Day 1 in Rome

Welcome to Rome! Upon arrival, you will go through customs and immigration. Should you opt to purchase a transfer to your hotel; a representative will be waiting for you as you exit immigration. Arrive at your hotel, check in and do not give in to jet lag! There is so much for you to experience!

This afternoon, we recommend that you focus your visit on the main sites between Palatine Hill and the Spanish Steps. Start off with a visit to the Roman Colosseum and marvel at Rome's greatest architectural wonder. You may want to purchase our optional tour 'Ancient Rome Half-Day Walking Tour' during which you will visit all the best-known sites of ancient Rome, including the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, the Capitoline Hill, Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

As the night approaches, make your way down to Trastevere by bus or the help of the metro. The former ghetto is chalk full of various restaurants and bars sure to please every budget and taste, with plenty of entertainment afterwards.

Day 2 in Rome

Wake up early today and head for the Vatican. You may want to purchase our optional tour 'Skip the Lines: Vatican Museums Walking Tour including Sistine Chapel, Raphael's Rooms and St. Peter's Basilica'. You will avoid the lengthy queues and explore one of the world's most extensive art collections with an expert local guide who will share the stories and secrets contained within the Museums' walls, pleasures originally meant for the exclusive enjoyment of the Pope. Experience Michelangelo's famous 'Creation of Adam' with you own eyes as you explore the Sistine Chapel and wander Raphael's Rooms. After taking in the Museums, be humbled by the imposing beauty of Saint Peter's Basilica, where you will encounter another of Michelangelo's masterpieces, 'La Pieta'. For a fascinating finish, you will stop to admire the magnificent Saint Peter's Square, as your guide points out Bernini's ingenious use of optical illusion.

After you've been to church, grab lunch and then head over to the old Post Office to mail a letter from the world's smallest country. Once you've had lunch and your spirit is revitalized, take a nice shady stroll down the Tiber River. Along the river you can visit the Castel 'Sant Angelo' or the frescoed Villa Farnesina near the Botanical Gardens for a taste of Roman Renaissance. Cross the river then and explore the local neighborhoods and backstreets in and around Piazza Navona and the Campo de Fiori (flower market). There are lots of restaurants in this area for when you get hungry and the bars and nightclubs stay crowded until long after midnight. If you want to really get dressed up and go clubbing with the locals, make your way out to Testaccio south of town.

Day 3 in Rome

Spend the morning of the third day exploring the Capitoline Museums - three of the oldest in the world containing artifacts and artworks from the ancient Roman world. The three museums are connected by an underground gallery and run the gambit from a giant bronzed head of Constantine to the serpent-headed locks of Bernini's Medusa. Have lunch along the river near the Isola Tiberina.

This afternoon, check out some of Rome's other hidden gems such as the Baths of Diocletian at Piazza Repubblica which was the largest bathhouse of its kind dating back to 300 A.D. and contains Octagonal Hall, a former Roman gymnasium.

Additional Days in Rome

Should you be able to spend additional days in Rome be sure to visit the Ancient Appian Way, the primary road that led into Ancient Rome. All along the road are ruins, cafes, nature trails, and various catacombs of crucified Christians who were not allowed to be buried inside the city walls. Art aficionados will want to head back up to Borghese Park to visit the Borghese Gallery. A visit to the private gallery requires a reservation but is well worth the effort to see masterpieces by Caravaggio, Raphael, Titian and Rubens.

In the evening, stroll along the Imperial Roman Forum and revisit the Colosseum at night for a final awe inspiring view. Ostia Antica is an ancient seaport within an hour of the city and is Rome's excavated answer to Pompeii. The Tivoli Gardens and the Villa d'Este was the summer residence of Emperor Hadrian and is a living Eden, filled with fountains, statues and breathtaking Baroque gardens. North of the city, Lago Bracciano is a relaxing lake area with plenty of nature and three interesting medieval villages along the shore, complete with castles, churches and villas - a great getaway from the hustle and bustle of Rome. The beaches in and around Civitavecchia on the Mediterranean town is another option.

Your Last Day in Rome

Depart your hotel for the airport for your return home. We recommend that you purchase a private transfer, if so a representative will meet you at the hotel, in time to take you to the airport for your flight out.