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Circo Massimo

Circo Massimo

Circo Massimo
3.5
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Plan your visit

The area

Address
Neighborhood: Aventine
Contrary to the chaos of the city, the Aventine is Rome’s oasis. A neighborhood made up of a patchwork of ancient churches, hidden gardens, private homes and embassies, peace and quiet is top priority and the vibe definitely friends and family. Take a walk around the Aventine and you’ll find a treasure hunt of surprises like the clever little keyhole at the Knights of Malta entrance (the only place you’ll find a line) along with Parco Savello (Giardino degli Aranci) next to the ancient Santa Sabina church. Keep your eyes on the 1960s architecture, several modern buildings are built atop Rome’s original 4th century BC wall.
How to get there
  • Circo Massimo • 5 min walk
  • Fori Imperiali-Colosseo • 10 min walk
Reach out directly

See what travelers are saying

  • Jan U
    20 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    ancient racetrack
    the structure in the accompanying picture is a part of Palatine hill, not Circus maximus. Circus Maximus is for the most part a gravel racetrack with spectator lounge remnants in the eastern end. virtual reality goggles available. limited number of visitors in the compound, you may need to wait.
    Visited February 2024
    Traveled solo
    Written February 10, 2024
  • Considered Review
    Norwich, United Kingdom1,657 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    A site (and sight) to stir the imagination with sounds of crowds, chariots, and horses
    Although the sports arena is long gone the footprint remains - a long flat oval with tiered sides. But just seeing the place sets off the imagination with wild images of furious crowds, flying hooves, and straining chariot wheels. History rarely gets this close. Enjoy.
    Visited October 2023
    Traveled as a couple
    Written March 6, 2024
  • Anuradha
    New Delhi, India1,406 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Important historical landmark but not much to explore here
    It is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome. In the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in Ancient Rome. Presently it’s a large walking area with peaceful ambience. Looks great in the evening at sunset time. Can be seen from Palatine hill too.
    Visited May 2024
    Traveled with family
    Written June 12, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

3.5
3.5 of 5 bubbles2,092 reviews
Excellent
486
Very good
554
Average
681
Poor
257
Terrible
114

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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CaptainEero
Kyiv, Ukraine55 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and not only that. Gladiators, boxing, sports and even bloody fights beasts vs. human.
Standing there in the middle of stadium with closed eyes, remembering the old classic film Ben Hur and feeling excited. You can almost hear horses and chariots clatter.
Even though in that film race was not there but in Judea.
Written February 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

majesty318
Rahway, NJ1,796 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2020
Google Maps does not really seem to know where Circo Massimo is located. I arrived on the wrong side which meant quite a long trek down the field to the entrance at the opposite end. Check your directions carefully.

Without the virtual reality headset, this is essentially a large open field with a couple rocks. The virtual reality really makes it come alive as you can see what the stadium looked like in ancient times. It is especially interesting as there are multiple stations, each with different scenery and info, and in real life you are then looking exactly where the reenactment on the headset is taking place. The staff was very helpful, expecting difficulties using the headsets.

Not sure if this would be good for kids, even with the virtual reality, as each station has quite a bit of historical commentary.
Written March 11, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

mgsnorwich
Norwich, UK965 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2020
Another amazing part of the City. Flat, it looks as if the track is over 800 meters long in a shape with two long sides and a sharp bend at each end. You can easily imagine the chariots thundering around the arena. At one time it had a capacity of over 150,000 spectators but, like much of Rome, is regrettably overgrown. And only one end is open to visitors but which was shut because of Covid when we tried to visit. But to get a feeling for the sheer scale, walk down to the track, cross the centre to the other side of the track and climb up to the top of the viewing bank opposite. It is huge.
Written October 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lynne M
3 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2023 • Family
As you go past the site it just looks like a bare field with a few ruins BUT you can rent virtual reality headsets which are really fun.

There are eight stops and at each stop put on the headset and see how the site would have looked in Roman times and listen to the narration explaining the history. The last stop is a chariot race :).

While the quality of the video is a bit lacking it was still interesting to actually see how the site would have looked instead of having to rely on your imagination.

The tour takes 50 minutes. There is no shade so check opening times and choose a cooler time of the day.

We bought our tickets at the Circus Maximus site in advance as they only allow a limited number of people in at a time. It is possible to buy tickets online on the official website but we had issues getting a text code.

We paid 32 euros. Going through a tour company costs around 40 Euros for exactly the same thing.

Written August 22, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

The Spanish Steps Apartment
Rome, Italy35,481 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2022
Ancient Rome's greatest "circus" for chariot racing, at the foot of the Palatine Hill. Today, a grassy area where people come to walk dogs or hang out. We did the Circus Maximus Virtual Reality Experience and really enjoyed it, well worth the 12 euros to make this site come alive.
Written November 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Arn E
Stockholm, Sweden484 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022
This antique race track housed gigantic crowds in its days. The original seating is lost, but sit down on one of the benches on top of the slope and imagine being one of the spectators. You can see to full length of the track, and if you walk down to the centre you grasp the enormity of it. When you look at it this way, it is easy to imagine the galloping horses and the jockeys giving it all to win.
Written January 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dkw239
Suffolk, UK217 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
You can stroll along most of it, as it is still used by the locals for recreation and a gathering place for special occasions. There is only one part of it that has actual ruins. Its worth paying the 12 euros for the full experience tour, which uses virtual reality head sets and brings the history alive. Check the opening times for this.
Written May 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Hans
Kwadendamme, The Netherlands4,255 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Mar 2023 • Couples
The area which you see, can be divided in two, a large section which is free of charge but not that interesting and a small part which charges a small fee. You can visit, let’s say budget wise and you can take the VR tour, that way you will have a better impression on the sight’s history. Besides that there some small ruins to walk through.
Written March 30, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Marina and Co. Ltd
St. Petersburg, Russia82,887 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2023 • Friends
Our guide Elena led us to the foot of the Aventine, where we saw a giant field overgrown with grass. This is Circus Maximus (Circus Maximus, also known as Circo Massimo), apparently founded during the reign of the kings, presumably by Tarquinius Priscus, and maybe Tarquinius the Proud (although data from archaeological excavations point to the 1st century BC). Augustus watched the chariot races here from the imperial platform, erected on the side of the Palatine. Near it stood an obelisk taken from Egypt, which many centuries later was dug up and erected in the middle of Piazza dell Popolo. Games continued to be held here even after Rome was captured by the barbarians; the last ones took place here in 549, under the Ostrogothic leader Totila. Then the arena, along with the rest of the city, fell into disrepair and turned into a battlefield between different clans (the turret sticking out at the far end of the field is the remains of the fortifications of the Frangipane family). Today, the former Circus Maximus is just a huge dog park, along the perimeter of which you can see overweight fighters running in tracksuits and overseas students jogging in short T-shirts and shorts in any weather.
Google
Written November 17, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

6Marga DO🇪🇸✈️⛵🌼🍁
Costa del Sol, Spain4,278 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Nov 2024 • Family
Not far from the Colosseum are the ruins of the Circus Maximus. Here the city vibrated with quadrigue racing, in its enormous facilities. Created with a capacity of three hundred thousand people, it was the largest circus of the Romans, serving as an example for the construction of others in other cities. Tents and taverns were in the vicinity, and it was precisely in one of these tents that the fire of the great fire of Nero’s Rome began.
Automatically translated
Written November 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Circo Massimo, Rome

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