Circus Maximus
Rome, Italy
Palatine Hill, Rome
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Photo: Jebulon, CC0, Wikimedia CommonsFit in nearby today
The essentials in 10 seconds
- Ticket
- ≈ €18 — shared with the Colosseum and Forum, 24 hours; free under 18
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Opening hours
- 9:00 to one hour before sunset
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Time on site
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A typical visit without queueing. In high season add 15–30 minutes. - 1 h 30 min
- With kids
- Fine with kids
- Houses of Augustus and Livia
- Timed entry, included on Full Experience tickets
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From reliable travel sources; we are still checking it against an official one. Double-check before you go. - Entrances
- Via di San Gregorio 30 — or from the Roman Forum
- Time needed
- 1–1.5 hours, 2–3 with the Forum
- Location
- Between the Forum and Circus Maximus; Metro B Colosseo or Circo Massimo
Key facts
753 BCthe legendary date when Romulus founded Rome on the Palatine
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English WikipediaPalatiumthe hill's Latin name gave us 'palace' and 'palazzo'
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English Wikipedia≈ 40 mheight above the Forum
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English Wikipedia1st centuryDomitian built the main imperial palace, the Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana
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English WikipediaHouse of Augustuskeeps frescoes from the 1st century BC
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English Wikipedia16th centuryCardinal Alessandro Farnese laid out gardens over Tiberius's palace
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English WikipediaPalatine Hill tickets
The Palatine is part of the Colosseum Archaeological Park ticket — about €18, valid 24 hours, with the Colosseum and Roman Forum. The hill and the Forum form one site, and you move freely between them. Under-18s go free with a booking.
The House of Augustus and House of Livia open to small groups at set times, usually on the Full Experience ticket or as a separate slot. Check availability on the park's official site — these slots sell out first.
A short history
The Palatine is the most central of Rome's seven hills and, by tradition, the oldest part of the city. Legend says Romulus founded Rome here in 753 BC, near the cave where a she-wolf nursed him and his twin; archaeologists have indeed found 8th-century-BC hut foundations on the hill.
Republican aristocrats built houses here, and under the empire the whole hill became an imperial residence. The Latin *Palatium* came to mean any palace — hence 'palace' and 'palazzo'.
What to see on the Palatine
- Domus Flavia — the state rooms of Domitian's palace, with a throne room and peristyle garden.
- Domus Augustana — the emperors' private quarters on two levels, looking over the Circus Maximus.
- Stadium of Domitian — a long sunken garden shaped like a racetrack.
- House of Augustus — the first emperor's rooms with vivid frescoes, timed entry.
- House of Livia — his wife's house with painted walls, also timed.
- Farnese Gardens — Renaissance terraces over Tiberius's palace, with pavilions and roses.
- Palatine Museum — finds from founding-era huts to palace statuary.
- Viewpoints — the Roman Forum on one side, the Circus Maximus on the other.
The imperial palaces
Augustus lived here first, in a deliberately modest house beside a temple of Apollo. Tiberius built a larger palace on the north slope, and at the end of the 1st century Domitian raised a huge complex — the Domus Flavia for public business and the Domus Augustana for private life — which later emperors kept extending.
What survives are multi-storey brick walls, arches, fountain basins and fragments of marble floor. The most dramatic view is from the Circus Maximus below, where the ruined palace rises above the grass where chariots once raced.
How to get to the Palatine Hill
Tap a route to highlight it on the map.
Where are you starting from?
We’ll draw it on the map on foot and by taxi; metro and buses open in your maps app. Your location isn’t stored.
On foot
- Circus Maximus is about 14 min away on foot.
- Arch of Constantine is about 7 min away on foot.
- Mouth of Truth is about 20 min away on foot.
More tips
- Metro line B to Colosseo, then 7 minutes along Via di San Gregorio to the Palatine gate.
- Metro line B to Circo Massimo, then 10 minutes across the Circus Maximus.
- From the Roman Forum, take the paths uphill from the Arch of Titus.
- Tram 8 and buses 51, 75 and 81 stop near the Colosseum and Circus Maximus.
Best time to visit
The Palatine has more trees than the Forum, but summer middays are still hot. Go at opening or in the last two hours before closing, when the low sun lights the palace walls from the Circus Maximus side. In spring the Farnese Gardens fill with roses and wisteria.
Is the Palatine Hill worth it?
Yes — it's already on your Colosseum ticket and far less crowded. You get the best views over the Roman Forum and Circus Maximus, and a real sense of how emperors lived. A map with labelled buildings helps: without it, the palace ruins blur together.
Before you go
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Ancient Rome: compare and choose
Ancient sites in Rome rated by YesGo. Click a column header to sort.
| Pantheon | 82 | 30 min | ≈ €5 | 24 min walk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colosseum | 73 | 2 h | ≈ €18 | 8 min walk |
| Roman Forum | 63 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | 8 min walk |
| Circus Maximus | 63 | 30 min | Free | 5 min walk |
| Trajan's Column | 60 | 15 min | Free | 15 min walk |
| Capitoline Hill | 58 | 30 min | Free | 11 min walk |
| Castel Sant'Angelo | 57 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €15–20 | 41 min walk |
| Arch of Constantine | 57 | 15 min | Free | 6 min walk |
| Palatine Hillyou are here | 54 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €18 with Colosseum | — |
| Mausoleum of Augustus | 53 | 45 min | ≈ €5, booking | 37 min walk |
| Largo di Torre Argentina | 53 | 30 min | Free from street; walkways ≈ €5 | 20 min walk |
| Pyramid of Cestius | 52 | 20 min | Free | 25 min walk |
| Appian Way | 49 | 3 h | Free | 6.4 km |
| Domus Aurea | 49 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €18, with VR ≈ €26 | 13 min walk |
| Mouth of Truth | 49 | 20 min | Donation ≈ €2 | 8 min walk |
| Baths of Caracalla | 48 | 1 h 15 min | ≈ €8 | 18 min walk |
| Catacombs of Rome | 48 | 1 h 30 min | ≈ €10–12 with guide | 20 min walk |
| Ara Pacis | 47 | 1 h | ≈ €13–15 | 38 min walk |
| Theatre of Marcellus | 47 | 20 min | Free | 13 min walk |
| Vatican Museums | 44 | 3 h | ≈ €25 | 3.4 km |
| Capitoline Museums | 43 | 2 h 30 min | ≈ €15–19.50 | 11 min walk |
| Baths of Diocletian | 42 | 1 h | Basilica free; museum ≈ €10–12 | 32 min walk |
| Basilica of San Clemente | 39 | 1 h | Upper free; excavations ≈ €10–12 | 15 min walk |
| Imperial Fora | 38 | 1 h | Free from the street; museum ≈ €13–15 | 12 min walk |
| Testaccio | 38 | 2 h | Free | 29 min walk |
| Palazzo Massimo | 34 | 2 h | ≈ €10–12 combined ticket | 30 min walk |
| Ostia Antica | 31 | 3 h | ≈ €12–18 | 22.3 km |
| Hadrian's Villa | 29 | 3 h | ≈ €12–15 | 24.6 km |
Ancient Rome in a day
Colosseum at opening time, then the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on the same ticket, and the floodlit Colosseum from Via dei Fori Imperiali after dark.
- Colosseum2 h · ≈ €18
- 11 min walk from the previous stopRoman Forum1 h 30 min · ≈ €18 with Colosseum
- 8 min walk from the previous stopPalatine Hillyou are here1 h 30 min · ≈ €18 with Colosseum
3 places · about 5 h 19 min with walks · 19 min on foot in total
Nearby and on the way
How to do it right
- The San Gregorio gate often has no line.
- Farnese Gardens give the best view of the Forum.
- The palace ruins look best from the Circus Maximus.
- House of Augustus slots sell out first.
Questions
Is the Palatine Hill included in the Colosseum ticket?
Yes, the standard ticket covers the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine within 24 hours, about €18.
Where is the Palatine Hill entrance?
Via di San Gregorio 30, or from inside the Roman Forum.
What is there to see on the Palatine Hill?
Domitian's palace (Domus Flavia and Augustana), the stadium, the Houses of Augustus and Livia, the Farnese Gardens and the museum.
What time does the Palatine open?
9:00, closing an hour before sunset.
How long do you need on the Palatine Hill?
1–1.5 hours, 2–3 with the Forum.
Why is the Palatine Hill important?
Legend places Rome's founding here, and it was the emperors' residence.
Can you visit the House of Augustus?
Yes, in small timed groups, usually on the Full Experience ticket.
Where does the word 'palace' come from?
From Palatium, the Latin name of the Palatine Hill.
Have you been? Was it worth your time?
1 — no, 5 — absolutely
Your vote counts towards the YesGo score.
Sources and fact-check
- Colosseum Archaeological Park (Parco archeologico del Colosseo), official website
- English Wikipedia, Palatine Hill
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