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Circus Maximus: What It Is & How to Visit
Ancient Rome's chariot-racing stadium, now a free open park between the Palatine and Aventine hills. What's free to walk, what's ticketed, and how to get there.
By Todo Rome · Updated 2026-11-02
What the Circus Maximus Is
The Circus Maximus is the site of ancient Rome's largest venue for public entertainment, a long open valley between the Palatine and Aventine hills once used for chariot and horse racing. It measured roughly 600 by 140 metres and, under Augustus, had a central spina that the chariots raced around. Ancient sources put its capacity at more than 250,000 people.
The open park that occupies the site today is free to enter and generally open, with no ticket required to walk it. A separate, smaller archaeological area within the site is ticketed and run differently, covered below.
When to Go
The open park area has no fixed hours and no entry fee. Morning or early evening are more comfortable, since there is little shade across the open ground.
Getting There
The nearest metro stop is Circo Massimo, on Line B.
What's Free to Walk
Most of what you see today is an open grassy area tracing the outline of the ancient track, rather than a standing structure like the Colosseum. Walking its length gives a sense of the original scale even without ruins to look at directly.
In antiquity the Circus Maximus hosted chariot and horse races, gladiator games, and triumphal processions, and later periods it was also used for public executions. The obelisk that now stands at the Lateran was originally erected here before being moved to Rome's Lateran area by order of the emperor Constantius II in 357 AD.
The circus suffered repeated fire damage over the centuries and was almost completely rebuilt under the emperor Trajan. Racing here ended in the early sixth century AD. The site was later used as farmland, and from the nineteenth century it held gasometers and warehouses, before archaeological work began in the early twentieth century, with surveys of the site completed in 2016.
Today the open area is also used for large public events, sports competitions and concerts, taking advantage of its size.
The Ticketed Archaeological Area
A separate, smaller section of the site, including the medieval Torre della Moletta, is open to the public with capped entry numbers, and booking online or by phone is strongly recommended. This ticketed area includes galleries leading toward the ancient seating area, sections of the original paving, rooms that were once shops, an inn and offices, and the tower itself, which has an internal staircase up to a panoramic viewpoint over the site.
We could not confirm a current price, opening hours or closing day for this ticketed area from an official source at the time of writing, so none are given here. Check the official page before planning a visit around it specifically.
FAQ
Is the Circus Maximus free to visit? The open park area is free, with no ticket needed to walk it. A separate, smaller archaeological section with the Torre della Moletta is ticketed and has capped entry.
What metro stop is closest to the Circus Maximus? Circo Massimo, on Line B.
Is there anything left to see of the ancient structure? Mostly the outline of the track itself, now an open grassy area, rather than standing ruins. The ticketed archaeological section includes original paving and the medieval Torre della Moletta.
What was the Circus Maximus used for? Chariot and horse racing, and later gladiator games, triumphal processions, and public executions. Today the open space is also used for concerts and large public events.
Nearby
The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill are a short walk away, and the Palatine's terraces look directly down over the Circus Maximus. For transport across the city, see our guide to getting around Rome, and for more no-cost sights, see our guide to free things to do in Rome.