Colosseum Guided Tour
Rome, Italy
- 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Rome’s Colosseum stands as its most iconic ancient landmark, but lengthy entry lines and complex ruins can make visiting a chore. Book online, and then head inside the Roman amphitheater passing through the original Gladiator Gate. Learn about the Colosseum's history and architecture from your guide (if selected) as you explore the arena and tiers of seating. Upgrade to a small-group tour for the same experience, but in a more intimate group.
- Secure your Colosseum visit and audio tour in advance, with ease
- Choose from different tour options and times to suit your plans
- Upgrade to a guided tour for deeper insight into the amphitheater
- Opt for a small-group tour for closer attention from your guide
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Go beyond the Colosseum with included access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
What's Included
- Official tour guide at the Colosseum (if option selected)
- Colosseum 1st and second level entry
- Roman Forum and Palatine hill ticket (9.00 am to 6.00 pm, 24 hours valid)
- Colosseum entrance ticket (valued at €18 per person)
- Please note: Colosseum fees as above. The remaining cost of the experience covers other services.
- Private transportation
- Underground or Arena entrance
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- L.go Gaetana Agnesi, 3, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Our meeting point will be on the upper level of the Colosseo metro station, right near the 'M' metro symbol and the 'SOS' sign, close to Caffe Roma. Just look for the 'Discover Rome Tours' staff, and you’ll easily spot us there!
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Colosseum
1 hour 15 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Infant seats available
- Most travelers can participate
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. 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.
- 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.
- Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 3 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Tyrone_P
It was a great experience touring the coliseum. Our tour guide Sara was very helpful and friendly. Lots of interesting information she shared about the site and all its history. This tour is only of the coliseum but the ticket allows you into the Roman forum. Definitely a must try if you are considering.
Reviews
4.2
based on 1,466 reviews
Carolyn_A, May 2026
Teddy was awesome! Very knowledgeable and fun. Took a picture with us at the end for our scrapbook. Couldn’t have imagined a better time.
Karie_F, May 2026
Georgia was the absolute best guide and had so much in-depth knowledge about the Colosseum. We learned about the history of the area, how it was named, building structure, gladiators and more! This was an excellent tour and so much better than just wandering the space ourselves. I highly recommend to all!
Elizabeth_L, May 2026
Elisabetta was a very knowledgeable and friendly guide. We learned a lot and had fun. If a hot day bring water and a hat.
Penny_C, May 2026
The Colosseum tour was very interesting. Our guide was very knowledgeable and we got to see all types of churches and other buildings. We were told the history of everything.
hilary_s, May 2026
The time was shifted 10 minutes later before it started. This was only an hour - not 75 min as advertised. The guide had a clownish personality and gave a very cursory explanation of the colleseum. If you want a memorable history lesson and to really learn something from this, take a different tour. I recognize this was the speed version, but it was also the empty version! I
GeorgeAnn_M, May 2026
Very interesting, a lot of great information about the history of the Coloseum, our guide was Afrodite, she was excellent!
LINDA_B, May 2026
We were very disappointed in Viator, my friends and I were to have a 3:00 tour of colosseum and forum /palentine hill, our tour was moved to 5 pm, giving us only 1 hour for the colosseum and nothing else as site is closed at 6. It was a last minute change thus no time to cancel and be refunded. not pleased at all
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear Linda,
Thank you for your feedback, and I’m genuinely sorry that the last‑minute change to your Colosseum tour time caused so much frustration. I understand that moving a pre‑planned activity is disruptive, and I apologise for the inconvenience.
However, I do want to kindly clarify a few important points that were mentioned to you when we notified you of the time change:
Your ticket included self‑guided entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill – not as part of the guided tour, but as a separate entry valid any time within 24 hours of activation, and crucially, also valid the following day until 6:00 PM.
This means you and your friends could have visited the Forum and Palatine either before your 5:00 PM Colosseum tour (e.g., from 9 AM – 4 PM) or on the next day without any additional cost.
Your original booking was a group tour (max 24 people). Because we had to move your time to 5:00 PM, we upgraded you at no charge to a semi‑private tour – a smaller group experience that typically costs significantly more than what you paid. This was done to enhance your experience despite the schedule change.
We informed you clearly of both the upgrade and the flexible 24‑hour validity (including the next day) for the Forum/Palatine at the time we advised of the new 5:00 PM Colosseum start.
We regret that you chose not to use the Forum/Palatine tickets either before 5:00 PM that day or on the following day, and we understand your disappointment at not seeing those areas. However, the option was fully available to you.
We appreciate your honest review and will continue to improve how we communicate flexible options to guests.
Sincerely,
Discover Rome tours Team
Zeus_D, May 2026
I couldn't locate the tour guide. I kept asking people in the meeting place but couldn't find anyone to guide me.
Carolyn_T, May 2026
Easy to find the guide at the meeting point and quick to get into the Colosseum. Guide was knowledgeable and answered questions.
Andrew_M, May 2026
The tour itinerary itself was fine, a decent way to see the outside and inside of the colosseum without taking too much time or being overly strenuous for older travelers.
The problem was our guide, Radu. I honestly went back and forth on whether or not to leave a review at all, because I generally hate to potentially damage someone's livelihood when they could have just been having an "off" day, but in this case I feel it's important to let other potential visitors know this information so they can make an informed choice.
Our guide seemed off right from the moment he met our group. He presented as highly unprofessional in dress and appearance, he was acting extremely hyper and loud, and he singled one guest out while we were waiting in line in such an obnoxious way that she ended up quitting the tour and leaving (people leaving in the middle of the tour became a recurring theme).
Once we got inside the colosseum, he proceeded to argue with two different staff members/security personnel, first because he was trying to bring a Bluetooth speaker through security after being told not to, and secondly because there was some problem with his ticket. The second time, he disappeared with the security guard for about five minutes, giving us no explanation of what was going on, and left us standing around unsure of what to do until he returned.
Shortly after this incident, another two or three people left our group. Once inside the colosseum, and with the tour begun in earnest, Radu did provide some insights and interesting tidbits about the colosseum and its function that were new and fascinating to me, and he did so in perfect English, which is always a plus. He answered a couple questions thoroughly and entertainingly, but every time he would get going on a little bit of a roll, something else would go wrong.
One thing was, he tended to repeat himself a lot. In the limited time we had with him, we heard the same few facts the he told us within the first five minutes of the tour at least five or six more times. On a tour of such limited duration as this one, this didn't feel like the most efficient use of time.
He had a tendency to single out members of the group in a way that clearly made them feel put on the spot, and as the group shrank in size, this occurred more frequently.
But most problematic of all, he frequently forgot to use his microphone so that only those people standing immediately near him could hear anything he was saying, at one point even putting his microphone in his bag and not pulling it out again for at least five minutes when one of the tour members pointed out to him that he wasn't using it.
Our tour started with 22 people, and by the end we were less than 10. Our guide kept asking those of us who stuck around if he wasn't doing a good enough job and if we had any idea why people were leaving. This felt pretty unprofessional.
I wanted to enjoy one of Rome's greatest sights on the last day of my trip there, but unfortunately this tour left me with a bit of a sour taste in my mouth about the colosseum. I might come back to Rome in the future, but I'd be hesitant to book any tours by this operator again.
A_a, May 2026
The guide was really nice and understanding, knowledgeable. Was entertaining with the way he tells us about the history of the coliseum.
ALEJANDRO_M, May 2026
Amazing experience inside the Castle. All throughout ...
Lost of history. The view of the whole City of Rome ... simply amaizing !!!
Kerry_D, May 2026
Well organised, well educated and good fun guide. Easy meeting point and really interesting tour, the guide knew her stuff and we learnt a lot.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks, Kerry! We're so glad you enjoyed the tour—great to hear it was well organised, fun, and informative. Hope to welcome you back to Rome someday!
Emily_R, May 2026
Aphrodite was a wonderful guide, very knowledgeable and engaging throughout the tour.
At the beginning, I was a little concerned as the meeting point between the metro and the SOS sign felt a bit sketchy. There are people around who approach tourists and try to put bracelets on you or “gift” them to you, so my advice is don’t interact.
The company staff don’t really keep the group together before the guide arrives, which leaves people a bit exposed to this area and the scammers nearby.
A tip for the tour, bring a photo of your ID on your phone and only take what you really need. I saw one person having to carry a very heavy bag which would have made the experience much harder.
Once the tour began though, it was absolutely fantastic. We loved exploring this incredible monument and hearing all of the history behind it.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Emily, for your honest and helpful feedback. We're so glad Aphrodite made the tour fantastic and engaging. That said, we sincerely apologize for the issues at the meeting point—we understand your concerns about the area and the lack of organization before the guide arrived. We’ll work on improving crowd management and clearer guidance to help guests feel safer and more at ease. And thank you for sharing those practical tips with future visitors! We hope to welcome you again for another unforgettable experience.
Edward_M, May 2026
Our guided tour of the Colosseum was incredible, with a knowledgeable guide bringing its history to life in a fascinating way. Walking through such an iconic landmark made the experience unforgettable and truly special.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Edward! We're so glad your guide brought the Colosseum's history to life and made the visit unforgettable. We truly appreciate your kind words!
abelfrancine, May 2026
Our guide, Scott, was awesome, so knowledgeable and very friendly. We enjoyed that part for sure. I was a bit disappointed with the way the company handled the tour initially as they were disorganized.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks for your review! We're so glad Scott made your tour enjoyable. Apologies for the disorganized start—we're addressing this to improve. Hope to welcome you again in Rome!
Maria_C, May 2026
She was good but hard to understand at times. Overall very enjoyable. I believe her name is Alessandra
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Maria_C. Glad you enjoyed it, and noted on the clarity. We'll share your feedback with Alessandra.
Mark_S, May 2026
The coliseum can be crowded so go in the morning if you can
Stay up front with guide so you can hear
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you, Mark_S, for your practical advice. Noted on the morning timing and staying close to the guide. We appreciate your feedback.
Mario_P, May 2026
Tour was excellent because of the access, history, along with the knowledge of our tour guide Manuela. The tour was informative, never felt rushed and had plenty of time for the most amazing pictures. I would recommend this tour to my family and friends. It was well worth it by skipping the line.
Response from Host, May 2026
Wow, thank you, Mario_P! 🎉 This is such a wonderful review. Manuela is indeed a star—so glad her knowledge and pacing gave you that perfect balance of history, access, and photo time. And yes, skipping the line is a total game changer! 📸 Thank you for recommending us to your family and friends. That means so much. Hope the rest of your time in Rome was just as amazing!
Neil_F, May 2026
While very knowledgeable, our guides English was sometimes hard to understand. There was too much discussion and not enough actual visuals.
Scheduling the tour too late to see all aspects of the tour is wrong.
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear Neil_F,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. I appreciate your honest feedback, and I'd like to address both points you raised.
Regarding the tour timing:
You selected your tour time when booking. Our Colosseum Guided Tours run every hour from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, giving all guests the flexibility to choose the time that works best for them. The tour duration is 1 hour and 15 minutes – exactly as described at the time of booking and on your voucher.
Many guests specifically prefer later afternoon tours (4:00 PM – 5:30 PM) because:
It is significantly less hot than midday
The Colosseum is less crowded than morning hours
The lighting for photos is beautiful
The tour you received was complete according to the advertised itinerary and duration. Nothing was cut short or omitted due to your chosen start time.
Regarding the guide's English:
Thank you for this constructive feedback. We pride ourselves on knowledgeable guides, but clarity of speech is just as important as historical accuracy. I have shared your comment with our tour manager to ensure all guides receive continued coaching on enunciation and pacing.
What we can do:
While the tour delivered exactly what was promised (1h 15min duration, full itinerary), we regret that your experience felt average. Please reach out to us directly at [discoverrometours@gmail.com] with your booking ID, and we would like to offer you a small discount on a future tour as a gesture of goodwill.
Thank you again for helping us improve.
Douglas_B, May 2026
Our guide Sandro was great. Was very knowledgeable and had a good sense of humor. I Would definitely recommend
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks, Douglas! So glad you had a fun and educational tour with Sandro—knowledge and humor are a great combo. Really appreciate the recommendation!
TARA_W, Apr 2026
We could not find the location to get the audio and the APP did not work if it had any audio on it. We couldn’t figure out the APP even. Really stressful. The day was ruined. The people working the Coliseum were dismissive and impatient. I started crying!
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear Tara,
Thank you for your feedback, and I’m truly sorry to hear that your experience at the Colosseum left you feeling stressed and upset.
However, to ensure clarity for future travelers reading this review, I do need to gently correct a few important points:
Your entry tickets + audioguide app were sent to you via email and WhatsApp the day before your visit, as clearly stated in your booking confirmation.
We had staff available at our meeting point from 8:30 AM to 5:45 PM on the day of your visit, ready to assist any guest with app setup or audioguide location. You did not come to the meeting point.
We also provide a dedicated support number (shared in your voucher), which you did not call or message at any point.
We genuinely want every guest to have a wonderful experience, but we can only help if we are given the chance to do so — either in person or via the support channels provided.
That said, we are sorry you felt overwhelmed, and we would still like to offer you a small gesture as goodwill: a 20% discount on a future booking with us. Please contact our support team directly if you wish to use it.
We hope this honest response helps other travelers understand how to make the most of our services.
Sincerely,
Discover Rome Tours Team
Juleah_C, Apr 2026
Its always great to have a guide in the Colosseum. Paula was very knowledgeable, but spoke a little too quickly for the older members of our group.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks, Juleah! Glad you enjoyed having a guide. And sorry Paula was a bit too quick for some in your group—we'll pass that along to her. Appreciate the honest feedback!
Janelle_C, Apr 2026
Aphrodite was great this morning, and full of information in relation to the colosseum. The group was transported back to the Roman times, and she even let us know our tickets were good for 24 hour entrance, and showed us how to get to the Roman forum before it became too crowded.
Response from Host, May 2026
Love this, Janelle_C! 🎉 Aphrodite sounds like an absolute gem—bringing the Colosseum to life AND helping you beat the crowds at the Roman Forum? That's next-level guiding! So glad you felt transported back in time. And what a great tip about the 24-hour ticket—that's such valuable info. Thank you for this amazing review! 😊
Jodi_H, Apr 2026
Our tour guide was fantastic. So knowledgeable about so much history.
I learned quite a lot and he was so pleasant.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your honest feedback
susan_g, Apr 2026
Unfortunately we had great difficulty understanding the guide. She was charming and lovely but her thick accent made it difficult for us.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your feedback.
To clarify, your guide was an official, licensed tour guide with C1-level English certification — which reflects a high standard of fluency. However, we completely understand that even with excellent language skills, a regional or foreign accent can sometimes make it harder for certain guests to follow along comfortably.
We’re sorry that her accent didn’t work well for you on the day. We appreciate you acknowledging that she was charming and lovely, and we will still share your comments with our team to help us better match guides with guest preferences where possible in the future.
Thank you again for your honest review, and we hope the rest of your time in Rome was enjoyable.
Best regards,
Discover Rome Tours Team
Rudy_M, Apr 2026
When making the tour reservation, we were not told that we need to have names match exactly as the name is on our passport. In fact until we got an email a day or so ago. we didn't even know to bring our passports and it was after we had already booked. We could not get into the coliseum with my wife because her ticket said Dolly which is what she goes by. She uses Dolly on all social media, in daily life, in contact lists for associations she belongs, and for her email. Dolly's passport said Roberta D. The D is for Dolly. I was admitted in as Rudy, my passport says Rudolph. Our grandson was let in as Ray. his passport says Ronaldo. Bob was let in as Bob his passport says, Robert. I stayed behind with my wife while the others are in taking the tour. When booking this trip we should have been told at that time that we needed to put in our names exactly as they show on our identification. We should have been told at that time that we needed to bring our identification with us not after we made the booking. We received our paper ticket to go into the coliseum with our tour guide a few minutes before starting the tour. It is written in Italian names must match ID on the ticket. When we went to enter with our guide, security stopped us. They showed us in Italian where it said the names have to match. We were not given our tickets ahead of time. Even if we had, who would read the small fine print in Italian? I've asked for a full refund and I certainly hope that we get it. Viator needs to change marketing to include all of this information up front when booking a tour. Travelers please take note if you are going to the Coliseum you must submit the name on your ticket exactly as it matches your passport or you will not be admitted to the Collosium. Unless it is missed as they missed Rudy, Ray, and Bob.
We've booked other tours with Viatar and never had this type of issue. So sad as this tour was going to be a highlight of our vacation.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Dear Rudy,
Thank you for your patience. After reviewing the full record of your booking, including the voucher language and pre-visit communications, we need to provide a corrected response.
What we found:
At booking, you entered each traveler’s name. The system did ask for full legal names, though we acknowledge the instruction could be stronger.
Your voucher (sent immediately after booking) contained a clear “Know Before You Go” section stating: “ID card, passport, or copy of ID on your phone is MANDATORY. Tickets are nominative. Staff will verify ID at entrance. If mismatch, access will not be allowed, and no refund will be issued.”
One day before your tour, you received a reminder that included the same mismatch/no-refund warning.
At check-in, our staff verbally reminded the group of the ID requirement.
Why this matters:
The Colosseum’s ID check is strict and non-negotiable. While we are genuinely sorry that your wife “Dolly” (legal name Roberta D.) was turned away, the warnings were provided at booking, on the voucher, in the pre-visit reminder, and in person. Travelers are responsible for reading the information provided.
On your specific refund request:
Given that you were properly notified and that the mismatch was due to the name entered (“Dolly” instead of “Roberta”), we cannot offer a full refund for your wife’s ticket under our standard policy. The no-refund rule is set by the Colosseum, not by us.
However, because you chose to stay behind with your wife (and because your own name “Rudy” vs. “Rudolph” was let through inconsistently by security), we will offer the following as a goodwill gesture:
A 50% refund for your wife’s ticket.
We will also offer you both a complimentary rescheduled tour of the Colosseum within the next 12 months, provided you use exact passport names.
For future travelers reading this:
Please double-check that every name you enter matches your passport exactly. Nicknames (Dolly, Rudy, Ray, Bob) will cause denial of entry. Read your voucher immediately after booking. Bring your passport or a clear photo of it. This rule is enforced by the Italian government, not by Viator or the tour operator.
We regret that this happened to your family. We hope the goodwill offer helps, and we thank you for the feedback—we will continue to make the ID rule even more prominent in our booking flow.
Sincerely,
Discover Rome Tours Team
robin, Apr 2026
The tour was fine. The meeting instructions were not adequate. You need to go in to the train station and take the escalator upstairs to meet the guide. This was not told to us and we spent a lot of anxious time trying to find the meeting place.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks, Robin. Glad the tour itself was fine—but ugh, I'm really sorry about the meeting instructions. That sounds super stressful, especially when you're excited to start the tour. Thank you for spelling out exactly what we missed (train station, escalator upstairs). That's really helpful, and we'll fix it ASAP. Hope you still had a good time once the tour got going!
Ilan_B, Apr 2026
We had an EXCELLENT guide, how could give us the real sensation of the activity 2000 years ago in the coliseum.
He really is a shining diamond!
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review, Ilan_B. We're delighted that your guide provided an excellent experience and a vivid sense of the Colosseum's history 2,000 years ago. Your kind words—"a shining diamond"—are greatly appreciated and will be shared with him.
Laura_B, Apr 2026
Great tour guide and helpful staff! Try to include the Forum in your tour. There is so much to see and learn.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your feedback, Laura_B. We're pleased the tour was family-friendly and that our guide and staff were helpful. Your suggestion to include the Roman Forum is much appreciated—it's indeed a fascinating site to explore further. We hope to see you again on another tour.
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