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
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 10 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.0
based on 440 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Khalid_M, Jul 2026
Great activity with family, it is a very historic place, Rome is a great city to visit, I would recommend it 😊
Graham_C, Jul 2026
Make sure you have headphones for your phone so you can use audio app. Awesome views inside the venue.
Paris_H, Jul 2026
We had a great experience with our Colosseum tour. The directions to the meeting point were very clear, making it easy to find, and the check-in process was smooth and well organized. Having everything clearly explained ahead of time made the experience stress-free.
The only downside was that the tour was audio-guided, but headphones were not provided, so you’ll want to bring your own if possible. Other than that, everything went very well, and we really enjoyed exploring the Colosseum at our own pace.
Overall, it was a great experience, and I’d definitely recommend this tour to anyone visiting Rome.
Veronica_L, Jul 2026
Meeting our guide was easy and he was helpful. You go off in your own which is great with kids because they can’t do a 3 hour tour and you can go as fast as you would like. They reason for 4 stars is the app you need to use to get the information was slow to load and not accurate but you can figure it out also it on your phone and you should bring earphones.
Abbey_C, Jul 2026
Audio guide was helpful but not worth the price. A regular ticket is 18 Euros without the guide. The colosseum has information through out that is very similar if not the same to the audio guide so I didn’t think it was needed. Was more helpful for Palatine Hull and the Roman Forum. Areas in the Forum have bad cell services so the audio guide doesn’t always work. We had a full access pass which was great and the 3pm slot was enough time to do everything before the Roman Forum closed.
David_A, Jul 2026
Met the representative easily and he was very nice. The tour had good information, however it was difficult to figure out where we were inside the Coliseum and the Forum compared with the audio guide.
Lisa_S, Jul 2026
Audio guide was lame, not worth paying for. You can get that info in 20 seconds on Google. Definitely pay for a human guide rather than the audio.
Oliver_J, Jul 2026
The purchase process was simple and straightforward. The problem arose because, 15 minutes before entry, none of your staff were at the agreed-upon location. Several people were looking for assistance, as we didn't know whether what we held were actual tickets or not, nor did we know which line to join. As a result, we waited unnecessarily for over an hour.
dana_j, Jul 2026
We skipped the line and we were given an app to download which allowed us to walk independently at our own pace! It was a great experience.
Nikol_T, Jul 2026
It was great but on the other hand would have lined to have a physical guide as the audio wasn’t working but In all we ere supposed to have audio version but coulnh
Jennifer_F, Jul 2026
It was simple and easy. The tickets were sent on the app and were easy to access. If you don't want a guide, this is the easy solution.
Claire_H, Jul 2026
Little confusing on meeting point and how to claim your ticket ect , be sure to bring your own head phones as the audio self guided tour is a app you download to your phone and listen with your own headphones
Narges_B, Jul 2026
First time in Italy and also visiting Colosseum. It was a fantastic experience! I highly recommend this to others to experience. Shakil was great tour guide answering our questions and advising on best options to take during tour.
Jennifer_N, Jul 2026
Booking was the easy part, but getting the actual tickets was difficult. I was sent a voucher but never sent the tickets like they said I was. I had to end up calling the booking agent/was not the nicest to deal with. He kept telling me I had the tickets, but the only text/email I received was the voucher. After trying to explain to him he finally sent me the link to the tickets.
Rutger_H, Jul 2026
Very bad customer service, that they charge a extra fee is don’t mind. But if I then have some
Questions I need correct answeres. I emailed, make phone calls they really don’t care and threat you bad. Always giving incorrect information and when you ask again they get irritated. Help customer, inform customers and don’t make it so difficult. The coliseum
Is beautiful 100% go do it. Just not with this provider. One of the worse staff ever!
Divya_P, Jul 2026
We did not receive any audio guide or assistance from Viator for this tour. We saw the Colosseum and others on our own.
Grace_F, Jul 2026
We had a wonderful experience. Our guides were super professional and the bonus was gelato at the end of the tour. They were extremely knowledgeable about the area. Very organized and safe. We booked the night time tour and it was great because there were less people in the populated areas and the sites were lit in a way that made it look magical.
Ann_A, Jul 2026
We couldn’t ever access our tickets so didn’t go in. We didn’t have clear instructions and I never received them via email. This is the first tour we’ve done where I’ve had this experience.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Ann,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are genuinely sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations.
According to our records, your tickets and all required entry instructions were sent through the Viator booking platform before your scheduled visit, as we do for every booking. In most cases, tickets are delivered 3–7 days before the travel date, while last-minute bookings are processed as soon as possible. The message includes your tickets, detailed instructions on how to access and use them, the meeting information (if applicable), and our host's contact details for immediate assistance.
We understand that travel preparations can be busy and that messages or attachments may sometimes be missed or overlooked. However, our support team is available to assist travelers before and during their visit. Had you contacted us through Viator or using the contact details provided, we would have been happy to help you access your tickets and ensure you were able to enter the Colosseum.
We are sorry that we were not given the opportunity to assist you on the day of your visit. Your feedback is important to us, and we will continue working to make our communication as clear and accessible as possible for all travelers.
We appreciate your feedback and wish you a wonderful continuation of your travels.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
Nicole_Q, Jul 2026
Our visit totheColloseum was easy and well organised, it ran very smootjly. Thank you to our tour organiser Shakil
Sarah_B, Jul 2026
The colosseum was an amazing experience and the full tour with arena access is well worth it. It would be even better to also add the underground tour to your trip too. From a Viatour perspective though I wouldn’t bother booking through this site, we didn’t get any added value from doing this, you can just book directly via the colosseum and head straight there. We went on a Friday morning and it was busy but there wasn’t really a queue, we didn’t even see a guide and the audio tour is literally just a free app that you can also download yourself.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Sarah,
Thank you for sharing your feedback and for your kind words about your visit to the Colosseum. We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the experience and found the Arena Access worthwhile.
We would, however, like to clarify a few points for future travelers. Our product is clearly described as a **self-guided experience with an audio guide**, not a guided tour. Travelers who book this option receive pre-booked timed entry tickets, Arena Access, detailed instructions, and customer support before and during their visit. If someone is looking for a live guided experience, we always recommend choosing one of our guided tour options instead.
Regarding the audio guide, the app itself is free to download, but access to our curated self-guided tour content is provided as part of your booking. It is not simply the standard free content available to everyone.
As for our host, assistance is available throughout the experience whenever needed. Since this is not a hosted entry product requiring travelers to meet a guide, you may not have needed to interact with our team, which is a positive indication that everything was ready for your visit.
We understand that some travelers prefer booking directly with the attraction, while others appreciate the convenience of securing tickets in advance, especially during periods of high demand, along with dedicated customer support if any issues arise. We respect your opinion and appreciate you taking the time to share it.
Thank you again for your review, and we hope you enjoyed the rest of your time in Rome.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
Rosie_B, Jul 2026
Once we met our guide it was very straight forward . He was super helpful and explained everything. Would highly recommend.
Taha_K, Jul 2026
The coloseum itself is a good experience but the self guided tour is poorly built and the app doesn’t auto play the tour and it’s not super clear in the coloseum where and when to play it. Also the audio contents may be overly detail and better delivered by a person
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Taha,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We're pleased to hear that you enjoyed visiting the Colosseum, and we appreciate your comments about the self-guided audio experience.
Our audio guide is designed to give travelers the flexibility to explore at their own pace rather than following an automatic playback. Before the tour, we recommend downloading the app and ensuring there is a stable internet connection for the initial setup, as this helps provide the smoothest possible experience. These instructions are included in the information we send before the visit.
We understand that self-guided audio tours are not everyone's preferred way to explore. Some travelers enjoy the freedom to pause, skip, or revisit points of interest, while others prefer the interaction and storytelling of a live guide. For those seeking a more immersive and guided experience, we recommend booking one of our professionally guided Colosseum tours.
Thank you again for your valuable feedback. We will continue working to improve the experience and make our instructions even clearer for future travelers.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
lisa_k, Jul 2026
Couldn’t locate the rep who was supposed to assist bit of issue with tickets but very helpful using app for help which was sorted immediately. The voucher system is confusing would prefer just to get a ticket sent
James_B, Jul 2026
The instructions say to meet at a meeting point but after waiting it turned out there was no one there to greet us and because we already had a ticket we could just go straight in. The instructions should be clearer. Also the extra price for arena floor is a scam because you get the same view and level on the exit.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear James,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry to hear that there was some confusion regarding the meeting point instructions.
We would like to clarify that the instructions provided before your visit stated that, upon arriving at the Colosseum, travelers could either **go directly to the security line with their tickets** or **meet our host at the Arch of Constantine** if they required assistance. Since your tickets had already been provided in advance, meeting our host was not mandatory and was offered as an additional support option for travelers who needed help with directions, ticket access, or any questions before entry.
We understand that this may not have been clear enough, and we will continue reviewing our instructions to make this distinction even more visible for future travelers.
Regarding the Arena Floor Access, we would also like to clarify that this is an official additional access area provided by the Colosseum authorities. It allows visitors to access the reconstructed arena level, providing a unique perspective from inside the amphitheater that is not included with standard entry. While some views may appear similar from other areas, Arena Floor Access provides entry to a specific restricted section.
We appreciate your feedback, as it helps us improve our communication and ensure travelers have the best possible understanding of their experience before arrival.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
SanjeevKumar_V, Jul 2026
I booked this package through Viator thinking it will be hassle free and good experience and service.
Here is the package details.
Rome: Colosseum, Forum & Palatine with Arena Access + Audio Guide
FULL EXPERIENCE WITH ARENA 09:45
Rome: Colosseum, Forum & Palatine with Arena Access + Audio Guide product page
Booking date
Tue, Jul 14, 2026
Booking location
VFQR+W7, Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
Travelers
2 Adults, 2 C
There are couple of concerns.
1) First they only provide a voucher and no ticket. You need to meet the third party vendor or partner at the meeting point. Only at the point they issue the actual ticket through WhatsApp. So technically you can’t enter the colosseum without meeting the partner.
2) it was a nightmare for me to locate the vendor or partner. There is no flag or no sign to guide the customers… my package was for 9.45. I reached there by 9.30 and search for 25 mins running around and asking for help to locate the person in the hot sun… at one point I thought I was scammed until one lady told where to find the partner “dream tourism”….
3) finally my biggest concern was I was left alone and asked to figure out myself. The partner shared the ticket and told me how to enter colosseum, Forum and palentine… that’s it. He never came in as a guide or atleast help us get the audio guide… we paid the money for nothing. We had to explore all 3 places by ourselves.
Anyone purchasing tickets, please make sure what you are buying and what you’re offered on the day .
Sanjeev
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Sanjeev,
Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not match your expectations, and we appreciate the opportunity to clarify some points regarding our product.
Our experience is advertised as a **self-guided visit with Arena Floor Access and an audio guide**, not as a live guided tour. The purpose of our host is to assist travelers with the ticket delivery process, provide entry instructions, and answer any questions before they begin their visit. The host does not accompany guests inside the Colosseum, Roman Forum, or Palatine Hill as a tour guide.
Regarding the tickets, due to the Colosseum’s official nominative ticketing system, tickets are issued according to the required procedures and traveler information. Our team provides the valid entry tickets and necessary instructions to ensure travelers can access the attraction. We understand that receiving tickets close to the meeting point may have caused some concern, and we will continue working to make the process as clear and convenient as possible.
We are sorry to hear that you had difficulty locating our host. The meeting point details and host information are provided before the visit, and our team is available to assist travelers who need help. We regret that you experienced stress while trying to find the meeting location, especially in the heat.
Regarding the audio guide, access details are provided with the booking instructions. Since this is a self-guided audio experience, travelers are expected to use the audio guide app independently while exploring the sites at their own pace. We always recommend downloading the app before arrival and ensuring a stable internet connection for a smoother experience.
We understand that a self-guided experience may not be suitable for everyone. Travelers who prefer a guide to accompany them throughout the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill may find a live guided tour option more suitable.
We appreciate your feedback and will use it to improve our instructions and communication so future travelers have an even clearer understanding of what is included before booking.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
Lynsey_W, Jul 2026
Was a great trip and staff very helpful. Son was happy that he had finally got to visit. Be prepared for it being busy though.
HIRAM_B, Jul 2026
It was an easy experience. The visitor rep was knowledgeable and gave step by step details on what included and where to go. Overall great experience
Chris_S, Jul 2026
You will walk A LOT!! dress appropriately and bring water. There are some of Romes many water fountains throughout, but Rome is hot so I do recommend a late day or early tour!!
The tour was about 2.5 hours.
I studdied Rome i school and still found the tourguide insightful! The tour guide was very informative and provided wonderful insights into the how, whe and why of the many interesting facilities, chambers and buildings. I could have stayed another 2 hours marveling at these colossal structures
Whitney_C, Jul 2026
The audio guide mentioned, is a free app that anyone can use once you have entered the Colosseum. I would try to download it beforehand in case you do not have service.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Dear Whitney,
Thank you for sharing your feedback. We appreciate you taking the time to provide your comments.
We would like to clarify that the audio guide included with our experience is not simply the general free app available to visitors after entering the Colosseum. Our self-guided experience includes access to curated audio content designed to help travelers explore the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill at their own pace.
As mentioned in our pre-visit instructions, we recommend downloading the audio guide app before arriving and ensuring you have a stable internet connection for the initial setup. This helps avoid any connectivity issues during the visit, especially in areas where mobile service may be limited.
We understand that some travelers prefer the flexibility of a self-guided experience, while others may prefer a live guide who provides personal storytelling and interaction throughout the visit. For those looking for a guided experience, we also offer live guided tour options.
Thank you again for your feedback. We will continue working to make our instructions clearer and ensure travelers have the best possible experience.
Kind regards,
Dream Tourism
Christina_D, Jul 2026
Full experience is the way to go. Makes everything so easy. Had trouble with the audio guide but chalking it up to user error.
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