Guided Tours

Domus Aurea Guided Tour with VR Experience

Colosseum view from Domus Aurea park area in Rome, Italy.

Visitors with helmets exploring Domus Aurea's ancient ruins in Rome.

Domus Aurea interior with ancient Roman brickwork and large oculus in Rome, Italy.

Visitors using VR headsets at Domus Aurea, Rome, for Nero's Golden House tour.

Duration

1 hr 15 min - 1 hr 30 min

Open today

8:30am - 5:00pm

Guided tour

4.5/5

(20)

Emese

Jan 2026

Verified booking

We had a wonderful guide (I think her name was Laura) who was very knowledgeable and spoke good, slow English. She gave us a fascinating tour of Rome's incredibly exciting "underworld." The digital reconstruction is also well worth seeing and really opens up new visual worlds! A highly recommended tour!

Osvaldo

Feb 2026

Verified booking

The Domus Aurea is a fantastic place to learn about ancient Rome, just like Pompeii. The guide was excellent at conveying the emotions that the place evokes, with the passion and great expertise of an archaeologist.

Mónica

Feb 2026

Verified booking

Wonderful guide (Roberta) and everything was beautiful and interesting. I would increase the content and duration of the virtual reality experience and, above all, improve the location of the meeting point (it turned out to be quite chaotic).

Giovana

Sep 2025

Verified booking

the guide's knowledge and charm was WONDERFULL and the experience is worth every cent. Meanwhile the service provided by Once Upon a Time Tours was just TERRIBLE

Step inside the Domus Aurea and witness the grandeur of Emperor Nero’s Golden House brought to life with immersive VR technology.

A knowledgeable guide unpacks the palace’s history, its incredible architecture, and the ongoing efforts to restore its former glory.

Time-travel 2,000 years as you slip on a VR headset and see Domus Aurea as Nero did—gilded halls, frescoed ceilings, and lavish banquet rooms brought back to life through advanced virtual reality.

This underground palace isn’t just another Roman ruin—it’s a rarely seen masterpiece of imperial extravagance, hidden beneath the city streets.

Entrance ticket to Domus Aurea

VR headset experience

Guided tour through 12 key sites in English or Spanish (as per option selected)

Food and beverages

Transfers

These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

20 reviews
How do we collect reviews?
These ratings include verified reviews from both Headout guests and our trusted partners who operate this experience locally. All reviews come from real travelers who've taken this experience.
15
2
1
1
1
Guests from Mexico, United States, Switzerland and over 14 countries have loved this experience
What our guests say
Osvaldo
Feb 2026
Verified booking
The Domus Aurea is a fantastic place to learn about ancient Rome, just like Pompeii. The guide was excellent at conveying the emotions that the place evokes, with the passion and great expertise of an archaeologist.
Mónica
Feb 2026
Verified booking
Wonderful guide (Roberta) and everything was beautiful and interesting. I would increase the content and duration of the virtual reality experience and, above all, improve the location of the meeting point (it turned out to be quite chaotic).
Andrea
Feb 2026
Verified booking
Competent personnel guiding us through the Domus Aurea. A well balanced tour with a nice even if short VR experience.
Emese
Jan 2026
Verified booking
We had a wonderful guide (I think her name was Laura) who was very knowledgeable and spoke good, slow English. She gave us a fascinating tour of Rome's incredibly exciting "underworld." The digital reconstruction is also well worth seeing and really opens up new visual worlds! A highly recommended tour!
Lucia
Jan 2026
Verified booking
The place is wonderful. But the tour takes a long time. It was very cold and I almost froze. The ticket was a small photocopy.

A lost palace, brought to life

Step beneath Rome’s streets and enter Domus Aurea, Emperor Nero’s extravagant Golden House. This guided tour blends archaeology and virtual reality to reconstruct the palace’s original grandeur, offering a rare glimpse into ancient Roman luxury.

Getting started

Arrive at the entrance near Colle Oppio Park, where you’ll meet your expert guide. After a quick check-in, collect your VR headset and begin your journey into the ruins. Security checks are in place, so arrive early to ensure a smooth entry.

What to expect

Domus Aurea

Once an architectural marvel, Nero’s palace spanned over 300 acres, covered in gold leaf, and adorned with precious stones. Today, its ruins hint at its former magnificence.

Immersive VR Experience – See the palace as it was 2,000 years ago, from towering frescoed halls to opulent gardens.

Hidden Underground Chambers – Walk through dimly lit passageways that once led to lavish banquet halls.

Expert Narration – Your guide brings the site to life with tales of Nero’s extravagant reign and the palace’s dramatic history.

Ongoing Restoration – Learn about the efforts to preserve this lost treasure and the discoveries still being made.

Colosseum

Monday	8:30am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Tuesday	8:30am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Wednesday	8:30am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Thursday	8:30am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Friday	8:30am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Saturday	8:30am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm
Sunday	8:30am - 5:00pm	last entry 4:00pm

What to bring

Valid ID for ticket validation

Comfortable walking shoes (uneven terrain)

Light jacket (underground areas can be cool)

What's not allowed

Large bags, backpacks, or suitcases

Flash photography and tripods

Food and drinks inside the site

Touching or leaning on archaeological structures

Accessibility

Not wheelchair accessible due to uneven floors and stairs

VR headset experience may not be suitable for guests with motion sensitivity

Limited seating areas along the tour route

Additional info

Tour duration: approx. 75 minutes

Children under 6 may not use VR headsets

Arrive at least 15 minutes early for security checks

Your voucher will be emailed to you shortly.

Display the voucher on your mobile phone with a valid photo ID at the starting point.

Please check your final voucher for the starting point details & specific instructions.