Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum Guided Tour





Description
Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Official Guided Tour Colosseum Group Tours with our local expert guides for an unforgettable experience. Immerse Yourself in the History in this 2.5-hour tour of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum in Rome goes back in time. Bypass the queue at the Colosseum to avoid long waits. Explore the first and second tiers for great views. Then walk through the ruins of Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum with your guide, an art and archaeology expert history come to life!! For travelers who chose the Colosseum Arena Option: Colosseum Arena and Roman Forum Tour Meet your guide and enjoy special priority access that leads you directly to the Arena of the Colosseum. Visit the Roman Forum, the heart of the Roman Empire, for a truly unforgettable experience. Or visit at your own pace by booking the option Audio-Guided tour of the Colosseum/Palatine Hill/Roman Forum with Multilingual storytelling in English/Chinese/German/French/Italian/Spanish.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Start your journey with a visit to Rome's symbolic monument with a tour that makes it easy and fun for all ages. Learn about the amphitheater’s history from an official tour guide with an art and archaeology background. Learn about the spectacular games and bloody battles that were held inside. Hear about the techniques of construction invented by the Romans, the incredible ability of the gladiators, the violent fighting between exotic animals, and the high level of technology achieved by Roman engineers to build the Colosseum. Walk around the first tiers and see the arena to learn about the trapdoors and all the mechanisms used to animate the games. Your guide will keep you entertained with stories of sea-battles, the cages where lions were kept before the games started, the rooms in which gladiators were waiting before they reached the arena, the executions, and the excitement of the spectators attending the most spectacular, fantastic, and expensive games in human history.
After the Colosseum, you will walk through Palatine Hill, where you will be able to explore the site of an older settlement from the 9th century BC. Admire the first settlements of the city of Rome and the Hippodrome, an elliptical sunken garden from the Palace of Domitian. Here, enjoy an impressive view of the Circus Maximus and the valley of the Roman Forum. Learn about the legend of Romulus and Remus, the abandoned brothers raised by a she-wolf who once they grew older, fought each other for power and control.
You will finish this amazing experience with a visit to the Roman Forum, one of the most important archaeological areas in the world with some of Ancient Rome's most evocative ruins, including the Temple of Julius Caesar, Arch of Titus, House of the Vestal Virgins, Senate House and Basilica of Maxentius. Admire the Roman Forum's Sacred Way, the triumphal road where the Centurions of Caesar marched after their return from countless battles and conquests.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 20 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time due to managing and organizational reasons.
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. We are not responsable if you provide us with wrong information.
- PLEASE NOTE: as for the Colosseum new management, it might take few minutes to grab tickets for kids (if any of them are in the group) so the activity can suffer 20/30 min variation due to organizational reasons
- The order in which the sites are visited during the tour can vary
- Discounts for children under 18 years is applied only with a valid ID card!
- Please note that for safety reasons the Colosseum can accommodate up to 3.000 people at once.This could lead to delays in access to the site, even for pre-booked visitors.
- For security reasons all visitors and their luggage shall be screened.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult
- Forbidden objects inside the Colosseum: bottles and glasses containers, alcholic beverages and aerosols, backpacks, camping, bulky bags and luggage / trolley
- Please notice that the Colosseum Administration, which depends on the Ministry of Cultural Assets and Activities has the faculty to close the Colosseum, or parts of it, with or without notice, for events, strikes, heavy rain, or any other reason. In which case, we will offer an alternative itinerary as it seems fit and offer a partial refund
- Activity not recommended for people with motor lag
- No change on a booking can be accepted less than one week before the time of the tour. In that instance, no refund will be issued.
- For the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund.
- PETS ARE NOT ALLOWED
- The meeting point for the group guided tour is at Piazza San Clemente. Our Staff will wait for you at the entrance to the Basilica, holding a "Tour in the city" sign. MANDATORY meeting time 20 minutes prior to tour departure time
- In case of late arrival or cancellation beyond the limits indicated in the cancellation policy by the customer, a refund is not foreseen.
- The duration of the tour may vary according to the time taken to access the monument. The tour duration is always at least 2 hours and will always be at most 3 hours.
- The itinerary may vary depending on weather conditions (ice, rain, or high temperatures) or other events beyond the travel agency's control.
- To download the Audioguide application you need a latest-generation smartphone not produced before 2020. We recommend bringing headphones.
- Last Minute TICKET & SELF AUDIOGUIDED: if you choose this option, It is mandatory for every customer to have a mobile phone. You must download the application, and once installed, you will need to download the QR codes provided. These QR codes must be presented at the entrance for access. Without the QR codes, entry will not be allowed.
- Not recommended for travelers with walking problems
- Not accessible for walker users
- We kindly inform you that any kind of disability (visual impairment, hearing impairment,... ) or anything that might prevent you to regularly join the tour, MUST BE communicated in advance to our staff at the following email address: tourinthecityrome@gmail.com
Reviews(3,439)
Appreciated skipping the line and getting in with the ticket. However, it was not clear that the ticket we bought was an audio tour as the descriptions were all similar. Also disappointing was that the ticket didn't include the lower levels and that was not mentioned.
Definitely would recommend purchasing tickets in advance for a visit to the colosseum. The line for those without tickets was very long. Also, just a note, the process is quite interesting. You need to first show your printed ticket (from agent), then show the digital ticket. That’s the first layer, then show paper ticket again with passport (adults). Finally, to gain full entry, show the digital & paper copies for a last scan. Be sure to be on time as I have heard the colosseum is strict about time (little buffer but not much). Overall the colosseum is amazing! Definitely a bucket list stop!!
Thank you so much for your detailed and helpful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed your visit to the Colosseum and found it to be a true bucket-list experience. Your advice is excellent: purchasing tickets in advance is highly recommended, especially during peak season when the on-site ticket lines can be extremely long, and availability is often limited. Thank you as well for describing the entry procedure, which will certainly help future visitors know what to expect. And yes, you're absolutely right—the Colosseum enforces timed entry very strictly, so arriving on time is essential to ensure a smooth visit. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable experience!
Pay 18 euros at the site instead of buying with these scammers. The tickets you buy from these tour companies are a waste of money and time. They don’t really provide anything else but charge you more than double. Also if you buy online you have to be there at a certain time. I bought 7 tickets and missed my time coz my kids were keep us back. You can buy the tickets onsite and don’t have to worry about running late.
Thank you for your review, but it omits several important facts. First, you arrived **after your scheduled entry time**. Colosseum tickets are **date- and time-specific**, and once the entry window has passed, they cannot be used. This is a rule established by the Colosseum, not by our agency. Second, you purchased **LAST-MINUTE tickets**. As clearly stated in the product description before booking, these tickets **cost more than standard tickets** because they are among the very few remaining options when regular tickets have already sold out. Finally, your suggestion that everyone should simply buy tickets at the Colosseum is incomplete. What your review does not mention is that: * Visitors often have to wait **one or even two hours in line**, frequently under the hot summer sun. * There is **no guarantee that tickets will still be available** when you reach the ticket office. * Even if tickets are available, **you cannot choose your preferred entry time** and may have to wait several more hours before being admitted. The service we provide is not simply an entrance ticket. It offers the certainty of having a reserved ticket in advance, a guaranteed entry time, customer assistance, and the convenience of avoiding the uncertainty and potential disappointment of purchasing on-site. We fully understand that traveling with children can make it difficult to keep to a schedule, but that does not make the product misleading. Everything you purchased—including the ticket type, pricing, and time-specific entry requirements—was clearly explained before your reservation was confirmed.
Very thankful was able to get a ticket after 3 tour cancellations from April until 1 day left in my trip. So thank you!
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're delighted that we were able to help you secure a ticket after such a frustrating experience with multiple cancellations. We know how disappointing it can be when plans keep changing, so we're especially happy that you were able to visit the Colosseum before the end of your trip. Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to welcome you back to Rome for many more unforgettable experiences!
Last minute ticket. GROSSLY OVER PRICED. Nothing more than what you could have gotten from the official website if bots didn’t sweep up the tickets. Yet, the Colosseum is amazing.
Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify that the product you purchased was clearly advertised as a LAST-MINUTE TICKET. As stated in the product description before booking, these tickets cost significantly more than standard tickets because they are among the very few options still available after regular tickets have sold out. The higher price is not hidden—it is an essential characteristic of the product and is explained in advance, allowing customers to make an informed decision. If your priority is to save money, we recommend purchasing directly from the official website at least one month in advance, when standard-priced tickets are usually available. Last-minute availability is extremely limited, and prices are naturally higher due to demand and the type of inventory available. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum itself and hope you'll have the opportunity to visit Rome again in the future.
Fantastic tour guide informative and knowledge 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Thank you so much for your fantastic review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and found your guide informative and knowledgeable. Sharing the history of Ancient Rome with passion is what we strive for every day. We truly appreciate your 5-star rating and hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable experience!
I’ve done many guided tours through TripAdvisor and this was the worst one by far. For starters, I was not allowed into the Colosseum because my name on my ticket did not match the name on my passport. I go by JP. My legal name is John Patrick. To be fair, the company did say in very fine print upon the initial booking that the names had to match, but they should have offered a reminder or checked passports beforehand to ensure that there would be no issues at the gate. However, this is not the reason for the bad review. Our guide simply was not very good. My wife did go into the Colosseum and said I didn’t miss much. The guide did not explain things well, so you had no idea what you were actually looking at inside the Colosseum. Her thick accent also made it incredibly difficult to understand what she was saying. And most of the tour, she was facing away from you when talking. So you didn’t have the benefit of trying to read lips and piece together what she was saying. Finally, there was no guided tour of the Palantine Hill and Forum. We got into the Forum, sat in the shade for 15 min while she explained some things, and then she sent us off on our own for a self-guided tour. Very poor experience overall.
Thank you for your feedback. Regarding the issue with your name, this was unfortunately **not attributable to our agency**. The requirement that **the name on the ticket must exactly match the name on the ID or passport** is imposed by the Colosseum authorities, not by us. This requirement is clearly stated **before the booking is completed, during the booking process, and again in the confirmation and voucher**. We also ask customers to verify that all names are correct. Unfortunately, we cannot modify or overlook these official regulations at the entrance. As for the guided tour, we are sorry that it did not meet your personal expectations. However, the experience you describe is not consistent with the feedback we regularly receive from other guests, who have greatly appreciated the guide's knowledge, professionalism, and the overall quality of the tour. Regarding the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, it is important to add some context. During your visit, **Italy and much of Europe were experiencing an exceptional heatwave**, with **red weather alerts** issued by the authorities advising people to avoid prolonged exposure to direct sunlight during the hottest hours of the day. The guide therefore adapted parts of the explanation by using shaded areas whenever possible. This decision was taken solely to protect the health and safety of all participants and to avoid exposing the group to unnecessary risks in extreme weather conditions. Finally, the itinerary you booked is exactly the one described at the time of purchase. The visit includes a guided experience through the Colosseum and an introduction to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, after which guests are free to continue exploring these extraordinary archaeological areas at their own pace. We regret that your experience was affected by the ticket name issue, but we believe it is important to distinguish between mandatory entry rules established by the Archaeological Park and the quality of the service we provide. Our priority is always to deliver the experience exactly as described while ensuring the safety and well-being of every guest.
Call and verify if it is a guided tour with a person or a an audio tour. The office is 1/2 mile away from the Colosseum. We paid $100 pp for an audio tour. Could not see the lowest level. Even the ladies at the desk said the price was outrageous for an audio tour.
Thank you for your feedback, but several statements in your review are inaccurate. First, our office is approximately 350 meters (about 0.22 miles) from the Colosseum, not half a mile away. Second, you did not pay only for an entrance ticket. The price includes: Guaranteed admission to the Colosseum at a reserved time. No need to wait in the long ticket lines. The security of having tickets secured in advance, even when they are often sold out. An audio guide to enhance your visit. Customer assistance before and during your experience. Finally, the product you purchased was clearly described at the time of booking as a self-guided audio tour, not a live guided tour. The inclusions, exclusions, and the fact that the Underground level was not included were all explicitly stated before purchase. We understand that expectations can differ, but it is difficult to hold the agency responsible when the booking description clearly explains exactly what is being purchased. Reading the product details before confirming a reservation is an essential part of the booking process.
Supposedly the tour company tried to call us, but we had no incoming calls from them. We arrived at 9:36 for the 9:30 tour - yes, 6 minutes late - at the tour company's office. The man behind the desk said the tour left. We knew we were late, but our driver would drop us off at the front of the coloseum to meet up, but the tour company refused to provide contact info for the guide or contact the guide to say we were coming. I have NEVER experiended this level of rudeness. We got into the coloseum and did our own tour with the help of friends who had visited before and ChatGPT. I will NEVER recommend the Viator connection for this tour.
You are, of course, entitled to your opinion, but your review does not accurately reflect what happened. The meeting time was 9:00 AM, while the guided tour started at 9:30 AM. This was clearly stated both on your voucher and during the booking process. Arriving at 9:36 AM means arriving 36 minutes after the scheduled meeting time and after the tour had already begun. Our guides cannot delay the start of the tour or interrupt the visit to wait for late arrivals, as that would be unfair to all the other guests who arrived on time. Regarding your request to contact the guide, once the tour has started, guides are busy conducting the visit and cannot answer phone calls or leave the group. Rather than criticizing a service that was organized exactly as described, perhaps the review should reflect the real cause of the missed tour: arriving well after the required meeting time. We always encourage guests to carefully read the instructions provided, as they are there precisely to avoid situations like this.
Great tour. Really knowledgeable host, great to have pictures of what it would have looked like. Found shady spots to avoid the sun.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and appreciated your guide's knowledge. Using historical images to bring ancient Rome to life and finding shaded spots during the tour are just some of the ways we strive to make the experience as enjoyable and engaging as possible. We hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable adventure!



