Wonders of The Colosseum Tour - Exterior Experience in Rome
Rome, Italy
- 1 to 2 hours (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill are Rome’s premier archaeological treasures, but interpreting the complex remains of these vast sites is a challenge. Get a better understanding of the history and architecture of these fascinating ancient ruins on this guided tour that offers overview explanations and insights about the highlights of all three sites as you explore their exteriors.
- Explore Rome’s top ancient sites with a guide to better understand the ruins
- Enjoy a personal atmosphere with a small touring group
- Discover these sites from the outside for a budget-friendly experience
- Choose from several departure times to suit your schedule
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Optimize your time in Rome with this tour that covers the outside of the Colosseum in around an hour.
What's Included
- Professional guide
- Admission Fee - Admission ticket 18e per adult NOT INCLUDED
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- P.za del Colosseo, 21, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Our Friendly Staff will meet you in front of Colosseum (Colosseo) Metro B Station, next to the green kiosk. Please be at the meeting point 15 minutes before your tour time.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Colosseum
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
2
Roman Forum
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
3
Palatine Hill
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Not Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infant seats available
- Transportation is wheelchair accessible
- Most travelers can participate
- Each traveler must present a valid ID card or document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- Tickets are not included in the price, please note that there is additional cost of 18e per adult person. Our staff will accompany you to the ticket office where you can purchase tickets.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 30 travelers
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
Reviews
3.7
based on 1,682 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
We arrived at appropriate rendezvous point on time and no one representing arena tours or via tour have arrived. Only confusion at the meeting point.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
This review is not an accurate representation of what happened.
Our representative was present at the designated meeting point at 9:30 AM, the scheduled time of the tour, holding the Arena Tours sign and waiting for the guests. The meeting point and instructions are clearly provided with the booking.
There was also a phone number provided with the booking, as well as the option to contact us directly through Viator. However, the only message we received from the guest through Viator was sent at 3:52 PM — more than six hours after the scheduled tour time.
Had the guests contacted us at 9:30 AM, either by phone or through Viator, we would have been more than happy to assist them in locating the meeting point or our representative.
We therefore cannot understand the claim that no Arena Tours representative arrived. Our representative was there at the scheduled time, and no attempt was made to contact us during the time of the tour.
The first thing, the tour guide was late. Although she was very knowledgeable about the material, she talked so fast and never stopped to give us a chance to ask questions. Really didn’t learn much more than I could have received from chat gpt.
Response from Host, Sep 2026
We appreciate your feedback regarding the pace of the tour. Our guide is knowledgeable and experienced, and we are glad you recognized that during the experience.
Regarding the start time, our guides are instructed to arrive before the scheduled departure, and we take punctuality seriously.
The tour is designed to provide a detailed explanation of the Colosseum and its history within a limited amount of time, but we agree that guests should have the opportunity to ask questions along the way. We will take your comment regarding the pace into consideration and remind our guides to allow more time for interaction with the group.
Milo did a wonderful job with the tour. Fun tour guide and learned a lot from the experience. My sister and I got a private tour which was great!
Response from Host, Sep 2026
Thank you!
We had to cancel because the tickets did not include admission ti the Colliseum and the heat was extreme.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
This review is misleading. The tour you booked is explicitly an exterior experience and does not include admission tickets to the Colosseum. This is clearly stated in the tour title, description, and booking information before purchase.
You chose to cancel because the experience did not include something that was never advertised as included. The weather conditions in Rome are obviously outside our control and are not a valid reason to rate a tour one star, particularly when you did not actually participate in the tour.
A one-star review based on an expectation that directly contradicts the product description is simply unfair and does not reflect the quality of the experience we provide.
The tour was scheduled for 9:30 AM. We arrived at 9:20, but we couldn’t find anyone. We asked the staff members with flags near the green booth, but nobody knew anything or could help us!!!
This is absolutely ridiculous. We basically threw €50 away for nothing! Not only do you pay that much money for a tour that is ONLY outside, but then you have to somehow find the guide as well!
A complete disaster and a huge waste of money. I am extremely disappointed!
Please don’t waste your time writing comments in response to my review. Instead, spend that time improving your organization and making sure your tours are actually properly managed and professionally organized.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We must correct the false statements made in this review.
A few hours before the scheduled tour, you contacted us requesting a refund and explicitly informed us that you would not be attending the tour. The refund request was declined because it was made only a few hours before the scheduled starting time and did not meet the cancellation policy.
Therefore, your claim that you arrived at the meeting point, looked for the guide, and could not find anyone directly contradicts your previous communication with us.
Furthermore, you already had our phone number and successfully contacted us earlier. If you had genuinely been at the meeting point and experienced any difficulty locating our staff, you could have simply called or messaged us using the same number. We received no further call or message from you.
The tour operated as scheduled, and our staff was present at the designated meeting point as indicated in the booking confirmation.
We are always prepared to assist customers experiencing genuine difficulties, but we cannot accept accusations that directly contradict the customer's own previous communication with us.
They changed the time of the tour, notifying us on WhatsApp which we don’t use. We never got the message and they would not refund the tickets. This is an exterior tour. You can get the same tour in 15 minutes on your own. Don’t waste the money. There is a reason this trip is non refundable and non cancellable.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We are sorry to see this one-star review, especially since it contains several inaccuracies.
First, regarding the schedule change: your tour was originally scheduled for 10:30 AM, with a requested arrival time of 10:15 AM. We contacted you one day in advance via WhatsApp and asked you to arrive at 10:00 AM instead — a change of only 15 minutes. The message was successfully delivered to the WhatsApp number provided with your booking.
You then contacted us at 10:31 AM, after the scheduled start time of the tour, stating that you had arrived. Unfortunately, by that time, the tour had already started.
More importantly, your statement that we "would not refund the tickets" is simply incorrect. You did receive a refund for your booking.
As for the nature of the experience, this is clearly advertised as an exterior tour. The product title and description clearly state that it is an "Exterior Experience in Rome," so guests are fully informed about what is included before booking.
We always respect genuine feedback, but we also believe it is important to clarify the facts for future travelers. In this case, you were notified in advance of a 15-minute adjustment to the meeting time, the message was successfully delivered, and your booking was ultimately refunded.
Awesome thank you very much for the amazing guided tour!!
Beautiful architecture and I am in love with Roma
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank You!
This tour was amazing!! We had the lovely Milo as our tour guide and he was truly so knowledgeable and had a real passion for history! Me and my friend came out of the tour feeling inspired to learn my of the Roman history and would highly recommend booking this tour! The exterior tour I believe was better as you were able to take your time and milo was able to explain more about the colosseum! Thank you Milo!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank You!
Malo was great! The tour was fun and exciting! The guide had a vast array of knowledge about Italy. The views and photo we took were stunning.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank You!
Tour was bought & scheduled for 10:30AM. Upon arrival, after trying to find tour guide, one of the members walked us to group, where shortly after the tour guide relayed the tour started at 10AM! Poor Viator scheduling, no notice, indistinct identification for the specific tour as there are many. The tour guide himself was phenomenal!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
The tour start time was updated, and a notification with the new meeting time was sent to you the day before the tour through the Viator messaging system. We understand that this may have been missed, but we always notify our guests in advance whenever there is a schedule change. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed the guide and appreciate your kind words about their work.
We didn't join to the group because we couldn't find them! Meeting was on the metro station but there was nobody! 54 euros for nothing! Give us money back!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
We are sorry to hear that you were unable to join the tour, but the meeting point is clearly indicated on your voucher: outside the Colosseum Metro Station, next to the green kiosk. Our representatives are always there at least 15 minutes before the tour starts, holding a clearly visible Arena Tours sign.
If you were having difficulty locating the meeting point, you could have called or sent us a message using the contact details provided on your booking. We always respond and do our best to help guests find us. Unfortunately, we cannot issue a refund when guests do not arrive at the designated meeting point.
All outside of the colosseum, lots of history. Valeria was excellent, and made every effort to keep us in the shade when she could.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank You!
Although it was only the exterior we still learnt so much about the colosseum and forum!! Our guide Valeria was lovely and intelligent and we had a great time!
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank You!
Tour guide had great knowledge of the venue and its history. Although only an exterior tour, still recommend.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you!
Unprofessional. Not recommended. We arrived on time, no clear instructions and when I managed to contact them they already left.
No refund was provided and no explanation. When I called finally and they replied they said they couldnt do anything.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
The meeting instructions, exact meeting point, and required arrival time were clearly provided in advance. For this experience, participants were asked to arrive at 1:45 PM for the 2:00 PM departure.
Our team remained at the meeting point until 2:05 PM to allow additional time for late arrivals. However, contact from your side was received around 2:30 PM, after the tour had already departed and could no longer be delayed.
As the experience operated as scheduled and the service was available at the designated time and location, this does not qualify for a refund under the booking conditions.
We understand your frustration, but there were clear instructions provided and additional waiting time was given before departure.
extremely, disappointing, i was sent to the wrong meeting point with no one to contact, once i got hold of someone they put the phone down on me and didn't contact me back. please avoid this tour. 100% missing the tour i paid for. with no refund
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We would like to clarify a few important points regarding this review. The meeting point details were clearly provided on the voucher before the tour, including the exact location and arrival instructions. According to our records, contact was made approximately 15 minutes after the scheduled tour start time, and at that moment you were not at the designated meeting point.
To assist, the contact number of the staff member waiting at the meeting point was provided and communication was established. Unfortunately, the group had already departed and it was not possible to delay the tour or arrange rejoining once it had started.
The tour operated as scheduled and the meeting instructions were available in advance, which is why we are unable to agree with the statement that incorrect information was provided.
If you are a history person and like hearing all the facts this is for you!! But you basically just walk in a circle around the colosseum
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank You!
They should know it is exterior only which you did stress.
This tour provides background info re the structure and its history.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank You!
Tour guide Milo was great, but it was rushed. We finished in 50 minutes and did not head towards Roman Forum and Palantine Hill.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We appreciate your kind words about Milo. The tour includes explanations about the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill from the exterior viewpoints, and these were provided during your experience.
While the duration of a tour may vary slightly depending on group interaction and operational conditions, the itinerary was completed as advertised. We are therefore surprised by the rating, especially considering your positive comments about the guide.
This does not include access to the colosseum or the forum. These tickets are purchased separately and are allotted a time slot which may not be close to the time you are on the tour. However the guuide was great and the tour was very interesting
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank you for your review and for sharing your feedback.
We’re glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that you found the guide great and the experience interesting.
We would like to kindly clarify that this is an exterior tour and does not include entry to the Colosseum or Roman Forum. As stated in the tour description, entrance tickets must be purchased separately and are subject to timed entry slots managed by the official ticketing system, which may not always align with the tour time.
We appreciate your understanding and hope to welcome you again on another tour in Rome.
Very educational and interesting. I thought i knew what happened at the colloseum but I learned so much more.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank You!
It is a walking tour. Admission to Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine hill are NOT included. The tour did not start at 9:30am as mentioned in the ticket. As we decided to leave, we got a call from operator, and joined. The tour company name is not clear in the reservation, and that caused confusion.
Response from Host, May 2026
We are glad that we managed to meet at the end! Thank You!
Malo was Extremely knowledgeable and the tour was so well structured to where you learned the history in a way to help you better understand what you see in front of you.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thank You!
Tour was a scam: no site entry, poor guide, wasted 2 hours, overcharged €50. Could have bought tix solo! Avoid.
Response from Host, May 2026
The tour you booked was an exterior guided experience, exactly as described at the time of booking. Entry tickets to the Colosseum were not included, and this is clearly stated in the tour description before purchase.
Calling the tour a “scam” is simply inaccurate, as you received the service that was advertised. We encourage guests to carefully read the details of the experience before booking to ensure it matches their expectations.
It was very frustrating. They said the tour was to begin at 9;30, ended up the morning tour was csncelled and we had to wait till 11! Very poor communication.
Response from Host, May 2026
The morning tour was not cancelled. You contacted us around 10:00, after the tour had already started, and we still did our best to accommodate you by offering spots on the next tour at 11:00, even though we were not obligated to do so.
We always recommend arriving at the meeting point in advance and carefully checking the meeting instructions provided before the tour. Despite the situation, we still tried to help and make sure you could join the experience.
Haha they weren’t there, no tour, no people from Arena Tour, nothing. I was running around 20 mins trying to find them.
Response from Host, May 2026
We were present at the meeting point at the scheduled time, as always. Unfortunately, we did not receive any message or phone call from the guest in case they were having difficulty locating us. We always encourage guests to contact us directly so we can assist immediately and avoid any misunderstanding.
Very bad experience with this site
The “tour guide” tried to turn us off getting tickets into the attractions so were it says helps get tickets is lies
Also booked a skip the Que dome and tomb experience for the basilica then after going through it was an audiobook. Stay away from this site !!!
Response from Host, May 2026
Dear Amy
We’re sorry to hear about your experience, but we must clarify several incorrect claims in your review.
Our guide never discourages guests from purchasing tickets—quite the opposite. Every participant is clearly shown where and how to obtain tickets, and assistance is always provided when needed. There is absolutely no reason for our staff to act otherwise.
Regarding your second concern about the “skip the queue dome and tomb experience,” this is not a service we offer, nor is it part of our product. It appears you may be referring to a different booking made through another provider.
We kindly ask that reviews accurately reflect the service provided, as misleading information can create confusion for future travelers.
You didn’t tell us that we have to wait in line as others. I expect if I reserve at agency that they have some faster lines. I paid 100€ for absolutely nothing. We didn’t have time to wait in IDK 1-2 hour line with two kids!!
Response from Host, May 2026
We believe your feedback is not an accurate reflection of the service provided.
First, you booked an exterior tour, which clearly does not include skip-the-line access or entry tickets to the Colosseum. Any waiting line you encountered was related to your personal decision to purchase tickets on-site, which is entirely separate from the service you booked.
Additionally, our team explicitly offered assistance in helping you obtain tickets after the tour, but this requires a bit of flexibility and timing, especially during high-demand periods when tickets are sold out in advance.
It is also important to note that you arrived 20 minutes late, which already disrupted the normal flow of the tour and limited the support we could provide.
We always strive to assist our guests as much as possible, but we cannot be held responsible for expectations that fall outside of what was clearly described at the time of booking.
Not clear at the meeting point who to approach. You have to ask any random person to show you the way. Bit chaotic organisation but bonus was a free entry to the Colosseum as it was a holiday day in Rome.
The guide was knowledgeable and interesting but at the end just pointed you in the direction to finish the tour. All not cleatr when making the booking.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We would like to point out that the meeting point is clearly described in the booking confirmation, and our staff is always present there holding a visible sign. There is no need to ask random people, as assistance is readily available on-site.
Regarding the “free entry,” this was due to a public holiday in Rome and is entirely independent of our service.
The tour is an exterior guided experience, as clearly stated in the title and description. At the end of the tour, guests are given directions to continue their visit independently, which is standard for this type of activity.
We appreciate your comment about the guide and take note of your feedback, but we cannot agree that the information provided at the time of booking was unclear.
You can walk around the outside of the Colosseum without a guide, but it was good to have a guided tour and learn about the history of not only the Colosseum but also the other monuments along the same road.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
It’s true that the exterior of the Colosseum can be visited independently. This experience is designed for those who want more than just a walk, offering historical context and insights into the Colosseum and the surrounding monuments that are not available without a guide.
Member Pricing
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per personWas $29.48(-5%)
-You will not receive a refund if you cancel.
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