Best way to see the Colosseum and Forum?

I always hook our guests up with a tour. It is a difficult place to comprehend with your nose in a guidebook. And there's no one you can ask your myriad questions! The smaller the group the better. I hear underground and third ring are great, although I have not gone myself yet. You MUST be on a tour for these areas.

I took the underground and third ring tour this morning with my daughter. I really enjoyed it. I have been inside numerous times in past but this is first for the tour. I think for 9 euros, it's a bargain. My daughter is under 12 (11), and was free for the tour. We purchased via phone a few weeks back.

The tour guide introduced herself as an archeologist. She certainly was very knowledgeable.

Glenn

I'm piggybacking on the OP's question - is it necessary to book ahead for the underground and 3rd ring tour? I want to keep some flexibility in our schedule.

Does anyone know if there are evening tours for the Colosseum and Forum during the summer?
Thank you.

Dianne, there are evening tours of the colosseum through the end of October. It's a special event so the forum/palatine hill are not included with entry. You'll need to book a regular ticket for those.

There are no evening entries to the forum or palatine hill.

Alexandra, the underground/third ring tour is very popular and tends to sell out. I would suggest booking if you really wish to visit it.

As for visiting the forum, I like to use an audio guide. I don't think a guide is required and like the idea of going at my own pace, which an audio guide provides.

Donna

Rick's recorded Audio Tours just might fit the bill. Download them to your mobile device before you leave home and then they'll be accessible without Wi-Fi.

There is a small kiosk in the forum where you can make a reservation to tour the ruins as well as Palatine Hill with an archaeologist. They offer several routes and lengths of tours. It is very difficult to know what you are looking at otherwise! It's one of the best tours I've taken in Europe. So interesting!

I used Walks of Italy for the Colosseum and Forum and was happy wiht our tour and the guide we had. We went up to the top and into the underground. Our guide was very knowledgeable. Only thing for me was I wanted more time in the Forum so we ended up going back on our own afterwards just for that to see more of the area. We did have to purchase a entry ticket just to the Forum after our tour but I didn't mind.

If you visited the forum after the colosseum you should have been able to stay inside without purchasing another ticket. Your guide should have given the one paid for with the tour. If you visited the forum first they should have informed you about that in case you wanted more time. I'm glad you enjoyed your time there.

Donna

Another vote for Walks of Italy. I used them for a tour in March with my 16 year old daughter. It included the underground Colosseum and lasted 3.5 hours. I would have been overwhelmed trying to do this by myself. Our group was about a dozen people and the guide was very informed and engaging. My daughter who studies Latin in school really enjoyed it.

Have a great trip,
Cynthia

I am considering the "Walks of Italy" Underground tour.... If we decide instead to go with the Rick Steve's audio tour (realizing it doesn't get us underground, but keeps our schedule more flexible) - please clarify what generates the long lines I keep reading about... Obtaining a ticket for entry- which we would avoid by having a Roma Pass? Or are the lines simply a crowd control issue... Allowing only a certain number of ticket-holding tourists in at a time?

Thanks,
Peg

The lines are for those waiting to buy tickets. You won't have an issue if using a romapass.

Donna

Thanks Donna. I was hoping that was the answer.

Peg