Rome: Colosseum by Night Guided Tour
Description
A guided tour through the most iconic Roman monument in the fascinating night atmosphere after the regular opening hours when the crowds are gone. You will meet your tour Coordinator outside the Colosseum metro station just across the street from the monument. After a brief introduction, our friendly guide will accompany you to the skip-the-line entrance, for fast lane access. Once inside, begin your tour below ground and explore the Colosseum’s tunnels, chambers and pits. This section of the Colosseum is restricted to the public and only allows a limited number of visitors each day, so enjoy this exclusive chance to see more than most people do. Admire the lifts that brought to life Rome’s hunting games. Next you will have access to the reconstructed portion of the arena floor to hear the stories of the bloody gladiatorial battles. You'll stand in the very same spot where the games took place. This is a unique experience reserved to a restricted number of visitors. Don't miss it !
Tour Options
Itinerary
* Colosseum Underground (if option selected) * Arena * First Level * A show of gladiator dream
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- 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.
- 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.
Reviews(402)
SCAM! We were sold a coliseum tour at night with Arena floor access. It was was supposed to also be two hours. Instead we started 45 min late, no arena floor access at all, and the tour lasted an hour. The tour operator confirmed in writing prior to the tour we would get arena floor access and we still didn’t get it. No refund offered. Viator doesn’t help either. Don’t waste your money. I’ve booked tours on Viator before and had a great experience. This operator is a bait and switch operation so beware and stay away!
We took the Colosseum at Night Tour on June 13, 2026, and it was one of the highlights of our time in Rome. Our guide, Giovanni, was absolutely spectacular. His knowledge of Roman history was impressive, but what really stood out was his ability to bring the stories, people, and events of ancient Rome to life in a way that was both engaging and memorable. Seeing the Colosseum illuminated at night added a completely different atmosphere and made the experience feel even more special. I walked away with a much deeper understanding of the history and significance of this incredible landmark. I highly recommend this tour, and if you’re lucky enough to have Giovanni as your guide, you’re in for a fantastic experience. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
The experience was amazing! Our guide had so much information and excitement around the topic it was non stop and unrehearsed. We asked questions - he went with it and updated his general itinerary. He only stopped talking to take a drink of water and yet we were all enraptured and didn’t even realize we were closing the place down. He was amazing and brought history to life.
Thank you, Heather_F! What a wonderful review. We're so glad your guide brought history to life with such passion and knowledge that you didn't even notice closing the place down. That's the magic of a great guide. We appreciate you sharing this!
Our guide was amazing!! He was so knowledgeable and interesting and we left with so much more knowledge of the colosseum than we started with. He managed to bring the colosseum to life in a way that you just don’t get walking around alone. He even gave us chance for a Q&A at the end! Plus our group only had 7 people so felt very intimate and just overall an absolutely highlight of our trip!
Thank you, Ashlyn_S! We're so happy the night tour was a highlight of your trip. Bringing the Colosseum to life in a small, intimate group is exactly what we aim for – and ending with a Q&A makes it even better. We appreciate your wonderful feedback!
Changed the description of event after booking to bot include underground. The underground is only open for part of the year and the tickets are first come, first serve. Just buy your ticket on site for 22€ p/p. These people are scammers. I had to issue a charge back because neither company or viator was interested in correcting the issue. SCAM. BUY ALL ROME TOUR TICKETS IN PERSON.
Dear Connor Cheevers & Elizabeth Stilwell, You have called us scammers. We will now present the complete, documented timeline so future travelers can see the truth. 1. Your Original Booking Booking date: February 24, 2026 at 4:39 AM Tour: Colosseum Evening Tour (No Underground) – as clearly stated in the title Tour date: Thursday, June 4, 2026 Time: 5:00 PM At the time of booking, the product description explicitly said that the underground (hypogeum) is not included in the evening tour. 2. You Asked to Add Underground – We Said No and Offered Cancellation After booking, you requested that we add underground access to your tour. We replied clearly and in writing (in our first and second communications) that: Underground access is not available for this evening tour. If you were not satisfied with the tour as booked, you could request a cancellation at that time for a full refund (since it was far outside the 7‑day window). You never replied. You did not cancel. You did not ask for a refund at that time. You simply ignored our offer to cancel. 3. Our Repeated Follow‑ups – All Ignored March 13, 2026 (12:33 AM) – Confirmation email with details, repeating that underground is not included and offering assistance. May 22, 2026 (9:34 PM) – Second follow‑up email, again reminding you of the tour time (5:00 PM) and offering support. June 3, 2026 – WhatsApp message one day before the tour with final instructions. You never replied to any of these messages. Not once did you say you wanted to cancel, nor did you express any concern about the time. 4. Your Refund Request – One Day Before the Tour On June 3, 2026 – just one day before the scheduled tour – you suddenly asked for a full refund. Your reason? Your travel plans had changed. Not because of anything we did wrong – because your personal schedule changed. Our refund policy, which you agreed to at booking, states clearly: no refunds for cancellations within 7 days of the tour. We politely declined your refund request. 5. Your False Claim to Viator After we declined your refund, you went to Viator and lied, claiming that: You had originally booked a 9:00 PM tour We changed your time to 5:00 PM without your consent We asked you to provide any proof of a 9:00 PM booking – a screenshot, an email, anything. You could not provide any proof because no such booking ever existed. Our records show only the 5:00 PM booking you made yourself. Once your lie was exposed, you posted this negative review calling us scammers. 6. The Same Tour – 20 Other Happy Customers On June 4, 2026 at 5:00 PM, the tour ran as scheduled with 20 other guests besides you. They all arrived on time, enjoyed the evening, and several have left 5‑star reviews on Viator and TripAdvisor for that exact date and time. You can read their reviews publicly. If we were scammers, why did 20 other people have a great experience? The only difference: they showed up as booked, and you did not – then you lied to try to force a refund. 7. Your Chargeback You mentioned issuing a chargeback. We welcome that process. We have already compiled all documentation for our bank and Viator: Your booking confirmation showing 5:00 PM Your request to add underground (we said no) Our offer to cancel (you ignored it) Our emails from March 13 and May 22 Our WhatsApp message from June 3 Your false 9:00 PM claim with no evidence We are confident the bank will rule in our favor. We delivered exactly what you booked – a 5:00 PM Colosseum evening tour. You changed your travel plans and tried to get a refund through dishonesty. 8. The Truth We are not scammers. We are a legitimate tour operator with thousands of satisfied customers. You had every opportunity to cancel when we told you underground was not included. You chose to stay silent. Then, one day before the tour, you asked for a refund because your plans changed – and when we followed our clear policy, you lied to Viator and left a false review. Future travelers: book with confidence. We deliver what we promise, we communicate clearly, and we will always defend the truth. Sincerely, Customer Support Team
Our guide was so knowledgeable about the history of Rome and the colosseum. We could have listened to him for hours. We were so hungry along the tour that he brought us to a small pizza shop for pizza to go. What an extra bonus. We would definitely recommend him for any of the tours in Rome.
Thank you, Leslie_P! We're so glad you enjoyed your Colosseum by Night tour. It sounds like you had a truly special guide – knowledgeable, engaging, and thoughtful enough to stop for pizza when hunger struck! That's going above and beyond. We'll be sure to share your kind words with him. We hope to welcome you back to Rome for more tours (and more pizza)!
Very knowledgeable guides with a lot of interesting information to take in. There was seven family members in my group, 4 in their 80’s and they handled the stairs and walking in the heat very well. Great tour, should not be missed whilst in Rome.
Thank you, Cheryl_H! We're so glad your family – including four members in their 80s – had a wonderful late afternoon tour of the Colosseum. It's great to hear that everyone handled the stairs and heat well and that the guides kept the information interesting and engaging. We truly appreciate you recommending this tour as a must-do in Rome. Hope to welcome you back! Best regards, The Discover Rome Tour Team
The tour was not as advertised. The tour was not at night, it was at 5pm. We saw that when we booked but we trusted the company. The photo is of the Coliseum at night, with it illuminated. It was broad daylight for our tour. Our tour guide was great and knowledgeable, but we wanted a night tour. I’m not sure what happened. Since the tour was not at night, I feel it was a bit overpriced.
Thank you, Matthew. We appreciate your honest feedback. This is an evening tour, not a night tour, and we apologize if the title or photo suggested otherwise. We're updating the description to make that clearer. Glad you still enjoyed your guide. We hope you'll join us again – ask us for a small discount on your next booking. Best regards, The Discover Rome Tour Team
We think we could not have had a better guide for the Colosseum. Not only was our guide quite experienced in terms of the architecture in the history of the Colosseum, they were able to translate certain things into a modern context. One example stuck with me: the idea that trapped doors in the Colosseum were similar to TikTok feeds in the way that they led to a more seamless content experience. Would recommend.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review, andrebK6603LZ! We're thrilled to hear that your Colosseum by Night experience was "worth every penny." Our guides take great pride in bringing ancient history to life in creative and relatable ways – and the comparison between the Colosseum's trap doors and a TikTok feed is truly brilliant! We're so glad that modern analogy stuck with you. It means the world to us that you enjoyed both the architectural depth and the engaging storytelling. We will be sure to pass along your kind words to your guide. Thank you again for recommending us. We'd love to welcome you on another tour should you ever return to Rome!
This tour was well organized and the tour guide was incredibly knowledgeable. I was really only excepting to be able to skip the line and to get a general overview. What we got was a guide that was passionate about history and Rome in general. He was a real expert and we learned more then we expected to. A great experience.
Dear sthompsen, Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that your Colosseum by Night tour exceeded your expectations. It's great that you not only enjoyed skipping the line but also experienced a guide who is truly passionate about history and Rome. Going above and beyond to provide exceptional knowledge is what we strive for. We're so glad you learned more than expected – that's the best compliment we could ask for. Thank you for choosing us, and we hope to welcome you on another tour in the future! Best regards, Discover Rome Tours Team
