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Rome History Tour: From Republic to Empire
5.0
23 Ratings
Roma
Explore Rome’s history from Republic to Empire, witness Baroque masterpieces, and end at St. Peter’s. Discover why Rome’s legacy endures.
Duration:
2 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation:
1 day
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Highlights
- Porta del Popolo - Introduction to the tour and the gate of piazza del Popolo also known as Porta Flaminia
- Piazza del Popolo - Our guides will walk you through the majestic Piazza del Popolo with the famous twin churches designed by Bernini and obelisk of Ramses II
- Mausoleum of Augustus - Our tour passes by the tomb of Octavian Augustus - the first Roman Emperor and the settler of the Julio Claudian dynasty
- Palazzo Borghese - The tour passes through the 16th century palace of the powerful Borghese family.
- Gelateria Della Palma - We stop for a gelato (bathroom) break at Gelateria della Palma - one of the most famous gelato shops in Rome offering over 150 different flavours of ice cream
- Pantheon - One of our major stops is the Pantheon aka the Temple of all the gods, where the bodies of Raphael and the first Italian royalties are buried.
- Piazza Navona - Our itinerary then goes through Piazza Navona orignally known and still in the shape of the Stadium of Domitian
- Via dei Coronari - After Piazza Navona the tour proceeds through the famous Via dei Coronari, untouched from the days of the Renaissance we will through the steps of the original pilgrims
- St. Angelo Bridge - We will go through the Bridge of Angels that will tell us the story of the martyrdom of Christ
- Castel Sant’Angelo - After we cross the Tiber river through the famous Ponte Sant’Angelo we will stop by the medieval Castel Sant’Angelo originally built to host the ashes of Emperor Hadrian.
- Via della Conciliazione - The tour will be concluded at the premises of Castel Sant’Angelo with a stunning view of St. Peter’s Basilica through the masterpiece of Mussolini’s architects - Via della Conciliazione. This will be also our brief introduction to Vatican.
What's Included
- Booking fee for your spot on the tour
- Tip-based payment at the end of the tour
What's Not Included
- Gratuities
Additional Information
This tour takes you on a journey through the history of the Eternal City. It explores the sites and structures that marked Rome’s rise to becoming a superpower of the Mediterranean .
You will hear about the Republic of Rome, one of the first versions of democracy in human history, and then its transformation into the Roman Empire through a series of civil wars. Unquestionably the most enduring empire in western history, this tour will try to explain why that system eventually failed, leading to the fall of Rome, and a succession of new powers controlling the Italian peninsula.
You will witness the works of great masters such as Bernini in the pinnacacle of Italian Baroque. Starting the tour where a pilgrim would enter the city, you will finish where their pilgrimage would end, close to the largest Christian church in the world, St Peter’s.
By the end of your tour, we are certain Rome will feel like a very different place.
Location
Porta del Popolo
Piazzale Flaminio
Meet the guide at Porta del Popolo, the gate to Piazza del Popolo. On the outside are two sculptures. The sculpture on the left, of a man holding a book is where you will find your guide.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(23 Ratings)
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Mj3213
Aug 8, 2024
THE BEST TOUR EVER - INCREDIBLE!!!!! - AMAZING THE BEST TOUR EVER!!!!! If i could give more stars i would. Genuinely cannot recommend it more. We booked the free ultimate walking tour for our first day in Rome and it was the best introduction to the city you could ask for. Our guide was Nick (the founder of the company) and he knew everything under the sun about Rome, and answered any questions we had both thoroughly and enthusiastically. He clearly loved his job and the city and was extremely kind and interested in everyone on the tour. There was also a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere within the group. The tour completely exceeded our expectations - it was full of history and information and was enjoyable. Thank you so much it was amazing!!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Joseph
Aug 3, 2024
Excellent Walking Tour!!! - Excellent guide with tremendous knowledge of the history of Rome. was patient with the group answering questions with deep knowledge and humor. Great experience!!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jokellow
Jul 30, 2024
A highly recommended guide to the history of Rome - We had a fantastic experience on our walking tour with Alessandro. He welcomed us with enthusiasm, and kept us engaged and entertained with his good humour and historical knowledge. We loved loved the Q&A games for a bit of competitive fun. We have done walking tours in many European cities and this was our favourite by far. Thank you Alessandro for the recommendations and for giving us an outstanding start to our holiday in Italy.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daryae41
Jul 25, 2024
Great and fascinating tour! - Fascinating experience- our guide’s historical knowledge was impeccable ! Learned so much and enjoyed visiting Rome through with tour!
Thank you
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chrisanne_j
Jul 23, 2024
Great way to Start a Rome Holiday - Wonderful tour! Our guide, Claus, was very friendly and knew his information, not only history but architecture as well. We learned a lot and it was a great way to start our week in Rome. He also gave us great recommendations.
Review provided by Viator
Adel
Jul 4, 2024
Rome tour - Michle was great and very informative funny and helpful
I enjoyed the tour with him and if I have chance I will go with him again
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Michelle_s
Jun 27, 2024
Highly recommend Rome's Ultimate Free Walking Tours! - My husband, 8-year-old daughter, and I took this free, tip-based walking tour shortly after we landed in Rome, and it was the best value for money and time that we spent in Rome. Nick was hands-down the best tour guide we had in Italy in general and was clearly passionate and knowledgeable about the history of Rome, providing a lot of interesting facts and able to answer every question the group had. There was never a dull moment and everyone on our tour was engaged. There’s no doubt Nick has found his calling. He was fantastic, and we highly recommend you book a tour with his company!
Review provided by Viator
Dusty144
Jun 17, 2024
Best walking tour I’ve been in! - Nick, our guide, for this walking tour was amazing. We both think this is the best tour we’ve been on because of the level of historical detail Nick gave for various sites around Rome. I particularly liked that the tour was not about the usual tourist sites e.g. Trevi Fountain, but more around Ancient Rome and how it came to have such power. Also lots of interesting facts about art etc. I would recommend this tour to all! Linda
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Astrida128
Jun 8, 2024
Fantastic guided walk - Our fabulous Rome Ultimate guide Justin shared so much colorful history of the Roman Empire over the centuries and made the history come alive. It rained hard during parts of our tour but he quickly found us shelter and continued the stories. Justin knew Latin and could translate some of the decorative engravings. We felt incredibly lucky to walk with him. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mckelynn_b
May 28, 2024
Beautiful spirit and tour - Lucio's beautiful spirit complimented the wonders of Rome to the highest degree. We enjoyed being able to contextualize the history of the city and found the facts engaging and riveting. My party and I could not recommend this tour enough.
Review provided by Viator
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