Colosseum & Forum question?
Mar 25th, 2010, 12:56 PM
#1
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Colosseum & Forum question?
Just wondering if anyone can answer a few questions concerning the Colosseum and Forum? I read somewhere that the Colosseum offers tours that last approximately 45 mins that cost 4 euro? If so has anyone done this as opposed to hiring a private guide or group tour guide? This seems extremely reasonable compared to the 30 euro or more that most guides and tour operators charge. Also, I seem to recall that this only covers the Colosseum, does anyone know if the Forum offers tours also? I'm not talking about all of the private tour companies, we have looked at a lot of them. Also, I can't seem to find the official web site for the Colosseum and Forum to verify any of this? Anyone know what the web site is?
Thanks
Thanks
Mar 25th, 2010, 01:17 PM
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Official website for Colosseum, Palatine and Roman Forum is in Italian only at http://archeoroma.beniculturali.it/i...aree_monumenti
Mar 25th, 2010, 01:28 PM
#3
The guided visit for the forum is listed at 3€ or you can rent an audio guide for 4€. I don't see an official website listed for the Colosseum, but this is the official tourist website and a link for the forum info.
http://www.060608.it/en/content/item...d/88/itm/12632
I do not see a tour listed for the Colosseum, only the audio guide for 4€.
http://www.060608.it/en/content/item...d/90/itm/12749
Palantine does not list a tour either.
http://www.060608.it/en/content/item...d/88/itm/12635
There are also free tours you can download to your Ipod/MP3 from ITunes (Rick Steves) or his MP3 on his website.
http://www.ricksteves.com/news/trave..._downloads.htm
You might want to get the 3 day Roma Pass (25€) which gives you free admission to your first two sites (Colosseum/Forum/Palantine count as one and you can visit them on different days as long as it's within the 3 day pass). It also includes a 3 day transport pass. Best value is to use it for the Colosseum/Forum area and for the Borghese (you have to call and make a reservation and tell them you will be using the pass).
http://www.romapass.it/p.aspx?l=en
http://www.060608.it/en/content/item...d/88/itm/12632
I do not see a tour listed for the Colosseum, only the audio guide for 4€.
http://www.060608.it/en/content/item...d/90/itm/12749
Palantine does not list a tour either.
http://www.060608.it/en/content/item...d/88/itm/12635
There are also free tours you can download to your Ipod/MP3 from ITunes (Rick Steves) or his MP3 on his website.
http://www.ricksteves.com/news/trave..._downloads.htm
You might want to get the 3 day Roma Pass (25€) which gives you free admission to your first two sites (Colosseum/Forum/Palantine count as one and you can visit them on different days as long as it's within the 3 day pass). It also includes a 3 day transport pass. Best value is to use it for the Colosseum/Forum area and for the Borghese (you have to call and make a reservation and tell them you will be using the pass).
http://www.romapass.it/p.aspx?l=en
Mar 25th, 2010, 01:28 PM
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My experience but this may not be the one about which you are thinking: There are people in front of the Colosseum hawking tours from private companies as a way to get in quickly. You join a tour right then. Whether or not you get in quickly is depends on how many people they have already gathered for the group. The guide stands outside and gives information while a hawkers gather people and collect their money. Eventually as a group you go in and get a tour lasting about 45 minutes. The 4 euros you mention was about the total amount of the ticket above the actual entrance price which was included in the ticket.
Watch how this is done--you may never receive an actual paper ticket which may mean that you have no way to use the part of your combined ticket that covers the Forum and Palatine HIll. The Forum entrance fee is part of the same combined ticket with the Colosseum. Some of these groups invite you to return later to join a Forum and Palatine Hill tour in the afternoon, which might be the only way to recoup the cost of the combined ticket. Others may escort you to the Forum after the Colosseum tour to get you past the ticket office and then leave you on your own. It all depends.
Watch how this is done--you may never receive an actual paper ticket which may mean that you have no way to use the part of your combined ticket that covers the Forum and Palatine HIll. The Forum entrance fee is part of the same combined ticket with the Colosseum. Some of these groups invite you to return later to join a Forum and Palatine Hill tour in the afternoon, which might be the only way to recoup the cost of the combined ticket. Others may escort you to the Forum after the Colosseum tour to get you past the ticket office and then leave you on your own. It all depends.
Mar 25th, 2010, 01:39 PM
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Thank you for the replies. So it looks like the Forum offers a guided tour for 3e? Looks like the Colosseum charges 4 euro? Has anyone ever taken this guided tour? We are curious as to why people pay 20 to 30 euro or more for a tour with a tour company or the hawkers out front when the Forum has guided tours for 3 euro. Is it a case of you get what you pay for and they are not very good?
Mar 25th, 2010, 01:47 PM
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To be clear, all of these guided tours you are mentioning are not the only cost. You will have to pay 12 euros admission to enter and then 3 euros more for the tour, so 15 euros total.
The prices charged by those private companies you've found online may or may not include the price of admission. Some of the private companies popular on this forum offer a much more lengthy and in-depth (3 hours) tour of the Colosseum and Forum complex. It all depends on what level of tour you want. You may not need a tour at all. It's up to you.
The prices charged by those private companies you've found online may or may not include the price of admission. Some of the private companies popular on this forum offer a much more lengthy and in-depth (3 hours) tour of the Colosseum and Forum complex. It all depends on what level of tour you want. You may not need a tour at all. It's up to you.
Mar 25th, 2010, 01:51 PM
#7
Because they don't know the 3€ tour exists. They see the long lines and the tours tout bypassing the lines. If you have a Roma Pass you can bypass the lines on your own. You can also buy an entrance ticket through Pierreci which is on the link. I think they tack on a small reservation fee (1.50€ or so).
Opps, sorry. Didn't read the whole link I posted for the Colosseum. It does list their tour for 4€.
Visits for individuals
hours: info
languages: English, Italian, Spanish
persons: max 40
duration: 45 minutes
price: € 4,00
Here's a list of times for the English tours. I would assume these can book up since they are limited to 40 people.
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an...-colosseo.aspx
Opps, sorry. Didn't read the whole link I posted for the Colosseum. It does list their tour for 4€.
Visits for individuals
hours: info
languages: English, Italian, Spanish
persons: max 40
duration: 45 minutes
price: € 4,00
Here's a list of times for the English tours. I would assume these can book up since they are limited to 40 people.
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an...-colosseo.aspx
Mar 25th, 2010, 01:59 PM
#8
FYI - Pierreci lists the forum tours as Sat/Sun in Italian only. If you scroll down on this link, they have the audio guides to download.
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an...ro-romano.aspx
Also, if you scroll way down on the Pierreci Colosseum link in my previous response, you get to the audio guides to download.
http://www.pierreci.it/en/museums-an...ro-romano.aspx
Also, if you scroll way down on the Pierreci Colosseum link in my previous response, you get to the audio guides to download.
Mar 25th, 2010, 02:16 PM
#10
hi degiulio,
we jsut came back from Rome about a month ago, so perhaps I can help with some up to date information.
1. you do not need to do a tour to get into the Colosseum without queuing. EITHER purchase a Roma pass [especially good if you are only staying 3-4 days, less convenient if you are staying a week or so] which will get you in so long as it is your first or second attraction, OR go to a Forum or Palatine ticket office, and buy your ticket there. the ticket covers you for all those three places so you can buy it at any one of them, and get into the other two without queuing.
2. the queues at the forum and the palatine are much shorter - we queued for about 20 mins to get into the Forum and took about 30 -45 mins to wander round, BUT it is a very confusing place without a guide of some sort. think about getting a book, or an on-line guide that you can download onto an i-pod, if you don't hire a guide or do the official tour on a sat or Sunday.
3. with a bit of imagination, you really don't need a guide at the Colosseum. you can buy a book at the shop there, and there is loads of info on large placards all the way round. there are some particularly good ones on the 1st level and some models too of how they got things [and people and animals] up from the lower levels! with your Roma pass or forum/palatine ticket, you just walk in, taking the left-hand entrance after you're past security, and feeling a terrific sense of superiority as you walk past the people in the queue!
4. we didn't go to the Palatine this time, but we did enjoy it the 1st time we went. good for about a hour including the museum.
5. if you've got the energy, after all this walk up to the Vittorio Emmanuale monument and go up to the cafe - great views! [but avoid the loos up there at all costs].
have a great trip,
regards, ann
we jsut came back from Rome about a month ago, so perhaps I can help with some up to date information.
1. you do not need to do a tour to get into the Colosseum without queuing. EITHER purchase a Roma pass [especially good if you are only staying 3-4 days, less convenient if you are staying a week or so] which will get you in so long as it is your first or second attraction, OR go to a Forum or Palatine ticket office, and buy your ticket there. the ticket covers you for all those three places so you can buy it at any one of them, and get into the other two without queuing.
2. the queues at the forum and the palatine are much shorter - we queued for about 20 mins to get into the Forum and took about 30 -45 mins to wander round, BUT it is a very confusing place without a guide of some sort. think about getting a book, or an on-line guide that you can download onto an i-pod, if you don't hire a guide or do the official tour on a sat or Sunday.
3. with a bit of imagination, you really don't need a guide at the Colosseum. you can buy a book at the shop there, and there is loads of info on large placards all the way round. there are some particularly good ones on the 1st level and some models too of how they got things [and people and animals] up from the lower levels! with your Roma pass or forum/palatine ticket, you just walk in, taking the left-hand entrance after you're past security, and feeling a terrific sense of superiority as you walk past the people in the queue!
4. we didn't go to the Palatine this time, but we did enjoy it the 1st time we went. good for about a hour including the museum.
5. if you've got the energy, after all this walk up to the Vittorio Emmanuale monument and go up to the cafe - great views! [but avoid the loos up there at all costs].
have a great trip,
regards, ann
