Rome in One Day: Ancient & Historic Center and Vatican Skip-the-Line Guided Tour
- Live Guide
- Day Trip
- Group Tour
- E-Ticket
- 8 hr



































On this full day walking tour of Rome, you will see the best and most popular attractions that are on every first-time visitor's bucket list: The Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, St Peter's Basilica, the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Piazza Navona. Perfect for the first-time visitor! * Skip-the-lines access to the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, the Vatican Museums and St Peter's Basilica * Throw a coin in the Trevi Fountain to ensure you come back to Rome! * Learn about the oldest surviving temple in Rome - the Pantheon * Enjoy the Baroque beauty of Piazza Navona with Bernini's Fountain of Four Rivers * Gaze in awe at the splendours of St Peter's Basilica, the most important church in Catholicism * Choose between an Intimate Group Tour of only 6 people, or book a guide for your own Private Tour
Itinerary Details
Operated by: Rome Group Tours
Stop At: Colosseum
Your full-day tour starts at the Coliseum, where you’ll bypass the long lines of tourists and enter the ancient world’s greatest sports arena without the wait. Hear harrowing tails of gladiators and martyrs that made the Coliseum famous and also about the political and social importance to ancient Romans.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Palatine Hill
See the Palatine Hill, which was home to the wealthiest of Rome’s noble citizens during the time of the Republic, and later, exclusively the emperor. Today, you can still see remains of some of the imperial palace's former splendor.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Roman Forum
Next you’ll head over to the Roman Forum to learn how it functioned as the beating heart of Rome’s all-encompassing empire. Instead of slogging through the crowds inside the Forum your guide will lead you directly to a stunning overlook. From there you can take in the entire Forum complex including the Senate House and the Temple of the Vestal Virgins. It will be easy to imagine how the Forum must have appeared 2,000 years ago as you hear stories of war, politics, economics, and religion that shaped the ancient city.
Duration: 1 hour
Stop At: Pantheon
No walk through ancient Rome would be complete without a visit to the Pantheon. This nearly 2,000-year-old building has the largest un-reinforced concrete dome in the world. As you view if from outside, you’ll hear the story of how it was built and why it has inspired so many other buildings, from St. Peter’s Basilica to the U.S. Capitol Building.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Trevi Fountain
Jumping ahead in history, you’ll be treated to a delicious gelato as you stroll through streets made famous by films including Roman Holiday, stopping at the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps for a few photo ops. A metro ride from the Spanish Steps and a 30- minute break for lunch preceeds the Vatican visit.
Duration: 45 minutes
Stop At: Spanish Steps
Next stop is the Spanish Steps for a spot of people watching and plenty of photo opportunities. From here your guide will take you on the metro (if you have booked the walking option) to the Vatican, where you can take a break for lunch before entering the Vatican City.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: Vatican Museums
This specially-curated Vatican tour highlights the best works in the vast collections to give you a broad understanding and appreciation of what you’re seeing. You’ll take in the sculpture galleries and the world-famous Laocoön Group as well.
Duration: 2 hour
Stop At: Sistine Chapel
The highlight of your Vatican tour is the Sistine Chapel, which is undoubtedly the most famous chapel in the world. You’ll learn about the paintings of Michelangelo (yes, he spent 8 years of his life painting here!) and his predecessors, who covered every inch of these walls and ceilings. You’ll hear about the history of the period, including the difficulties encountered between the patron, Pope Julius II and Michelangelo.
Duration: 30 minutes
Stop At: St. Peter's Basilica
No Rome in One Day tour would be complete without visiting the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world - St Peter's Basilica. Michelangelo’s great dome is something that you have to see in real life. Pictures cannot do it justice or portray the sheer magnitude of it. Your local, expert tour guide will explain to you the fascinating history of its conception, location on the Vatican Hill, design, architecture and symbolism. The Basilica features several chapels and contains numerous statues and mosaic works of importance. Your guide will point out the most important, and leave you with time to look around by yourself. The Pietà, one of Michelangelo’s most well-known religious sculptures, is among the highlights of this part of your visit. What a day!
Duration: 1 hour