This is the only one-day tour combining the two single-most important attractions in Rome – the Colosseum and the Vatican. Enjoy entry through our Official Vatican Partner Entrance to the Museums and Skip-the-Line Access to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum to make the most of your vacation time with a local English-speaking expert guide.
Follow the Footsteps of the Popes
Your day starts by meeting your expert art historian guide who has a carefully crafted itinerary through the Vatican Museums prepared. You’ll pass the crowds in line and make your way towards the Sistine Chapel. Along the way, you’ll look around the incredible Raphael Rooms and a wide variety of galleries filled to the ceiling with ancient sculptures, medieval maps, pristine paintings, delicate tapestries, and precious relics.
In the Sistine Chapel, you’ll see the frescoes of Michelangelo that hold hidden secrets, including a personal message to the Pope. Michelangelo will also appear again beneath the vast dome he designed for St. Peter’s Basilica, with his name carved in his Pietá. As you exit through St Peter’s Square you have free time to explore on your own and dine at a local Italian café.
Discover the Stories of Ancient Rome
In the early afternoon, once relaxed and well fed, you’ll join your guide with Skip-the-line access to the Colosseum, one of the world’s greatest wonders. Your local English-speaking guide is an expert in archaeology and history so they will take you back in time to the ancient Roman empire. As you stroll through the vast walls of the Colosseum your guide will recount the gruesome spectacles, battles, and politics that played out here.
You will go even further back in time to Palatine Hill where Rome was founded by the wolf-raised Romulus. To get there you will pass through the deserted temples of the Roman Forum, the political and economic heart of the ancient empire. It is an experience like no other in the Eternal City, and only City Wonders can provide it on an incredible one-day excursion.
Check out our full list of Rome tours.
