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, and the Vatican Museums included
See Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona.
Small group of 18 people or fewer

What's Included

Transport from Rome to the Vatican by air conditioned bus
Skip- the Line Entrance to the Sistine Chapel
Express Access to the Colosseum
Skip-the-Line entry to the Vatican
Fully Guided Tour

Hotel pickup and drop-off
Lunch

Meeting And Pickup

Meeting point

Via delle Terme di Tito, 72
Via delle Terme di Tito, 72, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Meet your guide at the entrance of Colle Oppio Park on the corner of Via di Terme di Tito and Via Nicola Salvi. The entrance is opposite Oppio caffè. Your guide will be holding a Walks sign.

End point

Vatican Museums
00120, Vatican City
Vatican Museums

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, extending your stay in the chapel and the Vatican Museums.

Colosseum

1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

Roman Forum (Pass By)

Piazza Venezia

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Trevi Fountain

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Pantheon

15 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Piazza Navona

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Vatican Museums

2 hours • Admission Ticket Included

Sistine Chapel

45 minutes • Admission Ticket Included

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.
Walks complies with all local government regulations. You may need to wear a mask or provide proof of vaccination to enter certain venues. Please refer to Italy government guidelines for the most up to date information
Not wheelchair accessible

Stroller accessible
Near public transportation
Due to the religious nature of the Vatican Museums, all individuals regardless of gender must cover their shoulders and knees. You can bring extra covering (scarves, etc) to put on just before entering the Vatican.
The Colosseum is subject to occasional closures. If modifications are needed and time permits, we will reach out to you prior to your tour. For last-minute closures, modifications may be communicated at the tour start time.
Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
Unfortunately due to the nature of this tour it is not suitable for guests with mobility impairments, or for wheelchairs or strollers. Please contact the Guest Experience team at +39 068-596-0143 (Italy) or 888-683-8670 (USA) to make alternative arrangements.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.

Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.

Traveler Photos

Traveler Tips

Take an umbrella or poncho and spare socks if there may be rain.

There is a lot of walking and a lot packed into one day (bring water, you can refill throughout the day).

Reviews

4.5

592 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

Showing 1-10 of 592 reviews

Excellent!

Dianne_V, Jun 2023

Excellent tour! The guide was very informative and took her time explaining the history of the city. I would highly recommend it especially if you are on a tight time schedule.

This is a WALKING tour… misleading description

Shannon_C, Jun 2023

Where do I even begin? This tours billing is VERY misleading. The air conditioned bus tour is all of five minutes from a meeting point behind the castello di sant'angelo to the Vatican. The rest is a full on 8 hour walking tour. That is not what my family and several other guests signed up for. And the primary reason for 3 stars. Don’t mislead people!!! What you see… you get great views inside the Colesseum, and that part takes about an hour (give or take). There IS an elevator, so if you have bad knees, back, hips, etc, take it. My teen girls are super fit, but we’re already tired after going up the stairs. From there you will walk to several sites… Trevi, Parthenon (which you will go in… 30 minutes), Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi, Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, etc. at Quattro Fumi we broke for an hour lunch. After lunch we continued down small streets, crossed the river and boarded the bus for the Vatican. The Vatican is disgustingly over crowded, over run by rude tour guides and disrespectful visitors. Want to check things out in the museum? Forget about it. They move you through like cattle. Maybe different if you can go in on a single ticket, but you’re still fighting a massive amount of tour groups. Also, it’s not air conditioned or if it is, so many people talking and moving negates all effect. So if you don’t do well in heat, don’t go in. When you do finallly get to the Sistine Chapel, I hope you can see past the rude visitors who completely ignore the guards. It’s a place of peace, and visitors should be silent, no pictures allowed, and be covered (bare shoulders, no short shorts). I saw women removing their cover once past the entry, it was so loud, and overwhelming. My family said a prayer and quickly left. Our tour guide was a very lovely and extremely knowledgeable man named Jaber. Until the end of the tour, as you are approaching the Chapel, however, he decided to tell us every single nuance of each room. Our group was constantly passed up by several HUNDRED people in each room while he did this. Would have been fine, but the Chapel closes at 5. We would have missed it had I not asked the guard if we could leave our group. We handed back our audio devices to others in our group, and bolted out. The guard was very nice and even moved us ahead of several other groups so we could quickly get into the Chapel. Do NOT forget to bring a small backpack or bag with some water and light snacks… the first half of the day is grueling. Also use the bathroom before you leave lunch. You will also need water for the Vatican tour, and there is a bathroom once you get in… men have the short line, ladies expect a long wait. Oh, and my Fitbit tracked 16k/7.5 miles for the day. WALKING… In the heat… on a supposed air conditioned bus tour.

Awesome Rome Tour

Quitman_F, Jun 2023

We had an awesome and extremely knowledgeable tour guide. He thoroughly explained each historical site in detail. The tour is very long; and you will walk 5 + miles over the course of the day, including climbing many steps. You will not be disappointed. Q. D. Fulmer

A Must-Do Tour

James_H, Jun 2023

First and foremost, our tour guide, Amy (a certified archaeologist) was OUTSTANDING. She was knowledgeable, personable, and funny. The tour was exceptional and the number of “must see” sights visited were impressive for an eight hour tour. Be prepared to walk, but it’s definitely worth the effort. We have gone on many walking tours with many different companies, but with the sites visited and Amy’s superb narration, it was one of the best tours we have ever taken.

Enjoyable,

Esther_A, Jun 2023

Vechenzo Lorenzo was great ! Humorous, extremely knowledgeable. Made the tour enjoyable. Be prepared to walk a lot.

Fantastic day - Book it!!!

Lynette_W, Jun 2023

This tour is great. Highly recommend! The tour guide (Italian) was lovely, I’ve forgotten her name. A lot of walking involved but so worthwhile. Unforgettable experience.

Excellent tour!

Barb_F, Jun 2023

We loved the tour, lots of great information, our tour guide was fun and very knowledgeable! Saw many sites with easy access and entry !

Walk Walk Walk

Christine_O, Jun 2023

This is a great tour if you like walking. It’s a lot of walking and going up and down steps. There is an elevator at the Colosseum to help. Just know it’s a lot of walking. Paula our guide was great. She was truly prepared and very informative If temps are hot bring water and maybe umbrella. All in all it was very good

First time in Rome

Sandrine_A, Jun 2023

Great tour! Tour guide was very knowledgeable and informative. I did the full day walking tour. I wish we had more breaks to sit and rest or our tour guide not covering some of the minor details as much as she did (Sistine Chapel pamphlet) and focus on showing/telling us about the major highlights; i felt she was failing to read the audience when we needed breaks considering most of us are dealing with jetlag, etc. However, it was a great tour and we saw all of Rome’s major highlights in one day!! With few adjustments to the itinerary, I would highly recommend this tour!!

Our tour guide was...

Nicole_H, Jun 2023

Our tour guide was awesome! We highly recommend this tour. Saw so many things in one day. They are organized and kept the tour moving.

A must do when in Roma!

Rullah_P, Jun 2023

While the day was long and an incredible amount of walking, it was so worth every cent. Our guide was knowledgeable and moved the group along at a pace that was very reasonable.

Speed date with Rome

Maria_G, May 2023

We have seen in a day the whole of Rome. Be prepared to get a lot of info from the guide, who is fast. Get comfortable shoes! The meeting point is by a park with shade. That was nice . You can refill your water bottle there.

Rome

Shannon_V, May 2023

Loved the Fountains and Coliseum. Guided was very knowledgeable and passionate about Rome's history and artifact

Fantastic and comprehensive 1 day tour

Alvin_G, May 2023

This was a fantastic tour and quick review of major sites in Rome all in 1 day. Our tour guide Sev was incredibly knowledgeable and kept us engaged. It was was one of our favorite parts of the trip and would highly recommend! A great balance of learning, exploring, and still have time to try new foods and gelato in between!

Was not able to go on this tour Wed. We did not get back from your tour from Tues until 2:30AM.

Suzanne_B, May 2023

Missed this whole tour because of previous days tour (Pompeii and Almafi Coast. The bus had a flat tire. Sent out a new bus and the driver was so confused. He kept passing us by. Our tour guide Lauren (she was WONDERFUL) Finally asked the police to find the bus and bring him to us. Police were great. Point of this tour, we did not get back to our starting position until about 1:30 am and not to our room until 2:30 am. VERY DISAPPOINTED NOT TO GO ON THIS TOUR. We should be refunded our money, your poor tire maintenance caused this issue. Please contact me. Suzanne Brown suemb@comcast.net 630-863-8999

Great experience

Stephanie_B, May 2023

Great tour with Ana as our guide. She was very knowledgeable and made for a great experience. It is a long day but worth it.

Excellent tour. Marco is very knowledgeable.Thank you!

Linh_N, May 2023

Skip the lines. No rush and everyone in tithe tour on time at meeting points.. The weather was nice.

Comprehensive and Interesting Tour

Ruben_A, May 2023

First time in Rome? If so, this is a great tour for you! We saw the main "attractions" and the Guide provided excellent information on all. It's a walking tour and you will do plenty of walking, sometimes over uneven ground. Highly recommend!

Worth skipping the queues.

Sandra_H, May 2023

Informative tour. A lot of walking. Could do it on your own. It was worth skipping the queues but it was a little expensive.

All good, worth it

Aleksandra_K, May 2023

Nice tour, everything on time. We saw all the most important places. Francesca was great. Really funny and explained a lot.

Screwed up mess

Bill_N, May 2023

Well let’s see we went down to get off the ship and I had been told by . Viator that they would be picking me up at the dock! The ship arrived at at 9:30 AM Andy tour started at 9:30 further we were one hour and a half from Rome so we could make a trip. I tried to call all the numbers to cancel but none worked I’m still stuck with the tour that we never made! This is unacceptable , when I got to the local company that did the tour they said that they couldn’t cancel that I had to call Viator, it’s a spin job.

Fast & Fabulous

OurTrip, May 2023

Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, pleasant and spoke very good English. The description of the tour didn’t adequately describe the pace of the tour. Too much time in the colosseum left not enough time to appreciate the other surroundings as we walked towards our ride to the Vatican.

Our guide was fantastic....

Chris_F, May 2023

Our guide was fantastic. Very informative and had a wonderful sense of humor. Loved it and would recommend it to anyone.

Great

Brittany_C, May 2023

Emma was an amazing guide. Be prepared to walk A LOT! My feet still hurt! 20,000 plus steps in a day was a lot.

Couldn’t recommend enough!

Regan_C, May 2023

Our tour guide Francesca was absolutely amazing! This tour is jam packed filled with so much to see, definitely wear your comfortable shoes as there is a lot of walking! So much knowledge and jaw dropping scenes. Could not recommend this tour enough! For a day tour, you get to see so many things Rome has to offer! 110% recommend!

Unmissable! Must do!!

Carolyn_S, May 2023

Our guide, Marco, was so knowledgable. He is a fantastic storyteller and bought facts to life with his narrative. So engaging! Highly recommend!

Rome extravaganza!

Debbie_M, May 2023

Sabina was an excellent guide who provided us with so much history of the sites we visited. A great way to see Rome when you have limited time. Be prepared to walk all day but with free time to enjoy lunch on your own. Highly recommend this tour.

Rome is amazing

Erick_M, May 2023

Our tour guide Federica made it so much fun and interesting. Prepare for walking a lot but all worth it. Amazing site seeing. We did this tour the last day of our vacations but we wish we have done it as soon as we arrived in Rome, so we could come back to other spots that we just walked by.

Too much

Miranda_C, May 2023

This is the only tour during my Italy trip that I didn’t completely enjoy. It’s a whirlwind trip so it’s best to break it up. Also…Rome was insanely crowded everywhere we went. This is definitely not aviator’s fault, but maybe best to avoid even as early as May. The tour guide did a good job with what he was given, but it’s too much to cram in one day.

Best guided tour in one day

Vanessa_E, May 2023

Had a fabulous time wandering around Rome. Our guide Davide was superb. We wouldn’t have seen everything in one day if it weren’t for him. Highly recommended!

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