Rome: Colosseum, Forum & Palatine with Arena Access + Audio Guide
Rome, Italy
- 1 to 3 hours (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Don’t miss the big Rome attraction—the mighty Colosseum—because of budget constraints. Book this visit with an audio guide in advance, and gain access to the three main sites of the Colosseum—including the arena floor—Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill on your Rome vacation. Just remember to bring your headphones for the audio guide, switch on your Wi-Fi, and arrive in plenty of time to give the sites your full attention.
- Receive an instant booking confirmation for quick peace of mind
- Meet a host for entry assistance at Rome’s most popular attractions
- Listen to an audio guide to hear tales of the emperors and gladiators
- Admire ruined temples and basilicas at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
This self-guided Colosseum package includes arena access, an audio guide app—and a host to ensure entry.
What's Included
- Entry to the Colosseum with Arena access
- Entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Colosseum entrance ticket with Arena access (valued at €24 per person)
- Local assistance from a representative
- Audio guide app for Colosseum only (requires an internet connection)
- Transportation to/from the attraction
- Headphones (please bring your own)
- Live tour guide
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- VFQR+W7, Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
Please proceed to the Arch of Constantine, located directly in front of the Colosseum.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Colosseum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Roman Forum (Pass By)
Palatine Hill (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Most travelers can participate
- You must follow the queue for security check although you have bought the priority access.
- Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers' full names at the box office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the colosseum and roman forum.
- A valid photo ID is required for all guests at the entrance gate.
- Arrive at the entrance of colosseum 15 minutes before time. The entry pass will be invalid after 15 minutes of travel time.
- 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 24 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 10 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.1
based on 349 reviews
Rainer_O, Jul 2026
The experience inside the Colosseum and Forum Romanum was great. The "guidance" from the your operator was a bit misleading. Ita was stated that we can meet the guide near the entrance of the Colosseum and he will guide us through the priority gate. Well, there was no priority gate. He basically told us to queue with everyone else.
JOHN_P, Jul 2026
You get what you pay for. Finding the person to give you a link to the app was cumbersome. The voice was slow. I think if I did it again I would hire a person.
Dan_E, Jul 2026
This isn't a tour. They are just scalping tickets. The 'audio tour' is the free app anyone can download and it isn't that good. They did supply valid tickets but if 'tours' like this didn't exist it would be much easier to buy the same tickets at a much lower cost directly from 'Parco archeologico del Colosseo'.
Jessica_C, Jul 2026
They booked us at the wrong time, resulting that we were forced to miss the next tour we had booked. Viator was not helpful at all. I’m still seeking compensation for this large mistake.
Sian_B, Jul 2026
Firstly, the colosseum is absolutely amazing - don’t miss it but book tickets/tours direct with the official site.
Secondly, this audio tour was absolutely awful! Nothing was very clear on how to meet, the instructions we had did not match reality, so I rant the help number and a person who spoke English with a very strong Indian accent answered and I struggled to understand him. He gave us different instructions again. On getting in, we downloaded the app to be able to play the audio guide but the app was terrible, there were many options to choose from but none matched what we booked, so I called again and he laughed saying everyone asks this (so why not fix it), he told us which one to select but to fast forward certain sections as they are closed. Each part of the audio tour had a numbered way point, but no numbers anywhere to be seen around the complex. I asked a steward who said is it the audio tour numbers I am looking for, they don’t exist and he recommended we turn the audio off and self explore!!! We listened to way point one but the info was so dreadful we stopped the audio tour and walked ourselves around.
Don’t bother with this set up, so frustrating! But saying that, we left it to last minute, by which point, the hundreds of tour companies had taken them all and built a useless pa late just to get more than the entrance fee from you.
Kyle_M, Jul 2026
The colosseum itself was fascinating but the audio guide didn’t match up with our location and gave information that didn’t feel relevant. Not worth the $100+ per ticket spent
Britni_T, Jul 2026
Colosseum is amazing but audio guide was hard to follow. Wish we had hired an actual tour guide to learn more.
maresa_s, Jun 2026
It was extremely hot out this day, but it was easy to find our tour guide. He was funny, and made the outdoor experience bearable. Seeing the colosseum was nothing short of amazing. A must-see!
Emilio_S, Jun 2026
Bad organization , misleading and inaccurate.
From the beginning to the end it was not clear and didn’t feel special
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Dear Emilio,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We're sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations.
Our product is a self-guided experience, designed for travelers who prefer to explore the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill at their own pace rather than with a live guide. Before the visit, we send detailed tickets and step-by-step instructions covering the meeting point, entry process, and how to access the audio guide. Following these instructions carefully usually ensures a smooth experience.
We're sorry if any part of the process felt unclear for you. Feedback like yours helps us continue improving our communication so future travelers can enjoy a more seamless visit.
Thank you for choosing us, and we wish you all the best on your future travels.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
Alyssa_S, Jun 2026
The directions weren’t clear. They should tell you to go to the line and wait to get to security. The audio was okay.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Dear Alyssa,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback.
We're sorry to hear that the directions were not as clear as you expected. Our pre-visit instructions explain that travelers can either proceed directly to the security check line using their tickets or meet our host at the meeting point if they would like assistance before entering. We aim to provide both options so guests can choose whichever is most convenient.
We appreciate your comments, as they help us identify where our instructions can be made even clearer for future travelers. We're also pleased to hear that you found the audio guide satisfactory.
Thank you for choosing Dream Tourism, and we hope you enjoy the rest of your travels.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
Peter_M, Jun 2026
Colluseum good, representive who met us lacked basic manners.
The full experience enabled access to the centre of the Colluseum, which was good.
Erik_R, Jun 2026
The company sent various instructions that were confusing. It said they would send me my entry tickets, but never did. The PDF that should’ve been the entry ticket indicated that I should go to the meeting point to get tickets once I was at the meeting point and official from the site informed me that I should’ve gotten them electronically. I started messaging and calling the company eventually the tickets were sent, but it was after my entry time. Fortunately, I was able to use them. This should have been much easier.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Dear Erik,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're sorry to hear that your experience was frustrating.
Our tour is a self-guided experience, and we provide detailed instructions before the visit explaining the ticket delivery process, entry procedure, and when to contact our host if assistance is needed. We aim to make the process as straightforward as possible so travelers can enjoy a smooth visit.
We're sorry that there appeared to be some confusion regarding your tickets. We understand how stressful this can be, especially close to your entry time. We're pleased that you were ultimately able to access the Colosseum, and we'll continue reviewing our instructions to make them even clearer for future guests.
Thank you for your feedback, and we wish you the very best in your future travels.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
Marc_B, Jun 2026
The tour is great but be prepared for the heat in the summer months. Not many public access to restrooms and if you are a female be prepared to not have a toilet seat. Air conditioning is not common in Italy. Be prepared to be pestered by scam artists like any major attraction in a major international city.
Sabir_K, Jun 2026
Great experience, exactly as listed and what we wanted.
Very good customer service, replies on both email and whatsapp promptly, with questions answered clearly.
Tickets sent to us, and with full explanation of everything.
Enjoyed a full experience self service of the colosseum , arena and roman forum and palatin hill, which allowed us to explore things at our own pace.
Andrew_S, Jun 2026
We had Arena floor tickets with audio. Take a phone and have some headphones. Jaw dropping and iconic site. Very busy and steep steps to the second level, upper floor views, museum and shops. There is a lift but you’ll have to double back at the end of the second level to use it. Made finding the kids interesting as they took the steps down at the opposite end of the arena. Would recommend, it is amazing and will take your breath away as you exit the station.
Graham_B, Jun 2026
I don't know why Viator sent me info about meeting points, go to the arch of constantine and so on. They sent me the ticket and that was all I needed. Colosseum was great, well organised, lots of staff to help with directions but very crowded and very hot.
I did two thirds of the forum then gave up. Too hot, too crowded.
Leonor_R, Jun 2026
The colosseum is a magnificent site, but our experience was disappointing because the audio guide link did not work. We contacted support but did not received a response. Without the audio guide we missed historical explanations making our visit much less meaningful. I will recommend to buy tickets directly from the Colosseum and hire an in person tour guide
Kathleen_M, Jun 2026
Scam. Took my money and there were no tickets. Bought this and received a confirmation email that seemed ok, except they said voucher was not a ticket and that I needed to download a pdf that would not be given to me until a few hours b4 entry time. Voucher had a bar code so it looked legit but email said a different code would be in the pdf. PDF said I had to get tickets at a meeting place. AM of tour I clicked on the link that said directions to a meeting place although the listing as you can see here on the ad was said to be at the colosseum. I left early for the meeting place in the pdf link and it took me to a closed restaurant. No mention was made of a meeting location at the colosseum in the pdf. As instructed on the confirmation email I called the phone number stated to call the tour operator if there was a problem accessing tickets yet no one answered twice. I then reached out to Viator and they responded quickly via text and said tour operator was not answering them either and they would investigate. Did not hear back later the next day so I went to respond and I no longer have any conversation threads in Viator or what’s app. They have all been removed or somehow recalled. They essentially have now accused me of never contacting them or anyone about this at all. I do have outgoing log calls of trying to reach the vendor at the number provided on the pdf. Viator refuses to refund me. Please don’t waste your money with this “tour”.
Siobhan_K, Jun 2026
What a site! Was lovely to beat the queue and just wander around at our own leisure. Having read a lot about the history we didn’t require a tour guide, but recommend one if you have not as you will miss lots, but for us this was perfect .
Tim_W, Jun 2026
Tour is excellent. Cost is debatable, but booking late, puts you into the supply and demand region. Experience is superb but book early for a better price (not like me!)
Clare_S, Jun 2026
It was really hot and crowded and the audio guide was out of order and confusing. We should have gotten a guide.
Brian_H, Jun 2026
Our tour was supposed to start at 10am and we arrived at about 9:40am. We went to the meeting point where the Viator app said we should meet the host to pick up the tickets but he was not there. We had 4 people in our group and we were all looking around to figure out where the host might be so we could get our tickets.
At about 9:55 I found another host with a Viator logo on their hat & sign. When they looked up my ticket info they informed me that there was a problem with this host over the past few days and he might not be there. They said that the colosseum was sold out so we cannot get tickets but they had another Private tour we could get on but it would cost about $800 for the 4 of us and we can request a refund for our other tickets...it felt kind of scammy, like they were trying to sell us something and not help us get the tickets that we already paid for.
We didn't want to pay up for the private tour so we kept looking and came across another Viator rep who was able to call our host and figure out where he was. Turned out that he was not where the app said he would be, but was about 500 ft from there. The host had a little red flag but no other identification showing he was with Viator. By the time we got too him, it was 10:15 and he scolded us for being late & said he we might not be able to get us in anymore - I think if we didn't push hard, he would have turned us away believing that because we didn't find him until 10:15 we couldn't get in & were out of luck. He did give us the tickets & we had no problem getting in but we were very upset with this whole process. We didn't get our audio guide either but at that point we were just happy to get into the colosseum.
I'm guessing that these "hosts" are independent contractors and Viator probably doesn't have a good handle on what many of them are doing. We have had some good experiences with other activities booked thru Viator but this one was awful.
Ashley_C, Jun 2026
Received full experience-arena ticket in a timely fashion and was able to print before I left for my trip. Worked perfectly at the entrance to the Colosseum. Communication from tour company was good and had no issues. Thanks so much!
Victoria_B, Jun 2026
The tickets are as advertised and give you access to the areas purchased however there is no help from a ‘guide’. We had trouble finding where to go and were not escorted through a group entrance/priority line as advertised. If all you want is tickets, go for it.
Duane_S, Jun 2026
The tour representative did not meet us at the given meeting point at the given time 15 minutes before the ticket time. This was perhaps optional since they had emailed us the effective real tickets before hand. But it was confusing since their messages said we would still be meeting.
Mary_M, Jun 2026
Easy directions and meet up point- guide met us at arch and helped us with understanding the entry process.
Claudia_M, Jun 2026
Easy access to the coliseum! We walked right in. Instructions were super clear. Great communication via WhatsApp.
Andrea_F, Jun 2026
The meeting location was not quite where the map showed. I called the telephone number but noone answered. It wa lucky we looked around.
Milagros_D, Jun 2026
Ordering our tickets through Viator was very simple. The tickets were delivered to my email days before our visit. Entering the Colosseum was an easy process.. My family and I had a great visit!
Francine_R, Jun 2026
Colosseum was a must do. Unfortunately there was a heatwave when we were there and there is almost no shade at the Colosseum.
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