Colosseum welcomed record 7.6 million visitors in 2018.

The area around the Colosseum is to be upgraded with new lawns and clumps of "ancient" rose bushes as well as ground-level lighting.

The project, which will have a total budget of €700,000, has been put out to tender until the end of this month. 

In addition to its "aethetic and environmental" aspect, the project also aims to ensure the "safeguarding of one of the most visited sites in the world."

The news comes as visitor figures reveal that 2018 was a record year for the ancient amphitheatre, which welcomed 7.6 million people, an increase of 7.4 per cent on the previous year.

The average daily number of visitors in 2018 was 21,000, with the busiest months March and June.