Small Group Colosseum Arena Tour + Palatine Hill & Roman Forum
About this activity
Highlights
- A guided tour of the Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill
- Save time by skipping admission lines with priority access
- Explore the restricted arena floor where gladiators once battled
- Travel with a guide: Dive deep into ancient Roman history
Full description
Included / Excluded
- Expert-led guided tour of Rome
- Discover the iconic sites of Ancient Rome in one tour
- Headphones available for audio tour
- Small-Group, personalised experience
- Passionate storytelling, and plenty of history to learn
Itinerary
This tour includes access to the Colosseum and entry onto the arena floor through the Gladiators’ Gate, the passage historically used by performers and participants entering the amphitheatre. From here, you’ll step into the central space where ancient spectacles once took place. With the guidance of a knowledgeable expert, learn about the Colosseum’s construction during the height of the Roman Empire and its role in Roman society. Your guide will explain how emperors used the amphitheatre for public events and displays, and how the Colosseum reflected Rome’s power, culture, and influence across the ancient world.
Next, continue to Palatine Hill, traditionally regarded as the birthplace of Rome. This significant archaeological area contains remains spanning from early settlements through later imperial and medieval periods. With your guide, view notable sites such as the Hut of Romulus and the ruins of the Imperial Palace, once associated with Rome’s ruling elite and administrative life.
The final stop on this tour is the Roman Forum. As the center of ancient Rome, the Forum was a bustling hub of markets, law courts, temples, and public life. Here, Julius Caesar was cremated, two emperors were killed in 69 AD, and Cicero delivered speeches that influenced Roman society and governance.
Meeting point
Start Location
Via di S. Gregorio, 00184 Roma, RM, Italy
Cancellation policy
Up to 24 hours before the beginning of the activity: full refund Less than 24 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: no refund
Good to know
- Please provide the full names of all travellers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with matching names at the ticket office may result in denied entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- Each traveller must present a valid passport or ID matching the name provided at booking for entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
- Tour order may vary: we will start with either the Colosseum or the Roman Forum/Palatine Hill depending on ticket times.
- Colosseum admission is free on the first Sunday of each month. Tours are discounted on these days.
Traveler reviews
Lovely
At first, I was a little disappointed because I accidentally booked the guided tour outside the Colosseum instead of inside. However, it turned out to be one of the best experiences of our trip! Our guide was absolutely fantastic. He was incredibly knowledgeable, passionate, and made history come alive with interesting stories and details that we would never have discovered on our own. The 90-minute tour flew by because he kept us engaged the entire time. At the end of the tour, he also shared some of his favorite local places to visit in Rome, which was a wonderful bonus and made our stay even better. I highly recommend this tour, especially because of the excellent guide. Thank you for such a memorable experience!
A Must Do Tour!!
Being an experienced traveler, I have come to prefer small group tours. This particular tour of 5 plus the tour guide was perfect for my 15 year old son who was a first time visitor to the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill! Our tour guide, Kopal, was top notch and one of the best guides I've had. She was EXTREMELY knowledgeable. She knew her stuff. She was not reading from a script and was not thrown off by questions. She was patient and allowed our group to move at a pace that was perfect for capturing the memories!! I highly recommend Kopal and her expertise!!
Amazing tour!
Our guide Francesca was GREAT! So much fun and full of information. Made the experience memorable!!!
Bait and Switch
Carpe Diem ruined my kid’s opportunity to see the Colosseum. I booked an 8:30 am arena floor tour in January for our June visit, and a week before our tour, they emailed to say that they could not secure tickets for our children. They offered another tour which was conveniently an extra several hundred dollars more expensive (outside of our budget) and was offered in the afternoon (during a heat wave during the hottest part of the day). By that time, it was impossible to buy morning tickets or secure another tour on my own, and I had two VERY disappointed children. I was shocked that they messed up, but didn’t offer another affordable solution for my family - I wouldn’t trust this company in the future.
Ho-hum experience
Our guide was kind but very difficult to understand. His stories and information about the Colosseum jumped all over. It unfortunately didn't hold our attention. We opted out of the tour a bit over half way through due to the heat.