Amalfi, Capri, & Rome -- Colosseum
We are going on this tour in September. Did anyone book a Colosseum tour to do on your free time? Did you do it before you left or book it when you got there? Thanks for any information.
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We have just taken the Classic Italy tour not yours, but we did a lot of extra stuff in Sorrento and Florence, but had little extra time in Rome. We booked drivers/car/guides months in advance. If you are planning to see the Colosseum on your own and just need entrance tickets, you might still be able to get them online or from the concierge at your hotel, but don't show up at any attraction hoping you will be let right in. Though I don't think it will be as busy as peak season, there may still be lines. If you just show up at the Colosseum you'll first need to get (in line for) tickets, then wait in another line for the security screening- that process may not be quick.
Tickets are sold through a number of online vendors and just now I found it difficult to tell if any of them are the "official" website. Also, there are a number of different tickets- some are just general admission tickets, some include a guided tour, some include special access tours of the areas below the arena floor or the newly-opened upper tiers. If you Google it you'll find a number of informative sites like this one: https://www.romewise.com/rome-italy-colosseum.html#avoid_queue_colosseum
Here is a link to a (the official??) ticket vendor: https://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm
Please read the info at both links, especially about entry!
If I were you I would contact DriverinItaly and arrange for them to pick you up at the hotel, arrange for tickets, and give you a private tour if this is possible. (Note: some attractions do not allow other tour guides). We had great success with that company for a number of pre-tour and on tour private excursions in Naples/Sorrento/Florence. Headquartered in Rome, they provide standard and custom tours- they will essentially provide whatever services you need, including getting tickets. Below is the link to their website. They also have a toll free (from the US) phone number. Give them a call.
http://www.driverinitaly.com/16-rome
Whatever you do, do it now, don't wait!!!
Make sure the tour brings you back to hotel or you know the directions. We hired a company like this during free time on this same trip , but different date. The company was great, but at the end of colosseum/forum tour, they did not offer a ride. The guide left us there and said just walk up that street and you should find your hotel. We thought we could depend on our cell phone, but the service was terrible. Some street names were hard to find. We didn’t speak Italian, again thinking we would have cell phone service to rely on. About two hours later we finally found a taxi which returned us to our hotel. It was extremely crowded and hard to find a taxi etc.
We used What A Life Tours for the Colosseum and Forum. It's a small group tour limited to 12 per tour. They are excellent! Check their reviews on Trip adviser.