Intro:
This tour is designed to cover the beautiful city of Rome's major tourist sites. If you prefer a more ‘off-the-beaten-path’ experience, we can arrange that at your request.
Your driver will pick you up at the pier at 8am and return you to the pier at 5:30pm. You will easily find your personal driver by looking for a card with your surname on the windshield of the vehicle.
We'll first drive a scenic motorway through the country and see the Etruscan landscapes where the Etruscan people lived in ancient times. Etruscan civilization is the modern English name given to the culture and way of life of a people of ancient Italy and Corsica whom the ancient Romans called Etrusci or Tusci
We start with an easy and comfortable drive to Rome that will take approximately one hour and 10 minutes. During this time, your private driver will point out various points of interest along the way and answer any questions that you may have about your day.

The drive will begin and continue along Ostiense Road, arriving at the Pyramid built for Caius Cestio. Due to its incorporation into the city's fortifications, it is one of the most well preserved ancient buildings in Rome today. The pyramid was built about 18 BC-12 BC as a tomb for Gaius Cestius Epulo, a magistrate and member of one of the four great religious corporations in Rome, the Septemviri Epulonum. It is made of brick layered over concrete and then covered with slabs of white marble standing on a travertine foundation. The pyramid measures 100 Roman feet (22 m) square at the base and stands 125 Roman feet (27 m) high. At the time of its construction, the Pyramid of Cestius would have stood by itself out in the open since tombs were forbidden within the city walls. During the Imperial Period, Rome experienced phenomenal growth and by the third century AD, the pyramid would have been surrounded by buildings. Its true provenance was clarified by Pope Alexander VII's excavations in the 1660s, which cleared the vegetation that had overgrown the pyramid, uncovered the inscriptions on its faces, tunneled into the tomb's burial chamber and found the bases of two bronze statues that had stood alongside the pyramid.
The pyramid was an essential sight for many who undertook the Grand Tour in the 18th and 19th centuries. It was much admired by architects, becoming the primary model for pyramids built in the west during this period.
At this stage of the tour, we will be inside the ancient Roman Wall built by Emperor Aureliano. For our next stop, we will arrive at the Circus Maximus, the large ancient stadium where chariot races were held for the pleasure of Roman citizens and royalty. Listen closely and you can almost hear the roar of the crowds and the galloping of the horses’ hooves as they race for the finish. Majestically sitting behind the stadium, you will see the Palatine Hill where the villas and the domus’ of the emperors were built. A domus was the form of house that wealthy and some middle class families owned in ancient Rome and could be found in almost all of the major cities of the Roman Empire. You can also see the Arch of Constantine and the awesome site of the Colosseum from this vantage point, rising in front of your very eyes.
We will stop here, and you will be able to visit the Colosseum and the Roman Forum on your own if you wish. In order to avoid lengthy and time consuming queues, your entry tickets will be purchased in advance as a complimentary service for our clients. The fees for the entry tickets will be added to the final bill. The Colosseum charges 12 Euros per ticket.
There are a few things to look out for when visiting the Colosseum. You may want to consider purchasing a guidebook before leaving home and simply tearing out the pages that you will need on your trip. This saves you from carrying a cumbersome and heavy guidebook all over Rome. Alternatively, many times you will be invited to join a tour group getting ready to enter the Colosseum. The cost is nominal and usually gives you a good amount of information, pointing out different things that you will be seeing inside. Make sure that the tour guide knows that you already have your entrance ticket. It’s a good idea to have a bottle of water and sunscreen with you as in the warmer months, it can get very hot and sunny inside the Colosseum. You will also likely notice gladiator characters stationed outside the entrance to the Colosseum who are taking photos with tourists. Be advised that if you do decide to have a photo taken with the gladiators, you are expected to pay for it. This is not free!
Following the Colosseum, we will stop at the Piazza Venezia where you will see the Vittorio Emanuele Monument , dedicated to the first king of Italy. The monument is built of pure white marble from Botticino, Brescia, and features majestic stairways, tall Corinthian columns, fountains, a huge equestrian sculpture of Victor Emmanuel and two statues of the goddess Victoria riding on quadrigas (a chariot drawn by four horses abreast). The structure is 135 meters (443 ft) wide and 70 meters (230 ft) high. If the quadrigae and winged victories are included, the height is 81 meters (266 ft) The base of the monument houses the museum of Italian Reunification. At the time the monument was built, it was controversial among Romans since a large area of the Capitoline Hill was destroyed along with a medieval neighborhood for the sake of building it. Romans regard the monument as pompous and too large. It is clearly visible to most of the city of Rome and is boxy in general shape and lacks a dome or a tower. The monument is also blindingly white, making it highly conspicuous as it sits among the brownish buildings surrounding it, and its stacked, crowded appearance has caused it to be saddled with several nicknames. Romans sometimes refer to the structure by a variety of irreverent slang expressions, such as "Zuppa Inglese", "the wedding cake", and "the false teeth", while Americans liberating Rome in 1944 labeled it "the typewriter", a nickname also adopted by the locals. Even with all of this criticism, the monument still attracts a large number of visitors, and tourists typically enjoy seeing it. It is also a wonderful landmark to find your way in the city.
With all of our traveling, you are probably ready for a time of rest, relaxation and the wonderful food that Italy is known for. We can recommend a quick café for about 10 Euros per person or a traditional Italian ristorante (restaurant) for about 15/20 Euros per person.

After lunch, you will visit the tiniest country in the world, the Vatican. Inside the Vatican Museum, you will be amazed and delighted at the vast collection of masterpieces, including the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel. Admission to the Museum is 14 Euros per person and visitors are asked to check-in bags, backpacks or bulky luggage.
If you wish to have a personal tour guide in the Vatican Museum, Stefano Rome Tours can book one for you at a price of 120 Euro for two hours up to six people, and 150 Euros for two hours up to eight people. We strongly recommend that you allow us to book a personal tour guide for you inside the Vatican. The Vatican Museum is one of the three largest museums in the world and can be very confusing. Make sure that you notify us in advance if you would like a private guide inside the Vatican Museum. Alternatively, you may want to consider purchasing a guide book to take inside with you, or renting an audio guide available at the Museum’s entrance for 7 Euros per unit. A new way to gain insight and information is to download free Pod casts from the Rick Steves website. The pod cast can be downloaded and easily transferred to any iPod or MP3 player. Here is a link with quite a bit of information to help you determine if this is something that would be helpful to you: http://www.ricksteves.com/news/travelnews/0602/audiotour.htm#2.
It will take two hours to visit the Museum, The Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Most visitors to the Vatican Museums choose to visit the Raphael Rooms and the Sistine Chapel, the more popular areas in the museum. If you choose to visit the Vatican Museum without a personal guide, when you finish in the Sistine Chapel, there is a door at the back right of the chapel for tour groups. If you walk through this door and around the corridor, you will exit to the side of St. Peter’s Basilica which will be on your right. You can then make your way directly into St. Peter’s without waiting in the long line. Please note that if you have rented an audio guide for the Vatican Museum, you will need to return to the front of the museum to return the audio guide. The crypt directly underneath St. Peter’s holds the tombs of many of the Popes, including the well-loved Pope John Paul II. Please remember to dress appropriately for the Basilica: no bare shoulders or bare knees. Capri-type pants are completely acceptable for ladies and men can wear shorts if they are long enough to cover the knees. Photography is allowed in St. Peter’s Basilica because most of the immense artworks are made in the mosaic style which is not harmed by photography or flash. The Vatican has the largest mosaic school in the world. If you would like to see the original paintings that were used to complete the mosaics in St. Peter’s, you can see them in the Pinoteca room in the Vatican Museum. Photography is strictly prohibited in the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
For a special treat for those back home, visit the Vatican post office where you can purchase stamps and postcards to be written right on site and mailed directly from the Vatican. Gifts are available next door in the gift shop and there is a very clean restroom close to the post office and tourist information center.
For more information about the Vatican Museum, visit the Vatican website here: http://mv.vatican.va/3_EN/pages/MV_Home.html

Please note that the Vatican museum is closed on Sundays.

Our next destination will be the Pantheon, once the temple of all Roman gods. It then became a church and burial place for kings and artists. It is the best preserved of all Roman buildings, and perhaps the best preserved building of its age in the world. It has been in continuous use throughout its history. The Pantheon is the oldest standing domed structure in Rome. Since the Renaissance, the Pantheon has been used as a tomb. Among those buried there are the painters Raphael and Annibale Carracci, the composer Arcangelo Corelli, and the architect Baldassare Peruzzi. In the 15th century, the Pantheon was adorned with paintings: the best-known is the Annunciation by Melozzo da Forlì. Architects, like Brunelleschi, used the Pantheon as help when designing the Cathedral of Florence's dome. Don’t be surprised to see a bird or two flying through the building. The Oculus (Latin for ‘eye’) at the top of the dome has always been open to the weather, allowing rain to enter and fall to the floor, where it is carried away through drains.
We then make our way to the famed Trevi fountain, setting of the well known movie Three Coins in a Fountain. This fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in the city. The fountain was refurbished in 1998; the stonework was scrubbed and the fountain provided with recirculating pumps. Legend has it that if visitors throw a coin into the fountain, they will be assured a return to Rome. Many people, however, are unaware that the "three coins" of Three Coins in the Fountain were thrown by three different characters. The current interpretation is that two coins will lead to a new romance and three will ensure either a marriage or divorce. Another current version of this legend is that it is lucky to throw three coins with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the fountain. The fountain is also the setting for an iconic scene in Federico Fellini's film La dolce vita. Approximately 3,000 Euros are thrown into the fountain each day and are collected at night. The money has been used to subsidize a supermarket for Rome's needy. However, there are regular attempts to steal coins from the fountain. The area around the fountain is quite crowded, so be aware of your surroundings and keep your belongings close at hand. Do not accept ‘gifts’ from salesmen around the fountain. They may offer you a rose and when you accept it, they will expect payment from you.
Finally, you can rest and have a seat on the Spanish Steps where you might be tempted to enjoy a scoop of gelato, or two or three. Gelato is sold by the cup, and many vendors will allow you to choose several flavors for your cup.

Please note
Please note that the order in which we will visit the sites may vary depending upon traffic conditions or other deciding issues. We will be happy to alter the tour to meet your personal desires. The costs for entry tickets are not included in the tour fee, and any entry tickets that we purchase in advance for you will be added to the final bill. The fees for the tours include tolls and parking and are required in Euro funds.