Ancient Rome and Colosseum Private Tour with Underground Chambers and Arena

Recommended by 94% of travelers

Rome, Italy

Great choice

5+ bookings last month.

3 hours (approx.)
Group discounts
Offered in: English

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Overview

Visit Rome's most famous monument in style with a private tour of the Colosseum which ensures plenty of attention from your private guide. Explore parts of the Colosseum that are normally off-limits to the public, including the underground chambers and the arena plus the first and second tiers. Continue to the nearby Forum and Palatine Hill for a more complete look at ancient Rome.

Gain access to the first and second floors, the arena, and underground
Visit both the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on the same day
Ideal for history buffs—you’ll get more from a guided visit
A private tour means a personalized experience

What's Included

Colosseum Undergrounds Tour
Colosseum Arena, First and Second Floors Tour
Roman Forum and Palatine Guided Tour
Tickets are nominative please provide the Full name every visitor
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.

It's Mandatory to have a valid ID with you (Passport or driving license)
Private transportation

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Casa dell'Acqua ACEA
Piazza del Colosseo, 58, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
In front of COLOSSEO METRO Station, LOWER Level Exit, nearby the Newsstand and across the road from COLOSSEUM, Piazza del Colosseo 22, Roma 00184. PLEASE DON'T GO TO THE UPPER LEVEL

End point

Colosseum
Piazza del Colosseo, 1, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

Itinerary

Meet your tour guide at the designated meeting point in front of the Colosseum Metro station to begin your private tour of the ancient landmark.

Head inside and explore the main areas of the Colosseum as well as areas that are normally off-limits to the public. Explore the first and second floors, including the Arena Floor, as your guide provides insights into the history of this ancient amphitheater.

After the Colosseum, venture to the nearby Palatine Hill, where Roman emperors once resided. Walk through its historic grounds and soak in the panoramic views. Finally, explore the Roman Forum, discovering its significance as a political, religious, and financial center.

The tour concludes at the Colosseum.

Colosseum

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Palatine Hill

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Roman Forum

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Most travelers can participate
Tickets are nominative and you are kindly invited to provide all the names of the visitors attending the tour
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.
Tour start time can be subject to changes depending on the availability of the Colosseum Underground Tickets, in case of a Change of the start time; we will send you a private message with the new start time
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
Because of some restrictions by the Colosseum Authorities the part of Underground Chambers visit will be conducted by a local expert archaeologist of the Colosseum and will be in a group
Confirmation with all the details of the tour will be received after Booking the Colosseum underground chambers tickets
Tour may start with ancient Rome and then move to Colosseum and will finish with the local archaeologist of the Colosseum in the third tier
Tour may start with Colosseum and will finish in the Roman Forum with your private guide

In case of not succeeding to book Colosseum underground Tickets, You will be offered the normal Colosseum tour without underground chambers visit with a partial refund or tour will be cancelled and you will have a full refund
As per Colosseum scheduled tours of the underground chambers you will receive an email with specific start times
Colosseum Third Level and Terrace are not Accessible for the Public
We highly recommend to have an on the road cell phone to be easy to contact us and to contact you if necessary
For a quick response you can use iMessage, Whatsapp and Viber for texting us
Mobile phone to contact for any emergency or any problem is : +393246968498
In case of dangerous rain it can be impossible to walk inside Colosseum Undergrounds and you will be given 45 minutes on the ARENA FLOOR where you can see all the underground sections without walking inside it
All participants must bring a valid government-issued photo ID (e.g. passport, driver's license, etc)
Pets and service dogs are not allowed
Entry Tickets will be provided by our guide the day of the Tour at the meeting point
Your Guide will be waiting for you holding a Sign saying TOURS OF ROME in the Meeting point.
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 is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

This experience is non-refundable and cannot be changed for any reason. If you cancel or ask for an amendment, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)

Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

4.7

based on 185 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Worth the money for underground tour

Megan_H, Jun 2024

The underground portion was amazing and the guide was full of great facts. The visit to the palentine hill was way neater than I expected. Everything was great!

Highly recommend! Best experience!

Sid_r, Jun 2024

A great true with a wonderful guide. She was experienced in archeology and was had great insights about the Colesseum and the Forum that were very informative. The immediate access to the venues including the underground experience was wonderful. Our guide really brought a good personal touch to the tour. Highly recommend!

Avoid this company!! “Tours of Rome”

Thomas_W, Apr 2024

Guide had not done a tour since before Covid! Never got to see the underground because he did not know how to get to it. We wasted a half hour to forty five minutes while he tried to figure out what lines we were supposed to be in for the rest of the coliseum. Did most of the Forum tour from outside looking in and only saw a small piece of it because he didn’t know how to “skip the line” there also. They reimbursed a small piece of the cost but should have refunded the full amount. Paid for a premium tour. Was thoroughly disappointed. Please avoid Tours of Rome.

Response from Host, Apr 2024

We sincerely apologize for the disappointing experience you had with Tours of Rome. Your feedback is extremely valuable to us, and we take it very seriously. We understand the frustration of not being able to fully enjoy the tour you paid for due to the guide's lack of recent experience and the subsequent issues encountered during the tour. Rest assured, we are taking immediate action to address these issues internally to ensure that such incidents do not occur again in the future. We have also taken your feedback into account regarding the reimbursement and will review our refund policy to better align with customer expectations. We truly appreciate your honesty and thank you for bringing these concerns to our attention. Please know that your satisfaction is our top priority, and we hope to have the opportunity to make it right for you in the future. If you have any further questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out to us directly.

Our terrific tour of the Colosseum with Franz

Michael_R, Sep 2023

We had an incredible 3.5 hour journey with Franz and Tours of Rome through Ancient Rome and all levels of the Colosseum. He was personable and extremely knowledgeable regarding historical information as well as the social and political aspects of Rome’s evolution. His use of visual aids provided a time lapse view of multiple structures that was very helpful. His expertise and love of his job will tend to remind everyone of their favorite teacher. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour and can recommend it to everyone without reservations.

Response from Host, Dec 2023

Dear Esteemed Customer, We extend our sincere gratitude for taking the time to express your fantastic review of Tours of Rome! Your positive sentiments bring us immense joy, and we are delighted to learn that your experience with us was enjoyable. Receiving favorable feedback is always a source of pleasure for us, and we are pleased that your exploration of Rome with our team left a lasting impression. Our commitment is to deliver memorable and enriching experiences, and your satisfaction is a testament to our success in achieving this goal. Your kind words mean a great deal to us, and we are thankful for your ongoing support. We eagerly anticipate the opportunity to welcome you back for another captivating journey through the captivating history and culture of Rome. Should you have any specific highlights from your tour or constructive suggestions for enhancement, please do not hesitate to share – your insights are highly valued. Once again, thank you for selecting Tours of Rome. We look forward to your return and, in the meantime, wish you splendid travels and exciting adventures. Warm regards, The Tours of Rome Team

Amazing tour

Jennifer_W, Sep 2023

This was an amazing tour! Our guide Francis, was outstanding. Super knowledgable. We did the underground areas which only a small number of people are let down to at a time. Also did the palatine hill and forum. The guide really made this experience and we learned a ton. Would highly recommend!

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

Collosseo—when in Rome

Dana_O, Jun 2023

Our tour guide, Francis (oh I hope I got it right), was truly amazing. His enthusiasm for the subject matter is contagious. Take some water and be prepared for a true history lesson.

Very Good Colosseum Tour

Jim_S, Jun 2023

Very thorough and engaging guide for the Colosseum and Forum. We did not get to do the Underground Chambers because the tickets were not purchased in time even though we booked months in advanced. We could see down into the Underground from above. We went on a Sunday when the Vatican is closed and the Colosseum was very crowded.

Perfect private tour - go early

John_T, Jun 2023

Early access with skip the line a must. Private tour was perfect. Great history and information. Stopped for photos. Went at our pace. Showed us everything. Highly recommend

Viator should not offer this tour - we were misled

Tri_P, May 2023

This must be the worst tour that we have ever had. We booked this expensive 3.5-hour private tour (staring at 9:30am) for months in advance as we planned to stay in Rome for 3 days at the end of a cruise. Few days before reaching Rome, we received a notification from Viator saying the underground was closed for public and they offered us 2 options: cancel the tour vs. partial refund+another tour at 4:30pm. Since we were still on the cruise, we had not much time to search for another tour so we accepted the second option, When we showed up at 4:30, there was already more than 20 people waiting for the tour to start. The tour guide was a nice lady but her English was impossible to understand with heavy accent. She also told me that she had been running other tours since morning and she looked tire and exhausted. She was trying to do the best she could but we could only understand half of what she was saying. She ended the tour around 6:40pm which was less than what we originally booked for. As we paid $440 for the original tour, with the partial refund of $155, we still ended up $290 out of our pocket for a tour that should cost much less. As we did more research after we got home, the underground has been closed for sometime and they should not even offer this private tour in the first place. We believed we were misled from the beginning and ended up paying a lot more than it worth. We would rate this a zero star if we could. What a waste of time and money on our side.

Response from Host, May 2023

Dear TRI, We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback about your recent tour experience. We apologize for the inconveniences and disappointments you encountered during your time in Rome. We understand that your expectations were not met, and we would like to address your concerns. Firstly, we apologize for the sudden closure of the underground, which impacted the original itinerary of your tour. We understand that this change was unexpected and caused inconvenience for you and other participants. We apologize for any confusion caused by the options presented to you as an alternative. We recognize that the alternative tour at 4:30 pm was not an ideal solution, especially considering the number of participants present. Regarding the language barrier and the difficulty in understanding your tour guide, we apologize for the inconvenience caused. We strive to provide knowledgeable and fluent guides to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience for our customers. We will investigate this matter further and take the necessary steps to address any language proficiency concerns within our team. Furthermore, we apologize for the shorter duration of the tour. The guide's exhaustion from conducting multiple tours throughout the day is regrettable, and we acknowledge that it affected the overall quality of your experience. We will review our scheduling practices and ensure that our guides are given sufficient breaks to maintain their energy and deliver a satisfactory tour. Regarding the pricing and value for money, we apologize if you feel that you were misled. The closure of the underground was an unforeseen circumstance, and we should have taken that into consideration when offering alternative options. We understand your disappointment in not receiving the full value of the original tour, despite the partial refund provided. Your feedback will be taken into account for future improvements to our refund policies and tour offerings. Once again, we apologize for the negative impression this tour left on you. We value your feedback and will use it to improve our services and prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. We hope that you will consider giving us another opportunity to provide you with a more satisfying experience. If there is anything else we can assist you with or if you would like to discuss your concerns further, please feel free to reach out to our customer service team. We appreciate your understanding and patience. Best regards, Customer Support Team

Chiara was wonderful!! *Booking warning

Nicole_G, Apr 2023

First and foremost, Chiara was amazing from start to be finish!! She was informative, fun, and welcoming upon arrival. She made the entire tour worth every penny for my husband and I!! Now, the actual tour company is another story. I had booked this tour in January 2023. I knew it would sell out quickly so this is why I booked months in advance. Two days before the tour date, the company changed the time from 10:30am to 10am. We had scheduled another 8am tour (Sistine Chapel) that would be finished and allowed us to get to this private tour no later than 10:15am. We tried contacting the tour company repeatedly to clarify this time change and state how it wouldn’t be possible for us to meet at 9:45am. They never responded to my messages. I tried rescheduling but the next available tour date was in May. I tried one final attempt to reach them the morning of our tour as we were in the taxi. The man I spoke to was rude and would not let me speak. He kept interrupting and talking over me. It was unfortunate because other than that, everything else was wonderful. But, it was not professional or courteous how he spoke to me after it was the companies fault for changing the time and not responding to my two prior messages the day before. Other than that, Chiara made it a wonderful tour!!

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Hello, thank you for your Feedback

A must do!

James_M, Apr 2023

Our tour was incredible. I highly recommend getting the underground access tour. It adds a really cool part to the tour that is away from the crowds.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Hello, thank you for your Feedback

Not a private tour like advertised

Kelly_S, Apr 2023

Not a private tour like advertised. Tour guide was impossible to understand and couldn’t answer any of our questions. Rip off and not worth the money.

Response from Host, Apr 2023

Hello, thank you for your Feedback, All our guides are professional guides and speaks very well English Best wishes

The tour was shorter than...

Kristin_N, Mar 2023

The tour was shorter than advertised by at least a half hour and the guide did not seem like she wanted to be there. Other guides we have had were engaged and excited to share their country. This was one was not — and unfortunately it was the most expensive thing I booked. 🫤

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Hello, thank you for your Feedback, Can You kindly provide us with the your booking reference so we can investigate better. Please feel free to contact us on: tours@toursofrome.info Grazie

Loved it!

Erin_B, Mar 2023

We loved having a private tour, it ended up just being me and my husband on the tour. Our tour guide Barbara was amazing and very knowledgeable. She made sure we got to see everything that we wanted to! During the underground part, we were part of a larger tour (as expected), and that tour guide also had a lot of interesting information to share. Overall, would recommend.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Hello, thank you for your Feedback

Great tour

Lauren_M, Mar 2023

Great experience, the underground tour is a must. The archeologists were very knowledgeable. Tour guide gave us great recommendations for Rome.

Response from Host, Mar 2023

Hello, thank you for your Feedback,

Superb and Fantastic

Robert_J, Feb 2023

Our Personal Guide Christina was fantastic, she is so enthusiastic and knowledgeable, we would highly recommend Christina as your guide. A superb day and paying the extra is worth it to avoid the queues.

Response from Host, Feb 2023

Hello, thank you for your Feedback, we are glad to know that you liked it. Best wishes

Our private tour with Andrea

Warqaa_A, Dec 2022

It was amazing , Our tour company was Tours of Rome, they communicate very effectively via what’s app. Our guide was Andrea, hard luck people reading my review Andrea is leaving for an office based job … we were fortunate to be amongst his last clients , he is one of the best in Rome. Tour was very nicely based, Andrea started at the roman forum and I loved that portion , we then went to the avatine hill and ended at the colosseum. He never rushed us, we weren’t tired through our, sure it was a nice day in December. The underground portion was amazing He then left us to enjoy the colosseum as long as we wanted after the tour concluded. He provided us with all the knowledge we desired. It was an awesome experience

Response from Host, Dec 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. Best wishes

In depth tour and workout :)

Yvette_U, Nov 2022

Franz was amazing! We didn’t see that we received a message about a time change for the start of the tour and so were late, but Franz still met us and gave us the FULL experience! He is very knowledgeable, friendly and funny. Be prepared for a workout as he will ensure that you see all areas of the forum, including Palatine Hill (from the top). He also took lots of really good pictures for us (of us), without us having to ask. Would definitely recommend!

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. Best wishes

Wonderful experience

Rachel_J, Nov 2022

Our guid was amazing. She was informative and upbeat. She answered all our questions and made a wonderful experience for us.

Response from Host, Nov 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. Best wishes

Best colosseum tour in Rome

GENNESSYS_H, Oct 2022

We took dozens of tour guides in Italy and he was hands-down the best. Super friendly and took the time to really understand what we wanted to see and tailor the tour to our liking.

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. Best wishes

Excellent Tour

Lynora_H, Oct 2022

Marilu was our private guide for our tour of the colosseum. She did a great job teaching us all about the colosseum. We really enjoyed the tour including the underground. There were a lot of people there but she did a good job of guiding us through. She also took us to The Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Our tour ran a little over time (I am a slow walker) and she never mentioned it! She stayed with us through the end, which meant the tour ran at least 30 minutes over. We highly recommend Marilu and this tour!

Response from Host, Oct 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. looking forward to seeing you again. Best wishes

Worth it!

Leo_O, Sep 2022

Access to uUnderground Chambers and skipping the lines. Personal experience and knowledgeable guide.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. looking forward to seeing you again. Best wishes

Private tour a definite plus

Kimberly_A, Sep 2022

The whole experience was amazing. We had Laura guiding us through the walls of the Colosseum and the Palatine hills. Her reflection of the historical events brought the grounds to life. The one on one experience had the benefits of easier access to the grounds and personalized choice of interests. Worth every penny!

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to know that you liked it and looking forward to seeing you again. Best wishes

Private colosseum tour with France

Angela_C, Sep 2022

Worth every penny! We had an amazing private hour with France. I highly recommend the private since there is so much to see and learn. In a group it will slow you down and you won’t be able to hear it all. France was amazing!!! It made it so special for us.

Response from Host, Sep 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to know that you liked it and looking forward to seeing you again. Best wishes

Favorite tour in Rome!

Suzanne_F, Aug 2022

This was hands-down our favorite tour in Rome. Franz was informative and engaging throughout the tour - truly exceptional. The underground portion was so unique and special, plus as a bonus we avoided the crowds. Our family of 5 (kids ages 16, 13, 10) can't stop talking about it! Highly recommend!

Best tour we did in Italy

Summer_H, Jul 2022

If I could give this tour 10 stars, I would. This exceptional private tour of the colosseum is 100% worth the money. I purchased this tour as a splurge for my husband and I on our honeymoon knowing that this was something he wanted to see more than anything else. I have been on holiday to Rome twice before, and I did tour the colosseum once in one of the skip-the-line style group tours; this private experience was miles above. Our private tour guide took her time to explain anything we wanted to know and at our own pace. She had excellent visual guides to assist with our understanding of the history. She also took my husband and I to the best place for picture opportunities and took the time to capture pictures of us at the colosseum. The underground portion of the tour must be led by a special type of tour guide (Italy's rules), but she dropped us with that guide and was there to pick us up when we were done. After visiting the colosseum at length, we toured the Roman Forum. The guide was cognizant of the high heat and made sure we had water and stayed as cool as possible. I should mention that the tour meeting point was very easy to locate, too. I truly loved this and would recommend this tour company to any friend going to Rome in the future.

Response from Host, Jul 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to know that you liked it and looking forward to seeing you again

Amazing Tour with Andrea!

crestcustom, Jul 2022

Besides the amazing Colossium, our guide was fantastic. His name is Andrea Arcieri. His knowledge is amazing!

Response from Host, Jul 2022

Hello Thank you for your feedback. We are glad to know that you liked it and looking forward to seeing you again

Great Private experience, worth the money especially with kids!

Geneya_S, Jul 2022

Tour guide was very knowledgeable and flexible when we wanted to stop, ask questions etc. Underground tour was good, we joined a few other groups for it and had the headsets to listen. The rest of the tour was just us and our guide which really made a huge difference in being able to enjoy everything.