• Private Tour
• Instantly Confirmed
• Carbon Neutral

Can you imagine walking the same paths as the rulers of ancient Rome, amidst the grandeur of the Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum? Discover the cradle of civilization as we peel back the layers of history, revealing the epicenter of power, politics, and culture in the ancient world.

Destination

Rome, Italy

Category

Skip The Line Tours

Duration

2.5 hours

Transport mode

Walking tour

Available languages

English, Español, Italiano, Deutsch

Included

• Private Licensed Guide
• All Withlocals tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Tickets

What you can expect

Choose your local

Get to know these 9 passionate locals, each bringing unique perspectives and talents. Choose your favorite, check their availability, and book to create an unforgettable adventure tailored to you.

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with the host of your choice.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at On the left side of the ticket office, close to the lamp post - Rome to start your journey

   View on Maps

2. Itinerary

   This is what our experience could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Journey's Start

   Our exploration begins at the entrance to the Palatine Hill, ready to uncover the stories of Rome's legendary origins and its rulers' lives.

4. Imperial Residences

   Discover the personal and public spaces of Rome's emperors, marveling at the art and architecture that defined an era.

5. Heart of the Empire

   Enter the Forum, walking through the center of Roman public life, where politics, religion, and society intersected.

6. Curia Julia and the Temple of Saturn

   Centers of Power and Faith: Visit the core institutions of Roman governance and religion, understanding their role in shaping the empire's destiny.

7. Via Sacra and the Arch of Titus

   Concluding with Triumph: Conclude our tour along the Via Sacra, beneath the Arch of Titus, reflecting on the legacy of Rome and its lasting impact on the world.

8. Discover the House of Augustus

   Emperor's Private World: Explore the intimate quarters of Augustus, adorned with remarkable frescoes, offering insights into the personal life of Rome's first emperor.

9. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the itinerary? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Bernadette🇩🇪 Germany

(About local Pietro Paolo)

27 May 2025

Pietro Paolo hat für uns das Leben auf dem Forum und dem Palatin wieder auferstehen lassen. Er ist begeistert von der Geschichte und kann begeistern. Die Bilder auf seinem Tablet haben unserer Phantasie prima nachgeholfen. War toll!Großartige und spannende Zeitreise

Kristofer🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Max)

13 May 2025

We had a very good tour of the Forum Romanaum with Max who was the perfect guide - knowledgeable, courteous and patient. My father - 85 years old - took his time and Max adapted his spiel with plenty of rest (in shadowy spots) and with guidance at the right level. When we were done my father said ”Max, you are the best guide I ever met and I’m an old man who have travelled quite a bit” (all true).”Best guide I ever had”

charley🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federico)

7 May 2025

A talented and knowledgeable guide that enjoys what he does and it really shows Federico is excellent!

Anshuman🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

29 March 2025

My family (wife, 5 year old daughter, cousin, mom, and dad) all thoroughly enjoyed our guided tour with Pietro. Pietro made the site come to life and helped us understand the amazing history on display. He was highly accommodating of my family's needs, in terms of timing, location, and content. I would strongly recommend him to anyone looking to make the most of their time in Rome.Great tour of Roman Forum & Palatine Hill!

Karen

(About local Pietro Paolo)

22 February 2025

Pietro was very knowledgeable about the Forum and Roman history and was full of fascinating stories that made the Forum visit both entertaining and interesting. Informative and fun

Bob

(About local Cecilia)

12 February 2025

Cecilia was very knowledgeable and very pleasant. She really tried to help us conceptualize what we were looking at.VERY THOROUGH TOUR

David🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Sara)

26 January 2025

Sara was a wonderful tour guide who brought all the history to life in a very engaging way. She is an expert historian who is super friendly and an amazing source of knowledge and stories. We came away so much more informed about the history and life of ancient Rome and cannot recommend this tour more highly. Top Colosseum, Palatine Hill & Forum Tour!

Lucija

(About local Eleonora)

13 December 2024

We loved it!

Jakob

(About local Pietro Paolo)

8 December 2024

Super knowledgeable and fun guy. Definitely worth it.Great tour

Tina🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Pietro Paolo)

17 October 2024

Pietro's in-depth and informed narrative, great humour and passion for Rome brought the Forum and Palatine Hill to life! Not only hugely knowledgeable but with a great sense of humour and tremendous wit, he kept us spellbound for 2 1/2 hours while he took us on a journey through the history of this famous and much loved Roman Antiquity. He is to be thoroughly recommended. Thanks Pietro!Pietro - Rome Guide par excellence!

Gregory🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Pietro Paolo)

13 September 2024

Paolo was an amazing tour guide. The way he wove in historical and mythological stories along with information about construction and architecture was so well done. We could have stayed at the forum all day with him to learn more! We can’t recommend him enough. Best Possible Forum Tour

Sheree🇿🇦 South Africa

(About local Yanira)

3 July 2025

What a fun morning. Yanira kept our whole family entertained and informed. We had a large tour party of 11, including grandparents to grandchilren. Children enjoyed the treasure hunt very much. Don’t hesitate to book with Yanira- you won’t be disappointedFun filled tour with Yanira

Jesse🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Alessandra)

1 July 2025

Alessandra was a wonderful guide through the colosseum and forum. Great for families and kept it moving. Very kind and answered all our questions. Patient and passionate!!Amazing friendly knowledgeable easy going!

Sheree🇿🇦 South Africa

(About local Max)

1 July 2025

What an edible morning with Max! Our tour was customised to our interests and energy levels. Our daughters (ages 7,10,12) were kept entertained and engaged throughout. Definitely fun and fact-filled. Don’t hesitate to book with Max, you won’t be disappointed!Treat of a tour with Max

Gonçalo🇵🇹 Portugal

(About local Pietro Paolo)

30 June 2025

Pitetro

Julie🇳🇴 Norway

(About local Max)

29 June 2025

First time in Rome and first time using With Locals. This is a private tour in every sense and we couldn’t be happier with our experience with Max! He tailored everything to our preferences (including breakfast place recommendations and switching meeting place to our Trastevere neighbourhood). With our two boys (15 & 11) and in an actual heatwave, Max made sure we saw all the key sights, found us shade and water (and gelato) along the way and held their attention the whole time. His knowledge of history, culture, religion, art and literature was so impressive and he peppered it all with hidden gems and local history stories off the beaten track. This was the best start to our Rome visit and Max’s recommendations helped us fill the next day too. No hesitation in highly recommending Max! Best possible introduction to Rome

Nancy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Max)

29 June 2025

He had a wonderful time walking with and learning from Max. He is incredibly engaging, crazy smart, but has the agility to communicate with individuals of all ages and interests. Max knows art, architecture, philosophy, history….but you could have a whole normal conversation with him, and never know he is such an adapt intellectual. He is very easy to talk to, and we absolutely loved spending time with him! I would suggest him to guide any tour, he will really make you think or he can just make you laugh! Players choice…thank you, Max!!Max is Fantastic!

Steve and Jo🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Cecilia)

29 June 2025

We met with Cecilia for a private tour of the Colosseum and greatly appreciated the opportunity to spend time with an extremely well-informed, interesting and pleasant young lady. Cecilia shared information about the arena and helped bring to life the history of the people who lived and died there. Cecilia was enthusiastic and willing to spend time answering our questions. We were delighted with the tour.An amazing tour of the Colosseum

Angelica🇸🇪 Sweden

(About local Eleonora)

27 June 2025

A wonderful and informative experience, despite a very hot day this was a smooth journey through stories and incredible scenery. a very knowledgeable guide who could easily relate to the present and the past, find connections between human behavior and the collecting habits of men with great power and wealth, and could tell us about the buildings, the landscapes and the incredible art treasure that exists. we left the vatican extremely happy with the visit and the experience. thank youWonderful and informative experience

Alexandra

(About local Pietro Paolo)

27 June 2025

Super friendly and interesting guide, very talented in storytelling and able to answer all our questions and more. Simply a must for the visit of the Collosseum and Forum. He made the stones and dust come alive for us!!! Thank you Pietro, my husband and my sons appreciated your wealth of knowledge! Best guided experience with Pietro

sara🇪🇸 Spain

(About local Yanira)

26 June 2025

Fue una gran guía y muy simpática. Lo hizo en español y en inglés, sin problemas. Muy profesional tanto en cuanto al contenido como en cuanto a las formas. Muy empatía con todos. Excelente. Si volvemos la volveremos a pedir que nos acompañe. Fantastica guia y muy simpatica

Vicki🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

25 June 2025

We had a fabulous tour with Paolo, today. From booking to conclusion the process was seamless. His explanations and imagery brought the venue to life. His knowledge of the history was vast and his charming and engaging personality added to the overall perfect experience. Best Tour of the Colleseum!!

Ina🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alessandra)

22 June 2025

I travel frequently and have booked many tours with many guides through different companies. I can say without any hesitation that Alessandra was the best and most enjoyable tour guide I’ve ever had. It started with the moment I booked the tour and she efficiently guided me through the process of purchasing tickets to the Colosseum. She then communicated frequently with me until the day of the tour. Despite having done another tour earlier in the day, she was still full of energy and enthusiasm. Her tour of the Colosseum and Forum was informative in the most entertaining way, she had the most fascinating stories to keep us constantly interested for the duration of the 2.5 hour tour. She was also so kind and accommodating to my mother who needed frequent breaks from the heat and the steps. I cannot recommend Alessandra highly enough if you want to have the most enjoyable guided tour through Rome. Grazie mille Alessandra, I really hope to see you again on my next visit. Best tour guide ever!

Alarik🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cecilia)

22 June 2025

Cecilia reached out ahead of time to suggest that the best time to see the Colosseum was in the morning before it got too hot, and boy am I glad she did -- the day ended up being a scorcher. We had my 80 year old mother-in-law with us, and Cecilia was able to tailor the tour of Palantine Hill to limit the amount of climbing -- we skipped walking through the Forum, and instead she talked to us about the Forum as we admired it from above. She is very knowledgeable and all in all it was a great tour.Great tour

Bob🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eleonora)

22 June 2025

I would highly recommend Eleonora if you want to do a private tour of the Vatican/Sistine Chapel. This was the first time at the Vatican for our 18 and 20 year old granddaughters and Eleonora struck the perfect balance of providing interesting info about the most important features of the Vatican museum and Sistine chapel without getting bogged down on any one subject. Even though my wife and I have been to the Vatican several times, Eleonora made it interesting for us as well. She also did a great job of maneuvering our little group through the throngs of tourists. To top it off, Eleonora has a great personality.Best Tour of the Vatican and St Peters

Amanda🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Pietro Paolo)

22 June 2025

Pietro Paolo provided a fun, informative and engaging tour for our family, including our two small kids. Highly recommend!Great family tour

mcintyrea

(About local Pietro Paolo)

20 June 2025

Paolo was easily the best tour guide we’ve ever had. He was personal, charismatic, and ready to assist our needs. We LOVED his stories. In the middle of our tour, we mentioned that our daughter loved mythology and Paolo lit up with happiness. He proceeded to tell us about the entire mythology behind the Roman Forum, relating every detail to what we were seeing at the time. His ability to describe the area while showing us intricate pictures of what it used to look like truly enhanced our trip. We would absolutely hire him again! Best experience ever

Julie🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

19 June 2025

Pietro was great! We really enjoyed it!Pietro paolo tour of colosseum etc

Nicole🇸🇬 Singapore

(About local Alessandra)

19 June 2025

Thanks to Alessandra we had such a great experience and heard fascinating stories!! We loved every moment. Rome tour with lots of knowledge

Annemarie

(About local Pietro Paolo)

18 June 2025

Paolo is a true professional - he navigated unannounced changes in the routine of lines/queueing that resulted in long lines. His depth and passion for the details of Roman history, along with his photo library, stimulated our imagination. As a result, we gained a deep appreciation for the ancient Romans and how history does repeat . . . Thanks, P!Gracious Host - Unexpected Long Lines

Abby🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

18 June 2025

Our tour guide Paolo was the best! Very knowledgeable and friendly. Answered each and every question we had. No matter how silly. He joked with us and informed us of several facts that we did not know. He was packed full of so much good information. We are so grateful and thankful for him and the way he elevated our experience at the colosseum. Highly recommend him. We are from the United States and were worried about the language barrier but Paolo spoke English very well and his communication skills were top notch. We wish we would have booked him for the forum tour as well because of all the information we feel we missed out on just wondering around. Do yourself a favor and book him. You will not regret it. Paolo was amazing!

Sara🇺🇸 United States

(About local Max)

18 June 2025

Max was a great tour guide, he was very attentive and patient with our family of 5 (kids 5,10 & 16) asking if we needed a rest or to stop for water on a very hot day! Max is full of information about Rome and so happy to be sharing, even had local recommendations for restaurants and other places to see that he shared.Excellent Tour Guide, great with our kids!

Mel and Ryan🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Pietro Paolo)

16 June 2025

Paolo was amazing! Very informative with information about the colosseum and Roman history but he didn’t overload us or bore us with information! Highly recommend him for your Rome tours!Best Colosseum guide in Rome!

Dino🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

15 June 2025

Pietro Paolo was incredible. Well prepared, patient, full of knowledge, and accommodating/engaging for a wide variety of ages. We enjoyed our morning under his leadership and he did an amazing job keeping us cool on a wildly hot day in Rome. His presentation of materials along the way was also engaging and helpful. Thank you so much, Paolo! Bravo!Incredible

Michael & Diane🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cecilia)

15 June 2025

Through all of the heat, and massive crowds, Cecilia was able to coordinate our tour with grace. I was impressed with her ability to navigate the Vatican, all the while describing the history, culture, and architecture as we went. She was very attentive to our interests, and steered the tour towards those. I highly recommend her as a tour guide. Consummate Professional

Asheleigh

(About local Pietro Paolo)

14 June 2025

We enjoyed a wonderful tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and surrounding area with Pietro! He was very knowledgeable and we learned so much in the tour. We loved being able to freely ask questions and give thoughts during the tour and talk with him about ancient Roman times. Pietro was engaging and with teens and a 5yo he made it interesting for all. He was able to paint us a great visual representation of the area and we all went away with a greater understanding and appreciation of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and area. If you are on the fence about doing a private tour I highly recommend doing it! It was so much more intimate and enjoyable than a large tour group. We were able to take our time and make the tour more personalized and thus memorable for our family. We are still talking about what we learned and telling others about this tour! Thank you Pietro for a wonderful time. Memorable Experience

Lindsay🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Cecilia)

14 June 2025

Cecilia guided our tour of the Colosseo and Forum. She tailored the content to my 12 year son. She was engaging and informative. I would highly recommend Cecilia as your guide for Rome tours!Amazing Colosseo Tour woth Cecilia

Hannah

(About local Pietro Paolo)

14 June 2025

Pietro Paolo showed us the Colosseum and Forum. There wasn’t a question he couldn’t answer - from architecture to history. He kept a great pace and tailored the visit very subtly to our wishes - super attentive. He intertwined the use of great photos and diagrams from his iPad throughout the tour and was very good at invoking the atmosphere of the place. Can highly recommend Paolo!Super knowledgeable and attentive

Dino🇺🇸 United States

(About local Max)

13 June 2025

Max did a terrific job with our group that varied from 10 years old to 68 years old! He paced the journey just right for us and was very prepared with our requests and ideas. It was like strolling around with a good, old-time friend. He had such a great handle on a variety of topics and historical contexts, and his English was phenomenal. We had a very educational and memorable day because of Max. Charming Historian!

Jessica🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cecilia)

13 June 2025

Cecilia was incredibly knowledgable and patient as we navigated the tour with our two children. A must do in Rome! An amazing guide and experience!

Dan

(About local Eleonora)

12 June 2025

First day in Italy, just off the plane, 4 adults and 3 small children. If this first family adventure was to be a success we had to do a Coliseum tour that first day... Eleonora made it happen and with her having an architectural background and with what appeared to be a Nanny's understanding of small children the experience couldn't have been any better. She read her audience (us) recognized what we had just endured and made our first visit of the trip a memorable experience. I will always seek out when traveling "with locals" for that personal feel, friendliness, understanding and on hand to provide quick suggestions for any other assistance you may be in need of. Thank you so much Eleonora for such a wonderful experience. DanEleonora is the best!

Allison

(About local Max)

11 June 2025

This was our first time using the With Locals platform. We loved that we got to pick our guide and that we were put in contact with him after booking, allowing for easy communication. Our group was a mix of people who had been to Rome before and some who hadn’t, including two small children ages 5 and 3. Max was able to put together a tour that kept everyone entertained. He was extremely patient with our two children. He showed us a wonderful toy store and played games with the children along the tour. We were able to see all of the main highlights in the city center with some hidden gems for those of us who had been to Rome before. We really could not have asked for a better experience and would highly recommend Max to anyone visiting Rome in the future. Thank you again Max for an afternoon well spent!!Afternoon in Rome

Richard

(About local Yanira)

11 June 2025

My Girlfriend and I had the pleasure of being shown around the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Tiber Island and Trastevere for four hours with the lovely Yanira. She was punctual, very warm and friendly, extremely knowledgeable and took a mean picture! We could not recommend her enough and she rounded off our trip to the Eternal City in style! Richard & HelenBest 4 hours in Rome!

Tate🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

10 June 2025

Our group of 10 (5 adults, and 5 tweens) had an amazing tour with Paolo. He was informative, fun, engaging and relaxed. He made the Colosseum and the Roman Forum come alive for all of us. Highly recommend.All Around Awesome

Richard🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yanira)

8 June 2025

Yanira gave our family of 6 a wonderful tour of the colosseum. Balanced with knowledge, humor, and patience. Her communication before the tour was excellent and prompt, and she was generous with recommendations beyond our tour. Her suggestions led us to many great experiences throughout the city. Our kids ranged in age from 17 to 8 and she held all their attention. Even brought visual Aides to supplement tour information. Wonerful Guide

Sylvester (Sly)🇺🇸 United States

(About local Cecilia)

6 June 2025

Our tour of the Colosseum with Cecilia on May 6th was terrific. To minimize the discomfort of two members in our group, that had sensitive knees, she walked at a moderate pace and built in adequate rest stops throughout the tour. Cecilia’s knowledge and enthusiasm made the Colosseum come to life by providing fascinating insights into its history and architecture. As we walked through the Colosseum, Cecilia pointed out details/areas we would have missed and patiently answered all of our many questions. She even brought along illustrations to help us better visualize how the Colosseum looked and operated when built versus how it appears today. Due to the steep incline and uneven path with cobblestones we declined touring Palatine Hill. However, that did not deter Cecilia, she found an area where we could sit and continued the tour using her illustrations...what a professional. I highly recommend anyone wishing to tour the Colosseum and Palatine Hill request Cecilia, you will not be disappointed. Knowledgeable and Illustrations

margit.wech

(About local Eleonora)

5 June 2025

Wir hatten eine fantastische Führung mit Eleonora. Sie ist wunderbar altersgerecht und geduldig auf die Fragen unseres 8jährigen Sohnes eingegangen und hat es gleichzeitig geschafft, die Tour auch für uns Erwachsene zu einem Erlebnis zu machen. Ganz herzlichen Dank aus Österreich!Großartig - vor allem mit Kind!

Mark

(About local chiara)

4 June 2025

Chiara was the best guide I’ve ever had! Great tour & great food and wine. We learned a lot about the Italian culture and how to spot out good & touristy restaurants. Chiara was super knowledgeable and sweet, definitely recommend taking the tour with her!the best guide ever had!

Karen🇺🇸 United States

(About local Max)

3 June 2025

We enjoyed an informative and lively tour of Rome with many sites and stories we would have otherwise missed , had Max not been our guide. Moreover, his humor and laid back approach made questions and dialogue easy and fun!Max is the best!

Jacqueline

(About local Carlo)

2 June 2025

WOW we absolutely loved Carlo. So engaging and knowledgeable. He was very patient with our group as we had a member with difficulty walking and even spent extra time with us to make up for the slow pace. He was the best tour we did in Italy of the Vatican and we would absolutely book him again when we go back. Carlo is the best!!