History tours · ROME HISTORY TOURS

The 15 History Tours in Rome to Book First

43 tours  ·  from $23 a head

Four different Colosseum tickets, a forum that needs explaining, and an underground layer most visitors never see. These 15 sort them by what is included and what it costs.

Colosseum: Underground and Ancient Rome Tour - Beginning at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
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Colosseum: Underground and Ancient Rome Tour

1.Colosseum: Underground and Ancient Rome Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 12,691 reviews · 3 hours · from $160Our pick

Meet The Ultimate Italy team at Via dei Fori Imperiali, then tour the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Colosseum with access to its underground chambers, arena floor, ground floor, and second tier. Guides such as Carmelo, Teddy, Maya, and Enza bring the ancient site to life in English, French, or Spanish.

“our guide Chris was so so knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I really enjoyed the tour, it is long though, not too long but you know, a lot of walking and information. I really enjoyed it.”

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Rome: Colosseum with Arena, Roman Forum and Palatine Guided Tour - Palatine Hill provides the wide views
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Rome: Colosseum with Arena, Roman Forum and Palatine Guided Tour

2.Colosseum with Arena, Roman Forum and Palatine Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 5,598 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $60

Spend about 2.5 hours exploring the Colosseum arena floor, first and second levels, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. A professional guide such as Paola, Francesca, Hillary, or Laura Antonucci explains the ruins with visual aids and clear headsets. The underground and third level are not included.

“Our tour guide Paola was fantastic. She was so knowledgeable... we learned so much! In addition, she has a lovely personality. Definitely, request her!!”

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Colosseum with Arena, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Guided Tour - The Roman Forum was ancient Rome’s downtown
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Colosseum with Arena, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Guided Tour

3.Colosseum with Arena, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 3,526 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $36

Walk onto the Colosseum’s Arena floor, see the upper levels, and hear Roman stories from guides such as Paola, Massimo, Tanya, or Andrei. The 2.5-hour visit continues through Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. Guided and audio options are available, but check your exact entry time carefully.

“Incredible tour. Maximo? knows everything and is a delight! Funny, patient and full of knowledge. He also has a great binder of pictures to help bring ideas to life. The tour company though ... we booked 200p and planned the day around it. Shortly after booking, I received an "update" - we are now scheduled for 245p. Then we're at the meeting point, and we don't get started until 300p. Just be careful with your timing and don't cut anything too close.”

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Colosseum & Ancient Rome with Arena Floor Option I Max 6 People - Roman Forum: Walking Through Rome’s Public Center
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Colosseum & Ancient Rome with Arena Floor Option I Max 6 People

4.Colosseum & Ancient Rome with Arena Floor Option I Max 6 People

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,306 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $180Top rated

Spend about three hours with a guide and no more than five other people at the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Choose the Arena Floor option to enter through the Gladiator’s Gate, then follow your guide through ancient temples, imperial homes, and views over Circus Maximus. Guides such as Dennis, Caterina, and Fabio tailor the pace and detail.

“My wife and I went with the personal guide and Colosseum floor options. While expensive, was well worth the cost from our perspective. Fabio — our guide — was incredibly knowledgeable and personable and took the time to tailor the tour for us based on our conversation. Highly recommend visiting the Colosseum during the low season. If you visit during the busy season, I think a more personalized experience with a private or semi-private tour is even more helpful.”

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Rome: Colosseum, Ancient Rome Tour or AudioGuided Tour - Meeting near Piazza di San Clemente
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Rome: Colosseum, Ancient Rome Tour or AudioGuided Tour

5.Colosseum, Ancient Rome Tour or AudioGuided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,879 reviews · 2h 30m · from $54

Choose an English guided visit or explore with a multilingual smartphone audio guide covering 44 points of interest. Your ticket includes the Colosseum’s first and second tiers, plus the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill for 24 hours. Expect stairs, security checks, and a meeting point near Piazza di San Clemente.

“Collosseum is excellent but after Forum Romanum and Palatine are too big for walking especcialy with kids. Maybe is better idea to take some rest after collosseum.”

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Colosseum Underground & Ancient Rome Guided Tour - Entering the Colosseum with timed admission
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Colosseum Underground & Ancient Rome Guided Tour

6.Colosseum Underground & Ancient Rome Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,590 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $74

Spend about three hours exploring the Colosseum arena and underground dungeons, then walk through the Roman Forum and visit Palatine Hill. Choose underground access or arena-only entry. English-speaking guides such as Carmelo, Soloman, and Katia bring the ancient games, engineering, and politics to life. Headsets help you follow along in a group of up to 24.

“Carmelo excellent tour today colleseum and underground very knowledgeable and experienced the very best!!!!”

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Rome: Colosseum Arena, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour - The Roman Forum explains how Rome functioned
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Rome: Colosseum Arena, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour

7.Colosseum Arena, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,874 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $71

Enter the Colosseum through the Gladiator’s Gate and walk onto the Arena Floor before touring the first and second tiers. Your guide then leads you through Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum, including the Temple of Caesar, Curia, and Temple of Saturn. Choose a live English guide or audio guide option.

“5 star rating applies to the historical sites which I had read about all my life. It was very hard to understand the guide in many instances which was probably not his fault as the audio on the receiver was terrible. The Coliseum portion was very good, walking past the Arch of Constantine and Titus was top notch as well. However standing at the top of the stairs leading to both the Forum and Palatine Hill listening to the guide drone on and on without actually getting into both sites was not good. I understand that our ticket allowed us to skip the line for both but then expecting us…”

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Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Guided Tour - Meeting at the Arch of Constantine
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Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Guided Tour

8.Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,568 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $60

Spend about three hours exploring the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum with a licensed guide and headphones. Guides such as Francesca, Ivana, Mariana, Andrea, and Kopal have earned praise for clear storytelling. Choose an arena-floor option if available, arrive early, and bring ID matching your booking.

“Absolutely fantastic tour. Our tour guide was knowledgeable and helpful! Wonderfully done by Carpe Diem tours.”

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Pantheon Elite Guided Tour - Rome's Iconic Ancient Temple - Inside the Pantheon: one room, many centuries
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Pantheon Elite Guided Tour – Rome’s Iconic Ancient Temple

9.Pantheon Elite Guided Tour – Rome’s Iconic Ancient Temple

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,447 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $41

Spend about an hour exploring the Pantheon with a licensed English-speaking guide. You’ll examine the ancient temple’s dome, open oculus, columns, Christian artwork, royal tombs, and Raphael’s burial place. Guides such as Elena, Amanda, Nina, Silvia, and Samantha have led highly praised visits, with groups capped at 20.

“Elena was absolutely wonderful. A wealth of information and brought all of Roma together for us. It was only an hour but her passion brought it all alive. Highly recommend this tour.”

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Ancient Rome: Colosseum Underground Group Tour - Meeting near the Colosseo metro station
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Ancient Rome: Colosseum Underground Group Tour

10.Ancient Rome: Colosseum Underground Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,059 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $66

Meet near the Colosseo metro station for a roughly two-hour visit to the Colosseum’s underground chambers and arena floor. A guide explains the gladiators, animals, lifts, and ancient spectators, while your ticket also covers the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill for self-guided exploring. The group can reach up to 24 people.

“The Colosseum is an unbelievable place and the night tour of the underground is a great way to see it. Our guide was great, but every encounter with a Colosseum staff member was extremely unpleasant. Once completed we stopped to take a photo and then took the wrong pathway to the exit despite following exit signs and got screamed at and given filthy looks by Colosseum staff.”

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Rome in a Day Tour with Vatican, Colosseum and Historic Center - Trevi Fountain and the Route Through Central Rome
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Rome in a Day Tour with Vatican, Colosseum and Historic Center

11.Rome in a Day Tour with Vatican, Colosseum and Historic Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,042 reviews · 7 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $192

This 7.5-hour English tour links Rome’s historic center, Colosseum, Roman Forum overlook, Vatican Museums, and Sistine Chapel. Guides such as Sev, Vita, Marco, Kylie, and Ambra have earned praise for clear storytelling and calm pacing. Expect a maximum of 18 people, a quick transfer to the Vatican, and plenty of walking.

“If you’re considering the Rome In A Day tour, do yourself a favor and book it — and hope you get Kylie as your guide! She was absolutely phenomenal. Her knowledge of history and art is on another level, and she has a gift for weaving stories that make ancient Rome come alive. What impressed us most was how effortlessly she kept our group on track while still making the experience feel relaxed and enjoyable. Every stop felt meaningful, not rushed. By the end of the day, we felt like we had truly experienced the heart of Rome — not just checked off the sights. This was one of the…”

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Colosseum Express Guided Tour and Ancient Rome Admission Included - The first hour inside the Colosseum
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Colosseum Express Guided Tour and Ancient Rome Admission Included

12.Colosseum Express Guided Tour and Ancient Rome Admission Included

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 1,008 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $54

This 2 to 3 hour English tour takes you through the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill with a group of up to 24 people. Guides such as Katerina, Andrea, and Sam have been praised for clear history, humor, and good crowd management. Your ticket covers all three sites, but not the underground level.

“Great guide . Great venue. Can't remember guides name but she spoke good English, a bit fast at times, with her accent was a bit hard to understand but she did really well”

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Rome Food Tour in the Historic Centre with 8+ Food Tastings - The palace and the Four Rivers Fountain add context
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Rome Food Tour in the Historic Centre with 8+ Food Tastings

13.Rome Food Tour in the Historic Centre with 8+ Food Tastings

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,000 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $118

Spend about three hours eating your way from Piazza Navona to Largo di Torre Argentina. A guide such as Massimiliano, Rocio, Luda, or Federico leads a small group of up to 12 through Roman streets, the Jewish Ghetto, and historic squares, with pizza, supplì, pasta, cheese, cannoli, gelato, and a secret tasting along the way.

“This was an awesome intro to popular foods in Rome. We did this tour with 2 small kids (4, 6) and I was 6 months pregnant also! It’s a lot of walking, but nothing too bad. The foods were great and our tour guide was fabulous! He was very engaging and overall made the experience very fun. Would highly recommend!”

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Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Optional Arena Upgrade - Entering the Colosseum and meeting the gladiator arena
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Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Optional Arena Upgrade

14.Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Optional Arena Upgrade

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 900 reviews · 2.5 - 3 hours · from $34

Follow a live guide through the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill in 2.5 to 3 hours. You can add Arena Floor access or choose a small group for more questions and closer attention. Guides such as Max, Annalisa, Giuseppe, and Daniele have been praised for clear storytelling, good pacing, and care in Rome’s summer heat.

“Our guide was so knowledgeable he made the whole experience great.”

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Colosseum Underground All-Access Experience w/ Ancient Rome - The Arena Floor, Where the Spectacle Began
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Colosseum Underground All-Access Experience w/ Ancient Rome

15.Colosseum Underground All-Access Experience w/ Ancient Rome

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 850 reviews · 2.5 - 3 hours · from $49

Spend 2.5 to 3 hours exploring the Colosseum’s underground chambers, arena floor, upper levels, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum. English-speaking guides such as Francesca, Giovanni, Andrea, and Georgia bring the ruins to life. Choose carefully: the arena-only option does not include underground access.

“The tour was perfect. Plenty of time at all of the locations and was bolstered by Francesca’s combination of knowledge and entertainment. This was our second time to these locations, opting to spend the extra money for the underground experience. Definitely recommend it.”

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