Elevate your Colosseum visit with an expert-led tour and exclusive Arena Floor access—walk where gladiators fought.
Elevate your Colosseum visit with an expert-led tour and exclusive Arena Floor access—walk where gladiators fought.
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Visiting the Colosseum, or "Coliseu" as it's known in Portuguese, is an absolutely breathtaking experience that transports you back to the heart of ancient Rome. Standing within those colossal ruins, you can almost hear the roar of the crowds and imagine the gladiatorial contests that once took place on the arena floor. The sheer scale of Roman engineering is awe-inspiring, and exploring the intricate levels, from the underground hypogeum where animals and gladiators awaited their fate, to the upper tiers offering panoramic views of the entire amphitheater, truly brings history to life. The company that organized this tour did an exceptional job, handling every detail to ensure a smooth and enriching visit and helping to find the correct place. A special mention must go to our tour guide, Simona, whose passion and knowledge truly brought the Colosseum to life. She expertly navigated us through its storied past, pointing out fascinating details and sharing captivating histories that made the ancient stones speak volumes. It's a powerful reminder of the grandeur and complexity of a civilization that shaped so much of the world.
Our guide, Diego, was great! He was knowledgeable, friendly, intelligent, funny and loves telling the history of his birthplace. This tour has a lot to cover in 3 hours so if you're not a fast walker/stair climber there might be better choices for you. The only downside was that we got instructions to meet in 1 location only to get there on time and be told we needed to go to a different address- for folks without internet this could be difficult. It wasn't far but was across streets, through construction, and down an alley- could have told us to meet there from the beginning.
The highlight of my visit was our guide Bruno was the best, he is an archaeologist and explained very clearly. Fantastic
View original review in Spanish
I don't think I could have done this tour on my own. So much to see & learn in this tour, deeply enriched in history. Our guide explained so much in the time we were with her, & her ability to be patient & direct us around the huge crowds & other tour groups was well done. Thank you for an amazing tour & the opportunity to walk away with so much knowledge & many photos
We came to Rome for the first time at the end of April and this visit to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum was a must. The tour was incredible from start to finish. It was a first for us to hire a guide, and we have no regrets! Simone is a very interesting guide, with a great sense of humor. We loved it and highly recommend this tour and this guide. Many thanks to her!
View original review in French
The tour was very interesting and well organized. A 2.5-hour guided tour of the Forum, Mount Palatine and the Colosseum - a great, informative experience!
View original review in French
VERY INTERESTING VISIT TO THE COLOSSEUM. THE GUIDE, ELEONORA, WAS WONDERFUL. SHE EXPLAINED IT AS IF SHE WAS LIVING IT. SHE KNEW WHAT SHE WAS TALKING ABOUT.
View original review in Spanish
The experience and the detailed explanation of our guide made the visit even better. She was able to explain every corner and make us travel back in time.
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Had an absolutely amazing day. Made so by the knowledge and enthusiasm of our guide. It was fantastic to see it but more fantastic to know it.
The tour was Awesome! We had Eliane, a Brazilian historian, she was Pationate and very knowledgeable about history and the details. I was impressed with her knowledge and enthusiasm. You can tell when someone loves what they do and she definitely is a person that loves what she does. Take a hat with you, it was very sunny and we walk a lot during this tour.
Our guide Flavia was so knowledgeable, and never short of interesting facts and little things to show us throughout the whole tour. We got so much more out of our visit thanks to her, would thoroughly recommend.
Our enthusiastic guide Laura Antonucci really helped "flesh out" what we were seeing at the Forum, Palatinr Hill & Colosseum, with helpful colour illustrations & many details to bring it all to life! We appreciated the clear fantastic English & the response to questions in our all adult group. They found shade when possible which was appreciated, built in a well timed 🚾 stop, as well advising us of the lift for seniors who needed it. Cannot recommend enough!
The tour guide (Diego) was excellent, had a lot of knowledge and was very pleasant. The places visited were very interesting and came with a lot of detailing. Definetly recommend!
Except that you guys misidentify the location, where you meet the guide and no one comes to the meeting point to pick you up it was a great experience with a great guide. Lots of background information.
View original review in Dutch
Great informative and knowledgeable tour guide, great sense of humour, crowds were as expected but the tour guide knew how to work around them
Our tour guide Paulo was amazing. His knowledge about everything Roman, Rome and Italy was simply astounding. He made the tour enjoyable as well as informative. We came away knowing more than we ever thought we would! I would thoroughly recommend!
Superb tour, interesting and fun. Great guide! Beautiful landscapes, lots of memories! The only downside was that the meeting place was very poorly signposted, so it was a difficult moment.
View original review in French
The best part of our tour of the Colosseum, the Forum, and Palatine Hill was definitely our tour guide. She was knowledgeable and had a great way of delivering her message, even a little joke now and then. The sites are awesome inspiring given their age, construction, and purposes.
I went on a very cozy, private tour with Marle Robinson, with three other tourists. Marle was amazingly knowledgeable, sharing fascinating stories from history throughout the experience. She's very sharp and witty, with a lot of funny jokes to keep us engaged. At the same time, she was very attentive to our needs, making sure we remained hydrated, never strayed too far from each other and had ample time to snap a couple of photos. The tour gave us fast track entry to the venues and we were able to coast through the sites swiftly due to the sheer size of the company. It's very clear that our guide is passionate about the topics covered during the tour, being a practising scholar herself. This tour is highly recommended!
I loved the experience as the guide was very friendly and approachable. Good organization in general.
View original review in Portuguese
No problem, everything went well
Crowded our guide John had so much knowledge and history was if we were reliving what it's like!!
The guided tour was excellent and Francesca was professional, knowledgeable and funny, she made the experience for us.
Great guide Very informative Had lots of fun
The historic sites and the knowledge of the hist
Reserved entry to the Colosseum at your selected time with the flexibility to explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill within 24 hours.
Reserved entry to the Colosseum at your selected time with the flexibility to explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill within 24 hours.
Inclusions
Exclusions
Long and interesting tour, Colosseum, Palatine and fori are a place where time stands still and despite the many tourists you can stop in the shade to imagine the 'empire and rest.
View original review in Italian
The experience was very good as far as the purchase of the tickets and audio went. The Colosseum is definitely worth a visit, but the huge crowds made the viewing experience very slow and at times unpleasant. The lines for the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill were so long that we decided to not complete the tour.
Our experience was very good. We had purchased Skip the Line tickets. We didn’t have any trouble with waiting times at all. It’s definitely worth getting Skip the Line tickets.
The architecture and engineering of the Colosseum is amazing! Getting up close and seeing that this was completed centuries ago just blows your mind.
The tour inside and outside the colosseum is unique. It is worth every meter of the walk. Super happy with the experience.
View original review in Spanish
Everything organized. We didn't wait in line. Wonderful views. Those who love history must have this experience. I will be back
View original review in Italian
You cannot go to Rome and ignore the Colosseum. It stands big and proud and the history in there just demands to be explored. Yes it can be very busy but there's no pressure to rush round it and there are helpful lifts for people who need assistance.
Very nice site with beautiful views. No queues to make with appointments booked, but the Audi iPhone option didn't work - shame. We were told it was under maintenance. Too bad there weren't more signs to indicate directions and give some indication of what we were seeing. Otherwise a very nice experience.
View original review in French
Amazing technological achievement on an awesome scale. The Colliseum stands out as the must see site of Rome. You need time to view the information cases and experience to arena too.
Palatine Hill was really impressive, but you should plan much more time than indicated, especially if you have an audio guide
View original review in German
Everything worked really well, the audio guide was also very informative and the children enjoyed it too. Unfortunately, everything was completely overcrowded, but you have to live with that
View original review in German
Strolling through the land of Marcus Aurelius and the great artists of the millennial and eternal city is indeskriptible ouuu yeahhh!!!🤘🏿🕺🏻💚⚔️🔥🏟
View original review in Spanish
I bought the tickets for the Colosseum which included a visit to the Palatine and the Roman Forum, everything was great, I bought two tickets on different days and the first one arrived immediately but the second one arrived 1 hour later, I had to wait but it was worth it.
View original review in Spanish
Everything excellent and great, tickets without problems
View original review in Spanish
The buling itself was spectaculos
Excellent experience! Graciaaaaaaaas 💕
View original review in Spanish
Great, all very well organized and good attention to everything! Thanks
View original review in Spanish
Amazing!!! It's wonderful
The highlight of my visit was
View original review in Portuguese
Very fast line to get in, very tidy despite so many people, easy to buy everything very well.
View original review in Spanish
I recommend the full package for a more complete and interesting experience! Memorable!
View original review in Portuguese
Colosseum was amazing
It was amazing experience I got a cheaper ticket but I could move around freely. Great.
The entrance and security check went smoothly, and the sights are of course fine.
This place is magical, the only regret is that there are no explanations in François except with a tourist guide.
View original review in French
Explore the restricted Underground chambers, where gladiators and wild animals awaited their fate before battle.
Explore the restricted Underground chambers, where gladiators and wild animals awaited their fate before battle.
Inclusions
Exclusions
Honestly, bypassing the chaos. We saved so much time and our tour guide was wonderful. Highly recommend. Bonus: The tickets include entrance to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. So we enjoyed that after taking a break for lunch.
Our guide had an extraordinary amount of detailed knowledge about the Colosseum and the Roman Forum and was able to tell us a lot about life at that time. This and also the top organization of the event made everything a great experience. Robert from Munich
View original review in German
Our Guide was knowledgeable about Colosseum. She made it fun. Because of her, we got hassle free entry to all the sites and location, we skipped all lines and were the first one to enter into the Colosseum. I would recommend tourists to book all 3 site tours individually because the guide doesn't show you everything in Romun Forum in a combined tour. Do this tour if you don't have enough time or if you are with family/kids.
An incredible place because you can see up close the engineering with which this important building of the Roman era was built, this unique experience because being in the basement of the Colosseum with a great guide explains and teaches you where the ramps, elevators, drains and your mind "flies" imagining being in that time. It is very worthwhile
View original review in Spanish
Everything. The underground was very exciting to experience. The guide was fantastic, Sandra explained the history vividly and in detail. It was an experience and adventure worth recommending. We would book again in a heartbeat.
View original review in German
Our tour was fabulous in every way AMANDA our tour guide was absolutely brilliant Very informative, concise and funny very knowledgeable and with masses of information She really made it very special
The guide was friendly and provided an engaging , in depth, knowledgeable tour and had an answer for every question. Amazing tour and value for money which i would do again instantly.
The whole experience was wonderful. Our tour guide Mya was amazing, she was so knowlegable, happy, and made the whole experience for us. without a guide we wouldn't have got a true insight to the history of this amazing buidling. Paying the extra for the underground tour was 100% worth it.
Our host was brilliant .. really enjoyed our ruling and her knowledge was great .. we all learnt a lot from the tour
We experienced the Colosseum and Forum Romanum in the best possible way. We skipped all the lines, and our guide Elisa was fantastic at sharing interesting stories along the way. A great experience – highly recommended!
Very crowded but added to the excitement and the unbelievable feeling when you walked into the Colleseium itself. It gave myself and husband goosebumps. Tour guide was brilliant 👏
Alessandro was a perfect guide. We were a small group of 6 people, which was ideal given the crowds in the Colosseum. Alessandro made the tour very lively, answered each of our questions in detail and even had extra footage on his tablet. He always had the well-being of all participants in mind and guided our group to shady spots for his explanations, organized the floor changes by elevator for my mother and another participant and showed us the best spots for souvenir photos. Many thanks for a great morning, Alessandro!
View original review in German
It was an awesome tour with a fantastic guide! Emanuele is a Roman native with excellent knowledge of ancient history. We enjoyed every minute! Thank you again for that great experience! Manuela and Roland
So much history. Informative guide who knew the history. Would definitely recommend do the underground part of the tour.
Informative guide and access to the underground was great
Great tour guide informative ans detail oriented
Very crowded but our tour guide was knowledgeable and navigated us quickly around the crowds.
All the history and information
The guide Luigi, an archaeologist, was great an had very much ancient history to tell.
Category
Arena Floor access
Additional features
Why go for it?
Recommended tours
Access only
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Expert-led tour of Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum
Enjoy exclusive access to the Arena Floor, later learn about gladiator battles and Roman history from your guide.
Access + Audio Guide
✅
Audio guide in multiple languages, self-guided experience
Ideal for independent explorers who want flexibility while discovering the Colosseum’s history.
Premium access: Arena + Underground
✅
Expert guide, small group (max 8), guided tour of Colosseum with special access to Underground
Go beyond the Arena Floor and learn about Colosseum’s hidden secrets with exclusive access to the Underground tunnels where gladiators and animals awaited battle.
Out of the 80 entrances of the Colosseum, 76 were reserved for the general public. The remaining 4 were known as the Grand Entrances, namely, the North Gate, the South Gate, the Gate of Life, and the Gate of Death. During gladiator games, the gladiators entered the arena through the Gate of Life and if they survived, exited through it. Those who were wounded or killed were taken out of the stadium through the Gate of Death. During the visit, you will be able to enter the Colosseum through the Gate of Life, which is today dubbed the "Gladiator's Gate", allowing you to experience what it might have been like to enter the amphitheater packed with spectators.
Follow in the footsteps of ancient gladiators by walking on the partially reconstructed Arena floor. This unique experience provides a distinct perspective of the massive amphitheater and allows you to envision the magnitude of the events once held here. Imagine the roar of the crowd and the tension of the spectacles as you stroll across the sand-strewn platform, and you'll truly appreciate the Colosseum's Arena as the epicenter of Roman public life. However, it's important to remember that very little of the original arena floor remains today; what you will be walking on is a partially reconstructed section of the floor.
Underneath the Arena floor lie the underground tunnels, known as the hypogeum. Although separate from the Arena, these tunnels were integral to its function. The hypogeum, not part of the original construction, was commissioned by Emperor Domitian to house animals and gladiators as they prepared for the battles that took place above. This area is made of two levels of connected corridors and tunnels that connect to the main stage. and was equipped with complex machinery to lift men and beasts to the Arena. Today, you can explore these tunnels and witness first-hand the stark contrast between the glamour of the Arena and the harsh realities of the world beneath it.
Colosseum Underground ToursFrom the Arena Floor, the Colosseum’s towering walls feel even more imposing, and the sheer scale of the amphitheater truly sinks in. Standing at its heart, you can fully appreciate the intricate design of the remaining walls, the structural order of the seating areas, and the brilliance of Roman engineering. Look up at the stands and imagine 50,000 Romans cheering (or jeering), as the arena buzzed with energy. While the Colosseum’s exterior is iconic, seeing it from the inside out—through the eyes of those who once stood here—is an experience not to be missed.
Arena access is severely limited to preserve the floor and manage crowds. This makes Arena tickets highly sought after and prone to selling out months in advance, especially in peak season. Don't expect to find last-minute availability.
For starters, it is a hair-raising experience to merely stand on the arena floor, although the modern version is a reconstruction of its past. You can also access the Gladiator/Stern Gate from inside, from where gladiators came on to the Colosseum floor. Stepping on to the arena also offers a unique interior perspective of the Colosseum.
No. An Arena ticket primarily grants access to the Arena Floor. Access to other areas, like the standard Colosseum levels, Underground, or Upper Levels, may require separate tickets or a combined tour package. Confirm what areas are covered before purchasing.
Typically, no. Arena access is often only available through pre-booked tours or online ticket packages. On-site ticket sales are rare, and if available, prices are unlikely to be lower. Booking in advance is highly recommended.
Typically, a standard Colosseum ticket will give you access to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine Hill. However, access to specific areas like the Hypogeum usually requires a special ticket. Be sure to confirm what your ticket includes at the time of purchase.
A complex network of tunnels and chambers, known as the hypogea, existed underneath the arena floor. This underground network housed gladiators, animals, scenery, and stage machinery.
-Gladiatorial combats: These were the most famous events, featuring gladiators fighting each other or wild animals.
-Venationes: Animal hunts showcased exotic beasts like lions, tigers, bears and elephants.
-Naumachie, or mock naval battles: In the ancient times, it was believed that the arena was flooded to orchestrate naval battles.
-Executions: Condemned criminals sometimes faced their punishment in the arena.
Ticket cancellation or change policies can vary. Most Colosseum Arena tours allow you to cancel up to 48 hours in advance to get a full refund. Ensure that you check for the cancelation policy beforehand.
Expect to pay a significant premium for Arena access. Prices can range from 50% to 70% more than standard entry, reflecting the exclusivity and limited availability of these tickets. If someone is claiming to sell you arena access for a very low cost, make sure it is legitimate.