MASTERS' CHOICE
Each tour guide at Liz Lev Tours is an expert in their field, the most knowledgeable guides you can find in Rome. Each of them, however, have their own interests and specializations. Take a "Masters' Choice" Tour to understand the individual passions of these seasoned guides!
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THE CARAVAGGIO TRAIL
This tour is 3 hour encounter with the genius of Caravaggio, in the churches where his works are still in the position for which they had been made. From the church of Santa Maria del Popolo, we come upon Sant' Agostino, and at San Luigi dei Francesi, which contains Caravaggio's first public altarpieces. The tour ends at the fantastic Galleria Doria Pamphilij, which houses several early works by Caravaggio and of artists of the same period.
A STROLL IN PARIONE
A particular region of Rome, Parione’s roads and alleys and its little or big squares were reshaped mainly in the Renaissance and Baroque times. The district, however, demonstrates, within its topography, a strong continuity with Ancient Rome. We will walk through the best known Piazza Farnese, Campo de’ Fiori and Piazza Navona, but this will also be the occasion to discover some places of more hidden interest!
A STROLL IN CAMPO MARZIO
Imagine you were a tourist or a pilgrim of the past centuries reaching Rome from the north on the Flaminia Road. You would have entered the “eternal city” from the Porta del Popolo in the 3rd century Aurelian Walls and you would have admired the Piazza del Popolo and the “trident,” the three roads that fan out towards the centre. We will start our stroll by visiting the church of Santa Maria del Popolo; some of the artist that left their traces there include Bramante and Pinturicchio, Raphael and Caravaggio, Annibale Carracci and Bernini. The via del Babuino, marked by Pope Clement VII in 1525, will lead us to Piazza di Spagna, where we will climb the Spanish Steps to stop for a moment in front of the gorgeous panorama of the Roman domes. On our way back, we will delve once more into the maze of the central narrow alleys to discover some remains of Ancient Rome, the Augusteum, the tomb of the first Roman emperor and the Ara Pacis Augustae (from outside), to end at the Pantheon.
AROUND THE COLOSSEUM
Let us discover the Colosseum and its surroundings in a different way in order to understand how Rome was built, layer upon layer, until it reached the level of today’s modern city. We are not going inside the most visited monument of Rome: we will have a look at it from the Palatine Hill, from its front and back, where lie the ruins of the “Ludus Magnus”, the gladiators’ barracks. All of this area was rebuilt after the great fire that took place during the reign of the emperor Nero in 64 A.D. We will then set off to discover the Basilica of Saint Clement, dedicated to the fourth Pope (88-97?). Archaeologically, this is one of the most interesting and appealing churches in Rome: from a 12th century basilica, we will go down a flight of steps to discover a 4th century basilica, that burnt in 1084 (again a fire…), and finally, in the deepest layer, we will enter two different Roman buildings of the 1st century A.D. Thrilling!
ANCIENT, SACRED, AND PRIVATE ROME
The visit suggests a tasting of different aspects and periods of Roman history by exploring the district around Via del Corso, the old Via Flaminia, and the only great thoroughfare of papal times. We will start in Piazza Colonna, dominated by the famous Column of Marcus Aurelius, to reach Piazza di Pietra with the remains of the temple of Emperor Hadrian and end at the Pantheon. There, two wonderful churches are nearby to introduce us to Sacred Rome: Santa Maria Sopra Minerva (of the Dominican Order) and Sant’ Ignazio (of the Jesuit Order). The last part of our walk is devoted to private Rome with the Doria Pamphilj palace, still owned by the family of Pope Innocent X (1644-1655). The painting collection of the gallery is incredible, ranking painters as renowned as Brueghel, Vélasquez, Tiziano, Caravaggio, and Raphaël.
CASTEL SANT'ANGELO
The ancient pilgrims going to pray by Saint Peter’s tomb had to run through the Ponte Sant’Angelo, the old Elio bridge built at the time of the Emperor Hadrian in order to reach his mausoleum. This monumental tomb was later transformed into a fortress and, finally, into a refuge for the popes in case of danger; a fortified corridor connects the Vatican Palace with Castel Sant’Angelo. We will explore the history of this versatile construction, and, from the terrace on the summit, just under the archangel Michael that gave the name to the castle, one of the most magnificent views of Rome will be in front of us. On the way back, we will walk down Via dei Coronari, the street of the Rosary-makers, and leave each other in Piazza Navona.
A QUIET TRASTEVERE
Discover the less known history and some hidden treasures of the quieter areas that surround the Basilica of Santa Cecilia. Walk the streets of pilgrims and the landing spots of ancient sailors, and lose yourself in the picturesque alleys where the ancient and modern combine in a romantic setting. We will start from the shore of the Tiber river, or more precisely, on the Pons Cestius, the Cestius Bridge that has connnected the Tiber Island to Trastevere since the 1st century BC. Then, we will visit the “Last Judgement” painted on the inner façade of Santa Cecilia basilica by the old master Pietro Cavallini around 1300 and only rediscovered in 1900. The little museum of Santa Maria in Cappella also deserves our attention and will be helpful to understand the transformation of the neighbourhood from a 15th century hospital, to private “delightful garden“ of Olimpia Pamphilj. to the Foundation of Santa Francesca Romana.
AQUA FELICE (HAPPY WATER)!
In just five years, between 1585 and 1590, the urban planner pope Sixtus V laid the basis of an incredible road organization and brought new life to the most uninhabited areas of the Roman hills. This was also possible thanks to the building of a new aqueduct that supplied the Quirinal, the Viminal, the Caelian, and the Capitoline hills with water. Many new fountains, also supplied by this aqueduct, flow in the planes below in the densely populated Rome. Our promenade will start at the Fountain of Moses, the first monumental Roman display fountain, going on to discover some of the fountains that have been shaping the most beautiful Roman squares.
