Skip the Line: Colosseum, Vatican and Historic Rome Small-Group Tour
Rome, Italy
7 hours 30 minutes (Approx.)
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English
Overview
Get acquainted with Rome's most important sites, including skip-the-line entry at the Vatican and the Colosseum, on this whirlwind full-day tour. Optimized for travelers without time to spare, learn about ancient Rome's history, culture, art, and architecture. Round-trip transportation from downtown Rome included.
- Full-day tour of ancient Rome's highlights
- Great choice for travelers who want to see Rome in a day
- Skip-the-line access to Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica, and the Vatican Museums included
- See Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and sample handmade gelato
- Small group of 15 people or fewer
What's Included
Transport from downtown Rome to the Vatican
Homemade gelato
English-speaking guide
Privileged express entrance to the Colosseum, Vatican Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica
Transport from City Center to the Vatican
Hotel pickup and drop-off
Lunch
Departure & Return
What To Expect
For the morning portion of your tour, meet your guide and small group of fellow travelers near the Colosseum. Skip the long lines with your fast-access tickets and proceed directly inside to begin exploring the ancient world's epic sports arena. Listen as your guide describes the harrowing contests that took place there.
Head over to the Roman Forum, where you climb up a nearby overlook to get a peek inside instead of slogging through the crowds awaiting entrance. From your vantage point, you can see the Temple of the Vestal Virgins and the Senate House, and your guide helps you imagine how the forum functioned as the center of Rome's society two millennia ago.
Step inside the Pantheon, the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, and hear how it was built. Then head for the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona, streets made famous in the film 'Roman Holiday,' with a gelato in hand.
Take a break for lunch on your own, then meet your guide again. Enjoy skipping the lines again and head inside for a curated tour of the Vatican's highlights, during which you see the Laocoön Group, the sculpture galleries, and the Raphael Rooms. End up in the Sistine Chapel, gazing upwards at Michelangelo's famous frescoes.
From there, choose between extending your stay in the chapel and the Vatican Museums, or skip the lines and enter St. Peter’s Basilica directly from the Sistine Chapel.
Head over to the Roman Forum, where you climb up a nearby overlook to get a peek inside instead of slogging through the crowds awaiting entrance. From your vantage point, you can see the Temple of the Vestal Virgins and the Senate House, and your guide helps you imagine how the forum functioned as the center of Rome's society two millennia ago.
Step inside the Pantheon, the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, and hear how it was built. Then head for the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona, streets made famous in the film 'Roman Holiday,' with a gelato in hand.
Take a break for lunch on your own, then meet your guide again. Enjoy skipping the lines again and head inside for a curated tour of the Vatican's highlights, during which you see the Laocoön Group, the sculpture galleries, and the Raphael Rooms. End up in the Sistine Chapel, gazing upwards at Michelangelo's famous frescoes.
From there, choose between extending your stay in the chapel and the Vatican Museums, or skip the lines and enter St. Peter’s Basilica directly from the Sistine Chapel.
Itinerary
Jumping ahead in history, you’ll be treated to a delicious gelato as you stroll through streets made famous by films like “Roman Holiday”, stopping at the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona for a few glamorous photo ops
Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
The day ends contemplating Michelangelo’s frescoes in the Sistine Chapel. From there you can choose between extending your stay in the chapel and the Vatican Museums, or skip the lines and enter St. Peter’s Basilica directly from the Sistine Chapel. We recommend that you follow your guide since it will save you a walk of 30 - 40 minutes and, during busy times, over an hour of waiting in line.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Jumping ahead in history, you’ll be treated to a delicious gelato as you stroll through streets made famous by films like “Roman Holiday”, stopping at the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona for a few glamorous photo ops
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Piazza Venezia
Admission Ticket Free
Our specially-curated Vatican tour highlights the best works in the huge (some might say “overwhelming”) collections and give you a broad understanding and appreciation of what you’re seeing. Along the way we’ll take in the sculpture galleries and the world-famous ‘Laocoön Group’.
Duration: 40 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
St. Peter's Square
Admission Ticket Free
We start at the Colosseum, bypassing the long lines with all-inclusive tickets that bring you straight into the ancient world’s greatest sports arena. Your guide will give you the harrowing tails of gladiators and martyrs that have made the Colosseum famous and also explain their political and social importance to ancient Romans.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Included
No walk through ancient Rome is complete without stepping into the Pantheon. This nearly 2,000-year-old building has the largest un-reinforced concrete dome in the world. As you goggle up at it from inside, you’ll hear the story of how it was built and why it has inspired so many other buildings, from St. Peter’s Basilica to the U.S. Capitol Building.
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Your tour will end in St. Peter's Basilica where you will have skip the line entrance to get inside, though there is no guided explanation inside the church.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Next you’ll stroll over to the Roman Forum to learn how it functioned as the beating heart of Rome’s all-encompassing empire. Instead of slogging through the crowds inside the Forum (we don’t have much time, after all!) your guide will lead you to a stunning overlook.
Admission Ticket Free
Piazza del Risorgimento
Admission Ticket Free
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Please note, this tour is wheelchair accessible with some difficulties. We advise clients to contact Walks Customer Service Team to make further arrangements.
- Unfortunately we are unable to accommodate guests with strollers on this tour.
- Please ensure that all members of your party have a valid ID on them on the day of the visit. This is particularly important for guests who have qualified for child reduction.
- There is a new rule at the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill that only small backpacks and regular-size handbags are allowed inside. Guests with larger bags and big pointy umbrellas will not be allowed to enter (there are no storage facilities) and all guests must now pass through a security check before entering the Colosseum.
- St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel are holy places and thus, the attire must be appropriate for the visit. Both men and women are asked to wear clothing that covers at least the shoulders and knees. Walks of Italy cannot be held responsible for denied entry due to improper dress. Please note that, since the chapel is at the end of the Vatican visit, it is sufficient to bring extra coverings with you and put them on before our entrance to the Vatican.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience. Learn more about cancellations.
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