Colosseum Arena Floor Guided Tour, Roman Forum & Palatine hill
Description
Get a gladiator's-eye view of the iconic arena and explore areas that are off-limits to the general public.You’ll step into the sandals of a gladiator, on a once-in-a-lifetime visit of the bloodstained arena floor. Feel the shivers creep down your spine as you walk across the age-old amphitheatre, where warriors and wild animals once fought to the death before the Roman public. After visiting the arena from which you can get a closer look at the underground area of the Colosseum, the tour will proceed on to the upper level through the regular visitors route. Your ticket includes priority entrance and access to areas most people don’t get to see. After exploring the Colosseum, your ticket allows you to enter the Roman Forum, the hub of the ancient city's trade network, and Palatine Hill, where Romulus founded Rome almost three thousand years ago and where the emperors lived in their luxurious palaces. Step on the same stones as Julius Ceasar and see where the Vestal Virgins lived.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Get the only ticket that gives you access to the Colosseum arena floor... ***Enjoy priority entrance to the Colosseum, the magnificent Roman amphitheatre built thousands of years ago. ***Get a gladiator's-eye view of the Colosseum as you stalk the arena's floor like the warriors and entertainers of old. ***Ticket includes access to the Roman Forum – the hub of the ancient city – and Palatine Hill, where the city is said to have been founded 3,000 years ago.
Access to the Roman Forum-Palatine Hill area, including the temporary exhibition, including special SUPER sites with fixed quota entry and the Imperial Forums. SUPER sites are following: Neronian Cryptoporticus Palatine Museum House of Augustus House of Livia Domus Transitoria Aula Isiaca/Loggia Mattei Santa Maria Antiqua with the Oratory of the Forty Martyrs and the Domitian Ramp Temple of Romulus
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Due to the Jubilee, some monuments may be under restoration. Please pay attention to any messages we may send regarding potential changes.
Reviews(78)
The Colosseum and Forum was amazing to see. However there is only one bathroom inside at the very beginning which was very inconvenient. The line to get in was rather long too even with these tickets. Also we did not have a guided tour.
Hi Gary_G, Thanks for your feedback – we're glad you loved the Colosseum and Forum, but very sorry your experience didn't match what you booked. The "Colosseum Arena Floor Guided Tour" always includes a live guide. It sounds like something went wrong, and we sincerely apologize. Please message us via Viator with your booking reference so we can investigate and arrange appropriate compensation. We also appreciate your notes about the limited bathroom and long entry lines – we'll share that with our local partners to help future travelers. Thank you again, and we hope to offer you the seamless experience you deserved. Best regards, Discover Rome Tours team
We chose the VIP experience with the arena and upper level tour. Scott from Pennsylvania was our tour guide. He gave a fantastic tour as well as a very knowledgeable narrative. We were so happy we chose this tour. Memories for a lifetime.
Thank you, Sherry_B! We're so happy you felt the VIP experience was worth every penny. Scott from Pennsylvania will be thrilled to hear your kind words—he truly brings the history to life. So glad you walked away with memories for a lifetime. Hope to welcome you on another tour soon!
Misleading description the Arena floor is not included they say arena floor but in reality it is simply the entrance you can visit the first and second floors but not the board they built above the basements
Gentile Giovanni, La ringraziamo per averci segnalato questo inconveniente. Ci scusiamo per il fatto che non riesce a trovare la sua prenotazione. Per consentirci di verificare la situazione in modo approfondito e risolvere il problema al più presto, La invitiamo a contattarci direttamente via email all'indirizzo: discoverrometours@gmail.com La preghiamo di fornirci più dettagli possibili, come il nome completo utilizzato per la prenotazione, la data del tour e l'eventuale numero di conferma. Non appena riceveremo la sua email, il nostro team darà la massima priorità al suo caso. La ringraziamo per la pazienza e per l'opportunità di risolvere la situazione. Cordiali saluti, Discover Rome Tours Team
Overall, this tour was disappointing and did not match what was advertised. It was difficult to find the guide at the meeting point, and tickets were only provided on arrival. This made it impossible to download the required audio app due to lack of Wi-Fi—something that could have been avoided if tickets were sent in advance. Most importantly, the listing stated that arena floor access was included, but we were given basic entry tickets with no arena access. This felt misleading. I would not recommend this tour unless these issues are addressed.
Dear Yu_Z, Thank you for your feedback. I want to address each of your points honestly. 1. Arena Floor access (our mistake) You are correct — your booking was for the Colosseum Arena Floor tour, but we provided basic entry tickets without arena access. This was our error, and I sincerely apologize. We have already processed a refund for the price difference between the two ticket types. Please allow 3–5 business days for it to appear on your statement. 2. Audio app instructions We sent you the tickets and clear instructions on how to download the required audio app the day before your visit. The option you booked was for tickets + audio guide app. Unfortunately, you did not download the app in advance. Without Wi-Fi at the meeting point, the download was no longer possible — but this could have been avoided if the app had been downloaded beforehand as instructed. 3. Meeting point Our meeting point is clearly described, and we are proud that over 300 people meet us there daily without any issues. We do not believe the meeting point itself was the problem. Once again, we take full responsibility for the arena ticket error. However, the audio guide issue was clearly communicated in advance. Please email us at discoverrometours@gmail.com with your booking reference if you have not received your partial refund. Sincerely, Discover Rome Tours Team
The actual experience was great however the Viatour process was terrible. Booked for 10.30am - received an email saying both go to the meeting spot and also not to worry about going to the meeting spot. Also the email said we could attend 24 hrs either side of the booking which isn’t right. Tickets weren’t the tickets so had to locate the meeting spot and the very helpful guy from the actual company has to assist us get the tickets which were changed to 11.30. It was a complete nightmare.
Dear Louise, Thank you for bringing this to our attention, and please accept our sincerest apologies for the significant confusion and frustration you experienced before your tour. We understand why this felt like a "complete nightmare," and we are very sorry for the stress this caused. We are glad our onsite team could assist you and that you ultimately enjoyed the Arena Floor experience. To clarify for future guests, the Colosseum entry requires a specific, pre-booked time slot. The 24-hour flexible access applies only to the adjacent Roman Forum and Palatine Hill archaeological site, which can be visited the following day. We are sorry if this distinction was not as clear as it could have been in the communications you received. We truly appreciate you choosing to explore this history with us and hope to provide you with a seamless experience from start to finish in the future. Sincerely, Discover Rome Team
While the colloseum itself was nice, we did not get what we booked, including the entry time. They tried to "upgrade" us which meant removing floor access....when we declined they grew tired of us. Not a great experience with the tour vendor. Viator itself is great, but this one did not meet the proper standards.
Dear Adam_S, Thank you for your feedback, and please accept our sincerest apologies for the significant inconvenience you experienced with your booking. We have looked into your case to understand what went wrong. A technical error in our booking management system incorrectly confirmed your preferred 3:00 PM entry time for the Arena Floor access. This was our error, and we take full responsibility for this mistake. The product you booked is a self-guided visit with app-based audio guide, which includes pre-reserved timed entry tickets for the Arena Floor, Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Upon realizing the system error, our on-site staff immediately offered you the next available entry slot at 5:00 PM to ensure you still received all the access you paid for. This later time slot requires starting at the Roman Forum to align with the Colosseum's entry time, but includes the exact same comprehensive self-guided experience. We deeply regret that the communication from our team during this stressful situation felt dismissive and impatient. Providing clear and patient support is our duty, especially when resolving errors that are our fault. We are addressing this internally with our staff. We are reviewing our booking procedures to prevent this technical issue from recurring. We understand why this disrupted your plans and thank you for bringing it to our attention. Sincerely, The Discover Rome Tours Management
We bought this the day before because I forgot to purchase tickets in advance. I bought 4 tickets and realized that there were almost double of what you pay directly with the colosseum. Also kids under 14 are free!!!
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear the experience didn’t meet your expectations. While it's true that official Colosseum entry is less expensive, our Arena Floor Access Experience offers added value — including fast-track entry, access to the restricted arena floor, a downloadable audio guide app, and a detailed guide booklet to enhance your visit. We also want to clarify that while children under 18 enter free through the official site, our package includes additional services and charges a small fee of just €2 for children to cover those extras. We appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and hope you still had a great time exploring this incredible site.
The staff was really accommodating with a last minute change we needed to make to our booking due to illness. Really amazing customer service. Really appreciate the team and can't wait to join this group when we visit again!!
Dear Reejutaj, Thank you so much for your kind words! We're glad we could assist with your last-minute booking change and that our team made a positive impression. Your appreciation means a lot to us, and we look forward to welcoming you back on your next visit to Rome! Wishing you all the best, The Discover Rome Tours Team
I bought this thinking I had read it was part guided tour through the Colleseum and then you were on your own to walk Palatine Hill & the forum. Instead it was just us walking ourselves through everywhere. We met up with the "guides" very easy to find them, they showed me the email where my tickets came attached as a PDF then told me to use those to get scanned into the Colleseum. I have no idea if they were just tickets in my email why we needed to walk to meet up with these people. Walking the forum, the Arena all the areas we had access to was amazing...just disappointed it wasn't guided..I would have just gotten regular tickets through the official Colleseum site.
Dear Jennifer, Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We’re happy to hear you enjoyed the access to the Arena Floor, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill — they are truly spectacular. We would like to clarify that the option you selected includes a digital booklet with audio guide for a self-guided experience, as clearly indicated in the product description. The staff you met assisted with ticketing and entry but did not provide a live guided tour. We strive to make all product details transparent so guests can choose the experience that best suits their preferences. We appreciate your feedback as it helps us ensure clarity for future visitors. Thank you again, and we hope to welcome you on one of our live guided tours in the future. Best regards, Discover Rome Tours Team
I recently had the pleasure of working with my guide, and I must say, it was nothing short of exceptional! From the very beginning, the professionalism and expertise were evident. My guide displayed an extensive knowledge of the subject matter, providing insights that enriched my understanding and made the entire experience enjoyable.
Dear Mikailt, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that your experience with your guide was exceptional. It's always our goal to provide both professionalism and deep knowledge to enhance every tour, and we're glad that this made your visit to the Colosseum and Roman Forum even more enjoyable. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back for another enriching experience in the future! Best regards, Discover Rome Tours Team
