Ancient Rome Guided Walking Tour: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine
Recommended by 90% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Rome, Italy
- 3 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are highlights of Rome's ancient legacy. But without a guide to shed light on their history, it can be hard to see the once-thriving imperial city beyond the ruins. On this tour, learn the stories behind these masterpieces of Roman civilization, with a professional guide to provide informative commentary along the way.
- Go beyond the guidebook and learn directly from your guide
- Enjoy flexibility with a choice of tour departure times
- Easily listen to your guide's commentary with provided headsets
- Visit three of Ancient Rome's ruins in one single tour
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Guide commentary helps you understand the complex ruins, which are difficult to interpret on your own.
What's Included
- Guided tour of Colosseum & Archaeological area
- Professional guide and wireless audio headsets
- Option for meeting point
- 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
- Food and Drinks
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Via delle Terme di Tito, 75, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
COLLE OPPIO PARK - VIA DELLE TERME DI TITO, CORNER OF VIA NICOLA SALVI, INSIDE THE PARK.
End point
- Via dei Fori Imperiali, Roma RM, Italy
Via dei Fori Imperiali
Itinerary
Make your own way to the Arch of Constantine to meet your guide and your group for your walking tour ahead of your tour time.
Start at the Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome, and one of the oldest part of the city. Legend says that on the Palatine, Romulus, and Remus were kept alive by a female wolf, thus giving Rome its name.
Then head to the Colosseum, and enter with your pre-booked tickets. Explore the ancient amphitheater and hear from your guide how the Colosseum was developed centuries before the advent of modern engineering in AD 70-80, and how it once held as many as 80,000 spectators.
Finally, explore the Roman Forum nearby, once the center of political life in ancient Rome. Explore its highlights, such as the Temple of Julius Caesar and the House of the Vestal Virgins, with commentary from your guide for context.
Start at the Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome, and one of the oldest part of the city. Legend says that on the Palatine, Romulus, and Remus were kept alive by a female wolf, thus giving Rome its name.
Then head to the Colosseum, and enter with your pre-booked tickets. Explore the ancient amphitheater and hear from your guide how the Colosseum was developed centuries before the advent of modern engineering in AD 70-80, and how it once held as many as 80,000 spectators.
Finally, explore the Roman Forum nearby, once the center of political life in ancient Rome. Explore its highlights, such as the Temple of Julius Caesar and the House of the Vestal Virgins, with commentary from your guide for context.
1
Palatine Hill
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Colosseum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
3
Roman Forum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Not recommended for travelers with back problems
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Please is mandatory to provide the full names of all travelers when booking.
- The areas are not wheelchair accessible and not suitable for individuals who have difficulty walking.
- Due to heightened security measures, you may experience delays in clearing security checks
- The archaeological area involves walking on medium-hard floors, please wear comfortable shoes and be ready for rain or shine.
- Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking
- Please note: Tour starts at 2:30 PM (until Oct 26, 2024 and from April 1, 2025 until October 25, 2025) and at 1:30 PM (from Oct 27, 2024 until March 31, 2025 and from October 26, 2025).
- Please note: From April 1st, 2025, the Meeting Point will be at: COLLE OPPIO PARK - VIA DELLE TERME DI TITO, CORNER OF VIA NICOLA SALVI, INSIDE THE PARK.
- If you have a pacemaker you will need to show a certificate, otherwise you will not be admitted without being screened
- Not recommended for individuals with impaired mobility
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 20 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.6
based on 460 reviews
Marcina_B, Feb 2026
They made changes to the time at the last minute through WhatsApp. Then they said I was a no show. Very unprofessional and not considerate. Refused to refund when it was their mistake
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Dear Marcina,
We’re sorry to hear that you were unable to join the tour. After receiving your feedback, we carefully investigated the matter with our booking department to better understand what happened.
According to our records, there was a WhatsApp message exchange in which the change of tour time was communicated and accepted, and the meeting time and location were clearly confirmed.
It’s possible that there was a misunderstanding or an unforeseen circumstance at the last minute that prevented you from attending. However, based on the information available to us, the tour details were correctly shared and acknowledged.
We remain at your disposal for any further clarification
Best regards,
Gray Line I Love Rome
Darlene_C, Nov 2025
Absolutely fantastic tour! Our tour guide was so kind and knowledgeable. She even called me fifteen minutes before the tour to make sure we were able to find the tour guide meet up location fine. I informed her I was nearly done with my gelato at a cafe across the street and would be there shortly. Absolutely marvelous host, and she made sure we had plenty of time to ask questions and take photos of the amazing sites. She even gave us tips on transportation and areas to eat food. I highly recommend even the audio was top notch given the amount of other tourists visiting. We took the tour in English and it was the first time my father and I visit Rome. Cannot recommend them enough. Grazie!
Joseph_L, Sep 2025
Unbelievable experience and information on the pre and Roman Empire. You could actually hear, feel, and the smells of Rome. Our tour guide took the time to put us in Ancient Rome and experience it. It was a once an a lifetime experience!
jay_k, Aug 2025
Our guide, Vanya, was great and very solicitous of the group and our needs. People should know that this is a pretty strenuous activity for older folks or people with mobility issues. Lots of stairs and hills, and it was very hot and humid.
It was not clear to us where the meeting place was. Signs and names weren’t always obvious to us. When we asked for assistance from the tour operator we got a very snippy reply.
All said and done, we are glad we went and glad to see these sights with a guide. It was just more than we had realized it would be.
Nessa_R, Jun 2025
This was a great introductory tour for anyone who has not seen the ancient sites of Rome. It was ideal to get on an early tour, which reduced the impact of the extreme heat and the crowds. The walking was average, with some hills and stairs. The guide, Maria, was a lovely person and made sure everyone felt cared for.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Thank you, Nessa, for your public feedback! We appreciate your contribution! Choosing early morning slots for the Ancient Rome Guided Walking Tour: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine is great advice.
Best regards,
Gray Line Rome
Sanem_D, Jun 2025
Overall tour and our guide was very nice.
However, the tour organization was not very impressive at the beginning. According to the many notifications we have received days before and also the day of the tour, we were supposed to meet at 8:15 am at a certain place noted on the emails and texts. We went to the meeting place at 8am and until 8:30 there was nobody. Later a satff came and told us that the meeting point has been changed and ask us to wait until she is told to take us to the group. We kept asking if you tell us tge new place we can walk there but she would not let us. Finally when we met our group we found that three of us were the only ones who received the wrong meeting point information. Our guide also did not have headphones for one of us.. later we asked another tour guide from same company to give us an extra.
After all the issues and headphones are resolved tour was nice and our guide was great.
I have been booking my tours wherever i travel with Viator many years because i trust them. It was disappointing to see that they were disorganized.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
Dear Sanem - thank you for sharing your feedback. We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the Ancient Rome Guided Walking Tour: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine and appreciated the efforts of our guide.
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused at the start of your experience. Between your booking in March and the tour date in June, the meeting point was updated. To minimize confusion, we stationed staff at the previous meeting point to assist guests in reaching the new location. We regret any frustration this caused and are grateful for your patience and understanding.
We appreciate your continued trust in Viator and hope to welcome you on another tour in the future for a seamless experience.
Kind regards,
Gray Line Rome
BERT_R, May 2025
Alicia was an awesome tour guide! She was very knowledgeable and gave us time for any questions and photos. Would recommend!
Robin_L, May 2025
Zara was a Very knowledgeable guide. We walked and learned - through Colosseum, Palentine Hill, Roman Forum.
Marlo_S, Jan 2025
Great tour guide (Novela)! She was very knowledgeable, went at our pace, and really got our kids involved.
Susan_K, Jan 2025
This was an amazing tour - so much information and many sites to see in the right amount of time. Our guide Heather was thoughtful towards all group members, enthusiastic, funny and so knowledgeable that it made the tour even better! Thank you for a memorable time!
Julie_C, Nov 2024
Definitely a must, we came in November hoping for less crowds, but was still crowded. Tour guide was very informative.
Maria_M, Nov 2024
We took this tour on Saturday, October 5, 2024. I believe our tour guide was named Letita or Alessandra. Our tour was originally scheduled for 4:30pm and was changed to 2:30pm. The company provided good communication about the change. It was due to colleseum time changes. The meeting point was by the arch, where we found the pink flag and we were directed where to meet our guide. Very good and easy system and well organized. Our guide was very informative, knowledgeable about the history and very engaging. We learned so much on this tour about the Roman culture, the history, the colesseum, the forum and saw the most amazing views on the Pallatine Hill. There is alot of walking on this tour. Wear your most comfortable shoes. The pace is swift, but everyone kept up with our guide. She did a great job keeping us on pace and together. We had plenty of great spots for photos, gathering spots to hear her speak, and our tour went to around 3 1/2 hours. I feel she stayed longer with us to show us more areas of the Forum near the completion of the tour, which we appreciated. The tour started at the Colesseum, then we did Palatine Hill and finished at the Forum where we could stay longer after the tour to explore on our own. This tour is a MUST when visiting Rome so you have a better understanding of the Roman Empire, their way of living, the history and the cultural. We truly loved this tour and would recommend booking this tour. We were worried due to some of the negative reviews, but I think those are people who do not do their research and make sure they read all the information provided to them. Don't hesitate take this tour!
Donna_M, Nov 2024
I had high hopes for the tour. I have done this one before, but it was hard to hear and understand our guide. We also lost a few people and had to wait for her to find them.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Thank you, Donna, for this feedback. Sorry for the late reply, but it's noted. We'll make the best of it.
Best regards,
Gray Line Rome
Peter_B, Oct 2024
We had a wonderful day and we received a big portion of new and interesting information. We learned a lot about the history, our guide Alessandra told us about myths and legends which are broadly known and which are not true and gave us proper historical facts. The place is unbelievable and we think it would be good to return in the future for a longer time.
Nicole_S, Oct 2024
The tour was great but it was difficult to find the tour company. The pinpoint location and directions lead you to believe that you are supposed to meet in front of the arch, but the meeting spot was actually down the street. You may want to put in the Meeting Point description to look for the pink flags down at the end of the street where the arch is. The tour guide was also great, but I think people would be more interested in hearing about the type of entertainment given at the coliseum, the logistics of the day, etc. Our tour guide covered that a bit within the last 10 minutes of the tour, but I think it would have been better if he expanded on that more, and maybe spent less time talking through the structure of the forum and colloseum.
Jeanne_H, Oct 2024
Our guide, Egle, was very informative and friendly. She kept a nice pace and made sure everyone was able to view from various locations. We enjoyed learning so much about this incredible site.
Katherine_S, Oct 2024
Great descriptions of the historical sites! I would recommend this day tour for the benefits of skipping the long admission lines and for learning about the sites.
SChristine_J, Sep 2024
Guide was very knowledgeable and easy to understand. Enjoyed the tour immensely. Once we figured out where to meet our guide he helped to make our experience very memorable and enjoyable.
Michael_W, Sep 2024
Our tour guide, Alessio, was a wealth of knowledge. Really enjoyed the tour and his attention to give us a lot of information! We would recommend this tour for others to take part.
JD_S, Sep 2024
Hearing the history of all how everything was built. Our guide, Emanuel was very knowledgeable and answer all questions.
I subtracted one point for this tour only because the pick up point can be confusing. There are many many people in the area to be picked up including multiple tours. We booked with Viator and spent time looking for a Viator tour guide only to find out it was "I Love Rome" by Greyline. On a positive note, all the guides in the area were quick to help and nice.
Susan_S, Sep 2024
The tour was good. However, it was very confusing finding the tour due to confusion in tour names. It should have been much more obvious that we were to look for Gray Line, not Viator!
Mitzi_W, Sep 2024
The Colosseum itself was spectacular. Directions to meet tour were not clear, our guide was difficult to keep
Up with, didn’t carry a sign so we were always concerned about not losing him.
Harrison_P, Sep 2024
Great for those who love architecture, ruins, and archeology. Lots of walking involved so wear good shoes.
Ricardo_C, Sep 2024
We had an amazing time with our tour guide Alessandra 129! She was knowledgeable, caring and always checking if we are all okay. It was a very hot day last Thursday! She gave more than I expected! Thank you for a great afternoon Alessandra! Tess and Ricardo ❤️
Lee_L, Aug 2024
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and gave us a great tour. But she was a bit monotone instead of enthusiastic like she was reciting facts from a text book. And we had a large group for which she did not accommodate by sliowing down, i.e., there was 1 viewing hole for 20 people. She advised us each to look through it but she didn't slow her pace to wait for everyone and because we were going through a bricked area combined with the distance, we lost reception and did not hear some of the explanations.
Christopher_A, Aug 2024
Our guide was very nice and knowledgeable. Her accent was a bit thick which can be a challenging over the wireless ear pieces. Also, finding the initial meeting point by the arch was confusing. But overall we enjoyed this tour and it was what we expected.
Manit_P, Aug 2024
This was our first visit to Italy. We took a wrong train and went into the opposite direction. We got late for the entry. Although we understand it is still our fault but expected some help from the office. The wifi was not available on the train and the network was terrible in the train so could not contact them. Instead the office told us that it is our fault. Ended up buying another ticket. The lady at the entry point was more sympathetic and got us the tickets by making us skip the long line up. Expected better customer service from Viator with who we booked many excursions.
Cindy_Y, Jul 2024
The tour guide was knowledgeable and very helpful. She knew the best spots to take photos and it was great having someone guide us through the chaos. They were easy to find.
Kelsey_S, Jul 2024
What an amazing tour! Alessandra, our tour guide, was so knowledgeable and patient! Our tour was during the hottest part of the day and she was always looking for shade to stop and talk with us. We definitely recommend!
kate_b, Jul 2024
VERY ANGRY at this tour operator. They changed the time of our tour, yet I got confirmation that it was at the usual time yesterday from Trip Advisor. They claimed they called me to relay the change, which is not true. Then when I messaged to try to understand why our tour guide was not there, they wanted to charge me MORE to take the same tour later today. I feel like this is a scam. The assistant I spoke with claimed their manager was "not available". I've asked the manager to contact me ASAP but it still has not happened. I just hope I can get my money back. My son and i were very sade to miss what looked like a good tour. DO NOT USE THIS TOUR OPERATOR.
Response from Host, Jul 2024
Dear Kate,
sorry for any inconvenience incurred. Could you please provide with reservation confirmation number so we can find your booking in our systems? To that effect, you can use the email address feedbackteam@graylinerome.it
Thank you and regards,
Gray Line Rome
Reviews Team
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