Rome: Colosseum Arena Floor & Roman Forum with Gladiator's Gate

The arena floor is closed to most visitors. This tour opens it.

You enter the Colosseum through the Gladiator's Gate and walk the arena floor where fights once happened, then explore the first and second levels with your guide. Afterward, a historian takes you through the Roman Forum and up Palatine Hill, explaining the structures and stories that bring the ruins into focus. The tour includes all three entrance tickets, a small group capped at 16 people, and a headset if needed. You'll walk for several hours at a moderate pace, so comfortable shoes and fitness matter.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Colosseum1h 35m · entry included
2. Rome Termini40m · entry included
3. Palatine Hill45m · entry included

Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill

• Meet guide near the Colosseum
• Enter Colosseum via Gladiator’s Gate
• Walk on the arena floor
• Explore Colosseum first and second levels
• Tour the Roman Forum with guide
• Climb Palatine Hill and see palaces

The experience

The Colosseum's arena floor is where the violence happened. Most people see it from the stands, looking down at the sand where gladiators fought and crowds roared for blood. This tour puts you on that floor itself, entering through the Gladiator's Gate: the same passage the fighters used before they walked out to die or survive. Your guide meets you near the Colosseum and takes your small group straight past the queues, past the usual entry points, and directly onto the arena. You stand where the action was, not where the spectators watched it. The difference is real.

After the arena, you move through the Colosseum's first and second levels with your guide, who explains what you're looking at, which structures held the crowds, how the mechanics worked, why certain walls still stand and others don't. Then the tour shifts to the Roman Forum, the heart of ancient Rome's daily life. A historian guide matters here. The Forum is rubble and columns and broken walls, and without someone pointing out the subtle differences, you walk past a moneylender's shop and think it's a temple. Your guide makes the distinction, tells you what Caesar saw, what Nero built, how ordinary Romans moved through these streets. The tour finishes on Palatine Hill, where the emperors' palaces stood, and where legend says Romulus and Remus were found by the she-wolf. It's a full day (walking at a moderate pace, no shortcuts), and it covers the three sites that define Rome's ancient center.

The tour runs with a maximum of 16 people, which means you're not herded through in a crowd of fifty. Your guide wears a headset if the group is large enough that people in the back need to hear, and everyone gets the Colosseum entrance ticket (€24) plus access to the Forum and Palatine Hill. If you book the Colosseum & SUPER Sites option, you also get entry to areas normally off-limits to standard tickets: the Casa di Augusto, Augustus's house, with frescoes that rival Pompeii's. That's an upgrade worth considering if you want to see beyond what the average visitor sees. You'll need to bring government ID. The Colosseum requires it for everyone, including children, and your full name must match your booking.

What’s included

• Your day includes a local English-speaking guide, special access to the Colosseum arena floor via the Gladiator's Gate, entry tickets to the Colosseum (€24), Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, and a headset if your group exceeds 6 people.
• Small groups are capped at 16 guests.
• If you book the Colosseum & SUPER Sites option, you also gain access to normally restricted areas like the Casa di Augusto on Palatine Hill.

Options for this experience

5 options

Arena Express TourGuide in English · Available from 13 Nov · 09:00, 09:30 and 13:00Guided tour covering the Arena Floor, Roman Forum and Palatine Terrace. The upper levels of the Colosseum and Palatine Hill are not included. Duration: 2 hours.

Colosseum Express TourGuide in English · Available from 2 Mar 2027Self-guided Colosseum tour with a Forum ticket. The Arena Floor is not included. Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.

Gladiator's Gate group tourGuide in English · 5 departure times: the first at 09:00, the last at 12:30Fully guided small-group tour of the Colosseum, Arena Floor, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Duration: 3 hours.

See 2 more options

Colosseum and SUPER Sites tourGuide in English · 08:45 and 11:00Experience the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill SUPER Sites on a guided tour. The Arena Floor is not included. Duration: 3 hours 30 minutes.

Gladiator's Gate private tourGuide in English · Available from 14 Dec · 11:30Private guided Colosseum tour that includes Gladiator's Gate and the Arena Floor, plus the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Duration: 3 hours.

You'll see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates and prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day9 departure times: the first at 08:45, the last at 13:00

Book up toStart time

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (2 to 17 years) · Infant (under 2): free

GroupUp to 16

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 72 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical effortPublic transport nearby

Operated by Walks - Italy & Spain

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to stand on the Colosseum's arena floor (the one thing most Rome visitors don't get to do), and have a historian explain the Forum's ruins as you walk through them, rather than guessing what you're looking at. The small group size and special access are what make both possible in a single day.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 17 years); Infant (under 2): free.

Can I enter the Colosseum arena floor on a regular ticket?

No. The arena floor is only accessible with special access tickets, which this tour includes. Standard tickets let you see the arena from the upper levels only.

How long is the full tour?

The itinerary covers the Colosseum arena and levels, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Plan for several hours of walking at a moderate pace. Exact duration depends on the option you choose.

What's included in the price?

Colosseum entrance ticket (€24), Roman Forum and Palatine Hill tickets, a local English-speaking guide, and a headset if your group is over 6 people. The remaining cost covers guide services and special access arrangements.

Do I need to bring ID?

Yes. The Colosseum requires government ID from all guests, including children. Your full name must match your booking and your ID, or you won't be allowed to enter.

What if I have mobility issues or use a wheelchair?

This tour is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, wheelchairs, or strollers. It's a walking tour with stairs and uneven terrain.

Can I choose to skip the Roman Forum or Palatine Hill?

The tour offers different options at booking. The Arena Express includes the Colosseum arena floor and a guided Roman Forum tour. The Colosseum Express covers the Colosseum's first and second tiers (no arena floor) and lets you explore the Forum on your own. Check the options when you book.

What are the SUPER Sites?

The SUPER Sites are normally off-limits areas on Palatine Hill, including the Casa di Augusto (Augustus's house) with frescoes similar to those in Pompeii. They're only available if you book the Colosseum & SUPER Sites option.

Is the tour cancelled if the Colosseum closes?

The Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill occasionally close. The operator will notify you in advance if possible. For last-minute closures, updates are given at the start of the tour.