Discover the intriguing stories of ancient Rome on this five-day city discovery in the company of expert guide and renowned historian Mary Beard.
On your first day in Rome, you'll visit the Colosseum and take a walking tour through the cobbled streets of the city's historic heart. Visits to the world's oldest public museums, the Capitoline Museums, are also on the agenda. These museums date all the way back to 1471, and you'll see some of the most important works of art from ancient Rome within their walls. Your day will end with a welcome drink and an insightful talk from Mary, who'll give a glimpse into the locations you're still to visit and join you for dinner.
Mary will also join you on your second full day on visits to the Palatino, the Roman Forum, Monte Testaccio, and the Centrale Montemartini Museum, providing her expert commentary throughout. Mary will join you for another dinner, where there's a chance to ask further questions about the life and times of the people of ancient Rome.
You'll also enjoy tours of Ara Pacis, Castel Sant'Angelo, and Via Appia, where you'll have the chance to see the mausoleum for the emperor Hadrian, the mausoleum of Augustus, and the Roman burials along the ancient road of Via Appia. Later, you'll return to the city centre where you'll have an evening free in Rome to spend as you wish, maybe experiencing the city's more modern and cosmopolitan side.
Before returning home on your final day, you'll visit the Roman harbour of Ostia Antica, around 40 minutes outside of the city, before transferring to the airport for your flight home to London.
An acclaimed classicist and author, Dame Mary Beard is a Classics fellow at Newnham College, Cambridge and a professor of Ancient Literature at the Royal Academy of Arts. She has released numerous acclaimed histories, most recently her new book Civilisations: How Do We Look/The Eye of Faith.
You'll arrive in Rome today and be met at the airport for your transfer to your hotel. At the hotel, you'll have a welcome drink and dinner.
After breakfast, your discovery begins. First you'll visit the Colosseum - the perfect scene-setter for your Roman adventure. You'll have an hour or so to explore before moving to the Capitoline Museums, the world's oldest public museums, where you'll have a couple of hours to discover some of the most important works of art from Rome's illustrious history.
Lunch is at leisure today, after which you'll regroup in the early afternoon for a walking tour of Rome's Centro Storico, the historic centre. You'll follow a route past the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain and the great baroque piazzas of the city.
After the tour, you'll return to your hotel, where you'll enjoy a fascinating welcome talk by Mary Beard, followed by dinner.
Your deep discovery of Rome continues today, with Mary Beard joining you to provide expert commentary throughout.
The day starts with a visit to the Roman Forum, an impressive archaeological site that was the centre of Ancient Rome, where you can walk in the footsteps of some of the most famous characters of Roman history. From here, you'll walk to the Palatino to see where Roman Emperors lived. There's free time for lunch at your own expense before an afternoon visit to the Monte Testaccio, one of the most extraordinary 'mountains' in the world, built entirely out of used olive oil amphorae, broken and piled up, which also gives insight into the infrastructure of the city). The final stop of the day is the Centrale Montemartini Museum, a relatively little-known museum of Roman art housed in a disused power station.
You'll return to the hotel, where Mary Beard will join the group for dinner.
Mary leaves the trip today, but will first join you on a visit to Ara Pacis, one of the most stunning monuments of the reign of the first emperor Augustus, next to his Mausoleum. Then, you'll walk to the Castel Sant'Angelo, a mausoleum for the emperor Hadrian, before stopping for lunch at leisure. In the afternoon, you'll walk along the ancient road of Via Appia to see the mausoleums and Roman burial epitaphs before returning to the city centre.
Tonight, you'll have free time to spend as you wish.
You'll enjoy an early breakfast at the hotel this morning before joining a 40-minute transfer to Ostia Antica, an archaeological site that was the harbour city of ancient Rome.
Lunch is provided at a local restaurant today, your final opportunity to chat with your fellow travellers before transferring to the airport for your flight home to London in the early afternoon.
Hotel Ponte Sisto is the choice for those who want to experience an unforgettable and romantic vacation in the heart of the Eternal City.
Downtown Rome is home to the elegant 4-star Hotel Ponte Sisto hotel just off Trastevere, convenient for Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and ancient Via Giulia. There is a restaurant and lounge bar as well as a charming garden and roof terrace.
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