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Morning Tour - If Stones Could Talk

The Coliseum, The Roman Forum, The Campidoglio,
Teatro Marcello, Piazza Mattei, the Pantheon
9:30am - 1:30pm

Most casual tourists photograph the Coliseum by itself, unaware that the stone walkway next to it is the legendary Via Appia Antica.  The stones are uneven and tourists often complain that it is difficult to navigate. 

What they may not know is that it was across these same stones that the great generals and emperors carried the spoils of their conquests of the Middle East and Africa.   Much of the marble, exotic animals, and slaves that made the Coliseum great first paraded over these stones before entering the Foro Romano.

Most tourists snap off a picture of the Coliseum not unlike postcards we’ve all seen. But a slight change of angle can bring history alive in one just one captivating image.

Further along on our route we will discover one of the most distinctive examples or recycling stone, the Teatro Marcello started by Julius Caesar around 44 BC. It is the largest theatre ever built in the Roman Empire which continues to serve as a venue for outdoor concerts. More interesting, the structure itself is a conglomeration of diverse architecture spanning more than 2000 years, from its ancient foundations, 15th Century fortress, 18th Century apartments built by the Orsini family, 20th Century restoration ordered by Mussolini, and today by modernized luxury apartments.

On this tour we will make 6 major stops where we will build the key points of our story with interesting observations en route to allow you to personalize the story the way you see Rome!

The Itinerary

The Coliseum is one of the world’s most famous landmarks and tourist attractions. Although it survives only as a ruin, it still rates as one of the finest examples of Roman architecture and engineering. It is called the Coliseum (Colosseo) after the colossus of Nero erected nearby.  The 40 m bronze & gold gilded statue disappeared long ago, but the name remains until today.

The Fora Imperiale, or Imperial Forums, consist of a series of monumental fora (public squares), constructed between 46 BC and 113 AD.  While not part of the Roman Forum nearby, these fora were also important centers of politics, economics and religion of the Roman Empire. Mussolini revamped the Imperial Fora to evoke and emulate the past glories of Roman and Italian history.

The Foro Romano, or Roman Forum, was the focal point of the city for early Romans. It was the center for commercial, political, and civil activities and contained markets, prisons, statues, entertainment areas, temples and monuments built by various emperors. Perhaps more than any other Roman ruin, the Forum  gives us a glimpse into both the architectural and political power of Rome. (If you drag your mouse over the banner at the top of this page, you can control the panning of the Roman Forum)

Teatro Marcello was the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. Caesar wanted to build a theater to rival the one built by Pompey, whom he had just defeated and killed in the struggle for the control of Rome. Part of the site that he chose had been used at least since 179 BC for dramatic productions in front of a temple of Apollo. It seated about 12,000 spectators which was twenty percent more than would fit into Pompey's theater.

Tortoise Fountain (Fontana delle Tartarughe) was built by Taddeo Landini and Giacomo della Porta, and located in Piazza Mattei. It is one of the most unique and less-known fountains in all of Rome.  Recently restored to its original state, this is one of those "off the beaten path" places that make Rome so interesting.

The Pantheon was begun in 27 BC by the statesman Marcus Agrippa. It was completely rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian between AD 118 and 128. Its construction, and its design. The dome was the largest built until modern times, measuring about 43 m in diameter, and rising to a height of 22 m above its base. It was dedicated in AD 609 as the Church of the Santa Maria Rotunda, which it remains today. The tomb of Raphael is inside.

Starting point of morning tour. We will begin our tour in front of the Metro station across the street from the Coliseum. Tony will meet you just under the tree in front of the green news kiosk.  To see the meeting point, click on the link below:

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Prices include tour fee, instruction, and assistance by our travel expert in securing accommodations. Hotel accommodations, tips/gratuities, drinks/food, Air/train tickets to/from Rome, are not included in the price. Children under 13 years old not allowed on tour without prior permission.  We reserve the right to make changes in the itinerary if circumstances beyond our control occur.