Rome Colosseum Guided Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Rome, Italy
- 1 hour 30 minutes to 3 hours (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Offered in: English
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Overview
The Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill shouldn’t be missed when visiting Rome—but these famous millennia-old ruins can be hard to decipher without a guide. Delve deep into ancient Roman history during this guided group tour, which includes bundled admission to all three sites. Listen to stories spanning emperors and gladiators from your guide, and upgrade to a private tour for an even more personalized experience.
- Upgrade to a private tour for undivided attention from your guide
- Visit the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill in just several hours
- Wander around Rome without having to worry about navigating
- Headsets to hear your guide clearly are offered for groups of six or more
Why Travelers Choose This Tour
A wide choice of departure times includes early options to beat the Colosseum crowds.
What's Included
- Expertly guided walking tour
- Colosseum Entrance Ticket (24h – Colosseo, Foro Romano, Palatino Ticket, €18)
- Headset (groups over 6 people)
- Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
- Please note: Colosseum fees as above. The remaining cost of the experience covers other services.
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Via delle Terme di Tito, 72, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
This tour meets at Via delle Terme di Tito, 72 (Oppio Caffè). Meet directly across the street from Oppio Caffè at the gated entrance to Colle Oppio Park. Meet your guide at the entrance of Colle Oppio Park on the corner of Via di Terme di Tito and Via Nicola Salvi.
End point
- Roman Forum00186 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
In the Roman Forum.
Itinerary
Meet your guide and small group at the metro stop just opposite the Colosseum. Begin your whirlwind tour of the most important sites of ancient Rome with entry to the Colosseum.
Walk around the first and second tiers of this Rome landmark, learning about the basic facts as well as some more esoteric knowledge, such as the hand signals that emperors used to condemn combatants and the daily lives of the gladiators.
Head for the commercial and political heart of the empire: the Roman Forum. On the way, pass Temple of the Vestal Virgins, the final resting place of emperor Julius Caesar and the arch of Constantine.
Trek up to the top of Palatine Hill, where you pause to hear the legend of Romulus and Remus, the mythological twins who founded Rome. Through our guide's commentary, come to a better understanding of the importance of this once-great empire.
Walk around the first and second tiers of this Rome landmark, learning about the basic facts as well as some more esoteric knowledge, such as the hand signals that emperors used to condemn combatants and the daily lives of the gladiators.
Head for the commercial and political heart of the empire: the Roman Forum. On the way, pass Temple of the Vestal Virgins, the final resting place of emperor Julius Caesar and the arch of Constantine.
Trek up to the top of Palatine Hill, where you pause to hear the legend of Romulus and Remus, the mythological twins who founded Rome. Through our guide's commentary, come to a better understanding of the importance of this once-great empire.
1
Colosseum
1 hour 30 minutes • 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
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments or with wheelchairs, or strollers.
- This is a walking tour. Guests should be able to walk at a moderate pace without difficulty.
- The full names of all participants must be provided at the time of booking and must match the names on the ID/Passport. Name changes are not permitted.
- A government-issued ID or passport is required for all participants. Without an ID, security may deny entry to the monument. All guests, including children, must bring ID on tour day.
- The Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill may close occasionally. We'll notify you of any changes in advance if possible. For last-minute closures, updates will be given at the start of the tour.
- Walks is an Official Parco Archeologico del Colosseo Operator approved to lead guided tours of the Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill.
- Please note: This tour offers different options to help you customize your visit to the Colosseum. Take a moment to choose the one that best suits your interests.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 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
4.8
based on 708 reviews
Susan_L, Apr 2026
Absolutely amazing! Nicholas was so informative and had a great even pace throughout the tour!!!! What an experience! Our first time in Italy!
Response from Host, Apr 2026
Hi Susan!
Thank you for your wonderful feedback!
We’re thrilled to hear you had such an amazing experience and that Nicholas helped make your first visit to Italy so memorable.
It’s great to know his informative style and steady pace allowed you to fully enjoy the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill.
We truly appreciate you sharing your thoughts and hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!
Warmest regards,
Walks Feedback Team
Louise_C, Jan 2026
This was a fantastic tour. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. We learned so much and saw everything we wanted to.
Response from Host, Jan 2026
Louise,
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re thrilled to hear that you had a fantastic tour and that your guide made the experience both informative and enjoyable. It’s wonderful to know you were able to see everything you hoped for and learn so much along the way. We truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and hope to welcome you on another tour in the future!
Warm Regards,
Sarah
Walks & Devour Team
Duncan_C, Sep 2025
Our guide Laura was fantastic. She made the experience very memorable, and over our course of 8 days in Rome, Florence, and Tuscany, the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill was one of the best experiences we had!
Laura's guiding made the experience all the more memorable as she went into great detail for each site and answered many questions from our fellow tourists. I would highly recommend this tour guide and Laura specifically to anyone interested in seeing parts of ancient Rome!
Sara_T, Aug 2025
This was a disappointing tour. Our guide was very disinterested and rather than finishing the three hour tour, he brought us to a view point, pointed out buildings in the forum and said go check it out. I would have rather done a self guided tour.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Dear Sara,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. Please accept our sincerest apologies for the experience you’ve described — this is certainly not the standard we strive to uphold.
Your comments are very concerning, as our guides are selected for their passion, expertise, and genuine enthusiasm in bringing the history of Rome to life for our guests. We are truly sorry to hear that this was not reflected in your tour.
We take such matters very seriously and are committed to investigating this further. Regrettably, we have been unable to locate your booking under the details provided in your review. To assist us in conducting a thorough review and addressing any discrepancies, we kindly ask that you contact us directly at feedback@walks.org with your booking details.
Once again, we sincerely regret that your experience did not meet expectations and appreciate your bringing this to our attention.
With warm regards,
Samantha.
Walks FeedbackTeam
Michelle_L, Aug 2025
While there was alot of confusion with the tickets we had and people on the booking side of walks the actual tour was amazing. Paula was a fantastic guide who did a great job at explaining everything we saw and gave opportunities for questions. As someone who is not typically into history she had me wanting to learn more. I highly recommend.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Hello Michelle,
Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re sorry to hear there was some confusion with the tickets at the start, but we’re delighted that Paula’s fantastic guiding made the tour such a highlight. It’s wonderful to know that her explanations and engaging style sparked your interest in history and made the experience so enjoyable.
We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you on another tour soon—this time with everything running smoothly from start to finish!
Warm Regards,
Sarah
Walks & Devour Team
Megan_B, Jul 2025
Davide was an excellent tour guide! He told fascinating, fun, and fact filled stories. We left with a new respect and understanding for these famous historical sights. I highly recommend this tour!
Michael_F, Jun 2025
Very informative. Great guide. Need to be physically fit enough to deal with walking / climbing in the heat of the day.
Luann_U, Jun 2025
We scheduled a small group tour for the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum. It was about 3 hours. From the very beginning to the very end it was a great experience. I would highly recommend it if you’re traveling to Rome. We had Sarah as a tour guide and she was the absolute best! She was very detailed and knowledgeable about the history. She made the tour that much more enjoyable. A small group is the way to go. The larger groups are too big to maneuver around and keep track of. Book this tour and request Sarah….you won’t be disappointed.
Cindy_Y, Jun 2025
We loved the guide we had Eddy, he was so knowledgeable about the historical sites we saw. Eddy shared the serious of the history and the humour. Eddy was concerned for our safety as we were walking in the heat.Eddy always found shade and drinking fountains for the group. Highly recommended this tour and Eddy. Take the morning tour I’d in Roma during the hot months.
Thomas_G, Jun 2025
Overall, a great experience. Small group with skip-the-line is the only way to do this. Even with this, it took time to get into the Colosseum. Very crowded, but the guide took breaks to allow for pictures inside and covered the history of the Amphitheater of Flavius. It was hot, especially in the Roman Forum, and it took a little time even as a group to get in. Because of the delays, the tour did not include Palantine Hill, but some of the group were already tired and didn't want to do it, but others, like me, did it on our own, and that was fine to do at my own pace.
Migdalia_C, May 2025
The tour guide was very knowledgeable! The meeting point was a coffee shop. (good coffee) They do provide you with a headset and it works well. You do have to stand in line with everyone else. No quick access. There is a lot of walking but there elevators for those who may NEED them when you get to the stairs. While you can do a self guided tour I would definitely advise against it. The tour guide gives you alot of information.
Isbely_M, Apr 2025
Had a great time with Emanuel’s. She had so much knowledge to share. She was very engaged and engaged us all during the tour.
joelbegleiter, Jan 2025
We had a great tour guide, Marco C., who had deep knowledge of the sights he showed us. It was fascinating to see ruins over 2000 years old and hear about the lives of the people living then. Marco used visual aids to show how the Forum looked when the structures were built and was very informative about their purpose and who used them.
Response from Host, Jan 2025
Thank you, Joel! We're so glad you enjoyed your tour with Marco at the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. His deep knowledge and use of visual aids really help bring ancient history to life and it’s fantastic to hear you found it fascinating. We appreciate your kind words and hope to see you on another tour soon!
With best regards,
Samantha.
Gemma_L, Dec 2024
We had a fantastic tour of the coliseum with our guide Amber. We visited in December and had very little queues and waiting times anywhere in the coliseum and palatine hill and Roman forum. There is so much to see here, l would definitely book this tour to have a guide who really brings the history to life, it was really awesome, and enjoyed by adults and teenagers. If l were visiting in summer l would definitely book skip the queue tickets, next year is the Vatican jubilee and Rome is expecting to host millions of pilgrims through the Summer, so anything to get you through a queue would be worth it. A great experience with a great guide, thank you Amber.
Ernest_R, Dec 2024
FANTASTIC. Our tour guide, Julia, was a wealth of information. She shared so much enthusiasm and excitement that you felt as if a chariot was going to come barreling around the corner any minute. Come prepared for a lot of walking and steps.
Response from Host, Dec 2024
Dear Ernest,
Thank you so much for your fantastic review!
We’re delighted to hear that you had such an incredible time with Julia as your guide. Her enthusiasm and knowledge truly bring the history to life, and we’re so glad it made the experience even more exciting for you.
We also appreciate the heads-up about the walking and steps—it's all part of the adventure!
We’re so happy you had such a memorable tour, and we hope to welcome you back for more thrilling experiences in the future.
Best Regards,
Sarah
Walks & Devours Team
Sarah_J, Oct 2024
While the sites are beautiful and awe-inspiring, this tour was disappointing. The guide, Jaber, provided very little information. Much of the time was spent walking in silence or having us take photos in silence even though we had headsets and he could have been sharing information at that time. We left feeling that we learned very little and that our questions were not adequately or accurately answered. While I have had positive experiences with other Walks tours, I would not recommend the company for the Colosseum tour.
Response from Host, Oct 2024
Dear Sarah,
Thank you for your feedback.
We regret that your experience fell short of what you were hoping for.
We are surprised to hear this, as we have received positive feedback for Jaber many times in the past.
However, we take your concerns seriously and will, of course, follow up with the guide to ensure we maintain our high standards.
If you would like to discuss this further or provide additional details, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at feedback@walks.org.
We appreciate your input and hope to offer you a better experience in the future.
Best regards,
Jhonas.
Walks & Devour Tours.
John_S, Oct 2024
An amazing experience period!
Our guide was fantastic. She is an archeologist and knows her stuff. She went into incredible detail about how the ancient ruin was created and discovered.
One of those must do things on your trip to Rome! Be patient though as it can get very crowded at times. But what do you expect when you are touring one of the greatest legends of ancient history.
Mike_S, Jul 2024
Tour guide Emily. She was outstanding and very knowledgable. Great experience! Loved all aspects of the tour.
Matthew_B, Jun 2024
Seeing both the Colosseum and Roman Forum in one comprehensive tour was well worth it! We got to learn a lot about the history of ancient Rome and received a lot of great insights!
BethL_S, Jun 2024
Exceptional tour. Tour guide was very knowledgeable, interesting and witty. Love her. Have already told people about this tour.
David_M, Jun 2024
Amazing experience with an AMAZING guide. The depth of detail our guide shared was staggering. The walking is real so stretch first 😂
Veronica_M, May 2024
Our guide was very insightful. and the group was not so big that it was hard to navigate as a group.
Alison_K, May 2024
Excellent guide brings the ancient sites to life, must-have for traveling with kids / teenagers and makes the long wait in line for both the Forum / Palatine and the Colosseum time well spent.
Janis_W, May 2024
Such a great walking tour! Amber was a fantastic guide, so enthusiastic and interesting. 3 hrs went by so quickly. Highly recommend this tour.
gary_g, Apr 2024
Extremely disappointing. Guide didn’t speak English very well , but he also appeared to be intoxicated or ill. He fell asleep standing against a wall during the tour. Some of the information that we could make out was more about movies than historical facts. Four members out of the ten in the group left halfway through the tour.
Response from Host, Apr 2024
Dear Gary,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback regarding your recent Small-Group Colosseum Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill through Viator.
We are sincerely sorry to hear about your disappointment with the tour.
We pride ourselves on providing exceptional guided tours led by knowledgeable and engaging guides.
Your experience, as you described it, does not reflect the standard of service we aim to deliver.
Rest assured, we are conducting a thorough investigation into the matter to determine the cause of the issues you encountered.
We hold our guides to the highest standards of professionalism and expertise, and it is deeply concerning to hear about the experience you had with your guide during the tour.
In order for us to gather more details and address your concerns promptly, we kindly ask you to reach out to us directly at feedback@walks.org.
Your input will assist us in implementing necessary measures to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future and uphold the reputation of our tours.
Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.
We look forward to hearing from you and resolving this matter to your satisfaction.
Warm regards,
Jhonas.
Walks and Devour Tours.
Craig_L, Apr 2024
What an informative and educational tour! Sara brought the ruins to life with her presentation. 3 hours flew by! Definitely recommend!
Paul_B, Mar 2024
Great tour with Francesca. Very informative and hit the highlights. Would recommend. Francesca made sure we had enough time for photos and stopped at the best locations for them.
Marshae_B, Mar 2024
Everything was absolutely amazing!! From the history to our tour guide, we enjoyed every moment of it. For us, Gigi, our tour guide is what made it amazing. He was professional, knowledgeable, and through. 10/10!!
Judith_G, Feb 2024
Our tour guide was fantastic! (I believe it was Stephanie-Canadian but has lived in Rome for 10 years).
She shared so much factual information with our small group but kept it interesting and entertaining. Definitely worth the money.
Claudia_W, Jan 2024
Seeing the structure pop up in the middle of the city. Also seeing the underground of the colosseum and the elevator
Response from Host, Jan 2024
Dear Claudia_W,
Thank you for providing us with this feedback.
We are glad to hear that you enjoyed your time with us and cannot wait to see you back on one of our tours.
Best,
Sasha
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