**All Colosseum tours require photo ID for all participants; plan to bring your passports on the day of your tour. Failure to show identification will result in the denial of entry to the site.**
Your Colosseum & Ancient Rome Tour with Exclusive Arena Access begins at the iconic Colosseum. You and your semi-private group will enjoy priority access to the Colosseum, enabling you to skip the long lines (just a quick stop for the security check). You will then pass through the Gladiators Gate to the Colosseum’s exclusive arena floor and step out directly onto the same level where the gladiators would fight! It’s an incredible perspective that is only possible for a limited number of visitors. It’s also the perfect place for your guide to share stories of the gladiators and performances that occurred here in ancient times.
From the restricted arena floor, you will also be up close to the Colosseum underground, having a near unobstructed birds eye view of the fascinating dungeons where the shows were managed and coordinated.
Once you have enjoyed exclusive access to the arena floor, your guide will lead you up to the second floor where you can enjoy the view from Caesar’s balcony, hear amazing stories and anecdotes, and get a better picture of what it all looked like thousands of years ago.
After concluding your visit to the Colosseum, your semi-private tour will move on to another magnificent archaeological site – the nearby Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. Learn about the origins of Rome and the strategy that helped this ancient power grow. Climbing to the very top of this beautiful archeological park you will be able to admire one of the most stunning views of the Circus Maximus. Imagine what it looked like when Emperor Nero held chariot races here. While listening to your guide’s stories about ancient Rome, you will gain a new appreciation for just how advanced they were and how epic this panoramic view must have been at the time.
Next, it is on to visit the political and commercial center of ancient Rome – the Roman Forum. The sheer size of the excavation site and the fascinating ruins of basilicas, political buildings, temples and more and will stimulate your imagination of the Roman life. Your guide will delight you with stories of emperors and the over-the-top lifestyles of ancient Rome’s rich and famous.
Imagine the vibrant debates of toga-clad Roman senators in the Curia, and the discussions that may have taken place during the cremation of Julius Caesar. Before accompanying you to the exit and concluding this once-in-a-lifetime tour, your expert guide will paint a picture of the colorful victory parades of Roman soldiers as they passed through the magnificent arches after conquests.