Rome: Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Private Tour
Description
Get a fully immersive Colosseum tour with a knowledgeable private guide and optional hotel private pick-up.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Visit the Colosseum, one of the largest structures of the ancient world, where Romans once gathered to watch the gladiator games, battles with wild beasts, and according to legend, sea battles. Discover how the Colosseum, a massive stone amphitheater which seated an estimated 60,000 spectators, was built in only 8 years. Your guide will unlock fascinating stories of the design and construction, the political benefit, the fighters, and the eventual end of the games at the Colosseum.
At the Roman Forum, your guide will bring to life the mythology, the popular celebrations of the time, and the gods of ancient Rome, which are reflected in the star signs in contemporary astrology. Learn how the pagan holiday Saturnalia influenced the unfolding of Christmas on the 25th of December today. Listen to the story of the Lapis Niger (Latin for ‘black stone’), the most ancient Latin text ever discovered in the world - which is housed in the foundation of a column in the Forum. Discover the Temple of the Vestal Virgins. They worked in the temple for a period of 30 years under different emperors and were regarded almost as goddesses in status. Their foremost duty was maintaining the sacred fire of Vesta which represented the heart of Rome. As legend has it - as long as the sacred flame burned, Rome would endure and be victorious.
Admire the view of the most important Triumphal Arch of Rome dedicated to the Famous Emperor Costantine. This Arch represents a turning point of the Roman History and Art, a dividing line between the rise of the Christians and the decline of the Roman Empire.
The Temple of Vesta (Latin Aedes Vestae; Italian: Tempio di Vesta) is an ancient edifice in Rome, Italy, located in the Roman Forum near the Regia and the House of the Vestal Virgins. The temple's most recognizable feature is its circular footprint. Since the worship of Vesta began in private homes, the architecture seems to be a reminder of its history. The extant temple used Greek architecture with Corinthian columns, marble, and a central cella. The remaining structure indicates that there were twenty Corinthian columns built on a podium fifteen meters in diameter. The roof probably had a vent at the apex to allow smoke release.
You will walk along this Piazza in order to access the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Nothing was added from the time of the Roman Empire, what you see, is more or less the view that the romans had in the past.
The Forum of Caesar (in Latin, Forum Iulium) is a forum which is part of the so-called Imperial Forums in Rome, where the first forum of this complex to be built. The construction began at 54 a. C., and was finished at 29 a. C. by Augustus. While the Forum of Caesar, underwent some renovations in time of Trajan and the year after the fire 283 d. C. Julio Cesar spent huge sums of money made in the campaign of Gaul (60 million sesterces as Cicero, according to Suetonius 100 million) to buy the land and expropriate private and demolish the buildings they occupied the area, and had also relocated to the Curia hostility and faces. Julio Cesar sent instructed Cicero buy land that would serve to build the forum. Roman law had such power that even the emperors could go over the contracts.
Admire the view of the famous Via dei Fori Imperiali, projected under the Government of Mussolini.
Not so far from the Forum stands the Palatine Hill. Be ready to climb it to enjoy a marvellous view of ancient Rome, and see the hill that gave birth to Rome, the Eternal City.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up from hotel if centrally located (within the Aurelian Walls)
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Due to uneven surfaces, this tour is not recommended for those with mobility issues or those using a wheelchair
- 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.
- Please be aware that to enter the Colosseum it is necessary to pass a metal detector security check
- Large bags and backpacks are not allowed
- Be prepared to climb uneven steps and explore an archaeological site - wear good shoes. Anticipate Rome's intense heat in the summer - you may want to bring a small umbrella to block the sun as well as unexpected, sudden rainfall
- Each traveler must present a valid passport or photo ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- Closed-toe, non-slip shoes are required for safety. Access to the Colosseum may be denied without proper footwear.
- To ensure the safety and well-being of all our guests, every reservation that includes minors (under 18) must be accompanied by at least one adult. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept bookings made exclusively by unaccompanied minors.
- Colosseum and Roman Forum entrance with arena access (valued at €24 per person)
- Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
- Colosseum and Roman Forum entrance(valued at €18 per person)
- Please note: Colosseum fees as above. The remaining cost of the experience...
Reviews(744)
This was the final day of our family "bucket list" vacation, and my wife and I (both of whom had previously toured the Forum and Colosseum 10 years ago) wanted our 19 and 22 year old daughters to experience this wonder and be impacted the way we were. As you know -- the tour guide makes or breaks the experience. And we hit the lottery with Manny. He was personable, very easy to understand, a master storyteller, able to answer all of our questions (with legitimate expertise), and felt like part of the family by the time we concluded. We started with the Forum, which was perfect, and was like a trip through a time machine -- complete with visuals and renderings that Manny brought. so we could understand what was present and missing, and then toured the Colosseum. Our guide was familiar enough with the entrance options that we were able to avoid crowded areas and any lines for entry. MUCH APPRECIATED! There were times for questions, photos, and easy discussions as we hit so many highlights. We paid extra for the small group experience, and for the Colosseum floor access, and it was totally worth it. We wanted to give ourselves and our kids the gift of a lifetime experience of ancient awe and beauty, and this tour did it! Manny crushed it!
Colosseum and the Forum can be overwhelming in itself. Azzura did a fantastic job at making it such a great experience for us. She was very knowledgeable and kept us and the kids engaged for 3 hours while walking.
We booked this tour for 3 hours with a private guide. We were notified the night before the tour guide could not do it... then they found another one... we were supposed to be picked up and dropped off... but that changed and we had to find another driver for that... we were shipped to be the first in the coliseum but the guide was late getting in... then we were told she could only do 2 hours instead! We were supposed to tour 3 places and only ended up touring the Colluseum and felt rushed the whole time! We wanted a refund... but only got a portion that was not fair... we are highly disappointed with Viator and will never book with them again!
10/10. This was the highlight of our 10 days in Italy. There is an overwhelming amount of history to be shared and Rachelle did an amazing job of sharing the history in the short amount of time we were together. I would recommend this tour to everyone
We had an amazing guide, Rafella. She knew everything about the history of the Colosseum. There is a lot of walking so wear comfortable shoes, sunglasses and a hat for hot days.
I loved this tour! Simone was our guide and he taught us so much about gladiators, Roman history, the building and how it was constructed. He was very attentive, answered our questions, had pics to help us see how the ruins looked when they were originally standing. Highly recommend!
Thanks to Marley who told us about the history and myths of the coliseum Kept us entertained even during the thunderstorm snd long queues Prepare to queue for everything during summer months Even with fast track or first entry tickets Or visit in February when quiet
Katie was an incredible guide. She was very knowledgeable and engaging. Our family got so much out of this tour.
Elisa is a fantastic tour guide, making the history of the Colloseum and Forum come alive. She guided expertly through the area, giving tidbits and stories of Roman culture that has made me want to learn more! Highly recommend.
Our tour with Rosalba was amazing. She was very knowledgeable about, not just the history of Rome and the buildings, but about their significance during each era. As someone who loves Ancient Roman/Greek history, it was wonderful to hear so much about each area that I would have never even thought about walking around by myself. Not only that she was super patient with my family who get caught up looking at 1000 things and knew the answer to every one of my questions. We couldn’t have asked for a better guide.
