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CityEyes Private Tours · Via del Colosseo

Your own guide for the Forum and Colosseum

CityEyes Private Tours gives your group its own licensed guide for the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine, with hotel transfers and early arena access on some options. It's the one to book if you want to set the pace or linger in the ruins, as long as you avoid the Colosseum Express option, which drops the Forum.

Private Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Tour

About this experience

The $218 headline is per person, and it changes with group size: the more of you, the less each pays. Everyone aged 2 and up books at the same rate, children included. There are five options: Arena First Access & Transfers, Colosseum Arena with Transfers, Arena 1st Access without transfers, Colosseum with Pick-up Only, and Colosseum Express - No Forum. The last does what it says. The listing leaves the Forum and Palatine guided tour out of it, so skip it if the ruins matter to you.

On the other options the itinerary runs 1.5 hours in the Colosseum, about 50 minutes in the Forum and 20 on the Palatine, passing the Arch of Constantine, the Temple of Vesta and the Forum of Caesar. Being private, the split bends to you. Guests describe starting in the Forum, routes tailored to children's attention spans, and guides who are trained archaeologists. Transfer options collect you at your hotel; otherwise the guide waits outside Caffè Roma, Via del Colosseo 31, with a sign bearing your name.

Two cautions. The listing calls the transport wheelchair accessible but also says that, because of uneven surfaces, the tour is not recommended for wheelchair users or anyone with mobility issues. Believe the second line: the Palatine paths are steep and irregular. And the rare bad reviews are serious. One family's 3-hour tour shrank to 2 after a late guide; another had an arena tour cancelled 15 hours before. Free cancellation runs to 24 hours before.

  • Your group only, with a licensed guide
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off on transfer options
  • Arena first access on the Arena options
  • About 50 minutes in the Forum and 20 on the Palatine, adjustable
  • 4.9 from 770 reviews

How the day runs

  1. Day beforeCheck the reminder

    CityEyes sends a summary of the meeting place and time. Some guests were also contacted on WhatsApp to confirm pickup.

  2. StartHotel pickup or Caffè Roma

    Transfer options collect you at your hotel. Otherwise meet the guide outside Caffè Roma, Via del Colosseo 31, holding a sign with your name.

  3. About 1.5 hoursColosseum

    Security, then the levels. Arena options go out onto the arena floor early, ahead of the main crowds.

  4. About 50 minRoman Forum

    The Via Sacra, the Temple of Vesta and the Curia. Skipped on Colosseum Express.

  5. About 20 minPalatine Hill

    A short climb for the views, longer if you ask. Drop-off at your hotel on transfer options.

The round Temple of Romulus with its dome in the Roman ForumThe Basilica of Maxentius seen from aboveThe Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in the Roman Forum

What's included

Included

  • Private licensed guide
  • Colosseum, Forum and Palatine entry (€18, or €24 with the arena)
  • €2 Colosseum reservation fee
  • Forum and Palatine guided tour (all options except Colosseum Express)
  • Hotel pickup and drop-off (transfer options)
  • Arena access (Arena options)

Not included

  • Food and drinks
  • The Forum and Palatine on Colosseum Express - No Forum
  • A child rate: everyone from age 2 pays the same
  • Large bags and backpacks (not allowed)

Who it suits

Book it if

  • You're a family or group, so the per-person price drops
  • You want to start in the Forum or stay longer there
  • Your children need a guide who adapts
  • You'd like door-to-door transfers

Skip it if

  • You use a wheelchair or struggle on uneven ground
  • You're travelling solo on a budget
  • You were about to book Colosseum Express expecting the Forum
  • You can't commit at least 24 hours ahead

What guests say

★★★★★

The Colosseum was of course fantastic, but she really made the Forum and Palantine hill come to life with historical perspective and stories that were fascinating. Her timing on what to do first to avoid Saturday in May crowds was a real timesaver.

Bruce · May 2026
★★★★★

We took the private Colosseum tour with our family of four including a 9-year-old who was battling jet lag and the Roman summer heat. Mauricio didn’t just manage the situation… he thrived in it.

Philip · Jun 2026
★★★★★

First access was AMAZING for the colesseum. Our guide was so very knowledgeable and we were able to enjoy the colesseum and forum without the crowds. She tailored the tour to our interests and needs.

Cady · Oct 2026
★★★★★

There were 11 of us in our family, ranging from 4 years old to 76. Before we even started, the tour operator was in contact via WhatsApp to confirm pickup location and timing, which was very reassuring.

January · Jul 2026

Tips before you book

  • Wear closed-toe, non-slip shoes. The listing says the Colosseum may refuse entry without them.
  • Give every traveller's full name at booking: the voucher must list them all at the ticket office.
  • Ask to start in the Forum early in the day. It's cooler, and guests who did it loved it.
  • Leave large bags and backpacks at the hotel.
  • In summer bring a small umbrella for shade, as the listing suggests. The Forum floor has almost none.

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Frequently asked questions

Is the private tour priced per person or per group?

Per person. The $218 from-price falls as your group grows, and everyone aged 2 or older pays the same rate. Under-2s book as infants.

Does every option include the Roman Forum?

No. Colosseum Express - No Forum leaves out the Forum and Palatine guided tour. All the other options include about 50 minutes in the Forum and 20 on the Palatine.

Is the private tour wheelchair accessible?

The transport is, but the listing says the tour itself is not recommended for wheelchair users or anyone with mobility issues because of the uneven ground. The Forum has an accessible route and lifts; see our entrances guide.

Where does the private tour start?

At your hotel on transfer options. Otherwise outside Caffè Roma, Via del Colosseo 31, where the guide holds a sign with your name. Check the reminder sent the day before.

Ready to book

Book Private Colosseum and Forum tour

Your own guide through the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine, with hotel pickup and arena options.

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Plan your date before you go

Your own guide through the Colosseum, the Forum and the Palatine, with hotel pickup and arena options.

Check dates for the private tour