Fast track: Ancient Rome Half-Day Walking Tour with Arena entrance

Your Rome half-day tour starts near the Colosseum. Head inside to explore the first and second tiers of the Roman amphitheater with your guide. Hear how seating was allocated to social status, with the Emperors and senators enjoying the best seats in the house, and plebeians toward the top. The stadium’s gladiatorial contests were its main attraction, and you’ll hear tales of the gory games where trained gladiators would fight each other for the amusement of the crowds.

After your Colosseum tour, set off to explore the surrounding area, discovering places that once represented the financial, commercial and political center of Ancient Rome. The main relics and ruins are clustered throughout the Roman Forum, so head inside to wander seeing history set in the site’s stones.

Hear fascinating tales about the power and treachery associated with the Emperors of Ancient Rome while seeing the ruins of once-important monuments like the Temple of Caesar. Stop for photos by the white marble Arch of Septimius Severus, and gaze in wonder at the colonnaded Regia – once the home of the Kings of Rome. Other highlights include the Gemonian stairs and Temple of Vespasian and Titus.

Leave the Roman Forum and continue into Rome’s centro storico, to see all the sights around its historical center. Throw a coin in the impressive Trevi Fountain for luck, and then pose for photos in front of Rome Pantheon – one of the best-preserved Roman monuments in the city. Stroll around Piazza Navona, a lively central square, and learn about Bernini, a much-celebrated Baroque sculptor who designed three of the square’s fountains. Your Ancient Rome half-day walking tour then finishes in the center of town.