Activity Report: Coliseum Walking Tour
When in Rome, I had to go on a Coliseum Walking Tour!
How?
Because we went over Easter, the availability and choices were more limited than usual. The highly rated tours were sold out or (what really happened) not operating because of the holiday. Thus, I settled for an average tour rating! During the November Black Friday event, I purchased Skip the Line tour from Viator for only £41. Compared to other prices, this felt like a bargain. After the tour, I realised you get what you pay for!
For those that really enjoy history, for my next trip to Rome, I will either go with these two options:
- AirBnB experience: Beth Anne booked this tour when Kevin arrived and said it was much better than ours! The guide is a history major and knows the details and has fantastic stories!
- Roman Guy - my parents booked this tour for their trip in September 2019 and all the reviews are positive!
The Meet Up
Similar to cattle being led to a slaughter, we met the tour company above the metro station. We were tagged in line and given to the first available guide like clockwork. We were given headsets, but I have a complicated relationship with them. I like them because I can wander and take pictures without worrying about missing out on the information and can find the group quickly. I don’t like them because I feel like a huge tourist and can be easily identifiable as a tourist...
Today, our guide was Amelia who has been a guide for many years. We had a group of about 15-20 people, which isn’t a ton considering where we are but wow, it makes a difference when there were thousands of people here!
It’s the Climb Line
If I thought I felt like cattle when we met the tour company, it is nothing compared to the Italian efficient line to get into the Coliseum. Unlike anything seen before, we were shuffled to a line, only to have another line for some reason passing us. There were lines for Super Skip the Line tours and then lines for people who wore red. Just kidding. Or am I?
Whilst waiting in a line of sorts to enter into another line, Amelia filled us into some cool Coliseum facts. Although I do not want to spoil any fun facts, here are the interesting points I remembered!
History Facts
Built in 80AD by the Flavian dynasty, it is estimated 500k people lost their lives and 1 million animals were killed during the festivities. Through the games, Coliseum was designed to increase the Emperor's popularity, stage entertainment and showcase the incredible Roman engineering techniques to the world.
Underneath the floor of the Coliseum, there are over 36 trap doors and a network of tunnels leading to massive animal pens and gladiator prep rooms. In the pictures, this is why the columns are formed where the floor was.
Over the years, the Coliseum has faced both man-made and natural obstacles in maintaining its facade. Through the course of history, there have been a few earthquakes that caused the damage we see today. However, the Catholics next door looted most of the marble for the Vatican. In truth, Amelia said if you see any marble, it is because the Catholics missed it the first time!
Historic Views
Despite the crowds, the views from inside the Coliseum are incredible. To be standing in 1,000 years of history, it is amazing. The Romans were extremely right in showcasing their engineering and architecture abilities!
For my pictures, it was really great to see the entire Coliseum. I am very happy I was able to capture the amazing Coliseum. At the same time, I was very happy to leave the Coliseum as the crowds were insane!
The Forum
By far, the best part of the tour was the Forum. Essentially, it use to be the palace and the related buildings dating back to the 100s.
Palatine Hill
Our first stop was the former palace of one of the emperors. The massive piece of land includes many gardens, mini Coliseum, and rooms. In fact, the word palace is derived from palatine hill! One great thing about Amelia is she had a handy book that displayed pictures of what the palace could have looked like back in the day. Of course, no one knows exactly how it looked nearly 1,000 years ago!
In the back of the former palace, the famous circus field remains where they held the chariot races and other field events that could not fit into the Coliseum. Amelia pointed out that this is a great photo opportunity around sunset as the palatine hill ruins provide a fantastic backdrop. Looks like I will have to add it to my photo missions!
The Yard
In the yard, I am actually 100% positive that it is not called the yard. My cool nickname describes the huge field of ruins that stretches for over half a mile and is much wider than a city block. In simple terms, these are ancient buildings dating back to 10AD.
People believe these buildings are mostly ancient temples. Again, Amelia's amazing picture book provided great examples of the temples. By far, my favorite fun fact was the way the earth has changed throughout the years. As seen in the photos, the earth has dramatically changed since 10AD! Entrances are placed 10+ feet above our current level!
While I could easily spend hours in the yard, all good things must come to an end. The history surrounding us is absolutely amazing. I would love to do a more in depth tour of the place!
The UnChartered Summary
-
Coliseum and I
- Whilst I highly recommend a tour of these ancient wonders of the world, pay the extra money to go early without any crowds or to really skip the line!
- If one wants a cheaper tour, this one is fantastic! Stay close to the guide so that way you get all your questions answered and can learn more about these places!
- Book your tour early in advance and you’ll be fine!
