The Palatine Hill is a site you read as much as you walk, and a good Palatine Hill map saves you the confusion of standing among ruins with no idea which palace you are in. This page gives you a map of where the hill sits, the route I would follow across it, and a short note on each area. If you still need a ticket, my guide to Palatine Hill tickets compares ten options, and all of them include the hill.
Palatine Hill Map: Entrance, Stations and Sights Around It
This Palatine Hill map shows the Palatine Hill with the museum, the neighbouring landmarks and the nearest stations, from Google Maps data.
Google Maps puts the hill’s entrance at Via di S. Gregorio, 30, which matches the address the park gives on colosseo.it. The nearest station is Colosseo on Metro line B, about 7 minutes away, and Circo Massimo on the same line is about 10. The Arch of Constantine is a 5-minute walk, the Roman Forum about 6, the Colosseum 7, and Piazza Venezia about 15. Those walking times are my estimates, from straight-line distance multiplied by 1.3 at 4.8 km/h. The park also lists buses 51, 75, 81, 85, 87 and 118 and tram line 3.
I looked for an official Palatine Hill map to link here and could not find one on the park’s site, so I will not link one I cannot verify. If you search for a Palatine Hill map PDF, most results are third-party drawings, not the park’s own, and I treat them as sketches. What the park does publish is a list of themed itineraries, including one on living on the Palatine and one on the green paths on its slopes, and I would look there first if you want an official walk. The route below is my own reading order, built from the park’s list of sights and the tour itineraries, and it is not a substitute for the signs on the day.
My Palatine Hill Map Route Across the Hill
This Palatine Hill map route moves from the museum and the first houses to the palaces, the gardens and the stadium. I have left the times off: the park gives no duration for the hill, and I will not invent one.
My route across the Palatine Hill
1EntranceVia di San Gregorio 30
2Palatine MuseumFinds from the excavations
3House of the GriffinsOne of the oldest houses
4House of Livia and AugustusThe frescoed houses
5Imperial palacesDomus Flavia and Augustana
6Farnese GardensAbove the Domus Tiberiana
7Palatine StadiumThe long sunken track
Entrance and Ticket
You cannot walk onto the hill from the street without a park ticket, because the Palatine sits inside the Parco archeologico del Colosseo. All 10 tickets I compared include the Palatine entry. The tour listings show where people actually meet: the Tours And Tours and Nicom tickets at Via delle Terme di Tito 93, the City Walkers tour on the terrace above Colosseo station, and the Touriks tour at the green kiosk outside the station. If you go alone with an audio guide ticket, one listing says to show it at the Colosseum entrance in front of the Arch of Constantine. My Palatine Hill opening hours guide has the schedule and the practical details.
The Palatine Museum
The Palatine Museum is the first stop on my Palatine Hill map route, and Google Maps puts it about 1 minute from the hill’s pin. Wikipedia says it is installed in the surviving part of a former convent building and holds many finds from the excavations on the hill, per Wikipedia. It is a good place to get your bearings before you look at stones, and a quiet place to rest.
The House of the Griffins
The park lists the House of the Griffins among the sights, and Google Maps places it within a minute of the hill’s pin, at Largo della Salara Vecchia. I put it next on the Palatine Hill map route because it sits right beside the museum, not because of its age: the park’s page gives no date and I have not found a source I can cite for one. Look for it on the park’s signs rather than expecting a large monument.
The House of Livia and the House of Augustus
These two are the houses most visitors come for. Wikipedia says the House of Livia is conventionally attributed to her only because of the name on a lead pipe, that it stands near the Temple of Magna Mater at the western end of the hill, and that it is notable for its frescoes. It also says Augustus began his palace on the hill at the start of the Empire, in 27 BC. Google Maps puts the House of Livia about 3 minutes from the hill’s pin. The Touristation listing names the House of Augustus and the House of Livia among the sites its ticket opens.
Tours And Tours
Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour
★4.2 (759 reviews)
2.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: A guide for the three sites in one: $43, 2.5 hours, Colosseum, Forum and Palatine, five languages, 4.2 from 759 reviews.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Professional guide
✓ Entrance tickets
✓ Headsets
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Gratuities
Meeting point: Meet us at Via delle Terme di Tito 93. If you arrive by Metro, from the 'Colosseo metro station' reach the terrace above the station. Walk on 'Via Nicola Salvi' about 100m and turn left. Via delle Terme di Tito, 93, 00184 Roma RM, Italia
Languages: Spanish, French, German, English, Italian
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
“It was amazing. Our guide was so knowledgeable, entertaining and fun. We learned so much!” – GetYourGuide review
The Imperial Palaces: Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana
The park’s page lists the Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana together, the Domus Tiberiana and the Neronian Cryptoporticus, and it lists the Domus Transitoria and Domus Aurea among the related Neronian sites. On a good Palatine Hill map the palaces are the biggest block. Wikipedia places the Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana at the top of the hill, where a villa once stood between them. This is the area to slow down in, because it is a broad ruin and it helps to know which room you are in. This is the part of the hill I would not do without a guide or an audio guide.
Touriks
Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour
★4.6 (209 reviews)
1.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The most focused guided tour of just the Forum and the Palatine: $77, 1.5 hours, six languages, 4.6 from 209 reviews.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Entry fees to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
✓ Live professional guide
✓ Headsets to hear your guide clearly
Not included / not suitable
✕ Entrance to the Colosseum
✕ Entrance to the Circus Maximus
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Food and drinks
Meeting point: Meet us at the green kiosk at street level right outside the “Colosseo” metro station - Line B (blue line). Look for a member of staff holding a yellow Touriks sign. Note that there’s also an upper floor exit of the metro station; please meet us downstairs. Please arrive 30 minutes before the starting time of your tour. Piazza del Colosseo, 21, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Languages: Portuguese, English, Spanish, German, Italian, French
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Our guide Sara was very knowledgeable and shared so much insight. We learned so much about the history and the why of these monuments. The tour exceeded our expectations.” – GetYourGuide review
Wikipedia says the hill was occupied by the Farnese Gardens from the 16th century, still partially preserved above the remains of the Domus Tiberiana. The park lists the Horti Farnesiani and the Loggia Stati-Mattei among its sights. I would end the palaces with the gardens, because they are where the open views are, and where one reviewer of an audio guide ticket found the hill peaceful, with places to rest and a water refill station.
The Palatine Stadium
The Palatine Stadium is listed by the park, and Google Maps calls it Stadio Palatino, about 2 minutes from the hill’s pin. I have not found a cited length for it and will not guess. It is a natural last stop on the hill before you leave toward the Forum.
Getting Around on the Hill: Access and Services
Before you use any Palatine Hill map, remember the hill is a slope, not a flat site, and that the signs on the day take priority. The park lists an accessible area, a lift or hoist, toilets, an info point, audio guides, a refreshment point and a bookshop for the Palatine, but it does not detail each. The hill has uneven ground and slopes, so wear shoes you trust. If you want more depth, read my Roman Forum tickets page and my guide to Colosseum tickets, since most combined tickets cover all three. When you are ready, compare every ticket for the Palatine Hill on my tickets page. The home page lists the other attractions I cover.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an official Palatine Hill map?+
I could not find a downloadable official map of the Palatine on colosseo.it when I looked, so I have not linked one. The park's Palatine page lists the sights and services, and its itineraries section has themed walks, so check there for a route plan.
What is on the Palatine Hill?+
The park's page lists the House of the Griffins, the House of Livia, the House of Augustus, the Neronian Cryptoporticus, the Domus Tiberiana, the Domus Flavia and Domus Augustana, the Farnese Gardens, the Palatine Stadium and the Palatine Museum.
Where is the entrance to the Palatine Hill?+
The park gives the address as Via di San Gregorio 30, Rome. Many tickets also get you onto the hill from the Colosseum or Forum side, and the guided tours in my data meet near Colosseo station.
How long do you need on the Palatine Hill?+
The official page does not state a duration. The guided tours that include the hill with the Forum, and sometimes the Colosseum, are listed at 1.5 to 3 hours in total, so the hill itself is a part of that, not a separate half day.
Is the Palatine Hill accessible?+
The official page lists an accessible area, a lift or hoist, toilets, an info point, audio guides, a refreshment point and a bookshop. It gives no detail for each, so ask the park before you go if you need step-free routes.
