Rome’s Colosseum is staying open later this summer as visitors seek relief from soaring temperatures.

Guided tours of the ancient amphitheatre are now running until 11pm on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, allowing up to 275 people per tour to explore the site after dark.

The summer programme is already fully booked, with visitors able to walk across the arena floor and through the underground passages during the cooler evening hours.

The Colosseum previously offered night tours on two evenings a week, but the schedule has been expanded to four nights to cope with the summer heat.

Simone Quilici, director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park, said the extended hours were intended to offer tourists a more comfortable way to visit during Rome’s heatwaves.

The programme is backed by Italy’s culture ministry and could continue through September.

Built in the first century, the Colosseum is the world’s largest amphitheatre. It once held around 50,000 spectators and can attract as many as 20,000 visitors a day during peak tourist season.