Best Rome Tours

Roaming Historian is a Tour Guy, LivTours, Viator, Shore Excursions Group, and Get Your Guide affiliate, so our readers can use our links to enjoy their small-group tours throughout Italy! I’ve provided some links below to some of their fabulous tours. We love that they offer tours that give you special access to a site or show you the hidden secrets of a city! You can get a private tour, join a semi-private tour, find a small group, buy tickets directly, or save money with a bigger group. With companies like Liv Tours (six people or fewer) or Tour Guy (generally around 15), you don’t have to worry about getting lost in the crowd…you will have an inclusive, exclusive experience.

Trusted Tour & Travel Partners for Rome

LivTours (semi-private/private tours): https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61

Save 10% with code AMYRH10 (valid on two or more tours)

TourGuy (small group/private tours): https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi

Viator (online travel booking marketplace with private, small, medium size groups): https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector

Get Your Guide (online travel booking marketplace with private, small, medium size groups): https://www.getyourguide.com/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher

Shore Excursions Group (excursions for your specific cruise, lower prices, high quality, money back and return to ship guarantees) https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com

Types of Rome Tours and Experiences

Colosseum, Roman Forum, and/or Palatine Hill Tours

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

Colosseum pictures Livtours, Rome, Italy

Express Colosseum Gladiators Gate & Arena Floor (exclusive semi-private tour with access to arena floor)

Colosseum & Domus Aurea Virtual Reality Tour (exclusive semi-private tour with access to Nero’s Golden Palace–an archaeological treat & Colosseum)

Express Colosseum Underground and Arena Tour (exclusive semi-private tour with access to arena floor and hypogeum)

The Best of Colosseum and Ancient Rome with Exclusive Arena Access (exclusive semi-private tour with access to arena floor and imperial forums)

Colosseum Tour with Underground, Arena, & Gladiator Gate with Roman Forum (exclusive semi-private tour with access to arena, hypogeum, Gladiator Gate and Roman Forum)

Vatican Tours, Vatican City Tours, and Churches of Rome Tours

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

St. Peter’s Basilica Tour with Dome Climb & Papal Tombs (semi-private tour)

Express Early Viewing Sistine Chapel Tour (private tour inclusive of two people)

Best Sistine Chapel Early Entry Viewing (Wednesday’s semi-private Vatican tour)

Breakfast in the Vatican & Museums Highlights (private tour VIP experience)

Semi-Private Vatican Tour at Night (the museums in the evening)

Highlights of the Vatican and Sistine Chapel Tour (semi-private tour)

Early Morning Vatican Tour (semi-private tour)

Early Access Vatican Tour (semi-private tour )

Vatican Museums in the Evening: Best Tours and Insights

Rome in a Day Tours

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

Golf Cart Tour of Rome (semi-private tour)

Morning Tour of Rome—Early Bird Walking Tour (semi-private tour)

Exclusive Semi-Private Rome Walking Tour and Highlights of Rome (semi-private tour)

Appian Way E-Bike Tour (semi-private tour)

Private Yoga Lesson in Rome with Laura (private lesson)

Exclusive Rome Private Walking Tour (private walking tour of Rome)

Women of Ancient Rome: Colosseum, Forum, and Palatine Hill (private tour)

Rome Golf Cart Tour, Italy, LivTours

Rome Archaeology and History Tours

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

Underground Rome Catacombs Tour (semi-private tour)

Catacombs Night Tour (semi-private tour)

Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Tour (semi-private tour)

Food Tours Rome & Cooking Classes Rome

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

Food Tour of Rome (semi-private tour)

Morning Tours

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

Best Sistine Chapel Early Entry Viewing (semi-private tour)

Early Morning Vatican Tour (semi-private tour)

Morning Tour of Rome—Early Bird Walking Tour (semi-private tour)

Evening Tours

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

Golf Cart and Drinks Evening Tour of Rome (semi-private tour)

Semi-Private Vatican Tour at Night (semi-private tour)

Vatican at Night with Secret Room (semi-private tour)

Catacombs Night Tour (semi-private tour)

Day Trips from Rome

LivTours **You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)

Ostia Antica Tour (semi-private tour to the archaeological city of Ostia Antica from Rome)

Tivoli Tour (semi-private tour to Tivoli from Rome)

Favorite Tour Companies in Italy

Italy offers countless ways to step into the past while enjoying the comforts of the present and our affiliate partners will ensure you make the most of your trip.

LivTours

LivTours is a boutique, family-owned company specializing in high-quality, small-group (maximum 6 people) and private tours, primarily in Italy, as well as Spain, France, England, Austria, and other parts of Europe.

What really makes LivTours different is the size of their groups. You’ll find lots of tours for more than 25 people, you’ll find small group tours for 15-25 people, but only LivTours has semi-private tours of maximum 6 people. If you are someone who doesn’t want to be in a large group with a radio round their neck, who wants to be able to ask questions and engage with your guide, then they could be the right fit for you.

They are highly regarded for skip-the-line access to major sites, expert, English-speaking guides, and curated, immersive experiences designed to avoid “cookie-cutter” travel. We’ve had amazing experiences with them and enjoy that they hire local guides exclusively.

LivTours offers Roaming Historian readers 10% off two or more tours! Save on your next favorite European memory by using our coupon code “AMYRH10.” We highly recommend this company; they offer topnotch tours, tickets, and experiences and you can save money with Roaming Historian!

Book with LivTours here: https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61

The Tour Guy

The Tour Guy has been offering amazing small group tours in Italy and the rest of Europe for quite some time; in fact, we’ve been taking their tours for so long that they were just The Roman Guy when we started with them. They find the best local experiences and offer them in private or small groups (about 15 people or fewer). They are known for providing unique, behind-the-scenes access to major landmarks like the Vatican and Louvre, often including all entry fees, taxes, and expert guides, making them a reliable choice for curated, stress-free sightseeing.

Book with The Tour Guy here: https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi

Viator

Viator has a vast array of experiences, tickets, and tours around the globe. You can find something for every price range. They offer convenience, a wide variety of choices, reliable, stress-free booking for top attractions like the Colosseum or Vatican. Key benefits include free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, a “reserve now, pay later” option, and comprehensive reviews to help select quality tours. I suggest looking for their “Badge of Excellence” or experiences with a lot of high ratings.

Book with Viator here: https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector

Shore Excursions Group

Shore Excursions Group is great for many Italian ports if you’re visiting Italy by cruise ship. They provide smaller, more intimate group experiences often up to 40% cheaper than cruise lines, featuring expert local guides and a guaranteed on-time return to the ship. They offer curated, high-quality itineraries across popular Italian ports, focusing on authentic, less crowded, and more flexible tours.

Book with Shore Excursions Group here: https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com

Get Your Guide

Booking with GetYourGuide for Italy is popular because it simplifies finding and booking, offering a wide, user-friendly selection of skip-the-line, guided, and unique local experiences for popular sites like the Colosseum. They offer 24-hour cancellation policies, providing flexibility for travel planning. They are an online marketplace though, so make sure you are looking for high ratings.

Book with Get Your Guide here: https://www.getyourguide.com/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher

Protect Your Trip with Travel Insurance

Even the best-planned trips can face cancellations, delays, lost luggage, or unexpected medical expenses abroad. Travel insurance protects your investment and your peace of mind — especially for international travel. We recommend Travel Insurance.com because it lets you compare plans from top-rated providers side by side, see coverage details clearly, and purchase in minutes without jumping between multiple websites.

Compare policies and protect your trip here:
https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44

Pro tip: Purchase travel insurance soon after making your first trip payment (flights, tours, or hotels). Some time-sensitive benefits are only available if you buy early.

Trusted Booking Resources: Flights, Accommodations, Car Rentals, & More

Where you stay shapes your entire travel experience. For competitive pricing and flexible options, we recommend using Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO. Booking.com is excellent for comparing hotels, flights, car rentals, and apartments worldwide, often with flexible cancellation options. Expedia makes it easy to bundle flights, hotels, and car rentals in one place. Hotels.com is ideal for straightforward hotel bookings and rewards frequent travelers with free nights. VRBO is perfect for families, longer stays, or travelers who prefer private homes and unique accommodations over traditional hotels.

Start comparing options here:

Booking.com (global hotels, apartments & flexible booking options; flights; car rentals): https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=6776&awinaffid=1985445
Expedia (flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages): https://expedia.com/affiliate/p7ZcFsz
Hotels.com (book hotels globally and earn free nights through their rewards program): https://www.hotels.com/affiliate/rdDAFaG
VRBO (private homes and unique stays ideal for families and longer trips): https://vrbo.com/affiliate/KvF3nms

Pro tip: For longer trips or family travel, compare both hotels and vacation rentals — extra space and kitchen access can significantly reduce overall trip costs.

More Recommendations

For blogs on many of these places, go to my “Read About Can’t Miss Places” page.

For the rest of Europe, check out my “Visit Europe” page.

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Traveling Soon? Trusted Tour & Travel Partners

Planning your trip? These are companies we personally use and recommend:

Save 10% with code AMYRH10 (valid on two or more tours)

Explore more trusted travel tools on our Travel Planning Page: https://roaminghistorian.com/travel-planning/

Amy French, Ph.D., is the voice behind Roaming Historian. A professional historian and seasoned traveler, she shares stories that blend history and travel to give readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.

Disclosure: Roaming Historian may derive revenue from affiliate links and other sources, which helps offset the costs of bringing you the information we do. The blogs and reviews posted on this website are of our own opinion though.

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