Rome Trip: Colosseum

One of the places we visited in Rome was none other than the Colosseum. Prior to our trip, I had read online that in order to cut short the queue, we could just go straight to the left side to buy audio guide as well as the entrance tickets, but when we arrived at the scene, we were confused 'coz the left side of the queue was blocked from the outside (it seemed that only tour leaders with groups of tourists were allowed to go inside from there), but it was still early (around 10 am) and the queue wasn't too long and it was advancing pretty fast, so we thought, "Well, why not just queue?" So we followed the line...

We only had to queue for about 20 minutes (after we got out of there, the queue was twice as long!!!). At the cashier desk, I bought two adult tickets and wanted to buy audio guide, BUT turned out they were sold out!!! So I was told to go to the left side (different booths) to buy audio guide (I had to leave my passport there and then after I returned the audio guide, I'd get it back). Here's a site where you can buy the ticket(s) online: Colosseum. It was around €12/adult plus an additional €5/6 for a video guide. I only bought one video guide, 'coz I was busy taking pictures anyway ha ha ha ha...The tickets also included a visit to two other places (the tickets are valid for 2 days), but we didn't get to visit the other places 'coz we ran out of time.

Anyway, we went inside and take a look around...here are some pics...

First pic: The line towards the ticket booths. Should have just switched straight towards the empty left line where there are only two people sauntering in the pic 'coz the audio guide booths were located differently (on the far left side of the building apart from the ticket booths where apparently you can also buy tickets from there).

Here are some other views inside the Colosseum. I think looking at the photos doesn't do justice to the magnificence of the whole place. It's SO HUGEEEEEEE he he he...We started from the top floor and gradually coming down. Would have loved to go where those people in the pic below went to, but I think it only worked for group tours via travel agents or something like that 'coz during the whole time we were there, there were only a few small groups of people allowed on the "stand" (I think there's a different entrance to go there):

Here are the views of the area outside Colosseum (there are some viewing decks that allowed us to see outside):

Zooming in on some of the engravings...

 

 

 
And here's the view of the Colosseum from outside...yeah, by then the sun was shining beautifully he he he...

 OK, I think that's a wrappppp for today! :-D