Seeing the great Roman Colosseum is still able to make people look up at it and wonder how it was built. By the end of their trip, this monument was a large part of their journey to ancient Rome. Even still, new discoveries are made at the colosseum all the time. For those who think they have seen and explored every inch of this structure, there is new news! Now, people are given exclusive tours to locations that were not accessible before. Want to see the stadium as if you were a gladiator? How about what it was like under the stage? What about the same area the sailors worked in maneuvering the velarium. This tour has opened up and is sold out quick! Not only does this tour give you the chance to walk these same halls, but you and about 25 others will be able to walk through the gates that are locked; save for the archeologist. Be ready for some stair climbing as you are able to go from the underground to the third tier.

Meet up with your tour guide around the same area where you can purchase audio tour guides. Once you have made arrangements for this tour, you will have a number where to meet. Finally, time came for us to enter. We were handed headsets so that we could hear our guide better.

As we crossed into the archeological site, it was time to walk and onto the platform. This platform helps people today experience where and what they floor looked like when this worked. Get a personal perspective as if you were a gladiator. Walk onto this area to see all of the seats that surround you in every direction. This area, once covered with sand to help absorb the blood, was the stage for every action that this monument saw.

Next, either walked down the stairs, or take the elevator down beneath the stage. This same area is where workers were running back and forth in the dark, or poorly lit areas to make the spectacular event above. Here, among the workers, different animals were kept in cages. Imagine the beasts’ growl, roar, neigh, snap, claw, or trumpet, the people running back and forth frantically, the cranks and strains of ropes pulling to make contraptions work, gladiators walking among all of this, and the roars of those above! It must have been a massive display of confusion, hustle, poor working conditions, chaos, and amazement in how it worked. See the massive corridors that held this monument up through the ages, and see drainage areas off to the side. Then, just as it was thought that this tour really couldn’t get much better, it does! Keep heading on up higher and higher with a real stair master.

Walk along the area that everyone walks, then stop to gain entry to an area locked off to everyone but those on the tour. Once inside, get locked in, and keep heading up. Soon, you find yourself in the same area where the sailors worked. Here, they would run around the area making sure that the vast canvas covered the people and stadium below.

Then, believe it, we head up once more! This stair case isn’t as long as the ones prior, but still several more steps up to arrive to the coveted third tier of the Colosseum. Once on top, take in the magnificent views of below. To see the stadium from this height was amazing! People below looked so small, the stage, so far away, and the entire height of the monument was mind blowing. We could see out where the rest of Rome lie, as well as where the fighters entered and exited. On the walls of the Colosseum, people had once carved (like what people liked to do) that they were once here. It was amazing to see dates from WWI and WWII, to dates as soon as 2009! I highly advise not to do this, but to only be awed that they are still here.

Once we have finished with our views, we walk back down to where the rest of the visitors are. The gate is locked up once more, and our tour is over. If there is an opportunity to explore this area, I recommend this exclusive tour.