Expert Guided Tour of Colosseum Arena OR Underground, and Forum
Recommended by 91% of travelers
Rome, Italy
- 3 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
- Access to EITHER the Underground section OR the Arena floor /depends on option chosen during booking
- Guided tour of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Live expert guide
- Sterilized earphones to hear clearly your guide
- Full on-site assistance
- Colosseum entrance ticket valued at €18 per person, or €24 per person if Arena access
- Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
- The upper levels of the Colosseum are not part of this tour
- Please note: The "Arena" options of this tour do not include access to the Underground section
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
Colosseum
1 hour 10 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
2
Colosseum
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Arch of Constantine
10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
4
Roman Forum
40 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
5
Palatine Hill
30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
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
- 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.
- 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 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
- 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
- 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
- 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 5,097 reviews
Diane_N, Apr 2026
Great tour! We really enjoyed hearing about the history of the area. Our guide was very knowledgeable.
Vanessa_Q, Apr 2026
Very knowledgeable of the history of the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum. We learned many things that we did not know. We recommend this tour!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much, we are grateful to hear that you enjoyed the guided tour with us.
Kelly_B, Apr 2026
Very knowledgeable tour guide with lots of great info. We were only in rome for 2 days and had only the one afternoon available to see the colloseum. They worked with us and didnt just leave as we were running a couple minutes late. Would highly recommend this guide.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us!
PatriciaA_P, Apr 2026
Of course, the Colosseum and the Forum are fantastic, I’ve been there before. You did spend a whole lot of time talking about the palace, I would’ve preferred a little more information on the forum for my friend who had never been there before. But for what we purchased, you did a fantastic job. Sometimes some of the very technical archeology information was a little too much and unnecessary. But aside from that again, it was wonderful. I still give it a five stars. Everyone was timely and polite and gracious and able to walk the long long distance that we walked. It was exactly what we expected.
Grazia!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you for your review, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us and appreciate the feedback!
Frank_C, Apr 2026
The tour was AMAZING!! Honestly, we liked the tour of the forum as much or more than the colosseum. It was a little pricey, but worth it to get a tour of both places (including the underground portion of the colosseum) in a small group. I've been to the colosseum before, and definitely got more out of the experience seeing underground. Our tour guide, Rosy, was the best! We highly recommend her! I also recommend doing this in Spring or Fall - there is not a lot of shade (except for the underground part), it would be rough in the summer heat.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour!
Geetq_P, Apr 2026
It is safe and reliable platform for booking be relaxed and stress free about the money you invest there.The guides provided in guided tours are very knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum tour with us.
Elizabeth_M, Apr 2026
Our guide was exceptionally knowledgeable and friendly. We really appreciated his experience as our your guide.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much!
We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum guided tour.
Ranjit_B, Apr 2026
The tour guide matching with the group (which was all English speaking countries) was poor resulting in hard to understand the accent and follow 80% of the tour. The guide staff was late to the meeting point. Not worth the exorbitant prices charged !!
Would want to claim partial refund for the tour!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We are sorry to hear that you did not enjoy the experience, and we are surprised to hear that our guide was hard to understand.
Our guide is a licensed one and her English is pretty good, we never received any complaints nor has anyone ever mentioned not being able to understand her at all.
Also, we did apologise for being a couple of minutes late once we arrived at the meeting point, to which you said it was no issue at all - this was due to the power outage that suddenly and unexpectedly happened in the Colosseum and Forum area (out of our control) and us having to quickly move some things around due to what was happening, which resulted in a 5 minute delay.
Nevertheless we hope you enjoyed the views.
Lyndsay_J, Apr 2026
Expensive but well worth it especially for our sons who learned a lot. Our guide was amazing and so knowledgeable.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us.
Susan_T, Apr 2026
We we had a very good tour guide and a very nice time in the whole experience was very informative, professional and very well done.
We did not do the underground, but it would probably be a good idea if we ever came back.
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour!
Sarah_j, Apr 2026
Very knowledgable guide
Very friendly and accommodating
Average size group
Tour over ran but guide happy to carry on
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you! We are happy to hear that everything was up to your standards and look forward to welcoming you back into one of our guided tours in Rome :)
ANNE_H, Apr 2026
Great guide who answers all questions with expert knowledge. She managed the queues very well and filled in gaps when we were waiting around with good stories whilst we waited. Very nice voice with good, clear English. I liked when she tried to invoke the atmosphere of the amphitheatre and the tunnels. I thought she was very knowledagle
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you!
We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum guided tour with us.
GEMMA_C, Apr 2026
Great experience, I was hoping for it to include the underground but it wasn’t available. Tour guide was funny and engaging 👌
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much! We are so glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum Arena and Forum guided tour with us.
Sara_U, Mar 2026
The experience and the guide were amazing! Plenty of time to see the area we toured and take pics and great information on the history and restoration. She was wonderful and gave bathroom breaks!! Pace was not to fast- no real lines to wait in. We would have waited two hours to get in. Thank you so much for a great tour!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Thank you so much - we are happy to hear that you enjoyed the experience with us!
Mackenzie_H, Mar 2026
Great experience - Super helpful to have a guide walk you through the history of these places. Thank you!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum tour with us.
Robert_S, Mar 2026
We had a great time. Rosy was an excellent guide. She explained everything and provided fantastic facts about the ruins and the Colosseum. We had our 3-year-old with us, and she was incredibly patient. She has illustrations to walk through, what says explaining I would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum tour with Rosy!
Lori_S, Mar 2026
The tour was spectacular with historical knowledge from Gabriel our guide. The Forum is a site to be experienced. Loved Gabriel’s insight. Would highly recommend.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your review. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our tour with Gabriel!
Angelina_P, Mar 2026
Guido was our tour guide and he was fantastic! He speaks fluent English and was very easy to understand. He had in depth knowledge of Roma and the Roman Forum. The highlight of the tour is that you get to go inside the Colosseum. You get inside access to Palatine Hill as well. If you are looking for a very informative tour with a tour guide who answers every question expertly, this is the tour for you!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much, we are so happy to hear that you have enjoyed the whole experience with us at the Colosseum and Forum with Guido!
Joseph_F, Mar 2026
Tour guide gave us an amazing tour. Very knowledgeable. Learned a ton. My favorite part was learning the history of Rome. My experience at the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill was amazing from start to finish. Seeing these places in person made history feel real in a way that books and pictures never could. The Colosseum was especially impressive because of its size and the stories behind it. Walking through the Roman Forum was like stepping back into ancient Rome, surrounded by ruins and history everywhere. Palatine Hill had beautiful views and a peaceful feeling that made the visit even better. It was unforgettable and one of the best parts of my trip.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for your thorough review. We are delighted to hear that you have enjoyed the experience with us during the Colosseum and Forum guided tour :)
Joshua_L, Mar 2026
Overall it was good. We toured the arena and the forum, etc. Our guide seemed knowledgeable and friendly. And she answered questions as we had them along the way. Our group was also rather small, which was nice. Maybe about 10 or so.
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you for your review, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour with us at the Colosseum and Forum!
Viktoriya_A, Mar 2026
Our tour of the Colosseum was absolutely amazing and truly unforgettable. From the moment we stepped inside this iconic landmark, we were transported back in time to the height of the Roman Empire.
Our guide was knowledgeable, engaging, and passionate about Roman history. She brought the ancient arena to life with fascinating stories about gladiators, emperors, and the dramatic events that once took place there. Standing in the middle of the Colosseum and imagining the roar of 50,000 spectators was an incredible experience.
We also loved exploring the different levels and learning about the architecture and engineering that made this structure such a masterpiece. The views from the upper tiers were stunning and offered fantastic photo opportunities of Rome.
If you’re visiting Rome, a guided tour of the Colosseum is a must. It adds so much depth and meaning to what you’re seeing. This was easily one of the highlights of our trip — highly recommend!
Response from Host, Mar 2026
Thank you so much for your review, we are glad to hear that you would recommend our tour. It means a lot to us and to our guide as well!
We look forward to welcoming you into one of our other tours in Rome soon.
Andrea_R, Feb 2026
We did the Arena and Roman Forum tour with Donatella. She was very knowledgeable and had photos to show that enhanced her stories and information. The Forum tour included very detailed history about several locations, and I was hoping to learn about more pieces of the Forum with less detail, so the pace was too slow for me. History buffs would enjoy it, I just had trouble connecting all of the dates and details she shared, as did my teenage kids. I misunderstood that this tour is the Arena floor section ONLY, no other places even on the ground floor (I thought floor=level, not section). That is my mistake and my rating doesn’t reflect that- I mention it for others to know.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your thorough review. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed the overall experience with us, during the Colosseum and Roman Forum guided tour.
We appreciate your feedback and will definitely keep your comments in mind - we always wish to provide a good experience to everyone, and any age group is definitely welcome during our tours :)
Mark_C, Feb 2026
Fantastic tour! Best thing we done in Rome!!
Tour guide was very knowledgable and went above and beyond to answer questions
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much, we are happy to read your nice comments and we look forward to welcoming you back into one of our other tours in Rome!
Jacqueline_K, Feb 2026
Rosy was excellent and very knowledgeable. We very much enjoyed the tour. Highly recommend to others.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you! We are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum Arena and Roman Forum guided tour with Rosy.
Marisa_B, Feb 2026
Francesca was such a friendly and knowledgeable tour guide. It was wonderful to spend the morning with her.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you for your review, we are happy to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum guided tour with Francesca!
Melinda_K, Feb 2026
We absolutely loved our Colosseum tour, specifically being out on the Arena floor. Even in the pouring rain, the view was enough to take my breath away.
Our guide, Samuele C, was phenomenal. We learned an incredible amount of history, but he also shared practical local tips—like the right way to drink from the nasonis (Rome's iconic spring water fountains). Despite the weather, Samuele made sure we had a top-tier experience. If you’re visiting, definitely try to get onto the Arena floor; it's a completely different perspective!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your thorough review - we are glad to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum guided tour with Samuele!
Jordan_W, Feb 2026
Superb experience with Gabriel who was incredibly knowledgeable and made you aware of every important detail while providing a 5* service. Amazing tour and value for money.
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you!
We are so thrilled to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum guided tour with Gabriele.
Paul_S, Feb 2026
Our tour guide was great! We really enjoyed hearing about the historical background and the front of the line passes were perfect for getting in and out with ease!
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum Arena and Roman Forum guided tour.
We look forward to welcoming you back into one of our other tours in Rome!
michael_s, Feb 2026
very informative, well organized. palantine hill, colleseum, and lower ruins were well described....
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you, we are glad to hear that you enjoyed our Colosseum Arena and Roman Forum guided tour.
Edward_F, Jan 2026
The tour was amazing and the guide was very knowledgable and had the ability to bring the history of the Colosseum vividly to life for us.
Very positive experience
Response from Host, Feb 2026
Thank you so much for your review, this is definitely the kind of service we strive to provide. We look forward to welcoming you back into one of our other tours in the city of Rome :)
From $118.35
per personup to 7 days in advance
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