It's my first time to Rome and I have tours scheduled for the Colosseum and the Vatican. I plan to walk the city and see most everything I can by foot or bus.
As a Geography teacher I am fascinated by the history of the Catacombs, Pantheon, and Forum. Do I need to schedule a tour to see those or can I do them on my own? I am only in Rome for 2 1/2 days.
Thank you for your advice!
Kathy
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15800 posts
Welcome to the forum, Kathy!
Catacombs:
Instead of typing it all out again, here are links to 2 recent threads on the subject. Give them a look-over and then a shout back if you need more info? All of them require guided visits - you can't wander around them on your own - but you can often jump onto the next available tour when you get to the sites. The threads below both contain links to a few of the more-visited of the catacombs so see those for individual visiting requirements.
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/catacombs-in-rome-26f38082-b242-4cf8-b7a7-4572a4ff0c33
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/catacombs-in-rome-a128c6e3-4e8f-42f0-8d82-bcc0cfe1d742
Pantheon:
IMHO, so much has been written about this one that it's quite easily done on one's own with some reading up in advance. That said, they do offer timed-entry guided tours and audioguide rentals. Free timed-entry reservations are mandatory for the weekends if visiting without their tour or audioguide. Info here:
https://www.pantheonroma.com/home-eng/
This is the site for making weekend reservations (they only book out a week in advance):
https://pantheon.eventim-inhouse.de/webshop/webticket/timeslot
Rick offers an audio tour which can be downloaded for free:
https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/audio/audio-tours/italy
Forum:
This is a pretty complex site, and you'll want to visit the Palatine at the same time. Coopculture's ticket includes the SUPER sites but no guided tour aside from an audioguide available through an app:
https://www.coopculture.it/en/products/forum-pass-super-ticket-with-access-to-the-roman-forum-palatine-and-imperial-forum/
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/parco-colosseo/id1515101230
I've no experience with their audioguide but maybe someone else has? Mr. Steves also offers an audioguide for the Forum; see the link I posted under the info for the Pantheon.
The park's site might have additional info of interest to you: it tends only to work for me during hours (Rome time) the park is open.
https://colosseo.it/en/
As far as a human guide, practically all tours which include the Forum/Palatine also include the Colosseum, and are 3-4 hours in length. If willing to do the Colosseum too, that's an option, and we can offer up some resources. Yes? No?