ROME WASN’T BUILT IN A DAY

As you disembark your cruise ship in Civitavecchia, meet your private driver and set off for the Eternal City. Here your guide will be waiting ready to lead you on a memorable trail into the heart of the capital. Take a deep breath and marvel at the sight of two thousand years of history unravelling before your very eyes!

The first stage of this tour will plunge you into the glories of what was once the Caput Mundi as the city’s most significant archaeological sites make their appearance. The Colosseum will steal the scene. Applaud the accomplishments of ancient engineering while your guide elucidates the history behind this architectural masterpiece, astonishing evidence of the Romans’ know-how and innovation in the fields of technology and science. The gruesome calendar of shows of great popular appeal staged in this amphitheatre included warrior fights, wild animal hunts and executions. Roam through the ruins of stone walls and bleachers and imagine how a gladiator must have felt as he prepared for battle and awaited his destiny stirred by the cries and cheers of 60,000 impatient spectators echoing through the arena. You will hear tales of ill-starred prisoners, blood-thirsty crowds and merciless emperors and conjure up the sheer terror of slaves whose fate could be decided with a mere gesture of the thumb.

Next, climb Palatine Hill to see the legendary birthplace of Rome where Romulus and Remus are said to have been rescued and raised by the she-wolf. As you listen to stories and adventures of the capricious gods and goddesses of ancient Roman mythology, take in amazing views of the Circus Maximus, an impressive stadium where intrepid charioteers once engaged in hair-raising competitions, speeding perilously around the track.

Your morning will end with a leisurely stroll along Via Sacra, the Roman Forum’s main thoroughfare. Originally the social, commercial and political hub of the ancient city, the Forum was a grandiose district of temples and vibrant public spaces where trials, business dealings and elections took place.

After some free time for lunch rejoin your guide for a leisurely stroll through Rome’s historic centre, a true open-air museum dotted with marvellous stone works of art. You will be led across elegant piazze, along picturesque cobbled streets, past splendid Baroque fountains enjoying fascinating stories about the gems you encounter en route and their celebrated creators. In Piazza Navona, while you inspect the glorious Fountain of the Four Rivers and the facade of the Church of Sant’Agnese in Agone, lend an ear to an account of the contention between famous art champions Bernini and Borromini. Rivalry is one human characteristic that never changes! Just a few steps away you can admire one of the capital’s oldest, best-preserved and most spectacular buildings: the Pantheon. Built by Emperor Hadrian in around 125 AD, it was originally a temple devoted to many gods. With its grandiose colonnade, vast bronze doors and awe-inspiring dome – one of the largest free-standing domes in existence – it still fascinates visitors today, almost two thousand years after its completion. You’ll also get the chance to stop for photos in Piazza di Spagna, with its monumental stairway of 135 steps leading up to the Church of Trinità dei Monti, and make a wish by the Trevi Fountain for good luck as well as to ensure your return trip to Rome.

Your guide will animate your tour with tales and anecdotes about the daily lives of past and present-day residents – from ambitious popes, to quarrelsome artists, from yesterday’s powerful emperors to today’s prime movers – to ensure you take away an unforgettable and enriching experience.

After the tour your private chauffeur will drive you back to your cruise ship in Civitavecchia.