lah66 Posted May 30 #1 Share Posted May 30 We will have a 13 hour port stop in Civitavecchia. Looking for a tour that allows interior tours of both the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Italy tours eu only tours the Colosseum exterior but some reviews report the interior of the Pantheon is superior. The Roman Guy tours the interior of the Colosseum but only the exterior of the Pantheon. Would a private tour be able to fit both in as well as seeing Trevi Fountain, Roman Forum, Sistine Chapel and St Peters Basilica? We IF so can skip lunch! 🤣 Any suggestions are appreciated! Thank you so much! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare cruisemom42 Posted May 30 #2 Share Posted May 30 Trying to compare the interior of the Colosseum with the interior of the Pantheon is like apples and oranges. The Colosseum interior is much like the exterior -- by that I mean that the original facing and decoration is mostly gone. By contrast the Pantheon interior is largely intact (with a few changes and restorations over the years) because it was converted into a Catholic church fairly early. So it's extremely difficult to compare the two. If you book a tour that might give you free time for lunch in the vicinity of the Pantheon or Piazza Navona, you can buy your own ticket from their kiosks outside the building or at the desk (both accept credit cards I think), but you will still have to wait in a line probably. Depending on what time of the year your visit is, the wait may be long or short. Or you can buy a timed ticket in advance online -- but you may still have a wait to get in due to capacity controls. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princeton123211 Posted May 31 #3 Share Posted May 31 On 5/30/2024 at 12:07 PM, lah66 said: Looking for a tour that allows interior tours of both the Colosseum and the Pantheon. Italy tours eu only tours the Colosseum exterior but some reviews report the interior of the Pantheon is superior. Agree with Cruisemom-- apples to oranges. But if I were forced to choose, based on experience, I would choose the interior of the Pantheon all day long. One of the very few fully intact Roman grand buildings left. The Colosseum is a ruin-- a very pretty ruin-- but you can get as good of a feel for the place on the outside as on the inside. Not saying you shouldn't try to do both but if you have to prioritize. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lah66 Posted May 31 Author #4 Share Posted May 31 On 5/30/2024 at 12:41 PM, cruisemom42 said: Trying to compare the interior of the Colosseum with the interior of the Pantheon is like apples and oranges. The Colosseum interior is much like the exterior -- by that I mean that the original facing and decoration is mostly gone. By contrast the Pantheon interior is largely intact (with a few changes and restorations over the years) because it was converted into a Catholic church fairly early. So it's extremely difficult to compare the two. If you book a tour that might give you free time for lunch in the vicinity of the Pantheon or Piazza Navona, you can buy your own ticket from their kiosks outside the building or at the desk (both accept credit cards I think), but you will still have to wait in a line probably. Depending on what time of the year your visit is, the wait may be long or short. Or you can buy a timed ticket in advance online -- but you may still have a wait to get in due to capacity controls. Thank you so much for the great suggestions! Both my husband and I cannot imagine being outside the Colosseum and not seeing the inside arena! I guess that should answer my question of which is more important to us! Good idea to try to fit a Panthenon interior tour while others waste time at lunch! 🤣 Thank you again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lah66 Posted May 31 Author #5 Share Posted May 31 29 minutes ago, princeton123211 said: Agree with Cruisemom-- apples to oranges. But if I were forced to choose, based on experience, I would choose the interior of the Pantheon all day long. One of the very few fully intact Roman grand buildings left. The Colosseum is a ruin-- a very pretty ruin-- but you can get as good of a feel for the place on the outside as on the inside. Not saying you shouldn't try to do both but if you have to prioritize. A lot of people said the same as you! And looking at Pantheon interior photos, it is gorgeous! We will keep looking for semi private tours that will accommodate our desires or maybe have to splurge for a private tour so we can determine our own timeline. Thank you for your advice! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CCJack Posted June 8 #6 Share Posted June 8 I agree with the above responses.. my only additional comments are if I were to prioritize your list, I would put trevi fountain towards the bottom, and maybe even Roman Forum. The Forum has huge historical importance but you really need to know what you are looking at and take time for explanations, etc. You may end up walking through or by the Forum to get to the Colosseum anyway. I would not skip St. Peters, even if you only have time for a walk through. A quick walk through would give you an appreciation for the size of this Basilica. Agree that the Pantheon is an unbelievable building when you understand its age and its condition (excellent).... try to find time to get inside. A good private guide is a good investment especially if this may be your only visit to Rome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Bonjour Posted June 11 #7 Share Posted June 11 Another vote for the Pantheon, it's breathtaking in so many ways. Felt the same way going through the Forum, which was astounding and while I was walking through, I had no guide to what I was seeing but the significance was not lost on me. I read about it as soon as I got inside! There are audio guides you can use on your phone for the Forum (and Palatine Hills) and @cruisemom may have insight as to whether or if they are worth using. I am a clutz of the highest order and so just walking and looking is about as much as I can do at the same time but again, the Forum is just so so so amazing. It's also quite something to simply see the Colosseum from the outside: there it is, right in front of you, this thing you've seen a thousand times in photos and movies. Pretty great combo day, really 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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