Colosseum Express Group Tour with Optional Arena Access

We booked this experience months in advance. Two days before the experience, we were informed our tour could no longer be accommodated. The tour guide informed us they could have an afternoon slot available, but like most people planning international trips, we already had other plans for that time and would no longer be in the city, without the option to change those plans. Our booking was refunded, which is the only reason this review is getting 2 stars rather than 1. We tried to make alternative plans so that my son could still get to tour the inside of the Colosseum, but were unable to due to no availability at the last minute when all tickets were sold out. Major disappointment for our son on the trip. This could have been avoidable but unfortunately the tour operator did not follow through on their commitment made when we purchased the experience.

We booked this tour on a birthday trip with a firm schedule of things to do. We booked for 11:00AM and got confirmation. Later, we received notice that the time and meeting location changed. We confirmed that it would work for us. Then, we started getting notices of the previous time and location and the day we were to meet, I got phone calls (missed) and email stating the tour guide was looking for us at the original time and location. I called back, no answer. I responded in the chat that we confirmed for 12:15 and asked them to verify. No one responded for a long time, and the directions were very distorted for either location. We ended up calling Viator and canceling because this company does not have their details figured out. We wasted our morning. Very unprofessional.

Great tour, so much to see even in 3 hours! Engaging tour guide really helped us understand the area. We were upgraded to a Forum and Palatine Hill tour which was well worth it.

This was an absolutely unacceptable experience. This operator is a scam. Do not book. I showed up on time at the meeting point, only to find that no one was available. There was complete confusion on site, with no clear communication or ownership. We were made to wait for around 20 to 40 minutes with no explanation of what was happening. While I was physically standing with the tour operator, I received a cancellation email and refund notification. The operator then claimed that Viator had cancelled the booking, while Viator pointed to the operator. Regardless of where the blame sits, the handling was completely unprofessional and unacceptable. At the very last minute, we were told that there were no tickets available and that the booking had been cancelled at the back end. Because of this, we missed seeing the Colosseum entirely. We had extended our stay by an extra day specifically for this visit, incurring additional accommodation costs, all of which was wasted due to this failure. This was poorly managed, stressful, and deeply disappointing. I would strongly advise against booking with this operator.

Super interesting tour with a very enthusiastic guide. Highly recommended. The fun stories of the guide zap you, as it were, to the time of the Romans.

Mircea was an amazing tour guide - kind, passionate and friendly. The perfect tour guide to reveal so much in only an hour. We loved it.

Such a fabulous experience, Elida was able to tell us lots of stories and anecdotes which brought the forum and the arena to life. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip!

We had toured the Colusseum about 13 years ago but were back in Rome and wanted a little refresher. This tour was just the right length and amount of detail. Our tour guide Laura was absolutely wonderful - very knowledgeable, organized and had great energy!

Not a great experience. First, the tour operators were not wearing anything that identified them so finding the amongst the busy crowds was difficult. Two, the guide was mediocre. The guide mumbled and seemed to just list notable pieces without explaining anything or highlighting why something was interesting or important. I am a keen student of Roman history so it left me a little flat.

My sons, ages 12 and 9 said this was the best tour of our Roman vacation. It’s just a one hour tour, but we felt it encompassed enough for kids that age. At the end, we were welcome to walk to the top if we wanted. A great time!