The Eternal City of Rome

Almost as soon as your plane touches down in Rome, you’ll be on the move. Your tour guide will get you situated in your hotel before giving you an overview of the city and events planned for the week ahead. Your guide will deliver you to Piazza Navona where you’ll spend the rest of the day getting acquainted with Rome, and where you’ll choose a spot for dinner.

Today the group will visit several of Rome’s most famous churches. Your tour will start with Santa Maria Maggiore where Mass has taken place every day, without fail, since 400 A.D. This church is regarded as the most beautiful in the city. Next, you’ll visit Basilica di San Clemente, another of Rome’s most beautiful churches. The church was initially constructed in the 4th century before destruction by a Norman invasion. It was rebuilt again in the 12th century and still stands today. 

After a quick lunch, the group will visit the National Gallery of Modern Art. Here you’ll see works by many of the world’s most famous artists such as Van Gogh, Degas, Cezanne, Renoir and many others. You’ll end the day in the Piazza di Spagna, home to the world famous Spanish Steps, for a few photo opportunities, people watching, a lovely Roman dinner and light shopping. 

The group will learn all about Rome’s oldest ruins today, starting with a visit to the Pantheon. This massive building was built in the 2nd century by the Emperor Hadrian.  It started as a Roman temple to the gods and has served many purposes in the centuries since. You’ll stop at the Trevi Fountain for a brief respite before moving on to the city’s most famous ruin, the Colosseum. After your visit, the group will tour Circus Maximus, the Temple of Hadrian and the Roman Forum before ending a long day of sightseeing in the Piazza della Rotonda for dinner.

Today you’ll venture to the part of Rome where you’ll enter Vatican City, the epicenter of the Roman Catholic Church. The group will tour the Vatican gardens and museum, the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and Square. After several organized tours through the buildings, you’ll have free time in Vatican city to see anything else you would like. You might decide to tour the Castel Sant’Angelo, or spend time at the Palazzo Altemps. 

This morning the group will travel to Pompeii, a 3-hour drive south. Pompeii is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and an archeological wonder. The inhabitants of Pompeii were frozen in time when neighboring Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D., sending ash and lava tumbling down into the city. The lava flow encased the people of Pompeii at that moment and preserved an unparalleled glimpse into their lives for visitors 2,000 years later.

After a full day in Pompeii, your group will move at a slower pace today with free time to meander through several other of Rome’s famous piazzas. Your guide will bring you first to Piazza Mattei, one of the more quiet places to sit and enjoy the beauty of the city. You’ll move on to Campo de’ Fiori which is always full of activity. Browse the stalls, shops and cafes at your leisure. The group will end the day with a scoop of gelato in Piazza della Madonna dei Monti, considered the hipster piazza. 

After a busy week in Rome, you’ve seen and learned a lot. You are probably exhausted, but leaving this magical city is always bittersweet. Your guide will bring you to the airport in plenty of time to make your flight waving “arrivederci” as you walk to your gate.