Gretchen Stuppy Carlson
We’ve been to Rome several times and every time we visit with new people we do a tour of the Colosseum. This post will explore the best Colosseum tour and how to choose the perfect tour for you.
The good news is that there are many options when choosing a tour and every tour we’ve done has been informative and interesting. In many ways you can’t go wrong, but the right tour will depend on how much time you have, who you are doing the tour with, how interested or knowledgeable you are with Roman history, and what else you plan to do during your visit, or whether you even want to visit the Colosseum at night.
Note that if you searched ‘best Colloseum Tour’ the correct spelling is Colosseum.
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Looking for more information about planning a trip to Rome? Check out How Many Days in Rome Do You Need? A Complete Guide to Help you Plan Your Visit
Quick Look at the Best Colosseum Tours
Below are a few of the most highly recommended Colosseum tours. We typically book our tours via Viator or Get Your Guide as it’s helpful to read reviews here, but you can also book directly with some of the booking companies.
This 3 hour tour of the Colosseum is a perfect amount of time to check out these ancient ruins. The tour guides on this tour are incredible – engaging, funny and knowledgeable.
Best Colosseum Tour for Families
This is a great Colosseum tour designed with kids and family in mind. The guides do a great job keeping the youngest visitors engaged.
Best Colosseum Tour Including the Underground
This excellent tour includes a visit underground to the lower level, arena and Roman Forum. This tour has great information and it’s fun to see the underground area that is normally off limits.
While most tours are small, some groups get large. Booking a private tour lets you customize your experience. You can see several additional suggestions below, but this tour offers a virtual reality experience.
This was the first tour we did on a budget. This is still a 3 hour tour and we learned so much with our informative guide.
You can also find many tours of Rome that include the Colosseum or other unique tours. A few worth considering are:
- Night tour of the Colosseum
- Express Tour of the Colosseum (if you’re short on time, this is just 1 hour)
- Combined tour of the Colosseum and Vatican
Overview of the Colosseum and Roman Forum
The Colosseum is the largest Roman Amphitheatre completed in 80 AD. The Colosseum could seat 50,000 people to watch competitions, recreations of battles, gladiator fights and more. The Colosseum operated for 500 years. In the time since then, the building has suffered earthquakes, looting, and bombings.
The Colosseum is considered one of the wonders of the modern world with over 6 million visitors a year and is an absolute must if you visit.
The Roman Forum is an impressive rectangular area right outside the Colosseum. This was an ancient marketplace and is surrounded by the ruins of important ancient government buildings. The Roman Forum has layer and layers of history and a knowledgeable guide will peel back the layers.
What to Consider When Selecting the Best Colosseum Tour
There are several things to consider when selecting the perfect Colosseum tour. Below you can see some considerations:
What is the Length of the Tour? Tours range from 1 hour to full day multi-site events. In my opinion, the 1-hour tour is too short unless you are very short on time. The best combined tours of the Colosseum and Roman Forum are 3 hours. This gives you enough time to enjoy the sites and learn from your guide but isn’t completely exhausting or overwhelming.
You should also pay attention to the time of day. If you are visiting in the summer, avoid the midday time slots as it can be very hot in the sun. Late morning also tends to be when the Colosseum is the most crowded so going early or even late afternoon is a good option.
How is the Tour Given? Consider how the tour will be delivered. Larger tours typically use headphones while private and very small tours usually just speak directly to you. There are benefits to both, but if you prefer to interact and speak to your tour guide, it may be work spending more money on a private tour. See this tour.
What other Sites are Included? While the Colosseum tour is great, we recommend selecting a tour that includes at least the Roman Forum. Other great options are the underground or other sites in Rome.
Other Things to Consider:
- What is included in the tour: check that tickets are included
- Tour companies change and come and go, so double check the most recent online reviews
- What’s the cancelation policy?
Best Way to See the Colosseum
If you are looking for the best Colosseum tour, you may be wondering if it is worth it to do a tour at all. You can absolutely buy a ticket to visit the Colosseum and simply walk around on your own. We are usually big fans of visiting sites with a self-guided ticket, but the Colosseum is one place where we strongly encourage visiting on a tour. You will get much more out of the experience if you have a tour guide and you also get to skip the lines into the Colosseum.
The lines to buy a ticket and enter the Colosseum can often stretch out and the wait can be 2-3 hours. If you are planning to visit the Colosseum without a tour, here are a few tips to avoid the crowds:
Visit the Roman Forum First: You can buy a ticket to the Colosseum and Roman Forum either at the Colosseum entrance Roman Forum. The lines to get into the Roman Forum are significantly lower, so start here and then you already have your ticket ready for the Colosseum.
Buy Your Tickets in Advance Online: You can buy tickets online at the official Colosseum website. Tickets are a few euros more expensive online but it is worth it to miss the line!
Get a City Pass: By purchasing a city pass you can typically skip the lines and head right into the Colosseum – double check that your city pass covers the Colosseum. Check out:
OMNIA Pass – this includes the Vatican Museum and you get skip the line passes to both sites that also includes a discount.
Roma Pass – This pass gives you a very small discount on the Colosseum
Rome City Pass – This tour has a number of attractions as well as some other highlights like transportation from the airport.
Things to Know about Visiting the Colosseum
Below you can find suggestions for the visiting the Colosseum.
How to Get to the Colosseum
The Colosseum can be reached by taking the metro line B and getting off at the Colosseo stop. The site is located about 1 km south of the main part of town. You can also reach the Colosseum on foot by taking a long walk, or via taxi.
Many of the tours offer specific meeting places near the Colosseum. Pay attention to where the tour meets and remember sot give yourself ample time to get to the starting point.
Tips on Visiting the Colosseum: What to Bring to the Colosseum (and what not to bring to the Colosseum)
Ideally you will bring just yourself, your phone/camera and some water on the Colosseum tour. If you are visiting in the summer months, note that there is very little shade. You should plan to wear a hat and apply sunscreen.
If you are visiting in the other months, dress warmly as much of the tour is exposed and it can be quite cold, especially if the wind is blowing.
In order to enter the building, you will pass through a metal detector. You are permitted to bring a small bag to carry your essentials, but you can not bring in suitcases or large backpacks. There is no place right at the Colosseum to store your luggage.
You may not bring sharp objects including scissors and even very small knives. You may not bring in glass containers, although plastic water bottle are fine.
See even more information about How to Visit the Colosseum.
Is the Colosseum Open All Year Long?
The Colosseum is open all year daily except for Dec 25 and Jan 1. Opening hours change throughout the year, but if you are signing up with a tour company you can assume the Colosseum is open.
Is there a Dress Code for the Colosseum?
There is no dress code to enter the Colosseum, but it is recommended to wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Much of the walking is on uneven paths, so sneakers are an excellent choice.
More Options for the Best Colosseum Tours
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