About this experience
Descend into the Colosseum Underground with your private guide, exploring the tunnels and chambers where gladiators prepared for battle and wild beasts awaited their dramatic entrance into the arena.
Step beyond the ordinary with an exclusive, fully private visit to Celio’s underground lakes.
Only you, your guide, and a professional speleologist will explore this hidden world of ancient quarries and glistening subterranean waters.
Experience Rome like a VIP, with seamless logistics, expert storytelling, and access to two of the most elusive and breathtaking underground sites in the Eternal City.
At a glance
- Duration: 3 hr
- Private experience
Plan your experience
Set aside 3 hr for the experience itself, with additional time to reach your meeting or pickup point.
Before you go
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Please remember to wear gripped shoes on the day of the tour. If appropriate shoes will be missing, access to the Celio Underground Caves will be denied
- Please remember to bring a flashlight (mobile phone flashes are not allowed) on the day of the tour. If a proper flashlight will be missing, access to the Celio Underground Caves will be denied.
What is included
- Security Helmets
- Official Speleologist
- Celio's Underground Lakes and Caves Private Opening
- Colosseum reservation fee (valued at €2 per person)
- Colosseum Underground Entrance Fees
- Hotel Pick-up and Drop-off (centrally located hotels. Within Aurelian Walls)
- Please note: Colosseum fees as above. The remaining cost of the experience covers other services.
- Blue Badge Certified Private Tour Guide
- Colosseum entrance with underground access (valued at €24 per person)
Not included
- Flashlights
- Shoes
- Visit to the Colosseum Arena, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill
Itinerary and highlights
Step beyond the ordinary and descend into the hidden depths of the Colosseum Underground, where the secrets of the gladiators, wild beasts, and ancient engineering come to life. Accompanied by your private guide, walk through the shadowy tunnels where Rome’s most legendary battles were prepared. Stand under the original arena floor, where the roar of the crowd once echoed, and uncover the intricate network of passageways that allowed for the seamless execution of grand spectacles. As you explore, your guide will share gripping stories of the gladiators’ fate, the ingenious mechanisms used to elevate wild animals into the arena, and the hidden world that made these bloody games possible.
Leaving the Colosseum behind, follow your private guide to one of Rome’s most exclusive hidden sites, accessible only to a select few. Beneath the Temple of Claudius on the Celian Hill lies a vast network of ancient quarries, where time has stood still for centuries.
In total privacy, with only your guide and a professional speleologist, descend into this subterranean world, where emerald-green lakes shimmer in the darkness. The silence is absolute—no crowds, no other visitors—just you and the awe-inspiring beauty of this forgotten place. Learn about the quarry’s origins, its role in ancient Rome, and the natural phenomenon that created these hidden waters.
Meeting and pickup information
- Our driver will be waiting outside your accommodation. We'll provide further details the day before the tour, remember to check your email.
Languages and tickets
- English — Guide
- Italian — Guide
- French — Guide
- Spanish — Guide
- Mobile Only
Tour operator
- CityEyes Private Tours
Accessibility and practical details
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- Not suitable for people with mobility issues
- Not suitable for people who suffer from claustrophobia and/or anxiety
- Not suitable for people older than 70 y.o. and younger than 10 y.o.
- Please remember to wear gripped shoes on the day of the tour. If appropriate shoes will be missing, access to the Celio Underground Caves will be denied
- Please remember to bring a flashlight (mobile phone flashes are not allowed) on the day of the tour. If a proper flashlight will be missing, access to the Celio Underground Caves will be denied.
- Please ensure you bring valid photo ID or passports. Colosseum staff will perform checks, and access may be denied if the names on the tickets do not match the identification provided.
- Closed-toe, non-slip shoes are required for safety. Access to the Colosseum may be denied without proper footwear.
- It is not possible to bring large bags or backpacks, as well as bulky bags and trolleys to the sites. (only small or medium flat bags). Tripods are not allowed.
- To ensure the safety and well-being of all our guests, every reservation that includes minors (under 18) must be accompanied by at least one adult. Unfortunately, we are unable to accept bookings made exclusively by unaccompanied minors.
Cancellation policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Questions about this experience
How long is this experience?
What are the pickup arrangements?
We'll provide further details the day before the tour, remember to check your email.
Which guide languages are listed?
What ticket format is listed?
What ticket age bands are listed?
What accessibility information is provided?
What is the cancellation policy?
Traveller reviews and photos
Traveller experiences load when you reach this section.
