Best of Rome: Vatican & Colosseum Guided Tour
Description
Embark on an exclusive adventure at the Vatican with your expert guide, skipping the lines to dive into the Vatican Museums' magnificent art collection. Marvel at ancient Greek and Roman sculptures, Renaissance masterpieces, the Raphael Rooms, and the iconic Sistine Chapel. Your guide will bring Michelangelo's genius to life, dispelling myths and unveiling fascinating facts. Enjoy free time to explore the Vatican Museums or take advantage of fast-track entry to St. Peter’s Basilica for a self-guided tour. After lunch, independently make your way to the iconic Colosseum. With exclusive entrance, step through the Gladiator's Gate onto the Arena floor where history's fiercest battles unfolded. Your guide will vividly recount the infamous gladiator games as you stand on the arena floor and peer down into the intricate underground tunnels. Delve into ancient Rome at the Roman Forum uncovering the legendary roots of Rome and tales of emperors and gods.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Vast museums inside the Vatican City which house many thousands of ancient works of art and sculpture. The most important museum complex in the world!
Simply the most colourful room in the world! Michelangelo's ceiling will deeply impress all who enter.
Enter the Icon of Rome and understand what it really meant to kill or be killed as a gladiator in ancient Rome.
The heart and soul of ancient Rome.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Vatican dress code requires that knees and shoulders must be covered.
- Max group size: 20
- The ground in the Roman Forum is composed of large stone or dirt pathways that can be difficult to navigate with strollers or wheelchairs
- Wear comfortable shoes for walking and a hat, sunblock and bring some water during summer months
- 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.
- Kindly note: This description is provided as a general example. Actual experiences may vary slightly depending on the season, local conditions, and other factors beyond our control
- Access to St. Peter's Basilica is not possible on Wednesday morning during the weekly papal audience.
- Please note that essential travel documents and final itinerary details might be delivered electronically closer to the activity date.
Reviews(44)
An amazing day was had. We spent 4 hours being shown around the 3 sites with our guide Nadya. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I would highly recommend Italy Tours!
A very full but incredible day! We started at the Vatican museums in the morning and it was one of the most unique and awe-inspiring experiences we’ve ever had. Thank you so much to our tour guide, he was a wonderful and humorous guide and we enjoyed it very much. We then took a self-guided tour of St Peter’s Basilica before our afternoon guided tour of the Colosseum. Paola was incredible, a beautiful story teller who delivered a captivating tour of the Colosseum and the Roman forum. Highly recommended! Thank you all.
Unfortunately we missed the tour we had booked and paid for, by being late. Weren't able to catch up as they had entered the building. We were given tickets to gain entry and do tour ourselves. We appreciated that we were late so no criticism of the Company.
Chiara Antonelli completely made our experience unforgettable. From the moment the tour started, her energy was contagious — upbeat, enthusiastic, and full of charm. She struck the perfect balance between informative and entertaining, keeping everyone engaged without ever feeling like a lecture. What really stood out was her personality. She’s genuinely funny, quick-witted, and knows exactly how to read a group. Whether she was cracking a joke or sharing a fascinating detail, she had our full attention the entire time. Her passion for what she does is obvious, and it made the whole experience feel personal and special. Chiara has that rare ability to make history feel alive while keeping the atmosphere fun and relaxed. If you’re lucky enough to get her as your guide, you’re in for an amazing time. She’s a total pro, and we can’t recommend her highly enough!
We had a fun and funny tour guide for the Vatican, Chapel and Basilica on 5/16. We had a very smart and educational guide Nadya for the Coloseum and Forum on 5/18. Skipping the lines was key to surviving all the stairs and walking!
Excellent tour guides in both locations. Vatican museum guide added a lot of context to the vast amount of art there. Coliseum & Forum guide was also superb, many discussion interactions with the group and enjoyed answering all manner of questions. Highly recommend both tours, but doing both in one day can be challenging. Not many opportunities to sit in the Vatican, there were places to sit during the Coliseum & Forum tours but did have more uneven ground & steps in the walk. The time gap between was fine for a meal and rest.
The tour guide was very knowledgeable and sweet. She made sure we knew where the bathrooms were and waited on us to enter. She was very informative!
Wow, what a day! We started early with our guide Maria, exploring the Vatican Museums. She was so knowledgeable about the Vatican and its history. She prepared us well to appreciate the Sistine Chapel once inside as there is no talking, photos or video in the space. Various members of our group branched off after a couple hours, when we explired St Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Grottoes on our own before heading over to the Colisseum and Roman Forum. For that part of our day, Sandra was our guide and was amazing! She helped us learn so much about both and was entertaining while doing so. She had such enthusiasm that was contagious. What a fantastic day - thank you, Maria and Sandra!
We started the day with the Vatican tour given by Massimo. Massimo was an amazing guide. He knew all about the art and history of everything we saw coupled with a no nonsense attitude that kept us on track to get through the Jubilee crowds. We then took a taxi to the Colosseum area and ate lunch on our own before meeting up with Chiara for the second half of the day. She took us up to the Palantine Hill for an amazing view of the Roman Forum, pointing out each building and giving us so much information with a touch of humor. After the Forum we entered through the Gladiator’s Gate onto the arena floor. Chiara and pictures and all the knowledge to make it an unforgettable experience. My husband, son and I have been on similar tours twice before, but this was the best! Thanks Massimo and Chiara
Our guide was AMAZING!! We thoroughly loved our tour of Rome! We had custom package that we greatly appreciated ItaliaTours working with our groups needs and desires! We would definitely book again.
