We are not fond of themed itineraries: it could be boring to spend a day or a half visiting and talking about just one aspect of Rome. We prefer to catch everything we meet along our guided tour. Our expert and knowledge English-speaking guide will make connections about ages, history protagonists, artist and tell a lot of anecdotes.
That’s how our full day Rome city centre walking tour has been designed. We have planned a full day tour, really different from what has been suggested so far, because we really wish that you can have the most during your vacation in Rome. Traveling in small groups of only 15 people or fewer, your historic Rome walking tour will be relaxed and intimate, your guide easy to hear and talk to.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
Licensed English speaking guide
English speaking tour leader who will assist you during the tour
Small group of 15 pax or fewer
4,5 hours of visit (including lunch time)
Headsets so you can always hear your guide
Light lunch in one of our selected spots to “Do as the Romans do”
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US:
WhatsApp infoline +393801944534
booking@iviaggidialuve.com
doastheromansdo@gmail.com
TOUR DETAILS:
In Rome there is something of interest almost around every corner, so much beauty, art, history and legends to discover that we believe that a full day tour could be the better way to experience as much as you can. But, we also understand that a full day tour can be tiring, so we have split it in two half days, so taht you can discover rome cityu centre at your convenience. Anyway, this link is where you can have a look at our full day Rome city centre tour, the most comprehensive one.
Walking is by far the best way to explore the city centre, even because monuments are located very close each other. Much of the city is made up of narrow streets, where busses are not allowed to go. So you miss a lot by not walking. Our full day walking tour may require a little effort, but it’s well worth! if you wish, you can split in two half day: see more at the end of tour explanation.
What we are going to see in the city icentre (that locals call “centro storico”)? It looks like we will see plenty of things and we promise we won’t be in a hurry while visiting:
Via del Corso, San Lorenzo in Lucina
Pantheon
Church of Saint Louis of the French, to admire Caravaggio masterpieces
Piazza Navona
Campo de’ Fiori
Jewish Ghetto (along wiht Great Temple of Rome, the Synagogue, and the Porticus Octaviae)
Teatro Marcello
Capitoline Hill
Teatro Marcello
Capitoline Hill
We will treat you with a brunch along the way, in one of our favourite place, away from the touristy restaurants. We will split the itinerary in two halves, we will allow some time for your lunch, so that we can have a rest, take a break before starting the second half of our city centre walking tour. Our walks are casual, headsets will help us to avoid the noises and to better hear the tour guide Also we will allow to our tours only a maximum of 15 participants so as to give an intimate and personalised service. Discover the sights and secrets of Rome as you explore the winding backstreets that are tucked away behind Roman ruins and Renaissance palazzo.
Let’s start then this walk through the very heart of the Eternal City, let’s understand why Rome has been enchanting its visitors for centuries! We will meet in Via del Corso, at Piazza di San Lorenzo in Lucina.
VIA DEL CORSO AND THE TRIDENTE
This lengthy street is always buzzing with shoppers, browsing in the elegant arcade Galleria Alberto Sordi or in the of international boutiques offering everything from classic Italian leather footwear to the latest in sportswear chic. During our stroll down the Corso on your Rome tour, you’ll discover the little-known Ancient Roman history of this lively street, and understand how it has always played an important part in the geography of the city. The Corso forms part of the trinity of streets known as the Tridente, along with Via di Ripetta and Via del Babuino. These three streets all meet at Piazza del Popolo before diverging, and feature a vibrant mix of designer shops, luxury hotels, Baroque churches and historical oddities. Your guide will reveal some of the secrets of the Tridente, such as the often overlooked “talking statue” known as il Babuino (“the baboon”). As we walk along via del Corso, we will turn into a cozy square called San Lorenzo in Lucina, heading through the backstreets to…..
THE PANTHEON
Built more than 1900 years ago, the magnificent Pantheon still stands as a reminder of the great Roman Empire, it’s the most well-preserved Ancient Roman buildings in Rome. The name Pantheon refers to the building’s original function as a temple for all the gods. With its thick brick walls and large marble columns, the Pantheon makes an immediate impression on visitors, who often consider their tour of the Pantheon one of their most memorable experiences in Rome. But the most remarkable part of the building is the more than forty-three meter high dome. At the top of the dome is a large opening, the oculus, which was the only source of light. Your guide will tell you the story of the Pantheon, explaining how it was constructed using revolutionary architectural techniques. The temple was converted into a Catholic church in 609. Today, crowds gather at Pentecost for the famous rose petal shower, where thousands of petals are thrown through the oculus on the roof. The Pantheon now houses the tombs of the famous artist Raphael and of several Italian kings.
SAINT LOUIS OF THE FRENCH
Before going to Piazza Navona, we will make a stop at Saint Louis of the French church, just few minutes to wander to the Contarelli chapel inside this small catholic church. It’s home to three Caravaggio paintings which showoff the maestro’s command of chiaroscuro. Caravaggio is one the leading Italian painter of the late 16th and early 17th centuries who became famous for the intense and unsettling realism of his large-scale religious works.
PIAZZA NAVONA: THE SHADOW OF THE STADIUM
Now, it’s time to go to Piazza Navona, a testament to Rome’s status as an outdoor museum. Here you’ll find Bernini’s ‘Fountain of Four Rivers’, one of the most beautiful sculptures in all of Rome. The fountain features four figures, each representing a river from a different continent – the Nile, Ganges, Danube and Rio de la Plata. The statues are at the base of a rock supporting an obelisk, originally located at the Circus of Maxentius, near the Appian Way.As you stroll through the square, past painters and street artists, you’ll also discover how the piazza came to have such a distinctive shape. Piazza Navona sits above the remains of the Stadium of Domitian, a 1st century athletics stadium. In the fifteenth century the stadium was paved over to create the Navona square, but remnants of Domitian’s stadium are still visible around the area.
It’s time for a light lunch, it’s our treat! Its DO AS THE ROMANS DO signature!
We will rest an hour or so and we take the chance to go to a quiet, less touristic neighborhood, where we have choosen a bistrot that offers genuine Roman street food! Behind Palazzo Farnese runs a quaint street, ivy lined, this road is pleasant to walk down to avoid the noise and crowds while taking in Rome’s elegance.
AFTER LUNCH IT’S TIME TO GO TO CAMPO DE’ FIORI!
The Piazza Campo dei Fiori, which was once a field of flowers, and thus the name. Thanks to the prominent buildings surrounding the piazza, such as Palazzo Orsini, the Campo de’ Fiori became a very popular part of Rome frequented by the most influential historical figures. Its popularity drew new businesses to the area, opening workshops, inns and taverns making this neighborhood one of the most prosperous of the city. Moreover, Campo de’ Fiori was the location where a horse market took place twice a week. Public executions took place in this square, which is nowadays commemorated by the impressive statue of Giordano Bruno, in the centre of the piazza. The Italian philosopher was burnt at the stake in 1600 for heresy. The monument was built in his honour in 1889. The Campo de’ Fiori is currently one of the most beloved parts of the city. Since 1869, every morning from Monday through Saturday it houses a market well-known for its flowers and fruit and vegetable. This was once the place for the best food at the best prices in the centre but now it is mainly a tourist attraction. After the sunsets, the area becomes one of the best meeting places in Rome thanks to its wide variety of restaurants, cocktail bars and terraces. Interesting to see are: Palazzo della Cancelleria, this is attributed to Bramante, was once the papal chancery and still belongs to the Holy See. It now houses the Romana Rota, the highest ecclesiastical appeal tribunal of the Roman Catholic church. And Palazzo Farnese, currently the home of the French embassy to Italy, Palazzo Farnese is one of the most important high Renaissance palaces in Rome. Artists such as Giacomo Della Porta, Michelangelo, da Sangallo and Vignola all left their mark on the majestic palace.
THE JEWISH GHETTO:
While having a tour of the historic centre of the Eternal City, you cannot miss to pay a visit at the Jewish Ghetto neighborhood, which takes travelers to some of Rome’s most incredible under-the-radar attractions. Situated just across from the Tiber Island on the east bank of the river, the area is a haven of tranquility in the traffic of Rome. Points of interest are: The Great Synagogue of Rome, the largest synagogue in all of Rome and possibly all of Italy. This impressive building is pretty new by Roman standards: the Synagogue was officially completed in 1904, a veritable baby in the Roman skyline. The surreal ruins of the Porticus Octaviae: built in the second century B.C. replacing the Porticus Metelli, the Porticus Octavia was restored during the Emperor Augustus’ reign and was dedicated to his sister, Octavia. The scars left by the passing of time and a number of fires however made further restoration work necessary (the last was undertaken in 191 A.D.). The ruins standing before our eyes today in fact date back to this very period. Fontana delle Tartarughe: The Turtle Fountain is a late Renaissance fountain. Originally built as a drinking fountain, the water was sourced from the Acqua Vergine, one of Rome’s first aqueducts – a big deal for sixteenth century Romans! Teatro Marcello: Before going to the Capitoline Hill, we will pass by the Teatro Marcello, named after Marcus Marcellus, Emperor Augustus’s nephew. The Teatro was begun by Julius Caesar and completed by Augustus in 13 BC. It’s also known as the Jewish Coliseum for its resemblance to the original Colosseum, that was built later, on 80AD. This ancient, open-air theater once held approximately 11,000 to 20,000 spectators, and the seats filled for acting, dancing or singing performances. Ttoday it still holds different shows throughout the summer.
CAPITOLINE HILL
Our tour will end at The Capitoline Hill, the smallest and most important of the seven hills of Ancient Rome. As the political and religious heart of Rome the hill became a symbol of Rome’s reign as Caput Mundi, capital of the world. Today the hill still symbolizes the heart of Rome and is home of the Mayor of Rome, even if only traces of the ancient temples are visible. Instead a huge nineteenth century monument built for Italy’s first king dominates the north slope. The Piazza del Campidoglio was laid down on the summit of the Capitoline Hill and it is the first modern square to be designed in Rome. In 1536 Pope Paul III was so dismayed by the state of the Capitoline Hill that he commissioned Michelangelo to design a square. Michelangelo wanted the square to face St Peter’s Basilica, at that time the political centre of Rome, instead of the Roman Forum. The execution of the plans took so long that Michelangelo didn’t live to see his work completed. Nevertheless, his designs were followed meticulously and finished several centuries later. The Piazza del Campidoglio is one of the most beautiful squares in Rome, attracting millions of visitors every year. Its popularity is also due to its proximity to the Capitoline Museums and the legendary sculpture of the Capitoline Wolf, situated between the Palazzo Senatorio and Palazzo Nuovo. Near the Piazza del Campidoglio, at the site of the ancient Temple of Juno is the Santa Maria in Aracoeli, a church with a history that goes back to the sixth century. A large staircase with 122 (when starting on the right) to 124 (starting on the left) steps lead to the church on top of the Capitoline Hill. From the Piazza del Campidoglio you can walk straight to the Victor Emmanuel II Monument, where our tour started in the morning.
The tour lasts:
4 hours for the waliking tour
1 hour for lunchtime and coffee break
PRICE PER PERSON: € 50.00
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Licensed English speaking guide
English speaking tour leader who will assist you during the tour
Small group of 15 pax or fewer
Headsets so you can always hear your guide
Light lunch in one of our selected spots to “Do as the Romans do”
Insurance
WHAT’S NOT INCLUDED:
Shuttle service to and from the Hotel (we can provide extra charge)
Any additional services not previously listed
DRESS CODE: Casual with comfortable shoes as we will walking on coblestone streets
OPERATING ON: Daily
HOW TO GET IN TOUCH WITH US:
WhatsApp infoline +393801944534
booking@iviaggidialuve.com
doastheromansdo@gmail.com
Please be informed that the tour will take place only if the minimum pax number of 10 will be reached.
Do you wish to make also the afternoon tour to complete the morning tour?
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Do you wish to make the tour in a full day and save some money? Have a look at: