Colosseum Underground plus Belvedere Top Levels Tour
The Complete Colosseum Experience, Top to Bottom
It's rare to find a tour that sees every single tier of the Colosseum in one visit. With this experience, you can do just that. See three areas of the Colosseum restricted from public access, plus a guided tour of the Roman Forum.
Included
What you get with this tour
Itinerary
What you will see on this tour
- Roman Forum
- Arch of Titus
- Temple of Antoninus and Faustina
- The Colosseum Exterior
- Colosseum Underground Dungeon
- Colosseum Arena Floor
- Deadly Trap Door & Lift
- Colosseum 3rd Tier
- The Nosebleed Section
If you're headed on a Roman holiday and you want to see the Colosseum from top to bottom, this is the best Colosseum tour for you. This is the whole shebang, with access included to the Colosseum Underground, Arena Floor, lower levels and third tier. On this ultimate Rome experience, witness 2,000 years of history up close and personal. And if that wasn't enough, this Colosseum tour includes a guided exploration of the Roman Forum. This four-hour tour includes:
- Skip the line Colosseum Underground tour
- Access to the Arena Floor
- Third Level of the Colosseum
- Professional, English-speaking guide
- Guided tour of the Roman Forum
COMPARE ALL COLOSSEUM TOURS
Please note: In order to end the tour inside the Colosseum, and allow you time to explore the monument after the end of your tour, we start with a guided tour of the Roman Forum.
Downtown Ancient Rome
Have you ever wondered "what is the Roman Forum"? See for yourself! Now an area full of sprawling ruins, the Forum is what remains of "downtown" ancient Rome. Developed in the 7th century, this district served as the commercial and political hub of the powerful Roman Empire. Of course, you don't need to wait in line to get see it with us. Just as we do at the Colosseum, skip the line and breeze right on in with your archeologist guide. Take a guided tour of the Palatine Hill, where legend has it Romulus founded the city of Rome in 753 B.C. Included in the Roman Forum are the Arch of Titus, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the Temple of Julius Caesar.
The Colosseum Underground and Dungeons
Beneath the reconstructed Arena Floor, where all the violent pageantry took place, are the Colosseum Underground or Dungeons. In this dark staging area, or "Hypogeum", gladiators waited to fight and wild beasts stayed in cages. It doesn't take much imagination to grasp how intense the activity in this part of the Flavian Amphitheater once was.
There's even a re-created lift in the Colosseum Underground, which demonstrates how gladiators and animals were brought up to the Arena Floor for events. And so, if you're the type of traveler who loves the macabre side of the Eternal City in addition to glittering St. Peter's Basilica, make a point to visit the Colosseum Underground on a tour with The Roman Guy.
A Gladiator's Entrance through the Gate of Death
In proper gladiator style, move from the Colosseum Underground to the reconstructed Arena Floor through the Porto Libitinaria. Aptly named the "Gate of Death", this is where unlucky losers were carried out from the amphitheater after losing their lives. It's here in the heart of the Colosseum, that gladiatorial matches entertained up to 60,000 ancient Romans. As you stand here, look up and around you and visualize how it must've felt to have all eyes on you.
Third Level
Next up, after visiting the general access of the Roman Colosseum, pass through a special locked gate and climb up to the restricted top tiers. Even though these were the "nosebleed seats" for working-class Romans, they offer jaw-dropping views over the Forum and down into the Flavian Amphitheater's center.
From here, notice how all those people in the general access areas are looking up at you. They're wondering "How did they get up there?!". In addition, the upper levels are also one of the best places in the Colosseum to take pictures. As you ascend to such great heights, learn who sat where in the Colosseum and all about the social structure of ancient Rome.
Bread and Circuses
However, even though there was designated seating according to wealth and status, the Colosseum was for everyone. The phrase "bread and circuses" refers to a practice used by emperors that prevented Roman citizens from rising up. In other words, despite hardships, a well-fed populace with free access to entertainment reduced the chances of revolt against Rome's rulers. It makes you wonder if modern cities offered such barbaric entertainment, would our society be more peaceful?
Frequently Asked Questions
Where to meet?
Green Souvenir Kiosk in front of “Colosseo” metro stop - located just outside the lower level entry. A representative will be there holding a sign with our company name on it.
What to bring?
Archaeological sites are normally paved with rocky terrain so wear comfortable sneakers. Bring Sunscreen and a water bottle for hot summer months. If you plan on staying in the Roman Forum, bring a snack.
Q: Is it possible The Roman Guy will change this tour time?
A: It's possible. This tour is highly coveted and the reservations are hard to get. A common industry challenge for tour operators, times often change by a few hours. However, we do our best to update you at least seven days before your tour. That being said, we are limited by a very low supply of Colosseum tickets. If necessary, The Roman Guy will call the number you've provided or email and inform you about any changes. If you're nervous about keeping up with time changes, we recommend you book a different Colosseum Tour. If you want to make sure your Colosseum tour is going to run as scheduled, email us or call +1 888 290 5595.
Q: Can my tour be canceled or moved to a different day?
A: Yes. Obtaining reservations for this tour is a complicated process, but we are the best at doing it! However, sometimes we don't always secure reservations for every day. While this is rare, it does happen. We will let you know at least seven days prior to your tour if this is the case for you. You'd be entitled to 100% refund and we would do our best to move you to another one of our incredible restricted access tours. We have you covered.
Q: Does this tour include the fourth and fifth tiers of the Colosseum?
The fourth and fifth levels of the Colosseum are closed indefinitely. However, we still visit the third level, which is restricted from public access.
Q: What happens if it rains?
A: Rain happens, but the show must go on. We'll run our Colosseum Tours rain or shine. If rainfall is extremely heavy, Colosseum management will sometimes close the restricted areas for safety reasons. In this case, we will offer a €18 refund to compensate you for not accessing these restricted areas. Don't worry though, we'll still take you inside the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum.
Q: I have issues walking. Is this tour for me?
A: If you have any doubts about your mobility, we strongly suggest you take a Colosseum private tour.
See what people are saying
19 total reviews
Leave a reviewoldspdx
Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Breathtaking! I'm so glad we booked the tour that allowed us to go underground where the gladiators, animals, and slaves would stay. Lucina was a perfect guide! She was patient and detailed and ensured that everyone in our group was able to hear and see everything. We learned some fascinating history about the tunnels and saw the elevator (reproduction) of how they did the games. We toured all around the rest of the Colosseum and then walked to Palatine Hill. Having no real knowledge of what it meant in our history, I came away with a desire to learn more. We ended at the Roman Forum and it was fabulous. A great company to deal with that took away the headache of waiting in line and not really knowing what to look at. Skip the Line is the way to go!
Wayne2227
A wonderful experience
Our first trip to Rome had to include the Colosseum. We booked the Skip the Line Tour and it was excellent. Isabella was our host and tour guide. She was knowledgeable, personable and very informative. She kept us on the move but her experience was great in getting us around the large crowds. She knew just where to stop for the best pictures. I highly recommend.
Jeff C
Flaminia is an amazing tour guide!
*Due to maintenance work, the top levels of the Colosseum were closed to us, so our Tour consisted of the Main levels of the Colosseum + the Palatine Hill & Roman Forum. Our tour guide made our experience perfect! Flaminia was very knowledgeable in the areas we visited. She treated our kids extremely well and took extra care to answer their questions. Above all Flaminia made the experience fun and a great start to our vacation. Thank you Flaminia and The Roman Guy. Jeff (& family)
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