• 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, Français, Deutsch

Included

• Private Licensed Guide
• All Withlocals tours are Carbon Neutral

Excluded

• Entrance 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

Stephen

(About local Lia Beatrice)

5 September 2025

Lia Beatrice is a most charming, erudite and engaging guide. My daughter and I were treated to a tour of the Roman Forum this morning. Lia Beatrice brought those old stones back to life in a thrilling and engaging way. We were taken to hidden corners and we were shown small details, as well as the broad sweep of the complex history of this city from the Iron Age to the Renaissance. We left with many insights that have deepened our affection for this remarkable city. Thank you. Cultural Highlight of Rome

Helle🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Pietro Paolo)

4 September 2025

My nephew and I went on the “ Empires Unveiled: The Palatine Hill & Roman Forum with a Licensed Guide” tour with Pietro Paulo. It was a fantastic experience. He is super knowledgeable and brought a screen to show us how it used to look - to trigger our imagination . He is really nice to be around and answered all our questions. We can only recommend him the highest. Choose Pietro Paolo as you guide in Rome

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

Mike & Christy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

11 September 2025

Paolo was a terrific guide for both the golf cart tour (exploration of Rome) and the Guided Tour of the Colosseum. He began the golf cart tour by asking us what we wanted to see and learn. Paolo provided an excellent overview and history of what we were seeing. We asked a lot of questions which Paolo happily answered In both cases he made the best use of time based on the traffic and crowd size, enabling us to see and learn the most in our available time. For the Colosseum tour, Paolo took care of booking the tickets and entry time for us. He has a friendly personality and made the tours fun and educational. We highly recommend Paolo.We highly recommend Paolo

Micheal🇺🇸 United States

(About local Francesca Romana)

10 September 2025

We had an incredible tour in Rome with Francesca as our guide. The day began at the Vatican Museums with a tour of the Vatican Gardens, which gave us a wonderful overview of Vatican history before we moved on to the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Throughout the day, Francesca shared fascinating details and pointed out many unusual and interesting aspects we would have otherwise missed. Her insight and deep historical knowledge made the experience unforgettable. From there, we continued on to the Colosseum and finished at the Roman Forum. The entire day was filled with captivating facts and stories that brought the history of Rome to life. Francesca’s expertise, enthusiasm, and ability to make every stop engaging truly set this tour apart. She is highly recommended!Franseaca brings Rome to life!

Jill🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federico)

9 September 2025

Super accomodating, very high energy and friendly. Federico is great ! Amazing and Friendly !

Eric🇺🇸 United States

(About local Sara)

8 September 2025

Sara gave us one of the best tours I have had in my life, she was a wealth of information about everything we saw, and went out of her way to explain things she knew interested us. She knows so much about history and the art that we saw. I asked her a few questions about the area before we came, and she really helped me feel welcome in the city, and relieved some stress and worries I had. I could not recommend her enough.Far beyond any expectations

Jan🇺🇸 United States

(About local Francesca Romana)

4 September 2025

Francesca was a great guide—very knowledgeable, flexible, and congenial. We have been to Rome a number of times but wanted to figure out where we were in relationship to our hotel. As we visited many city center cites she would tell us how to get back to our hotel. I must say this was very valuable information. Getting oriented in Rome

Diana & Jeff🇮🇹 Italy

(About local Pietro Paolo)

2 September 2025

We loved Pietro who is a very well educated, knowledgeable guide who was committed to make sure that we received the answers to our questions & more. He was polite also keen to make sure that we were happy with everything. Thank you Pietro. Excellent guide.

Thomas🇩🇰 Denmark

(About local Lia Beatrice)

1 September 2025

We, a family of 6, had the most wonderful experience of a 3 hour tour, with Lia. Through Colosseum, The Palatine and Forum Romanum, Lia shared her deep knowledge and great stories about this part of the ancient Rome. It is clearly, she's very passionate and at the same time, the facts and stories are told lively with humour and smiles. On asked questions, she was very fast and knowledgeable - an absolute pleasure. Other than that, she had the surplus to ask into us and our wellbeing, along the way. Highly recommended tour and the highest recommendations for choosing Lia as your personal guide.Fantastic and inspiring tour !!!

HARRY🇺🇸 United States

(About local Lia Beatrice)

26 August 2025

Michelle🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eleonora)

26 August 2025

My daughter and I enjoyed a day in Vatican City with the best tour guide. She was kind, patient, and had a wealth of information to share with us. Would def recommend Eleonora. Eleonora is the best!

Kristy🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

19 August 2025

We had a great time with Pietro Paolo! He tailored the tour to our likes, and kept my kids really entertained. He happily answered all of the kids’ questions, which weren’t always on topic. Highly recommend! Great tour!

Rachel

(About local Pietro Paolo)

19 August 2025

Paolo was a really excellent guide on our visit to Rome. We were only there for a very short time and the colosseum was our priority. We are a large family group, we had a private tour with Paolo who was so thorough and knowledgeable. Booking and communication was seamless. Paolo ensured that the pace was comfortable despite the heat and we all thought that the tour was top class. Excellent colosseum tour!

Greg🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Valentina)

15 August 2025

A highlight of the trip. Valentina is an excellent guide and the trip was a perfect amount of time for a family of 5. She bought life to Ancient Rome! An excellent guide.Colosseum and forum tour

Greg🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Valentina)

15 August 2025

Very informative tour. Valentina helped us negotiate the crowds and queues with Italian aplomb. She was so knowledgable and even kept our 3 teenagers interested in the museum. Definitely worth the money. Thank you for being a great guide.Vatican tour

Jose Alberto🇲🇽 Mexico

(About local Valentina)

12 August 2025

Valio mucho la pena contratar a Valentina. Sabe muy bien de lo que habla, e hizo el tour interesante para mis 3 hijos (7, 8 y 10 años). Para familias como la nuestra que no nos adaptamos a un tour grande, definitivamente recomiendo contratar este tipo de experiencias.Excelente

Lorena🇺🇸 United States

(About local Francesca Romana)

10 August 2025

1

Francesca gave us a great tour of the Coliseum. She provided historical information without being boring for my teens! We really enjoyed her tour. Thank you!Great tour of the Coliseum

Antonia🇺🇸 United States

(About local Alessandra)

7 August 2025

Alessandra is so knowledgeable, she was really helpful during the booking process and I would have loved to visit the whole of Rome with her. So easy to talk to, to understand, she made everything come alive. Wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone visiting Rome.Incredible Guide!!

Joyce🇬🇧 United Kingdom

(About local Pietro Paolo)

6 August 2025

Not enough words to say how fantastic Pietro was. So knowledgable about every aspect we asked him. A true Roman who brought to life the whole experience for Paula and I. We had a tour of the Colosseum on Monday just superb more than facts and dates a passion for the history and how Rome was founded and grew. The walking tour today was amazing the pantheon brought tears to our eyes the way Pietro explained the building and the Gods the sunlight you just have to book to understand the whole history was truly inspiring I am 68 Paula 57 wow just no words JUST FANTASTIC!!!!! First class

rchrdston

(About local Cecilia)

6 August 2025

Cecilia was really knowledgeable and we had a very enlightening Tour …….Interesting Tour

Randi🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eleonora)

2 August 2025

We had a great tour! She was easy to meet and had it all planned out. Even with the crowds we were able to move through the Colosseum with ease. Very knowledgeable and extremely pleasant. And she took great photos of us! Highly recommend. Great Tour!

Mike🇺🇸 United States

(About local Yanira)

1 August 2025

Yanira had been referred to us by a friend who had taken a tour with her so we knew the tour would be great. The tour was so good she took time before we got into spaces where talking was not allowed to give the history, insight, and humorous back stories. You can spend days in the Vatican but our schedule (and a 15 yo) only allowed a couple hours and it was the perfect. Yanira was able to show us spaces and cut through busy areas to allow us to maximize our time and also gave us tips for things to do after our tour in the Vatican and in Rome. So grateful we were able to spend some time with Yanira and hope to do another tour with her soon.VIP vatican tour

allison🇺🇸 United States

(About local Federico)

31 July 2025

Federico was friendly, and very knowledgeable about all things Colosseum and Roman history! He enhanced the tour with visuals to show us what the restored Colosseum would’ve looked like, he explained the lay of the land. Overall, just a great experience.! Colosseum tour

allison🇺🇸 United States

(About local Valentina)

31 July 2025

Valentina was so great giving us a tour of the Vatican museum. She’s very knowledgeable on art history and really enhanced our whole experience. Before entering the museum, we were struck with a downpour that soaked everyone, but she was a real trooper. Thank you for the great experience.! Fun Rain or Shine

Kirsten🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

30 July 2025

This was our first tour on the day we landed from the States and our youngest was beyond jet lagged, but Pietro was understanding and still gave a great tour. He saved us so much time in navigating the check points on entry for each section and his iPad with additional pictures and videos were very helpful in explaining and visualizing what it would have been like during the games. I would recommend any tour with him! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Great tour of the Colosseum

Colleen🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Pietro Paolo)

29 July 2025

I really great experience. We did a Colosseum and forum tour with Pietro. He was very interesting and passionate about the history of Rome. Very good communication in organizing our meeting place and purchasing tickets for the Colosseum. Pietro was fantastic at explaining the history of the Colosseum and forum, and also stories about what they were used for. highly recommended.Terrific and informative tour with Pietro

valerie🇧🇪 Belgium

(About local Eleonora)

27 July 2025

We were lucky to have Eleonora as our guide during our visit to the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and she truly made the experience unforgettable. Her passion, and engaging storytelling brought the ancient ruins vividly to life — for both us and our teenagers. She struck the perfect balance between historical depth, fun facts, and interactive moments. It never felt like a lecture — more like a fascinating journey through time. Thanks to Eleonora, we didn’t just see the monuments, we understood the stories behind them. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to experience the true heart of ancient Rome!

Larissa

(About local Pietro Paolo)

25 July 2025

Paolo is an amazing guide! He knows to adapt the content to the levels of teenagers and adults. he is kind and very competent. We feel how deep he knows topics and historic events. We highly recommend Paolo if you want a memorable experience of Rome.Highly recommended

Peter🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

25 July 2025

My family booked a private tour for 4 (2 adults and 2 preteens) of the Colloseum, Palatine Hill, and the Roman Forum. Paolo was an excellent tour guide. He is a great combination of extensive knowledge and engaging storytelling. Both of my kids raved about how much they learned during the tour, especially about the Roman Chicken. His planning and communication prior to the tour was seamless. We would recommend Paolo to anyone, especially to those who have kiddos in tow. Private family tour with kids

Elizabeth🇨🇦 Canada

(About local Francesca Romana)

24 July 2025

My whole family had a wonderful time with Francesca . She was very kind , flexible and very knowledgeable about the tour that she gave us . We had a great experience. Thank you Good experience

Bernadette🇦🇺 Australia

(About local Pietro Paolo)

22 July 2025

We spent a wonderful morning with Paolo learning about the Roman Empire! He entertained all - young (our four children aged 8 years to 13 years) and old. He is a natural storyteller and a font of knowledge. He kept us all engaged and our children particularly loved the images he shared of the sites as they once were to compare with now, to support his storytelling. Would highly recommend!! Grazie Paolo!Great story teller!!

Sara

(About local Yanira)

21 July 2025

Yanira was an absolutely fantastic guide! She brought the Vatican and Sistine Chapel to life with her knowledge, energy, and warmth. What really stood out was how engaged she was with the kids—she even created a fun scavenger hunt to keep them interested throughout the tour. We all learned so much and had a great time. Highly recommend her for families!Shes amazing with kids!

Patty🇺🇸 United States

(About local Eleonora)

20 July 2025

Eleonora was an amazing tour guide for our family of five, which included our three children, now young adults. Not having been to the Vatican before, we were so grateful for her knowledge. She had the perfect personality to keep all of us engaged and interested. She covered a lot of information and territory within our 2+ hour tour. Given the volume of crowds, a private tour is definitely the best way to see the Vatican. We highly recommend Eleonora as your private guide!Excellent Private Tour of the Vatican

John🇭🇰 Hong Kong

(About local Pietro Paolo)

19 July 2025

Great guided tour. Pietro brought the Colosseum and ancient Roman times to life. Nice pace, very considerate of the needs of the kids and grandparents, and answered all our questions with in-depth detail with beautiful illustrations. Highly recommended. Just Fabulous

Alana

(About local Alessandra)

17 July 2025

Alessandra was absolutely amazing. We got to the meeting place early and she was there ready to start. I have 4 kids ranging from 7-16 and they were all so engaged in everything she said. She always made sure my youngest came to the front so he could see and hear. Alessandra was so informative, we learnt so much from our hour with her and she happily answered any questions that we had. We were all so glad we had an expert showing us around, it made the experience so much more worth it. I would highly recommend booking a tour with Alessandra with anyone looking to learn about the history of the Colosseum.

Kari🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

16 July 2025

We had the best time in Pietro in Rome. It was hot, and he took the time to find shade and water as we walked round the Colosseum and Roman Forum. He answered our questions and was very engaging. A highlight of our trip! We would highly recommend!Absolutely Amazing

Mike🇺🇸 United States

(About local Pietro Paolo)

16 July 2025

Paolo does an excellent job bringing ancient Rome to life through the use of images and detailed descriptions that help paint a vivid mental image of the forum and Coliseum. Even in the scorching heat we wanted the tour to keep going. Thank you Paolo - highly recommend for anyone wanting a great tour guide.Paolo brought ancient Rome to life

Amy

(About local Valentina)

13 July 2025

It was a joy to go on a Vatican tour with Valentina. She is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the art and it came across in the way she explained of the museum. She did a wonderful job engaging our young daughters, 7 and 11, who did not quite know what to expect from the day. It was a magical experience and I thank her very much for the the time!!Art lover’s dream!

Amy

(About local Pietro Paolo)

13 July 2025

We had such a wonderful tour with Paolo around the Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum. It was a hot day and prior to the tour I could tell our girls, 11 and 7 were worried they’d get hot and bored but Paolo did a wonderful job telling them stories to keep them engaged. He had photos and videos to bring it all to life and found lots of places for shade to keep us cool. My husband and I had done this tour 10 years ago but I learned so many new things from Paolo. Could not have been more grateful for his time, patience and knowledge. Thank you for a wonderful day!!!Engaging, knowledgeable and fun!!