I fell in love with Rome and particularly The Roman Forum some years ago, and have been fortunate enough to visit three times while on short city breaks.
While the majority of visitors queue for Forum/Colosseum entrance tickets opposite The Colosseum, there is a much quieter entrance a short walk away. If you stand looking at the ticket queues with the Colosseum behind you, go left walking past the arch. Follow the pavement on the right-hand side of the road, and you’ll come to another ticket entrance that always seems to be quieter! You can enter The Form directly from there, missing the numerous steps at the other entrance. They have a small bookshop there too.
If you’ve already purchased your joint Colosseum and Forum tickets, note they usually cover a two-day period (but do check your particular ticket). So take your time at each attraction and visit them over two consecutive days, rather than rushing and doing them both in one day.
I initially visited The Forum with a guide, and while that was interesting, I found so much more of the huge expanse of ruins that the guide didn’t cover or refer to. So if you’re like me, and love the atmosphere of the Forum, do go back and explore under your own steam … I spent nearly four hours doing just that!
Do bear in mind that pavements in Italy often are uneven under foot and you really need to keep a close eye when walking around. The Colosseum of course involves many steps, and The Forum is on many levels, so visitors with walking/mobility issues need to find out what facilities are available to them before booking.
