The 12 Best Ancient Arenas and Colosseum Tours Worldwide

1.Rome: Colosseum Underground and Arena Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 1,002 reviews · 2.5 hours · from $94Our pick

This 2.5-hour tour takes you below the Colosseum to its Hypogeum, animal cages, drainage channels, and reconstructed lift, then onto the arena floor and upper tiers. You also visit the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill with a guide such as Sara, Claudia, Virginia, or Giorgio. Expect a small group of up to eight and a brisk pace.

“Our tour guide, Virginia, was fantastic!! Knowledgeable and passionate about Roman history and the background of the Colosseum.”

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2.Ticket to Piazza Navona Undergrounds Stadium of Domitian

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 410 reviews · 40 to 50 minutes (approx.) · from $12Best value

Descend five metres beneath Piazza Navona to the Stadium of Domitian, Rome’s first masonry sports arena. A self-guided audio tour explains the ruins, Roman sports, and the piazza’s origins. Allow 40 to 50 minutes. The visit is easy to fit between nearby sights, though the entrance can be hard to spot.

“A clean and very interesting exhibit. Totally worth visiting. Adds more information to the history of Rome.”

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3.Piazza Navona Underground: Stadium of Domitian EXCLUSIVE TOUR – LIMITED ENTRANCE

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 129 reviews · 50 minutes to 1 hour (approx.) · from $18

Explore the Stadium of Domitian beneath Piazza Navona in about an hour. You’ll descend five metres below street level, follow an English audio guide, study well-made displays, and visit a limited-access section beneath a French building. A children’s audio guide is available for ages six and up.

“Quick tour of the underground stadium, get the audio guide to listen to the information, easy to navigate around.”

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4.Rome: Private Colosseum Arena Tour With Roman forum Access

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 94 reviews · 1 hour 10 minutes (approx.) · from $362

Enter the Colosseum through the Gladiators Entrance, walk onto the Arena floor, and hear the story from a private English-speaking guide. The visit also includes Roman Forum and Palatine Hill admission, with time to explore independently. Guides named in past bookings include Radu, Abba, Andrada, and Marzia.

“We booked What’s in Italy tours through Viator and dealt with the lovely Ali who was in constant contact with us on the day of the tour, Ali then passed us on to his colleague who unfortunately I can’t remember his name, but was an absolute gentleman, he led us to our tour guide Andrada, who really gave us a special 3 hours of brilliant knowledge and humor thrown in, all three people were brilliant and I would highly recommend booking through Ali😊😊😊”

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5.Rome: Guided Group Tour of Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Roman Forum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $30Top rated

Explore the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, and Roman Forum on a 3-hour English tour for up to 24 people. Expect vivid stories of gladiators and emperors, included entry tickets on most tours, audio headsets, and guides such as Paolo, Barbara, Vittoria, or Francesca. Check your booking carefully, since external walking tours do not enter the sites.

“This was a great tour! Our guide was very informative and took us to all the secrets of the Coloseum. It was awesome!”

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6.Full day private guided tour of Rome by golf-cart & Colosseum and Roman Forum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 65 reviews · from $1,586

You’ll tour Rome’s churches, fountains, ruins, and quieter corners by private golf cart, then walk through the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill with an expert local guide. Hotel pickup is included within Rome’s historic center, but the tour ends at the Colosseum. Expect seven hours, some uneven ground, and a full day of ancient Rome.

“Guides were very knowledgeable and prompt, and spoke great english. We did the private Tour and they spent a great deal of time with us”

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7.Express Colosseum with Arena Floor Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 65 reviews · 1 hour 15 minutes (approx.) · from $59

Enter Rome’s Colosseum with priority access and, on the selected option, step onto the arena floor where gladiators once fought. The English-language tour lasts about 75 minutes, with guides such as Francesca, Laura, Andrada, and Paulo praised for clear, engaging explanations. Bring matching photo ID and arrive 15 minutes early.

“Great tour , and very knowledgeable guide Was a really good trip, me and the mrs loved it , would do it again”

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8.Rome: Navona Underground & Domitian Stadium Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 36 reviews · 1 hour · from $41

Meet at Touristation Navona for a small-group tour of Piazza Navona and the underground Stadio Domiziano. Your English- or Italian-speaking guide explains Domitian, Roman sport, and the stadium’s surviving seating and track. Carla has earned especially warm praise for her friendly, passionate storytelling. A wine tasting with two wines and an appetizer board is optional.

“Vi var så heldige at have guiden for os selv, så fik en time+ fortælling om pladsen og dens kejser Det var helt fantastisk 👌🏻👌🏻👌🏻”

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9.Rome: Colosseum Arena Tour with Forum and Palatine Access

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 13 reviews · 1h 30m · from $69

Enter the Colosseum through the Gladiators’ Gate, walk onto its reconstructed Arena Floor, and tour the first two levels with an English-speaking guide such as Teddy. After the 90-minute guided visit, explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill on your own with included entry.

“notre guide Teddy était super! belle visite complète et enrichissante ! coupe file bienvenue !”

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10.Rome: Stadium of Domitian Entry and City of Rome Audioguide

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 12 reviews · 1 day · from $17

Visit the Stadium of Domitian on Via di Tor Sanguigna with reserved entry, an on-site audio guide, and a smartphone tour of Rome’s historic center. The Heart of Rome audio guide covers Roman, Christian, artistic, and architectural landmarks in six languages. Bring headphones, a charged phone, and the Vatican&Rome App.

“Sympa ! Pas beaucoup de visiteurs, vestiges bien mis en valeur. La VR à 5€ en supplément vaut vraiment la peine !”

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11.Rome: Full Experience Colosseum Arena Tour (MAX 10 PEOPLE)

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $100

Enter the Colosseum by its arena floor, visit the first two tiers, then walk through the Roman Forum with an English-speaking Blue Badge guide. This three-hour tour limits the group to 10 people. Stefania and Valentina are praised for clear storytelling and good timing at busy sites.

“Very nice, interesting tour by Stefania. No negatives and a definite recommendation. She knows exactly at the right time to be at the right places.”

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12.Colosseum Arena Tour, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 3 hours · from $50

Enter the Colosseum through the Gladiator’s Gate, walk onto its arena floor, then follow an English-speaking local guide across Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum. The tour costs $50, includes entry fees and a radio guide, and may run longer than three hours. Bring your passport or ID and skip large bags.

“Excellent - our tour guide was a former archaeologist in Rome for 30 years and knew everything there was to know. We arrived at 8.45am and the tour finished at 12.45pm after over one hour each in firstly the Colosseum, then Palatine Hill and finally the Roman Forum. Make sure to eat beforehand or at least bring snacks as there is no stopping. There are wells along the way to refill water bottles.”

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