Gladiators Arena Tour with Colosseum First Level & Ancient Rome
Badge of Excellence
Rome, Italy
- 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Most visitors to the Colosseum only get to explore its main levels, but this exclusive guided tour also takes you through the Gladiator's Gate and onto the Arena Floor—giving you two perspectives in one experience. With a guide leading the way, learn insider facts about how the amphitheatre once operated, and go beyond the guidebooks to pair insight with real locations.
- Explore the Colosseums different levels for a well-rounded experience
- Learn more than you would on your own with a guide providing insight
- Visit areas that are usually off-limits to travelers
- Snap photos from unparalleled viewpoints on the Arena Floor
What's Included
- Gladiators Arena Exclusive Tour
- Colosseum First and Second Levels Guided Tour
- Roman Forum and Palatine Guided Tour
- A Copy of your Passport is Mandatory
- Colosseum entrance ticket with arena access (valued at €24 per person)
- Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
- Please note: Colosseum fees as above. The remaining cost of the experience covers other services.
- Food and Drinks
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- P.za del Colosseo, 21, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
In front of COLOSSEO METRO Station, Lower Level Exit, nearby the Newsstand and across the road from the Colosseum, Piazza del Colosseo 22, Roma 00184. Please don't go to the Metro Upper Level. Our guide will be waiting for you holding a sign that says '' Tours of Rome ''
End point
- ColosseumP.za del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Itinerary
1
Colosseum
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Roman Forum
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Palatine Hill
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Your Guide will be waiting for you holding a Sign saying TOURS OF ROME in the Meeting point.
- 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.
- Luggage and big backpack are not allowed inside the Colosseum
- Flammable Sprays, Selfie sticks, knifes or any kind of guns or cutters even with license can not enter the Colosseum
- Tour may start with Roman Forum then move to Colosseum or vice versa ...
- We highly recommend to have an on the road cell phone
- For a quick response you can use iMessage, Whatsapp and Viber for texting us
- Tour itinerary is subject to changes in case of restrictions by local authorities
- Pets and service dogs are not allowed
- Entry Tickets will be provided by our guide the day of the tour
- A Copy of your Passport is Mandatory
- All Tours run on time, Please be sure to arrive to the Meeting point Early
- 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.
- Not Wheelchair nor Stroller accessibile
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.3
based on 53 reviews
Aimee_S, Jul 2025
Christina was truly the best tour guide we could have hoped for on our Coliseum tour this morning. Her passion for history and archaeology was clear from the start and made the entire experience come to life. As a family of four, we were especially thrilled to see how engaged our two boys (ages 10 and 13) were they haven’t stopped talking about how much they enjoyed it! Thank you for such a memorable and inspiring tour.
chloutfi, Jul 2025
Patricia was great. She was friendly, courteous and easy to understand. She gave us ample break time.
Robert_M, Jun 2025
This was a bate and switch scam! We were supposed to have a tour guide but when we arrived we were told the guide was not coming. We were charged $388.56 for four people but only received an entry ticket valued at 24€ each and no tour.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear about your recent experience and the disappointment it caused. Please accept our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience this may have brought to your visit.
We take all reviews seriously and are currently looking into the details of your booking to understand what went wrong. This is certainly not the standard of service we aim to provide, and we appreciate you bringing it to our attention.
If you have any further concerns or suggestions, or if you would like to book another tour in Rome in the future, please do not hesitate to contact us directly at tours@toursofrome.info. We would be happy to assist you personally and ensure you receive the quality experience you deserve.
Sincerely,
The Tours of Rome Team
MaryJo_W, May 2025
Seeing the Colosseum, Palentine Hill and Roman Forum itself was absolutely wonderful. It’s one of the reasons we came to Rome. Unfortunately our guide could barely speak English and we all had an impossible time hearing what she had to say. She talked way too fast even after several people told her to slow down or repeat. If anyone asked a question she would say she was in a hurry and we could come back after the tour was over and see it again on our own. She said this so many times that my husband and I finally left the tour and turned on Rick Steves walking tour. We wernt rushed and we could understand what he was saying. This tour was a disaster and unfortunately we wernt the only ones who felt this way. I wish she spoke better English as that is what we paid for. Its not worth the money we spent
Response from Host, May 2025
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience with us. We are truly sorry to hear that your tour did not meet your expectations and that you faced difficulties understanding the guide. Providing an informative and enjoyable experience is our top priority, and we deeply regret that this was not the case for you.
We sincerely appreciate your feedback, and we will address this matter with our team to ensure that our guides meet the high standards our guests deserve. Your comments are vital in helping us improve.
Should you consider booking another tour in Rome in the future, we would love the opportunity to provide a better experience. Please feel free to reach out to us with any suggestions or inquiries at tours@toursofrome.info.
Kind regards,
The Tours of Rome Team
Karen_R, May 2025
The coordinator on site was great - we got there early but couldn’t find the meeting spot - thought we were on the ground but we were up the next level. Coordinator called us and explained where we had to go.
Our guide Christina was great at explaining the areas of the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Enough time was allowed for photos with Christina assisting by taking some great shots of us.
Julie_O, Apr 2025
Excellent tour, Elizabeth our guide was incredibly knowledgeable about Rome history and the specific monuments. It was great to have palatine hill and the forum included along with the colosseum.
Christie_H, Jun 2024
Not an accurate description of this tour at all. It clearly states that this excursion is supposed to last 1 1/2-2 hours. Upon arrival, she tells us it’s going to be 3 hours. we were immediately disappointed because we had another excursion planned for after this and we knew we were going to miss an hour of this experience now.
We did not even actually start the tour of the Colosseum until 45 minutes into our time block and then had to leave early because we had another booking afterwards, which we should’ve had enough time for according to the description of this. So basically, we paid for a full tour and instead got maybe 45 minutes to an hour inside the Colosseum and then had to leave.
Our guide was very informative and we liked her, but were super disappointed that we completely missed the Roman forum and had to leave the Colosseum early in order to make our next booking. You need to update the description accurately of what people can expect and there should be no reason at all that we had to spend 45 minutes standing in line, doing nothing for the first part of our tour including waiting for a bathroom break at the beginning. If someone has to go as part of the group, they should have to do that on their own and not cause the entire group to have to wait for two people.
I would not recommend this tour or company to anyone for the way things were handled and communicated.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for your detailed feedback regarding your recent experience with us. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused and understand your frustration with the tour duration and unexpected delays. Your comments are invaluable to us as we strive to improve our services.
We regret that the tour did not meet your expectations and that the timing affected your subsequent plans. Your positive remarks about our guide are appreciated, and we will ensure that such delays and communication issues are addressed to prevent future occurrences.
We would love to hear any further suggestions you may have. Please feel free to email us at tours@toursofrome.info with any additional comments or recommendations.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We hope to have the opportunity to provide you with a better experience in the future.
Best regards,
The Tours Of Rome Team
Kelli_L, May 2024
Our tour guide, Christine, did a great job taking us through the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. She was very knowledgeable and informative. My husband and I thoroughly enjoyed this tour!
Response from Host, May 2024
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for taking the time to share your positive feedback about your recent tour with us. We're thrilled to hear that Christine provided you with an excellent experience exploring the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum. Your satisfaction is our priority, and we're delighted that you and your husband thoroughly enjoyed the tour.
If you have any further feedback or suggestions to enhance our services, please don't hesitate to reach out to us via email at tous@toursofrome.info. Alternatively, feel free to contact us for any additional details or assistance you may need.
We appreciate your support and look forward to welcoming you back on another memorable tour experience in Rome.
Warm regards,
Tours Of Rome Team
Nicole_I, Apr 2024
Amazing Tour, wonderful tour guide. I would recommend this tour to everyone. Very informative with lots of information
Response from Host, Apr 2024
"Thank you so much for your glowing review! We're thrilled to hear that you had an amazing experience with us and found our tour guide wonderful. It's fantastic to know that you found the tour informative with plenty of valuable information. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you back soon!"
Nicole_B, Apr 2024
Although the tour was very nice we had a lot of trouble understanding our tour guide. She was very knowledgeable but her strong Italian accent made it extremely hard to understand what she was saying. The tour itself wasn’t quite what we expected as we would have wished to see more things
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. We're delighted to hear that you found the tour enjoyable, albeit with some difficulties in understanding the tour guide. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the strong Italian accent. Rest assured, we'll take your comments into consideration for future improvements. We understand your expectations regarding the tour content and will strive to ensure a more comprehensive experience in the future.
We appreciate your valuable input and hope to welcome you back for an even more fulfilling journey.
Best regards,
Vikram_V, Apr 2024
This was our third visit to the Colosseum but the most rewarding as the earlier visits were self-guided. Our guide had a detailed knowledge of history and knew the best photo spots. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear that your third visit to the Colosseum was the most rewarding yet, thanks to our knowledgeable guide. We're proud to offer enriching experiences and insider insights into the history of this iconic landmark. We appreciate your recommendation and look forward to welcoming you back for another memorable visit in the future!
Eric_P, Oct 2023
Wow what a nice experience we had seeing that majestic building ! WE got the perfect tour and the perfect guide to know and see everything about the Colosseum and all the surrounding at that period in history ! You need to be attentive as you will get a lot and by a lot I mean a ton of information about the history of the place ! Touring the place inside out and seeing were the galdiators were fighting and also be able to see from quite close the underground structure of were they were holding the animals was a nice addition to make that tour even better ! Our guide has been doing that for more than 20 years it was almost as if I lived there in the past. Good job !
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Dear Valued Customer,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful review of Tours of Rome! We are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your experience, and your kind words mean a lot to us.
Our team works hard to provide memorable and enriching tours, and it's truly rewarding to know that we hit the mark for you. Your satisfaction is our top priority, and we're delighted that you had a positive time exploring Rome with us.
We appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to be a part of your journey. We look forward to welcoming you back on another adventure in the future. If there's anything specific you loved about the tour or any suggestions you'd like to share, feel free to reach out.
Once again, thank you for choosing Tours of Rome. We can't wait to see you again!
Best regards,
The Tours of Rome Team
Shawen_U, Jan 2023
The place itself is definitely worth visiting. And because we had a guided tour, we could skip the queue. The guide was also not rude. But that's it.
The organization was stressful. First we didn't get the tour we booked because of "technical difficulties". Then we were at the meeting place on time. The guide seemed either tired or incompetent. She missed our names when she read the list of people and told us that "PROBABLY there will be another guide". The other guide at came later than agreed, but without a sign. We just walked around asking random people if they are the guide until we found her. She didn't find our names either and send us back to the first guide who by this time was already handing out the headphones and finally found our names. All of this took so much time that we almost missed our tour.
By this time pretty much everyone in both groups was already annoyed.
Then there was a big family with twin babies in a pram, a pregnant wife and two elderly grandparents who had been told that this tour is wheelchair-accessible. But only a part of the tour is! I felt so sorry for them struggling up and down the palatine hill. Out of the 3 hours, that family could only enjoy 1 hour or so.
The guide barely told us anything interesting. She was on the phone a couple of times, she had trouble with some tickets at the Colosseum entrance, too. Since the other guide also seemed stressed, maybe the agency is just chaotic and overworks their employees. But whoever is at fault, this was not fun. A few days earlier we had a tour with another agency that was so much better. I will not book Tours of Rome again.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hello,
thank You for your feedback, we appreciate your time to review the the tour.
Best wishes
Lisa_T, Jan 2023
The guide was great! She was very knowledgeable on the colosseum. I only wish we got to do the underground tour, which unfortunately got cancelled.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hello,
thank you for your review and Happy New Year
Chris_W, Jan 2023
The tour is definitely worth the investment. Alessandro is a fabulous guide. Very knowledgeable and friendly. His passion for the history shows given his background in archaeology. We both hope Alessandro is available for a tour on our next trip to Rome!
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hello,
thank you for your review and Happy New Year
Emmanuel_M, Jan 2023
The tour guide was great. He was very knowledgeable and super friendly. Easy to ask questions and even took time to help take our family pictures. Being able to visit the colosseum and stand on the gladiator floor was also a very unique experience and gave a different perspective besides just looking down from the stands.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hello,
thank you for your review and Happy New Year
John_V, Sept 2021
Seeing all the underground areas of the Coliseum. Also the method they used to flood the arena for ship battles.
Response from Host, Oct 2021
Hello,
Thank You for taking time to leave your review. We are glad you liked it and will be always looking forward to seeing you again.
Best wishes
Kim_K, Jul 2020
I used Viator who arranged our private tour with ‘Tours of Rome’ and our guide was Mido. Mido was fantastic.... so knowledgable, patient and friendly.. he made the tour! The Colosseum and the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill are NOT to be missed... fantastic experience!!
Response from Host, Oct 2022
Hello
Thank You for your review, we are glad you liked it
Best wishes
Tatjana_B, Jul 2020
The tour was brilliant and the guide gave everything. Even though the tour was rescheduled and did not happen as envisioned (pandemic restrictions), every contact we had with this agency was kind and solution-oriented. Our price was reduced due to the reschedule but we also had an amazing tour guide - Mido. He took a lot of time, answered all questions and knew so much about the Colosseum, history, restoration and had a real passion for his job as a guide!
Absolut recommendation!!
Response from Host, Jul 2020
Hello
Thank You for your review, we are glad you liked it
Best wishes
Andrea_E, Oct 2019
Great tour. Our guide was very informative and we had lots of time to look around. Also liked the ticket to go see the Roman Forum.
Jenna_R, Sept 2019
Unreal experience with unique places you could only go while on this tour. The guides were great! I would do it again
Monica_P, Jul 2019
Covers the entire colosseum but guide was speaking English way too quickly and very unresponsive to questions
atariamy, Jun 2019
I am a French teacher in the U.S. and am long accustomed to talking with people whose English is not perfect. But, having said that, our guide had terrible pronunciation and apologized several times for her bad English, stating that she was currently studying English. I had an extremely hard time following her as she spoke, and she had great difficulty understanding the questions of the people in our group. If your job is to give tours in the foreigners’ language of choice, I feel you should be competent in the language. This was not a cheap tour, and I came away feeling disappointed.
Response from Host, Jun 2019
Hello,
Thank You for reviewing our tour. We are sorry that our guide could not speak english as you expected. Kindly send us an email on:- guides@toursofrome.info and give us more information about the guide; her name, tour date and time as we have at least 20 guided tours a day so this will be very helpful to understand more about the case.
if you stay in Rome in the next day kindly contact us and we will arrange another tour for you
Best wishes
Kyra_H, May 2019
Fabulous tour - the guide's enthusiasm did not dwindle even in the unseasonal weather. Her knowledge was second to none and she made everything so interesting. We were offered a full refund as the original tour was supposed to take in the rooftop terrace and this was closed for repair. The tour company offered us a tour of the Forum and Palatine Hill as well, which was also superb. Lorenzo was only scheduled to guide us for an hour, but 2.5 hours later we were just finishing off.
Would thoroughly recommend these tours
Lynn_K, May 2019
A bit confusing to start as the person who meets you is not the actual tour name. Frustrating with the other tour companies constantly asking if we needed a tour as we were looking for our meet up group!
As far as getting in.. SO EASY and WORTH IT to skip the LINES that we felt were huge even though its not the busy season! Very interesting and informative tour!
John_L, Jan 2019
This was our first trip to Rome, I chose Viator on the recommendation from another couple that really liked them. The process from booking online and follow-up after the fact and up until the day of the event was really good. The tour guides were really enjoyable. If you want a behind the scenes and in-depth knowledge of this amazing attraction then sign up and you will not be unhappy. This tour appeased my interest and gave me just the level of time I needed to really take in everything around me. I felt the price was worth every penny. You get more then just the Colosseum tour, and I was not expecting the off site tour but was extremely happy for the extra time spent with us. You wouldn't believe the thousands of people visiting the Colosseum that day and the lines went on forever, this trip got us past everyone waiting 4 to 5 hours to get in, for what to say about $130 per person. I would pay the cost for this booking again!
RobinRuby_B, Oct 2018
This tour was wonderful, LOTS of climbing stairs approximately 900 steps, but overall I would recommend this tour.
Sara J, Mar 2018
My Viator rep met me early outside the front of the Colosseum metro station and whisked me through the skip the line entrance. We had about 20 minutes to wait until the archaeologist came so the rep gave me a bit of background info on the Colosseum and showed me photos and videos on his tablet while we waited.
The tour was an amazing experience with an incredibly knowledgeable archaeologist tour guide. I wanted to see all areas that members of the public ever have access to and I got exactly what I hoped for. The image that the underground areas give you is of a busy working stage, and then the views of the 'auditorium' from high up on the fifth floor are just staggering. It is an incredible place and well worth a visit and I highly recommend booking a guided tour - you'll get so much more out of your visit than on your own with an audio guide. The exhibitions on the second floor should not be missed either. Take your time walking round every bit you can trying to imagine the place packed with sixty thousand people - this is a tourist destination not to be rushed!
GARDENIA_M, Sept 2023
ver e entrar no coliseu foi algo surpreendente, é um monumento que embora em ruinas, demonstra seu poder de forma majestosa. Porém, ao comprar a excursão imaginei que só tinha guias em inglês o que dificultou muito o entendimento das explicações de cada ambiente visitado. Sugiro que se você não domina muito bem o inglês, procure um guia em Português, existe viu?! e tinha muitos por la.
Response from Host, Dec 2023
Dear Esteemed Customer,
We extend our sincere gratitude for taking the time to express your positive sentiments regarding Tours of Rome! Your delightful review brings us immense joy, and we are thrilled to learn about your satisfying experience with our services.
Receiving favorable feedback is always a source of pleasure, and we are elated that you had an enjoyable time exploring the wonders of Rome with our dedicated team. Our commitment is to deliver memorable and enriching experiences, and your acknowledgment of our success in achieving this goal is truly gratifying.
We value your kind expressions and appreciate your steadfast support. Anticipating the opportunity to host you again on another captivating journey through the rich tapestry of Rome's history and culture is something we eagerly look forward to. Should you have any specific highlights from your tour that you would like to share or if there are any suggestions for enhancement, please do not hesitate to convey them – your insights are highly regarded.
Once again, thank you for selecting Tours of Rome. We eagerly await your return, and until then, may your future travels be filled with wonderful adventures.
Warm regards,
The Tours of Rome Team
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From $89.06
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