Colosseum Arena Access & Ancient Rome Tour
About this activity
Highlights
- Skip-the-line entry to Colosseum Arena
- Explore Roman Forum's ancient ruins
- Visit Palatine Hill's panoramic views
- Learn from expert English-speaking guide
- Immerse in Rome's rich history
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Skip-the-line entry to Colosseum Arena
- Guided tour of Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Expert English-speaking guide
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting point
Start Location
Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian, Via dei Fori Imperiali, Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome, Italy
Important information
Know before you book
- Tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately.
- Photography is allowed; tripods are not permitted.
- Arrive at the meeting point 15 minutes early.
Know before you go
- Wear comfortable walking shoes for uneven terrain.
- Bring a bottle of water to stay hydrated.
- Check the weather forecast and dress accordingly.
Cancellation policy
If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel between 1 and 3 day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a 50% refund.<br>If you cancel within 1 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
Accessibility
- Easy Public Transport
Good to know
- Please make sure that the names provided EXACTLY MATCH THE NAMES on the passports or ID cards of all participants (children included), otherwise entry to the Colosseum will be denied. A valid ID is required for everyone to enter. Nicknames, missing names, or incorrect first or last names are not accepted by Colosseum guards. Feel free to contact us if you need any assistance with this.
- For minors, the age must be 17 or younger on the day of the activity
- The entrance tickets to the Colosseum cannot be changed or refunded
- Each traveler must show a valid ID matching the booking name for entry. Without ID, entry is not guaranteed
- Please show up at least 15 minutes before the tour to do the check in
- Meeting time is subject to change; if this occurs, you will receive a call or message from the activity provider. Please provide your correct phone number and country code
- Late arrivals will not be refunded
- In July and August due to the heat the duration of the visit is 2 hours
- All visitors must pass through a metal detector to enter the Colosseum. No exceptions
- Not Allowed: Big backpacks, pets, weapons, sharp items, large bags, alcohol, drugs, sprays, glass.
- By purchasing this tour, you agree to our Terms and Conditions
- If you booked the audio guide option, please download the app in advance using Wi-Fi. Once downloaded, it works offline. Earphones are not provided – please bring your own, compatible with your smartphones. Note that older phones may not support the app properly. For bookings after 4:00 PM, you may not have enough time to visit the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. You can either arrive earlier or visit the Roman Forum the next day.
- If you choose the semi-private option, please note that our tours are designed for up to 12 guests per guide to ensure a personal and immersive experience. Occasionally, to keep families or friends together, the group size may be slightly larger. In other cases, the group may have fewer than 12 participants. This flexibility helps us provide the best possible experience for everyone.
- The Ancient Rome tour involves Steps and a lot of walking on un-even path especially in the Roman Forum . We highly suggest flat confortable shoes. This tour is not suitable for any person with recent surgeries, with disabilities and for people in wheelchairs due to the street level , up street level and steps.
Traveler reviews
Exciting, quite walking-intensive, very expensive, guide only needed for the Roman Forum
The tour was very walking-intensive, but overall also quite exciting. Our guide spoke reasonably good English, although the headphones were a disaster. Our guide was an archaeologist but clearly enjoyed her work, which then also rubbed off on the group. We liked the Roman Forum the best and it was also very good to have a guide here. Unfortunately, we did not walk up to the highest hill. The Colosseum with the arena, on the other hand, was a bit short and would not necessarily have needed a guide, since much was available for self-exploration and the tour also ended there. Unfortunately, there was no background information on this that could not either already be known or read on any website. That was a bit disappointing. The Palatine Hill could also have been explored well on its own and was also quite short. Overall, however, a very exciting experience.
A definite highlight of...
A definite highlight of our time in Rome! Massimo, our guide, was amazing—extremely knowledgeable, informative, and funny. He patiently answered all of our endless questions and even made sure to build in shade breaks because of the heat. He made the entire experience so enjoyable and brought the history of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill to life. We absolutely loved this tour and highly recommend it!
Great History and better with a Guide
Excellent way to see the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill with the stories and history all being explained. We noticed other people who go on their own to these places and have no idea what they are looking at. Some even listened in to our tour guide. Going into the Arena Floor was not as crowded and glad we did it this way.
Book this tour!
We absolutely loved our time with this tour! Diego, our tour guide, was amazing, informative, and very fun. You could tell he really enjoyed sharing this information with others. He was also very good about giving us plenty of bathroom and water stops. Diego was knowledgeable and made it a priority to make the tour interactive. It really helped us to imagine what life used to be like 2000 years ago. He was patient with our questions and always double checking to make sure we understood what he was saying. I highly recommend a tour with Diego. Only clarification is that the Arena Floor means the main surface level of the Colosseum that the gladiators fought at. The underground tour is the one that takes you to the lower level and is a separate experience. That confused me a bit when I booked the tickets so thought I would clarify here. Meeting location was very easy to find and follow. Overall, an absolutely wonderful experience that my husband and I thought was worth the price. Diego is the best!
Our guide was very good. ...
Our guide was very good. Allow extra time since the tour tended to run over due to the crowds and timed entries. Even in mid September, it was very hot. Be sure to bring a water bottle and a hand held fan if you can. Definitely wear good walking shoes!