Highlights
- The Colosseum
- The Roman Forum
- The Trevi Fountain
- The Spanish Steps
- Piazza Navona
Preview Description
Explore the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Capitoline Hill, Piazza Navona, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Step & Pantheon with a personal, expert guide.
Description
Explore Rome's most fascinating eras through the eyes of its great personalities
The city of Rome has experienced many highs and lows since its founding 2,700 years ago, and on this tour we will relive some of the most exciting periods in its history. Join us as we explore the ancient heritage of the Eternal City's classical past in the Forum and Colosseum, and then delve into Rome's golden age in the enchanting streets and piazzas of the Renaissance and Baroque city. Along the way we will learn about the men and women who have shaped Rome, from powerful popes and emperors to ordinary citizens caught in extraordinary times.
Walk in the ancient footsteps of men who forged an empire
In the Roman forum we will travel back in time to the 15th of March 44 BC, known to history as the Ides of March. It is a crucial day in Roman history, the day on which Julius Caesar, idolized by the people almost as a god on earth, is assassinated. The knife-wielders are a group of Roman senators, convinced that Caesar has betrayed the ideals of the Roman Republic in the name of personal ambition. His violent death marked a turning point, the originary myth on which an empire was built. Retracing the last day of Julius Caesar through the streets of Rome, we will immerse you in the culture and daily life of the ancient world's greatest metropolis. Together we will recreate the oratory of Cicero and uncover the lives of the emperors, which seem to live on still in these evocative spaces.
Relive the terrifying spectacle of Ancient Rome on our Colosseum tour
The spectacles of death in the Colosseum that so often transfixed the Roman populace are difficult to understand for the modern visitor, simultaneously fascinating and horrifying. One of the cruelest and most enigmatic aspects of Roman culture, we will endeavor to understand the place that this brutal entertainment had in ancient society. Learn about the lives of the gladiators, men who were compelled to live out a precarious existence on the sands of the arena, from their energy-sapping training to bloody deaths before the baying of a crowd delirious with blood-lust. Finally, we will examine the awe-inspiring architecture of this iconic structure, and revive the ingenious engineering that made these violent spectacles possible.
Discover the enchanting magic of Rome on our famous fountains tour
Fast-forwarding over 1,000 years, we find ourselves thrust into the height of a golden age of art and architecture, where timeless monuments await around every corner. The remarkable power of water is writ large at the Trevi fountain, a stunningly exuberant celebration of its life-giving properties through the power of Baroque architecture, and symbol of the city the world over. Water also plays a vital role in the theatrics of Piazza Navona, where Gianlorenzo Bernini's Four Rivers Fountain dominates a space that still bears the traces of its ancient origins as a racetrack. We will also wander through the warren of narrow streets that lead off the piazza, frozen snapshots of a different age that have hardly changed over the centuries.
Memories of the past, inspirations for the future
Rome's past, present and future are all interleaved into the urban fabric of the city, and the memory of Rome's ancient monuments have provided inspiration for future generations to make their mark on the metropolis. Michelangelo's inspired restoration of the piazza atop the Capitoline hill regenerated one Rome's most venerable spaces and injected it with the harmonious proportions of the Renaissance, while the Pantheon's dominating presence in the centre of the city remains a testament to the inspiring potential of architecture to transform a culture. Join us as we visit these sites and many more and uncover a living history where the old and the new, tradition and innovation exist in a unique harmony.
Activity Level
This is a walking tour with steps, staircases and uneven surfaces.
Please advise if any travelers have mobility concerns so that you we can best accommodate you.
Roman Forum Here we have a great valley, the political heart of ancient Rome, where the daily life of the ancient Romans unfolded. The Republic revolved around the Senate, where giant, ... morerichly decorated spaces still resound with the voices of the great senators that unleashed war and brokered peace in the Mediterranean. While the House of the Vestals introduces us to the only female religious order in Rome, the via Sacra, still marked by the wheels of carts that traversed it for centuries, helps us understand the Romans’ amazing engineering capabilities. In front of the Temple of Julius Caesar we will be catapulted into the story of one of the greatest political murders of all time. Nearby, the temple of Antoninus and Faustina tells us of the extent of the Roman empire, with its rare marbles and its inscriptions. The images carved into the Arch of Titus tell of the conquest of Jerusalem and the transfer of its ancient treasures to Rome, fascinating histories that your expert guide will explain.
The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum (Italian: Foro Romano), is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.
For centuries the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city's great men. The teeming heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history. Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archaeological excavations attracting 4.5 million or more sightseers yearly.
Type: Attraction, Cultural, Historic
The Palatine Hill is the centremost of the Seven Hills of Rome and is one of the most ancient parts of the city. It stands 40 metres above the Roman Forum, looking down upon it on ... moreone side, and upon the Circus Maximus on the other. From the time of Augustus Imperial palaces were built here.
Rome has its origins on the Palatine. Excavations show that people have lived in the area since the 10th century BC. Excavations performed on the hill in 1907 and again in 1948 unearthed a collection of huts believed to have been used for funerary purposes between the 9th and 7th century BC approximating the time period when the city of Rome was founded.
The hill has a strong link to Roman mythology. It is believed that on Palatine Hill, the twins Romulus and Remus were found in the Lupercal Cave by their four-legged shepherd mother, who raised them. Ultimately, this is where Romulus decided to build the city. Palatine Hill, Rome
The Palatine Hill today. Therefore, it was on this hill that the Roman Empire began.
From the start of the Empire (27 BC) Augustus built his palace there and the hill gradually became the exclusive domain of emperors; the ruins of the palaces of at least Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD), Tiberius (14 – 37 AD) and Domitian (81 – 96 AD) can still be seen.
Type: Attraction, Cultural, Historic
- Trevi Fountain is the biggest Baroque fountain in Rome, Italy. It is also among the most beautiful fountains in the whole world. The fountain was constructed between 1732 and 1762
Trevi Fountain in Rome Trevi Fountain is the biggest Baroque fountain in Rome, Italy. It is also among the most beautiful fountains in the whole world. The fountain was constructed ... morebetween 1732 and 1762. The fountain is located at the end of the Aqua Virgo, which brings water from the Salone Springs which are located approximately 20 km from Rome. Trevi fountain symbolizes Rome’s rich history and architecture.
The first design of Trevi Fountain was made by the artist Bernini in 1640 but his plan was not implemented. During the mid 18th century, Nicola Salvi won the papal competition to adapt Bernini’s previous design of the fountain.Unfortunately, Nicola died before the completion of the construction. Eleven years later the project was taken over by Giuseppe Panini who then completed it.
The Trevi Fountain is 85 feet high and 65 feet wide, making it the largest fountain in Rome. There is a large structure depicting Neptune (god of the sea) at the centre of the fountain. The god is riding a chariot which is being pulled buy two seahorses. One of the horses is obedient and calm while the other one is edgy. The two horses symbolize the changing moods of the sea. The fountain contains some more statues including one on the left hand side of Neptune which represents Abundance and another on the right representing Salubrity.
Trevi fountain is an iconic monument and no tourist who visits Rome goes back home without visiting it. The fountain has a great history and the water at the bottom of it is said to represent the sea. According to the famous legend if you throw a coin into the water then you will then return again to Rome one day. The coin is tossed over thy shoulder with the back to the fountain. This is a great experience and nearly all the tourists who visit the fountain try it and throw a coin into it. Incredibly enough it is estimated that an average of 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain everyday! This money is used to fund a city food bank.
The Trevi Fountain has also been featured as an iconic part of Rome's imagery in several movies including the 1954 Hollywood movie “Three Coins in a Fountain”. The fountain’s presence can be noticed from the nearby streets. You will start hearing the sound of gushing waters growing more intense as you come closer.The gushing sound makes the visiting tourists eager to see this spectacular monument that is full of history, art, architecture and tradition. This is why the fountain attracts millions of tourists every year.
The Trevi Fountain is truly extraordinary: it combines an internal cool environment with a vibrant sound of gushing water from the fountain and wonderfully detailed life like statues.There are plans to restore the fountain which will involve a complete overhaul including an overall cleaning of the statues, replacing the gilded Latin inscriptions and also re-waterproofing the main basin. During the process, the fountain will not be closed to tourists and it is expected to becompleted by 2015.
Type: Attraction, Cultural, Historic
- The construction of the Colosseum was started in 72 AD by Emperor Vespasian and it was completed in 80 AD, a year after the death of Vespasian.
The Colosseum is one of Rome's most famous land marks. The structure is an elliptical amphitheatre located in the center of Rome. The colosseum was built from concrete and stone .It ... moreis considered to be the largest amphitheatre in the world. The construction of the Colosseum started in 72 AD by the Roman Emperor Vespasian. The building was completed in 80 AD, a year after the death of Emperor Vespasian.
The colloseum was used for gladiatorial contests and public shows and games such as animal hunts, mock sea battles, gladiator battles and executions. It seated 50,000 people. The Roman emperors used the Colosseum for the entertainment of the public with free games. The games symbolized power and they were used by the ruling emperor in order to increase his popularity. These games were held for an entire day or several days continuously. The shows usually started with comical acts and displays of exotic animals such as lions and bears and concluded with fights to the death between the animals and gladiators. The fighters were prisoners of war, slaves, or convicted criminals. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity gradually put an end to the gory and deadly games.
The Colosseum was built on the area of an artificial lake. At the late 6th century a small church was built into the structure of the amphitheatre. In 1934, the Colosseum was damaged by an earthquake which resulted in the collapse of the outer south. The stones from the Colleseum were then reused to build palaces, churches,hospitals and other structures in Rome. Some of the famous structures which were built using the stones are Palazzo Farnese and St. Peter’s Basilica.
Church officials in Rome sought a productive use for the Colosseum during the 16thand 17th century. Pope Sixtus V had planned to turn The Colosseum into a wool factory in order to offer employment opportunities to prostitutes in Rome but the plans did not come to fruition due to his premature death. In 1671, Cardinal Altieri authorized the Colosseum to be used for bullfights but the public opposed this idea.
The Colosseum continued to be subject to different uses and renovations as nearly every leader of Rome had his own ideas concerning the use of the compound. The Roman emperors used the Colosseum to entertain the public with free games. The games symbolized prestige and power and they were used by the ruling emperor as a way of increasing his popularity. These games were held for a whole day or even several days continuously. In most cases, the shows started with comical acts and displays of exotic animals which ended with fights to death between the animals and gladiators. The fighters were normally slaves, prisoners of war or condemned criminals. The gladiatorial games continued until Christianity gradually put an end to the parts of the games which led to the death of people.
The modern Colosseum has been renovated, redecorated and painted. The Colosseum is used to host large events although the space inside is limited. During events with great attendance, the audience sits outside the Colosseum. The Colosseum is also a major tourist attraction in Rome with thousands of tourists visiting it every year to view the interior of the arena. Entrance for citizens of the European Union is partially subsidized, and the entrance is free for European Union citizens below the age of 18 or over 65. The upper floor of the outer wall of The Colosseum has a museum that is dedicated to Eros. Part of the arena floor had been re-floored and looks fabulous.
The Colosseum is also the site of Roman Catholic ceremonies in the 20th and 21stcenturies. For instance, Pope Benedict XVI led the Stations of the Cross ceremony called the Scriptural Way of the Cross at The Colosseum on Good Fridays. There was an agreement between the local official and Diego Della Valle, in 2011, to sponsor €25 million restoration of The Colosseum.
Today it is one of the most popular tourist sites in Rome. Be sure to come and visit the Colleseum!
Type: Attraction, Cultural, Historic
| 2 People | Private Tour | $ 1,06428 | Please use "Additional Guests" to add more |
| Daily, until Tue, Dec 31 2024 | 9:00 AM | | 9:30 AM | | 10:00 AM | | 10:30 AM | | 11:00 AM | | 11:30 AM | | 12:00 PM | | 12:30 PM | | 1:00 PM | | 1:30 PM | | 2:00 PM | | 2:30 PM | | 3:00 PM | | 3:30 PM |
Check In Details
At the Arch of Constantine, on the corner closest to the Colosseum, Piazza del Colosseo. Your guide will have a Through Eternity sign/flag.
Cancellation Policy
Standard Policy
- Cancellations made 2 days before will be fully refunded except for a service fee of 3%.
- Cancellations made at a later date will not be refunded.
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