The 9 Day Italy tour says we will see the Colosseum. Does the mean from the outside look-see or the inside (gallows)? Does the 9 day Italy tour have tours inside the Colosseum? Is there such a thing as inside Colosseum tours? I'd like to see where the gladiators were kept and where the Kings/Queens/Elite were sitting and gathering.
Posted by
Massachusetts
869 posts
I assume you mean the Heart of Italy tour?
Yes, you will have a guided tour of the Colosseum with a local guide.
This is what the website says about what is included in the tour:
Here's what you'll see and do on our Heart of Italy tour:
Ancient Rome walking tour
Colosseum
Roman Forum
Pantheon (when available)
Evening walk through Rome including Trevi Fountain
Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
Also, you can check past tour scrapbooks from people who have taken tours.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks/tour-alum-scrapbooks
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14058 posts
I've done Heart of Italy and as indicated we did a walking tour inside the Colosseum as well as going across the street to tour the forum with the local guide. It does not include the special itinerary the Colosseum sells that includes the underground area. You do walk around the seating area. Be sure to see the "seats" (blocks of stone) in the museum that has graffiti on them! So cool!
This is on your transit day to Volterra so you check out of the hotel, load luggage onto the bus then the bus drops you near the Colosseum and picks you up there to head out of town.
In my experience Rick's tours are very specific about what they visit. No shades of gray that many tour companies have with differentiating between "seeing" (viewing from the outside) and "visiting" (going in). If you are just doing a drive by it's not mentioned.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8435 posts
I did this tour last fall and the description of loading onto the bus with luggage and getting dropped off to meet local guide and tour is correct. It is a good tour but does not include the Underground. If you wanted to do that, you would need to take one of the tours the colosseum offers during your free time either before the tour or on the free afternoon of the tour, The guide stays with you through the forum which I found even more interesting than the colosseum. There is a lunch break and then loaded onto the bus to travel to the next location.
Posted by
OP
9 posts
Thanks for the replies. I'm booking an extra day (before official tour starts) and I wanted to get more details on the Colosseum tour. This should be enough for me (it's inside not just a drive by outside tour). Thanks for the replies. This helps me to make plans for my extra day.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14058 posts
Oh good! I'm glad you are going in a day early. Now can we make it 2 days early, lol!!
I, too, liked the forum better than the Colosseum although I'll have to say this is just one of those things you have to go in. I'm not big on must-dos or checklists but you have to check this iconic site off.
On your free day there are lots of things you can consider. I enjoy the Capitoline Museum and went to the Borghese for the first time on my Best of Italy tour free time last fall. There is SO much to see and do here!