Rome Imperial Past Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Tour
Rome, Italy
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Colosseum and Forum are Rome’s headliner sights, but the long lines to enter and the vast size of both can make visiting a chore. Visit with a guide to take in the highlights in just a few hours without getting footsore or overwhelmed, leaving you the rest of the day to focus on other city attractions.
- Visit with a guide for a better understanding of the complex ruins
- Explore one of the New7Wonders of the World—the Colosseum
- Headsets to follow your guide’s commentary in the busy sites
- Choose between a morning or afternoon start time to suit your schedule
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
This tour offers morning and afternoon time slots in multiple languages, with headsets for clear audio.
What's Included
- Headsets
- Official Live Guide
- Entrance to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Colosseum entrance ticket (valued at €18 per person)
- Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
- Please note: Colosseum fees as above. The remaining cost of the experience covers other services.
- Food and Drinks
- Transfers
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Santi Cosma e DamianoVia dei Fori Imperiali, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Meet in front of the Basilica San Cosma and Damiano. Look for tour greeters in red Show Me Italy jackets/shirts. They will be waiting next to the large red pillar just in front of the church on the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
End point
- Largo della Salara VecchiaL.go della Salara Vecchia, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Itinerary
1
Colosseum
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
Roman Forum
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
3
Palatine Hill
45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- The names provided at the time of the booking cannot be changed.
- 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.
- 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 the monument is closed by the officials for safety reasons)
- 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
- Refunds will not be provided for no-shows or late arrivals. If you are late to the meeting point, you will not be able to join your tour.
- 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 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
4.4
based on 165 reviews
Rick_F, Nov 2025
The Colosseum was a definite must see!! Unbelievable! Do not miss it if in Rome! The crowds were horrendous due to it being the Jubilee year, but still so worth it! Expect schedules to be behind due to this. Our tour guide was very good, but can’t remember her name, sorry! Totally enjoyed this tour!!
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad you enjoyed the Colosseum and the tour, despite the crowds. We’ll be sure to share your kind words with our guides and hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
Joy_H, Oct 2025
I am a travel agent and was traveling with friends. I booked this for 5 of us then I got a knee injury and tried to cancel just my husband and me the day before by contacting the tour operator. They did not respond until 19 hours later and said it was too late. The friends who went could not understand the guide, could hardly hear him although they said he didn’t tell them much, stood in line for 30 minutes for the colosseum and spent so much time at the first stop that they had to leave the tour early in order to make our dinner reservation. As a travel agent, I like Viator and use them primarily for tours and shire excursions both personally and for my clients and have never had an issue with any of their tour operators but I would suggest not booking any tours with this particular tour company.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
We’re very sorry for the inconvenience. 🌟 Our cancellation policy requires notice at least 7 days before the tour, as tickets are purchased and guides are assigned in advance. We truly hope your knee heals quickly 💛 and that you’ll have the chance to enjoy a wonderful tour with us in the future! 🏛️✨
Cara_D, Oct 2025
Our tour guide was vey knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about the Colosseum. It was great to learn so much from him while enjoying the sights! Would highly recommend him.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
Thank you so much for your kind words! 🌟 We’re thrilled to hear you enjoyed the tour and learned so much about the Colosseum. We’ll be sure to share your praise with your guide — your recommendation means a lot! 💛
Siobhan_C, Sep 2025
Rushed. Milling with people and numerous tours converging everywhere. I would recommend buying your entry tickets and going around yourself in your own time. That being said, we did learn things we didn't know and had interesting features pointed out. The tour completely missed the top floor which has interesting artefacts and which we found by chance looking for the lift to get back down- my knees had given up at that point. For anyone with mobility difficulties, there is a lift so use it to get to each level. The steps are numerous otherwise. Tentative as to whether I could fully recommend this.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for sharing your experience. We’re sorry the tour felt rushed and that some areas were missed—it’s important to us that everyone enjoys the full experience. We appreciate your understanding and valuable tips about mobility, and we’ll do our best to make improvements.
Debra_K, Sep 2025
Very difficult to locate tour guide but did manage by shouting out "Viator" until our guide responded. It was very hard to hear her through out the tour. Only when she had her microphone right up to her mouth. I spoke for several in the group when I mentioned it to her but it didn't get much better. Also very monitored.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry for the difficulty locating the guide and the audio issues during the tour 🎧. Clear communication is very important to us, and we’ll work to improve these aspects.
We appreciate you sharing your concerns, and we’ll ensure our team addresses them to enhance future experiences. 🙏
Piper_L, Sep 2025
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and had a smooth tour going even when it was pouring rain! Great value and a great time!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your kind feedback! We’re glad our guide kept the tour smooth despite the rain and that you had a great time. Your appreciation means a lot to us!
Ron_D, Sep 2025
A little chaotic at the start to get signed in, but the excellent guide more than made up for it. She was very passionate and informative. Overall, we were very impressed and had a great time.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We appreciate your patience with the start of the tour and are glad the guide’s passion and knowledge made it a great experience overall. We’re happy you had a wonderful time!
David_S, Aug 2025
The tour and our guide were really good and knowledgeable, I’d highly recommend. There’s so much to see.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your kind words! 😊
We’re glad you enjoyed the tour and found the guide knowledgeable. There truly is so much to take in, and we’re happy you had a great experience.
Thanks for recommending us! 🇮🇹✨
Joel_C, Aug 2025
Very knowledgeable tour guide who was excellent at group management and was understanding of kids in 40C heat. Would recommend this tour for anyone who is looking for in-depth content delivered with some humor.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your thoughtful review! We're glad the guide’s knowledge, humor, and sensitivity to the heat made the experience enjoyable for both adults and kids.
James_C, Aug 2025
Excellent tour with our guide Maria. She was extremely knowledgeable with all the sights. I wish we had a few more minutes to get pictures so we could see a bit more. Overall fantastic experience highly recommend to anybody who wants visitors to Rome.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re glad Maria provided such a fantastic experience and appreciate your recommendation.
Cheryl_M, Aug 2025
Luca was great. Very detailed and knowledgeable.. it was a very hot day and he was good with the water breaks.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thanks for your feedback! Luca’s care and knowledge really shine, especially on those hot days. Glad the water breaks helped keep you comfortable!
Kim_G, Jul 2025
It was a very well organised small group tour of the colosseum. Marta was full of interesting information and kept us all moving along well. It was very busy but we were able to skip queues with the tour. Recommended
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your positive review! We’re glad you enjoyed the well-organized small group tour and found Marta’s information engaging. It’s great to hear the skip-the-queue access made the visit smoother. We appreciate your recommendation!
Kevin_N, Jul 2025
Magda was very knowledgeable and informative and very friendly. The Coloseum is so surreal, beautiful, and full of history.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your lovely review! We're happy to hear Magda’s knowledge and friendliness enhanced your experience. The Colosseum truly is a breathtaking piece of history, and we're glad you enjoyed it!
Evan_M, Jul 2025
Our guide was spectacular, his knowledge was exceptional and he gave us context into all of the history that we were taking in. The Colosseum portion in particular was fascinating. If you only have a day to see Rome’s history, there’s no better way to do it.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you so much for your lovely review! We're so happy to hear you had such a great time and that the Colosseum stood out—it really is something special. We'll be sure to pass your kind words along to your guide. It means a lot to know the tour made your day in Rome memorable!
Christine_d, Jul 2025
Private group of 6 and everything was very impressive to see. Not too much walking required but fast pace.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your review! We're happy to hear your private group enjoyed the impressive sights with a manageable pace. Your feedback is appreciated!
Rachel_T, Jul 2025
There is no tour guide. They took our money and now are telling us to figure out how to get a refund.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We’re truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet expectations. If a guide was not present, that is not reflective of the standard we strive to maintain. We take such concerns seriously and will thoroughly review the matter to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
Allan_M, Jul 2025
We had a 9 AM slot and were switched to 10:20 without notice. The check in guy said I received an email, but I reviewed all my recent emails and did not see any notification. Because we were counting on the 9 AM start due to a pre-arranged appointment afterwards we were forced to leave the tour early. I’m extremely disappointed in the lack of communication and respect for keeping to the original schedule by this tour company.
I addition, the quality of the audio was horrible. So much so, we ended up turning off the audio and listening to Rick Steve’s summary. Pretty much a complete waste of time and money.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We apologize for the inconvenience caused by the tour time change; please note that an email notification was sent regarding the new start time. We regret any confusion this caused and understand the frustration with the audio quality. Your comments have been shared with our team to improve communication and equipment, and we appreciate your patience.
Mary_E, Jul 2025
The guide was extremely well versed in the history of the coliseum and other sites we visited. She was extremely friendly and was great at keeping the group together.
Response from Host, Jul 2025
Thank you for your kind words. We’re pleased to hear that our guide’s knowledge and friendliness enhanced your experience, and that group coordination met your expectations.
A_M, Jun 2025
Radu was the perfect tour guide. Funny and informative! Everyone needs to experience the Colosseum tour!
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your lovely feedback! We’re so glad you enjoyed the Colosseum tour with Radu—he’ll be thrilled to hear your kind words. It truly is an experience everyone should have!
Jobina_J, Jun 2025
Laura our tour guide was very helpful and informative. There is noway we would have understood the magnitude of what we were viewing with our her guiding us.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you! We're glad Laura made the experience so impactful—her guidance makes all the difference!
Marian_H, Jun 2025
We had such a nice time. Maria was our host and she was the best! So knowledgeable and loved when we asked questions.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you! We’re happy you enjoyed your time with Maria—she loves answering questions and sharing her knowledge!
CatherineJoy_C, Jun 2025
After some confusion finding where the meeting point was (we weren’t the only ones) we left on a great tour. The guide was very informative and helpful. I would highly recommend this tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you for your feedback! We apologize for the meeting point confusion but are glad you enjoyed the informative tour. We appreciate your recommendation!
Delmar_F, Jun 2025
The guide was very good and kept everyone together. He was incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and professional. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour.
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you! We’re glad your guide made the tour enjoyable with his knowledge and professionalism.
giselle_r, Jun 2025
the tour of colosseum was great. So much history of the ancient Rome. Our tour guide was very informative about the history of the colosseum and forum
Response from Host, Sep 2025
Thank you! We're happy you enjoyed the rich history and found your guide informative throughout the tour.
Tracie_Y, May 2025
Very informative tour. Covers a lot. Lots of walking on uneven surfaces so may be tough on those who have mobility issues. Guide took us to great photo spots. Also recommend buying a water from vendor that walks around if you didnt bring your own.
victoria_v, May 2025
It’s great! Loved the information and the swiftness. If you’re looking to really read into things then this may not be the tour for you. I personally like just glancing and taking the experience in rather than sitting in one place for long.
Michelle_T, May 2025
The worst experience ever. Wasted my whole afternoon. The tour guide never showed up. No communication whatsoever. I called and texted Viator they could not get a hold of the tour company or tour guy either. Don't waste your precious time.
Response from Host, Jun 2025
We’re very sorry to hear about your experience. Not having the guide show up and receiving no communication is completely unacceptable. We understand how valuable your time is. Your feedback is important and will be shared with the team to ensure this doesn't happen again.
Steve_B, May 2025
We had an amazing time with a tremendous guide, Alessandra Tosti. We had a group of 13, but she helped us navigate the Roman forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum easily while sharing with us a wealth of knowledge. Particularly for the Roman forum and Palatine Hill, it was incredibly helpful to interpret what still remained and what had been present. Highly recommend.
Zarak_R, May 2025
Nick was a fantastic tour guide and thoroughly informative and entertaining. Lots of walking and a great activity for the day. The instructions for meeting with the tour guide etc were very easy to follow. Highly recommended.
karen_b, May 2025
Knowledgeable guide who was easy to understand. Lots of walking!
It was my favorite activity in Rome. 🇮🇹
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