Having been to Rome, especially seeing the Colosseo in person for the very first time, is like a dream come true for me.  At that moment, I just can't help but reminisce my high school years -- when I only used to hear about this grand amphitheater, where gladiators used to fight for their lives, on our literature class with Ma'am Cariaso.  Never have I thought nor have I imagined that one day, I would be able to see this iconic symbol of the Roman Empire in real life.  It was just unbelievable!  Indeed, God knows our heart's desires!

We only had three full days to explore the city of Rome, thus we had to follow a very hectic itinerary.  Obviously, we didn't have that much time to savor the place, not to mention the weather back then had been very non-cooperative as well (because of the intermittent rain showers), hence we didn't get the chance to experience how it actually feels like to walk around the Roman Forum and see its ruins on an up close and personal level.  Good thing the Palatine Hill offers a breathtaking bird's eye view of the forum, with that at least, we were able to somehow have a glimpse of how the ruins of the ancient Roman civilization looks like (just from a different perspective).

By the way, the admission ticket for the Colosseo is valid for two days and it also includes a non-guided tour of the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, which will require approximately 5-6 hours of your precious time (or more if you are a history buff who would love to see every corner and detail of the attraction).  Expect to do A LOT of walking (through a rough and uneven pathway), so make sure to wear your comfiest pair of shoes ever!

The Colosseo is undeniably a must-visit attraction when in Rome!  Being a highly touristy place that it is, I would highly recommend booking an advance reservation online and coming in as early as possible (they open at 8:30 am) so as to avoid the long queue of tourists waiting outside the entrance gates.  In addition, please be informed as well that all major attractions in Europe are conducting a very tight security check -- all bags need to be scanned by their X-ray machines and all tourists have to pass through a metal detector (just like what they do in airports) -- so expect really long lines, especially during peak hours.  Nonetheless, I'm pretty certain that all the hassle of waiting will definitely be worth it once you see the Ancient Rome's magnificent architecture.