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Domus Aurea

Domus Aurea: Our most recommended tours and activities

Rome: Domus Aurea Guided Walking Tour

1. Rome: Domus Aurea Guided Walking Tour

Join an expert guide and discover the Domus Aurea, or Golden House, designed purely for pleasure by Emperor Nero. Hear about the history of the site and its former riches on a walking tour. Meet your guide at the meeting point and exchange your voucher for your entrance tickets. Then, enter the Domus Aurea and discover what must have been one of the most aesthetically overwhelming buildings ever created, home to luxuries like mosaics, marble furnishings, and even a rotating dining room. Enjoy the 15-minute introductory video that will tell you the history of the Domus Aurea. Immerse yourself in history through 3D viewers, which will allow you to clearly see how the Domus was in the past. As you walk with your official guide, learn about the extravagance of Nero and the Golden House, which included a colossal 120-foot statue of Nero in the vestibule. Marvel at the tales of luxury in a house where everything was coated with gold and adorned with gems, shells, and ivory. Find out about the on-site lake, fields, vineyards, pastures, and woods filled with all kinds of wild and domestic animals. At the end of your tour, you'll understand why Nero was so pleased with the house, declaring, "Finally I begin to live in a house worthy of a man."

Rome: Domus Aurea Guided Group Tour

2. Rome: Domus Aurea Guided Group Tour

Take advantage of a unique opportunity to explore one of the most exclusive ancient sites in Rome throughout a special guided visit to the opulent Golden House of Nero. Experience the magnificent architecture of the notorious emperor’s vast palace, which was a vivid symbol of his immense ego. After a fire devastated the capital of the Roman Empire in 64 A.D., the emperor had his architects fashion an immense dwelling over the smoldering remains of the devastated city. What they came up with was awe-inspiring, with scarcely believable highlights including a rotating dining room open to the starry night sky and a massive artificial lake. In 68 A.D., the emperor’s wicked ways caught up with him and he was forced to commit suicide. Nero’s immense party pad was bulldozed by his successors in an attempt to erase the memory of the despised despot almost before the paint had even dried. His artificial lake was also filled in, in its place the Flavian Amphitheatre was erected only a few years later. The fabulous Domus Aurea, with its wonderful succession of spacious rooms and soaring vaults decorated with stunning frescoes, lay buried and forgotten for centuries beneath the earth. After a long and meticulous restoration, the surviving rooms of Nero’s Golden House are once again open to visitors. As you make your exciting descent into the eerie excavated remains of Nero’s Golden House today, you’ll be journeying back in time to the extravagant heyday of the Roman empire. Learn all about the fascinating life and times of Nero in the company of a guide.

Rome: Roman Forum, Palatine, and Circus Maximus Tour

3. Rome: Roman Forum, Palatine, and Circus Maximus Tour

Chart a course through the archaeological tribal beginnings of Rome and its evolution into one of the most powerful empires of all time. Start your journey by exploring one of the largest triumphal arches in Roman history: the Arch of Constantine the Great, before meandering through the sites of the Roman Forum. Walk the paths of the Roman citizens and emperors, and visit the hill where the legend of Romulus and Remus established the foundation of the city: Palatine Hill. Learn how it later became one of the most exclusive areas of Ancient Rome. Take a closer look at the archaeological ruins in the very heart of the empire. Hear about the Vestal Virgins and see their gardens and the pagan temple of the Goddess Vesta they served. Learn about the Basilica Julia and the penal system of Rome and it’s effects on Christianity. See the temple of Castor and Pollux and the Arch of Titus and learn about the sacking of Jerusalem. Later, discover the Senate House, where senators met to decide the fate of the Roman Republic and how that climaxed with the murder and cremation of Julius Caesar. Enjoy breathtaking views over the Colosseum and Circus Maximus and stay in the Roman Forums as long as you wish at the end of your official tour. During your booking, you may choose the option to extend your Ancient Rome experience by adding an extra 30-minute tour of the Circus Maximus, overseeing it from the scenic terrace of the Palatine Hill.

Ancient Rome Private Walking Tour

4. Ancient Rome Private Walking Tour

See the best ancient Rome had to offer in this 3-hour walking tour with a dedicated personal tour guide to show you all the important highlights. Itinerary: Meet your guide at the ColosseumGo to the second ring where you can admire a panoramic view of the insides of the monuments, overlooking the square below, with a birds eye view of the large base and of the remains of the colonnade and the walls of the largest roman temple dedicated to Venus and Rome. With the street of the Imperial Fora on one side and the Arch of Constantine, the Palatine Hill and Via Triumphalis on the other side.Once out of the Colosseum get a closer look at the arch of Constantine, going towards the Velian Hill, through the Arch of Titus and up to the Palatine Hill one of the most ancient parts of the city.Pass through an underground tunnel of the Domus Aurea and arrive at the square of the Forum where you can expect breathtaking views.Then proceed to the Roman Forum, the old centre of public life, with the Basilica of Maxentius, the House of Vestals, the Temple of Antoninus and Faustina and the Altar of Caesar.

Other Sightseeing Options in Domus Aurea

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What people are saying about Domus Aurea

Overall rating

4.7 / 5

based on 448 reviews

It is a remarkable archeological site - hard to wrap my head around how large and ornate the original complex was. I liked the small group size and the guide was excellent. There was a short movie and a virtual reality portion that greatly helped in filling in the history and provide a sense of what the original above ground domus aurea of Nero was like. Would recommend.

Our guide Renata was EXCELLENT. Renata brings the history to life with her mastery, expert knowledge and passion. It is an excellent and well thought out tour, that gives us a glimpse into Nero, the palace, and the innovation of man. The ancient remains, narrative, exploring the tunnels, and also added VR make for a compelling tour. Thank you for this experience.

We booked and met at the meeting place to be advised we were the 9n of ones on the tour. So effectively had 1 guide to 2 people. No need for headsets…

Our guide Thomas was excellent and the site was beyond expectation. we are so glad we booked this tour.

Fascinating insight into the grandiose Palace of Nero