Exclusive Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour

Where to begin- this was the worst colosseum tour I’ve ever done (I’ve done 2 tours on previous visits with different companies- usually through GetYourGuide). I booked a private tour with my parents directly with livtours, I clearly stated that they had mobility issues (they walk slower) and were older. It was primarily for this reason that I booked the private option- so they wouldn’t hold people up and it could be tailored to them. Livtours assured me that all would be ok. It was a hot August day (not surprising), temperatures peaked at 38 degrees. The tour was meant to start at 1030, the tour guide make my older parents walk for over 2hrs in the heat for the Roman forum before we even entered the colosseum (it’s in small print on their website that they may not start at the colosseum but the main text says they will) . By the time that happened they were exhausted, dizzy and after 5mins in the colosseum wanted to leave. They didn’t even get to see the thing we travelled to Rome for and they didn’t even enter the arena floor. The reason given to us was that the timed colosseum ticket was at 1230. I booked this tour months in advance, they were informed of the issues regarding my parents and still made the insane choice of starting at the forum in that heat. There’s absolutely no excuse for this since this wasn’t a last minute booking- at least not on our end. To make matters worse the guide they assigned to us was pushy and kept insisting my parents walk further and acted like every request was a big favour (for example I asked if my parents could get the lifts up at the colosseum- they’re over 65 so easily qualify and she kept saying ‘we’ll have to see’). This is after livtours assured me the lifts would be fine. The guide also argued with other people in line for the lifts because they were young- I mean honestly the whole thing was so unprofessional- she doesn’t know what disabilities people may have. All in all it was complete rubbish. I’d like to acknowledge that livtours called me after I complained and gave me a partial refund but it’s a little too late. My parents essentially left Rome not seeing the one thing they really wanted to see. It was so dissapointing, No other tour of the colosseum I’ve done didn’t start at the colosseum! So read the fine print guys- and honestly this express entry thing is BS, you don’t get priority access by booking through these guys- if you buy the tickets from the colosseum official site (a much cheaper option) it’s timed entry anyway, they have a free downloadable audio guide and you can go at your pace without any of this nonsense.

We did a first entry semi-private Colosseum and Roman forum Tour with special Arena Access in mid July with Valentina Falconi. It was amazing. Valentina was soo passionate and enthusiastic. She shared so many storied and information with us. The time just flew by. She engaged our 15 year old son throughout. He loved it, especially standing in the rooms of the first Roman Emperor. We can't recommend this tour enough. Thank you Valentina. We hope to return to do more tours with her.

Dario was fantastic. He was especially great with our 9 and 12 year olds, listening to their questions carefully and acknowledging their interests and feelings. He also gave each of them a 5 cent euro at the end, which they loved. He taught us so much in a very kind way. I couldn’t ask for better. I highly recommend this tour, and Dario, for families.

Livia was such an incredible guide for our morning tour of the Colosseum and the Forum! Her passion to share the history of Rome was energizing and she provided so much context for how these places were built and changed, even lugging around a satchel of images and maps of the area in its heyday(s). She knew how best to avoid crowds and how to move through them checkpoints quickly, and she perfectly balanced photo times and history time and water breaks even on a blisteringly hot morning. Highly, highly recommend this tour!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Outstanding Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour with Vasco Our Colosseum and Roman Forum tour with Vasco was absolutely outstanding. Having done guided tours in many different countries, I can honestly say Vasco is one of the very best guides we’ve ever had. I loved the early start of this one. We were among the first to enter the Colosseum - although the queues seem big we were in quickly after it opened. Vasco made the whole thing smooth for us. His knowledge was incredible, and he brought both the Colosseum and the Roman Forum to life with fascinating stories, historical detail, and context that made everything so much more meaningful. We came away feeling like we’d learnt so much, and he kept us interested from beginning to end. One thing that really stood out was how clear and easy he was to understand. That’s not always the case with guided tours, but Vasco spoke excellent English, explained everything at the perfect pace, and was always happy to answer our questions. He was friendly, approachable, and genuinely passionate about what he does. Our group consisted of just us and one other family, which made the experience feel personal and relaxed. The small group size meant we could interact with Vasco throughout the tour and made the whole experience even more enjoyable. If you’re visiting Rome, I couldn’t recommend this tour highly enough. Seeing the Colosseum and Roman Forum with someone as knowledgeable and engaging as Vasco completely transformed the experience. He is a truly tremendous guide, and this was without doubt one of the highlights of our trip.