Small Group Tour: Colosseum & Roman Forum with Arena Floor Access
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Rome, Italy
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Step back in time and learn about life in ancient Rome with this small-group guided tour of the city’s top archaeological treasures. Visit the Colosseum, with access through the restricted area of the arena floor , and learn about this magnificent amphitheater from your guide. Then continue on to stroll through the ruins of temples and squares in the adjacent Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
- Visit the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill on a guided tour
- Visit the arena floor through the Gladiator’s Gate with exclusive access
- Tour with a small group for time to ask your guide questions
- Choice or morning or afternoon tour times to suit your schedule
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
A small group size allows more personal attention and a more relaxed pace than larger tours.
What's Included
- Entry to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Expert Certified Guide
- Access to Arena floor
- Headsets for groups when appropriate
- 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.
- Transport to/from meeting point.
- Food and Drink
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Via dei SS. Quattro, 81, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Meet at the Roman Vacations office on Via dei Santi Quattro, 81 Roma RM 00184.. Look for the white Roman Vacations flag with the lion head on it.
End point
- Arch of ConstantineP.za del Colosseo, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Ticket Redemption Point
Roman Vacations, Via dei SS. Quattro, 81, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Itinerary
1
Roman Forum
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Palatine Hill
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Colosseum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Near public transportation
- Stroller accessible
- Not wheelchair accessible
- 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.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 7 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 989 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
We could not locate the meeting point. Even with help over the phone. The person on the phone was very nice and helpful. But it just didn’t work.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Ciao!
We are very sorry to hear that you missed the tour, and we sincerely hope to have the opportunity to welcome you on another occasion.
However, we would kindly like to clarify that we always provide the exact meeting point in the booking confirmation, as well as sending it again one day before the tour. Our team also always does its best to assist our customers in finding the meeting point and reaching the group on time.
On the day of your tour, we tried to contact you several times by phone and provided additional assistance, including directions and Google Maps links, to help you locate the meeting point. During our communication, you also confirmed that the issue was related to your phone not functioning properly at the time.
We completely understand that unexpected technical issues can happen. At the same time, we kindly ask all our future customers to make sure they have access to their phone, booking details, and the provided meeting point information on the day of the tour, and to allow enough time to reach the meeting location.
Thank you for your understanding, and we hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you another time.
It was a very informative tour with lots of interesting history.
There were a couple in our group who had mobility issues and it was difficult for them to travel over the terrain. Our guide found a better way for them to get the most out of the experience.
I believe a question of mobility issues should have been addressed prior to them paying for this tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Ciao,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you found the tour informative and that our guide was able to help the members of your group make the most of the experience.
We would, however, like to clarify that this is a 3-hour walking tour, and a significant part of the experience takes place at the Roman Forum, which is an extensive archaeological site with uneven, rocky terrain, steps, and other areas that can be challenging for people with mobility difficulties.
While we are always happy to assist where possible and adapt the experience when circumstances allow, the nature of the tour and the terrain at the Roman Forum do mean that a certain level of mobility is required. We encourage guests with mobility concerns to consider the physical demands of the tour before booking.
We appreciate your feedback and will continue doing our best to make the experience as enjoyable and accessible as possible within the limitations of the site.
Kind regards,
RomanVacations
English speaking tour guide from Syracuse. She was amazing and very knowledgeable on the whole tour. Fun and entertaining the entire time. 10/10 would recommend.
Response from Host, Oct 2026
Ciao Joe! Thank you so much for your review, we are glat that you had a great time with Angela!
If they change your tour time (for us it was months before our trip), they don’t change your voucher and continue to send reminders for the original time. You are expected to remember the time has been changed even tho there is no documentation. For us, showing up on time only to be told we were 5 hours early, in a small alley, in a city we weren’t familiar with, and “greeted” by a very unsympathetic agent, this was a terrible way to end what had been a wonderful 16 day trip abroad. We ended up walking several blocks to a taxi stand (which we found despite the wave of the hand of the tour agent) and traveled to the Vatican where we booked a skip the line tour - ironically less expensive then had we booked through Viator. I doubt we will book through Viator again.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao,
Thank you for sharing your feedback with us. However, we would like to politely clarify a few important details, as your review contains several misunderstandings and does not align with our operations or records.
First and foremost, our office is not located in a "small alley," but rather in a highly central, easily accessible location right next to the Colosseum.
Furthermore, while schedule adjustments can occasionally occur in exceptional circumstances, we always notify our guests clearly in writing, and we only proceed after receiving their confirmation.
Regarding your specific mention, we must note that on the date of your booking, the Colosseum tour in question did not even take place due to an unexpected Colosseum closure. Additionally, our records show no record of you checking in with us for this tour, and our agency exclusively operates Colosseum tours, not Vatican tours.
We truly regret that you had a frustrating experience during your trip to Rome.
We wish you all the best in your future travels!
Best regards,
RomanVacations
Mitchka was the most entertaining guide with a wealth of knowledge. He detailed the forum and colleseum with great detail plus was humorous.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao! Thank you so much for your kind review, we are glad that you enjoyed the tour with us!
A fascinating look at the history of the Palatine Hill and the Coliseum. Our guide was incredibly knowledgeable and very responsive to the needs of his tour group. Wear comfortable shoes, you will be putting in a lot of steps!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts, we are delighted that you enjoyed the tour with RomanVacations!
Mark (Marcio) brought the colosseum to life for my group. He told us not only about the history of the colosseum but of the politics and day to day life of gladiators and common people during the peak of the colosseum’s use.
Highly recommend Mark!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao! Thank you for the recommendation, hope to see you again in the future!
The guide was fabulous however beware of this company and Get Your Guide booking companies because they are notorious for cancelling booked tours.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao,
Thank you so much for your review. We are glad that you enjoyed the tour with us.
However, please kindly note that unfortunately sometimes there are vis maior situations and decisions which come from the ticketing administration centers, and we have no chance but changing the start times, but we always make sure to make it smooth and communicated way before the tour, so our customers can organize themselves like that.
Safe travels!
This is an amazing tour and our tour guide was extremely passionate and equally knowledgeable about Roman history. He made the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum come alive! Be advised there is a lot of walking for three solid hours, but it’s so worth it!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us.
We only work with the best possible guides who we know can deliver a engaging and memorable tour.
We hope to see you back in Rome soon.
Safe travels!
Such a great tour! Our guide was awesome (forget his name but it begins with M :) ) - he gave us sooo much great information. This tour is great for both adults and kids. Could not recommend more!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Kelly! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us.
We hope to see you back in Rome soon.
Safe travels!
If you get Mircea as a guide you will be very happy. His knowledge and sense of humour was brilliant. He took photos for us and explained each part of the tour. The experience was more than we expected. The photos will last a lifetime.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Jo!
Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. Mircea is an awesome guide who constatntly gives 5 star tours, and one who has a true passion for the sites on the tour.
We hope to see you back in Rome soon.
Safe travels!
Our guide, Angela, was fantastic!! She was fun, incredibly knowledgeable and her passion for history and the city of Rome made the tour so memorable. We got stuck in a huge thunderstorm and didn’t even care, because we were having so much fun!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Helen!
Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us.
Angela is a fantastic guide who really makes her tours entertaining and memorable.
We hope to see you back in Rome soon.
Safe travels!
Easy to locate meeting place. Guide was awesome and very knowledgeable on the subject and history. Wonderful experience
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Terry! Thank you for your feedback, we are truly glad that you enjoyed the tour with us!
Great information so you understand what you are seeing. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Shelly! Thank you for your kind words, we truly appreciate it!
There was alot more to the tour than we expected. We thought we were only going through the Colloseum, but this tour includes the Palace and Forum as well. Wear your walking shoes. Benjamin was a fantastic guide.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you Travis! There's so much to discover, and we're so glad you had a great time with Benjamin.
Our guide was so knowledgeable! Funny! Witty! Amazing!!! The time flew by and she even stayed extra to give more information and answer questions! Enjoyed this soooo much!!! She was fabulous!!! Take any one of her tours!!! Do it!!!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you for the recommendation Kelly! We always want to take the time to make sure each person has an amazing experience with us.
Our tour guide was informative and friendly. The tour covered so much of the area. We really enjoyed our tour with Mircea.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao,
Thank you so much for your kind review, we are glad that you enjoyed the tour with our tour guide! Safe travels!
Kind regards,
RomanVacations
We were in Italy for 2 weeks and booked multiple tours throughout multiple cites...this Colosseum tour was hands-down our favorite of them all!!! Mircea was absolutely incredible - he filled every minute of the tour with interesting fun facts, relevant context, and engaging content that stuck with us long after the tour ended. It wasn't just your typical walking tour where every guide at every company gives you the same repetitive facts, but a really comprehensive guide to the Colosseum, ancient Rome, its history, and its people, all tied into modern Rome and how it relates to world history in general. I would gladly love to talk to Mircea about Roman history over a drink - he was that friendly, engaging, and approachable. Regarding Roman Vacations in general, check-in was a breeze, everyone was so friendly, and the skip-the-line access was a huge perk! Ending the tour in the Roman Forum was great, since we were then able to explore on our own and have the context of what we'd just learned to what we were seeing beyond the tour. But in 3 hours, it felt like we saw an entire day's worth - Mircea highlighted the crucial parts of the Forum, mixed with context and history we would not have been able to understand on our own. Hands-down, I would book this tour every time I returned to Rome and recommend it to anyone. You will learn things you couldn't have ever imagined, while looking at some of the most incredible sights in history.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Sydney! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. Mircea is an awesome guide and his tours are always engaging and memorable.
We hope to see you back in Rome soon.
Safe travels!
What an amazing experience, our guide Angela was fantastic so knowledgeable on the history & made plenty of fun jokes along the way. As we endured a massive storm whilst our tour was on we all got a little soggy though Angela tried to shelter us with cover as best she could. That certainly didn't take anything away from the experience. A must do when in Rome. Thanks Angela had an awesome tour. Ciao
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you Gavin! Your group made the rainy day a great tour!
Amazing tour. Meeting point was easy enough to find and quick entry into site. Really appreciated the pace of the tour and the explanations. The information given was well presented and easy to follow. We were able to see the most well known attractions in Pompeii with the knowledge provided by our guide to understand what we were seeing. Care was taken to ensure we had enough shade and water throughout the tour. Tour went for 3 hours in total but felt every minute worth it compared to other tours I have done of similar length. End point is within park so you can continue exploring on your own.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao,
Thank you so much for your kind review, we are glad that you enjoyed the tour with our tour guide! Safe travels!
Kind regards,
RomanVacations
Humy was a fantastic guide. Very knowledgeable and just the right pace on a hot day through the Forum, Palatine Hill and the coliseum. Highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Kirk,
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us, we are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour with RomanVacations! Safe travels back home and we hope to seeing you soon!
Benjamin was a wonderful guide! First of all we had a ‘skip the line pass!’ He was so knowledgeable about the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Best thing we did in Rome! Booking this event was also hassle free!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you Jeff! We're so glad you had a great time with Benjamin!
Our guide was Tiberico. He was enthusiastic, friendly, supportive, and warm. And he obviously loved his job. We’ve been on many excellent tours in several countries and this is the only one that I’d book again. It was pretty hot, but bearable. We had a small group of interested people and our guide was super generous with his time, answered all of our questions, made sure everyone felt comfortable, and the tour flew by. I recommend finding a time that isn’t peak sun, but even if you do, it’s still good. Several water and bathroom stops. Highly recommend.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Nicole! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed the tour with us. Tiberio is an awesome guide, and a bit of a legend in the guide circle of Rome.
We hope to see you back in Rome soon.
Safe travels!
Amazing tour! The entire tour took 3 hours.
Moderately strenuous. A lot of walking involved. According to my fitbit, around 2.5 miles in total. The tour guide was super knowledgeable and personable.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Carl! Many thanks for your kind words. We are so glad you enjoyed th tour with us. We only work with the best guides available and they do an amazing job of getting groups from place to place in a set time frame. There is a lot of walking on these tours, approx 10,000 steps, but it is worth it.
We hope to see you guys back in Rome soon.
Safe travels!
The sights are incredible! And they are a must- see! Unfortunately, our guide wasn't very informative. They were very personable, but there was a lot of quiet and empty space when it could have been filled with interesting facts or tidbits.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao Ashley! Thank you for your feedback, your opinions are very important to us to be able to improve. We are sorry if you felt that there was a lot of empty space. Our tour guides always do their best to keep you entertained, but at the same time they always try to give you enough free time to enjoy the view of the sights during the tour. Thank you again and we hope to see you in the future. Safe travels!
Great, friendly and very knowkedable guide.- Tiberiud. Really enjoyed visiting the Forum as much the Colisseum. Meeting point easy to find and really worth having guide.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao! Thank you for sharing your experience with us, we are truly glad that you enjoyed the tour with RomanVacations! Safe travels!
We had a great time at the Vatican. The tour guide was well informed and kept the tour interesting and fun.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Ciao!
Thank you very much for your review, we truly appreciate it!
Guide was very pleasant and knowledgeable, but tour could've been about an hour shorter. Fantastic experience, Colosseum was amazing, disappointed that "arena floor access" wasn't actually the bottom level, but that was my fault for not researching better.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Donna, thank you for your kind review! Our guides take about 2.5-3 hours to explore the Colosseum and Roman forums, so we can take our time and answer all the questions for the group, but we understand some people prefer to go a bit faster! Weàre glad you enjoyed the tour though and hope you have a wonderful rest of your holiday.
Marchelo was our guide. He made our experience truly enjoyable. Despite the heat, he was considerate to keep us in the shades as much as possible, which was appreciated. Many thanks Marchelo and Viator for this unforgettable journey through history of the Eternal City.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you Jelena! Marcello had a wonderful time on tour with you!
Maxi was our tour guide and he was fantastic...enthusiastic, knowledgeable and answered all questions. I also recommend if you want to go to the Pantheon to do a small group tour like we did. There was only 8-10 of us so we could easily gather around Maxi. My only slight criticism is that the instructions don't really tell you where to meet except the address (square). I which it had said in front of the church or on the church steps.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Hi Lauren, thank you for the kind review. We hope you also enjoyed your tour of the colosseum with us!
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