Best of Rome for Small Groups

Description

Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Departing from Civitavecchia, your 90-minute motorcoach ride to the heart of Rome takes you through the glorious Roman countryside and along the Tyrrenian Sea. Once in the city, you'll walk to your first destination, the Vatican Museums.
A testament to the power of papal art patronage and curatorial talent, the Vatican Museums contain masterpieces of painting, sculpture and other works of art collected by the popes through the centuries. Walking through select portions of the museums with your knowledgeable guide, you'll marvel at the astonishingly rich collections and their significance throughout history.
You'll know immediately when you have reached the Sistine Chapel, because all eyes are gazing up at the heavenly ceiling and there is a powerful hush that descends as you enter. The famous Sistine ceiling depicts scenes from Genesis in dramatic and moving detail and Michelangelo's The Last Judgment on the chapel's end wall is striking and powerful. In addition to these famous artworks, the sidewalls are covered with important Renaissance frescoes of Moses, Christ and contemporary popes. But the Sistine Chapel is more than the sum of its artistic wonders; it is a symbolic statement of papal authority and the place in which papal elections in conclave are held to this day.
Your tour continues as you walk through the impressive St. Peter's Square. With its fountains and semicircular colonnades crowned with statues of the saints, the square perfectly frames the Basilica's entrance. The first church here was built by Constantine on the site where St. Peter was martyred and buried. Michelangelo deserves much of the credit for the massive reconstruction.

Admire the majesty of the Basilica from outside, as your Guide provides a thorough explanation.

A stroll returns you to your motorcoach for a scenic drive to a 1st class hotel/restaurant for lunch. Aboard, you'll have a moment to relax, see the sights, and anticipate your sumptuous meal. A glass of Italian wine, sparkling mineral water and a traditional meal made with fresh, local ingredients is a welcome respite in your day.

Refreshed from lunch, you'll board your motorcoach and travel a short distance to one of the grandest of all Rome's monuments, the Colosseum, for a photo stop.

A 15-minute walk brings this iconic, imposing structure into view, and you are immediately taken back in time. The grandest amphitheaters ever built, no building in existence gives such an impression of imposing size. Be sure to photograph this awe-inspiring icon from several angles to truly capture its architectural significance. The Colosseum holds a special place in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, and on each Good Friday, the Pope leads a torch-lit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around it.

After the photo stop at the Colosseum, your tour concludes with a walk back to your motorcoach and a scenic return to Civitavecchia. Relaxing in the comfort of your motorcoach, you will leave the Eternal City but take a lifetime of memories home

Special Notes:

Please Note: free time may be modified to adhere to local regulations and guidelines for COVID 19 protocols.

This tour does not include the Colosseum or the St. Peter's Basilica inside visit.
This tour includes extensive walking on cobblestone surfaces as well as negotiating 250 steps while visiting the Vatican Museum. This tour is not recommended for Guests on wheelchair and Guests with walking difficulties.

This tour is not available to passengers beginning or ending their voyage in Civitavecchia (Rome).

This tour does not operate on Sundays, public holidays and religious holidays due to the closure of the Vatican Museums, which houses the Sistine Chapel (It will be replaced by ROM010)

The drive between Civitavecchia and Rome is approximately 1 1/2 hours, subject to traffic conditions. Sightseeing in the Vatican City will be on foot as motorcoaches are not permitted in the vicinity. This tour involves a great amount of walking, therefore it is not recommended to Guests with walking difficulties or using wheelchairs. Guests must be able to negotiate the steps of the coach.

It is very important for guests to be aware that they will be responsible for the headset devices provided. The headsets company will charge Euro 50.00 for every missing device.

Visitors must pass through metal detectors at the Vatican Museum. Large bags or umbrellas, bottled water, video cameras, knives or scissors must be checked at the security check-points. Large back-packs or bags cannot be taken inside Vatican Museum. Flash photos are not permitted in the Vatican Museum. Photography and video are not permitted at all in the Sistine Chapel.

You might encounter considerable crowds, lines and delays at the venues.

Please be aware that ongoing restoration work is often being carried out at the various venues visited.

Tour order may vary but always covering the same sites

This tour uses headsets.