the Vatican & Colosseum shore excursion on your own

Alternatively, if you prefer to explore Rome independently, you can take the regional train into Rome and back to the ship (one-way ticket costs around €5–€6).

You can arrange the visits yourself, but you’ll need to keep a close eye on the time and allow plenty of extra time to get back to the ship.

Visiting both sites inside may be difficult.

If you have to choose one, decide between Renaissance art at the Vatican Museums and Ancient Rome at the Colosseum.

Be sure to leave some time for a break and lunch between visits.

👉 Our tip: Since you’ll arrive at Termini, visit the Vatican first, then the Colosseum. From the Colosseum, you can walk back to Termini.



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