Rome: Colosseum & Ancient Rome Small Group Tour Entry

4.91

(208 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

We started by weaving through the morning crowds near the Colosseum, our guide Giulia waving a little red flag so we wouldn’t lose her. I’d seen it in photos a thousand times but standing there, hearing the low hum of Roman traffic mixed with school kids chattering in Italian, it hit different. The stone felt cool under my hand as we climbed up to the first tier—Giulia pointed out where gladiators once waited, and I tried to imagine that kind of noise echoing off these walls. There was this faint smell of dust and sun-warmed stone, which I guess you only notice if you’re actually here.

Afterwards, we crossed over to the Arch of Constantine—just a quick walk but it’s funny how many languages you catch snippets of in that short stretch. Giulia told us stories about victory parades and pointed at carvings I’d never have noticed on my own. My son tried to count how many columns he could see (lost track at 14). Then into the Roman Forum, where everything feels tangled—ruins poking out between wildflowers, old marble steps slippery from centuries of footsteps. I nearly slipped myself; sneakers are a must.

Palatine Hill was our last stop. The climb is real—my legs were burning—but you get this view over Rome that honestly surprised me. It’s quieter up there; you can hear birds instead of scooters for once. Giulia shared how emperors lived here, looking out over their city, and for a second I just stood there trying to take it all in. I still think about that view sometimes when things get noisy back home.