Rome: Catacombs Underground & Colosseum Small Group Tour

Rome, Italy

High interest

Booked 3 times today.

4 hours (approx.)
Offered in: English

Overview

See another side of Rome's Colosseum on this small-group tour. Head underground and discover ancient chambers that once housed animals and intricate stage machinery. Then, follow your guide to the first and second levels of the arena, before exploring the nearby Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Perfect for history lovers and those wanting to delve deeper into the Eternal City's ancient legacy.

Enjoy a personalized experience in a small group
Beat ticket anxiety, with entry to all locations included
Choose from multiple departure times per day for extra flexibility
Don't miss a word, with complimentary use of audio headsets

What's Included

Professional tour guide (where applicable) and headsets
All entry tickets (depending on the option selected)
Entry to the Catacombs (all options)
Entry to the Basilica of San Clemente (Catacombs & San Clemente option)
Colosseum admission ticket with multilingual audio guide (Catacombs & Colosseum option)
Admission to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (Catacombs & Colosseum option)
Round-trip transportation to and from the Catacombs (all options)

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Food and drinks

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Via dei Serpenti, 114, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Show me Italy tour manager will be waiting to accommodate you.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

Itinerary

Via dei Serpenti

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Catacombe Di Domitilla

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Basilica of San Clemente

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Roman Forum

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Colosseum

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Not wheelchair accessible
Near public transportation
Infants must sit on laps
Most travelers can participate

The meeting time is subject to change. In this case, you will be contacted in advance via email
Tours will run rain or shine (unless closed for safety reasons)
Please arrive 15 minutes before the start time of the tour
No weapons (pocket knives), glass bottles or large backpacks
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Supplied by

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 3 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.

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

4.4

based on 274 reviews

Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor

We perform checks on reviews

Sort by: Most insightful

Exercise Caution

Shafali_H, Jul 2026

Please be careful when booking this tour. It says Catacombs and Colloseum, but we ended up on a tour that did not include the Colloseum. Viator's booking for this is not clear. The tour company let us know 2 days before that the Colloseum was not included (too late to cancel) and offered to help with alternative arrangements but then never got back to us. Day of the tour the app sent us to the wrong location (in fact, they said the meeting point was the Colloseum) and we had to race a 1/2 mile to get to the correct location. I reached out to Viator, but was essentially told it was our own fault.

The tour was not marketed...

Hunter_S, Jul 2026

The tour was not marketed as it was online. We were also sent to three different locations and missed the first hour of our tour. Very unorganized.

Will change your time and experience last minute

Tara_T, Jul 2026

I booked the Catacombs and Colosseum experience, which was advertised as running from 10:00 a.m. to approximately 12:15 p.m. As with most travelers, our itinerary had some flexibility, but it was not possible to completely rearrange our day at the last minute. On Saturday evening before the tour, while we were traveling, I received a voicemail stating that our start time had been moved to 9:00 a.m. and that we would also need to split up the Colosseum portion of the experience. Because it was Sunday and the office was closed, I had no way to contact the company. Then, at 7:00 a.m. on Monday—the morning of the tour—I received a WhatsApp message confirming that we needed to arrive earlier and that the Colosseum portion had been moved to 1:30 p.m., which conflicted with other prepaid plans we had already made. When I explained that these changes no longer worked for our itinerary and politely requested a cancellation and refund, the company stopped responding altogether. Thankfully, after I provided Viator with the voicemail and WhatsApp messages documenting the changes and lack of communication, Viator issued a full refund. I understand that unexpected changes can happen, but clear communication and responsive customer service are essential. Unfortunately, my experience with the tour provider fell well short of that expectation.

Good communication. They...

Jeffrey_S, Jul 2026

Good communication. They had to cancel the catacombs portion due to low numbers. Offered to refund that part. The Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill part is a self guided audio tour. You can go at your own pace. We saw a lot and learned a lot through it.

Cancelled last minute

Jennifer_T, May 2026

We didn’t get to go on the tour. 15 minutes before our expected check in time they cancelled the tour. They gave us a full refund which I appreciate, and I understand that people get sick, but notice 15 minutes before is unacceptable especially with how booked out tours get. Even with a couple hours notice we could have planned ahead and rescheduled our day to accommodate. Really disappointed

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback. We are very sorry to hear that your tour was cancelled at short notice and understand how disappointing this must have been, especially when it disrupted your plans for the day. While we are glad the refund was processed, we completely understand your frustration regarding the timing of the cancellation and the limited opportunity to reorganize your schedule. Your comments are appreciated and will be taken into account as we continue working to improve communication and reliability for our guests. Thank you again for sharing your experience.

Not impressed

Victoria_J, May 2026

We booked this tour, when arriving at meeting point we were told it wasn’t happening so were sent to Pallatine hill and Roman forum instead. I sent a message to this company explaining that all we wanted to do was go to the Colosseum and was thus booked on another tour on the Monday. We arrived on the Monday to be told that this tour was for Roman forum and Pallatine hill and Colosseum. I requested that we miss this tour and was offered a trip to Colosseum later that day. What a total mess about and very unprofessional of the company although the actual guides on the day were most helpful. I would not use this company again .

Cancel

Deb_B, May 2026

It was canceled. It was advertised as a view of the colosseum underground. Everyone canceled in the group and I was offered a view of the catacombs in the afternoon but I was flying out early the next day so I ended up doing a pasta making course.

Response from Host, May 2026

Thank you for your feedback.We truly appreciate your understanding and will review this to improve how we handle such situations in the future.

Underground

Christina_Y, Mar 2025

Magda was amazing and so knowledgeable. She got us in and out of the crowds and knew the best place for photos.

Worth it!

Janet_M, Sep 2024

Humi was a good guide. Lots of interesting facts and history shared. Good pace. Wished we could have had the underground part of the tour but it was changed. Viatour handled it well though with a partial refund. Worth going in a tour group even if just to skip the lines.

Excellent tour

Ronda_E, Jul 2024

The underground tour was excellent and we had an exceptional tour guide who was very knowledgeable. I highly recommend this tour.

Great tour with one criticism

Diane_K, Apr 2024

Magda was an excellent guide, very knowledgeable and a good storyteller. Unfortunately, her audio transmitter ran out of battery in the middle of the tour and we lost out on the excellent information she was trying to provide. Hence the 4-star rating . Recommend that all participants check their battery level before leaving on the tour. That was disappointing. Otherwise, the tour was excellent.

Very dissappointed and feel I have been robbed!!!

Jennifer_E, Apr 2024

Went to the destination meeting place 1/2 hr before required. Was informed our trip time was changed from 10:30am to 2:25 pm . Had not been informed via call or text of this change. Local guide service said to contact company for refund which was due to not our fault. Refund was refused by the company!!! Very disappointed as we scheduled this many months before our trip and now we are out the money!!! Do not use this company!!!

Got a workout instead of a tour

Osama_E, Mar 2024

Our tour guide did the tour at what was essentially a jogging pace; we lost two families entirely before the Colosseum and then when a few of us got separated at the Colosseum, rather than taking a moment to let anyone catch up, he yelled at us for "not following him". There was practically no time to look at anything or take pictures.

The only way to get a great Colosseum experience!

Sula_M, Mar 2024

Our guide Benjamin was very knowledgeable and made the experience interesting and fun! Great information. Wear comfortable shoes!

Great visit to coliseum

Ben_W, Feb 2024

We really enjoyed this tour. Met all expectations. Went for 4+ hours. Really knowledgeable guide - was not rushed - and very helpful. would happily recommend.

Colosseum underground tour

Tad_S, Dec 2023

The meeting location was easy to find and well marked. They updated a change of time for our tour due to oversales of the original time slot and confirmed with us several times about the time change. We met our guide Nicola at the office who was right on time. It was a short distance to the Colosseum from the meet location. Nicola was probably the best tour guide we've ever had. He kept track of everyone all of the time and by name! He involved everyone in his conversation of history regarding the several stops in the Colosseum and Roman Forum. We ran short of time for Palatine hill, but he gave us the tickets for us to do on our own which we did. Super informative and entertaining tour. Well worth the money to go to the underground where the gladiators entered and the animals were kept.

Underground tour is amazing

Lyn_C, Nov 2023

This tour was so good. Loved going down into the underground of the colosseum and hearing about the history. The female guide we had was very knowledgeable Saw so much on this tour, worth the money

Great tour!!

Sherri_N, Nov 2023

Great tour!!! Definitely a must do tour of the Colosseum Underground! Tour company and guide were great! Very easy to work with and also easy to find when starting tour!!

Good

Diane_M, Nov 2023

Good tour, lady very knowledgeable. Well worth what we paid, enjoyed it and easy to find the start of the tour.

Good tour but not what I booked.

Lorraine_M, Nov 2023

A great tour with a knowledgeable and entertaining host. Unfortunately, the coliseum underground was not provided as booked. The tour operator notified us a few days before the tour about this and changed the time with a take it or leave it option. They lied and said that the coliseum had oversold the tickets when it was them that promised something they could not deliver. I will not book with "Show Me Italy" again.

A Must Do if you visit Rome! Small group size!

Susan_S, Oct 2023

Marta, our tour guide was awesome. She painted a picture and told stories of the history of our tour. Excellent and professional. Our tour consisted of 15 in our group which was a perfect size! We had ear plugs which helped hear what she was saying as we walked. I would highly recommend this tour to all who wish to visit Rome.

No regrets with this tour!

lisacook75, Oct 2023

Scott was so informative and very easy to listen to. The Underground Tour definitely gave a different perspective , we enjoyed every minute of it.

I would recommend this tour

Joseph_V, Oct 2023

Visiting the colosseum, palatine hill and the forum with a knowledgeable guide provides a greater understanding of Rome and its place as an empire. This tour was amazing, and the guides were knowledgeable. Be forewarned however, this tour can be exhausting due to the walking and climbing the steps on Palatine Hill.

Colloseum

Chad_L, Oct 2023

Great guide very knowledgeable. Much more to see than I thought there was. A must see but have good walking shoes it's a long tour but worth it.

Amazing!

Beth_O, Oct 2023

This was such an amazing experience, super easy meeting place and easy to get into the colosseum! Our guides had such great knowledge of both the colosseum and the forum/palatine hill, I learnt so much. Will definitely recommend this to anyone going to Rome!!

Didn't happen

Kathy_H, Oct 2023

There weren't any! I was looking so forward to the underground tour. That was the only reason I wanted and paid for this tour. I had been to the Colosseum once before, but I didn't want to disappoint my friend because she had never seen it. It was our last day in Rome, so I took the deal that Viator offered unhappily!

It was best tour we took the entire trip

michael_m, Oct 2023

If you have the ability do this tour take it. you can not just show up to do the underground tour you have to prebook and it sells out fast. It was best tour we took the entire trip. You learn so much more about the place, how it was built, how it stayed standing and about the gladiators. Our guild had a degree in the subject so she new a lot of information. Bring water it is a long tour.

Fantastic way to see the Colosseum

Chris_B, Oct 2023

Definitely worth the extra cost to view the Colosseum underground. Not only do you get fast-tracked through the herds of people, you get to see many aspects (lower and upper) that the standard tourist doesn't have access to. Makes for a more enjoyable experience, highly recommended.

Tipsy tour

Kimberly_S, Oct 2023

This was a blast. Had an incredible time with pari and Harley they were so much fun. Everyone should do this tour

Great tour

Tricia_S, Oct 2023

Both parts of the tour were lead very well by our 2 different tour guides. The guides for the Roman Forum and for the Colosseum tours were well organized and knowledgeable about their areas. We appreciated that they were articulate and personable and made our tours fun and informative. Our headsets worked fine, just a few times they cut out. With the huge crowds, we were glad we booked a small group tour with skip the line. Our waits were minimal compared with wait times of others. Definitely recommend this tour group based on our experience!