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Ancient Rome

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Colosseum VIP Gladiators access with Arena & Ancient Rome small group tour

Badge of ExcellenceRoma, Italy

From $54.03

Select Date and Travelers

Reserve Now & Pay Later
Secure your spot while staying flexible
Free cancellation
Up to 24 hours in advance.
Rome Tours
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Audio Guides
Kid-Friendly
Likely To Sell Out
Unique Experiences
  • 3 hours (approx.)
  • Offered in: English

Overview

See the Colosseum on a guided tour that gives you special access to enter the amphitheater on the arena, the same entrance that gladiators once used for their battles. This also allows you to skip the line at the main public entrance. Once inside, explore the ancient landmark with a guide, and then head outside to tour the archaeological area of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Select your preferred tour time when booking.
  • Colosseum and ancient Rome tour with special access
  • Enter the Colosseum directly from the arena floor, a rare privilege
  • Skip the main entrance line with priority admission tickets
  • Explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, as well

Why Travelers Choose This Tour

Enter the Colosseum by the arena floor, and visit Palatine Hill and the Forum.

What's Included

  • Guided tour
  • group tour guide for 3 hours
  • headsets for groups with more than 6 participants
  • Gratuities
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off
  • Transportation to/from attractions
  • Food and drinks

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

  • Via Frangipane, 30
    Via Frangipane, 30, 00184 Roma RM, Italy

    Please be on time to meet your guide at our office in Via Frangipane 30 to avoid losing entrance at the Colosseum. Your private expert guide will lead you into the Amphitheater that is located only a few minutes away from our office.

End point

  • Via dei Fori Imperiali
    Via dei Fori Imperiali, Roma RM, Italy

What To Expect

Your tour begins by meeting your guide at the local tour office near the Colosseum; then walk to the special entrance reserved for members of this tour. 

Skip the regular lines and maximize your time at the Colosseum as you enter the amphitheater directly onto the arena floor, where gladiators and wild animals engaged in bloody fights. Visit the ring overlooking the underground sections of the Colosseum, and learn about its history from your guide, who has a degree in either art history or archaeology. Listen to anecdotes about the glory days of the arena and the lives of the emperors and senators of the time. 

Next, leave the Colosseum and walk to Palatine Hill, one of the Seven Hills of Rome, where emperors and other wealthy residents lived. Take in the view of the Roman Forum and Circus Maximus, and then walk down the hill to explore the ruins of the forum, where your guide shares more stories and uses books and 3D pictures to show you how the site looked during the days of Ancient Rome. Your tour ends with return to your starting point.

Colosseum

This 3-hour guided tour with fast track access to the Colosseum through the Gladiators' Gate; our storytelling guide will take ancient history back to life. With multiple start times to choose from throughout the day,you will join a small group of average 18 participants  (maximum 24 people) and discover stories and anecdotes on Roman Emperors, Senators and Gladiators. You will depart from our office where you will receive personal headsets for a better listening to the guide and be introduced to our passionate guide and in 3 hours you will discover Ancient Rome!. With our fast track entrance you will access in the center of the Arena, have your camera ready to discover the Colosseum where Gladiators and wild beast did their combats. The morning times were reserved for the "Venationes"  where the "Bestiarii"  Gladiators were fighting the beasts.  Access through the special Gladiator's Gate  and take the chance to step into Arena stage where Gladiators used to join the fights!

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Roman Forum

From this stage you will visit the ring that overlooks the underground areas of the Colosseum. While you take in the amazing view, your guides will share their knowledge about the history of Ancient Rome and of the Colosseum in particular. The guides are all licensed and have a degree either in Art History or Archaeology, and enrich their explanation adding amazing anecdotes about the Colosseum, its spectators, the fights between wild beasts and gladiators, and the lives of the powerful Emperors and politicians of the time.

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Not wheelchair accessible
  • Normal sized backpacks are permitted as huge backpacks will not be admitted.
  • Colosseums' Rules:Sharps objects, liquid glass bottles, drones, selfiesticks, perfumes & sprays are NOT allowed. Only plastic water bottle are accepted.
  • Small group tour will average 20 people (with a maximum of 26 people).
  • Please be aware that to enter the Colosseum it is necessary to pass a metal detector security check;
  • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
  • Please be on time or you might lose the entrance for the Colosseum or a part of the tour
  • There might be a slight change in the departure timing. In this case we will call you in advance.
  • A current valid passport or ID document is required on the day of the tour for the entrance at the Colosseum
  • Please make sure you bring comfortable shoes and a refillable plastic water bottle especially during hot weather!
  • Near public transportation
  • There might be a slight change in order of the itinerary due to security and ticket availability.
  • Please note that due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not suitable for any persons with disabilities.
  • Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
  • Please show up at least 10 minutes before the tour to do the check in
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

  • For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
  • If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
  • Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
  • Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
  • This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.

about cancellations.

Traveler Photos

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Traveler Tips

Of course worth the trek, but be sure to wear proper shoes as the walk to the Colosseum is dusty, rocky, and uphill.
Note, it is a lot of walking, bring water and wear comfy shoes!!
Skip the line is a must when visiting these sites.
Reviews
4.5
1,108 reviews
Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews
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Reviews by Viator travelers.
Showing 1-10 of 1,108 reviews
A great tour!
Alex_R, Jan 2023
This was our first experience of a tour whilst on holiday. Usually we would explore on our own but were recommended to take a tour as it allowed us to skip the entry queues and spend more time experiencing the ancient Rome areas of the city. The tour guide Paolo was really friendly and gave us great information and background on the history that we wouldn't have found out on our own. Would highly recommend for everyone! Some other reviewers have said that the tour moves at pace as there is a lot to see in the time but to us it never felt like we were being rushed along at any point.
The tour guide was very...
Maryanne_A, Jan 2023
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and passionate about the tour and material for it. He also was more than willing and even offered to take pictures throughout of families/couples to remember the experience. So sweet also!
1 traveler found this review helpful
Great tour, saw more than...
Christine_B, Jan 2023
Great tour, saw more than expected, enjoyed it all and tour guide was very informative and understandable.
1 traveler found this review helpful
Entertaining and educational
Roisin_M, Jan 2023
Our tour guide Sarah was amazing, so knowledgeable and made everything so exciting and entertaining! We weren't rushed and had plenty of time to enjoy the sights. Excellent tour and priced appropriately. Highly recommmend this to anyone considering a guided tour 👍🏻
1 traveler found this review helpful
Excellent tour with an excellent guide
ofer_r, Jan 2023
Dennis was a wonderful guide, it was a cold day and he keept us interested the entire tour even though we were all a bit cold. All the questions were answered and he also provided some useful tips not related the tour.
3 travelers found this review helpful
Not Accommodating at all!
Mariel_B, Jan 2023
Meeting place for contacted Tour Guide Vivicos Intl. was hard to find for 1St timers visiting Europe. No phone to contact tour only via email So by the time we got reply it was too late we got totally lost, missed our time, got anxiety attack that we had to go back to our hotel. we asked to get refunded but they did not. Asked if we can reschedule another day due to our unfortunate & disappointed circumstances but had to pay additional 70euros Not accommodations at all just said “sorry but cannot do anything” W want refund but denied! Total disappointment for 1st timers in Rome!
1 traveler found this review helpful
Great tour, even better guide!
Edward_H, Jan 2023
Our tour guide, Dennis, was fantastic. Extremely knowledgeable and the stories he told kept the group engaged. The perfect guided tour for the Colosseum.
Amazing tour
Martha_V, Jan 2023
What an amazing tour led my Marcus!! He was so good at explaining the history and describing everything in a way that made you feel as if you were living in Roman times. Marcus is a historian and he made the tour so much more interesting. I highly recommend the English tour of the colosseum with Marcus!!
2 travelers found this review helpful
Amazing
Fainche_l, Jan 2023
Our tour guide was Yuri, who was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic about Roman history. There was 22 in our group and we had headsets where we could hear Yuri perfectly. The tour by Yuri was an amazing experience and a must do when going to Rome.
1 traveler found this review helpful
Good choice for tour
Stacey_H, Jan 2023
Dennis was our tour guide and he really enjoys his job and is able to share so much history with you. We got to enter the gate the gladiators entered but it does not include the arena floor. However, you do have a fairly close up view of the area under the arena floor. After the colosseum you walk to Palatine Hill and see the remains and finish up in the Forum area. I could hear and understand Dennis very clearly.
Great experience
Ryan_L, Jan 2023
It was amazing to be in the arena floor, learning about the Roman times. Highly suggested for anyone who wants to skim the line and learn!
1 traveler found this review helpful
Andretta was the best
Sana_K, Jan 2023
Andretta (the Romanian tour guide) was absolutely amazing! So knowledgeable and went through each section of the tour with so many facts! Loved this tour
1 traveler found this review helpful
Amazing experience.
Ian_M, Jan 2023
Paulo was an excellent guide and very knowledgable and made the experience amazing. We would highly recommend.
Great tour and guide
Mexalina_A, Jan 2023
Paolo was a great tour guide who is really well versed in the history of Rome. I would definitely recommend this tour with Paolo as your guide!
Amazing tour!! Thanks Andrada
Amy_P, Jan 2023
Tour was excellent and very interesting. Saw lots of great sites and got the history alongside it. Andrada was our tour guide, and she was amazing!!! So smart and had answers to every question! She provided many interesting stories and history facts that made the tour even better!
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Dear Customer, thank you so much for your feedback! We're glad to hear you enjoyed the tour. We'll let Andrada know about your positive comments. Best regards, Laura.
Exceptional Tour of Colosseum, Forum & Palatine Hill given by Yuri
Nina_W, Jan 2023
Our guide, Yuri, was exceptional. His obvious depth of knowledge and his enjoyment sharing it with our group of 23 ( we had headsets so all could hear him) was memorable. I have been to the Colosseum many times, sometimes with hugely expensive private guides, at times with a small group. Yuri, without a doubt had more information of interest to share as he explained the history throughout the ages of the Palatine Hill, Forum and Colosseum. He was remarkable and anyone wishing to really learn about Ancient Rome should request him as their guide. Well done! Five Star Tour.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing your opinion with us and for your kind words about Yuri, we'll let him know about it. Hope to see you again soon! Best regards, Laura.
Gladiator style entrance!
Jessica_H, Jan 2023
Yuri was an excellent guide! We covered a lot of ground in a short space of time but was a wonderfully historical experience!
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hello! Thank you for your positive feedback, we appreciate it. Best regards, Laura.
An unforgettable morning...
Julie_H, Jan 2023
An unforgettable morning experiencing ancient history. Our tour guide, Davide, was so knowledgeable and enthusiastic and really brought the history to life.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Dear Customer, we're happy to know you enjoyed your experience and that you liked our guide Davide. Thank you for letting us know. Best regards, Laura.
Wonderful tour
Faith_R, Jan 2023
Great tour. Definitely wonderful to skip the long lines and to walk at the stage level. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and fun. Would definitely do this tour again.
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Dear Faith, thank you for giving us your feedback about your experience, we're happy to hear about it. Best regards, Laura.
Dennas is THE BEST
Meena_K, Jan 2023
Dennas made this tour. He's an archeologist who was so informative, answered all the questions from the inquisitive 20 year olds in our group. We thought he gave the best history lesson for the Roman Empire we've ever heard. The level of details and way he connected other civilizations to the history we walked through was brilliant. So thankful we had him as our guide!
Response from Host, Jan 2023
Hello! Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. We're glad to hear that you liked out tour guide and we'll inform him about your feedback. Best regards, Laura.
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Product code: 21175P67

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