SEEING MORE

For those who have been to Rome and are looking to explore further. These tours include sights such as the Baths of Diocletian, the Stadium of Domitian, and the Capitoline Museums. In these tours, prepare to get inside the mind of an Ancient Roman citizen!

BERNINI AND 17TH CENTURY ROME

The buoyant spirit of the Baroque still animates the Eternal city despite the many sacks, disasters and upheavals that have taken place since that glorious age. This tour can start with the Galleria Borghese, where, thanks to a gifted artist and a visionary patron, the Baroque was born. Then it traces the great flowering of both active and contemplative artistic design that marked this dynamic era. Bernini and Borromini, facing off on the Quirinal Hill, are but one example of the drama that permeated the urban scene, the spirituality and the art of this age.

THE CARAVAGGIO TRAIL

Nestled in the chapels of various churches around Rome, many of Caravaggio's masterpieces are overlooked as individual attractions. In this walking tour, you will make the pilgrimage to see works such as the Calling of St. Matthew, Madonna di Loreto, and the Conversion on the Road to Damascus. In these pieces, Caravaggio brilliantly demonstrates the drama of reality through his unnatural use of light. Witness for yourself how these works provoke action within the objects of the paintings as well as the viewer.

CAPITOLINE MUSEUMS

The oldest public museum in the world, the Capitoline Museums are home to an incredible amount of history. Witness the iconic Lupa Capitolina, which, from antiquity, has been the symbol and calling card of Rome, or the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, emphasizing divine power of Roman emperors. Within the Capitoline Museums lies the motivations, interests, and cultural norms of the Ancient Romans. On this tour, you will understand the foundation of Rome as an empire built upon the idea of birthright and supremacy.

Supplement this tour with a tour of the Roman Forum, located right next to the Capitoline Museums!

SPLENDORS OF ANTIQUITY

The Ancient Romans were nothing if not showoffs. From their tradition of 'Triumphs,' giant parades to demonstrate the grandeur of their foreign conquests, to their insistence that everything be covered in marble, the Romans made sure to always putt on show their supremacy and wealth. Luckily for us, we can witness to this grandeur in modern times, understanding the beauty of Roman architecture and design. In this tour, start at the Ara Pacis and move to see the Palazzo Altemps and the Pantheon. See for yourself the beauty which ordained Ancient Rome.

There is no shortage of 'splendors of antiquity' in Rome, so if you have a particular

UNDERNEATH THE STADIUM OF DOMITIAN

Paved over to make room for Piazza Navona, the Stadium of Domitian operated for years as a Circus for athletic games and even, for a few years, gladiatorial battles. In general, it was a place where the Ancient Romans could come and hang out with each other, exchanging ideas, soliciting unsavory services, and cheering on their favorite athlete. Underneath Piazza Navona, within the excavated remnants of the Stadium, we have a unique glimpse into the operation of everyday Roman society. Come along into the UNESCO World Heritage Site and witness, for yourself, how you would live, had you been born around 80 AD rather than the 19/20th centuries.

ART, FAITH, AND SCIENCE

The relationship between art, faith, and science in antiquity is an interesting glimpse into the mind of the ancient Roman mind. How did they perceive scientific discovery in relationship to their strong belief in the polytheistic gods? Moving forward in history, the added element of the Christians and Christian art adds another dimension to the tension between faith and science. On this tour, we will start at the Palazzo Spada, move to the Chiesa Nuova, the Pantheon, and finish at Santa Maria Sopra Minerva.

UNDERSTANDING THE EMPIRE

Walking around the city of Rome, you see what seems like hundreds of Ancient Roman monuments. You attempt to understand what it would be like to live during this time, as an Ancient Roman going to the Colosseum or the Stadium of Diocletian. However, an important question to ask is: how did this empire work as a whole? What were the goals of and public opinion on the endless expansion and domination of the Roman military? And how did this expansion impact the city of Rome itself? In this tour, visit the Baths of Diocletian, the Palazzo Massimo, and others, in order to gain this new perspective.

THE OBILISKS OF ROME

Just by walking around Rome for a day, you notice the sheer amount of obelisks present. Almost every piazza, it seems like, is host to an obelisk--it's overwhelming. On this tour, understand the importance of obelisks to the Ancient Romans and, later, the Christian Romans, and why these obelisks are so present. Your tour guide will walk with you through Rome, stopping at the obelisks that have made the largest impact on Roman culture through the years.