This tour is for those who are eager to explore some lesser-known sites of Rome.
On this tour, you will visit two amazing churches that are so incredibly different from one another.
The tour begins with a visit inside the Basilica of San Clemente.
In our humble opinion, every visitor that comes to Rome should see San Clemente. This place is one-of-a-kind.
The Basilica of San Clemente has 3 more buildings underneath. Yes, you heard correctly. You can access the underground levels, and be amazed by how much the city of Rome has to show you… even in the underground.
Underneath the Basilica, we find an ancient and very well-preserved church that was built in the 4th century AD.
We then go even further down, discovering a 1st-century AD religious temple. The temple was dedicated to the god Mithras, which was extremely popular in the Roman Empire, and was later nicknamed the “Religion of the Soldiers”.
The Basilica of San Clemente gives us the chance to go 45 feet underneath the street level.
The second and final church included on the guided tour is the Most Important Catholic Church in the World; Saint John in Lateran Basilica, the official Seat of the Bishop of Rome, Pope Francis. You will be in awe here.
This is one of the most beautiful churches in the world. The Basilica is beautifully decorated with amazing statues and reliefs, and it most likely has the most beautiful and elaborate floor in the world. This place is pure magnificence. Together with St John’s Basilica, we also go see the Holy Stairs. This is a stairway made of marble, that according to tradition was walked by Jesus. This is why, to this day, many pilgrims come to this place and they climb it on their knees. The tour ends near the “San Giovanni” Metro Stop subway line.
SITES INCLUDED:
- BASILICA OF SAN CLEMENTE AND ITS UNDERGROUND LEVELS
- The Temple of God Mithras
- The Roman Coin-Mint built in the 1st Century AD
- SAINT JOHN IN LATERAN BASILICA AND HOLY STAIRS AND EGYPTIAN OBELISK (END OF THE TOUR)
- The Roman Bronze door from the 1st Century BC
- The Holy Steps. This is a pilgrimage site and visitors climb it to the top, but on their knees. However, climbing it is not part of the guided tour.
- The Egyptian Obelisk was brought to Rome by Emperor Constantine. This is the heaviest, the tallest and the most ancient Egyptian Obelisk in the World
The Borghese Gallery was undeniably one of the most important places in all of Europe in the 1600’s .
Even today, the gallery houses a smaller and way more elite collection than the Vatican Museums and offers the rare opportunity to see some of the world’s most impressive masterpieces in their original setting. With works by Bernini, Canova, Caravaggio, Raphael and Titian it has a billing to rival the Louvre. Join us on a relaxed exploration of the Borghese Gallery. With an expert, English-speaking tour guide, you’ll delve into the Borghese collection. Your guide will reveal to you the hidden and intriguing stories behind the paintings and sculptures. You will also hear how the incredibly powerful and flamboyant pope’s nephew Scipione Borghese, managed to acquire so many masterpieces, previously destined for other clients…..
Get ready to be amazed!!!!
Some of the Artworks included in the Tour
- Caravaggio’s Paintings: “David with the Head of Goliath”, “The Virgin Mary & the Snake” “Saint Jerome”, “Young Saint John the Baptist”, “Sick Bacchus”
- Bernini’s Sculptures: “Apollo & Daphne” “David” “Rape of Persephone”
- Titian’s Painting: “Sacred and Profane Love”
- Raphael’s Paintings : “Young Lady with Unicorn”, “Entombment of Christ”
- Canova’s Statue: “Paoline Bonaparte, Napoleon’s Sister”
- …and more…
If you love antiquities, there is no such museum to visit as the Palazzo Massimo. The best and most unique antiquities in Rome’s history are preserved right inside of this structure, in a very elegant and sophisticated way. Did you know that Emperor Caligula had a Naval Floating Ship? Yes, you understood correctly! Inside Palazzo Massimo one of the rarities you can see is a representation of what the naval floating ship would have looked like and your English Speaking guide, will draw your attention over to the bronze remains that, back in the old times, would decorate it with such bizarre magnificence! Many great ancient world’s masterpieces make Palazzo Massimo a museum to visit, like for example the frescoes removed from the Villa of the First Lady Livia, wife of Emperor Augustus. You will be completely dazzled by those well preserved frescoes, which were meant to represent a “Paradise”: hence a prefect garden. Palazzo Massimo is also the ONLY place where you can admire a 2nd century BC painted Calendar, which is the only piece of evidence of a Lunar Calendar of the ancient world, first before Julius Caesar and much later Pope Gregorius, would adjust the reckoning of time for the modern society we live in!
In the rooms on the ground floor are exhibited splendid Greek originals discovered in Rome throughout the centuries, such as the Boxer at Rest, the Hellenistic Prince, as well as portraiture of the Republican and Imperial ages, culminating in the statue of Augustus Pontifex Maximus (High Priest).
What’s Included:
- 2nd Century BC Ancient Roman Lunar Calendar; the only one in the World
- 2nd Century AD Grottarossa Mummy; the only one in the World
- Bronze Statue of the Boxer at Rest
- Villa of Empress Livia, her original Dining Room
- Julia daughter of Emperor Augustus; a few bedrooms and rooms from her villa
- Bronze remains from the Naval Floating Palace of Emperor Caligula
Leave the modern world behind as your English speaking tour guide will bring antiquities to life before your very eyes.
Listen as your guide provides a captivating account as you marvel at its theater, impressive temples, insula apartment blocks and the Forum of Corporations, where everything under the sun was bought and sold.
Be wowed by the great mosaic floors and several well preserved statues that seem to be, inappropriately, called “ruins”. In your Ostia Antica group tour there will be up to 14 participants or less. Small groups are indeed the best way to really enjoy the guided visit and to get the most from it.
In this huge archaeological site there are quite a few buildings that you can actually climb. For example, one of the highlights in this place is the 1st Century BC Theatre built by Marcus Agrippa that to this day can host 3.500 spectators at the same time. You can walk up to its top to have a gorgeous view of the ancient city from above. However on this walking tour we do not talk about only religious temples and ancient stores but it’ll actually be a colorful tour especially once you come across the ancient roman public toilets; the Latrines.
This tour is an eye-opening experience because you will understand how incredibly “modern” and “advanced” the ancient Romans were and how much of our modern daily lives are actually affected by them.
Traveling with an expert guide, you’ll visit all the best sites and learn to identify them for what they once were, making sense of plenty of structures.
This unique tour of Ancient Ostia departs from Rome by local train and you arrive at Ostia Antica in approximately 20 minutes.
What’s Inlcuded
- Small groups of 14 people or less
- Train ticket to and from Rome
- Ancient Ostia entrance ticket
- English speaking tour guide
What’s not Included
- Hotel pick-up/drop-off
- Gratuities
- Food/Beverage