Rome: At the Heart of the Myth

The Roman Houses on the Caelian Hill, located beneath the Basilica of Saints John and Paul, offer a fascinating journey into daily life in ancient Rome. This exceptional complex of patrician residences, adorned with 3rd-century frescoes, reflects the refinement of its former inhabitants. The vividly colored rooms depict mythological and religious scenes of great beauty. A rare and moving visit into the secret heart of underground Rome. 
Duration: 2.3 hours - walking tour (Sundays only after 12.30 p.m.)

We will start with the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo. An organ designed by Bernini is there, small but unique in its kind, because it is a masterpiece of the Baroque.
From there we will go to the Mausoleum of Augustus which at the beginning of the 20th century was transformed into an exceptional auditorium. Then, after an obligatory stage in Saint Louis of the French, an opportunity to evoke the relationship between some French musician and Rome, we will go to the Pantheon (exterior) to evoke the last of the castrati, Alessandro Moreschi, and to the Church of the Maddalena, to admire its extraordinary organ.
A short trip to Sant'Andrea della Valle, where the first act of the opera Tosca by Puccini takes place and then we will end with the Argentina theater, which saw the premiere of The Barber of Seville by Rossini.
Duration: 2.3 hours - on foot

The Church of Saint Cecilia, in Trastevere, keeps a famous and moving statue of the saint. Magnificent frescoes remain hidden from the general public, because hidden by the modern facade. With a special permit we will be able to discover them, as well as the Roman excavations and below the church. We will end the visit with a jewel of the Renaissance, the Villa la Farnesina, painted by Raphael and his pupils for the richest man in Italy, the banker Agostino Chigi.
Duration: 2.5 hours on foot (Villa Farnesina exclusively in the morning.)

Palazzo Colonna (Gallery, princess's apartment, gardens): 
There was no revolution in Italy, and some Roman princes still live in palaces with four hundred rooms. For example, on Saturday mornings, Prince Colonna opens his palace to the public.
His family has lived in the same place for eight centuries. The palace covers several hectares in the heart of Rome, and the gallery was one of the models for the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles.
It houses a collection of paintings (Veronese, Annibale Carracci, Bronzino, etc.) and a cabinet of semi-precious stones worth the price of a small mansion.
Duration: 2.5 hours - on foot (only on Saturday morning)

We begin at the Colosseum, learning that it was not called this in Roman times. Here, gladiatorial combats, wild animal hunts, and executions—fascinating yet brutal spectacles—once punctuated daily life. Discover who the gladiators really were, how they trained, and whether, as legend has it, they often died in the arena.

We continue to the Palatine Hill, the mythical birthplace of Rome founded by Romulus nearly twenty-eight centuries ago. From this imperial hill, the view opens onto the Circus Maximus, a vast racetrack that could accommodate 250,000 spectators. The tour concludes at the Forum, the beating heart of ancient Rome, among temples, basilicas, public speaking platforms, and sacred ruins—a true journey through the grandeur and memory of the greatest empire in history.