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Walking In The Shadow Of The Colosseum

in Travel on 09/26/16

 

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Goosebumps.  As we stood beside the Colosseum in Rome, shadowed by it’s enormous size, I became momentarily overwhelmed by the structure that sat in front of me.  I’d seen this massive wonder in books, marvelled at it’s significance during movies, even studied it in school, but what did I really know?  What would I tell my children as we toured both this and Palentine Hill?  I didn’t have nearly enough knowledge to tackle these incredible places.  Fortunately we’d had the foresight to book a Through Eternity Tours and thanks to the extensive knowledge and unwavering enthusiasm of Gracelyn, our inspiring guide, history was about to come alive.

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Our small group of just 6 was met outside the entrance to this mesmerizing piece of history.   We were already buzzing with excitement, ready to take the Colosseum Underground Tour, Third Tier, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill tour.

We were given the most comfortable of headsets – so we could always easily and clearly hear our guide, advised to be sure we had water, and then began our expertly navigated tour through Palatine Hill and The Colosseum.

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Immediately I was swept away in the stories and history of all that has happened at Palatine Hill.  At one time this beautiful part of the ancient city hosted the exclusive residences of the Roman aristocracy.  Then, the emperors appropriated it to construct their colossal villas.  It has views down into the Forum, the Colosseum, and the Circus Maximus.

Our group was given the opportunity to learn about the Vestal Virgins, the House of Augustus, the Flavian palace, the Severian baths, the great Stadium and so much more.  I can promise, history has never been quite so fascinating.

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We were spellbound by the buildings, the sites, and by our guides stories as we pictured them happening on these very grounds.

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After a brief lunch (and an air-conditioning break) at a cafe nearby, we moved on to The Colosseum.

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The size of this structure in nearly impossible to appreciate until you stand in the shadow beneath it.  Here, out guide painted a picture for us.  As you enter, you can almost hear the cry of the Gladiators, the roar of the lions, see the elephants, and even the ostrich.  Suddenly it was easy for us to imagine the aristocracy going about their privileged daily lives.

We walked through the entrance and headed straight to the stage floor. Yes, right onto the stage of the Colosseum floor. Here Gladiators were pitted against Gladiators, crowds cheered on their favourites, lives were lost as nobility and senators were entertained.

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We posed for a family photo like no other.

Following a short history lesson, we moved to beneath the stage floor. Down, under here:

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It was cool and dark, perhaps even a little scary. A place where at one time prisoners and animals were kept, where all the “magic” happened? Think of it as a backstage of a play. Sets were assembled, animals put at the correct “doors” to be thrust up on stage to meet and fight their Gladiators who were simultaneously launched up via crude elevators.  After the view below the stage, we went up. Way up, to the third tier for a birds eye view of the entire stadium and a look back over Palenine Hill.

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In summary; this tour, with tour guide Gracelyn from Through Eternity, provided us with time to marvel at the ancient ruins, walk through this wondrous place with an energetic and knowledgeable guide pouring out her wisdom as she went.

What I learned:
-The Through Eternity tour includes Skip The Line access. Invaluable on hot days.
-Without taking a guided tour I would have missed most of what the Colosseum had to offer and I would have been lost on Palatine Hill
-The small group tour does make a difference. I saw groups of 40ish people being led around by waving flag carriers. I’m not sure how you ever get to ask questions that way. Our group had 6 people. (we did join 2 other groups of 6 as we entered the stage floor)
-You can’t take water into the Colosseum, but you can take a water bottle and fill up inside.
-You can take water into Palestine Hill. Do it.

If you ever have the chance to go to Rome, don’t just walk by the Colosseum, snap a picture and call it a day.  Invest in a guide to show you, teach you about the wonder and history of this incredible area.  This tour is one my family and I will never forget.

Find out everything you could ever want to know about Through Eternity Tours on their website and by following them on Twitter.

Disclosure:  Thank you to Through Eternity for this tour.  As always opinions reflected on this blog are my own.

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    Comments

    1. Lushka Smith says

      November 26, 2017 at 12:30 pm

      On my bucket list, thanks for the tips.

    2. Alison Braidwood says

      December 20, 2016 at 3:18 pm

      I didn’t do a headset tour when I visited the Colosseum. Definitely will next time I visit Rome.

    3. kathy downey says

      December 1, 2016 at 2:44 pm

      It much have been fantastic to stand with all this History and beauty.

    4. Jay M says

      November 26, 2016 at 7:22 pm

      Yep. Reading about history is one thing; seeing it is another!

    5. Viv Sluys says

      November 24, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      Wow! I am so looking forward to my girls being old enough to enjoy this type of trip! It sounds like it would be amazing to get a tour in a small group. What an amazing connection to history!!

    6. Karla Sceviour says

      November 5, 2016 at 7:00 pm

      Thats amazing,would be wonderful to be there and see it in person.

    7. kisten visser says

      November 4, 2016 at 3:59 pm

      wow so much history there! it is on our bucket list and would be a dream to go visit the Colosseum. talk about an experience

    8. nicolthepickle says

      October 25, 2016 at 6:58 am

      Doesn’t it make you feel so small? It’s awe inspiring.

    9. kathy downey says

      October 18, 2016 at 11:34 am

      It must have been amazing,what memories !! Beautiful photo’s

    10. Deborah Pucci says

      September 30, 2016 at 11:51 am

      What an amazing trip you had. I have to save this post in case I ever get to go! You look just like your girls and not their mother!!!

    11. Jacki says

      September 27, 2016 at 7:20 pm

      Sounds fantastic and love your photos!

      • Stephanie says

        September 29, 2016 at 10:30 pm

        Thanks Jacki, it was!

    12. Kathy says

      September 27, 2016 at 5:44 pm

      Your tour sounds so good. Adding all of it to my bucket list.

      • Stephanie says

        September 29, 2016 at 10:29 pm

        I truly believe it would not have been the same without this fabulous tour. Hope you get to check this one off your bucket list soon!

    13. Judy Cowan says

      September 27, 2016 at 10:55 am

      Wow, amazing! Definitely would be something to see!

      • Stephanie says

        September 29, 2016 at 10:29 pm

        I was gob smacked 🙂

    14. Stephanie LaPlante says

      September 26, 2016 at 9:57 am

      Now that is definitely a piece of history I’d love to visit!

      • Stephanie says

        September 29, 2016 at 10:28 pm

        It’s like no other experience I have ever had. I hope you have the chance to see it for yourself one day!

    Travel addict, sun seeker, coffee drinker, fashion lover, picture taker. This is a peek behind the closed and competitive doors of the suburbs. A place to come to learn about the best places to travel with your kids in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean and beyond! stephanie@sassymodernmom.com
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