Essential of Rome in 1 Day: Vatican Musems & Colosseum

Why choose this Rome tour ?

Unleash your cultural exploration in Rome with our Complete Vatican Museums & Colosseum tour. Dive into a day filled with art and history, guided by our expert art historian. Skip the long queues with our reserved entrance to the Vatican Museums and save even more time with our exclusive access to the Ancient Roman sites. Immerse yourself in the city’s finest offerings without the usual crowds.

Maximize your vacation: discover all that Rome has to offer while saving money by combining our top-selling Rome tours into one thrilling day! Listen to engaging commentary from our English-speaking guide as you visit the Eternal City’s most significant attractions: the stunning Vatican Museums, the iconic Sistine Chapel, the grand St. Peter’s Basilica, and the historic Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill.

With a small group and priority entrance to all sites, we ensure an unforgettable experience that will leave a lasting impression!

Essential of Rome in 1 Day: Vatican Musems & Colosseum

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What makes Essential of Rome in 1 Day: Vatican Musems & Colosseum a unique experience ?

The Sistine Chapel is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the pope’s official residence in Vatican City. Originally known as the Cappella Magna (‘Great Chapel’), the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who had it built between 1473 and 1481. Since that time, the chapel has served as a place of both religious and functionary papal activity. Today, it is the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescoes that decorate the interior, most particularly the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, both by Michelangelo.

The Papal Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican, or simply Saint Peter’s Basilica is a church built in the Renaissance style located in Vatican City, the papal enclave that is within the city of Rome, Italy. It was initially planned by Pope Nicholas V and then Pope Julius II to replace the aging Old St. Peter’s Basilica, which was built in the fourth century by Roman emperor Constantine the Great.

This museum houses a large collection of artifacts from Ancient Egypt and also many Egyptian works of Roman production in nine rooms. The Carlo Grassi Collection of bronzes is part of the collection. Such material includes papyruses, sarcophagi, mummies, sculptures and reproductions of the Book of the Dead

The Colosseum is an elliptical amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world, despite its age. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian and was completed in 80 AD under his successor and heir, Titus further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian. The three emperors who were patrons of the work are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheatre was named the Flavian Amphitheatre by later classicists and archaeologists for its association with their family name (Flavius).

The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum (Italian: Foro Romano), is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.

For centuries the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city’s great men. The teeming heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archaeological excavations attracting 4.5 million or more sightseers yearly.

The Palatine Hill, which relative to the seven hills of Rome is the centremost, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called “the first nucleus of the Roman Empire. The site is now mainly a large open-air museum while the Palatine Museum houses many finds from the excavations here and from other ancient Italian sites.

Imperial palaces were built there, starting with Augustus. Before imperial times the hill was mostly occupied by the houses of the rich.

The hill originally had two summits separated by a depression; the highest part was called Palatium and the other Germalus. Using the Forma Urbis its perimeter enclosed 63 acres; while the Regionary Catalogues of the 4th century enclose 131 acres

Tour Description & Additional Info:

Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
This tour visits religious sites, and there is a dress code to be observed. Visitors must be dressed appropriately: no sleeveless blouses, no miniskirts, no shorts, and no hats are allowed
Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers’ full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Due to heightened security measures, you may experience delays in clearing security checks when entering the Colosseum
Due to exceptional religious events, St. Peter’s Basilica might be closed without any notice
Entry to the Vatican Museums is based on strictly timed tickets. For this reason, late arrivals cannot be guaranteed access. All visitors must have a photo ID for the security check
Bags (Colosseum): Bulky bags, trolleys or backpacks are not allowed at the Colosseum. No glass bottles are allowed. There is no cloakroom in the Colosseum
Important: If you have a pacemaker you will need to show a certificate, otherwise you will not be admitted without being screened
For the Colosseum tour: The schedule is subject to changes pending more precise information from the Colosseum management
Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
Please note that starting from April 2025, only for the Colosseum tour the meeting point will change and will be at Via IV Novembre 139, Rome.
Starting in 2025, there will no longer be a guided tour of St. Peter’s Basilica, but entry will still be guaranteed
Please be advised that the tour itinerary may change, but the guided tour is always guaranteed

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Starting point:
Viale Vaticano, 100, 00192 Roma RM, Italy