Basilica of San Clemente Underground and Colosseum Experience

About this tour

Walk through three layers of Rome's past in a single afternoon. Start at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, where emperors once held court, then enter the Colosseum's vast amphitheatre. Finish at the Basilica of San Clemente, where you'll descend through a medieval church into a 4th-century basilica, and further still to a 1st-century Roman house and Mithraic temple. Six hours, self-paced exploration with reserved entry tickets and multimedia context included.

Highlights

• Walk the Roman Forum where daily life unfolded beneath emperors' gaze
• Stand inside the Colosseum's towering arches and ancient seating tiers
• Descend through three centuries of faith at San Clemente's nested churches
• Explore Palatine Hill's imperial residences and foundational ruins
• View 1st-century Roman domestic spaces and Mithraic temple remains

What to expect

You'll begin at the Touristation office near Ara Coeli, then move at your own pace through the Forum's scattered columns and worn stones—a genuine jumble rather than a polished park. Two hours later, you'll reach the Colosseum itself: massive, crowded, and genuinely awe-inspiring. Afterwards, a five-minute walk brings you to San Clemente. Here, you descend layer by layer: first through a 12th-century church, then a 4th-century basilica with mosaics and frescoes, finally into a 1st-century Roman apartment block and temple to Mithras. Each level is narrower, dimmer, and stranger than the last.

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