Rome

VATICAN TOUR
First day full day tour (around 7 hours) - Tour Guide; Massimiliano Canneto

In the morning: The Vatican tour will include the highlights of the Vatican Museums: Pinecone Courtyard; Palazzetto del Belvedere; Pio-Clementino collection with the ancient statues of Laoocon, Belvedere Apollo and Torso del Belvedere; Round Hall; Greek Cross Room; Galleries of Chandelabra, Tapestries; Geographical Maps; and much more. The highlight will be the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo’s world famous painted Ceiling and Altar Wall. Since it is not permitted to anybody (even the guides) to talk inside the Sistine Chapel because it is a Sacred place, we will explain the meaning of the paintings and the Pope’s election before entering it by using a book or posters, and then you will have some free time within it to enjoy the marvelous paintings in silence.

Vatican guides have special access from the Sistine Chapel to the magnificent St. Peter's Basilica, which allows us to avoid the long lines and save on time: this access costs 1 euro 50 cents per person, but it is the only way to skip the long line to enter St. Peter’s (it is no more free access as written in all guidebooks). Inside we will admire its masterpieces and understand why it is considered the heart of Catholicism: Michelangelo’s Pietà; the Holy Door; Bernini’s Canopy and the “Cathedra”; several funerary monuments of Popes; the Dome; the mosaics of the Vatican School; and much more.

Following the visit of St Peter's we will proceed to St Peter's Square with Bernini's Colonnade, the Egyptian obelisk and the Apostolic Palace.

After a short break in St. Peter’s Square (quick snack or coffee; shopping time if they wish) we start our Heart of Rome Walk. It is an introduction walking tour of the historical city centre featuring narrow lanes, intimate piazzas, fanciful fountains, baroque churches, ancient monuments.

From Saint Peter’s Square we walk to the imposing Castel Sant’Angelo (explanations from outside): built as funerary monument of Emperor Hadrian, it was transformed in the Middle Ages into the fortified palace of the Pope.

We cross Ponte Sant’Angelo, an ancient bridge transformed by Bernini into a theatrical baroque scenery with statues of Angels bearing the symbols of the passion of Christ, and reach Navona Square, where we admire Bernini’s baroque stunning Four Rivers Fountain. The god rivers Danube, Nile, Ganges and Rio de la Plata support an Egyptian obelisk and water gushes everywhere. Within a few minutes walk we reach the Pantheon, which is considered the best preserved monument of Ancient Rome: it was built by Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century AD and then turned into a church after the fall of the Roman Empire.

The perfect geometric dimensions of the interior and the largest self-standing dome of the Ancient World make the Pantheon one of the favorite sights of Rome. Then we enter St Ignazio's Church with the magnificent three-D painted ceiling by Father Pozzo. It is the perfect example of a Counter Reformation church. We stroll through the narrow alleys to Trevi Foutain, one of the most impressive fountains of the world: here you have the chance to toss the coin and guarantee your return to the Eternal City.

End of the tour, the van will take us back to Hotel Navona, where you will be free for your dinner. We will gladly provide you with local recomendations nearby.

ANCIENT ROME
Second day half day tour (around 7 hours)

The visit starts from the Basilica Saint Peter’s in Chains, with Michelangelo’s Moses displayed by the altar. The artist needed 40 year to carve this masterpiece.

Within 10 minutes walk we get to the Colosseum, the most popular monument of Italy, symbol of the Eternal City. Inside you will be fascinated by its history: gladiators, animal hunts, naval battles, and much more. We will continue to the imposing remnants of the Imperial Palace on the Palatine Hill: the Stadium, the Domus Augustana, the Domus Flavia. The view of the Circus Maximus from here is spectacular.

Then we will walk down into the nearby valley of the Roman Forum to admire its breathtaking archeological ruins: temple of Castor and Pollux; Temple of Saturn; temple of the Divine Julius Caesar; Basilica Emilia; Titus’ Arch; Septimius Severus’ Arch; Sacred Way; shops; and much more. We will climb up to the Imperial Forums avenue and finish our visit on the street built by Benito Mussolini to celebrate his Fascism military parades, and surrounded by the Imperial Forums ruins.

Time permitting other sights will be added (the Cathedral Saint John in Lateran with the Holy Stairs and the Holy of Holies; Campo de’ Fiori; Farnese Palace... it depends on how tired they are due to the Summer heat jet leg). Transfer to Isola Sacra and end of the tour