You will be met by your guide outside the Colosseum and immerse yourself in the history of this vast amphitheatre, a lasting tribute to the prowess of Roman engineering.

Once you have toured the Colosseum, you will move on to the Arch of Constantine and the Roman Forum, situated nearby. The Forum was the epicentre of life in the ancient city, a hive of activity, from commerce to politics and also religion. Located around the Forum are the remains of the Arch of Titus, the House of the Vestal Virgins, the Temple of Saturn, the Senate House, and the white marble Arch of Septimius Severus. The tour will then follow the Via Sacra (Sacred Way) to the Capitoline Hill and Il Vittoriano, a huge neoclassical masterpiece built in tribute to King Vittorio Emanuele II, and one of the city’s most iconic monuments.

A short walk will bring you to the Trevi Fountain, famously featured in Fellini’s ‘La Dolce Vita’ and the 1954 classic ‘Three Coins in the Fountain’. A legend states that if you throw a coin into the fountain and make a wish, you are destined to one day return to Rome. Following the Trevi Fountain, you will have some time for lunch (own expense). There are many places to choose from, depending on what you want to eat; from a pizza or sandwich to a three course meal. Your guide will be happy to provide advice or recommendations if required

After lunch, the tour continues in the Government District, home to the Parliament Building, the Palace of the Council of Ministers and the Column of Marcus Aurelius, as well as the imposing Temple of Hadrian; built to honour the Emperor Hadrian by the Emperor Antonius Pius. A stroll to Piazza della Rotunda will bring you to the Pantheon, the site of the tomb of Raphael, the famous Renaissance Master. Next, you’ll pass by the ancient Baths of Nero en route to Piazza Navona where you’ll see Bernini’s sensational ‘Fountain of the Four Rivers’.

The final stop on the tour will be the Vatican City – the smallest country on the planet!

Here you’ll view the Vatican Museums, home to a multitude of incredible and important artworks including frescoes by Raphael, and Michelangelo’s awe inspiring ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.

It is then time for a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica where you will explore the numerous side chapels with their hidden crypts. You will see Michelangelo’s Pietà and your guide will explain why this is the only work that he signed. You will gain an appreciation of the mastery that went into the creation of Bernini’s altarpiece and learn how Michelangelo triumphed over his contemporaries for the honor to paint St. Peter’s magnificent dome. The tour will end in Saint Peter’s Square, where you can view Bernini’s statues and the famous chimney which announces the election of a new Pope. A couple of final anecdotes and it will be time for your guide will say goodbye, leaving you to enjoy the square under your own steam. A wonderful end to a tour of the Vatican!