Skip-the-line Colosseum, Palatine Hill and Roman Forum tour
You’ll meet your guide and group near the entrance to the Colosseum; the extraordinary amphitheater was ancient Rome’s center of public entertainment. Before entering, your guide will give you a complete history lesson about the site, including the gladiatorial clashes and wild-animal fights that were once staged here. Once you’re inside, you’ll wander remnants of the seating arcades that once fit more than 60,000 spectators. Next, the Roman Forum where you’ll explore the one time cultural, economic, and political center of ancient Rome. You’ll walk along the Via Sacra, tracing the paths of ancient military processions and political rallies. You’ll also see important sites like the Temple of Julius Caesar (where the emperor’s body was ceremonially burned), and the Curia Julia the still-intact Senate House where Cicero and Mark Antony once orated. Palatine Hill: where the twins Romulus and Remus first decided to begin building the city of Rome atop this impressive hill, you’ll understand why as you walk among its ruined emperors’ palaces and still-blooming botanical gardens.