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Domus Aurea

Domus Aurea, Rome: Hours, Address, Domus Aurea Reviews: 4.5/5

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Domus Aurea

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Domus Aurea
4.5
1,379
#68 of 2,248 things to do in Rome
Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins • Points of Interest & Landmarks
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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
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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
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,380 reviews
Excellent
1,010
Very good
237
Average
61
Poor
39
Terrible
33
Gordon E
Brussels, Belgium381 contributions
The splendour of ancient Rome
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.
Written July 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Paula H
South Wales, UK94 contributions
Amazing place but tour felt rushed
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.
Jon L
Olathe, KS242 contributions
Time travel to ancient Rome
We were in Rome 10 years ago and I don't think they even had tours back then, so I wanted to finally see this. Buy your tickets online in advance, they only tour on weekends in small groups. We wore hardhats and walked through what they've excavated of Nero's palace from the first century. We had an English-speaking guide, and they do a fantastic (multimedia) job of explaining what you're looking at. At one point, you put on some VR goggles in a room and they bring the room to life, as it was, overlooking the valley with Nero's artificial lake (before they built the Colosseum there later.) It was incredible, like time travel. Cannot recommend this more highly. Also, the Google maps directions to the entrance are wrong. Ignore them, you'll get lost.
Written April 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ginsengNewYork
new york1,168 contributions
BETTER VISITS DURING THE WEEKEND ! DE PREFERENCE LE WEEKEND!
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 !
Written September 17, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
tiz S
Rome, Italy192 contributions
Refined wall paintings
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.
Grantshadow
New York City, NY190 contributions
Could be magical place if not for robot guides
Utterly boring, unimaginative, robot tour guides ruined what should have been a lively tour through the impressive palace of one of history's most colorful rulers. The two women I had, one English and one Italian guide, were utterly useless "here is a stucco illuminating a man and woman...." , and slowed things down to the point where I had to apologize to my guests. Tour guides like this are what destroy people's interest in history. Maybe in the future they'll just let people go through in their own time and read the signs or get audio guides so they aren't slowed down by these drones.
Written December 31, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
mimbecky
Poway, CA103 contributions
Cool tour
Family
This is a hidden gem that a friend of ours told us about. We were diligent in trying to get tickets and felt it was worth it! We were very impressed especially with the virtual headset part. I would definitely recommend this. As far as directions, all the previous advice is great but really all you have to do is Google map directions to “Ingresso Domus Aurora“
Written June 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
MarkTwain1910
Redding, CT73 contributions
The Best 14 Euro You Will Spend in Rome
Also known as Nero's Golden House it is a short walk from the Coliseum. It is only open on Saturdays and Sundays. Advance booking is required and tours are given in several languages. It is an ongoing archeological project so hard hats are required. The area toured is underground and it can get quite chilly so dressing warmly is a good idea. The vaults on the tour were hidden for almost 2,000 years. The art work is amazing. This is the best 14 Euros you will spend in Rome.
Written February 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Crazymite
Appleton, WI20 contributions
Tips for Domus Aurea - the hidden gem.
We really enjoyed the tour of Nero's enormous palace. Here are some important tips- Read up on the subject before you go. I purchased tickets through the Coop Culture website in advance. You may need to check for months ahead of time until they go on sale. The entire tour is underground and a bit cool. Don't wear your best clothes and heels. Be sure to bring a jacket. The entrance is difficult to find. Walk toward the Colosseum keeping it on your right side, if you are heading Southeast. Just past the Colosseum, there is an intersection (via Nicola Salvi, Via Labicana, and via Domus Aurea) Stay to the left and enter through the gate with 2 short columns and 2 tall columns with faces on them. Walk uphill until you reach the first left hand street, turn left. The ticket office is straight ahead. If you go up the hill to the park go back down and hang a left. This is the entrance you (and I) missed. Lastly, the tour guide was ok, hence the 4 points instead of 5. He was difficult to hear, so stay up front. He also hurried through the tour and we were often left behind trying to take some photos. They really need to work on these two items. But, at the end of the day, I would absolutely do it again!
Written January 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Nigel B
London, UK40 contributions
One of the best historical places in Rome
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.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Domus Aurea
Domus Aurea is open:
  • Sun - Sat 9:00 AM - 6:30 PM
Buy tickets in advance on Tripadvisor. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel at least 24 hours before the start date of your tour for a full refund.
We recommend booking Domus Aurea tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 12 Domus Aurea tours on Tripadvisor