Domus Aurea
Domus Aurea
4.5
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Sunday
9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
About
The imperial estate of Nero was built in 64AD, which is comprised of a series of pavilions, set in an articulated garden with an artificial lake in its center.
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The area
Address
Neighborhood: Centro
How to get there
- Colosseo • 4 min walk
- Fori Imperiali-Colosseo • 4 min walk
Reach out directly
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Restaurants
7,822 within 3 miles
Attractions
2,311 within 6 miles
See what travelers are saying
- Lexie592Cambridge, United Kingdom14 contributionsWell worth a visitI have always wanted to go in the Domus Aurea, and never managed to book on a previous trip to Rome. It was stunning and the Roman wallpaintings etc are spectacular. The guided visit was great and the VR experience a fantastic addition to the tour. Would highly recommend!Visited March 2023Traveled with friendsWritten April 19, 2023
- Lesley SFarnborough, United Kingdom297 contributionsVery interesting place.We booked direct about 1 month prior to visit as we wanted an English speaking tour. The visit was excellent and the archaeologist guide was very good. Like previously mentioned it is rather cool down in the Domus so carry a jacket with you. Loved the information video and the VR headset experience. Would recommend when visiting Rome.Visited April 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten April 25, 2023
- Family5GetAwaySt. John's, Canada295 contributionsA trip highlight!One of the highlights of our trip. I was amazed at how big this underground site is. It is a guided tour, but the groups are small (around 20 people were in ours) and our guide was informative. I found the introductory video at the beginning very informative and the virtual reality show at the end was fantastic. My VR set was not working so by the time they set me up on another site, I missed about half of the show but the last part is the best part anyway and really brought the history of the area to life for me. As others mentioned it is a little cooler when you are underground so I would recommend having a coat to wear while down there. It is a working archeological site, so the tours only take place Friday through Sunday and the numbers of guests per tour are limited so I recommend booking tickets in advance. I booked a week in advance through the official site without any issue.Visited May 2023Written May 19, 2023
- Lynn REllicott City, Maryland154 contributionsDon’t miss this while in the Colosseum area!You do not need to pay an outside company for a tour of this site. The venue offers their own tours directly from their website. We got our tour tickets less than 24 hours in advance and had no trouble booking. Our tour guide was enthusiastic and knowledgeable. We learned a lot about the relationship between Egypt and Rome. The VR experience at the end presents an exciting look at what the site looked like at the time. The cool underground chambers are also a welcome respite from the summer heat!Visited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten June 30, 2023
- Susan HOxford, United Kingdom21 contributionsImpressive visit, VR experience brought the place to lifeExcellent trip, we booked directly on the website the day before we visited. We went in the afternoon after a morning at the colosseum and Forum and were not disappointed, it was lovely to be in a cool space after a morning in the sun. The Golden House itself is really impressive and we had a knowledgeable guide to walk us through the space in a small group. The VR experience at the end was fantastic and really brought the place to life. Thoroughly recommendedVisited June 2023Traveled with familyWritten July 4, 2023
- JohnWullyDaventry, United Kingdom238 contributionsGreat Help Saved The DayIt is a mark of good organisations that they can cope when things go wrong. Sadly by the time we reached the entrance I was rather affected my the heat of our half hour walk. Shortly after the tour started I felt unwell and couldn’t continue. The staff could not have been more helpful and organised a place to let me recover before getting a taxi to take us back to our hotel. Thumbs up for the kind staff.Visited August 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten August 13, 2023
- Eskimo550Belfast, United Kingdom57 contributionsNero's Golden Palace - incredible!I've been to Rome many times but this was my first opportunity to visit Domus Aurea. I've been studying Nero and his 'Golden Palace' at university so was thrilled at the chance to visit myself and see what remains. We booked through the Coop Culture website a few days in advance, the tour has a limit on the number that can be accommodated but we (family of 4) were accompanied just by one other couple. The tour takes you below the ground to view the excavated ruins of part of Nero's palace and it is truly incredible. Such a beautiful space. I love knowing I could return to it in a few years and see more as they are still excavating the site. Our tour included the virtual reality headsets at the end which showed us how historians believe the rooms were had walked through and the exterior of the villa had originally looked like - my kids enjoyed it but my husband had difficulty fitting the headset over his glasses. I loved Domus Aurea - even my sceptical husband enjoyed the visit.Visited August 2023Traveled with familyWritten September 11, 2023
- NorthernExplorer22 contributionsInteresting placeAmazing (now) underground palace with frescoed walls. We found the exhibition about the links between Nero, ancient Egypt and Isis really interesting. Our tour guide was good but could have made it a little more interactive. The virtual reality experience at the end made it - definitely make sure to book for a day when this is included.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 5, 2023
- Darren MLongford, Australia14 contributionsUnveiling Nero's Secrets: A Hidden Gem Beneath the Tourist BustleEscape the typical tourist buzz with this extraordinary tour that delves underground, unraveling the financial extravagance of Emperor Nero. Discover ancient frescoes and culminate your journey with a remarkable virtual reality experience that transports you back in time. Don't let this unique adventure slip through the cracks—make sure to experience it firsthand.Visited November 2023Traveled with familyWritten November 27, 2023
- misterfuss82 contributionsThe excitement and thrill of visiting ancient underground RomeI've been to Rome many times and seen many antiquities, so for me this was a wonderful addition to my accumulated experiences. I booked an English language tour direct with the CoopCulture site. My weekday tour did not include the VR component. My tour was during the exhibition called La Domus Aurea e l'Egitto. The tour included material about the influence and background of Ptolemaic Egypt on the Domus Aurea and Nero's reign. That information was interesting for me because it built on my existing knowledge of Nero. The visit was enhanced with some imperial Roman artifacts that were moved into the site for the exhibit. Fortunately I did plenty of research in advance, because the guided tour neglected to provide an in depth description of the site itself. For example, the tour did not point out that the wall decorations are the fourth style of Imperial Roman painting, which was more complex and detailed than the previous four styles of Imperial Roman wall frescoes. While past tourists such as Casanova and Marquis de Sade left their signatures scratched into the walls, my tour did not point out these curiosities from the past. I do not recall the tour identifying the names of the rooms, or explaining any of the myths illustrated in the frescoes; for example The Room of Achilles and Sciro, or the mosaic of Ulysses and Polyphemus. Yet, these omissions weren't actually great errors for me; because of my research in advance and because my accumulated experiences include ad infinitum explanations of such myths. The visit did have the excitement and thrill of visiting ancient underground Rome. The exhibition called La Domus Aurea e l'Egitto provided much revisionist theory about Nero's efforts to enfranchise the population beyond the Roman elite, and beyond his demonization in The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, by Suetonius. In retrospect, I highly recommend the the visit and the tour, but I also recommend that you do your own research in advance.Visited November 2023Traveled soloWritten December 3, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Popular mentions
4.5
1,461 reviews
Excellent
1,068
Very good
242
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71
Poor
40
Terrible
40
Nigel B
London, UK40 contributions
Jan 2020
The tour was led by an Italian archaelogist, and she was brilliant, with impeccable English spoken, and vast knowledge of the history, interjected with humour. Our group was only 8 people, and we were taken underground to see Nero's palace, which was subsequently almost erased from Roman history. The tour took us to many rooms that have been excavated, and also included a fantastic Virtual Reality experience of how the palace would have looked before ii was buried. I had booked directly with them, and it was great value for money. Large numbers of people have no idea about this palace, including modern day Romans.
Written January 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Gordon E
Brussels, Belgium465 contributions
Jul 2022
The tour through the Domus Aurea really allows you to get a feel for the splendour of ancient Rome. The tour starts with a short video about the history of the construction of Nero's palace. You then go on a guided tour with a very knowledgable guide. In the middle of the tour there is a virtual reality experience, which is fantastic. You get to see what it really might have been like to walk the gardens of the Domus Aurea and look down on the city of Rome. The house has some wonderful frescoes and the remains of some of the architecture are also impressive.
It seems you can only visit with a guided tour and the prices online vary dramatically. We paid 16 euros per person through the coop culture website. Other websites offer the same tour for more than twice the price.
It seems you can only visit with a guided tour and the prices online vary dramatically. We paid 16 euros per person through the coop culture website. Other websites offer the same tour for more than twice the price.
Written July 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Family5GetAway
St. John's, Canada295 contributions
May 2023
One of the highlights of our trip. I was amazed at how big this underground site is. It is a guided tour, but the groups are small (around 20 people were in ours) and our guide was informative. I found the introductory video at the beginning very informative and the virtual reality show at the end was fantastic. My VR set was not working so by the time they set me up on another site, I missed about half of the show but the last part is the best part anyway and really brought the history of the area to life for me. As others mentioned it is a little cooler when you are underground so I would recommend having a coat to wear while down there. It is a working archeological site, so the tours only take place Friday through Sunday and the numbers of guests per tour are limited so I recommend booking tickets in advance. I booked a week in advance through the official site without any issue.
Written May 19, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Paula H
South Wales, UK115 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
Amazing place to visit (particularly on a hot day (it’s a constant 15c inside) and astonishing to realise how big this building was. Our guide was good but the information given was a little repetitive and the tour felt rushed. There is so much to see but you are shepherded from one point to the next very quickly. We brought up the rear of our group and loitered taking pics and looking at the incredible rooms / bits of fresco, and that worked for us. The VR was good. Think we’d have preferred being able to wander through in our own time, guided by info boards, but maybe that will come in the future.
Written June 11, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
wizbang44
Alston, UK7 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
This site was discovered over 15 years ago when we heard of it on our first visit to Rome. We booked with CoopCulture the next time we visited again in 2017 and found it fascinating. We toured the site wearing hard hats and carefully negitiated scaffolding and electricity cables.
Six years later we decided to see what renovations had been done and booked again.
Gaining access was difficult and we were redirected several times - the signage was old and pointed us in the direction of the original entrance no longer used. Eventually after we were allowed to enter after showing the QR code from the confirmation email although there was no scanner to read it.
The young woman who was our guide knew her stuff but spoke very softly and quickly. That made it difficult to hear in the huge space. It wasn't helped by being an extremely hot day - nearly 40C outside and there was nowhere to sit. Some of the group seemed to switch off and that made the visit somewhat disappointing. The virtual reality presentaion was excellent.
They have only uncovered 40% of the site so we may try to visit again in a few years' time.
It really is a fascinating place -such a pity the organisation left us a little bit short.
Six years later we decided to see what renovations had been done and booked again.
Gaining access was difficult and we were redirected several times - the signage was old and pointed us in the direction of the original entrance no longer used. Eventually after we were allowed to enter after showing the QR code from the confirmation email although there was no scanner to read it.
The young woman who was our guide knew her stuff but spoke very softly and quickly. That made it difficult to hear in the huge space. It wasn't helped by being an extremely hot day - nearly 40C outside and there was nowhere to sit. Some of the group seemed to switch off and that made the visit somewhat disappointing. The virtual reality presentaion was excellent.
They have only uncovered 40% of the site so we may try to visit again in a few years' time.
It really is a fascinating place -such a pity the organisation left us a little bit short.
Written September 24, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
tiz S
Rome, Italy194 contributions
Jun 2021 • Couples
The “golden house” is monumental and charming. You can tell Nero was truly in love with the arts. The rooms’ vaults and walls are decorated with refined, sophisticated, and delicate wall paintings in fourth pompeian style. It was interesting to see one of the earliest ceiling mosaics ever (the one with Ulysses) and the famous hall with the so-called golden vault. Through the holes of this vault the famous Renaissance artists such as Pinturicchio and Signorelli lowered themselves down to admire and copy the wall paintings. The exhibition about the Grottesche in the octagonal room was great but I was disappointed with the section dedicated to the spread of the Grottesche around the world - there was no mention of the Raphael Loggias in the Hermitage commissioned by Empress Catherine II in the late 1780s.
Written June 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alex H
22 contributions
Sep 2022 • Couples
Me and my partner went to this with different levels of excitement - I'm pretty nerdy about ancient Rome so was very excited, she was a bit more sceptical.
Safe to say this BLEW us both away.
We went with Through Eternity tours - initially this was more expensive than I wanted to pay, but entry tickets had sold out.
It was so worth it. Thomas was fantastic- funny, engaging, knowledgeable. The VR headsets at the attraction are essential, not gimmicky.
The Palace itself is something else. Spine tingling. 10/10
Safe to say this BLEW us both away.
We went with Through Eternity tours - initially this was more expensive than I wanted to pay, but entry tickets had sold out.
It was so worth it. Thomas was fantastic- funny, engaging, knowledgeable. The VR headsets at the attraction are essential, not gimmicky.
The Palace itself is something else. Spine tingling. 10/10
Written November 13, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Stephen S
86 contributions
Oct 2019
The tour is totally underground and provides a perspective rarely seen in Rome. Nero was widely disliked and when his reign ended, his works were generally destroyed or buried. The area where the Colosseum sits was once Nero's artificial lake. You also get a chance to see what the palace and surroundings looked like by viewing a virtual reality short movie. Very impressive.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ginsengNewYork
New York City, NY1,335 contributions
Aug 2021
Watch out : Weekdays visits are possible, but are unguided and shorter. Hence, it is preferable to book a visit on Saturdays or Sundays.
However, if, like me, you can only visit on a weekday, it is still worth it !
One cannot help but being impressed by the engineering and sheer scale of this complex that included several buildings, large gardens and a huge lake.
A complex that Nero's successors tried to annihilate ( buildings were vandalized then buried, the lake was dried up to give way to the Colosseum, etc, etc).
Therefore, what is called the Domus Aurea, is a large archaeological zone, a work in progress whose most beautiful space is the "cenatio rotunda", an octagonal dining room that rotated on itself, was cooled by a diverted spring, and was topped by an immense ceiling in the shape of a celestial vault, lit during the day by a huge occulus.
Presently (august 2021) there is a special exhibit on Grotesque art, which is derived from the decorative frescoes of this very palace. It is very interesting (spanning from Raphael to Surrealism), and interactive as well (great for children and grown ups).
In the white heat of summer, visiting these large cool rooms is pure delight!
To get there, you have to find the Parco del Colle Oppio, off via Nicole Salvi, right across from the Colosseo. Enter the parc, home to students, old ladies feeding pigeons, and homeless, and on your second left, up a small hill, you will find the unassuming entrance to Domus Aurea.
ENJOY !
However, if, like me, you can only visit on a weekday, it is still worth it !
One cannot help but being impressed by the engineering and sheer scale of this complex that included several buildings, large gardens and a huge lake.
A complex that Nero's successors tried to annihilate ( buildings were vandalized then buried, the lake was dried up to give way to the Colosseum, etc, etc).
Therefore, what is called the Domus Aurea, is a large archaeological zone, a work in progress whose most beautiful space is the "cenatio rotunda", an octagonal dining room that rotated on itself, was cooled by a diverted spring, and was topped by an immense ceiling in the shape of a celestial vault, lit during the day by a huge occulus.
Presently (august 2021) there is a special exhibit on Grotesque art, which is derived from the decorative frescoes of this very palace. It is very interesting (spanning from Raphael to Surrealism), and interactive as well (great for children and grown ups).
In the white heat of summer, visiting these large cool rooms is pure delight!
To get there, you have to find the Parco del Colle Oppio, off via Nicole Salvi, right across from the Colosseo. Enter the parc, home to students, old ladies feeding pigeons, and homeless, and on your second left, up a small hill, you will find the unassuming entrance to Domus Aurea.
ENJOY !
Written September 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
misterfuss
San Francisco, California82 contributions
Nov 2023 • Solo
I've been to Rome many times and seen many antiquities, so for me this was a wonderful addition to my accumulated experiences. I booked an English language tour direct with the CoopCulture site. My weekday tour did not include the VR component. My tour was during the exhibition called La Domus Aurea e l'Egitto. The tour included material about the influence and background of Ptolemaic Egypt on the Domus Aurea and Nero's reign. That information was interesting for me because it built on my existing knowledge of Nero. The visit was enhanced with some imperial Roman artifacts that were moved into the site for the exhibit. Fortunately I did plenty of research in advance, because the guided tour neglected to provide an in depth description of the site itself. For example, the tour did not point out that the wall decorations are the fourth style of Imperial Roman painting, which was more complex and detailed than the previous four styles of Imperial Roman wall frescoes. While past tourists such as Casanova and Marquis de Sade left their signatures scratched into the walls, my tour did not point out these curiosities from the past. I do not recall the tour identifying the names of the rooms, or explaining any of the myths illustrated in the frescoes; for example The Room of Achilles and Sciro, or the mosaic of Ulysses and Polyphemus. Yet, these omissions weren't actually great errors for me; because of my research in advance and because my accumulated experiences include ad infinitum explanations of such myths. The visit did have the excitement and thrill of visiting ancient underground Rome. The exhibition called La Domus Aurea e l'Egitto provided much revisionist theory about Nero's efforts to enfranchise the population beyond the Roman elite, and beyond his demonization in The Lives of the Twelve Caesars, by Suetonius. In retrospect, I highly recommend the the visit and the tour, but I also recommend that you do your own research in advance.
Written December 3, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Regan A
Saint Clair Shores, MI86 contributions
Hello, I’m trying to find the link to purchase a weekday ticket. Unfortunately, I will not be there on a weekend but would still like to visit. Coop culture only gives me weekend options with the VR and I cannot figure out how to buy a weekday ticket. Thanks
NicNic
Dallas, TX12 contributions
I am in the U.S. and cannot get the CoOp Culture website to show even ONE available ticket -- I am trying all times of day and night. Does anyone know the secret to getting it to work? Is there a certain browser it likes?
NicNic
Dallas, TX12 contributions
I'm having issues on the Colosseum side also -- and I cannot select ANY weekend no matter how far in advance. I'm also trying for 3 weeks from now specifically.
Valeria N
Boltiere, Italy2 contributions
Buongiorno, sa consigliarmi da quale sito prenotare la visita guidata per la Domus Area? è inclusa la mostra di Raffaello?
grazie
Maria Grazia B
Province of Ravenna, Italy8 contributions
Può prenotare al sito di coopculture la visita è guidata per gruppi di visitatori ad orari predefiniti
Rita G
Sicily, Italy31 contributions
Ci sono gratuita o agevolazioni per i docenti di scuole statali?
Maria Cristina G
Rome, Italy77 contributions
Non mi sembra siano previste.
Sightseer43441951288
Parla, Spain
Al final , llegaste a saber , dónde se encuentra la entrada para ver la casa de Nerón , voy en domingo 8 diciembre 2019 .Quisiera no tener problemas a la hora de la entrada 11,45 am
Christian
Vienna, Austria65 contributions
It is just inside the Park Colle Oppio, walk along Via della Domus Aurea and find it at the left side. Just imagine that it is inside the hill. Maybe 5 minutes from the Metro exit.
Turtle_lover_13
Alba, Italy165 contributions
Esiste un deposito per poter lasciare un bagaglio (trolley)?
Mi hanno detto che non si può entrare con bagagli ma non ho capito se esistono depositi
dantizz1
Rome, Italy82 contributions
no non esiste un deposito bagagli !
Alessia
Tortoreto, Italy1,209 contributions
Leggo di visitatori che hanno avuto difficoltà nel trovare l'ingresso per mancanza di indicazioni. Uscendo dalla stazione metro Colosseo da che parte devo andare? Quali sono i punti di riferimento? Grazie.
Vi983
Genoa, Italy159 contributions
In effetti le segnalazioni scarseggiano. Uscendo dalla metro Colosseo vai a sinistra, all’incrocio vai dritta prendendo la salita (via domus aurea) e a tre quarti dalla fine della salita gira a sinistra. Alla fine della strada c’è un cancelletto, lì è l’ingresso.
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Claim your listingDomus Aurea - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)
Frequently Asked Questions about Domus Aurea
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Domus Aurea:
- Nero's Golden House restoration site tour (From $53.32)
- Airport Transfer Arrivals Plus Tour of Rome (From $499.90)
- Domus Aurea skip the line ticket guided tour (From $55.54)
- Domus Aurea Tour, The Golden House of Nero (From $101.09)
- Domus Aurea Tour-Golden House of an Emperor With VR Experience (From $76.65)
- Hotels near Domus Aurea:
- (0.06 mi) Hotel Palazzo Manfredi – Small Luxury Hotels of the World
- (0.08 mi) Casa di Bine - Holiday and vacation rental - Perfect for families
- (0.14 mi) Colosseo Panoramic Rooms
- (0.09 mi) First Floor Boutique Hotel
- (0.10 mi) Parco di Nerone
- Restaurants near Domus Aurea:
- (0.08 mi) Coming Out
- (0.09 mi) Gelateria Da Costanza
- (0.10 mi) Divin Ostilia Wine Bar
- (0.09 mi) Il Salotto Del Colosseo
- (0.09 mi) Pizza Forum al Colosseo