Rome Colosseum & Catacombs Underground Tours & Transfer
Description
EXCLUSIVE COLOSSEUM, ROMAN FORUM & CATACOMBS UNDERGROUND FULL-DAY GUIDED TOUR WITH OPTIONAL TRANSFER BY GOLF CART OR MINIVAN Return in time with our tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum in Rome. Explore the first and second tiers for amazing views, then walk through the ruins of the Roman Forum with your expert guide in art and archaeology. After the Colosseum tour, take a break before continuing toward the Catacombs on the Ancient Appian Way. Choose between a panoramic golf cart transfer through Rome’s historic streets or a comfortable air-conditioned minivan transfer. A self-audio-guided option of the Colosseum and Roman Forum tour is also available for travelers who prefer to explore at their own pace before joining the Catacombs experience. Descend into a fascinating network of underground tunnels, rich in frescoes, crypts, mausoleums, sarcophagi, and tombs. End of the tour, transfer back to the meeting point.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit Rome's symbolic monument with a tour that makes it easy and fun for all ages. Learn about the amphitheater's history from a guide with an art and archaeology background.
You will then, visit the Roman Forum. This is one of the most important archaeological areas in the world with some of Ancient Rome's most evocative ruins, including the Temple of Julius Caesar, Arch of Titus, House of the Vestal Virgins, Senate House and Basilica of Maxentius. Admire the Roman Forum's Sacred Way, the triumphal road where the Centurions of Caesar marched after their return from countless battles and conquests.
After you walk through Palatine Hill, explore the site of an older settlement from the 9th century BC. Admire the incredible frescoes in the House of Augustus and the Hippodrome, an elliptical sunken garden from the Palace of Domitian. Here, enjoy an impressive view of the Circus Maximus and the valley of the Roman Forum. Learn about the legend of Romulus and Remus, the abandoned brothers raised by a wolf who fought each other for power and control. After the tour take 1-hour break and then come back to our office in via della Polveriera at 1:45 pm
Starting, with a small group, from our travel agency, near the Colosseum, you will be comfortably transported on an air-conditioned vehicle, in one of the most interesting and visited places in Rome, the "catacombs" on the Via Appia Antica. Paas by the majestic Aurelian Walls and come to the archaeological area of the Via Appia Antica, immersed in the green Roman countryside, you will descend into the ancient world of the Catacombs, a complex network of underground tunnels among the longest in the world, which occupies an area of about fifteen hectares, consisting of about 60 kilometers of tunnels on several levels. The catacombs that we will visit (San Calisto, San Sebastiano or Santa Domitilla), for your tour will change depending on the day, but from where we go, you will have the opportunity to see ancient frescoes, crypts rich in inscriptions carved in the walls, niches with still remains of skeletons, small mausoleums, sarcophagi, tombs and small chapels that still today, after about 2000 years, are still used to celebrate religious rites. Here you will find the burial of famous people like popes, martyrs and, according to legends, even some apostles. After the tour, back in the sunlight, your driver will take you back to the original starting point in Via Della Polveriera.
The Catacomb is believed to have been created by future Pope Callixtus I, then a deacon of Rome, under the direction of Pope Zephyrinus, enlarging pre-existing early Christian hypogea. Callixtus himself was entombed in the Catacomb of Calepodius on the Aurelian Way. The crypt fell into disuse and decay as the relics it contained were translated from the catacombs to the various churches of Rome; the final wave of translations from the crypt occurred under Pope Sergius II in the 9th century, primarily to San Silvestro in Capite, which unlike the Catacomb was within the Aurelian Walls.[1] The Catacomb and Crypt were rediscovered in 1854 by the pioneering Italian archaeologist Giovanni Battista de Rossi.
The Circus Maximus (Latin for "largest circus"; Italian: Circo Massimo) is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome, Italy. The valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire. It measured 621 m (2,037 ft) in length and 118 m (387 ft) in width and could accommodate over 150,000 spectators. Its fully developed form became the model for circuses throughout the Roman Empire. The site is now a public park.
The Baths of Caracalla (Italian: Terme di Caracalla) in Rome, Italy, were the city's second largest Roman public baths, or thermae. The baths were likely built between AD 212 (or 211) and 216/217, during the reigns of emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla.[2] They were in operation until the 530s and then fell into disuse and ruin. Both during and since their operation as baths, they served as inspiration for many other ancient and modern buildings, such as the Baths of Diocletian, the Basilica of Maxentius, the original Pennsylvania Station in New York City, Chicago Union Station, and the Senate of Canada Building. Artworks recovered from the ruins include famous sculptures such as the Farnese Bull and the Farnese Hercules.
The Arch of Constantine (Italian: Arco di Costantino) is a triumphal arch in Rome dedicated to the emperor Constantine the Great. The arch was commissioned by the Roman Senate to commemorate Constantine's victory over Maxentius at the Battle of Milvian Bridge in AD 312. Situated between the Colosseum and the Palatine Hill, the arch spans the Via Triumphalis, the route taken by victorious military leaders when they entered the city in a triumphal procession. [a] Dedicated in 315, it is the largest Roman triumphal arch, with overall dimensions of[1] 21 m (69 ft) high, 25.9 m (85 ft) wide and 7.4 m (24 ft) deep. It has three bays, the central one being 11.5 m (38 ft) high and 6.5 m (21 ft) wide and the laterals 7.4 m (24 ft) by 3.4 m (11 ft) each. The arch is constructed of brick-faced concrete covered in marble.
The Baths of Caracalla (Italian: Terme di Caracalla) in Rome, Italy, were the city's second largest Roman public baths, or thermae. The baths were likely built between AD 212 (or 211) and 216/217, during the reigns of emperors Septimius Severus and Caracalla.[2] They were in operation until the 530s and then fell into disuse and ruin. Both during and since their operation as baths, they served as inspiration for many other notable buildings, ancient and modern, such as the Baths of Diocletian, the Basilica of Maxentius, the original Pennsylvania Station in New York City, Chicago Union Station and the Senate of Canada Building. Artworks recovered from the ruins include famous sculptures such as the Farnese Bull and the Farnese Hercules. Today the Baths of Caracalla are a tourist attraction.
The Circus Maximus (Latin for "largest circus"; Italian: Circo Massimo) is an ancient Roman chariot-racing stadium and mass entertainment venue in Rome, Italy. In the valley between the Aventine and Palatine hills, it was the first and largest stadium in ancient Rome and its later Empire. It measured 621 m (2,037 ft) in length and 118 m (387 ft) in width and could accommodate over 150,000 spectators.[2] In its fully developed form, it became the model for circuses throughout the Roman Empire. The site is now a public park.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time due to managing and organizational reasons.
- 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.
- The order in which the sites are visited during the tour can vary.
- 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.
- Discount for children is applied only with a valid ID card!
- Please note that for safety reasons the Colosseum can accommodate up to 3.000 people at once. This could lead to delays in access to the site, even for pre-booked visitors.
- The activity can suffer 20/30 min variation due to organizational resons.
- For security reasons all visitors and their luggage shall be screened.
- To facilitate the security check, please insert any object (including mobile phone) in your bag/backpack or in the tray to be included in the X-ray.
- Forbidden objects inside the Colosseum: bottles and glasses containers, alcoholic beverages and aerosols, large backpacks, camping sets, bulky bags and luggage / trolley.
- Medium and small size backpacks can be taken inside the Colosseum, which will be X-ray checked, or opened and visually inspected by the Urbe Security Institute, responsible for the entrance inspection.
- Please notice that the Colosseum Administration, which depends on the Ministry of Cultural Assets and Activities has the faculty to close the Colosseum, or parts of it, with or without notice, for events, strikes, heavy rain, or any other reason. In this case, we will offer an alternative itinerary as it seems fit and offer a partial refund
- Activity not recommended for travelers with walking impairment.
- Transpostation to the Catacombs will be lead by a professional driver (not a guide).
- In the Catacombs, temperature is about 60°F and the moisture content is high; please dress appropriately.
- No one can visit the catacombs on their own, nor stray from their group along the route, nor cross the gates that delimit the paths open to the public.
- It is forbidden to touch the exhibits along the visit path.
- It is strictly forbidden to remove any object and/or material!
- You are not allowed to eat inside the monuments! You can carry a water bottle.
- No change on a booking can be accepted after 24hrs to the starting time of the tour. In that instance, no refund will be issued.
- For the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund.
- Pets are not allowed.
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- For any communication, the staff has no responsibility in case of wrong or inactive phone number. Any change (date and/or time) must be notified and confirmed to have insurance coverage.
- Please inform us in advance of any disabilities or special requirements so that we can ensure the best possible experience. Kindly communicate any relevant details to our team via email at tourinthecityrome@gmail.com."
- The duration of the tour might be different depending on weather conditions (ice, rain, or high temperatures) or other events beyond the travel agency's control.
- Not accessible for walker users
- Not recommended for travelers with walking impairments
- We kindly inform you that any kind of disability (visual impairment, hearing impairment,... ) or anything that might prevent you to regularly join the tour, MUST BE communicated in advance to our staff.
Reviews(22)
Experience started off bad from get go, I scheduled my trip to start at 11:00 knowing I was flying in from California and arriving to Rome airport at 7:33. The day before the pre booked excursion I was notified that they changed me to the 9:30 start time. I was very rushed to make the meeting time. I barely had time to stop at my hotel to drop off my luggage. No time to change into something more comfortable to the heat, no time to purchase water etc. the description stated we would be traveling in an air conditioned van, that never happened. We walked from the meeting point in the heat. The guide was very good, maybe a little long winded for me since a lot of the explanations was while we were in direct sun. After the colosseum portion of the tour, which ended around 12:30, I was advised the next portion of the tour to the catacombs wouldn’t be till 2:30. The details of the description does not say that. I paid over $230 per person for me and my wife, and do not think it was worth the hassle and confusion. I had to speak to the staff to get them to take me to the remaining portion of my excursion and they reluctantly got someone to take us at 1:30, which was in a golf cart, not the air conditioned van I was promised in the description I originally signed up for.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are sorry that some aspects of the experience did not meet your expectations. However, we would like to provide some additional context regarding the changes made to your itinerary. The day of your tour, Rome was under an official orange-level heat alert, with authorities strongly advising against prolonged sun exposure during the hottest hours of the day. For this reason, and in the interest of our guests' safety and comfort, we chose to anticipate the Colosseum visit to an earlier time slot. Regarding transportation to the Catacombs, the air-conditioned minivan transfer was available as planned. However, because you expressed a preference to anticipate the Catacombs visit rather than wait for the scheduled departure, we arranged an earlier golf cart transfer for you, which you accepted. This solution was organized specifically to accommodate your request and reduce your waiting time. We would also like to clarify what is included in the tour price: Colosseum entrance tickets, Catacombs entrance tickets, a guided tour of the Colosseum, a guided tour of the Catacombs, and round-trip transportation to the Catacombs. These services represent a comprehensive package that combines multiple attractions, transportation, professional guides, assistance, tax, platform commission, bank fees, insurance, and our markup. We are always open to constructive feedback and continuously strive to improve our services. Out of genuine curiosity, we would be interested in knowing what you would consider a fair price for an experience that includes all of the above services. We encourage you to try organizing independently Colosseum tickets, Catacombs tickets, licensed guides for both sites, and round-trip transportation, and compare the overall cost and logistics involved. We are pleased to hear that you enjoyed your guide's expertise and appreciate your comments regarding the quality of the guided experience. Kind regards, Tour in the City Team
Great way to experience the colosseum with a very knowledgeable tour guide! Highly recommend, skips all the long lines and provides you with all the history you need to know!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear that you enjoyed your Colosseum and Catacombs experience. It's great to know that our guide's knowledge helped bring the history to life and that skipping the long lines made your visit even more enjoyable. Thank you for recommending the tour. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable adventure in Rome! Best regards, Tour in the City Team
Really great tour to amazing sites! Eva was our guide for the Colosseum and Forum. She was knowledgeable and engaging. It would’ve been nice though to have a few extra minutes just to “look around”. Paco was our driver to/from the Catacombs. The vehicle was a golf cart instead of air conditioned, but Paco was great…took us to drive by a couple “extra” sites that we definitely wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Obviously, the Colosseum, Forum and Catacombs were all spectacular. All in all, definitely recommend this tour!!
Thank you for your fantastic review! We're delighted to hear that you had such a great experience exploring some of Rome’s most iconic sites. It's wonderful to know that Eva made your visit to the Colosseum and Roman Forum both engaging and informative with her knowledge and enthusiasm. Thank you as well for your kind words about Paco. We're glad you enjoyed the transfer and the opportunity to see a few extra sights along the way—those unexpected moments often become some of the most memorable parts of a trip! We also appreciate your feedback regarding having a little more time to explore independently at the Colosseum and Forum. Guest comments like yours help us continue improving our tours and overall experience. Thank you for choosing Tour In the City and for recommending us. We hope to welcome you back to Rome for another unforgettable adventure! Warm regards, The Tour In the City Team
This tour is actually multiple tours combined. We first had the group tour of the Colosseum. There were 12 people in total. It was easy to find the meeting location and a short walk to the Colosseum. Being part of a group tour we were able to get into a shorter entry line. You still need to have a matching passport name and ticket, and go through a metal detector and bag screening. After the 2.5 hour tour, we then had 3 hours to wait until the 2nd part of the tour experience began for the visit to the Catacombs. The itinerary for this tour is confusing, there are two separate Catacombs listed, but you only go to one, and there are "pass by" locations listed but the driver does not point them out. There is no food provided on either tour. Overall, both tours were good and we'd do it again. The Colosseum tour guide was very knowledgeable.
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We are glad to hear that you enjoyed both parts of the experience and that you found the Colosseum guide knowledgeable. We would like to clarify that all the details mentioned are specified in the tour description before booking. Food is not included in this experience, and this is clearly stated in the inclusions and exclusions section. Regarding the Catacombs, the tour description explains that the visit may take place at one of the listed Catacombs, depending on opening days, availability, and operational conditions. For this reason, guests visit either one Catacomb or the other, not both. The waiting time between the Colosseum tour and the Catacombs visit is intentionally scheduled to allow guests enough time to have lunch independently and to avoid the hottest hours of the day, especially during the summer season in Rome. We appreciate your comments and are happy to know that overall you enjoyed the tours and would do the experience again.
Fabio was fantastic! We had a history lesson with each stop. All the food was excellent! Some things of which we never heard!!! The walk was easy and we were very full at the end of the tour. Highly recommend.
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed the tour and that Fabio made such a positive impression. His passion for Rome's history and culture is something our guests often appreciate, and we will be sure to share your kind words with him. We're also pleased that you enjoyed the food selections and had the opportunity to discover new local specialties along the way. Combining history, authentic cuisine, and a relaxed walking experience is exactly what we aim to provide. Thank you for your recommendation. We hope to welcome you back to Rome for another memorable experience in the future! Kind regards, The Team
Our tour guides were very knowledgeable and helped us navigate the throngs of people. Very informative. Paco was especially amazing!
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you enjoyed both tours and that our guides helped make your experience smooth, enjoyable, and informative despite the crowds. Our team takes great pride in sharing the history of Rome while ensuring that guests can relax and fully enjoy the visit. We are especially pleased to hear your kind words about Paco. He is a fantastic guide, and we will be sure to pass along your compliments to him. Thank you for choosing our Colosseum and Catacombs experience. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you back to Rome again soon! Kind regards, The Team
The Colosseum tour guide was wonderful. She was extremely knowledgeable and shared many interesting facts. Eva was her name and she was spectacular.
Thank you so much for your kind words! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Colosseum & Catacombs tour. Eva will be especially happy to know she made such a strong impression—she truly has a passion for sharing Rome’s history. We hope to welcome you again for another memorable experience!
The Colosseum was amazing and our tour guide Ava was great!! We added on the catacomb tour which reflects even more history of this city!
Thank you so much for your kind words! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed the Colosseum and that Ava made your experience special. Adding the catacombs is a great choice to dive even deeper into Rome’s history—glad you found it worthwhile. We hope to welcome you back for another unforgettable tour soon!
We booked the Colosseum and Catacombs. We ended up skipping the catacombs to spend more time in the Colosseum, which is stunning and an engineering feat! The Forum was very interesting and a lot of history. Our guide was very knowledgeable!
Thank you for your kind review! We’re delighted to hear that you enjoyed your time at the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and that you found the experience so fascinating. It’s great to know that your guide’s knowledge helped bring the history to life and made your visit even more meaningful. We understand your choice to spend more time at the Colosseum—it truly is an incredible site. We hope you’ll have the chance to visit the catacombs on a future trip for another unique experience. We’d love to welcome you again in Rome!
The time changes and meeting point changes were a tad annoying esp because it didn’t change in the app just texted the difference or emailed but with limited service the emails were hard to check. Also the times were off it said 4 hours but it was 4 for the first half two more for the second . Other than that it was great and informative.
Thank you for your feedback! We’re glad to hear you found the tour informative and enjoyable overall. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the schedule and meeting point changes. We understand how frustrating it can be, especially with limited internet access, and we appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We’ll work on improving how these updates are communicated to ensure a smoother experience in the future. Thank you again for your understanding, and we hope to have the opportunity to welcome you on another tour!
