The Palatine Hill at a glance
The Palatine rises beside the Forum and is visited on the same ticket. Traces of an Iron Age settlement survive here. In the 2nd and 1st centuries BC the hill was a residential district of the Roman aristocracy. Augustus chose it as his home, and later emperors added palaces.
Today the hill is a wide area of ruins, terraces and gardens. Some of the best-known rooms are not covered by the standard ticket, and one house is closed for restoration. Read the ticket section below before you plan your visit.
The palaces of the Palatine
The big complex on the hilltop and the houses that are often confused with it.
Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana
This palace complex has a public part and a private part. The private part is called the Domus Augustana. The name does not mean the House of Augustus. It belongs to the later imperial palaces.
House of Augustus
You need a ticket that includes the SUPER sites. The house is closed on Mondays. The standard combo ticket does not cover it in every case, so check your product.
House of Livia
The house is currently closed for restoration, and no reopening date is known. Do not plan your Palatine visit around it.
Domus Tiberiana
A passage through the area is open with the standard ticket. The exhibition rooms need a Full Experience ticket or the Forum Pass SUPER.
Museo Palatino and Aula Isiaca
The Palatine Museum is open on its lower floor only. The Aula Isiaca with the Loggia Mattei belongs to the SUPER sites, and entry depends on capacity.
Our picks: Palatine Hill
Guided or self-guided ways onto the hill.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide. Prices are indicative starting prices in euros (as of October 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Forum and Palatine Hill with a licensed guide
Forum and Palatine Hill entry, a licensed guide and headsets are included. The Colosseum is not part of it.
Check availability →Forum and Palatine Hill entry with guide app
Forum and Palatine Hill entry, the Domus Tiberiana, taxes and service fees are included, with a digital guide app. No live guide. Some houses are closed on certain weekdays.
Check availability →
Palatine Hill, Domus Tiberiana and Forum with a guide
A licensed English-speaking guide and entry to the archaeological area are included. The Domus Tiberiana depends on availability and opening. The Colosseum is not part of it.
Check availability →Palatine Hill tours and tickets
Guided visits of the Palatine and the Forum, combined with the Colosseum or on their own, with live prices and availability. Check whether the SUPER sites are included.
Which ticket opens what on the Palatine
Prices in 2026. Entry is nominative, so the ticket carries your name.
| Ticket | Price | Palatine | SUPER sites |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard combo, 24h | €18 | Yes, one entry to Forum and Palatine | Not in general |
| Forum Pass SUPER | €18 | Yes, one entry, same day, no Colosseum | Yes, subject to capacity |
| Full Experience | €24 | Yes, two consecutive days, one entry each | Yes, subject to capacity |
The SUPER sites run from 9:30 until one hour before closing. Reduced tickets cost €2 for eligible EU citizens aged 18 to under 25, and entry is free under 18. On the free first Sunday of the month the Palatine Museum, the Houses of Augustus and Livia, the Aula Isiaca and the Farnese aviaries are not accessible. The Colosseum itself is covered by our sister guide. All prices and rules are on our tickets page.
The Palatine stadium
A long open space, not a typical sports ground.
The Stadio Palatino measures 161 by 48 metres. Domitian had it built in the late 1st century AD, beside the Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana. Its purpose is not settled. The park considers a garden and leisure area for the imperial family more likely than an ordinary public stadium, so do not read it as a proven gladiator or chariot track.
The Farnese Gardens
The Horti Farnesiani were laid out for Cardinal Alessandro Farnese from 1537, with additions up to 1628. They are a Renaissance and Baroque garden built on top of ancient palace structures. You can pick out terraces, stairs, a nymphaeum and the aviaries.
Much of today's garden is a partial restoration after modern excavations, so it is not an original Roman garden. The Farnese Gardens have a drinking fountain, as does the southern Palatine path and the area near the Domus Augustana. The aviaries stay closed on free Sundays.
Planning your Palatine visit
Practical points for the climb and the day.
Getting up the hill
Entrances at the Arco di Tito and the Via di San Gregorio serve the site. Slopes and uneven ground remain on the Palatine, and the whole site is not fully wheelchair friendly. The Forum map shows an easier route through the Forum.
Time and heat
Forum and Palatine open at 9:00. Last entry is 17:30 until 24 October 2026 and 15:30 from 25 October 2026. In summer the hill offers no guaranteed shade, so go early and carry water. See the best time page.
What is not guaranteed
Access to the SUPER sites depends on capacity, and not every room is open every day. Check the day's access on arrival.
Free days and the Palatine
Free entry comes with limits on the hill.
Entry is free on the first Sunday of every month and on 25 April, 2 June and 4 November (2026 calendar). Tickets are issued on site, and there is no online booking. On those days the Curia, the Temple of Romulus, the Palatine Museum, the Houses of Augustus and Livia, the Aula Isiaca, Santa Maria Antiqua and the Farnese aviaries are not accessible. The Domus Tiberiana is open as a passage only. If you want the interiors, choose another day.
Combine the Palatine with
Other stops on the same visit.
Palatine Hill: frequently asked questions
Is the Palatine included in the Roman Forum ticket?
Yes. The standard combo ticket for €18 (2026) includes one entry to the joint Forum and Palatine area. Link the Forum and Palatine before you leave the site, because you cannot re-enter.
Can I visit the House of Livia?
Not at present. The house is closed for restoration, and no reopening date is known. The House of Augustus is closed on Mondays and needs a ticket that includes the SUPER sites.
Is the Domus Augustana the House of Augustus?
No. The Domus Augustana is the private part of the later imperial palace. The House of Augustus is a separate building.
Was the Palatine stadium a chariot track?
That is not proven. The park considers a garden and leisure area for the imperial family more likely than an ordinary public stadium.
What can I see in the Farnese Gardens?
Renaissance and Baroque terraces, stairs, a nymphaeum and aviaries, laid out from 1537 over ancient palace structures. The aviaries are closed on free Sundays.