Rome in a Day: Private Rome & Vatican Tour

Only one day to check off all the must-sees in Rome? Andiamo! In one action-packed day you’ll visit the Colosseum and Roman Forum in the footsteps of Gladiators and Caesars who inhabited Roma Caput Mundi, stroll through the iconic piazzas and fountains of historic Rome, and take in all of the highlights of Vatican City - all with an expert art historian guide!

What We Love About This Tour: 

• Skip-the-line access to FOUR venues along this tour.  
• Stepping onto the Colosseum Arena Floor: Priceless! 
• With a private guide you can go at your own pace and ask as many questions as you like  
• So many takeaways! Learn the meaning of “Caput Mundi,” how much work went into painting  the Sistine Chapel, and did all roads really lead to Rome? 

Meet your private tour guide just steps from the Colosseum and then enjoy fast track entry to the arena through the Gladiator’s Gate. As you step onto the arena floor, glance down at the intricate labyrinth that is the Colosseum underground, where man and beast awaited their moment of glory or met their fateful death. As you gaze around this massive arena once able to seat up to 50,000 spectators, learn how construction on the Colosseum began in 72 AD and took 8 long years to complete. When it finally opened to the public, the inauguration games set the scene for a tremendous show of wealth, power, and exorbitance. While exploring the perimeter, your guide will portray an accurate picture of Gladiator games and what they meant to the Romans, helping you to decipher between fact, fiction, and the images portrayed by big-screen Hollywood blockbusters.

With the Colosseum behind you, travel even further back in time as you enter the Roman Forum: the true heart of Ancient Rome with monuments dating as far back as the 7th century BC. Learn of the legendary founding of Rome on the Palatine hill and how a she-wolf rescued and nursed the young twins Romulus (the first King of Rome) and Remus after they washed up on the banks of the Tiber River, and how these famous twins would pave the way for future tyrants, Emperors, and even Caesars who declared themselves Gods throughout the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. 

As we change gears and fast-forward many a century, no visit to Rome is complete without a trip to the Trevi Fountain. This renaissance jewel was immortalized in Fellini’s film “La Dolce Vita” by none other than Anita Ekberg, who dared to take an impromptu dip. Be sure to toss three coins into the blue water before moving on to our next port of call: the Pantheon. Tour this astonishing architectural marvel built nearly 2,000 years ago as a Pagan temple to honor the Gods, and learn why it is the best preserved of all the Roman ruins in the city.  

The morning segment of this tour concludes at Piazza Navona, the most beautiful of Rome’s renaissance squares. As you stroll across this picturesque promenade that lies above what was once emperor Domitian’s stadium, you’ll enjoy the scene of buskers and street artists while Bernini’s remarkable Baroque fountains take center stage. 

Enjoy a quick bite and a rest and rest before continuing on to the Vatican. Your guide will be sure to make some great recommendations for authentic local fare to refuel before the afternoon tour of the Vatican. 

Enjoy priority entrance as we head past the queues and straight into the Vatican Museums! See the major works of art ranging from Greek and Roman sculpture to Renaissance masterpieces, though much of this tour will be dedicated to the Sistine Chapel itself. From the commissioning of this colossal masterpiece to the finishing touches applied by Michaelangelo Buonarroti, your guide will help you to discern between myth, fact, and popular Hollywood fiction regarding this majestic work of art. 

After spending some time gazing at the world’s most famous frescoed ceiling, enjoy privileged access to St. Peter’s Basilica directly from the Sistine Chapel, a perk offered to authorized tour operators only. Learn about the major works of importance by Michelangelo and Bernini inside St. Peter’s before your guide bids you farewell, and remain inside St. Peter’s as long as you wish as your Rome in Day tour comes to a conclusion.

DEPARTURE:   Daily 

DURATION: Approx. 8.5 hours including lunch break. 

What’s Included:  

• Special access tickets to the Colosseum including the Arena Floor 
• Skip-the-line tickets to the Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel 
• Priority access to St. Peter’s Basilica 
• Fully private tour guide

Not Included: 

• Hotel pickup and dropoff (you can add these upon checkout) 
• Lunch
• Gratuities
• Taxi transfer between historic center and the Vatican Museum

Important to Know:

• The ground in the Roman Forum is composed of large stone or dirt pathways that can be difficult to navigate with strollers or wheelchairs. 
• Only small bags or purses are allowed in the Vatican and the Colosseum. No large bags or weapons allowed, and a cloakroom is available at the Vatican only. 
• Tour departs rain or shine
• A short and inexpensive taxi transfer will be necessary during this tour
• No speaking is allowed in St. Peter’s Basilica during afternoon mass. Your guide will provide you with explanations before entering the church.
• Wheelchairs and strollers can be accommodated on this tour, but following a modified route. Let us know in advance if you will be traveling with reduced mobility or strollers. 

Important to Bring: 

• Comfortable shoes for walking 
• A hat and sunblock during summer months 
• Water

Covid-19 compliance: For the most accurate and up-to-date information click here. 

• In accordance with Italian Covid-19 safety regulations, all guests ages 12 and older will be required to show proof of Vaccination (Pfizer, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson or AstraZeneca) or a negative Covid-test taken within 48 hours of the tour.
• Please note that due to current local Covid-19 measures, all customers will be required to bring and wear a mask during the entire visit. 
• Temperature checks may also take place at tour venues; if your temperature is above 37.5°C you will unfortunately not be able to attend the tour.
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 Terms and conditions:

• Changes and cancellation are possible free of charge up to 96 hours before the start time. If the desired change involves a tour of greater value, the balance will be due upon rebooking.
• Any cancellations made within 96 hours and no-shows are non-refundable.
• Children under the age of 18 must be accompanied by at least one adult to join a tour or an activity.