The 14 Best Ancient Rome Tours

1.Colosseum: Underground and Ancient Rome Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 12,691 reviews · 3 hours · from $160Our pick

Spend three hours with a live English, French, or Spanish guide across the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Colosseum. You’ll enter the restricted underground, walk onto the arena floor, and see the ground and second tiers. Guides such as Carmelo, Teddy, Maya, and Mitra are praised for clear explanations and lively storytelling.

“The tour was fantastic. the price was exorbitant but I had no choice but to pay. I tried to get the cheaper tix but could not and had to use the third party provider. This is extortion. It should not be allowed.”

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2.Colosseum & Ancient Rome with Arena Floor Option I Max 6 People

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,306 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $180Top rated

Spend about three hours with a guide and no more than six people at the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Add Arena Floor access through the Gladiator’s Gate for a closer view of the ancient fighting space. Guides may include Dennis, Caterina, Fabio, or Annalisa.

“Our guide, Dennis was outstanding! Learned about the coliseum and even more about the history of Rome. Highly recommend.”

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3.Colosseum, Ancient Rome Tour or Self AudioGuided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,866 reviews · from $39Best value

Choose an English guided visit or a multilingual smartphone audio tour covering the Colosseum’s first and second tiers, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Guides such as Fabrizio, Fleur, Frederico, and Katerina have led engaging visits, while the audio option gives you 44 points of interest at your own pace.

“We had a great guide who showed us below the arena, as well as taking us to the top. Great accessible information and fabulous in answering questions too”

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4.Colosseum Underground & Ancient Rome Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,590 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $74

Choose underground access or an arena-only visit, then follow an English-speaking guide through the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. The underground option reveals gladiator tunnels, animal rooms, and arena machinery, with headsets, reserved entry, and about three hours on foot.

“Mirta, gave the most incredible tour of the Coliseum and Roman Forum. Her knowledge and ability to communicate ancient Roman history was like being taught by your favorite professor in college. l learned so much and was fascinated by this period of history and this wonder of the world. My Rome experience has been enhanced by taking this tour with such an amazing guide. Thank you Mirta and Viator for a great tour experience.”

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5.Ancient Rome: Colosseum Underground Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,059 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $66

Meet near the Colosseo Metro station for a guided visit to the Colosseum’s underground chambers and arena floor. You’ll see animal cages, gladiator passages, and the first level, then explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on your own. Groups can reach 24 people.

“My first time in a night tour, I've been twice before only on the upper sections which were amazing as well. I thought the history and ancient ruins were amazing and I suggest find that at least once, the ticket included Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Worth the $94.00”

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6.Colosseum Express Guided Tour and Ancient Rome Admission Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,008 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $54

See the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill in a guided group of up to 24 people. Guides such as Katerina and Andrea add history, humor, and archaeology to a fast-paced visit. Plan extra time for security, bring valid ID, and expect about two to three hours on foot.

“very knowledgeable and didn’t prioritize one historical period - spoke about all an equal amount and kept it fun”

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7.Colosseum Arena Access and Ancient Rome Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 774 reviews · 3 - 3.5 hours · from $94

Enter the Colosseum through the gladiator gates and stand on its reconstructed arena floor before exploring the Forum and Palatine Hill. English-speaking guides such as Angela and Marcello add stories, photo tips, shade breaks, and practical help. Expect three to three and a half hours of walking and steps.

“Angela was amazing! She was very knowledgeable and entertaining. She was so sweet with my teens/preteen and kept them engaged for the entire 3 hour tour. Highly recommend!”

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8.Ancient Rome Discovery: Colosseum, Forum, Palatine Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 690 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $156

Walk through the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill with an English-speaking guide in a group of no more than 15. Guides such as Maria Helena, Fabrizio, and Valeria bring emperors, gladiators, temples, and palace ruins to life. Bring your passport, and note that arena-floor access is not included.

“We were a small group of 5 people and were fortunate to have a sell versed and very knowledgable guide named Maria Helena. She provided a very detailed description of the history of Rome with how the leaders and population at the time used the buildings and provided full explanations of the historial artifacts. We enjoyed Maria Helena' candor and her comparison of what is in the movies and what actually may have happened in Rome.”

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9.Ancient Rome Guided Tour: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine & Pick Up

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 540 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $98

See Palatine Hill, the Colosseum, and Roman Forum in one guided half-day tour. Hotel pickup and wireless headsets simplify the visit, while guides such as Rita, Nicoletta, and Daniel bring different strengths. Expect cobblestones, heat, crowds, and plenty of walking.

“Yuri, the guide, was ineffective in providing the complete. He had a difficult time keeping the group informed and became agitated when several members were not engaged. Yuri’s presentation speed and language delivery was hard to understand.”

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10.Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Optional Arena Upgrade

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 495 reviews · from $44

Follow a live guide through Rome’s Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill in 1.5 to 3 hours. Choose English, Italian, Spanish, German, or French, and consider the Arena upgrade to stand where gladiatorial contests took place. Guides such as Julia, Henry, and Daniele bring the ruins to life.

“Great tour. The Guide was first class and had since of humour. He made the location come to life with his historical knowledge.”

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11.Ancient Rome Guided Tour: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 478 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $71

See the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill in about three hours with Gray Line I Love Rome. Headsets help you follow guides such as Fabio, Alexandra, Maria, or Mirco, while the small group size keeps the pace manageable. Expect hills, steep steps, and plenty of ancient stories.

“I did a tour with Alexandra, and there were only 10 of us. It was a mix of young and older people from all over the world. She was friendly, deeply knowledgeable (with postgraduate degrees in archaeology and art history!) She was enthusiastic and more than happy to share in-depth knowledge of Roman life, while also offering to take photos for us! She takes care of those with limited mobility in the group. She encouraged questions and took care to answer them, allowing everyone to have a better understanding. It was designed to be three hours, but she went above and beyond for those of us who were eager to…”

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12.Ancient Rome Guided Walking Tour: Colosseum, Forum and Palatine

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 455 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $71

This three-hour English tour takes you through Palatine Hill, the Colosseum, and Roman Forum with guides such as Alessandra, Alicia, and Egle. Wireless headsets help in the crowds, while the pace, hills, stairs, and meeting-point changes require careful planning.

“Great descriptions of the historical sites! I would recommend this day tour for the benefits of skipping the long admission lines and for learning about the sites.”

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13.Colosseum and Ancient Rome Family Tour for Kids

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 316 reviews · from $328

This 2.5-hour family tour uses games, treasure hunts, questions, and 3D reconstructions to bring Ancient Rome to life. A child-friendly guide such as Martina, Donato, Giulia, or Claudia leads just three families through the Colosseum and Roman Forum, with skip-the-line entry.

“Donato was a brilliant guide, who kept kids engaged and entertained. Highly recommend him.”

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14.Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Forum & Ancient Rome Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 32 reviews · from $243

Follow an English-speaking guide such as Bruno, Gabriel, Francesco, or Sam from the Jewish Ghetto across Ancient Rome. See the Theatre of Marcellus, Roman Forums, Circus Maximus, Capitoline Hill, and Colosseum from outside during a two-hour walk.

“Bruno, our tour guide was absolutely amazing! I cannot recommend him and his tour highly enough. It exceeded our expectations. The knowledge Bruno has and his talent for imparting it so easily made this tour a highlight of our trip to Rome. His warm, humorous and friendly manner certainly added much to our enjoyment and satisfaction with our tour. We are so glad we did this amazing tour!”

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