E-tickets to avoid queuing at Rome's central tourist attraction

Tickets for the Colosseum can now be bought outside the monument via smartphones, allowing visitors to skip the often lengthy queues.

The mobile ticketing system came into effect on 11 December and means that visitors won't need to pay by cash or even obtain a physical ticket.

The digital system involves scanning a barcode which opens a dedicated page where visitors can pay by credit card. The e-ticket has a €1 service fee added to the normal ticket price of €12 (or €7.50 reduced).

Italy's most popular tourist destination, the Colosseum receives around 8,000 tourists daily, with up to 24,000 on peak days.