Rome in late January

I think it's difficult to say with any confidence that Rome will be quiet in January, because:

• This is the first post-pandemic January, so prior-year experiences may not be predictive of this coming January.
• It was reported a few months ago that year-to-date foreign-visitor numbers in Italy were over 50% above 2019 levels.

Ordinary tickets to the Vatican Museums have often been sold out in advance when I checked the website, a situation I didn't read about on this forum prior to the pandemic. I'd definitely get Vatican Museum tickets as soon as I was really confident of my dates. At this point, the general tickets are already sold out for many days between now and January 9. The Museums are typically mobbed, so many visitors like to pay more for early entry, prior to the general opening time. Those tickets are limited. https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home/calendar/visit/Biglietti-Musei

The Borghese Gallery has required advance purchase of tickets for quite some time.

Demand for tickets to see the lower level of the Colosseum exceeds supply. I don't know about regular entry tickets to the Colosseum.

Access to the Domus Aurea is limited; those tickets might need to be obtained now for January.

There may be other difficult tickets I'm not aware of.

We have been to Rome several times in late February, and while not oppressive, there are still plenty of tourists. I think you can still get in most venues with a moderate wait, but the Borghese always requires a reserved time slot, the Vatican Museum is best with a reserved time slot, just due to the amount of time needed, and working it into your day. If you want a specific tour at the Colosseum, might be best to reserve that. But most other sights, you could probably walk up and get right in.

Just to add to info about the Colosseum, they do not sell walk-up tickets, such as at a booth. Tickets must be reserved/purchased online or by phone, and will be timed-entry.

This is the page for a general-entry ticket (not a tour, and doesn't include the underground or arena floor):
https://www.coopculture.it/en/products/ticket-colosseum-roman-forum-palatine_24h/

With this ticket you can access the Palatine and Forum within 24 hours of your entry time to the Colosseum. Tours of the Colosseum are also available through the coopculture site, although those which include the underground sell out very, very quickly in advance.

https://www.coopculture.it/en/tickets/index.html

I think it's difficult to say with any confidence that Rome will be
quiet in January, because:

This is the first post-pandemic January, so prior-year experiences may
not be predictive of this coming January. It was reported a few months
ago that year-to-date foreign-visitor numbers in Italy were over 50%
above 2019 levels.

acraven, you could very well be right. We're hoping to be in Rome last week of October 2023, and I expect plenty of people to be around. We were there in February 2017, and it was chill & enchanting. Those days may be gone...

Depends on how long you are going to be in Rome and how important it is for you to see some of the ‘must see’ items. At the end of October this year, my wife decided that although she hates crowds, we should see the Sistine Chapel. I got onto the Vatican web page the night before our last full day and got entry with an official English speaking guide at 13:50 on our last day. The crowds were huge.

Venice had a very long (but fast-moving) line at San Marco in late September, a bit of a line at the Guggenheim (perhaps for people with tickets, waiting for their entry time?), mobs along the walking route from the train station to the Rialto Bridge and San Marco, and vaporetti that seldom had seats available. That's all the really crowded experiences I had in Venice over the course of nine days. I was expecting it to be considerably worse, based on on-the-ground reports from others in Italy this year. But I think most of those others were reporting from Rome. Maybe Rome got most of the excess visitors in 2022; I only went to Ravenna, Padua and Venice.

However, I've looked at the Vatican Museum ticket situation several times over the course of this year, in response to posts and questions on this forum, and there have been plenty of days when tickets were sold out, and not just one day in advance. That has become a tough ticket.

Does anyone have any suggestions on tour companies
for vatican and coliseum?

Seems there are a ton of them

and prefer smaller companies

I usually dont do tours but not
sure if Rome is a place where a tour is

more informative?

The most economical tours are offered through the Colosseum and Vatican websites themselves:

https://www.coopculture.it/en/tickets/

https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home

The problem with the Colosseum is that the most-desired tour(s) - the Coopculture budget ones which include access to underground, a section no one is allowed to visit on their own - sell out very, very quickly in advance. They also don't offer one which includes guided services for the Colosseum AND the Forum and Palatine. The latter two sites are much more complex and difficult to understand without some help. If you are interested guidance for all 3, look at Walks of Italy, The Roman Guy or Through Eternity:

www.walksofitaly.com
www.througheternity.com
www.theromanguy.com

I see that Through Eternity has one for all 3 that's currently on sale at a nice price, although it doesn't include the underground:
https://www.througheternity.com/en/rome-tours/colosseum-tour-ancient-rome.html

For the Vatican Museums, a lot of people like the tours which access the museums an hour or so before the general public. The Vatican's own, economical option for that is the "Prime Experience" (not the "VIP Prime Experience"). Group size is no larger than 25, and includes breakfast at the museum after the tour. Anyway, enter your desired date(s) on the site and see what's available for the end of next month.