Private Vatican & Colosseum Tour

In one action-packed day, with your private guide, you’ll tour the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, followed by the Colosseum and Ancient Rome on a journey in the footsteps of Gladiators and Caesars who inhabited Roma Caput Mundi.

• So many takeaways! What’s all the fuss about a she-wolf? Did all roads really lead to Rome?
• Skip-the-line access to FOUR venues along this tour
• A morning and an afternoon tour, with plenty of time in between for a leisurely Roman lunch

Meet your guide just steps from the Vatican and enjoy priority entrance as we head past the queues and straight inside the Vatican Museums. See the major works of art ranging from ancient Greek and Roman sculptures to Renaissance masterpieces, and learn how the two are closely intertwined. Much of this tour will be dedicated to the Raphael Rooms and the extraordinary frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. From the commissioning of this colossal masterpiece to the finishing touches applied by Michelangelo Buonarroti, your guide will help you to discern between myth, fact, and popular Hollywood fiction regarding this majestic work of art. 

 After spending ample time inside the Sistine Chapel you may remain inside the Vatican Museums as long as you like, or enjoy fast track entry to explore St. Peter’s Basilica on your own. 

 After a break for lunch, regroup at the Colosseum with your private guide and enjoy fast track entry to the vast arena, the Icon of Rome built in 72AD to seat up to 50,000 spectators. Upon entering the Colosseum, your guide will provide you with an authentic portrayal of the Gladiator games held in the grandest amphitheater of the Roman Empire. Their expert insights will assist you in distinguishing between historical fact, imaginative fiction, and the cinematic representations depicted in blockbuster movies.

 After walking around the perimeter of the Colosseum, gaze down onto the arena floor and beneath to the maze-like underground level where man and beast awaited their moment of glory or met their fateful death. 

 With the Colosseum behind you, travel even further back in time as you enter the Roman Forum: the true heart of Ancient Rome with monuments dating as far back as the 7th century BC. On Palatine Hill, you'll learn of the legendary founding of Rome and how a she-wolf rescued and nursed the young twins Romulus (the first King of Rome) and Remus after they washed up on the banks of the Tiber River. Your guide will share the fascinating story of how these famous twins would pave the way for future tyrants, Emperors, and even Caesars who declared themselves Gods throughout the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.

CROWDING/PARTIAL CLOSINGS: Excessive crowding is to be expected at the Colosseum and Roman Forum during peak season, especially on days surrounding national and/or religious holidays, often leading to increased wait times to pass through security checks despite our Tour Operator priority access reservations. With the introduction of Green Pass requirements in Italy, extended wait times are to be expected. Entrance to the Colosseum is guaranteed.

LARGE BAGS / WEAPONS/ LUGGAGE will not be allowed inside the monuments. There is no baggage storage area at the Colosseum.

Tours depart rain or shine unless otherwise specified.

View complete terms and conditions at www.italiatours.com/terms.

Tour is not wheelchair friendly