A Souvenir and Gift Shop 5 Minutes' Walk from the Colosseum
You're in Rome, probably at the end of a long day around the Colosseum, and you want to take home something better than the usual anonymous plastic. Imperium Art is a souvenir and Roman history shop at Via Cavour 280, a five-minute walk from the monument, open every day from 10:00 to 20:00 — here's how to find us. Below: how to judge any souvenir shop in this neighbourhood, and what you'll find in ours.
How to spot a serious souvenir shop near the Colosseum
The blocks around the Colosseum are full of places selling "Roman" souvenirs. Three questions separate a serious shop from the rest.
- Is the material declared? Every piece on our shelves says what it is made of — bronze-effect resin, steel, pewter, stone — on the label, before you ask.
- Is a replica called a replica? Our helmets, blades and statues are declared reproductions, with finish and materials in writing. An honest reproduction ages well on your shelf; anonymous plastic does not.
- Does anyone know the story? Ask why a centurion's crest runs sideways, or what the Chi-Rho meant to Constantine — in a good shop you get an answer, not a shrug.
Open every day, 10:00–20:00 — including the evening
Most visitors come out of the Colosseum in the late afternoon, when much of the day is already gone. Our hours are built around exactly that: 10:00 to 20:00, seven days a week, with no midday break. Finish your visit at 18:30 and you can still browse without hurrying.
You don't have to take our word for the shop itself: visitors rate us 4.7 out of 5 on Google, across 66 reviews.
How to get here
- On foot from the Colosseum: about 350 metres — a five-minute walk up Via Cavour to number 280.
- By metro: Colosseo stop, line B, then 4 minutes on foot.
- Address: Via Cavour 280, 00184 Roma. Map, phone number and directions are on the visit page.
What's on the shelves, by budget
Everything below is a real piece in the shop, with its material declared on the label.
- Under €50 — the Gladius Chi-Rho of Constantine, a decorative replica with a lacquered scabbard and a linen gift pouch, and the Roman pugio with carved wooden grip, the most faithful of our dagger reproductions. More blades in the Chess, Swords & Collectibles collection.
- Statues and busts (€100–150) — the Julius Caesar bust in bronze-effect resin, the Nike of Samothrace (the original is at the Louvre), and Fortuna with her cornucopia — all made in Italy. The full series is in the Emperors & Gods collection.
- Wearable steel — the Roman centurion helmet, a wearable steel replica supplied with its own display stand.
- Collector pieces — the Roman war chariot in bronze-effect resin, and the Roma SPQR stone mosaic with 24-karat gold leaf, made in the Vatican, stamped and signed by the artist.
Buy it now, don't carry it around
The classic problem with a good souvenir is the suitcase. Two solutions, both handled at the counter:
- Pay at the counter, collect it later — decide now, pick it up before you leave Rome.
- Shipping from the counter — ask at the counter for the rate to your country. Statues, helmets and blades travel packed from the shop, not in your hand luggage; blades ship only to the 12 countries listed on their product page.
Catalogue pieces can be returned within 14 days.
Common questions
Is there a gift shop at the Colosseum itself?
The archaeological area has its own official outlets, but you need a valid ticket to reach them. We are outside: Via Cavour 280, a five-minute walk from the arena, no ticket and no queue. Open every day 10:00–20:00, so you can also come after your visit, when you already know which piece you want. Nothing here is sold as an antique: every reproduction is declared as such.
What are your opening hours?
We are open every day of the week, Sunday included, from 10:00 to 20:00 with no midday break.
Can I take a sword or a helmet on the plane?
Not in cabin baggage — steel blades and helmets have to travel in checked luggage. The simpler option: we ship from the counter (ask at the counter for the rate to your country; blades only to the 12 countries listed on their product page) and you fly light.
Where exactly is the shop?
Via Cavour 280, 00184 Roma — five minutes from the Colosseum, 4 minutes on foot from the Colosseo metro stop on line B. Directions are on the visit page.
Can I pay by card?
Yes — card or cash at the counter. If you'd rather decide later, you can also buy online through our Etsy boutique, with free shipping in Italy, and catalogue pieces can be returned within 14 days.
Every piece in this guide lives in the boutique at Via Cavour 280, 5 min walk from the Colosseum — visit us, or buy it online on Etsy.
Open every day 10:00–20:00
Collector at heart? Join our Collectors' Club — a few emails a year, written by the two of us.