Palatine Hill in Rome: tickets, hours and what to see

The Palatine Hill is worth adding to your Rome itinerary, even if you only have two days in the city. It is the oldest part of the Eternal City and the place from which it grew.

Below we have gathered what remains on the hill, how much entry costs in 2026, how the combined ticket with the Colosseum works, and where the nearest entrance is. We checked prices and hours on the official pages of the archaeological park.

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The Palatine today: an open-air museum

💡 In short:

• The Palatine is included in a combined ticket with the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, the terms are described in the tickets section.
• Prices and opening hours: 09/2026, verified on the park's official website

© Lil Herodotus · CC BY-SAPhoto: Lil Herodotus, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

Today the Palatine looks like a vast open-air museum above the Roman Forum. Pine trees and wild grasses grow among the ruins of the imperial palaces, so a walk here feels calmer than in the Colosseum.

Here you will see the remains of the Domus Flavia and the Stadio di Domiziano, as well as the Hut of Romulus. The Casa di Augusto and Casa di Livia with ancient Roman frescoes were recently opened to visitors. The terraces offer views of the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, and the Aventine.

The hill remains a green area in the city center. In the shade of the Orti Farnesiani you can take a break with sandwiches, and in high season there are no suffocating crowds here. Walk around it in a loop, and you will collect panoramas of nearly all of Rome's major monuments.

History of the Palatine: the she-wolf, Romulus, and excavations

The first settlements on the hill appeared as early as the thirteenth century BC. For a long time cattle grazed here, and scholars link the name to the goddess Pales, the patroness of shepherds.

According to Roman mythology, the Lupercal cave was located on the Palatine, where the she-wolf brought the twins Romulus and Remus. The infants were taken in by the shepherd Faustulus and his wife Acca Larentia, who had lost their own child.

When the brothers grew up, they quarreled over the site for a new city. Romulus killed Remus, founded Rome on the Palatine, and surrounded the hill with a wall, declaring it the main place of the city.

In the imperial era, the nobility settled here because the entire center was visible from here and a breeze blew in summer. Many buildings were destroyed during the Gothic invasion, and in the sixteenth century the Farnese family laid out gardens on the hill.

Excavations on the hill began in the eighteenth century and continue to this day. Because of this, next to the ancient walls you will also see fresh digs.

Tickets and opening hours (as of 09/2026)

The combined ticket covers three sites at once: the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine. Booking is mandatory, without a time slot you will not be admitted even with a purchased ticket.

The 24-hour window starts from your first entry: you visit the Colosseum at your time slot first, then see the Forum and Palatine after it (as of 09/2026, visiting rules).

The park is open daily, with seasonal hours. In summer the gates close around 7:15 pm, in winter around 4:30 pm, with last entry one hour before closing (as of 09/2026, opening hours from the Rome tourist office). The park is closed only on December 25 and January 1.

Colosseum time slots sell out several weeks in advance, especially from April through September. Tickets with a Palatine and Colosseum time slot should be booked ahead, otherwise you'll be left with inconvenient times.

What to see: key Palatine sites

It's easy to get lost in the ruins without a plan. We've marked the sites worth finding and grouped them by location.

Sant'Anastasia al Palatino. A church at the foot of the hill, near the Circus Maximus, outside the park. It was built at the turn of the fourth century, and its patron saint is Saint Anastasia of Sirmium.

Museo Palatino (Antiquarium). A two-story museum inside the park, entry included with the same ticket. It houses sculptures and reliefs found on the Palatine, and the collection grows after new excavations. For anyone who wants to understand the context of the ruins, this is the most useful museum in the park.

Stadio di Domiziano. An elongated structure east of the palaces. Some historians believe it was an imperial garden rather than a stadium, so the signs in the park refer to it cautiously.

Casa di Livia. A small house that belonged to Augustus's wife. The building was discovered in the late nineteenth century, and the owner's name was identified from stamps on the pipes. Frescoes survive inside, but access is time-limited, so check the hours at the entrance.

Orti Farnesiani. Gardens on the slope overlooking the Roman Forum. Thanks to a water source, the plants here thrive even in the heat, and the terraces are cooler than the lower paths. Who it's for: anyone who wants to rest in the shade after the Colosseum.

Palaces on the Palatine

The Palatine attracted rulers from across the empire: a central location, clean air, and views over the city. So the hill was gradually built up with palaces.

Casa di Augusto. One of the earliest structures on the hill, built in 36 BC. Augustus's private rooms are modest in size, while the guest halls are spacious with high ceilings. Nearby stood the Temple of Apollo, of which only the foundation remains.

© Krzysztof Golik · CC BY-SAPhoto: Krzysztof Golik, CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0), Wikimedia Commons

Domus Tiberiana. The first major imperial palace on the Palatine. After a long restoration it has been opened to visitors, and now you can walk through its galleries overlooking the Roman Forum (As of: 09/2026, Rome tourist office information). Look for it in the northwestern part of the hill, next to the Orti Farnesiani.

Domus Flavia. Domitian's palace, built at the end of the first century AD. From here you can clearly read the layout of the imperial halls: one was used for judicial matters, the other for receptions. The best view of the complex opens up from the Circus Maximus.

Where it is and how to get there

The Palatine is located in the center of Rome, between the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus. The nearest entrance is about 400 m from the Colosseum, roughly a five-minute walk (on the map).

The easiest way to get here is by metro: Colosseo station, line B, the exit leads directly to the Colosseum (according to ATAC, 09/2026). From there you walk along Via di San Gregorio to the entrance to the archaeological area.

Buses 75 and 87 also come here. On weekends the center is gridlocked, so a taxi often loses to walking, especially if you are staying near the Forum.

Palatine Hill on the map

From the terraces to the north, the Roman Forum and the Colosseum open up before you. To the south you see the Circus Maximus and the Aventine, so you can take in part of the panoramas without descending from the hill.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

Do I need a separate ticket for the Palatine?

No. The Palatine is included in the combined ticket with the Colosseum and the Roman Forum; see the tickets section for details (As of: 09/2026, combined ticket rules).

How much time should I allow for the Palatine?

Two to three hours is enough for most people. The palaces, gardens, and museum are close together, but there are plenty of climbs and staircases. If you want to visit the Casa di Augusto and Casa di Livia, add another hour and check access at the entrance.

Is the Domus Tiberiana really open to visitors?

Yes, the palace is included in the general ticket. More about it in the palaces section (As of: 09/2026, visit information).

Is the Palatine worth visiting in the heat?

Yes, if you pick your timing. The hill has more shade than the Roman Forum, and the Orti Farnesiani is always cooler. In summer, come at opening time or after four in the afternoon, and you will avoid both the scorching heat and the main crowds. In winter the park closes around 4:30 pm, so go in the morning.

What if Colosseum time slots are sold out?

Check neighboring dates. The ticket is valid for 24 hours from your Colosseum entry, so you can see the Palatine and the Forum after it. Sometimes slots free up on the morning of the same day, but you should not count on that.

In short: what to book

You don't need a separate reservation for the hill; the single-ticket terms are described above. Plan your order like this: a Colosseum time slot, then the Forum and Palatine within 24 hours after it.

If you're short on time: go up the hill in the morning, see Domus Tiberiana and Orti Farnesiani, and leave the Forum for the evening. If you're traveling with kids: start with Museo Palatino, it has short exhibits and clear labels. If you want to see frescoes: book Casa di Augusto and Casa di Livia first.

You can browse tours and guided tickets on GetYourGuide for your date.