Rome Full-Day Sightseeing Tour: Discover Squares, Fountains & Ancient Monuments

Highlights

• Iconic Squares & Fountains
• Ancient Monuments
• Rome Underground

What's included

Itinerary

1. 1

   Stop 1

   15min

   Here you can enjoy the view from the outside of the Pantheon, which is not only is one of the most inspirational architectural masterpieces of Ancient Rome with the world’s largest unreinforced dome that has marveled architects for centuries, it’s but it is also the longest ancient monument in continuous use. When you enter the Pantheon and look up you will see the oculus in the center of the coffered dome that opens to the sky allowing light and rain to fall through. Some of Italy’s most distinguished figures are also buried inside the Pantheon, namely Italy’s King Vittorio Emanuele II, King Umberto and Queen Margherita, and the famous artist Raphael.

2. 2

   Trevi Fountain

   15min

   The moment you hear the soothing sounds of water gushing forth, you know you’re near the Trevi Fountain, dominated by the pagan god Neptune riding a seashell chariot drawn by seahorses. Don’t forget to continue the long enduring tradition of tossing a coin into the fountain to ensure a future visit to Rome. Aside from being one of the most well-recognized fountains in the world, the Trevi Fountain’s fame has been cemented in classic films such as “Three Coins in A Fountain”, “La Dolce Vita”, and “Vacanze Romane”.

3. 3

   Spanish Steps

   15min

   The picturesque Spanish Steps with its elegant unfurling stairway connects the Church of Trinity and obelisk above with the square below that features the Fontana della Barcaccia (the Fountain of the Old Boat) below. Like a sliver of an arena with tiers of seats for spectators, so does the Spanish Steps attracts visitors and locals who sit on its steps to enjoy the scenery, to people watch, or to rest their weary feet. The beautiful palazzo to your right, if you are facing the Spanish Steps, is the Keats-Shelley Memorial House, the famous English writer John Keats lived.

4. 4

   Piazza Navona

   15min

   The lively Piazza Navona is dominated by 3 fountains situated in a spacious oblong square surrounded by warm toned historic buildings. A variety of colorful paintings and drawings exhibited by local artists adds to the charm and vibrant atmosphere of Piazza Navona. The imposing Baroque 17th century fountain that dominates the square is the Fountain of Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi) by Gian Lorenzo Bernini that represents the four major rivers of the four known continents of that time: Rio de la Plata (America), Danube (Europe), Ganges (Asia), and Nile (Africa). The fountain is crowned with an ancient Egyptian obelisk commissioned by Pope Innocent X whose symbol tops the obelisk.

5. 5

   St. Peter's Square

   40min

   One of the most esteemed squares in Rome is Saint Peter’s Square that welcomes millions of visitors within the embrace of “the maternal arms of the Mother Church”. The sweeping elliptical square was designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini to define the square and allows a large number of the faithful into the square when the Pope gives his blessings. The 284 colossal Doric columns arranged in 4 rows. The colonnade is topped with 140 statues of various saints.

6. 6

   Stop 6

   30min

   A special stop on a tucked away terrace behind Capitoline Hill, will reward you with a breathtaking panorama of the Roman Forum from where the Roman Empire was governed, the imperial Palatine Hill where emperors and the elite had their opulent palaces, and the Colosseum peeking from the distance. Be sure to have your cameras ready as this picturesque spot is one of the most photographed locations in Rome! For many centuries the Roman Forum was the main gathering place for the locals and Ancient Rome’s political, judicial, commercial, religious center from where the empire was governed making this rectangular forum the Navel of City of Rome (Umbilicus Urbis Romae). The impressive ruins of many structures and monuments that once glistened in fine white marble and covered with terracotta roof tiles are vestiges of Ancient Rome’s glorious and powerful past.

7. 7

   Basilica dei Santi Giovanni e Paolo

   15min

   Basilica of Saints John and Paul (Basilica di Santi Giovanni e Paolo) on Celian Hill is an ancient 4th-century church built on top of the home of two Roman soldiers John and Paul who were assumed to have been martyred in 362 under the Emperor Julian the Apostate when they refused to renounce their faith. According to legend, the brothers were buried on the site of their own house, and the church was built as a titulus (an early place of worship for early Christians in Rome) initiated by Byzantis in honor of the martyred brothers and later completed by this son Pammachius. Heavily restored over time, the basilica is often used for wedding ceremonies and its interior resembles an elegant ballroom with chandeliers.

8. 8

   Case Romane Del Celio

   25min

   What makes visiting the Basilica of Saints John and Paul fascinating is visiting the ancient Roman Houses (Case Romane) upon which the church was built. You have the opportunity to explore a magnificent underground complex that once was an "insula" (apartment building) and various Roman houses dating from 2nd to 4th century AD. They were later transformed into an opulent Roman residence with about 20 rooms finely decorated with frescoes, mosaics, and various architectural details. Not to be missed are the Room of the Geni (“geniuses” are ancient Roman mythological guardian spirits), Room of the Imitation Marble, the Room of Orant (“worshipper”), the Confession, the Baths, the Nymphaeum of Proserpina, and the Antiquarium - the Greek cross-shaped museum that houses Roman object excavated beneath the basilica that offers visitors a glimpse into the everyday life of ancient Romans and the objects they used in their homes.Entrance fee € 6 per person, € 4 per person for students and seniors, Free for children under 12. CLOSED on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On these dates, you are invited to visit the equally fascinating San Clemente Basilica with visits to the Underground ancient 4th-century basilica and 1st-century pagan temple. Entrance fee € 10 per person to be paid on site.

Before you go

Location