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“ Fantastic experience on two separate tours: Private tour of the Colosseum and Palatine Hill with Giovanni on day one. ” in 20 reviews

“ Our first tour was for the guided tour with skip the line tickets of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. ” in 20 reviews

“ With this tour you also get special access to St Peter's Basilica without having to get into another line. ” in 9 reviews

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This review is for Rome in a Day Small Group Tour with Vatican and Colosseum. Prepare to do a lot of walking, over 10 miles, which we knew was going to happen. One complaint we had was that there is way too much to take in on this all-day tour. You are constantly RUSHING with little time to stop at most of the sites. You need to spend at least 2 days seeing the many different locations on this excursion to enjoy it. The Vatican Museum part was a disappointing fast-paced walk through it. We had no time to stop and look at anything. The tour guide was knowledgeable with interesting facts about the different sites we saw.

VATICAN NIGHT TOUR-NOT WORTH IT! Guide was a young female with a heavy Italian accent,which is fine for general conversation, but terrible for amplified discussion about antiquities. First 30min of 2 1/2 hr tour wasted just to gain entry to facility. There were no lines to avoid by going on the tour as the only line was for group tours! Individuals could walk-in with no line. Another 15min were wasted with showing the group black & white pictures in a laminated notebook (instead of viewing the actual antiquity that was displayed nearby). Entry to the Sistine Chapel, keynote of the tour, was delayed until only 10min remained of the scheduled visit. Recommendation: pay regular admission with an audio guide and save $100 per couple. Mike Brown

August 16, 2023 - LOOK BEFORE YOU BOOK - SOMETHING ROTTEN IN ROMA! The reason for this email is to alert both you and your readers about using extreme caution doing business with The Tour Guy AKA The Roman Guy. There are many good companies out there such as Viators for example that are up front and follow good business practices. We booked a tour of the Coliseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum in Rome, Italy online through The Tour Guy website on May 29th, 2023 at 3:00 pm for a tour on September 12th, 2023. This tour required payment up front, which we paid $699.00 at that time. Saturday, August 5th, 2023 we received a text from "The Tour Guy" advising the tour we had paid for months before was cancelled and a new time slot was available for that morning at 11:00am. We were asked, do you accept or reject the new time. We advised we reject, as we had another tour booked already for the Vatican at that time. We were then told we are sorry; but there are no refunds for this tour!! We went back and forth, but they said our policy is no refunds or changes. THEY MADE THE CHANGE, NOT US! We then rushed to book another tour of the Coliseum with Viator; which was not available for the time we wanted months earlier and that was the reason we went with the Tour Guy. Since we are leaving in less than three weeks and have read others reviews that if you did not book well in advance, you would not be able to get the tour. The next day Sunday, August 6th, the Tour Guy sent us a text saying a one time offer for the same time that our original tour which was booked and then cancelled, was available and asked if we wanted to book it? NOOOOOO! We rushed, booked and paid for another tour elsewhere. There are plenty of tour companies out there that practice transparent and safe business practices and are truly there to provide the customer with the best experience possible, in addition to the tour itself. The Tour Guy communicated primarily with us via text. I called and called and each time the automated service tells you to email them. We did and same response via text. Finally they answered their phone, but was the same person sending the text. So needless to say, same answer. They said no refunds because we book and pay for tickets with the Coliseum in advance. If that was really true, then our tickets for 5 people would have been solidified; but instead they were cancelled by this company! The tour would not be cancellable if tickets were in hand by this company, especially since we booked the tour months before! LOOK BEFORE YOU BOOK Thanks and good luck!

August 16, 2023 - LOOK BEFORE YOU BOOK The reason for this email is to alert both you and fellow travelers about using extreme caution doing business with The Tour Guy AKA The Roman Guy. There are many good companies out there such as Viator for example, that are up front and follow good business practices. We booked a tour of the Coliseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum in Rome, Italy online through The Tour Guy website on May 29th, 2023 at 3:00 pm for a tour on September 12th, 2023. This tour required payment up front, which we paid $699.00 at that time. Saturday, August 5th, 2023 we received a text from "The Tour Guy" advising the tour we had paid for months before was cancelled and a new time slot was available for that morning at 11:00am. We were asked, do you accept or reject the new time. We advised we reject, as we had another tour booked already for the Vatican at that time. We were then told we are sorry, but there are no refunds for this tour!! We went back and forth, but they said our policy is no refunds or changes. THEY MADE THE CHANGE, NOT US! We then rushed to book another tour of the Coliseum with Viator; which was not available for the time we wanted months earlier and that was the reason we went with the Tour Guy. Since we are leaving in less than three weeks and have read others reviews that if you did not book well in advance, you would not be able to get the tour. The next day Sunday, August 6th, the Tour Guy sent us a text saying a one time offer for the same time that our original tour which was booked and then cancelled, was available and asked if we wanted to book it? NOOOOOO! We rushed, booked and paid for another tour elsewhere. There are plenty of tour companies out there that practice transparent and safe business practices and are truly there to provide the customer with the best experience possible, in addition to the tour itself. The Tour Guy communicated primarily with us via text. I called and called and each time the automated service tells you to email them. We did and same response via text. Finally they answered their phone, but was the same person sending the text. So needless to say, same answer. Look before you book!!

My husband and I arrived in Rome mid February 2020, at the beginning of Covid. Despite our hesitance to make our trip, we took our chances. We booked a private tour with an Angel, Faby. Her stories of history transcended us into time. Her joyful spirit and patience with our questions was outstanding. My family of seven will be arriving in June and would LOVE to reunite with her for another memorable tour. Can you please have her message me. Thank you

My friends and I spent a couple of days in Rome before boarding our cruise ship to go through the Greek islands so we booked a full day tour titled "Rome in a day Tour with Colosseum and Vatican Museums" with the Tour Guy. If you have a full day to explore this amazing city I highly, highly recommend you take this tour as you'll get a great taste of all the beauty this city has to offer. First and foremost I have to give a huge shout out to our amazing tour guide RAF. Thanks so much for an amazing day. It was one of the highlights of our vacation. I hope your manager sees this and realizes what a gem he has in you! This tour guide was AMAZING and so professional, personable and passionate in sharing her knowledge about all the sites we saw .... And you will see a lot of sites - the Sistine chapel, St. Peter's Basilica, the Roman forum, the Trevi fountain, Palazzo Novara, the Colosseum and more! We loved having a very comfortable external earbud that looped around one ear which gave us the ability to easily hear everything Raf had to say. Reserve this trip and get your walking shoes on for an unforgettable experience.

See all photos from Shelley B. for The Roman Guy

Fantastic experience on two separate tours: Private tour of the Colosseum and Palatine Hill with Giovanni on day one. He was very engaging and full of interesting historical facts. Day two we had an early start of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel and back door entrance to St. Peter's Basilica with Eleanora. She was so passionate about her Roman history and fun/funny facts. Both were very memorable. The "fast pass" experience saved us so much time waiting in long lines. So worth the money!

This is a review averaging two tours - one would be no stars or negative stars if we could give them. The other 4 or 5 stars. The thing about these tour companies is they are hit or miss based on the guide. So you're taking a real chance. On your vacation,. Often on a one time thing. Our Colosseum and forum guide was lousy and incompetent. There was nothing she told us that you wouldn't have gotten with 30 minutes of homework ahead of time. At the Colosseum, she bungled the tour and so, although it was an arena floor tour, we were unable to visit the floor. For those of us looking to have that view of the Colosseum, it was a bummer. For families who had kids who are really excited about the whole gladiator thing it was devastating. And if you are a parent who enticed your kid on a multi hour tour because of the arena floor - Well, you can imagine how that went. Contrary to some reviews, the company was responsive about the problem and offered a prorated refund. But not everyone has either the time or the desire to visit the Colosseum twice. We did the private Vatican tour by contrast, and the guide was exceptional. She (ask for Alessia) is an art historian and really brought the rooms in the Vatican museum to life. She also prepared us for what we would see in the Sistine Chapel. And I think we got things from that experience that we would not have gotten from either research or an app. She made the experience what it was. Everyone says that you should get a guide in Rome. I don't think this is great advice. It totally depends. There are apps you can get for a few bucks online they will help you navigate the Forum or figure out Palentine hill. And the Colosseum is an easy one to learn about ahead of time. The tickets are not a huge mystery. Just go to the OFFICIAL website and you can get squared away, and there are plenty of discounts for kids under 18 and so forth. If all the tickets are sold out, then the guide may be the way to go simply just for access when you need it. If you have the means a private tour can be great, but do some diligence ahead of time . Ideally figure out particular guides or smaller companies that people can refer you to. With these large companies it's not that they don't want you to have a good experience, but they know there won't be a lot of repeat business, and that affects the business model. And know why you want to do the tour. If it's just tickets, you're paying a huge mark up. If you really want to learn the history, make sure you're gonna have a guide who can do that. Otherwise, it is an expensive dice roll. We did hear some great guides at the Colosseum and the forum bringing it to life. If that really matters to you, don't leave it to chance.

I don't have an account on Trip Advisor but would like to leave a review because we really enjoyed our tours. I was traveling with my Mom and it was a last minute decision. I booked the tours easily online and thank goodness I did as post covid, many things book up fast! Our first tour was for the guided tour with skip the line tickets of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel. We booked a 9:45am tour and we arrived early to our meeting point which was not difficult to find and quick to reach with Metro. We stayed near the Barberini stop so it was quick. Many other tours were meeting there and the staff were easily visible and professional. Our guide was Enza Broccoli. She was fantastic. She was professional, energetic, humble and unassuming. Also conducted herself very diplomatically around other guides who were taking a little too long at certain stops. We covered all the must see things within the 2 hour window and it went by fast!! Skip the line was a must as I remember being in that long hot line years ago when I came as a college student. She was even able to get us into a "hidden" room that was by permission only. Thank goodness for Enza cuz I'd be lost in this endless treasure trove. Affordable and time-saving esp if you are planning a short trip. If I would do anything differently in the future, I'd probably book an early morning tour (one of those breakfast ones before opening) with the company so there is less of the crowds around me. Thank you Roman Guy! I'll cover the other tour in a separate review.

See all photos from Kuishingal F. for The Roman Guy

ALBA!!! She was an amazing tour guide. We did the full day Rome tour and it was unbelievable, much more than we expected. I can't imagine a more interesting tour. We used this company for our intro to Rome, very good choice. Alba is an archeologist and knew the answers to every question. She made history come to life and made everything interesting. We did more that day than the rest of our week in Rome. The tour was well planned and very professional. My feet did hurt that night but it was worth it. For the rest of the week we made plans and restaurant choices based on the information she gave us from our day, the best tiramisu, the best fried artichoke, great restaurants, we visited sites she suggested like the Jewish ghetto, a bohemian area... we will remember that day when we think of Rome. Thank you Alba for being so amazing!

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We had an awesome tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum. Loretta was the best tour guide - she was extremely knowledgeable, very personable and kept everyone in the group engaged. I would highly recommend the Roman Guy, and especially Loretta, for any tours while you are in Rome.

Ciao Kat! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Colosseum and that you found Loretta to be knowledgeable and engaging. She is a great guide! Grazie mille for your review. We hope to welcome you back to Rome soon!

Easily booked through viatour, Marcia our tour guide was waiting at the pre-arranged spot and was easy to find. She was most friendly, incredibly knowledgeable and looked after our group so well, always stopping for a head count which in the crowded confines of the Vatican wasn’t easy. Highly recommended.

Ciao! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Vatican, despite the crowds, and that Marcia went above and beyond to keep your group organized and engaged. Grazie mille for your review. We hope to see you on tour again soon!

We had an outstanding day great information and exceptional service getting through the crowds plus a small group of 12 people only which was excellent.Would recommend this tour to everyone

Ciao Kevin! We are so happy to hear that you loved your tour and that you felt your experience was exceptional and enjoyable. Grazie mille for your review. We hope to see you on tour again soon!

Had a lot of fun being guided by our fun and ecstatic guide (Lumi) through the Colosseum and Roman Forums. Lumi pointed out and explained everything that we probably wouldn’t have even noticed in a very entertaining way. Overall a great experience. Thanks Lumi and The Roman Guy for the great tour!

Ciao! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Colosseum and that Lumi made your experience entertaining and fun. Grazie mille for your review. We hope to see you on tour again soon!

Had a great tour with Lumi. Very educational, and she really took care of the group. Made sure everyone was okay, and really gave us the VIP treatment. Lumi is an excellent guide. Thanks!

Ciao! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Colosseum. Lumi is a fantastic guide! Grazie mille for your review. We hope to welcome you back to Rome soon!

Excellent tour, did the early morning 7:30 tour. Avoided most of the crowds and great tour guide. Didn’t feel rushed and spent quality time in the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s basilica.

Ciao Jay! We are so happy to hear that you enjoyed your tour of the Vatican and that the early start time and great guide enhanced your experience. Grazie mille for your review. We hope to welcome you back on tour soon!

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Colosseum Arena Floor Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

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Rome Food Tour: Hidden Gems of Trastevere with Dinner & Wine

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Colosseum Arena Floor Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

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Rome in a Day Small Group Tour with Vatican and Colosseum

Rome Food Tour: Hidden Gems of Trastevere with Dinner & Wine

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I had scheduled the Underground Tour of the Colosseum with another company and they changed my time (which conflicted with another tour I had scheduled) so I found The Roman Guy tours and I am so glad I did! Barbara was our tour guide and she did a wonderful job! She had so much knowledge and she made it very entertaining and interesting. We toured the underground and upper levels of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill and it was just a phenomenal tour. The Colosseum is just amazing to see and the tour was worth every Euro! A different tour guide does the underground portion of the tour and Barbara did the rest. We had no problem hearing everything on our headphones and the 3 and a half hour tour went by quickly. Barbara was kind enough to take pictures for us so we have some great shots of my husband and me at the Colosseum!

Ciao! Grazie mille for your review. It's such a great feeling to hear that our guests enjoyed their experiences so much. The Colosseum is such a magical place, and we're glad you feel the same! We hope to welcome you back to Rome soon!

We had an awesome guided tour of Florence museums (the Accademia and the Uffizi) with Cristiano! He has a vast knowledge of all things art and history in Florence - as well as some great, local food recommendations - and always made time to answer any questions. We only had a few days in Florence; the combined morning and afternoon tour was a perfect introduction to the marvels of Florence and a great way for us to see a lot during a short visit. Recommended without hesitation, especially if you have an interest in the Renaissance art or history of Florence.

Ciao Allen! Grazie mille for your review. It's always a plus to tour Florence with such a knowledgeable and engaging guide. The art in Florence is too beautiful to go unnoticed! We hope to welcome you back to Italy soon!

Highly recommend taking tour well worth it. Serena our guide was very knowledgeable and fun. Learned a lot. A must do when in a Rome.

Ciao Carol! Grazie mille for your review. Serena is an awesome guide, and we are so happy you enjoyed your experience with her. We hope to welcome you back to Rome soon!

We had a fantastic experience on the food tour with Cristiana. She was an engaging, knowledgeable, fun person to have as a guide through the streets and restaurants. We went on the tour on my birthday, and Cristiana and most of the restaurants acknowledged my birthday, with Menu Del Giorno singing Happy Birthday and serving me tiramisu. We loved that there was wine at every stop, enjoyed the farm to table antipasto, and the homemade pasta. Aside from the aforementioned Menu Del Giorno, a highlight was the fried cod at Filetti di Baccala. This was my first food tour, and I am so glad it was this one. Highly recommended.

Ciao! Grazie mille for your review. What a wonderful experience! Eating Roman cuisine on your birthday is a present in itself, but this experience sounds like the cherry on top of a great evening. We hope to welcome you back to Rome soon!

We are not historians by any means but have a keen interest in the Roman Empire history so this 3.5hour tour was perfect. The meeting point was easy to find and the guides arrived on time. Franco was a top guide with excellent knowledge and banter. We had Valentina take us around the Colosseum, she was fantastic too. As a result of loads of facts, figures, stories shared with us today we are much more knowledgeable and have 567 photos to prove it ! Thank You x

Ciao! Grazie mille for your review. It's so great to hear that you learned a lot on tour, and that you were also pleased with the organization of it. What's a great tour without photos!?! We hope to welcome you back to Rome soon!

Thank you, Raf! What a great experience you provided! You are a wealth of knowledge and you know just what points are most interesting to your group. She had a lot of extra material on her iPad which helped with our understanding. We really appreciated how she was able to find the most interesting and entertaining facts to bring out. A highlight of our trip to Italy! Very worth the ticket price to gain a better understanding and to be inside before the crowds, which were lining up even when it was not the height of the tourist season.

Ciao! Thank you so much for your wonderful review and kind words - we're ecstatic to hear you had a great experience with Raff and feel privileged to have provided a highlight of your trip! We would love to welcome you back on our tours in Italy or Paris very soon and please don't hesitate to get in touch with us anytime to help plan more unforgettable memories :) Grazie mille!

The Roman Guy: My Favorite Tours in Europe

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As much as I love exploring destinations on my own, there are certain times when I enjoy the convenience of a group tour – ESPECIALLY when traveling in high-season. Nothing’s better than avoiding the long lines in the hot summer sun and also getting a chance to see exclusive sights that are not normally accessible to the public.

I did just that in Italy and Paris and had the most amazing experience. Find out why I recommend taking a tour from The Roman Guy the next time you’re in Europe!

The Roman Guy Tours Review

For my birthday in 2018, my mom came to visit me in England. It was her first time traveling to Europe and it was also her birthday. We decided to take a trip to Italy so we could celebrate together for the first time in years.

We decided to visit two of the most popular cities in Italy , Rome and Venice , and to make the most of the trip, booked a few tours.

Read our 10 step packing guide for a trip to Europe !

Why Take a City Tour?

As a long-term traveler , most people assume I’d never take tours and would prefer to explore on my own. While I don’t frequently go on tours, for me it all depends on the location and tour company.

Some countries or cities are better to explore on your own, but certain activities are best enjoyed as part of a tour group. Italy is one of those places, particularly in Rome and Venice, during high season.

The lines were so long everywhere we went!

Unless you’re planning to spend a week in each city, it’s advisable to book a group tour or buy a “skip the line” ticket in advance (but keep in mind these advance tickets can still result in a long wait!).

We saw long lines of travelers with “skip the line” tickets discouraged at the long lines that awaited them. I was so happy we were on a tour – especially when standing in the blistering summer sun,

A group tour is definitely worth it, otherwise you’ll spend a good portion of your trip standing in line and this is not a good way to spend your day if vacation time is limited.

Additionally, we were traveling during the high season, so I knew there would be a lot of foot traffic, and a tour would allow us to move more quickly through the must-see sites.

Finding the Best Tour Company

It’s so important that you do your research beforehand and find a reputable company with good reviews. Make sure to read the reviews carefully as the things that someone might complain about are the things that you enjoy.

In 2014, I spent my birthday in Rome and took two The Roman Guy tours . It was such a good experience that in 2018 I enjoyed two of their newest Italy tours.

In the past four years they’ve expanded to more cities than Rome and offer a broader range of tours, too.

They were several highlights of our Italian trip, so I knew I had to share my experience:

Touring the Colosseum

First on our list was The Roman Guy Top Levels Colosseum Tour . This is my third time visiting Rome and I made many mistakes on my first couple of visits. One of them was to take a cheap tour from one of the guides just outside the Colosseum. We were with at least fifty other people and rushed through as fast as possible so they could start another tour.

With The Roman Guy’s tour I was amazed that there was no waiting in line. I repeat: no lines! This is unheard of in Rome. After an introduction outside the Colosseum we were escorted right into the entrance. Considering we were there in high season, the quick entry made the tour worthwhile from the start.

As you can expect, I was a little wary about this tour and worried it would be the same as the previous one. However, I was pleasantly surprised. This is not just your average tour.

The guide actually had keys for the exclusive access to explore the higher areas in the Colosseum. It was VIP access!

I felt like a celebrity to have such private access to one of the most famous historical monuments in the world. It felt like we had the entire Colosseum all to ourselves, which is rare, considering how popular of a site this is to visit. I’m spoiled now, and I want this kind of experience everywhere I go.

IT WAS PHENOMENAL and my mom, and I were all blown away by the experience.

And we weren’t the only ones. This is what one TFG reader said about the tour, “The Roman Guy colosseum and Roman forum tour was a stand out in the tours we did! We saw the underground and upper tiers.. even fifth level!!! The Roman Guy.. brilliant!”

After about an hour and a half in the Colosseum, we had a bathroom break before continuing on to the Roman Forum. I was happy the tour included two of the main sites giving us a chance to maximize our time in Rome. The Roman Forum was SO GOOD, and we all left in awe.

Overall, the tour was so in-depth and engaging. Flaminia, our tour guide, was so wonderful. While other tours whizzed right past us while we covered the grounds thoroughly. By the end of our tour, we were hot, exhausted, and thoroughly satisfied with our experience. I don’t want to travel without The Roman Guy ever again!

What’s Included in the Tour

This Roman Colosseum tour is three hours long with a maximum group size of 15 people for a more intimate experience. This tour includes:

Skip-the-line Colosseum entrance tickets
Access to the top levels of the Colosseum (third, fourth, and fifth tiers)
An expert, English-speaking Colosseum guide
Access to the ancient Roman Forum

The tour costs $100.29 for adults, $94.32 for children age 7-17, and $46.56 for children 6 and under.

What to Know Before Touring the Colosseum

There are a few things to know before heading to the Colosseum, whether or not you take a tour. First, there are bathrooms inside the Colosseum and right outside the back entrance. I recommend using one of these so you can focus on the tour once you get in.

There are also a few things to bring and leave behind before you visit. First, the rules say that backpacks aren’t allowed. However, many people had small backpacks and seemed to get through fine.

You’ll also want to bring comfortable shoes with a sturdy sole. The steps and floor are uneven and hard to walk on. The majority of travelers either wear sneakers or comfortable, sturdy sandals.

One of the most important things to note is that groups always have preferential treatment over individual reservations. There are security checks that delay the lines, so if you’re not with a group and you don’t have an reservation, ticket, or some type of pass, you can expect to wait in line for quite awhile – especially during the high season.

On my previous trip I visited the Vatican with the Roman Guy as well. One of the readers says, “We did the Vatican and it was outstanding. We had the best time with our Roman Guy Tours in Rome.”

Can’t recommend them enough!

Touring St. Mark’s Basilica and St. Mark’s Square

The second The Roman Guy tour we did was in Venice. It was the Hidden Venice Express Tour with Gondola Ride , which included entry to St. Mark’s Basilica, a visit to St. Mark’s Square, and a 30-minute gondola ride. It was such an amazing way to see Venice!

Because we were a part of a tour, we walked right in (no lines!) and the guide explained the history of St. Mark’s as our eyes tried to take in the beauty of the gold mosaic lined interior. This church is truly breathtaking and a must-see on any trip to Venice.

The paintings, the detail, the history – it’s absolutely remarkable!

You’re not allowed to take pictures inside so take in the moment and take some mental pictures.

Another thing you’re not allowed to do here is wear sleeveless tops and shorts, dresses, or skirts above the knees. This was the only place I actually saw this enforced. I kept my Anatomie Kenya Jacket in my purse and placed it over my sleeveless maxi dress so I could cover my shoulders to enter the cathedral. When I exited, I put it back into my purse.

After St. Mark’s, we walked through the back streets of Venice and were shocked at how quiet it was just a few minutes walk away from St. Mark’s Square. Our guide, Elenora, explained that most people only come to Venice for a day and only view the area directly in St. Mark’s Basilica and the walk to the Rialto Bridge.

Along with the basilica and St. Mark’s Square, we explored amazing side streets. While the church and square was incredibly impressive, Venice in its entirety was so stunning my eyes were overwhelmed with all the beauty.

I highly recommend you walk around the different islands south and east of St Marks. I guarantee you’ll fall in love with Venice in an entirely new way.

The walking tour was two hours, and it finished with a dreamy 30 minute gondola ride, which I shared with you on Facebook Live in the above video. This is an amazing value because the gondola tours alone are more than the entire cost of the Venice Express Tour . It’s an awesome deal!

This Venice tour is two and a half hours long with a maximum group size of 18 people for a more intimate experience. This tour includes:

Skip-the-line access to St. Mark’s Basilica
A tour of St Mark’s Square
A tour of The Roman Guy’s favorite hidden gems spread throughout Venice
A tour of the Rialto Bridge and Grand Canal
A 30-minute gondola ride

The tour costs $70.44 for adults, $64.47 for seniors, $58.50 for students with I.D., $52.53 for children age 7-17, and $40.59 for children 6 and under.

What to Know Before Touring Venice

I picked up a few tips while visiting Venice, and I think they’re essential to know before your trip. First, St. Mark’s is a place of worship, so pictures are not allowed inside the basilica. Additionally, it’s important to dress respectfully when visiting this place of worship.

Unlike the Pantheon in Rome, the dress code was strictly enforced for St. Mark’s Basilica. I wore my Toad maxi dress, which covered my knees yet was light and comfortable enough to wear on a hot and humid day. To walk into the Basilica, I threw on my Anatomie Kenya Jacket to cover my shoulders and stored it in my Rebecca Minkoff Julian backpack when I exited the church.

There were many tourists who wore shorts or sleeveless tops and they were able to cover themselves with a wrap to walk inside the church. This is an option if you prefer to wear shorter clothing for the heat.

The guide was also helpful in sharing tips. First, she mentioned that there are many fake Italian leather products sold that are actually made in China, not Italy. She said that you can’t get an Italian leather handbag for under 50 euro, so if you find one under that amount, it’s probably a fake.

Additionally, the guide explained that the square can flood in November and December during high tides. While raised wooden walkways are placed, it may be advisable to wear rubber rain boots during this time, just in case.

Touring Versailles

One of the things I didn’t realize is that The Roman Guy now also offers tours in Paris too: The Paris Guy.

After visiting Italy and Switzerland, we finished the trip in Paris. Here we took The Paris Guy’s Golden Versailles Palace and Garden Tour .

France isn’t only known for the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. It’s also known for its revolutions and strikes. Because of this, Versailles was closed the day we visited, but the gardens were still open to visitors.

This isn’t your standard garden. Rather than flowers, the garden is home to statues and countless fountains. It was absolutely beautiful to see, and learning about the history behind the fountains, statues, and kings made the trip even more valuable.

Our guide, Z, was one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met. He provided extensive information from the beginning to the very end. He was an art major with a history minor, so it was interesting to hear the story of Versailles from someone who is passionate about the topic.

This Versaille tour is three hours long with a maximum group size of 12 people for a more intimate experience. This tour includes:

Skip-the-line tickets to the Palace of Versailles
Access to the Hall of Mirrors and Grand Apartments
An introduction to the Gardens of Versailles
Free time to explore the gardens
Train tickets from Paris to Versailles and back

The tour costs $106.11 for adults, $100.15 for seniors, $94.19 for students with I.D., $88.53 for children age 7-17, and $40.54 for children 6 and under.

What to Know Before Touring Versailles

Keep in mind that the gardens are huge. They’re so expansive you may even need to use Google Maps to navigate your way around.

Additionally, as I experienced, the palace is occasionally closed due to strikes. If exploring the palace is a must for you, consider double checking its hours the day of.

Lastly, the fountains are turned off at noon on Tuesdays and on the weekends. They’re supposed to be turned back on at 3:00pm, but that doesn’t always happen. Plan around this if you’re determined to see the fountains in action.

Thank you to The Roman Guy for treating us to these tours! I’d previously taken two of their other Rome tours in 2014 and I’m so glad that I was able to partner with them again. They have such a wide selection of tours all over Italy and have even expanded into Paris. I highly recommend them!

They’re definitely TFG Approved!

Have you ever taken a Roman Guy tour? Share your feedback below!

For more Europe packing tips, please read:

10-Step Packing Guide for Europe
How to Choose the Best Shoes for Europe
First Time Travel Tips for Europe
Packing List for 2 Weeks in Europe

Suggested travel resources:

Travel Shoes for Europe
The Best Carry-on Suitcases for Europe

I hope you liked this post on my review of The Roman Guy tours. Please share it with your friends on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. Thanks for reading!

Please note: I was a guest of the Roman Guy tours but all opinions expressed are my own.

I chatted with Paulo @ Roman Guy as I wanted the VIP tour – top levels, arena floor and underground and Roman Forum for 4 people. However it apparently is sold out. 3 of us have visited before in 1999 and 2002, however my daughter’s husband of 1 year is an architect and this is his first visit. This being said, which tour do you recommend? Arena floor and 1st 2 levels OR 3rd, 4th 5th tiers tour? OR is there another tour company who might be able to customize for us?

Hi Theese, I am sorry to hear that they are not available to do a tour for you. I am afraid that this is the only tour company I have used so can’t offer any suggestions for an alternative. For the best tour suggestions, I would highly recommend that you join our TFG facebook group and post your question there: https://www.facebook.com/groups/travelfashiongirls/ Its a fabulous community of helpful female travelers that love to share their advice and travel tips and Italy is a popular destination so they will be able to help you. Sorry I could not have been of more help. Have an amazing trip to Italy!

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Roaming Historian

Don't miss out on a rich, cultural travel experience. Through our tips, stories, & recommendations, Roaming Historian helps you uncover the past, save money, see a place to the fullest, and travel with ease. Come roam with us!

Roaming With The Roman Guy—a Tour Review

As the time grew near for our first tour with The Roman Guy (now known as The Tour Guy), I grew increasingly excited. I’ve found tours to be a great way to learn—as long as the guide is knowledgeable, experienced, and passionate. The Roman Guy guides were all of the above. As a history professor with over a decade of teaching experience, I know that the deepest level of learning occurs when the person conveying the message is enthusiastic and impassioned. Our guides, Jowita, Leah, and Raffaella, showed a true love for the city’s sites that made our Rome sightseeing memorable, fun, and educational. Both our Colosseum and Vatican tours, although briskly-paced, gave time for photos and to rest periodically. Thanks to our awesome Rome guides, I saw some of the world’s greatest treasures and best things to do in Rome while not wearing myself out.

Colosseum Dungeons, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill Tour Overview

We passed by the impressive Arch of Constantine on our way to the peaceful and picturesque Palatine Hill. Originally home to the palatial estates of Roman nobles, their gardens and some structures still exist. Always knowing the best place for a photo opportunity, Jowita led us to a viewing area that provided aerial context of the Roman Forum. We then descended to the Forum where our guide’s experience and knowledge proved invaluable. Along with a book showing us the way ruins looked in their heyday, Jowita made the Forum come alive as she verbally reconstructed ancient Rome to us. She reminded us how colorful it would have looked with different hues of marble and paint. As there are very few placards or markers in the Colosseum, on the hill, or in the Forum to denote what you are seeing, a guide frees the traveler from stumbling around the stone streets with their nose in a guidebook. Jowita contextualized everything we were seeing and told us fun stories that brought the past to life. Having been to all of these places, I found the tour really elevated my experience and made seeing them even better. And I didn’t think that was possible, as I adored them the first time! Once you are inside the Forum or Palatine Hill you can go back and forth between the two. I would suggest bringing a snack in your bag if you want to keep exploring. Also, make sure that you bring a bottle of water—there will be opportunities to refill it and you will likely get thirsty as this tour features a lot of walking and numerous steps.

“Privileged Entrance” Vatican and Sistine Chapel Tour Overview

Having been to the Vatican Museums before, I knew just how crazy entry lines could be (and that was with a reservation). I also knew how packed the Sistine Chapel could get (not that any amount of people could deter from its breath-taking beauty). I was incredibly excited, therefore, to skip the lines and get dedicated time in the Sistine Chapel—before the masses arrived. Using visuals, our guide, Raffaella, explained some of the more notable parts of the paintings we would see. Then, our group went hurriedly…but thoughtfully…through the Hall of Maps and Tapestry Gallery to have twenty minutes in silence in the Sistine Chapel. I didn’t think that anything could make the Sistine Chapel better, but having the place devoid of the crowds upped the ante and enhanced my experience. After the Sistine Chapel, we went back through and toured the museum. The Vatican Museums are vast and filled with treasures. It was nice to have Raffaella curate the museums for us and show us some of her favorite highlights. After a couple of hours, we cut through the Sistine Chapel (it never gets old) to get to St. Peter’s Basilica. With general entry having started, we could see how privileged indeed we had been. The chapel was filled with people.

Our tour ended in St. Peter’s Basilica where Raffaella took a nice photo of my husband and I in front of Bernini’s canopy under Michelangelo’s dome. St. Peter’s Basilica is one of the largest churches in the world and is filled with beautiful objects of art from Renaissance and Baroque “greats.” Raffaella showed us around the church and offered to stay after the tour to answer more questions. She also helped me find the Swiss Guard—their whimsically colored Renaissance uniforms contrasted their sometimes violent past and serious position as papal defenders. The vastness and richness of the Vatican can almost overwhelm, but Raffaella made it manageable and, more importantly, explained the significance of what we were experiencing. Side note: you’ll be walking over a lot of marble so wear cushioned shoes.

Favorite Aspects of the Tours

There were many great aspects to both tours, but three of my favorites were the guides’ knowledge , the camaraderie created within the group, and the insight into Rome that The Roman Guy provided.

Knowledge —I pride myself on being a life-long learner and, boy oh boy, did I learn. From the special little details that were shared—did you know that Michelangelo used lapis lazuli to create the vivid blues in the Sistine Chapel?—to broader narratives, the guides showed a mastery of their domain. The tours put the sites into historical context, especially important for the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill tour where so much of what we explored was in ruins. Although I had visited these places before and have studied ancient Rome fairly extensively, I learned a lot more from listening to Jowita. I was never quite sure if what I thought was a specific ruin was actually the structure I thought it was. The Roman Guy freed me from the guesswork and enriched my travels. Our guides seemed to know an answer for every question. And I think I asked some pretty obscure ones!

Camaraderie —Our guides creating a sense of camaraderie by asking us where we came from and having us introduce ourselves. We were no longer strangers. In one of our tours, it so happened that two of the tour goers lived about an hour and half away from us in Michigan. The rest were from outside the States. Traveling can feel quite solitary! Even when part of a couple, it can be difficult not speaking the language fluently. You may feel left out of the conversation…wondering where to eat and what to do. You might start to crave interaction with people other than your partner, but find that the language barrier obfuscates your efforts to make friends. The Roman Guy tours gave us the chance to be part of an intimate group with an “insider.” Our guides were able to navigate difficult waters for us by talking to site officials on our behalf. They gave us tips on their city—it was obvious they didn’t want us to have a bad experience in their beloved Roma. Raffaella taught me how to spot an artisan gelateria and gave me the name of one by my hotel. It was nice having a friend to help me out.

City Insight —Another invaluable aspect of The Roman Guy is the city insight they provide. After we booked our tours, The Roman Guy sent us a list of restaurants to eat at so we could avoid tourist traps and savor all the wonderful delicacies that Rome has to offer. I was frequently in touch with Lorna—their “social butterfly”—who answered all my tour questions and seemed genuinely excited about making sure our Roman vacation was perfect. This meant answering questions beyond those strictly related to the tours. She even provided logistical advice about how best to get from our hotel to one of the tour starting points and how long it would take. When she realized that we would be traveling by train from Florence on that day, she even suggested what time our train should arrive in order to give us enough time to get settled at our hotel, grab a bit to eat, and sight-see on a leisurely walk to the Colosseum. The Roman Guy wanted my time in that city to be as pleasurable as possible.

Some Memorable Things I Learned about Ancient Rome and the Vatican

Although the Colosseum was free, everyone had to have a ticket and the numbers above the gates (you can still see their faint outlines) denoted where to enter. The passages, called vomitorium, could spew out attendees (between 50,000 and 80,000) quite quickly.
The colorful marble that had decorated the Roman Forum, Colosseum, and Palatine Hill was looted over the centuries…some of it was “borrowed” by the Vatican where one can see it now.

Raphael (quite the ladies’ man) often painted himself into his works, as well as other greats that he admired. Although other Renaissance artists were originally portrayed in his “School of Athens” fresco, he wasn’t going to include Michelangelo (quite an introvert), but after he saw the beauty of the Sistine Chapel he gave him a prominent and powerful character.
Falling is prohibited! Signs around the Vatican portray prohibited actions, such as showing too much skin, taking pictures in the Sistine Chapel, and…falling!

I found booking the tours to be a breeze through their nicely laid-out and easy to navigate website . The website shows each tour’s duration and level of difficulty, which is handy for those who may not want a lot of exercise or those who are looking for more activity. The Roman Guy hosts tours in Rome, Vatican City, Florence, and Venice, and also has many day trips too. I’m sure all their guides are as fabulous as Jowita, Raffaella, and Leah. Having enjoyed their tours so much, I would love to try out one of their Italian vacations—especially the ten-day “Italian Vistas” trip!

The Roman Guy takes care of all the reservations and ticket buying. This is a very nice service for travelers—it’s like having a personal assistant! Also, for many of their tours, you are able to skip the lines—as was the case with the two that we took. Having guides navigating behemoth sites is particularly helpful saving both time and energy. In short, for those who enjoy getting VIP treatment, like fun tours with experienced guides, and want to feel connected to a city, the Roman Guy tours are for you. Have a great time on your next Italian adventure!

Are you looking for a fun small-group tour in Europe or the United States? Roaming Historian is an affiliate of The Tour Guy . They offer unique experiences, small groups, special access, and exceptional guides. Use our affiliate link, Tour Guy , or visit our page dedicated to them to learn more about the Tour Guy .

Rome Tours: https://thetourguy.com/tours/rome?partner=2

Disclosure: Although The Roman Guy provided me with complimentary tours, I paid for my husband to attend and was thereby able to undergo the process as a regular customer. All views and opinions expressed in this blog are always my own.

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9 thoughts on “roaming with the roman guy—a tour review”.

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You ought to peek at Yahoo’s home page and see how they write news titles to grab people to open the links. You might try adding a video or a related pic or two to get readers excited about what you’ve got to say. Just my opinion, it might bring your posts a little bit more interesting.

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Thank you for your kind words! I appreciate them.

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I like the option of forwarding (email) your insights to a friend. I have been to Rome before but friend Jackie and I intend to return next summer? Here’s an opinion. Loved your comments about guides. Forwarded to Jackie but did not see a spot to indicate to Jackie why I was forwarding it. I sent her a separate email to explain….no big deal but would have been nice to comment to her in the initial forward. So glad you had a positive experience with your guides…going local is SO important with travels.

Thanks for the feedback, Karen! I’ll check into it and see what’s up.

Hi Karen, I checked with the engineers at WordPress (who host my site) and they say, unfortunately, that the ability to add a message is only available through the social media buttons. At least I was able to make them aware that this is an issue and doesn’t make for easy sharing via email. Thanks for letting me know; I usually cut and paste the URL so I had no idea that the button didn’t allow for a message. Take care. Amy

Hey, Amy. Thanks for the follow-up. How else can we improve upon technology. You’re doing a terrific job as a wandering historian. Love your posts. Keep it up….traveling, that is!!!

The Roman Guy Tours

Are these private tours the way to go? It seems some are way over our budget but maybe we can do one private and one group in Rome. Would early morning private tour at Vatican make the most sense in July?

If you have not already viewed this one, https://youtu.be/IxHpQ-A9hs4 check it out.

Some good info and tips about preparing for and visiting the Vatican. (Unfortunately, the background music is a little loud.)

Private (exclusive) tours will be more expensive with any tour company compared to a group tour.

The Roman Guy appears to keep to small groups.

Also, for comparison, look at https://www.walksofitaly.com/rome-tours/ which has smallish groups

Or, https://darkrome.com/

Whichever tour you decide to do, yes, a very early one in the month of July, to sort of beat the heat and compete with the crowds of peak season, would be best.

As another consideration, if you're deciding to take another guided tour, for example, The Borghese (individual tickets sell fast), ask about discounts. Muti tour bookings may save a few dollars. Call each company to get the most accurate information.

yes, a very early one in the month of July, to sort of beat the heat and compete with the crowds of peak season , would be best.

Just putting an exclamation point on this comment! Valid complaints about overcrowding in the Vatican Museums - and the Sistine in particular - are frequent! Early-entrance tours, such as those offered by Roman Guy, Walks of Italy, etc. have become a popular method of enjoying some of the most-visited highlights of the museums before they're completely overrun. Posters who've done them have sworn that they were well worth the price.

You don't need to do an expensive, truly private (meaning just you and a guide) tour. Just as a sample from the links Girasole kindly provided above, these two small-group tours are very popular, highly rated options.

https://www.walksofitaly.com/rome-tours/pristine-sistine-chapel-tour/

https://theromanguy.com/tours/Rome/Sistine-Chapel-Vatican-Tour

As far as other tours in Rome, do take a look at Rick's free audio tours for select attractions and sightseeing walks in chosen Italian cities? These can be dowloaded to you own devices, and posters have had positive things to report about them. If needing to stretch the pennies, this is one way to do that! :O)

https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours

Last week was the first that I’d heard of The Roman Guy. In Rome we guided ourselves, using Rick Steves’ guidebook and audiotours extensively. And we arrived first thing at the Vatican Museums, basically spent all day there, and watched as the crowd built and built throughout the day.

But in some other places (including Paris, Neolithic sights in Ireland, Iceland, and in Greece and Morocco, we’ve hired private guides. Some were considerably more expensive than others, but based on their expertise, small number of participants (just us in our case!), and our desire for someone with more knowledge than we could acquire in a short time with printed or recorded info, they were well worth the money. Maybe there are some outfits that overcharge, but we’ve generally found that guides charge what they’re worth.

Check out Through Eternity Tours. https://www.througheternity.com/ I was happy with their group tour pricing. They use head phones so you don't have to crowd around the guide. I never felt I was in a large, cumbersome group. We used them for tours of the Vatican and Colosseum/Forum and they were easily the best tour company we've used anywhere in Europe so far.

Through Eternity Tours. https://www.througheternity.com/

"Bookmarked" for future reference. Always good to have choices and view travelers' experiences.

We did Dark Rome's early morning Vatican tour (8:10 AM) and it was so worth it. We were there in October when it was not as crowded as the summer and the regular line to get in was wrapped around the building even that early. I can only imagine how it would be in the summer. We walked right into the building. We used The Roman Guy when we toured the Colosseum and I would highly recommend them, too. They also do an early morning Vatican tour. Both companies had small groups and excellent tour guides. It gets expensive to use the private tours but you would lose so much time waiting in line that I would highly suggest getting an early morning tour for the Vatican. I would like to warn you not to eat breakfast across from the Vatican! We ate there and didn't think much of the fact there were no prices on the menu! We were charged 40 euro for two orders of eggs, bacon, toast and coffee!

We just did a Roman Guy tour on Saturday for the Vatican Museums/Castel Gandolfo. As we were doing a tour only offered by the Vatican, we were given the headphones and guide from the Vatican. The early time made it very spacious in the museums and the Sistine Chapel (instead of being crammed in there, we only had to bob and weave to move around people at 9:30am). The tour wasn't very popular, so we only had 6 people in total for it, and the people doing it on their own had no tour guide for the museums or the Vatican gardens or the Castel Gandolfo gardens, and we didn't have to think much about any of the logistics. They were very organized and I would use them again if the need arose.

They use head phones so you don't have to crowd around the guide.

As a footnote to Allan's helpful post, most of the museums require that tour groups which number more than a very modest size use headsets so that the guides don't have to shout to be heard. It's easier on them, easier on their clients, and easier on the ears of other visitors too! :O)

We used Dark Rome/City Wonders First Entry to the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum Tour we thought it was well worth it - keep in mind that after the SC, you are on your own to wander the Vatican Museum but this is where RS's audio guide could come into play. Little pricier than purchasing direct from the Vatican but a lot cheaper than other tour groups - then again, you are sorta on your own.....

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The 5 Best Rome Colosseum Tours With Skip-the-Line Access

A s the most enduring symbol of the Roman Empire and one of the most famous landmarks in the world, the Colosseum receives more than 6 million visitors per year, so it's not easy to escape the crowds. A visit is worth it, though, if you want to see the world's largest amphitheater – once known as the Flavian Amphitheater – and try to imagine what it would have been like 2,000 years ago.

A standard ticket to the Colosseum also includes access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, so many (but not all) tours also include those ancient sites. Inside the ancient complex, there is very little signage explaining what you're looking at. A good guide will not only get you skip-the-line access but also bring these incredible places to life. Keep in mind that most Colosseum tours only give you access to the arena floor and upper level. If you want to visit the underground hypogeum, you need to make sure it's included in the tour.

Crown Tours: Skip the line Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum tour

Price: Adults from $84; kids from $67

Duration: 3 hours

Standout perk: Engaging guides speak several languages.

Selected by GetYourGuide as a Certified Experience, this group tour starts at the Colosseum, then takes you to the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Groups consist of up to 30 people, and tourgoers are given headsets so they can better hear and follow the guide. The tour meets at Largo Gaetana Agnesi on the hill overlooking the Colosseum about 30 minutes before the official entry time to get everyone checked in and set up with headsets. The guide then leads participants into the Colosseum and up to the second level, where there's a chance to stop and take photos. On the way back down, there's another photo-op at the arena level before the guide leads the group over to the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum.

Crown Tours also offers guided tours of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica, as well as the Borghese Gallery, Pantheon and other sites.

Local tip: This tour is offered over a variety of time slots every day. Pick one of the earlier time slots to make sure you'll finish up by lunchtime.

Check prices & availability on:

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Through Eternity Tours: Ultimate Colosseum Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Price: Adults from $105; kids from $95

Standout perk: This tour includes the Palatine Hill, which some tours skip.

Recent visitors praise the knowledgeable guides for their passion about ancient history and keeping the tour moving while explaining everything in detail. This tour starts at 9:30 a.m. seven days a week and finishes up around lunchtime. In addition to the Colosseum, highlights include the Via Sacra and the House of the Vestal Virgins in the Roman Forum, as well as the Farnese Gardens on the Palatine Hill.

This tour starts at 9:15 a.m. daily. Groups are limited to 10 people; if six or more people are taking the tour, the guide gives out headsets so everyone can hear. Participants are asked to meet 10 minutes before the start time in front of Cafe/Restaurant Angelino ai Fori on Largo Corrado Ricci. The tour is stroller-accessible, but not wheelchair-accessible. Participants should wear comfortable shoes and bring a water bottle, especially on hot days.

Through Eternity Tours offers a variety of group and private tours of Rome and other destinations, including Florence , Naples and Pompeii.

Local tip: Book a table at the nearby Taverna dei Fori Imperiali to enjoy a leisurely lunch after the tour.

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LivTours: The Best of Colosseum & Ancient Rome With Exclusive Arena Access

Price: Adults from $163; kids from $145

Standout perk: Virtual reality headsets show what the ancient sites would have looked like.

Recent tourgoers praise the guides on this tour for bringing the facts and stories about ancient Rome to life. Along with the confirmation email, participants receive an invitation to download an app. During the tour, the guide gives everyone a cardboard virtual reality headset that works with the app and shows a reconstruction of the Colosseum and the surrounding valley. After visiting the Colosseum, the tour continues to the Palatine Hill and Roman Forum, where the virtual reality headsets show you a reconstruction of the Circus Maximus and the structures in the Roman Forum. At all the sites, you get skip-the-line access.

These semiprivate tours are guaranteed to have no more than six people, making them a more personalized experience than other group tours. However, because the tours are small, the guides don't use headsets, and some participants noted that it can be difficult to hear the guide over the noise in the Colosseum.

Local tip: You can get some great photos from the upper level, especially if you stand at the apex of the oval.

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Roma Experience: Private Colosseum Tour With Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Price: From $531

Duration: 2 hours 45 minutes

Standout perk: See these ancient sites with an archaeologist who dug at the Roman Forum.

For a deeper understanding (no pun intended) of the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, a tour with Elisa Valeria Bove, CEO of Roma Experience, is one of the best you can buy. She studied archaeology and has been involved in excavations at the Roman Forum and other sites, so she's just the person to guide you if you want to get beyond the surface level. Her private tours range from just under three hours for a skip-the-line Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill tour to the full-day "See Rome in One Day" tour, which also includes a guided visit of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Be sure to specify if you want to visit the hypogeum when you book.

Roma Experience organizes bespoke private tours throughout Italy, including multiday itineraries. Bove will work with you to customize your experience and bring you to places you wouldn't think to visit, like Quintili's Villa on the ancient Appian Way.

Local tip: If you want to see another incredible archaeological park, let Bove take you to Ostia Antica, less than an hour from Rome.

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Imago Artis Travel: Timeless Tales of Gods and Laymen of the Ancient Rome

Price: On request

Duration: 4 hours

Standout perk: This tour includes the Pantheon in addition to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.

Founded by three art historians with a passion for Roman art and history, Imago Artis Travel offers bespoke private tours of Rome and beyond. Imago Artis works closely with their clients to craft personalized itineraries that highlight the city's most incredible monuments and hidden gems. This tour lasts a half-day and includes the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill and Pantheon, with an optional stop for espresso, but you can customize the itinerary to do a full-day tour or multiday itinerary.

Other itineraries that include the Colosseum bring visitors to the Basilica of San Clemente, known as the "lasagna church" because it was built in layers: The deeper you descend, the further back in time you go. Imago Artis also grants visitors exclusive access to off-limits places, such as a church overlooking the Roman Forum. The company also organizes multiday itineraries throughout Italy.

Local tip: There's an element of surprise and delight with Imago Artis that's hard to find elsewhere, especially if your guide is Fulvio De Bonis, one of the company's founders.

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Why Trust U.S. News Travel

Laura Itzkowitz is a Rome-based freelance journalist who thinks about the Roman Empire all the time. She has visited the Colosseum in the morning, in the evening after the crowds have left, on group tours and private tours. To curate this list of the best Colosseum tours, she used her own experience as well as her research expertise, culling tips from locals and visitors.

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Is A Colosseum By Night Tour Worth It? An Honest & Comprehensive Review

Isabelle Hoyne
February 15, 2024

** Disclosure: some of the links on this site are affiliate links and should you make a purchase through these, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support!**

Visiting the Colosseum at night is a unique experience, and is not one that everyone who is travelling to Rome will get to do. Possible only by taking a guided tour, read on to discover my Colosseum by night tour review and discover if a Colosseum by night tour is worth it.

Lovers of Ancient Rome in search of something a little different will be delighted to discover that you can see the Colosseum at night.

Once the sun has set and general entry to the Colosseum has ended, it is possible for a handful of lucky few to walk around the Colosseum under the milky light of the moon.

This you can do by taking a Colosseum at night tour, where, with just the company of your group and an expert guide, you can walk in the footsteps of gladiators through the underbelly of the mighty Colosseum before ascending to the arena floor, to find it bathed in moonlight and devoid of tourists.

In this post, I’ll walk you through the experience of a Colosseum tour at night, whether I think it’s worth taking and alternatives for visiting the Colosseum if you feel that a Rome Colosseum at night experience is not for you.

Since writing this post originally, I’ve also gone on to write a roundup of the best Colosseum night tours – with my number one choice being the tour reviewed in this post! Read on to learn all about it.

Quick links – Colosseum tours recommended in this post

Reviewed tour: VIP Colosseum At Night Tour With Underground & Arena Floor (1800+ 5* reviews) Alternative (daytime) ways to visit the Colosseum: Skip the Line: VIP Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Gladiator’s Gate: Special Access Colosseum Tour with Arena Floor 1.5 Hour Colosseum Express Tour with Arena Stage Visit Self-guided: Skip-the-line Colosseum tickets entry tickets Roma Super Pass (includes the Vatican & St. Peter’s Basilica also)

Table of Contents Hide

What is the colosseum famous for, descent into ruin and the importance of the colosseum today, is it better to see the colosseum at night or day, night tour of colosseum part 1: marcello theatre, night tour of colosseum part 2: capitoline hill & piazza del campidoglio, night tour of colosseum part 3: approach down via dei fori imperiali, night tour of colosseum part 4: night tour of colosseum, so, is a colosseum by night tour worth it, booking your rome colosseum at night tour, visiting the colosseum on your own (self-guided), visiting the colosseum as part of a guided tour, can you visit the colosseum at night, where can i buy colosseum by night tickets, what is the best colosseum night tour, what’s it like to visit the colosseum at night, visiting more of italy read next:, like this post please share or pin for later, but first – a little bit about the colosseum & why you should visit it.

First things first, it’s important to understand a little about this incredible structure’s history, and just why the Roman Colosseum is so important to Rome.

The Colosseum is one of the most famous structures ever built. Recognisable worldwide today for its worn, weathered stone and its distinct, crooked shape due to the collapse of some of its upper levels on one side, the Colosseum didn’t always appear as thus.

In its heyday it was a perfect sphere, adorned in gleaming white marble, with its now empty arches filled with statues. It was capped by a gargantuan, retractable velarium (or awning), which kept its 50,000 spectators shaded from the intense heat of the summer sun.

Built by Vespasian in 72 AD, the Colosseum was originally known as the Flavian Amphitheater and was the scene of many bloody spectacles.

Games were organised and paid for by the ‘editor’, often the emperor himself, and were used at the time to curry political favour with the people (it was free to attend) or to celebrate great events, such as victory in war.

READ NEXT | The Perfect 4-Day Rome Itinerary – Food, Culture & A Little Luxury

A day at the games would kick off with the wild beast hunt, where exotic animals like elephants, leopards and lions would be pitted against one another, or against highly skilled hunters. Either way, the animals were always the real victims in this line up.

In 80 AD for the Flavian Amphitheater’s inauguration, the series of games held by the Emperor Titus resulted in the death of 9,000 animals.

Astonishingly, the statistics grew even worse – a mere 30 years later, Trajan held a series of games to celebrate his conquest of the Dacians, and sadly, some 11,000 animals were slaughtered.

At midday, it was time for public executions. Some of the condemned were set upon by wild animals; others had to fight each other with swords.

Sometimes, the deaths were even more elaborate, with scenes from Greek mythology reenacted, where the victims played the part of a character – such as the part of Hercules, who was burnt to death before becoming a god. Heart-warming stuff.

Finally, came the main event – the gladiatorial fights. Gladiators were highly skilled fighters. The best gladiators were rewarded with riches and fame, but they were also slaves, otherwise forced into servitude until their retirement age.

In the centuries following the fall of the Roman Empire, the Colosseum was used for a number of purposes. Primarily, it was used as a quarry and was stripped of its marble, statues and stone for other building projects.

In fact, much of the marble from Ancient Roman constructions was used to build many of Rome’s most famous churches and palaces, including the Vatican.

The Colosseum was also effected by earthquakes and lightning strikes and over time, its great hypogeum (the underground part that acted as ‘backstage’ for the games) was filled with rubble, and used as a store and dump.

The passageways above ground become home to blacksmiths, cobblers and priests and the Colosseum even found itself acting as a fortress for the 12th century Frangipane warlords.

Preservation of the Colosseum only really started in the 19th century, under efforts led by Pope Pius VIII.

In the 1930’s, in one of Mussolini’s less abhorrent moves, the hypogeum was cleared of earth as part of his drive for the glorification of Classical Rome and in the 1990’s, a large restoration project was undertaken.

Today, the Colosseum is one of Rome’s most important tourist attractions, along with being one of the most famous ones in the world to boot.

It stands as an important relic of Ancient Rome’s power and might, as well as evidencing its impressive engineering prowess. Receiving over 7 million visitors a year before the pandemic, it is also a huge source of revenue to Italian tourism.

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The best time to visit the Colosseum is when it is at its quietest. There are two times of day that win out. The second quietest time of day to visit the Colosseum is first thing in the morning.

If you queue for security about half an hour before they begin operating, you’ll likely be amongst the first visitors to the Colosseum that day, so you’ll get a good 15 – 20 mins in relative peace and quiet before it starts to fill up.

The absolute quietest time of day is after hours, at night , when general admission has ended and when privately led Colosseum night tours are the only ones permitted inside.

You’re not side-stepping other tourists and there is really time to look at things properly, and to take it all in. It’s all quite thrilling, really, especially if you’ve visited the Colosseum before during the day and can attest to how busy it gets.

READ NEXT | 19 Things To Do At Night In Rome, From Culture To Cocktails

There’s an almost eerie calm and the only sounds you can hear are your group’s footsteps, your guide’s voice and the humdrum of distant traffic from beyond the Colosseum’s great walls.

Without the clamour of the Colosseum’s crowds during the day, your imagination can really fire into action and you can imagine the clang of swords, the excited roars of the crowd and all the glamour and gore that were part of a day at the games in Ancient Rome.

In my opinion, visiting the Roman Colosseum at night wins out to visiting during the day.

Colosseum by night tour review – my experience with TakeWalks

So you can understand what a night time Colosseum tour entails, the best way is to take you through the tour I took with TakeWalks, from start to finish.

The specific tour I took was the VIP Colosseum At Night Tour With Underground & Arena Floor , which is a circa 2.5 hour group tour of a maximum of 19 people. It might sound like a slightly larger group, but in a space as large as the Colosseum, it didn’t feel like there were that many other people at all.

We met outside a café close to the Marcello Theatre, where we were handed headsets so that we could hear our guide properly. Then, the tour began!

First stop on our Rome Colosseum at night tour was the Marcello Theatre, or Teatro di Marcello .

Located to the side of Piazza Venezia and close to the steps that lead to the top of the Capitoline hill and museum, if you haven’t seen the Colosseum before you may be forgiven for thinking that the Marcello Theatre is it.

Here, our guide Michela imparted some interesting facts about the theatre; including how it is still in use today as apartments and is under the ownership of a noble Italian family.

RELATED READING | Best Colosseum by Night Tours: 9 Top Picks for 2024

We then made our way across the road to the impressive set of steps that lead up to the Piazza del Campidoglio. Here, we learned how Michelangelo restored harmony to the square, making an awkward shape symmetrical by designing two of the palazzo that now form part of the Capitoline Museum.

We looked down upon the Roman Forum from the back of the square, learning about Rome’s origins and some of its most important buildings and streets during the time of Ancient Rome.

All these tales were regaled with great enthusiasm and humour and we then made our way down a winding road from the back of the hill towards the ground level of the Forum, and the Via dei Fori Imperiali .

While we made our approach towards the Colosseum, we stopped to take in some important sights along the way. We learned why local Romans don’t like the Alter of the Fatherland on Piazza Venezia, before pausing at the the former Trajan’s Market.

Here, I came to the conclusion that ancient Roman shopping and commercial centres weren’t a whole lot different to our own today!

As the dramatic, spot lit mass of the Colosseum loomed larger and larger as we made our way along the pavement, we made our penultimate stop of the night at the Basilica of Maxentius before making our way towards the entrance for the main event of our Roman Colosseum night tour – the Colosseum itself.

We checked in through security and Michela handed us over to archaeologist, Gianluca. Once inside the walls of the Colosseum, all TakeWalks Colosseum tours at night are led by an expert that specialises in Roman history and architecture.

We made our way down a gangway, moving deep inside the hypogeum on the lowest level of the Colosseum, which really made it feel like we were descending into the belly of a beast.

It is only when you are deep inside the structure when you really get a sense of the sheer scale and complexity in its design.

The last time I visited the Colosseum was before the hypogeum had been exposed and opened to the public – there had been a fully intact arena floor in place. Now, there is a completely different proposition on offer.

As part of a Colosseum underground night tour , visitors can now access the part of the Colosseum that formed the backstage to its great events and receive a behind the scenes look at how the spectacle that were the games was made possible.

The hypogeum is a veritable warren of passageways, lined with cells that would have held gladiators, captors and animals as they prepared to face combat on the arena floor above.

It’s absolutely incredible to be granted such access and I felt compelled to touch the walls that so many would have passed through and which are so significant historically.

From an engineering perspective, the Colosseum underground area is absolutely fascinating, too. Peppered in amongst the cells and passageways are horizontal channels and semicircular slices in the walls beside them.

The horizontal channels served as ancient elevator shafts and the semicircular spaces contained capstans, which would have been turned by hand to raise compartments and cages to the arena.

Some of these have been recreated, so you can see in person what these would have looked like. This elevator system would have raised men, animals and scenery to the arena floor, keeping spectators and fighters guessing as to where the next challenge may spring from.

At its peak, there were sixty capstans in operation – forty of which lifted animal cages to the arena floor, with the remaining twenty used to move scenery.

If the notion of the games in the way they are described seemed in any way fantastical to you before visiting the hypogeum, all doubts will be put to rest when you do see it, as you can see the level of ingenuity that went into the construction of the Colosseum.

Having taken in the mind-boggling hypogeum, we made our way to ground level for a more birds-eye look of maze that lay below, which really helped but into perspective how the whole event was orchestrated.

We learned about the experience at the games for the crowd and where different levels of society would have been seated.

I won’t go into too much detail in telling you all the facts learnt at this stage of the tour, but there was ample time to consider the Colosseum from where the gladiators would have stood.

It’s really not too different from our stadiums of today (and in fact, was probably a whole lot glitzier than then) and you can’t help but imagine the swell of the crowd, the excited roars and suspense-ridden gasps, together with the clang of metal on metal when taking it all in.

RELATED READING | 9 Best Colosseum Underground Tours – Dive into Gladiatorial Rome

In my opinion, yes – a Colosseum by night tour is definitely worth it . You don’t have to deal with the daytime crowds and while the only way you can visit the Colosseum at night is with a tour guide, this is also an added bonus in itself as you’ll take far more from your visit than you would if visiting on your own.

So, is the Colosseum better at day or night? The answer to this one is not as straightforward and depends on whether you have visited the Colosseum before, want to combine the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill in the same visit, or want a more extensive tour of the Colosseum.

During the day, you’ll get to see the upper level of the Colosseum too (we didn’t visit this as part of our Colosseum at night tour) and while you’re not missing out on too much, you will miss out on a great view of the Roman Forum from some of the arches of the upper tiers.

To help you make your choice, I’ve included a list of pros and cons below.

You’re one of a very small few in the Colosseum at the time, so you escape the crowds of daytime
You’ll have to visit with a guide, which I think is a bonus in itself due to what you’ll learn
You have time to take everything in
You also pass through some other key sights of Ancient Rome
Perfect if you’re looking for a unique & memorable experience
You are tied to visiting with a guide, at a set time. This might not work for everyone.
If you wish to visit the Forum, you’ll have to do so separately and will need to purchase a ticket.
You won’t get to visit the upper levels of the Colosseum
Expense – as part of a guided tour, this is more expensive than visiting on your own.

I’d highly recommend the Rome Colosseum tour at night that I took with TakeWalks . TakeWalks are true experts in their field and offer great tours within Italy . I took this Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel tour with them during the same trip and it’s one of the best tours I’ve ever done.

All TakeWalk tours are led by a highly accomplished, English-speaking guide and many have qualifications in the fields of history, architecture, archeology and art history.

From my experience of TakeWalks tours to date, their passionate guides have brought their subjects to life, imparting stories about people and places with humour, intelligence and sensitivity where required, resulting in some unforgettable travel experiences.

My research (and subsequent experience) has led me to the conclusion that TakeWalks offers the best Colosseum night tour, but if, however, you would like to compare the TakeWalks tours against some other Colosseum by night tours , you can check out this tour by City Wonders:

Colosseum Underground by Night: Semi-Private Tour with Arena Floor

Alternatives to a Colosseum night tour – some other ways to visit the Colosseum

Besides from Colosseum at night tours, the majority of Colosseum visits happen during the day. There are two main ways that you can visit the Colosseum during daytime:

Visit the Colosseum on your own in a self-guided way
Visit the Colosseum as part of a guided tour

If, having read my review above, you’ve decided that a self-guided daytime trip wins out over a night at the Colosseum, then I’d strongly urge you to a) visit first thing in the morning and; b) to purchase your tickets in advance.

This especially goes for if you are tied to visiting later in the day, as queues can grow very large and you’ll save yourself the hassle of joining the crowds by being able to just show up and waltz through security at your allotted time.

How to purchase skip the line tickets to the Colosseum

Tickets to the Colosseum also include admission for the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. I’d recommend that you purchase your tickets via Tiqets . Tiqets is a highly reputable ticket booking platform that I use regularly that provides entrance to iconic attractions and experiences.

It has a clean user interface and is great for booking tickets to multiple attractions in one destination, as you can keep them all in one place.

Booking skip the line tickets for the Colosseum

Your first option is to book skip-the-line tickets to the Colosseum. This includes entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill also.

Book skip-the-line Colosseum tickets here

If you’re planning on visiting multiple attractions in Rome, then it may make sense to purchase a combi-ticket that includes entry to a number of sights. The Roma Super Pass includes entry to the Vatican, the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Purchase the Roma Super Pass here

There are several different types of guided tours of the Colosseum that you can do.

Underground + Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Firstly, if you’re going to visit the Colosseum, then it’s highly likely that you’ll also visit the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, so try choose a tour that incorporates both.

Secondly, is a Colosseum underground tour worth it? I’d be inclined say that visiting the underground is unmissable – it’s the most interesting part of the Colosseum in my opinion – so I’d also choose a tour that incorporates both.

This TakeWalks tour fits the bill: Skip the Line: VIP Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill

Gladiators Gate + Roman Forum and Palatine Hill

Offering an alternative Colosseum experience to the above, on this tour you will enter the arena via the Gladiator’s Gate, where combatants would have made their way onto the area floor of the ancient amphitheatre.

This is a special-access area that will be closed off to other visitors, from which you can really absorb the fascinating history of this truly iconic monument.

Again, TakeWalks runs a great tour: Gladiator’s Gate: Special Access Colosseum Tour with Arena Floor

Express Colosseum Tour

Lastly, is the best option for when you’re in a hurry. This express tour of the Colosseum is 1.5 hours long and focusses only on the famous monument itself. It also includes entry via the Gladiator’s Gate, from which you will get to experience the arena floor.

Learn more and book here: 1.5 Hour Colosseum Express Tour with Arena Stage Visit

FAQ about visiting the Colosseum underground by night

Yes, it is possible to visit the Colosseum at night but only by guided tour, which operate at limited times and with limited capacity – which makes the experience that extra bit special.

This post provides an overview of visiting the Colosseum at night time, reviews an excellent night time Colosseum tour and discusses alternative ways to visit the Colosseum if you decide that an after hours visit is not for you. Scroll up to read it in full.

You can buy tickets for Colosseum night tours online and it’s highly advisable that you book them well in advance. Only a limited amount of vendors have the licences and special permission to run night tours so during popular times they will book out.

I highly recommend the Colosseum underground by night tour that I took with TakeWalks . Another alternative vendor is this one .

A tour company that I really like and recommend for tours in cities like Paris, Rome, Florence, Seville etc is TakeWalks. After all of my own research of Colosseum night tours, I decided to take their VIP Colosseum At Night Tour With Underground & Arena Floor and was really happy that I did.

Group numbers are capped at 20 and the tour is led by Ancient Roman ex

Visiting the Colosseum at night is an altogether different one to visiting during the day. The arena is quiet and still, devoid of the daytime crowds and you really get a chance to examine the structure and imagine what it was like in its heyday. It’s a thoroughly unique experience.

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Get special access to the Underground dungeons and Arena Floor on this guided small group tour

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See a different perspective of the Colosseum and Roman Forum with no crowds at night

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The Roman Guy is a tour company that offers walking, driving, bike and food tours in Italy. We pride ourselves on our ability to bypass lines and enter museums in exclusive ways. We are an educated and fun team that loves Italy and enjoys working in tourism. Our team of tour guides and staff are Italian & American, but all speak amazing English.
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81 reviews and 109 photos of THE ROMAN GUY "I had booked a tour with these guys during my visit in February this year. Meeting point was by the Colosseum metro stop. We were given audio guides and introduced to our tour guide Rafaela (Rafa). After that we started at the Roman Forum, making our way through the Palatine Hill and down to the Colosseum passing by Constantine's Arch.
The Best Colosseum Tours To Take in 2024 and Why + Map
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Golf Cart Tour of Rome with Pizza and Gelato Dinner. Indulge in authentic Italian pizza, savor gelato, and whizz between Pantheon, Trastevere and more. From: $230.88. 1000s of 5-star reviews makes our underground, arena floor, and other Colosseum tours in Rome an easy choice!
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Book your tickets online for The Roman Guy, Rome: See 6,215 reviews, articles, and 1,197 photos of The Roman Guy, ranked No.2,418 on Tripadvisor among 2,418 attractions in Rome. Skip to main content. ... The tour culminates at the timeless Colosseum, an iconic symbol of Rome. Standing in the massive amphitheater, you can almost hear the roar of ...
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Review of: Colosseum Arena Floor Tour with Roman Forum & Palatine Hill. Had a lot of fun being guided by our fun and ecstatic guide (Lumi) through the Colosseum and Roman Forums. Lumi pointed out and explained everything that we probably wouldn't have even noticed in a very entertaining way. Overall a great experience.
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The Roman Guy. The Roman Guy is a tour company that offers walking, driving, bike and food tours in Italy. We pride ourselves on our ability to bypass lines and enter museums in exclusive ways. We are an educated and fun team that loves Italy and enjoys working in tourism. Our team of tour guides and staff are Italian & American, but all speak ...
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The Roman Guy is a tour company that offers walking, driving, bike and food tours in Italy. We pride ourselves on our ability to bypass lines and enter museums in exclusive ways. We are an educated and fun team that loves Italy and enjoys working in tourism. Our team of tour guides and staff are Italian & American, but all speak amazing English.
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Bring sunscreen and a water bottle for hot summer months. show more frequently asked questions. Reserve Now $176.99 / per person. Our exclusive Colosseum Underground and Arena Floor Tour sells out fast! Join this small group guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill.
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The Roman Guy: Smooth Colosseum Tour - easy to get in and Palantine Hill is beautiful - See 6,226 traveler reviews, 1,197 candid photos, and great deals for Rome, Italy, at Tripadvisor. ... I booked an "underground colosseum" tour with The Tour Guy about a month before our visit. I received some emails ahead of time from the group about various ...
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Express Colosseum Tour. Lastly, is the best option for when you're in a hurry. This express tour of the Colosseum is 1.5 hours long and focusses only on the famous monument itself. It also includes entry via the Gladiator's Gate, from which you will get to experience the arena floor.
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Tour the Colosseum with your guide who shows you the arena floor and other parts of the landmark that are normally off-limits to visitors. Continue to the Roman Forum, an archaeological site with great examples of ancient Rome's architecture, and Palatine Hill. Read more. from. $64.45.

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