About Rome
Why Choose It?
- Unearth the secrets of the Colosseum by descending into its depths.
- Skip all the lines to maximize your time among the city's ancient legacy.
- Relive history's most important moments as you explore the Roman Forum.
Tour Description
Your private Colosseum Underground tour takes you on a historical odyssey through the astonishing story of the Roman Empire. Discover the world-famous monuments which are our keys to unlocking the secret of Rome’s unparalleled success, and take your plunge into the ancient past as your guide breathes life into the ruins of the Eternal City.
After stopping to admire the imperious Arch of Constantine, step straight inside the mighty Colosseum. Imagine yourself amongst its rowdy crowds, witnessing a brutal gladiator fight or gruesome execution. Venture down into the labyrinthine Colosseum Underground and discover the secrets beneath the atmospheric arena. Ascending back to the light of day, we’ll make our way over to the Roman Forum to uncover the center of Rome’s political and social life. Your private tours finishes with views over the Palatine and Capitoline hills.
Unlock the secrets of the Colosseum Underground
The Colosseum Underground offers the key to comprehending how the Colosseum functioned as an amphitheater. Beneath the sands of the arena ran a complex network of cells, passageways, and holding rooms housing both human and bestial participants along with all their equipment and stage props.
Few places on earth transport you so vividly and directly back to antiquity as the Colosseum Underground. Its travertine walls still retain their original white color, unlike those above and inside the monument which for centuries have been exposed to the elements.
Punctuating the winding, labyrinthine corridors of the Colosseum Underground are nooks and crannies only an expert guide can contextualize. Some of its darkened crevices were actually holding cells, cages for wild beasts before they were transported to the arena and pitted against either combatants or the condemned. Certain wooden structures at the end were hand-winched lifts, used to lift participants to the area floor above through a series of cunningly hidden trap doors.
The Colosseum Underground was recently opened for the first time in history and places are limited due to the fragile nature of the structure. So carpe diem – seize the day – and see for yourself what it was like to participate in the games here nearly 2,000 years ago.
Step further back in time in the Roman Forum
The Roman Forum offers the most comprehensive insight into Roman civilization. It is an unmissable place to visit when in Rome and Walks Inside Rome’s guides are specialists at bringing the site to life just for you. The guide will take you to discover the famous Curia, Rome’s ancient Senate House, where wars were declared, treaties were written, and some of the most defining decisions in western history were made.
We’ll visit the monumental Arch of Septimius Severus. Standing strong beside the curia, and towering over the Roman Forum, the Arch of Septimius Severus tells several fascinating stories. One relates to war, to Rome’s subjugation of its historic enemy the Parthians, which is artfully represented across the arch’s friezes. The other relates to Severus’ family, and preserves a tragic tale of fratricide and an attempt to hide the deed by erasing a dead man’s name from history.
Your private Ancient Rome and Colosseum Underground tour will take you to the site where Julius Caesar was cremated. Visit the remains of the temple built on the site in his commemoration by the Romans. Your tour of the Roman Forum will take you through temples, victory monuments, basilicas, and religious sites, bringing you face to face with the daily political and social life of ancient Rome. It also offers wonderful views of the Palatine and Capitoline hills, two of the Seven Hills of Rome, which constitutes the final part of your tour.
Soak in the sights of the Palatine Hill
The Palatine Hill was the cradle of Rome, the site King Romulus chose to found his city, and the spot where, when his twin brother Remus leapt over its primitive ramparts, he committed his infamous act of fratricide.
The Palatine never lost its royal connection. First serving as the residence of Rome’s kings, when the city expelled its monarchy it became the home of Rome’s eminent citizens. During the Republic, the likes of Cicero, Clodius, and Octavian – who would become the emperor Augustus.
The emperors followed suit, building their sprawling royal palaces the length and breadth of the Palatine Hill. The most breathtaking is the Domus Augustana, built by the Flavian emperor Domitian whose father, Vespasian, was the emperor who masterminded the Colosseum.
Your private Ancient Rome and Colosseum Underground tour finishes with a breathtaking view over the Palatine Hill. Your expert guide will bring its history to life, nourishing you with a knowledge that will make you feel fully acquainted with the ancient heart of Rome.
Your Private Colosseum Underground tour is fully customizable
Whatever else you want to see in the vast Eternal City, let us know and we can make it part of your ancient Rome itinerary. Our expert guides can take you through any other site in Rome’s historic center, like the Pantheon, Circus Maximus or Piazza Navona, or transport you further out to explore underground Rome.
If you want to explore more of underground Rome, we can guide you through the ancient Mithraeum temple beneath the Basilica of St Clemente or one of the several catacombs that line the Old Appian Way. Leave us a message and we’ll tailor the perfect ancient itinerary for your time in the Eternal City.
- Itinerary:ColosseumColosseum UndergroundColosseum Arena FloorRoman ForumPalatine Hill (View)Capitoline Hill (View)
- Included:VIP skip-the-line access to the Colosseum, Underground and Roman ForumPrivate licensed guide
- Wheelchair accessible:Yes
- Meeting Point:Hotel lobby or in front of the metro station Colosseo (on the ground floor), by the green souvenir kiosque
excellent guides
Our guides are fluent in English and have a contagious passion for the inspiring cultural heritage of our Italian cities. Experts in their fields, they will immerse you in the hidden histories and intriguing lives of history's great protagonists. So much to see, so easy to miss out: with the help of our guides, visit the most absorbing sites and uncover the stories that have changed the world. Don't miss this fascinating journey!
Best tour ever. Martha was our guide. She is the best. They way she explained all , answered our questions give us all the information in every place all was wonderful. It was... read more 
- Great Food Stroll with Luca We did the Trastevere Food Stroll with Luca B and he was great! Brought us to great authentic locations and provided his expert advice! We would highly recommend this tour... read more
- Trastevere food tour Great experience and food in the Trastevere area where we stayed. Federica was great and very knowledgeable. If we know anyone headed that way we would highly recommend her!
- Early is better! Our guide was fantastic. She was able to take us to areas not normally open to the public. The early morning tour is so worth it to beat the crowds.
- Amazon tour and guide! We toured the colosseum and underground with Gigi on Wednesday and had a great time. He was so knowledgeable and fun, he really made the tour a highlight for us.... read more
- Delizioso! Our guide, Luca, was amazing! We enjoyed tastes of Rome that we would never have experienced on our own including the best cannoli I have ever tasted! Our 11 year... read more
- An amazing cooking experience We had Fabio as our chef. He was amazing. Told us a lot of history behind the dishes we made and my granddaughters had a blast
- Bike tour and cooking class, outstanding! We have done several tours with Walks Inside Rome over the years, and they are always incredible. This year we chose the Appian Way bike tour and the three pastas... read more
- Foodie walking tour of Trestaverde Luca was outstanding as our guide for our foodie walking tour of Trestaverde. Very knowledgeable, fun and easy going. Explained every stop and why each stop was selected. Also... read more
- Great Tour Great experience, though we had 9 in our group instead of 6. Our tour group met in front of the Vatican Museum entrance just before 7:30 and entered right... read more
