Rome tours

You could do it by yourself, but a well conducted tour adds so much. I had been to the Vatican and its museums on several trips before I did a guided tour, and I still learned so much on the tour. I used Context Rome for the Vatican (and a number of other sites in Rome). They have very small groups with academically well qualified, interesting guides. I've used Context Tours in a number of cities and have always had great experiences. In my experience, Context has been far superior to other well recommended companies I've used. Their focus is on understanding and context... not entertaining stories that are often aimed at the lowest common denominator. I'd suggest you check their website.

Tiffany, As the previous reply mentioned, a guided tour is usually a much more interesting experience and provides a better understanding of the history. I really like being able to ask questions of the Guides to clarify or get information on parts I don't understand. Regarding the Colosseum, you could use the method suggested in the Guidebook and buy a combo ticket on Palatine Hill, which covers the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill. Once inside the Colosseum, you'll have the option of either an AudioGuide or the fully guided tour (with "Whisper Headsets", as I recall). I'd highly recommend taking the guided tour. If you'd prefer a more "personalized approach", you could hire a local Guide to configure a tour for the sites that you specifically want to see. I would highly recommend Francesca Caruso. She's an outstanding Guide and has an excellent knowledge of the history. I can't recall her E-mail address, but it's in the Guidebook. Buon Viaggio!