Private tours in Rome
Twenty-three private tours in Rome, from a dawn Colosseum walk to a long lunch in the Jewish Ghetto. All led by archaeologists, art historians, and chefs who live and work in the city.
23 private experiences in Rome
Hand-picked from Context Travel's catalog. Every CTA below books direct with Context, no markup, no agency fee.
From$126 per person
The Signature Colosseum Tour with Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Skip-the-line entry to the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill, led by an archaeologist who works on these sites. Best in the early morning before the heat and the crowds set in.
Private, priced per group: $692 for 2, about $126 per person for 12.
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From$195 per person
The Complete Vatican Tour with St. Peter's Basilica, Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets
Skip-the-line entry to the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica, led by an art historian. The Raphael Rooms are the reason scholars keep coming back.
Private, priced per group: $926 for 2, about $195 per person for 12.
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From$121 per person
Rome Food Tour: Savoring Local Roman Cuisine
A walking-and-eating tour through the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere — carciofi alla giudia, suppli, the bakery that's been there since the 1700s. Lunch included; come hungry.
Private, priced per group: $534 for 2, about $121 per person for 8.
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From$76 per person
Introduction to Rome Tour
Trevi, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, plus the small streets that connect them. The right way to start a week in Rome, with a historian who reads the layers.
Private, priced per group: $461 for 2, about $76 per person for 12.
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From$151 per person
Vatican Highlights Express Tour with Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets
Private tour: Vatican Highlights Express Tour with Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $669 for 2, about $151 per person for 12.
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From$961 per group
Full Experience Colosseum Tour with Arena Floor and Exclusive SUPER Sites
Private tour: Full Experience Colosseum Tour with Arena Floor and Exclusive SUPER Sites. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
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From$107 per person
Underground Rome History Tour: The Fall and Rise of the Roman Empire with San Clemente Basilica
Private tour: Underground Rome History Tour: The Fall and Rise of the Roman Empire with San Clemente Basilica. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $487 for 2, about $107 per person for 12.
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From$112 per person
Rome's Basilicas Tour with Santa Maria Maggiore and San Pietro in Vincoli
Santa Maria Maggiore and San Pietro in Vincoli — two basilicas the average Rome itinerary skips. Mosaics, Michelangelo's Moses, and the chains that the church gets its name from.
Private, priced per group: $496 for 2, about $112 per person for 8.
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From$184 per person
Borghese Gallery Tour: A Guided Crash Course
Private tour: Borghese Gallery Tour: A Guided Crash Course. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $603 for 2, about $184 per person for 4.
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From$271 per person
Ostia Antica Tour from Rome with Exclusive Access to Painted Houses
Private tour: Ostia Antica Tour from Rome with Exclusive Access to Painted Houses. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $1,087 for 2, about $271 per person for 6.
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From$667 per person
Full-day Tivoli Day Trip from Rome with Skip-the-Line Tickets
Private tour: Full-day Tivoli Day Trip from Rome with Skip-the-Line Tickets. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $2,786 for 2, about $667 per person for 6.
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From$134 per person
Cook as the Romans Do: Rome Cooking Class in a Local Home
Private tour: Cook as the Romans Do: Rome Cooking Class in a Local Home. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $523 for 2, about $134 per person for 6.
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From$135 per person
Vatican Tour for Kids with the Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets
Private tour: Vatican Tour for Kids with the Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $705 for 2, about $135 per person for 12.
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From$537 per group
Power and Politics in Rome: Julius Caesar Teen Tour
Private tour: Power and Politics in Rome: Julius Caesar Teen Tour. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
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From$115 per person
Express Colosseum Tour with Special Access to Arena Floor, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
Private tour: Express Colosseum Tour with Special Access to Arena Floor, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $595 for 2, about $115 per person for 12.
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From$542 per group
Rome Jewish History Tour with Ghetto and Great Synagogue
Private tour: Rome Jewish History Tour with Ghetto and Great Synagogue. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
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From$1,318 per group
Essentials of Rome in a Day Tour with Colosseum and Pantheon
Private tour: Essentials of Rome in a Day Tour with Colosseum and Pantheon. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
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From$507 per group
Rome Renaissance Art History Tour with Raphael’s Villa Farnesina Frescoes
Private tour: Rome Renaissance Art History Tour with Raphael’s Villa Farnesina Frescoes. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
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From$78 per person
Rome Caravaggio Art History Tour
Private tour: Rome Caravaggio Art History Tour. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $470 for 2, about $78 per person for 12.
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From$578 per group
Underground Archaeology Tour: Layers of Rome with Vicus Caprarius & Exclusive Piazza Navona Access
Private tour: Underground Archaeology Tour: Layers of Rome with Vicus Caprarius & Exclusive Piazza Navona Access. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
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From$929 per person
Vatican Museums After-Hours VIP Tour Experience with Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets
Private tour: Vatican Museums After-Hours VIP Tour Experience with Sistine Chapel and Skip-the-Line Tickets. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $11,148 for 2, about $929 per person for 12.
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From$66 per person
Rome Night Tour with Piazza Navona
Private tour: Rome Night Tour with Piazza Navona. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $359 for 2, about $66 per person for 12.
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From$109 per person
Colosseum Tour for Kids with the Roman Forum
Private tour: Colosseum Tour for Kids with the Roman Forum. Led by Context Travel's local expert in Rome.
Private, priced per group: $663 for 2, about $109 per person for 12.
Book this experienceStaying nearby?
Doorways books the villa
We have 9 hand-picked villas in Rome and the surrounding country, each walked through by us. Pair an experience with a villa week and we'll line up the rest.
See Rome villas →Questions about tours in Rome
How much does a private tour guide cost in Rome?
Private tours on this page start at about $359 for two people on the 3-hour evening walk, which works out to about $66 per person for a group of 12. The Colosseum with the arena floor and restricted areas is about $961. Tours are priced for your private group, so the cost per person drops as the group grows, and skip-the-line entry is included where the card says so.
Are guided tours in Rome worth it?
For the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Vatican, yes. These sites are huge and hard to read without context, and the lines can be long. Our guides are archaeologists and art historians who work in the city, and skip-the-line entry means less time standing in the sun.
Can I see the Vatican and the Colosseum in one day?
You can, and our Essentials of Rome in a Day tour covers the Colosseum and the Pantheon in one full day. Doing both the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum properly in a single day is tiring, though, especially with children or in summer. Most families enjoy them more on two separate mornings.
What day should I avoid visiting the Vatican?
The Vatican Museums are closed on Sundays, except the last Sunday of the month, when entry is free and very crowded. Wednesdays can be busy around St. Peter's because of the papal audience. Our skip-the-line and after-hours Vatican tours avoid the worst of the crowds.
What should I wear to the Vatican?
Shoulders and knees need to be covered to enter St. Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, for men and women. Jeans are fine. Bring a light scarf in summer, and wear comfortable shoes, as you will walk a lot.
Can you take pictures in the Sistine Chapel?
No. Photos and video are not allowed inside the Sistine Chapel, and guards will ask you to put your phone away. Photos are allowed in most of the rest of the Vatican Museums.
Are there Rome tours for kids and teenagers?
Yes. We offer a Colosseum tour for kids, a Vatican tour for kids, and a Julius Caesar tour aimed at teenagers. They move at a family pace and use stories and games to keep children engaged.
Is there a good food tour or cooking class in Rome?
Yes. Our Rome food tour walks through the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere with tastings along the way, and our cooking class takes place in a Roman home, where you cook and then eat lunch together.
Custom request
Want something not on the list?
A private cooking class with a Michelin chef in Rome. A vineyard with the founder. A truffle hunt in November with the dog who actually finds them. Tell us the brief and we'll have our partner build the experience.
Request a custom experience →Experiences are delivered by Context Travel, our B Corp-certified partner. Bookings made through these links may earn Doorways a referral commission, at no additional cost to you. Doorways does not mark up Context Travel pricing.
