D
Rome in a Day
Long day but well worth the experience. Be careful what time of year you visit. Crowds can be overwhelming.
Rome travel guide: tickets, best time & real costs
Full-Day: Colosseum, Vatican Museums & St Peter's Guided Tour
+17 photos
At a glance
- Duration
- 8 hours
- Price from
- $163 / person
- Location
- Rome, Italy
- Rating
- 4.5 / 5 · 1,165 reviews
- Languages
- EN
- Group
- Small group, up to 20
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 3 days before
- Confirmation
- Instant
- Ticket
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operator
- City Wonders Ltd
- Meeting point
- Colosseum Tour AM- meet at Largo Gaetana Agnesi, above the 2nd floor of the metro line B (blue line) stop "Colosseo".Vatican Tour PM- meet at Via Tunisi, 4 - 00192 Roma. At the bottom of the steps across the street from the Entrance of Vatican Museums.More info under the 'Before you go' section
Description
Experience Rome's top attractions—the Vatican and the Colosseum—on this full-day guided tour. With an expert guide, enjoy exclusive, reserved entry to the Vatican Museums and explore its magnificent artistic treasures, including Michelangelo’s extraordinary frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. After some free time for lunch (at your own expense), continue to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Take a guided tour of the stunning amphitheater and explore the evocative ruins of the Forum.
Schedule & prices
- Runs
- Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, and Sat
- Start times
- 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 8:45 AM, and 9:15 AM
- Next available
- Mon, Oct 19
- Adult (ages 18+)
- $163
- Child (ages 2–17)
- $152
- Infant (ages 0–1)
- Free
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
In demand: 87 of the next 104 departures are already sold out.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Oct 14.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Colosseum
Meet your English speaking expert guide for a tour of the historical heart of Ancient Rome. Dominating the center of the Eternal City, this ancient arena puts modern stadiums to shame. As you stroll through the vast walls of the Colosseum your guide will recount the gruesome spectacles, battles, and politics that played out here.
Roman Forum
The heart of the Roman Republic that inspired many modern democracies. The Roman Forum was once home to a bustling marketplace and was viewed as the pinnacle of the city.
Palatine Hill
Then your tour continues to the Palatine Hill, where Rome originated in a battle between two brothers. You’ll be taken from the origin of ancient Rome to its hub. In the continued company of our expert guides, you'll traverse the slopes of Palatine Hill, listening to tales of myth and history that echo through the ages. No other tour takes you so close to so much of the history, significance, and fabulous riches of Rome.
Vatican City
After your Vatican tour, enjoy some free time to sample authentic Italian cuisine (at your own expense) before crossing the border from Vatican City back into Rome for the second part of your tour.
Vatican Museums
With your friendly guide, enter the ornate Vatican Museums through an exclusive partner entrance. Unlike the more than 200 tour operators offering standard entry, we provide you with special access through this Partner Entrance. This allows you to start your visit promptly, saving up to four hours during peak season and giving you more time to explore the beauty of the Museums.
Sistine Chapel
Once inside, you and your small group will enjoy all the highlights of the Vatican with an expert guide by your side. The tour takes in a treasure trove of artistic wonders, from masterworks such as Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel frescos and La Pietà in St. Peter’s Basilica to the precious relics, paintings, and tapestries adorning the museums’ gilded galleries. Throughout the tour, your expert, English-speaking guide will share fascinating insights only a local could know.
St. Peter's Basilica
After your Sistine Chapel visit, continue with your guide to St Peter’s Basilica to explore the symbolic heart of the Catholic church. Learn about its history and see more Vatican art including Michelangelo’s La Pietà, which was sculpted when the maestro was only 24 years old. Gaze at the baldachino by Bernini, and then say goodbye to your guide in St Peter’s Square. Keep in mind that St Peter's Basilica and St Peter's Square might be unavailable on Wednesdays due to the weekly Papal Audience. As an alternative, you'll be offered an extended itinerary within the Vatican Museums.
What's included
Included
Guided Tours of Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Vatican Museums, St Peter's Basilica
Professional English-speaking guide
Colosseum entrance ticket (valued at €18 per person)
Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
Note: Colosseum fees are as above. The remaining cost of the experience covers other services
Audio headset so you can always hear your guide at the Colosseum & Vatican
Not included
Food and drinks
Transfers between the two tours
Traveller Ratings
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
4.5
1,165 reviews
How it compares in Rome
- Starting price $163 is 73% below the typical $600 for tours of similar length in Rome
Excurgo comparison of 8,082 Viator tours, recalculated daily.
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please note: All participant names are required at the time of booking in order to enter the Colosseum & St Peter's Basilica. If we do not receive the full customers names, we will cancel the booking. Name changes are not permitted once the booking is confirmed.
- Failure to present a voucher with all travelers' full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum & St Peter's Basilica
- Please note there will be approximately 2-4 hours free time between the two tours, depending on the selected time. You have to make your own way from your morning tour to the afternoon tour. There is plenty of time to travel either by taxi or metro.
Cancellation
If you cancel at least 3 full day(s) before the scheduled departure time, you will receive a full refund.<br>If you cancel within 3 day(s) of the scheduled departure, you will receive a 0% refund.
3+ days before100% refund
0–3 days before0% refund
Frequently asked questions
How long does this tour take?
Full-Day: Colosseum, Vatican Museums & St Peter's Guided Tour lasts about 8 hours. The itinerary has 7 stops.
How much does this tour cost?
Prices start at $163 per person for this Rome experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 2 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
What days does this tour run?
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, starting at 8:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 8:45 AM, and 9:15 AM.
How much does this tour cost for children?
Children aged 2–17 pay from $152, adults from $163. Infants go free.
Does this tour sell out?
It can: 87 of the next 104 departures are already sold out, so booking ahead is a good idea.
Can I cancel this tour for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 3 days before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Colosseum Tour AM- meet at Largo Gaetana Agnesi, above the 2nd floor of the metro line B (blue line) stop "Colosseo". Vatican Tour PM- meet at Via Tunisi, 4 - 00192 Roma. At the bottom of the steps across the street from the Entrance of Vatican Museums. More info under the 'Before you go' section. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is this tour offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 20 participants.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is this tour worth it?
Travellers rate it 4.5 out of 5 across 1,165 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by City Wonders Ltd.
Reviews(1,165)
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
T
Vatican
Amy was amazing. She was energetic and knowledgeable. There was a lot of walking!! Only negative was that half our tour was canceled as the colosseum was closed- but that's out of everyone's hands.
V
A day of great impressions!
We had different guides for the Colosseum/Roman Forum(Francesca) and the Vatican/Sistine chapel (Leo). Both were great! We are impressed by their knowledge, humour and how they navigated crowds, stairs and tight spots with ease. Would especially like to compliment Leo's excellent English and clarity, and Francesca for defying the heavy rain with those of us who did not feel the need to take shelter. It was a great experience all around!
A
Lot of walking, bring...
Lot of walking, bring comfortable shoes. A lot of sculptures and mosaics to see. So much that you can’t photo them all.
G
Wonderful
Leo was amazing well know and very kind
G
Fantastic tour
Both Lorenzo from Vatican and Maria Luisa from colosseum tour were entertaining and informative. Great tours. They found shade in very hot day.
H
Got lost many times
These were great tours. The only issue I had was on one of our tours the lady did not use the flag so we were constantly getting lost and trying to find her. This really took away from the expirience. Also it was windy and hard to hear her.
S
Do NOT book with City Wonders
We booked the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum with the full day experience. We did not set foot on The Roman Forum at all . Plus, the scheduling on our tickets was wrong and we wasted a significant amount of time at the beginning of the tour. When I contacted the company, they have basically called me a liar and denied our partial refund. The guide spent more time in a book than actually showing sites. It was extremely disappointing and I would strongly recommend not booking through City Wonders at all! Additionally, once I filed a complaint with Viator, they blocked me from leaving a review.
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Hi susanlN9466KQ, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We understand your frustration regarding the delay at the start of the tour and your concerns about the itinerary. The tour sometimes operates in reverse with Forum and Palatine Hill first, followed by the Colosseum visit. The Roman Forum is included in this experience, so we're sorry that you felt this part of the tour was missed. We also regret that the guiding style was not what you had hoped for. Regarding your refund request, our team reviews all cases based on the information and reports available to ensure a fair outcome, and we're sorry that the resolution was disappointing to you.
Y
Oldies, but Goodies
Ursus loves his Roman history, and we loved being on his tour so we could try to appreciate it as much as he did. It was a HOT afternoon, and we covered a lot of territory (Palatine Hill, Forum, and Colosseum) in just under 3 hours. I felt bad for Ursus when several people left the tour early. Even though it was hot, I still find that disrespectful. Ursus kept the group together and on-task despite the crowds and the lack of shade. Our group learned a lot and were in awe of what the Romans built (and destroyed). Not only beautiful, but fascinating!
7
AMAZING LOVED THISSSS
Leo was such an amazing tour guide very good at explaining things and making the people around him laugh. Loved the experience. Though I didn’t enjoy the flying poop around us. Still this tour was a ♾️/10 I 100% recommend🔥🔥🔥!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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from$163
4.5(1,165) Free cancellation