Rome Gladiator Gate: Special Access

Get a gladiator’s view of the Colosseum, then explore the Roman Forum on a walking tour through the heart of ancient Rome. With a special access ticket, you'll enter the arena via the Gladiator’s Gate. Stand where gladiators once fought, hear tales of ruthless crowds and emperors, then explore the Colosseum’s first and second levels with your guide. Finish with a tour of Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum with even more stories that bring the ruins to life. If you choose the VIP Caesar and Colosseum tour at time of booking, your Palatine Hill and Forum tour will include a visit to the extraordinary SUPER Sites, a collection of immaculately preserved ancient temples and villas (including the house of Caesar Augustus) that few visitors have the chance to access.

Stand in the spot where gladiators once clashed swords and battles raged before throngs of spectators as you visit the mighty Colosseum and get special access to the arena floor. Afterward, learn what daily life was like in ancient Rome as you walk in the footsteps of everyday citizens among the ruins of the Roman Forum. Meet your guide near the formidable hulk of the Colosseum, the gigantic arena that drew Romans of all walks of life to watch violent fights between gladiators and beasts. Bypass the crowds and head straight inside, entering the Colosseum through a special gate once used by gladiators themselves. Walk right onto the arena floor—an area not usually accessible to the public—and learn about the harrowing events that took place here for entertainment's sake centuries ago.

Spend a full hour exploring the rest of the Colosseum, from the ground floor up to the second tier, where you can see the Roman Forum from a distance before making your way across to Palatine Hill. You'll also get ahead of the crowds at this storied collection of ruins and listen to your guide rebuild ancient Rome from the ground up through captivating stories. Hear tales of war, politics, and betrayal, and get introduced to some of the ancient world's larger-than-life characters as you roam around the markets, roads, and temples where the empire's citizens once lived, played, and prayed.

If you choose the VIP Caesar & Colosseum tour when booking, your Palatine Hill and Roman Forum tour (which will take place before your Colosseum visit) includes access to the SUPER Sites. Normally off-limits to visitors with standard access tickets, these are some of the most breathtakingly beautiful ancient ruins in all of Rome. One highlight is the Casa di Augusto, the house of Caesar Augustus, with vibrant frescoes that rival those in Pompeii.