Colosseum

I had a short list of things I wanted to see in Rome this trip, the Pope, the Castle St Angelo, and the inside of the Colosseum.  I had walked around the outside of it on a previous trip, but I had not been inside.  So on one of my solo days in Rome, off I went, well sort of, the subway was on strike for four hours that morning.  So rather than take the subway to the station across the street, I hopped a taxi - in Rome, always have a plan B.  I avoided all of the hucksters trying sell a guided tour, and got into the regular ticket line.  It took about 30 minutes to clear security and buy a ticket, good for the colosseum, forum, and Palatine Hill, for two days.  The Colosseum is wonderful, and crowded.  I am glad I did it, probably don't need to do that again.  If you want to tour the lower level, or the highest level, you have to book a guided tour (book ahead online.)  There are two levels open on the standard ticket, I did find the accessible elevator to go to the upper level (I had overdone it the day before and was really feeling my limits.)