A Circus Maximus tour is mostly about imagination, because the grass valley is open and free to walk, and the original track lies about six metres below the modern surface, according to Wikipedia. I compared seven guided tours that start at or pass the Circus Maximus, from $72 to $332. Most pair the Circus with the Baths of Caracalla, one is private, one is an e-bike ride and one is a run. This page sets them side by side with route, group size, languages, meeting point and reviews. For the official entry and the VR options, my guide to tickets for the Circus Maximus comes first.
Tour
From
Rating
Length
Free cancellation
Book
Caracalla Baths & Circus Maximus — Private or Shared
What a Circus Maximus Tour Adds Over a Plain Ticket
There is no plain ticket to compare with, because the open field costs nothing. The paid part is the fenced archaeological area with the Circo Maximo Experience, which the official site prices at 12 euros full and 10 euros reduced. A guided Circus Maximus tour adds a person who explains the chariot races, the starting gates and the seating that you cannot see, and most of them add a second site with real walls to look at.
Check one detail on every listing: whether the entry it pays for is the Circus or the Baths. In nearly all of these tours it is the Baths. I would book a Circus Maximus tour for the story and the Baths, and not for access to the fenced track area.
Circus Maximus Tour With the Baths of Caracalla
Three tours follow the same shape: meet near the Circo Massimo metro station or the Baths, walk the Baths of Caracalla with a guide, then look at the Circus.
Touriks is the one I would start with, because 991 reviews at 4.7 is by far the biggest sample. It costs $72, takes 1.5 hours and includes entrance to the Baths, sterilised headsets and a live archaeologist guide. It runs in six languages, with groups of a maximum of 10, and offers private or shared options. You meet at the exit of the Circo Massimo metro station in front of the FAO building and look for a yellow label. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours ahead. Reviewers praise the storytelling at the Circus, though GetYourGuide’s summary notes some feel that segment is brief and seen from a lookout.
Touriks
Caracalla Baths & Circus Maximus — Private or Shared
★4.7 (991 reviews)
1.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The most reviewed Circus Maximus tour: $72, 4.7 from 991 reviews, 1.5 hours, six languages and Baths entry included.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Entrance fees to the Caracalla Baths
✓ Sterilized headsets to hear clearly your guide
✓ Live archeologist guide
✓ Full on-site assistance
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pick-up and drop-off
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Optional tips
Meeting point: Meet your guide at the exit of the Metro Station "Circo Massimo" (in the direction of "Laurentina") in front of the FAO building. Look for a yellow label with the local partner's name written on it. Viale Aventino, 3, 00153 Roma RM, Italy
Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Good tour. The Caracalla baths came to life through our tour guide. Thoroughly. Delighted.” – GetYourGuide review
Visit Rome Tour charges $100 for 2 hours in English, in a small group, and it does not yet have a rating. The listing names a professional licensed guide, the Baths admission, a guided visit inside the Baths and a guided Circus Maximus experience. You meet in front of the main entrance of the Baths on Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 15 minutes before the start. It costs $28 more than Touriks for 30 more minutes, which is why I would wait for reviews unless the timing suits you.
Rome Tour SRLS – Visit Rome Tour
How Romans Lived – Caracalla Baths & Circus Maximus
2 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: A slower, longer Baths and Circus walk: $100, 2 hours, small group in English, no ratings yet.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Professional licensed guide
✓ Baths of Caracalla admission ticket
✓ Guided visit inside the Baths of Caracalla
✓ Guided Circus Maximus experience
✓ Small group
✓ Headsets when required
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Gratuities
✕ Entrance tickets not specifically mentioned
Meeting point: You will meet your tour guide in front of the main entrance of Caracalla Baths, Viale delle Terme di Caracalla 15 min before the tour starts. Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Roma RM, Italia
Languages: English
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
Rome with Silvia is $84 for 1.5 hours in English with headsets, access to the ruins and a group of up to 15. The guide meets you outside the Circo Massimo metro station with the company flag. It has a single 5-star review, so I treat the score as a placeholder. Its edge is the 3-day free cancellation window, longer than the 24 hours elsewhere.
ROME WITH SILVIA
Caracalla Baths and Circus Maximus Guided Tour
★5.0 (1 reviews)
1.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The longer cancellation window: $84, 1.5 hours, English with headsets, up to 15 people, one review.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Small group size
✓ English-speaking guide
✓ Headsets to hear your guide clearly
✓ Guided tour of the Caracalla Thermal Complex and Circus Maximus area
✓ Access to the ruins
✓ Expert insights and stories about the history and architecture
Not included / not suitable
✕ Tips
Meeting point: The guide and the staff assisting the group will meet the clients outside the metro station "Circo Massimo" with the company flag. Viale delle Terme di Caracalla, 00153 Roma RM, Italia
Languages: English
Duration: 1.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
Two Circus Maximus tours are built more around the city than the site.
Tour in the City offers a private tour for $323, 3 hours, covering the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus and the Baths of Caracalla with an art historian. The guide speaks seven languages: Spanish, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Russian. The meeting point is the supplier office at Via della Polveriera 11, above and behind the Colosseum metro station, 30 minutes before departure. A confusing point: the listing names entrance fees in both its included and not included lists, so I would ask the operator what is covered. Cancellation up to 4 days ahead returns only 50%, and it has 5 stars from 4 reviews.
Tour in the City - Travel Agency Rome -
Caracalla, Colosseum, Circus Maximus Private Tour
★5.0 (4 reviews)
3 hours
My pick: The private route with an art historian: $323 for 3 hours in seven languages, but only 4 reviews and a 50% refund policy.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Professional art historian guide
✓ Private tour
✓ Walking tour
✓ Entrance fees
✓ Headset to hear the guide better for groups of over 8 people
Not included / not suitable
✕ Entrance fees
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Gratuities
✕ Hotel pick-up and drop off
Meeting point: The tour supplier's office, Via della Polveriera 11. The office is located above and behind the Colosseum Metro Station. You have to cross the small pedestrian bridge just up from and to the side of the 2nd level of the Colosseum Metro, then the meeting point is about 100 meters (about 300 feet), straight ahead from there. Please be at meeting point at least 30 minutes prior to your tour departure time. Via delle Terme di Tito, 72, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Pink Umbrella Tours is $240 for 2 hours and 4.1 stars from 32 reviews, and it is a walk through central Rome, not a Circus Maximus tour in the narrow sense. It meets in front of the Basilica of Sant’Anastasia al Palatino, sees the sights from outside and excludes entrance tickets and the Colosseum visit. The listing says you must arrive 15 minutes early because you cannot join once the activity starts, and that guides wait no more than 10 minutes. Reviewers rate the guides highly, and one 4-star reviewer enjoyed the evening walk’s pace. At $240 I would only pick it for the orientation.
Pink Umbrella Tours
Colosseum, Circus Maximus, Forum & Ancient Rome Tour
★4.1 (32 reviews)
2 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: A $240 outside-only walk through central Rome, 4.1 from 32 reviews: the guide is the product, not entry.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Guide
✓ Walking tour
Not included / not suitable
✕ Entrance tickets and fees
✕ Visit to the Colosseum
✕ Tips
Meeting point: Meet your guide in front of the Basilica of Sant'Anastasia al Palatino. Piazza di Sant'Anastasia, 1, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Languages: English
Duration: 2 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Great tour with our amazing guide Francesco who anwered our numerous questions with ease.” – GetYourGuide review
The Rome in a Day Tours e-bike ride costs $85 for 4 hours. It starts at Via dei Cerchi 59, near the Circo Massimo metro station, and heads out past the Baths of Caracalla, Porta San Sebastiano and the Aurelian Walls onto the Appian Way, the Tomb of Cecilia Metella and the Catacombs. The price includes a guide, e-bikes, a bottle of water and Catacomb tickets. It is limited to 10 people, runs in English and needs you to know how to ride a bicycle. Arrive 20 minutes early to be fitted. It has 5 stars from 3 reviews.
Rome in a Day Tours
E-bike Tour From The Circus Maximus To The Catacombs
★5.0 (3 reviews)
4 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The Circus Maximus to Appian Way e-bike ride: $85, 4 hours, small group, catacomb tickets included, 5 stars from 3 reviews.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Experienced tour guide
✓ Several sizes of high-quality e-bikes
✓ Even if we believe that electric mountain bikes are the option for this tour, we provide also e-bikes with old-style frames and baskets
✓ Bottle of water
✓ Stop to purchase food
✓ Tickets for the Catacombs
Not included / not suitable
✕ Tips
✕ Transfer to and from your hotel
✕ Food and beverage
Meeting point: Arrive 20 minutes before the tour starts in order to acquaint yourself with the bikes and sign paperwork. Via dei Cerchi, 59, 00186 Roma RM, Italy
Languages: English
Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“Fantastic tour. The route was beautiful and our guide was informative.” – GetYourGuide review
The Go! Running Tours loop is a private 1-hour, 7 km run at $332, with a local guide, digital photos and route tracking, in English or Italian. The description starts at the Circus Maximus and runs past the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain, but the meeting point is listed as the Capitoline Hill, so confirm where you begin. It has no reviews yet.
Go! Running Tours Aps
Circus Maximus and City Highlights Running Tour
1 hour
Free cancellation
My pick: For runners: a private 7 km city loop, $332, 1 hour, no reviews yet, meeting at the Capitoline Hill.
What you get, where you meet
Included
✓ Private group tour
✓ Guided tour with a local guide
✓ Digital photos
✓ Route tracking
Meeting point: We will meet at the Capitoline Hill Capitoline Hill, 00186 Rome, Metropolitan City of Rome Capital, Italy
Languages: English, Italian
Duration: 1 hour
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
On the Baths walks, yes, and the verdict is consistent: the guide is the draw and the Circus is the shorter half. In the 20 Touriks reviews I read, the praise is for knowledgeable guides and storytelling, and two reviewers say there is little to see at the Circus itself. Several were lucky enough to be the only guests on a small-group booking.
“The hippodrome was less interesting than the Baths as we didn’t enter the area of the Hippodrome.”
— GetYourGuide reviewer
For the other tours I have too few reviews to see a pattern. Rome with Silvia, the e-bike ride and the private tour have a handful between them, so I treat those scores with care.
Guided Circus Maximus Tour or Ticket Only?
The cheapest way into the fenced area is not a tour at all. The official experience costs 12 euros, and the $25 Voyager VR/AR entry is the cheapest listing, both covered on my tickets page. A guided Circus Maximus tour costs $72 or more, which makes the guide worth roughly $47 more than the VR entry. What you get for it is the Baths of Caracalla admission and a person to explain two sites. If you want only the Circus, the guided tours are poor value.
Small Group, Private or Standard Circus Maximus Tours
Group size is stated on four tours. Touriks and the e-bike ride are capped at 10, Rome with Silvia at up to 15, and the private Tour in the City tour is just your group, up to 100 people. The Visit Rome Tour listing says small group without a number. Privacy is the main upgrade: the private tour and the running loop are the only fully private ones, and both cost over $320.
How I’d Choose a Circus Maximus Tour
First visit: Touriks at $72, for 991 reviews and the Baths included.
Other languages: Touriks, in six languages, or the private Tour in the City tour for Russian.
Small group, longer cancellation window: Rome with Silvia at $84.
Private with an art historian: Tour in the City at $323.
Active day: the $85 e-bike ride to the Catacombs.
Runners: Go! Running Tours at $332.
Before you go, read my Circus Maximus opening hours guide for the field and the experience, and my Circus Maximus history page for the background your guide will skim. When you are ready to compare the entry options, the full list of Circus Maximus tickets is the place to go, and the home page lists the other attractions I compare.
Frequently asked questions
Is a Circus Maximus tour worth it?+
I think so, but for the guide and not for the ground. Not much of the Circus is left to see, and the original track lies about six metres below the modern surface per Wikipedia, so a guide is what rebuilds it. The Touriks tour at $72 has 4.7 stars from 991 reviews and pairs the Circus with the Baths of Caracalla, which reviewers like more.
How long is a Circus Maximus tour?+
From 1 hour for the private running tour to 4 hours for the e-bike ride along the Appian Way. The Baths of Caracalla and Circus Maximus walks run 1.5 hours (Touriks, Rome with Silvia) or 2 hours (Visit Rome Tour), and the private tour with the Colosseum is 3 hours.
Do Circus Maximus tours go inside the archaeological area?+
Mostly not. The listings I read pay for the Baths of Caracalla and view the Circus from outside, and one reviewer of the Touriks tour wrote that the group did not enter the hippodrome area. The Visit Rome Tour listing calls its Circus part a guided Circus Maximus experience, but it does not say the fenced area is entered.
Which Circus Maximus tour is best for a small group?+
Touriks lists a maximum of 10 participants and offers private or shared options. Rome in a Day Tours limits its e-bike ride to 10, and Rome with Silvia says up to 15 people. Two Touriks reviewers ended up as the only guests on their tour, which is luck, not a promise.
Can I take a Circus Maximus tour in Spanish, French or German?+
Yes on two of them. Touriks runs in English, Spanish, French, German, Portuguese and Italian, and the private Tour in the City tour adds Russian to those. The others I compared run in English, with Italian added on the Go! Running Tours loop.
Can I cancel a Circus Maximus tour?+
Five of the seven listings cancel free up to 24 hours ahead, Rome with Silvia up to 3 days ahead. The private Tour in the City tour is the stricter one: cancelling up to 4 days ahead returns 50%.
