Rome with a 1 year old - Colosseum tickets

[pontipinemum]

Has any one booked tickets recently for the colosseum for a child?

From what I can understand from their website I cannot book a ticket for DS online I will have to collect it on the day? Will I have to queue in the main ticket queue for his ticket? If so I am tempted to buy an 18-25 ticket for €4 or even a full price ticket. I really don't want to stand around for hours to get his free ticket.

Any other tips welcome we are also going to the Vatican one day. I am not booking anything just going to wander around.

Hello!
I live in Italy - I think , but it was 4 years ago when DD and I went to Rome, that when you buy your own ticket on the website, it then asks you if you want any free/reduced ones. Let me see if I've still got the emails.
I'd recommend booking to avoid the queues tbh.
In any case, with the Colosseum, your ticket/booking tells you which ticket bit to go to where you get your real entrance ticket iyswim?
Let me just check.

Yes- attaching screen. Did it online, and added the €2 ticket for DD at the same time.

@SoIinvictus thanks, is that your email print out? I have been checking their website but I can't see anywhere to book kids tickets https://ecm.coopculture.it/index.php?option=com_snapp&view=event&id=3793660E-5E3F-9172-2F89-016CB3FAD609&catalogid=B79E95CA-090E-FDA8-2364-017448FF0FA0&lang=en

It just sends you around a loop when you click for kids tickets.

Also "In any case, with the Colosseum, your ticket/booking tells you which ticket bit to go to where you get your real entrance ticket iyswim?"" sorry no I don't know what you mean, so the tickets I get online aren't the tickets? We still need to queue for the 'real tickets;?

Right, I've just had a look and it seems to have changed since we went (height of COVID so maybe numbers were more restricted) I think you are right- you buy your ticket, then get a free child's ticket at the ticket offices. There are a few dotted around the Colosseum itself iirc.
What we had to do was- when you arrive just outside, there are official people who look at your booking and tell you which little window to go to- you go to the appropriate window where you get another ticket and the audio guide etc.

We had child tickets. We didn't que. We went to the front with our tickets and the lady just printed them and let us in.

@SoIinvictus OK, thanks. I just really want to avoid queuing for 2 hours like some reviews suggest!

@justasmalltownmum to the front of the queue? Or is it a separate one for pre booked tickets? Hopefully it is all very clear on the day and I am worrying about nothing.

Thankfully it is the only thing I am booking, the rest is just 'lets walk around and see the free stuff'

Dangle your baby at them, they'll move you to the front anyway. 😂 I always say in a future life I want to be an Italian baby!
I'd book the Vatican as well tbh, the queues can be long. St Peter's isn't bad because there it's a very fast moving queue, (and free of course, so no booking needed) but the Vatican itself can be a wait.

Remember Rome is all cobbles and a pain in a pushchair. We did a few cobbled cities with dc at that age and it was easier in a back carrier (they could look around etc), it can also be used as a high chair of sorts. We took a fabric sling for naps).

@SoIinvictus do they love babies? I'm not booking or expecting to see anything in the Vatican apart from a look around. How strict are the on dress code? I have a dress which covers knees/ shoulders. But I have bought trousers where you can take off the bottom to convert them into shorts for DH so he can cover his knees. All his other shorts were just on the knee. We are Catholic and wouldn't wear anything I wouldn't wear into any church btw.

I emailed them this is the response in case anyone else comes across and needs this info

Them - ""from 1st May 2023 under 18 and disabled can get their free tickets for the ordinary entrance and the arena at the ticket offices located inside the Colosseum and at the ticket office in Largo della Salara Vecchia, where dedicated ticket offices will be set up.""

Me - ""Those ticket booths, are they the ones with the very long queue? I have heard of people waiting hours.""

Them - ""we inform you that free under 18 tickets can be collected a tthe the internal ticket offices of the Colosseum.
It means you will have just to show up at the Colosseum 15 minutes before the scheduled time for your visit, and after the security checks you can walk straight to the ticket office in order to get your free under 18 tickets.
Regards""

The Vatican isn't free, it's a museum and if you want to see the Sistine Chapel, you have to have a ticket (for example) St Peter's basilica and square are free.
Sorry for any confusion - they're two different things.
Dress code is no uncovered shoulders or too short shorts. Shorts to the knee will be fine. They will give you lightweight shawls to cover your shoulders. No particular dress code for the Vatican museums until you get to the Sistine Chapel where the same applies. It's the same really for any church in Rome visited by tourists.

They do love babies though!

@SoIinvictus I mean I want to go into the Vatican City for a look. Not to any of the museums. No we won't go into the Sistine Chapel

You'll be fine then (Vatican City is basically St Peter's Square and the Via della Conciliazione leading off from it) Lovely area.
And remember to dangle your baby! ❤️