Guided tour

Rome: Domus Aurea Guided Group Tour

Activity provider: Through Eternity Tours
Guided tour

Rome: Domus Aurea Guided Group Tour

Activity provider: Through Eternity Tours
Likely to sell out

From US$ 53.14 per person

Likely to sell out

Explore Nero's incredible Golden House and relive the excesses of this ancient emperor on an exciting walking tour of one of the most exciting active excavation sites in Rome.

About this activity

Free cancellation
Cancel up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund
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Duration 2 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Skip the line through express security check
Live tour guide
English

Experience

Highlights
  • See the excavated ruins at Nero’s Golden House
  • Learn about the Domus Aurea up to the Renaissance
  • Get an inside look at the life and times of Nero
  • Marvel at incredible architecture and jaw-dropping frescoes
Full description

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.

Includes
  • Exclusive access to the Domus Aurea
  • English-speaking, archaeologist guide
  • Tickets and reservation fees
  • Transportation to and from the meeting and end points
  • Gratuities (optional)
Not suitable for
  • Wheelchair users

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Your guide will be on the corner of Via Nicola Salvi and Via delle Terme di Tito, in front of Oppio Caffe. If you are using GPS or Google Maps, the exact address is Via delle Terme di Tito 72. Your guide will have a Through Eternity sign or flag.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Warm clothing
  • Water

Not allowed

  • Luggage or large bags

Know before you go

  • This is a walking tour with steps, staircases, and uneven surfaces, so comfortable walking shoes are recommended
  • Please let the activity provider know during the booking process if any travelers have mobility concerns so that they can make accommodations
  •  To obtain a student discount, a valid student ID must be shown on the day of the tour. If a student does not have valid student ID, they may be changed the full ticket price for entry which must be paid on the day of the tour
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.7 /5

based on 177 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.7/5
  • Value for money
    4.4/5
  • Service
    5/5

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Star rating:

This is an excellent tour. It is a chance to see something that isn't very well known and the tour is really well put together. The group was a nice size (not too big) and although the tour is about 2 hours, it flies by. Our guide Enrica was knowledgeable, engaging and enthusiastic, and mixed the facts about the architecture with the history of the buildings and Rome itself. Highly recommended.

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February 18, 2023

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.

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December 31, 2022

The guide, Gracelyn Monaco, was truly amazing. She knew her stuff. I've not taken too many guided tours of Italy although I've been there about 20 times (at least). My guide was from the U.S. and had been living in Italy I think she said for 18 years. I mention that because I've had guides that weren't that good at speaking English. I don't want to seem harsh but it does make a difference in how the presentation comes off. Ms. Monaco loves her job, knows the history, architecture, and is seemingly versed in so many aspects of Roman history and in particular the Golden house. The time just blasted past and I was not "happy" that the tour was over. I plan to go back in a couple of months and get her for a guide again. What a treat!

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August 30, 2022

Product ID: 360190