Expert Guided Tour of Colosseum or Arena or Underground & Forum
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Rome, Italy
- 2 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Not all visitors to the Colosseum get to see all of its areas. This guided tour provides access to parts of this ancient arena that are usually off-limits. Choose to explore either the arena floor or the underground during this experience, and walk in the footsteps of gladiators. After your visit, continue your tour at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and gain deeper insight into Ancient Roman life.
- Visit three ancient ruins in one single tour
- Learn more than you would exploring alone with live commentary
- Don't miss a word your guide says with provided audio headsets
- Upgrade to private tour to suit your preferences
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
Explore the Colosseum’s arena or underground—exclusive areas that many tours don’t get access to.
What's Included
- In-depth guided tour of the Colosseum with an expert guide
- Guided visit of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Live expert guide & earphones to hear your guide clearly
- Colosseum Arena/Underground ticket (only with the "Inside Tour" options) worth €18–€24 by entry type
- Roma Pass: 2-days tourist-card valued at €38 (only with option "External Tour - Entrance Included")
- 2-days public transport with the Roma Pass (only with option "External Tour - Entrance Included")
- Reduced price on museums with the Roma Pass (only with option "External Tour - Entrance Included")
- Ticket to Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, valued at 18 Euros
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- P.za del Colosseo, 21, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Meet us at the green kiosk at street level outside “Colosseo” metro station - Line B (blue line). Look for a member of staff holding a yellow Touriks sign. There’s also an upper floor exit of the metro station; please meet us downstairs. Please arrive 30 minutes before your starting time.
End point
- Roman Forum00186 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
Itinerary
Meet your guide and group at the designated departure point in central Rome. Begin your visit at the Colosseum, where you access restricted areas not included on standard visits, including the underground chambers and the Arena floor.
As you explore, learn how gladiators, animals, and stage crews once operated behind the scenes, and gain insight into daily life in ancient Rome.
Continue past the Arch of Constantine before walking into the Roman Forum, once the political and social center of the empire. Follow a clearly planned route through temples, basilicas, and public squares while hearing stories of emperors, senators, warriors, and religious traditions.
Climb onto Palatine Hill for elevated views over the ruins and surrounding city, and learn why this area became the preferred residence of Rome’s elite.
Throughout the half-day experience, your guide provides historical context and explanations, allowing you to explore at a steady pace while focusing on key landmarks.
The tour concludes within the archaeological zone, leaving you free to continue exploring independently.
As you explore, learn how gladiators, animals, and stage crews once operated behind the scenes, and gain insight into daily life in ancient Rome.
Continue past the Arch of Constantine before walking into the Roman Forum, once the political and social center of the empire. Follow a clearly planned route through temples, basilicas, and public squares while hearing stories of emperors, senators, warriors, and religious traditions.
Climb onto Palatine Hill for elevated views over the ruins and surrounding city, and learn why this area became the preferred residence of Rome’s elite.
Throughout the half-day experience, your guide provides historical context and explanations, allowing you to explore at a steady pace while focusing on key landmarks.
The tour concludes within the archaeological zone, leaving you free to continue exploring independently.
1
Roman Forum
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Palatine Hill
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Arch of Constantine
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Colosseum
50 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Ludus Magnus
5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Most travelers can participate
- IMPORTANT: After entering the participants’ names during the booking process, please specify in the “Special Requirements” field who the adults and children are, so we can issue the correct Colosseum tickets. Missing information may result in denied entry.
- Please provide the full names of all travellers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travellers' full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- Please note that the tickets for this tour are nominative. We will register on them the names you have provided during checkout. Please make sure to provide the names of the people attending the tour as they appear on their ID or passport.
- You will pass through strict security checks both at the Colosseum and at the Roman Forum entrance. Please be aware that security check lines are not skippable.
- The order in which the sites are visited during the tour can vary; either the Colosseum or Forum and Palatine Hill will come first
- A moderate amount of walking and steps are involved; wear comfortable walking shoes
- Please note that the group will leave the meeting point 15 minutes before the starting time in order to pass the security check
- This tour is subject to favorable weather conditions. If canceled due to poor weather, you will be given the option of an alternative date or full refund
- 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.
- Please be at the meeting point 30 minutes before the tour starts in order to complete the signup. We might not be able to accommodate, refund or reschedule late arrivals
- Flying drones and knives of any kind are strictly forbidden. Neither trolleys and big backpacks nor animals are allowed into the Colosseum. Glass/metal containers and sprays of any kind are also not allowed.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 7 days in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.7
based on 5,259 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Sarah_L, Jul 2026
Amazing tour Dona the guide was very informative. The tour was about 2.5 hours would highly recommend going on the arena floor was brilliant.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour.
Chandana_N, Jul 2026
We had a wonderful time with Francesca. She was very knowledgeable with helpful illustrations for us to learn about the historical context of the sites. Long tour on uneven surfaces and steps, so wear good walking shoes. If you’re going in the summer bring a hand fan and water bottle. There are water fountains for filling the bottles.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour.
Silvia_G, Jul 2026
The tour started at the Roman forum and ended in the Colosseum which was just perfect. Really worth it, the guide is essential for the Roman forum
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our tour!
Jennifer_B, Jul 2026
This vendor could not get us in. Was a complete waste of time. This tour group was likely an unofficial scalper group.
Kimberly_C, Jul 2026
Incredible! Christina is such a fabulous guide! She looked out for all of us, keeping us in the shade and AC (while other guides talked directly in the sun). Christina found us some benches and AC, and had her pics with her to share about the Vatican. We learned so much about the Vatican, and some ins and outs about Italy, too! She made it really fun!!
lucy_d, Jul 2026
It is very worth it! Guide Francesca was very knowledgeable & entertaining. She kept the group engaged even though it was a 3 hour tour and it was a very hot day. Very kind, letting us know where the bathrooms were, were the fountains were and also brought additional visual aids to help with her explanations. She was really great.
Response from Host, Jul 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour with Francesca.
Amanda_M, Jun 2026
Laura was very knowledgeable. Added historical information as well as info about local plants. Very mindful of the extreme heat. She was fabulous.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour with Laura.
Ryan_R, Jun 2026
Good tour, lots of knowledge and fun experience.
Tour guide was knowledgeable and very passionate about everything he was teaching us
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum tour with us.
Trevor_G, Jun 2026
Our tour was with Touriks. We confirmed the Colosseum and Arena floor 2 days ahead of time. When we got there, we were told that all of the tickets in the group were invalid. We had to buy a new ticket, no Arena floor, and got in an hour late. This is becoming more common.
The tour was a let down. Sam was nice, and had lots of information; unfortunately too much time was spent on non-Colosseum details and it moved too slowly.
We had to leave before we even got to the Forum or Palatine Hill portion as we had other tickets that we could not miss.
Buyer beware, they are cracking down on third party tour groups!
Angela_D, Jun 2026
It was wonderful and very informative. Our guide was very knowledgable and very funny. He made the experience so much better.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you - we are thrilled to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour.
J_J, Jun 2026
Great experience! Patient guide who allowed time for photos, and also gave great detail of tour history. Worth the time & memories.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour.
Elizabeth_M, Jun 2026
We had a great time on our tour. She was knowledgeable and informative. We all really appreciated our guide’s thoughtfulness about the impact the unusually hot weather would have on us and she kept us in the shade as much as possible. She was also extremely accommodating to the folks who were less agile and needed to use the elevator. I wish she was the guide on all of our tours here in Rome!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you, we are so glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour!
Wayne_H, Jun 2026
Very disappointing paid for colosseum and arena tour only to be told at gates at colosseum that our tickets were not valid. We than had to purchase new tickets and told by tour operator that we would only receive a 40% refund . Our guide was fantastic and full of knowledge just wish the rest of organisation was as good.
John_C, Jun 2026
Mario was extremely knowledgeable and did a great job of explaining what we were seeing and how it was built thousands of years ago. He included humor where it was appropriate which helped maintained everyone’s interest!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum tour with Mario!
Laramie_S, Jun 2026
Highly recommend this tour! Our guide, Manola, was fantastic — extremely knowledgeable and engaging throughout. She brought the history to life with vivid stories that made the Roman ruins feel real. If you are looking for a tour covering the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum, this is the option to choose.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum tour with Manola!
Karen_D, Jun 2026
This tour of course has a lot of walking. Near the end when my 65 year old husband was offered the elevator in the coliseum, he accepted. The guide said he would meet us at the top. By the time we managed to get in the third elevator, our tour group was gone and we never found them again. We spent a frustrating hour searching and figuring out how to return the audio devices. We asked Viator for a refund and they declined. It seems like a breach of contract to me and is certainly a cautionary tale about separating even briefly and with permission from the group.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you for your review. We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy our tour. We did speak with the guide and they said they wait for a bit and did not see you, so they thought you had left.
For any future issues, please note that the voucher has our phone number that you can use to call us.
Morgan_D, Jun 2026
This tour is a must-book. Laura was our tour guide and she was so knowledgeable. It was so amazing and a perfect amount of time. We went on a hot day and she was great about being accomodating for everyone and doing everything she could for this experience to be so enjoyable for all. She was so smart and amazing at answering questions and providing little fun facts that were so memorable! So glad we did this!!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour with Laura!
Janelle_C, Jun 2026
Our tour guide was a wealth of information. We had many curious questions from our group and she expertly answered them based on historical facts. So interesting! Was a highlight of our trip!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour!
Robyn_T, Jun 2026
Great experience! Our guide was very knowledgeable and informative. I particularly enjoyed the Palatine hill segment which was very beautiful. We went in June so definitely recommend cool clothing and sun protection as most of the ruins are uncovered. We got the ‘Arena’ experience and it was great to see the ground floor where the gladiators fought in ancient times. Would definitely recommend this tour as a great way to experience the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum Arena and Forum guided tour!
Donnie_T, Jun 2026
Dr. Jones, our guide was the best! He was very knowledgeable and full of history facts we would never have known!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum guided tour with us.
nene_k, Jun 2026
Amazing experience!
Our guide was very knowledgeable, informative and helpful.
Highly recommended tour but be prepared to do a lot of walking. Tennis shoes are a must.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum guided tour with us.
Joe_B, Jun 2026
This tour was well organised and our guide Rosy was excellent
and easy to hear via the provided ear piece
She was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable and her insights really added to the experience - we learnt so much more than we would have done without a guide
Recommended!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum guided tour with us.
Heather_M, Jun 2026
Our guide was very knowledgeable. Definitely glad we booked the morning tour as it was packed by the time we were ending. Also it gets hot quickly in the summer months.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour.
Melissa_L, Jun 2026
Exceptional tour with a knowledgeable and extremely funny guide. Originally had booked the underground portion with forum (6 months prior) but operator cancelled at last minute and we were able to secure arena floor and forum. No longer disappointed and even had a chance to see down in to underground and learn a bit about it. Forum was also incredible.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum and Roman Forum guided tour!
Jennifer_D, Jun 2026
This should have been a 5 star tour, had it actually included all the sites listed. Our tour guide took us to Palatine Hill, and then the Colosseum. When some of the group asked about the Roman forum at the end, she said separate tickets would need to be purchased to see that area. The description of what we paid for said it was included, so I was definitely mad that we didn't get to see the forum in person. We took our tickets to the forum to verify, and they did say that it was not included in that ticket since the guide took us to Palatine hill instead, when all 3 should have been included per the description. This tour was not cheap, and I didnt want to pay even more to see a site that was supposed to have been in what we paid for.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy this tour with us, however it seems very unlikely that the guide did not tour the Forum. The Palatine Hill is located inside the Roman Forum and you must walk around most of it before reaching the hill. The guide you had on your tour is an art historian and she always gives explanations to most locations in the Roman Forum.
We will check regarding the issue, but it is known to every guide that the one ticket you hold allows the visit to both the Forum and the Hill (as they are in the same area and the entrance includes access for all).
Larry_G, Jun 2026
This excursion was very informative! I would do it again! Our guide was so knowledgeable and gave great restaurants recommendations at the end!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour.
js612978, Jun 2026
Sam the guide was an excellent. He was very knowledgeable and patient with all the guests and answered questions very thoroughly.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum tour with Sam.
D_M, Jun 2026
We did the full access arena tour in June on a sold out day. Communication prior to the event was on point. We scheduled the morning time and the tour company reached out to see if we were available in the afternoon instead. I’m glad we were. It was hot but a lot less crowded. Meeting location and check in process was clearly informed. Our guide did an amazing job at sharing interesting facts and stories while keeping us engaged and entertained with some jokes. Tried to keep us in the shade as much as possible and gave us a couple of breaks. My 9 year old loved the tour and learned a lot. The only area not covered in this tour was the underground section. Highly recommended!
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour!
Laurie_G, Jun 2026
This tour did not disappoint. First, let me say the tour company is very good at communicating. We had trouble finding the meeting spot and messaged the operator. They were quick to respond and assisted us in finding them by texting us a picture of where they were. Our guide, Patrick, was awesome! He shared stories in a very interesting, easy to understand way of the history of the Colosseum and of the types of events this place hosted thousands of years ago. The small group size made it easy to stay engaged and be able to hear. While inside, we were able to see the Colosseum from a variety of perspectives. To access the second floor you have to climb steep stairs. Patrick was very good at making sure everyone in our group was able to get up there, either by using the lift or the stairs. After seeing the Colosseum, we walked over to the Forum. It is amazing to see the remnants of the buildings that once were used by a civilization of people thousands of years ago. Patrick took us to what once was a 5 story palace of which 3 stories have been recovered. The views of Rome from that height are stunning! You also get a bird’s eye view of the Forum below. Amazing!!! Walking through the Forum gave you a real sense of the past. I would highly recommend this tour and our guide, Patrick. Wear comfortable shoes because there is a lot of walking and standing, and bring water. There are water filling stations along the way, which is helpful.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you so much for the thorough review, we are so glad to hear that you enjoyed the whole experience with us during your Colosseum guided tour (with Patrick!). We look forward to welcoming you back into one of our other tours in Rome!
Phillip_B, Jun 2026
Excellent tour, with an extremely knowledgeable guide. There is a lot of uneven ground so wear sturdy footwear.
Response from Host, Jun 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you found our Colosseum tour to your liking!
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