History around the world · ANCIENT HISTORY TOURS

The World’s 15 Best Ancient History Tours

136 tours  ·  from $8 a head

Rome, Athens, Pompeii, Ayutthaya and the rest. The 15 below get you onto the original stones with a guide, with entry rules and start times spelled out.

Colosseum: Underground and Ancient Rome Tour - Starting at the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
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Colosseum: Underground and Ancient Rome Tour

1.Colosseum: Underground and Ancient Rome Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 12,691 reviews · 3 hours · from $160Our pick

Spend three hours with a live English, French, or Spanish guide at the Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, and Colosseum. The tour includes the restricted underground chambers, arena floor, ground floor, upper level, exhibition, admission tickets, and headsets. Guides such as Carmelo, Teddy, Maya, and Enza are praised for clear explanations and warm humor.

“Very informative and a fascinating step back into history! Teddy was a great guide. Whilst it seems a chunk of money up front, we felt it was good value given we were there for nearly 3 hours in a small group and Teddy was happy to answer questions. The underground tour addition felt such a privilege given the restricted numbers and really added to the atmosphere of the trip, knowing you have walked the same paths as the gladiators! For history fans this is a must see!”

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Colosseum & Ancient Rome with Arena Floor Option I Max 6 People - Entering the Colosseum through Gladiator’s Gate
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Colosseum & Ancient Rome with Arena Floor Option I Max 6 People

2.Colosseum & Ancient Rome with Arena Floor Option I Max 6 People

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,306 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $180Top rated

Spend about three hours with a guide and no more than five other people at the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Choose the Arena Floor upgrade for Gladiator’s Gate access. Guides have included Dennis, Fabio, Caterina, Annalisa, and Laura Sensi.

“LivTours was ideal for the Colosseum Tour; and while I booked a small tour, no one else happened to book my time slot so I got a personal tour! How lucky I was bc I got Maria Gabriela. Even before the tour began, I had clear communication on where to meet, and even when I got it wrong, they texted in real time to make sure I could find my guide. She was knowledgeable and warm; and I felt very welcomed by the whole experience. I highly recommend this group as there was no guessing once I booked with them. As context, this was the first week in Dec- so…”

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Rome: Colosseum, Ancient Rome Tour or AudioGuided Tour - Entering the Colosseum and seeing the first two tiers
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Rome: Colosseum, Ancient Rome Tour or AudioGuided Tour

3.Rome: Colosseum, Ancient Rome Tour or AudioGuided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 2,879 reviews · 2h 30m · from $54

Choose an English-led Colosseum tour or explore with a multilingual smartphone audio guide. You’ll see the first and second tiers, then use 24-hour tickets for the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Guides such as Fabrizio, Fleur, and Frederico have made the history lively for families, while the audio option suits visitors who prefer their own pace.

“Recommend the tour through ‘get your guide’ , organised and easy to locate the office opposite the Colliseum and over the bridge. Pleasant guide and the tour was just under 2 hours from start to finish, the weather needs to be kind to get the full experience!”

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Colosseum Underground & Ancient Rome Guided Tour - The Roman Forum, where Rome did its public business
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Colosseum Underground & Ancient Rome Guided Tour

4.Colosseum Underground & Ancient Rome Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,590 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $74

Spend about three hours with an English-speaking guide at the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Choose underground access for the arena floor, dungeons, and second level, or select arena-only entry. Guides such as Carmelo, Solomon, Mirta, Teddy, and Katia bring the ancient sites to life, with headsets provided.

“Daniella was informed friendly and adaptable to the needs and interests of our group. She even looked up information for specific questions.”

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Athens: Ancient Greek Theater Performance - The story begins with a time-traveling tourist
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Athens: Ancient Greek Theater Performance

5.Athens: Ancient Greek Theater Performance

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,481 reviews · 1h 15m · from $35

Meet at Koilon Theater beneath the Plaka stairs for a 75-minute English performance on a rooftop terrace below the Acropolis. A modern tourist is sent back to 5th-century Athens, where Medea, Oedipus’s daughters, Odysseus, and the god of Wealth bring Greek myths to life through comedy, tragedy, and clever stage effects.

“We loved this. We were a family with a teen daughter and all loved it and laughed out loud. The setting is amazing but the e play was also amazing. Highly recommend.”

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Taormina: Ancient Theater Skip-the-Line Ticket & Audio Guide - Getting through the entrance and security
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Taormina: Ancient Theater Skip-the-Line Ticket & Audio Guide

6.Taormina: Ancient Theater Skip-the-Line Ticket & Audio Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,412 reviews · 1 day · from $28Best value

Visit Taormina’s Ancient Theater at your own pace with a one-day skip-the-line ticket and audio guide in English, French, Spanish, or German. Exchange your digital voucher at the box office, pass security, and explore Greek and Roman ruins with views toward Mount Etna, Taormina, and Giardini Naxos. No live guide is included.

“This is very historical and impressive wit a very breathtaking views. Highly recommended”

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Discover the Ancient Ruins of Pompeii: Day Trip from Rome - Lunch in Pompeii: convenient, but uneven
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Discover the Ancient Ruins of Pompeii: Day Trip from Rome

7.Discover the Ancient Ruins of Pompeii: Day Trip from Rome

★★★★★★★★★★3.5 · 2,247 reviews · 13 hours (approx.)

Travel from Rome to Pompeii by air-conditioned coach, stop for lunch, and tour the UNESCO-listed ruins with a local guide. You’ll hear how Vesuvius buried the city in AD 79 and see landmarks such as the Teatro Grande, Temple of Apollo, Villa dei Misteri, and House of the Faun. The day can include multilingual commentary and optional hotel pickup arrangements.

“Pompeii was one of my most anticipated and favorite parts of our whole trip, but a lot of things about their tour could have been streamlined. We wasted hours of he day, with very minimal time off the bus, because of how the day was scheduled and sharing a duel-language guide. Pros: comfortable bus, sufficient stops for bathroom/coffee, the Pompeii tour itself was amazing. Cons: half our group was going to Capri, so we had to sit in very heavy Naples traffic to drop them off. The “panoramic tour of Naples” was essentially learning a bit here and there while sitting in the same traffic. It added very little of…”

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Discover Matera, the ancient city - English tour - Seeing part of Sasso Barisano
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Discover Matera, the ancient city – English tour

8.Discover Matera, the ancient city – English tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,771 reviews · 2 to 3 hours (approx.) · from $36

Walk Matera’s Sasso Caveoso and part of Sasso Barisano with Renato, Gaetano, Sara, or Domenico. Over two to three hours, you’ll learn how cave homes, water systems, bakeries, family stories, and changing attitudes shaped the city. This small-group English tour favors local life and overlooked corners over a church-by-church sightseeing route.

“Excellent guide Gaetano, with a huge wealth of knowledge about Matera. Would highly recommend this tour - wear sensible shoes!”

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Pantheon Elite Guided Tour - Rome's Iconic Ancient Temple - Inside the Pantheon: about 40 minutes
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Pantheon Elite Guided Tour – Rome’s Iconic Ancient Temple

9.Pantheon Elite Guided Tour – Rome’s Iconic Ancient Temple

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,447 reviews · 1 hour (approx.) · from $41

Meet near Piazza della Rotonda for a one-hour English tour of the Pantheon. Guides such as Amanda, Elena, Nina, Silvia, and Samantha explain the temple’s engineering, oculus, religious changes, and royal and artistic tombs. Timed entry helps you get inside efficiently, though the square and building can still be crowded.

“Elena was knowledgeable and entertaining. Timing and choreography of tour was great. All of our group’s questions were answered.”

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Dubrovnik: Ancient City Walls & Wars Walking Tour - A short walk through Dubrovnik’s Old Town
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Dubrovnik: Ancient City Walls & Wars Walking Tour

10.Dubrovnik: Ancient City Walls & Wars Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,270 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $30

Meet near Pile Gate and walk Dubrovnik’s limestone Old Town before tackling its 2-kilometer city walls. Guides such as Davor, Goran, Andrea, and Mara explain the republic’s battles, diplomacy, forts, and recent war. The tour lasts about two hours, runs in English, and requires a separate wall ticket.

“Be prepared to climb a lot of steps. The guide gave us a lot of information and kept it simple and interesting.”

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Historical Delphi One Day Tour with Arachova Stop & Expert Guide - Walking into the Sanctuary of Apollo
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Historical Delphi One Day Tour with Arachova Stop & Expert Guide

11.Historical Delphi One Day Tour with Arachova Stop & Expert Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,247 reviews · 10 hours (approx.) · from $34

Travel from Athens to Delphi by air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi, an English-speaking guide, headsets, and optional lunch and admission. Explore the Temple of Apollo, Delphi Archaeological Museum, Athena Pronaia, and the mountain village of Arachova. Guides such as Marianna, Dimitrios, Michael, Maria, and Evan have been especially praised for bringing the site to life.

“The trip to Delphi from Athens is long but worth the travel as the site, while a shadow of its former past, is still rich with the history and importance it once represented.”

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Antalya: Ancient Perge, Aspendos Theater & City of Side Tour - Perge: Roman avenues and a city you can walk through
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Antalya: Ancient Perge, Aspendos Theater & City of Side Tour

12.Antalya: Ancient Perge, Aspendos Theater & City of Side Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,237 reviews · 9 hours · from $41

Spend nine hours exploring Perge’s Roman streets, Aspendos Theater, and Side’s Temple of Apollo with an English, German, Spanish, or French-speaking guide. Hotel pickup, transport, lunch, and optional entry fees are included. Guides such as Ozzy, Recep, Ibrahim, and Fatima bring the ancient sites to life, with free time for photos and wandering.

“Very good trip and great guide, but extremely impressed by the company and customer service. I was given an updated wrong time the day before, so we missed the bus, and they got us a taxi and reimbursed the money on the same day on the trip. Extremely professional and great customer service would highly recommend”

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From Athens: Ancient Corinth Day Trip with Canal & VR Guide - Getting out of Athens by minibus
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From Athens: Ancient Corinth Day Trip with Canal & VR Guide

13.From Athens: Ancient Corinth Day Trip with Canal & VR Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 1,073 reviews · 6 hours · from $41

Travel from central Athens to the Corinth Canal, Ancient Corinth, and the old port of Kechries in six hours. You get an English-speaking host, air-conditioned minibus, earphones, and a VR audio app. Guides such as Angela, Dido, Stefanos, and Christopher have led recent departures. Ancient Corinth entry costs an additional €15.

“A wonderful trip to the impressive canal of Corinth and the quiet, not overcrowded ancient Corinth. On top, we have been taken to an old medieval castle. Our guide Stefanos understood to entertain and to teach us some interesting history. The bus was comfortable.”

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Ancient Rome: Colosseum Underground Group Tour - Inside the underground chambers
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Ancient Rome: Colosseum Underground Group Tour

14.Ancient Rome: Colosseum Underground Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,059 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $66

Meet near the Colosseo Metro station for a guided visit to the Colosseum’s underground chambers and arena floor, then explore the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill at your own pace. The group may reach 24 people, and the guide inside the monument may be separate from the booking company. Bring matching photo ID and arrive early.

“Great night tour of the Colosseum with an excellent and informative guide! You get to see the top layers and then head below the floor of the arena.”

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Dubrovnik Combo: Old Town & Ancient City Walls - Starting at Pile Gate and Brsalje Square
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Dubrovnik Combo: Old Town & Ancient City Walls

15.Dubrovnik Combo: Old Town & Ancient City Walls

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,019 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $52

Spend about 3.5 hours with a licensed English-speaking guide exploring Dubrovnik’s Old Town and full city-wall circuit. Guides such as Goran, Mara, and Antun explain local history, wartime stories, architecture, and daily life. Expect many steps, a separate €40 wall ticket, headsets for groups of four or more, and fine Adriatic views.

“If you’re going during the peak summer season, go early. If the temperature gets warm, this tour gets very, very hot.”

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New in Ancient History Tours

★ 4.7From Athens: Explore Ancient Greece 4-Day TourFrom $74273 reviews
★ 4.6From Athens: Explore Ancient Corinth & Charming NafplionFrom $66102 reviews
★ 4.8From Athens: Ancient Olympia Full-Day Private Tour22 reviews
★ 4.3Marsa Alam: Ancient Cairo & Giza Pyramids Day Trip by PlaneFrom $469106 reviews
★ 4.9Discover Herculaneum: A guided tour of the ancient Roman city34 reviews
★ 5.0Discover Ancient Pictographs – Guided Canyon Hiking Tour 3HFrom $6918 reviews
★ 4.6Daytrip From Khiva To Ancient Fortresses60 reviews
★ 4.5Cusco: Historical Guided City Tour with 4 Inca RuinsFrom $2399 reviews
★ 4.2Communal dinner in an ancient Tuscan farmhouseFrom $7529 reviews
★ 4.8Rome: Colosseum Arena and Ancient Rome Guided TourFrom $9223 reviews
★ 4.5Rome: Colosseum and Ancient Rome Access with Optional ArenaFrom $28198 reviews
★ 5.0Classical guitar concert in a historic olive pressFrom $7023 reviews
★ 4.5City of Side: Green Canyon, Waterfall, Ancient City Mix TourFrom $32109 reviews
★ 4.9Ostuni: E-bike Tour, Ancient Olive Trees & Oil TastingFrom $5542 reviews
★ 4.9CastelBrando: Relax at a Spa inside an ancient castleFrom $5952 reviews

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