Guided tour
Rome: VIP Small-Group Colosseum and Ancient Rome Tour
- Small group
- Skip the line
- Duration: 3 hours
From
$95.08
$66.56
per person
Top pick
Roman Forum: Tours & Tickets
Free cancellation
Change of plans? No problem. Cancel up to 24 hours before your activity starts for a full refund.
Top sights in Rome
5 historical facts about the Roman Forum's development
Unlike the other forums across Rome's empire, the ancient capital's center of public life wasn't simply planned and built, but evolved slowly as the great city grew. Here are five facts about the original Forum Romanum's history!
1. It was a meeting point before a stone was laid
Situated on a marshy plain between the key Capitoline and Palatine Hills of Rome, the site naturally became a local meeting point long before an official Forum was planned.
2. The marshland was drained by Tarquin the Elder
Legend has it that the initial Comitium emerged after both hilltop tribes made peace. Until Rome's 5th king built the Cloaca Maxima, most of the site was too swampy to be usable.
3. It served several uses
The forum served as the center of Rome's public life for centuries, hosting public speeches, military processions, criminal trials, gladiatorial matches, markets, and much more!
4. It became home to early Roman Catholic monuments
Constantine I built the Basilica of Maxentius in 312AD as the last major expansion of the forum. Over time, several of the other temples were converted into Christian churches.
5. Rising ground made it impossible to maintain
Flooding of the Tiber river and erosion from its surrounding hills caused the ground to rise, slowing covering the monuments. By the Middle Ages the site was being used as a pasture!
Planning Your Visit
When to visit?
Tickets are valid for two days but also cover the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. That's a lot to see so make sure you arrive there nice and early on both days! The Forum opens from 8:30AM (except holidays), but closing times vary depending on the season. You'll have more time between April and September.
If not booking in advance, use the Palatine Hill ticket office, as the queue will be mercifully short compared to that at the Colosseum!How to get there?
Don't let the maps fool you! Although there are Metro stations nearby, none of them are that close to an actual entrance! Colosseo (by the Colosseum, in case it's not obvious) is the closest but you'll still need to walk to the main entrance up Via dei Fori Imperiali. Otherwise, take either the 51, 85, 87, 118, or 810 bus to the stop Fori Imperiali.
Good to know
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- When should I visit?
- The Forum opens at 8:30AM daily (except holidays) and closes an hour before sunset.
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- Is it expensive?
- The adult ticket is just € 12,00 and is valid for two days, for the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill.
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- Will I need a guide?
- It will definitely help. Might be worth it to check out our best-selling tours.
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- How to get there
- Plan to walk from the Colosseo Metro stop, or take the 51, 85, 87, 118 or 810 bus to the Fori Imperiali stop.
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- Additional information
- Admission is free the first Sunday of the month! | There is a € 2 booking fee for booking in advance and skipping the queue.
What people are saying about Roman Forum
We loved Dennas! He was smart and funny and very engaging. We are a family of four and the way he interacted with my 8-year old son was wonderful! Dennas kept him engaged and interested. Our 3 hours flew by. I've been to both the Colosseum and the Forum before without a tour guide, and I really feel the experience with a guide like Dennas really enhances the experience. My only suggestion would be to get audio that has a longer range, so that we can be more than a few feet away from the guide without losing connection.
we've visited the site together with our 12 years old son and we were absolutely impressed by the amount of details and interested information we've got from the guides. Our son was captivated by the interesting stories told by our guides. They were very knowledgeable and well prepared to deliver not only historical accurate information but stories about the ancient world, their habits and living style. We really enjoyed out tour.
Amazing tour!!! Highly recommend for anyone who wants to see the Forum, Palatine Hill, and the Colosseum. Do a tour, ask for Dennis. He was WONDERFUL. So full of knowledge of the area and the sites we were seeing. This was my second time to Rome and on a tour of this area and I left this time with so much more information than previously. I definitely will recommend this tour, specifically Dennis, to any friends traveling to Rome.
Amazing experience and fantastic tour company. The tour was absolutely amazing and the tour guide was so great, really informative but also a lot of fun. The company was great at ensuring that everyone was safe and socially distanced whilst still having fun. Everything was contactless and we felt very secure. I would highly recommend this tour.
We had a very nice and interesting tour of the Colosseum and the Forum. Ludwig was very knowledgable and shared really fun and interesting information. The whole Roman empire came to life! We would surely be delighted to book him again when we come back to Rome.
Top Attractions in Rome
- Colosseum
- Vatican City
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Sistine Chapel
- Vatican Museums
- Pantheon
- Catacombs of Rome
- Villa Borghese
- Roman Forum
- Borghese Gallery
- Colosseum Underground
- Trevi Fountain
- Vatican Gardens
- Castel Sant'Angelo
- Appian Way
- Colosseum Upper Level
- Palatine Hill
- Capitoline Museums
- Catacomb of Callixtus
- Catacombs of Saint Sebastian
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