A Roman Forum tour answers one practical problem: the Forum is a field of ruins with few labels, and someone has to tell you which pile of stones was the Senate. I compared seven guided Roman Forum tours on GetYourGuide, from $39 to $144. Every one includes the entry ticket, because the Forum shares one park ticket with the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. This page sets them side by side with the route, languages, meeting points and what reviewers say. If you only need the entry, my guide to Roman Forum tickets covers all ten options.
Tour
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Rating
Length
Free cancellation
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Colosseum Arena Floor, Roman Forum & Palatine Tour
A plain ticket lets you walk in at your slot and read the signs. A guided Roman Forum tour adds a licensed guide, a fixed route through the three areas and, in most cases, a meeting point that is not the ticket queue. The official site sells the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill as a single park ticket, per the Colosseo archaeological park, and states that tickets are named and ID is checked at the entrances. A tour wraps that same ticket in a route.
The Roman Forum was the political and religious centre of ancient Rome, according to Wikipedia, and UNESCO lists it as part of the Historic Centre of Rome (UNESCO). That history is the reason to book a guide. A guide cannot get you around the timed slot, and the Rome - Tour listing says plainly that security checks still apply to everyone.
Standard Group Roman Forum Tours
Four of the Roman Forum tours follow the same shape: meet the guide, walk the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and finish at the end of the route.
The Vivicos tour is the most-reviewed Roman Forum tour, with 4.5 stars from 10,195 reviews. It costs $56, takes 2.5 to 3 hours and runs in seven languages: Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, French, German and Japanese. It includes reserved Colosseum entry, Forum and Palatine entry, an expert guide and headphones. The listing prices the Colosseum entry at 18 euros plus a fee of 2.44 euros, or 24 euros plus the fee for the arena floor option. The listed stops begin at the Basilica dei Santi Cosma e Damiano, so you start at the Forum end. Free cancellation applies up to 3 days before.
Vivicos International Travel
Colosseum, Roman Forum And Palatine Hill Guided Tour
★4.5 (10,195 reviews)
2.5 - 3 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The most-reviewed Roman Forum tour: 4.5 from 10,195 reviews, $56, 2.5 to 3 hours, seven languages and an optional arena floor.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Reserved time entry to the Colosseum (18+2,44€)
✓ Reserved time entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
✓ Reserved entry to the Colosseum arena (if option selected 24+2,44€)
✓ Expert Guide (Not included For Audioguide Option)
✓ Headphones to hear the guide better (Not included For Audioguide Option)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Tips
Meeting point: Meeting point may vary depending on the option you select. Check availability for more details.
Languages: Portuguese, English, Italian, Spanish, French, German, Japanese
Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
“Ellen was wonderful, sharing so much history and bringing Ancient Rome to life. Definitely recommend.” – GetYourGuide review
MDA Tours has the best value of the standard group: $40, 4.7 from 3,396 reviews, 2.5 to 3 hours, in English, Spanish, French, German and Italian. The guided tours of the Colosseum and of the Palatine and Forum are listed as options, along with the arena, so check which option you pick. It has two meeting points, with the main one at Via della Polveriera 13. One reviewer recommends the smaller groups.
MDA Tours
Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Guided Tour
★4.7 (3,396 reviews)
2.5 - 3 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: My value pick: $40, 4.7 from 3,396 reviews, five languages, 3-day free cancellation.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Entry to the Colosseum
✓ Entry to Palatine Hill and Roman Forum
✓ Entry to the Colosseum Arena (if option selected)
✓ Guided tour of Colosseum (if option selected)
✓ Guided tour of Palatine and Forum (if option selected)
✓ Headset and radios to easily hear your tour guide (if option selected)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Gratuities
✕ Tips
Meeting point: This activity has 2 meeting points. Your meeting point depends on the option you select. Via della Polveriera, 13, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Languages: English, Spanish, French, German, Italian
Duration: 2.5 - 3 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
“Joseph was very entertaining and knowledgeable. Very good excursion.” – GetYourGuide review
GV Tours Global is $43 for 2.5 hours, at 4.7 from 2,718 reviews, in German, French, Spanish, English and Italian, with headsets included. The listing prices the plain Colosseum ticket at 18 euros and the arena version at 24 euros. A reviewer says the skip-the-queue part was worth it.
GV Tours Global
Colosseum Guided Tour with Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
★4.7 (2,718 reviews)
2.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: Headsets and five languages for $43: 4.7 from 2,718 reviews, 2.5 hours, arena floor as an option.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Entry to the Colosseum
✓ Access to the Colosseum Arena (if option selected)
✓ Entry to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
✓ Headsets to hear the tour guide clearly
✓ Colosseum entry ticket (18€)
✓ Colosseum entry ticket with Arena (if option selected 24€)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Gratuities
✕ Tips
Meeting point: Meeting point may vary depending on the option you select. Check availability for more details.
Languages: German, French, Spanish, English, Italian
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
“Guide was extremely knowledgeable and explained and pointed out many things we would not normally see.” – GetYourGuide review
Rome - Tour costs $53, lasts 2 to 2.5 hours, and speaks English, Italian and Russian. It starts at Largo Corrado Ricci 43, so you begin at the Forum and finish at the Colosseum. It is the one standard tour that is non-refundable, which I would weigh against its 4.5 from 4,248 reviews. A reviewer found the meeting point hard to reach because of road closures for the Rome Half Marathon.
Rome - Tour
Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Guided Tour
★4.5 (4,248 reviews)
2 - 2.5 hours
My pick: The non-refundable one: $53, 4.5 from 4,248 reviews, English, Italian and Russian, starts at the Forum end.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Colosseum entry ticket if this option is selected
✓ Access to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
✓ Guide
Not included / not suitable
✕ Skip security checks (i.e. all visitors must go through a security check)
✕ Tips
Meeting point: Meeting point may vary depending on the option you select. Check availability for more details.
Languages: English, Italian, Russian
Duration: 2 - 2.5 hours
Cancellation: This activity is non-refundable
“We thoroughly enjoyed this guided tour! Very informative and simultaneously entertaining.” – GetYourGuide review
Two Roman Forum tours are built around the arena floor. The Tour Guy costs $39, the lowest price for a guided tour here, and has 4.7 stars from 2,717 reviews. It is offered in English and Spanish, with a full tour that includes the arena floor and a guided Colosseum tour of the first and second tiers, a basic tour, and three meeting points, one at the Fontana del Colosseo. The duration is 1 to 3 hours depending on the option. Reviewers single out guides by name and praise pace and knowledge.
the tour guy
Colosseum Arena Floor, Roman Forum & Palatine Tour
★4.7 (2,717 reviews)
1 - 3 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The cheapest guided tour: $39, 4.7 from 2,717 reviews, English and Spanish, arena floor with the full tour.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Expert English-speaking guide
✓ Pre-reserved Colosseum entry tickets
✓ Pre-reserved Arena Floor tickets and guided tour (full tour only)
✓ Roman Forum and Palatine Hill entry tickets
✓ Guided tour of the Colosseum 1st & 2nd tiers
✓ Guided tour of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill (full & basic tour only)
Not included / not suitable
✕ Guide tips
Meeting point: This activity has 3 meeting points. Your meeting point depends on the option you select. Fontana del Colosseo, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
Languages: English, Spanish
Duration: 1 - 3 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
“Our guide Kate was extremely engaging, informative, knowledgeable and entertaining. She made the whole tour extremely fun!” – GetYourGuide review
Art Ticket & Tour is $61 for 2.5 hours, English only, at 4.7 from 1,281 reviews. It offers a standard tour and an arena access tour, both with a licensed guide. The meeting point is on Via in Miranda, in front of the church of Santi Cosma e Damiano, where staff hold a sign with the company logo, so you start where the ruins begin. A reviewer who was hurt said the guide was glad to help, which is the kind of detail I notice.
Art Ticket & Tour
Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Guided Tour
★4.7 (1,281 reviews)
2.5 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The licensed-guide pick: $61, 4.7 from 1,281 reviews, English, and a meeting point beside the Forum.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ 1-Standard Tour
✓ Colosseum entrance ticket
✓ Roman Forum entrance ticket
✓ Palatine Hill entrance ticket
✓ Licensed professional tour guide
✓ 2-Arena Access Tour
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Food and drinks
✕ Transportation
Meeting point: Via in Miranda.
The meeting point is located on Via in Miranda, right in front of the Church of Santi Cosma e Damiano.
Our staff will be holding a sign with the “Art Ticket and Tours” logo, making it easy to recognize.
Please arrive at least 20 minutes before the scheduled start time.
For any assistance, please contact us at: rometoursservice@gmail.com Via in Miranda, Roma RM, Italia
Languages: English
Duration: 2.5 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 3 days in advance for a full refund
“Worth the money, had a great guide and made the experience 20x better” – GetYourGuide review
CityEyes Private Tours costs $144 for 3 hours in English, and it is the only one with a stated small group. It scores 4.8 from 736 reviews and offers free cancellation up to 24 hours before, against 3 days for most. The listing covers the Colosseum with the arena floor and a guided Forum tour, but it says the Palatine Hill guided tour is not included. Reviewers praise the guides by name and one says it was the best experience of their life.
CityEyes Private Tours
Colosseum Arena and Roman Forum Small-Group Tour
★4.8 (736 reviews)
3 hours
Free cancellation
My pick: The small-group splurge: $144, 3 hours, 4.8 from 736 reviews, no Palatine Hill guiding.
What you get, where you meet, what reviewers say
Included
✓ Official tour guide
✓ Colosseum entry
✓ Access to Colosseum Arena floor
✓ Roman Forum guided tour
Not included / not suitable
✕ Hotel pickup and drop-off
✕ Palatine Hill guided tour
✕ Food and drinks
Meeting point: Meeting point may vary depending on the option you select. Check availability for more details.
Languages: English
Duration: 3 hours
Cancellation: Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
“This was one of the best experiences of my life! The guide was incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about history, and she knew how to answer all of our questions. I'd definitely recommend this tour to anyone who loves Roman history!” – GetYourGuide review
“We had the BEST time. Seeing the Colosseum from top to bottom was amazing.”
— GetYourGuide reviewer
Do Reviewers Agree on Roman Forum Tours?
On the guide, yes. In the review texts I read, praise goes to knowledge, humour and pace, and almost never to the route. Complaints are small and practical, such as a meeting point disrupted by a half marathon. That pattern tells me the guide matters more than the operator’s name, so I use review count as the tie-breaker.
Guided Roman Forum Tour or Ticket Only?
The price gap is small. The audio guide ticket from MDA costs $35 and the cheapest guided Roman Forum tour is $39, so a guide costs about $4 more at the bottom of the range. At the middle of the range it is $40 to $56. The audio ticket is fine if you like to read as you walk and your slot is fixed. The official site is the other route, with the park ticket sold on its own; my Colosseum tickets page explains which ticket opens which area, and my Roman Forum opening hours guide has the winter schedule, with last entry at 3:30 pm in the period 25 October 2026 to 28 February 2027.
How I’d Choose a Roman Forum Tour
First visit: MDA Tours at $40 or Vivicos at $56. The Forum, Palatine Hill and Colosseum are all included.
Cheapest guided: The Tour Guy at $39.
Arena floor: The Tour Guy or Art Ticket & Tour at $61.
Small group: CityEyes at $144.
Flexible dates: avoid the non-refundable Rome - Tour listing.
I think so, because the Forum is mostly foundations and fragments that a guide has to name for you. The gap is small too: the cheapest guided Roman Forum tour I found is $39 against $35 for the audio guide ticket, and the most-reviewed guided tour, Vivicos at $56, has 4.5 stars from 10,195 reviews. Reviewers praise guides far more than anything else.
How long is a Roman Forum tour?+
Most last 2.5 to 3 hours in the listings, because they cover the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill in one walk. The Rome - Tour listing runs 2 to 2.5 hours, and the Tour Guy listing says 1 to 3 hours depending on the option. The small-group CityEyes tour takes 3 hours.
Does a Roman Forum tour include the Colosseum?+
Every guided tour here includes the Colosseum entry, in some cases as an option you select. The Roman Forum shares a single park ticket with the Colosseum and Palatine Hill, per the official site, so a Roman Forum tour almost always opens all three. Read the title and the included list for the arena floor.
Does a Roman Forum tour include Palatine Hill?+
Six of the seven do. The CityEyes small-group tour is the exception: its listing says the Palatine Hill guided tour is not included, so it guides only the Colosseum and the Forum. The others cover Palatine Hill in the same walk.
Can I skip the security queue with a Roman Forum tour?+
Not necessarily. The Rome - Tour listing states that it does not skip security checks, and the guide says all visitors must go through one. What a booked tour does give you is a reserved slot. Tickets are named and ID is checked at the entrances, per the official hours page.
