Itinerary

09:15 AM. Your guide will meet you at an on site meeting point near Rome's ancient city and begin the tour with the Colosseum. Once inside this massive structure you will wander across the arena floor while hearing all about the violent games that took place there, what went into the making of a gladiator, and the importance of violent entertainment to the inhabitants of Rome in antiquity. We then switch gears and head up Via Sacra to enter the Roman Forum, where you'll be proffered a glimpse into what life might have been like during the reign of dictator Gaius Julius Caesar, and that of Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus. Before leaving the forum, we will discuss how the Roman Empire expanded so quickly, and of course how and why it collapsed.

We then visit the Trevi fountain where you can toss your coins in and take photos, and the Pantheon; a pagan temple in ancient times and final resting place of Raphael Sanzio da Urbino, Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I. Your guide will explain the Pantheon architecture and inscriptions thereon. You will have the opportunity to stare up at the oculus and marvel at the most spectacular building in Rome. A few steps away from the Pantheon is our last port of call on this morning tour; Piazza Navona. The Circus of Domitian in ancient Rome (11 metres underground today), Piazza Navona is where fierce rivals Gian Lorenzo Bernini (Fountain of the Four Rivers) and Francesco Borromini (Church of St Agnes in Agony) clashed with stunning representations of Baroque art. Street artists, actors and markets illustrate this beautiful square day and night.

At approximately 13:15 PM, after a four (4) hour tour, we retire for lunch. While lunch is taken separately, your guide will be happy to make recommendations.

After lunch at 14:30 PM, we meet again at our office close to the Vatican Museums entrance. Once inside the Vatican you will be guided through major galleries including the Pio-Clementine Museum, Room of the Muses, Round Room, Greek Cross Room, Gallery of Tapestries, Gallery of Maps, the Rooms of Raphael and Sistine Chapel.

We then head to St. Peter's Square and cover the history of the Vatican City State before entering the Basilica. We cover the main monuments such as Michelangelo's beautiful Pieta' and Dome, the Baldacchino, and other works by Bernini. Included also are the Crypt of St. Peter and Holy Altar. We conclude on the portico to discuss Bernini's colonnade, the obelisk (2,100 years old, originally from Alexandria, dedicated to Augustus), and Swiss Guard.

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