My family and I will be visiting the Colosseum in June. We looked at Walks of Italy tours which look wonderful, but also on the Coopculture site. Does anyone have any experience with the Coopculture site? It is confusing and I'm unsure of the tour to get and if children get discounted rates if they are not part of the EU. Thanks.
Posted by
1226 posts
We used coop culture and it was great. We bought from the site on a VERY specific date at an EXACT time for the date/time we wanted. It used to be that you had to do it on something like the (trying to remember) first monday of the month before you wanted to visit. In our case we were going to be there in July, so this meant the first monday of June, but because their offices in Rome open at 9a and that is midnight here, we woke at midnight and did it then. This because we read so much about them selling out immediately.
Ive read that they changed policies so that you now buy tickets for a visit in the next three months (as opposed to the next month), but I don't know if there is a day/time that they start selling these. If there is, I would get them promptly. They sell out extremely fast because they cost 11 euro per ticket vs 89 euro for others tours per ticket.
The tour was great. Entrance was straightforward and we got access to the third tier and underground. Kids get the same tickets (our kids were 9, 12, and 14 at the time)
good luck
Posted by
OP
141 posts
Did you do the Belvedere tour?
Posted by
1226 posts
We did the one called "Underground and third tier" (or something like that)
Posted by
Los Angeles
305 posts
They have separated the Underground and Third Ring tours so now it is the Underground and Belvedere tours. Belvedere goes to the 3 ring and the new opened 4th and 5th ring. Coopculture https://www.coopculture.it/en/ticket.cfm?office=Colosseum%3A%20Underground%20and%20Belvedere&id=0&evento=6 There seems to be very limited availability (1 ticket here and there) for Underground and combo in June. There seems to be greater availability for the Belvedere in June. There is a category for children when buying the ticket. You have to pay a 2 Euro reservation fee. When I took to the Underground/Third Ring tour 2 years ago the Walks of Italy tour was in our group (they are not allowed on their own in either place so have to join the Coopculture tour-probably why there is such limited availability). Everybody seemed to enjoy their guide as we saw them several times over the rest of the day in the Forum and Palentine Hill.
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15800 posts
Kathm, did you read through the info in the link I'd included in your previous question? It's a very good explanation on booking through the coopculture website:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/italy/online-forum-and-colosseum-tickets
Unfortunately, quarterly availability for June Belvedere/Underground tours went on sale on March 21st and are likely sold out. It's possible a limited number of June tours will be released on Monday, May 7 at 9:00 AM ROME time. If so, they will sell out in minutes.
Honestly, here's what I would do if you have kids? I would look at purchasing the "Individual tickets with scheduled entrance time and guided tour" option, in English, on this page.
This tour includes the arena only, not the Underground or Belvedere, but you can see down into the Underground from the arena and they'll talk about it. Lots of tickets are available for June, and they're a bargain price of €19.00 for adults (€ 12,00 euro general entry fee + € 5,00 for the tour + € 2,00 reservation fee) and just the € 2,00 reservation fee for kids under 12, any citizenship. If you have a child of any citizenship age 12-17, you purchase the "FREE TICKET + TOUR + RESERVATION" (€5,00 + € 2,00 reservation fee) option for them.
After your tour is over, you can remain in the arena as long as you wish to. You will want to arrive at the Colosseum good and early - 45 minutes to an hour before your tour - to ensure that you get through the security queue and to the events desk to pick up your tickets and meet your guide. Bring your children's passports for proof of age, if requested.
The tickets you will be picking up are also good for the Forum and Palatine so you can visit both of those after your tour.
Otherwise, you might want to just go with the pricier WOI tours if not wanting to get up in the middle of the night on 5/7 on the chance there might be some Underground/Belvedere tours released. If you go with WOI, I would look at a tour which includes the Forum/Palatine as a guide will be helpful for explaining what you're looking at.
Posted by
OP
141 posts
Ugh I can't believe I missed the March 21st date. Very unlike me. I guess it's Walks of Italy. Thank you!
Posted by
New York City
62 posts
I do not know about them. I can vouch for the GREY LINES I LOVE ROME - on their website you will find the Colosseum and other fantastic trips.
Grey Line For Roman Colosseum Tours
Posted by
Minnesota 🎒
15800 posts
I do not know about them. I can vouch for the GREY LINES I LOVE ROME
Joe, I can't speak for the tour you used (very glad you enjoyed it!) but can say that Walks Of Italy has been very, VERY highly and frequently recommended by virtually every poster on this forum who've taken their tours. The Roman Guy is another one that consistently sees excellent reviews.
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g187791-d3167242-Reviews-The_Roman_Guy-Rome_Lazio.html