Tours in Rome by Mariarty

We start where Rome starts – in deep antiquity. Meeting at the Colosseum, we’ll cover the juiciest chapters of its biography, walk along the ruins of the Roman Forum and find the ancient path that leads up the city’s most important hill.

On the Capitoline Hill expect tales of sacrifices and mystery cults – and a quest of your own: tracking down that famous She-Wolf and the key to the legend of Rome’s founders.

Next come the “Wedding Cake” (the Vittoriano monument) and a zigzag through back alleys to the Pantheon, where we’ll work out whose temple it really was and who “all the gods” were. The most determined walkers are rewarded with the Trevi Fountain, where Anita Ekberg took her famous dip in La Dolce Vita.

After a stroll along a foodie street and a gelato stop at one of Rome’s legendary gelaterie, we climb the Spanish Steps. Why did the most beautiful girls in Rome once sit here, and who were they waiting for? What do Italians really call this staircase, and why did it take so long to build? We say goodbye here – but not before your guide tells you where to have lunch and not be disappointed.

Good to know

• Entrance tickets to sites are paid separately.
• Optional extras: coffee from €1.50 per person.
• About 4 km on foot. If you get tired we stop for a coffee or rest by a fountain, so the tour may run a little over.
• In summer we recommend an early start (around 8:00 am) or after 5:00 pm to avoid the midday sun.
• This is an overview route and a great first tour. Our other tours barely overlap with it, so you can add more without repeating sights.

Meeting point: At the Colosseum. The exact meeting point is sent right after booking.

From squares and fountains to churches and cathedrals, you’ll see the main Rome landmarks the Harvard professor visits in the book: Santa Maria della Vittoria, the Pantheon, Castel Sant’Angelo, Piazza del Popolo and other beautiful, mysterious places.

You’ll stand in Langdon’s footsteps, but you’ll also hear the real stories hidden in Rome’s buildings and on the pages of Dan Brown’s novel. We’ll talk about the wild customs of antiquity and the Egyptian obelisks decorating the city, the election of a new Pope and the symbols of the head of the Vatican. I’ll help you spot the Illuminati markers and the devilish hole that leads to an underground crypt.

Gorgeous views, legends and the mystic riddles of Angels & Demons make this walk a thrilling, unusual adventure.

Good to know

• Optional extras: coffee from €1.50 per person.
• In summer we recommend an early start (for example 8:00 am) or after 5:00 pm to avoid the heat.
• This is an overview route: we suggest starting your Rome stay with it and adding Mystical Rome on day two. Our other tours barely repeat these places, so if you like our style you can keep adding new ones.

Meeting point: St Peter’s Square or the Acqua Felice fountain. The exact meeting point is sent right after booking.

We meet on one of the most beautiful squares in Rome, and charming little streets lead us to the piazza where Giordano Bruno was burned. On the way: the Inquisition, the morals of vanished eras, the dramas of the past and Rome’s most notorious citizens.

Then we cross the Tiber, accompanied by the river’s spirit Tiberinus, and arrive in legendary Trastevere, where the streets greet you with the smell of coffee and cosy gelaterie. We’ll step into an ancient church and I’ll share the secrets of the basilica.

Crossing the river again, we enter the Jewish Ghetto, where incredible legends are woven into a tragic history: ancient events, the Turtle Fountain built in a single day, medieval executions and the Mussolini years.

The finale is the Capitoline Hill – the city’s place of power. We climb Michelangelo’s staircase, enjoy a panoramic view of the Roman Forum, find the legendary she-wolf on the first of Rome’s seven hills and uncover a few more secrets together.

Good to know

• Some little-visited places have changing opening hours, so they may be replaced by equally interesting ones.
• Dress code for churches: please cover shoulders and knees.
• Happy to take souvenir photos for you – just tell us in advance whether I should bring my camera.
• A perfect partner to Angels & Demons: take that one on day one and Mystical Rome on day two.

Meeting point: By arrangement, usually Piazza Navona. The exact meeting point is sent right after booking.

The Vatican is the one place in Rome where a bit of planning pays off. Choose a short visit that concentrates on St Peter’s Basilica and Square, a balanced three-hour overview, or our recommended four hours, which lets you really take in the Vatican’s treasures, the Sistine Chapel, St Peter’s Basilica and the square.

If you want more, the five-hour version adds the halls few people visit – the Borgia Apartments, the Papal Garage and, if possible, the dome of the basilica. VIP formats open rooms that are normally closed to the public.

Good to know

• English-language guiding is included in the prices above.
• Book tickets well in advance! Don’t count on buying them on the day: sometimes they sell out days ahead. If tickets are gone, contact us – we can usually find some, but at a markup compared with the price you’d see when booking on time. Buy tickets on the official Vatican Museums website, and please agree the tour time with us before paying.
• To walk straight from the Sistine Chapel into St Peter’s, the current Vatican rules require an extra ticket (€7) plus headsets (€1.50) – for your guide too. Larger groups may also need headsets in the museums. Basilica tickets can be bought on the official site.
• Want us to buy the tickets for you? Send us each guest’s full name and date of birth. The service starts from €20 per group of up to 4.
• Children up to 17 and visitors with disabilities (+1 companion) need free tickets booked on the site or collected at the ticket office. Without a ticket for your child they cannot be brought in under your name. Tickets can stay on your phone.
• EU citizens aged 18–25 pay a €2 ticket.
• Tickets are named, so carry ID (phone copies are fine). Arrive 15 minutes early and don’t be more than 15 minutes late. No glass, sharp or cutting objects.
• The start time is confirmed the day before.

Meeting point: Agreed with your guide the day before.

Did you know you can visit the Vatican Museums without a single tourist, accompanied only by a Key-keeper? Imagine being handed an enormous ring of keys and, one by one, unlocking the doors of the Apostolic Palace and switching on the lights in the galleries and halls.

You can enter secret halls usually closed to the public, walk calmly through all the galleries and the library, see Raphael’s masterpieces, admire the Sistine Chapel without crowds or security, watch the sunrise from the balconies of the papal palace and finish with breakfast in the museum café.

The full programme is arranged on request, because the rules for visiting the museums and the Apostolic Palace change from time to time. The price starts from €7,500; the final amount is calculated after the Vatican confirms your request and does not exceed €10,000.

Good to know

• The tour takes place very early in the morning.
• Book well ahead – at least two months before. Free slots are rare.
• This is an exclusive event: only you, the Key-keeper and a Vatican staff member.
• Want a guide from our team with you? Tell us in advance; the final cost is set closer to the date. With a team guide you’ll be met, taken through the Vatican Museums and then led into St Peter’s Basilica to see the main church of Catholicism.

Meeting point: Agreed in advance.

From the heights of our own civilisation we’ll try to understand how the Romans managed to raise one of the greatest amphitheatres in the world in such a short time. We’ll check out the “business-class” seats of imperial Rome and the security system for elite spectators, then meet the real stars – the gladiators – and bust the biggest movie myths: what they worried about and dreamed of, whom they loved, how they prepared for combat and what their lives were really worth.

Standing where passions once ran high and fights ended in death, we’ll find the Gate of Death and learn what lay behind it. A visit to the Colosseum museum shows how close ancient Romans were to us in their everyday habits, and we’ll go down to arena level to see the hidden maze beneath it and learn how this perfect “entertainment machine” actually worked.

After the Colosseum we head to the Roman Forum, the political and social heart of ancient Rome. We’ll walk along the sacred Via Sacra, look into the House of the Vestal Virgins, keepers of the eternal flame, and see the spot where all Roman roads began – and much, much more.

Good to know

• Your guide is a cheerful archaeologist from our team who is in love with ancient Roman history. Would you like Mariarty herself? Request her as a private tour; the price is by arrangement.
• Book tickets well in advance! Don’t count on buying them on the day: sometimes they sell out days ahead. Agree the time and details with your guide before paying for tickets. The official ticket site is colosseo.it. Want help? We can buy the tickets for €20 per order, however many you need.
• Children up to 17 and visitors with disabilities (+1 companion) need free tickets booked on the site or collected at the ticket office. Without a ticket for your child they cannot be brought in under your name. Tickets can stay on your phone. EU citizens aged 18–25 pay €2.
• Tickets are named, so carry ID (phone copies are fine). Arrive 15 minutes early and don’t be more than 15 minutes late. There are no lockers inside, so leave glass bottles and sharp objects at home – they will be confiscated.
• Heads-up: entering the Forum with a guide helps you avoid the queue.
• Groups of 8 or more must use headsets, paid separately.

Meeting point: Next to the Arch of Constantine.

Nothing boring here, promise. The whole family plays: you’ll hunt for secret signs hidden in the Colosseum and even turn into the owner of a gladiator school – a rather shady businessman. You’ll learn which “residents” of the Eternal City sleep in the labyrinths under the arena at night and who had the right to live in the amphitheatre.

We’ll find out what a gladiator’s life really cost, where the Door of Death was and how they dragged entire elephants into the Colosseum. We’ll look at the “business-class” seats, talk about why Romans performed “operations” on their statues, climb an unusual staircase (and see whether it’s time for the gym) and sit on the remains of an ancient toilet.

At the end of the tour we take a photo at a very special secret spot. Come without hesitation – it’s going to be fun! Want more? Add an hour for the Roman Forum.

Good to know

• Best for families with children aged 8 and up.
• A fair warning: tours with children are told in a gentler way, but the ancient world’s culture of entertainment may not suit very sensitive people or small toddlers. This is still ancient Rome, so please take it with understanding.
• Tickets are paid separately. Book them well in advance – they can sell out days ahead. We can help for €20 per order.
• Children up to 17 and visitors with disabilities (+1 companion) need free tickets booked on the site. Without a ticket for your child they cannot be brought in under your name. EU citizens aged 18–25 pay €2.
• Carry ID (tickets are named, phone copies are fine) and try not to be late. There are no lockers: no water in glass bottles. Entering the Forum with a guide helps you skip the queue.
• Groups of 8 or more must use headsets, paid separately.
• Your guide is a cheerful archaeologist from our team. Would you like Mariarty herself? Request her as a private tour; the price is by arrangement.

Meeting point: Next to the Arch of Constantine.

We stroll from the Circus Maximus to the Capitoline Hill and discover ancient Rome not from textbooks but through the eyes of the people who lived there. Main sights: the Circus Maximus, the Colosseum (from the outside only!), the Imperial Forums and the Capitoline Hill.

What you’ll find out: what it was like to be a star of ancient Formula 1, how Romans built aqueducts and tested springs for poison, why Colosseum spectators ordered ostrich brains, and which important affairs of state were settled in public toilets. We’ll touch on ancient Roman black magic, sit in an ancient classroom and imagine shopping in the world’s first mall.

You’ll learn how Romans made their version of ice cream, what rotten fish (garum) was good for, how to wrap yourself in a toga properly and why sandals smelled so good. You’ll hold a real Roman coin and learn to haggle so you aren’t cheated.

We won’t recite the emperors’ conquests. Instead we’ll see what kind of people they were, what they were proud of and what embarrassed them. We’ll also see what Roman road signs showed, where the “navel of the Earth” is and what could land you in a Roman prison. For the ladies: we’ll open up a Roman make-up bag. The whole tour comes with fun mini-quests.

Good to know

• On foot.
• The Colosseum is seen from the outside only – we don’t go in.
• If you’d like to extend the route, that is usually possible. Extra guide time is charged at €70 per hour.
• Led by a guide from our team.

Meeting point: Agreed with your guide the day before.

Thanks to Scipione Borghese’s obsession with collecting, we can visit an intimate two-storey treasure house that holds more masterpieces per square metre than many capital-city museums. You’ll also learn the history of this family of the so-called “Black Nobility” – Rome’s papal aristocracy.

The gallery is home to an incredible number of sculptures by Bernini, paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael and Titian, and works by Antonio Canova. We’ll certainly discuss the pearls of Scipione’s collection created by Gian Lorenzo Bernini: The Rape of Proserpina, David, Apollo and Daphne, and Aeneas, Anchises and Ascanius.

On the tour with Mariarty, beyond the stories you simply have to know, I’ll teach you to read between the lines, understand allegory, find what is hidden in plain sight and see the signs left only for the chosen.

Good to know

• If you’d like to go with Mariarty, please agree on a time and details directly with the guide before buying tickets.
• Tickets are paid separately. Want help? We can buy them for €20 per order, however many you need.
• Large bags, umbrellas, tripods, drinking water and other liquids may not be taken in. You can leave your things in the cloakroom. The Borghese Gallery is closed on 25 December and 1 January.

Meeting point: Next to the Borghese Gallery entrance. The exact meeting point is sent after the prepayment.

Palazzo Doria Pamphilj is a seventeenth-century palace near Piazza Venezia. It belongs to an aristocratic family whose members still live there. Even so, they have opened their unique collection to the public – and with good reason: masterpieces by Titian, Raphael, Caravaggio, Velázquez, Pieter and Jan Brueghel and many other masters hang here.

On the tour we’ll talk about the family’s history, why they are called the “Black Nobility” (Rome’s papal aristocracy), and how the palace managed to survive even the Nazi occupation.

Good to know

• Gallery tickets are paid separately. Please agree the date and time with us before you buy.
• Optional extras: lunch, coffee, snacks.
• For larger groups there is a €20 surcharge per additional guest.
• Date and time are booked with a partial prepayment.

Meeting point: Agreed the day before the tour.

The castle was first built as a mausoleum, then became a fortress and a papal residence. This architectural “Frankenstein” survived countless rebuilds and keeps the stories of emperors, popes and prisoners.

You’ll hear about secrets, intrigues and some truly “hot” episodes of its history. From the top, where the Archangel Michael stands, you get some of the best views of Rome and the Tiber, and in bad weather you can enjoy the panoramas from the covered loggias.

Good to know

• Tickets are paid separately. You can buy them online or at the ticket office; on weekends we recommend booking ahead. Tickets are named, so it’s best to carry an ID.
• We can help with the tickets for €20 per order.
• Optional extras: coffee on the castle terrace.

Meeting point: Agreed with your guide.

Our walk begins at the Vatican, where we’ll recall the most questionable episodes in the history of the Roman popes – from the Cadaver Synod to the pirate who came to power – and meet the most chilling character in the Eternal City, whom Dickens and Byron wrote about and whom crowds flocked to see.

We’ll test whether the convent wheel still works and why desperate women needed it. You’ll hear about a beauty the whole city stood up for, who was executed anyway in front of Castel Sant’Angelo, and you’ll learn when ghosts appear in Rome.

We’ll stroll the streets of Rome’s “ladies of the night” and chew over the fates of women who twisted both popes and aristocrats around their fingers.

On Piazza Navona, the most beautiful square in Rome, we’ll find a haunted house and meet its resident Roman ghosts. You’ll find out why people were burned in a square without a single church and where the most prolific serial killer lived. And if your group can handle an uncensored version, I’ll tell you about Catholic sex scandals and where to look for the poltergeist of the most scandalous woman in the Eternal City.

Good to know

• Optional extras: coffee, gelato and the like.
• About 3 km on foot.
• The ideal time is dusk, just as the city lights come on.
• Heads-up: dark subject matter, including crime, executions and scandal.

Meeting point: St Peter’s Square.

For a very long time men managed to erase and hide the stories of the cleverest and most talented women around the world, and Rome is no exception. Many of us know the names of male painters, composers and politicians, but few can instantly name a woman. We’ll fight that injustice by talking about Rome’s first ladies, women in art and women who fought their way from the bottom into the most respected circles.

Our route starts at the Vatican, where we’ll ask whether Pope Joan existed, how a woman came to be an official painter at the papal court in Rome and why the wider public knows so little about women in art.

We continue past Castel Sant’Angelo to Piazza Navona and talk about how girls of low social standing ended up in places of honour in churches, and who the “honest courtesans” were. It would be a sin not to mention how the women of the Borgia family plotted, who Pimpaccia was and which clever women stood behind the successful careers of Roman pontiffs.

On Campo de’ Fiori and in the Jewish Ghetto we’ll see what the oppression of women’s rights led to and how women got around legal bans. At the ancient ruins we’ll recall how women influenced the fate of the empire, why a smart marriage mattered for a future ruler’s political career and why the name of Messalina, the emperor’s wife, became a byword. And finally, we’ll find out who Rome’s patron saint is and why she is so revered.

Good to know

• Optional extras: coffee, gelato and the like.
• About 3 km on foot: wear comfortable shoes and mind the dress code for churches – covered shoulders and knees.
• The ideal time is dusk, just as the city lights come on.

Meeting point: St Peter’s Square.

We start from Santa Maria Maggiore and, after visiting the papal basilica, gradually move away from the tourist crowds. On this route we’ll find underground spaces, creepy medieval stories and real marvels.

The Monti district is huge and varied: ancient ruins, vintage shops and gastronomic gems. On the extended route we can also visit the Alchemist’s Door, Porta Maggiore and the Basilica of Santa Croce.

Good to know

• The programme includes little-visited places with changing opening hours, so some may be replaced by others, equally interesting.
• Choose clothes that cover knees and shoulders, since the route includes churches.

Meeting point: The exact meeting point is sent right after booking.

This route opens up the “unpolished” part of Rome’s historic centre on the far bank of the Tiber. We’ll wind through narrow streets, tracking down lost medieval churches, little shops and colourful taverns where Roman history was made.

You’ll hear mystic legends, see the house where Raphael’s beloved lived, find the smallest and oldest bell in Rome and – if you like – descend into the underground or drop into places that kept the true spirit of the district.

If you wish, we can extend the walk by one or two hours: visit the famous Villa Farnesina (tickets €16; open Monday to Saturday, 9 am–2 pm, closed on Sundays and holidays) or climb the Janiculum, one of Rome’s highest hills, where I’ll tell you the history of this romantic, mystical place and its monuments.

Good to know

• Standard length 2.5 hours. Every extra hour beyond that costs €50.

Meeting point: Agreed with your guide.

Official historians hardly touch the subject of Atlantis: too much speculation, fantasy and shaky evidence has piled up around it. But all objective history stands on three pillars – a primary source, archaeological or architectural artefacts, and so-called witnesses: many people writing at different times about the same thing.

We have the primary source, and there are plenty of witnesses who mention Atlantis in one context or another. That leaves the third pillar – and finding it is our mission: to track down artefacts in the Eternal City that confirm the existence of Atlantis and show how Rome’s elites of every era were connected to it.

The main stops are Piazza Venezia, the Roman Forums, the Colosseum and the Caelian Hill. Depending on the pace and the size of the group we’ll peek into secret locations, underground spaces and other curiosities.

Good to know

• In summer we recommend an early start (for example 8:00 am) or after 5:00 pm to avoid the heat.
• Optional extras: coffee from €1.50–2.50 per person.
• Duration 3–3.5 hours.

Meeting point: The exact meeting point is sent right after booking.

We head to the calmest quarter in Rome – Trieste, the district of foreign embassies and the residences of bankers, notaries and lawyers, where respectability and cool tranquillity reign.

This part of Rome preserves a first-class example of esoteric architecture: an ensemble built by one of the most famous Freemasons of his era, Gino Coppedè. We’ll decipher Templar codes and look for that very Holy Grail.

If time allows, after Coppedè we’ll walk to Villa Torlonia, where another remarkable monument of Italian Liberty style stands – the Casina delle Civette (“Owl House”), which you can visit at the end of the walk if you wish.

Good to know

• Not included: public transport tickets and entry to the Casina delle Civette museum (€8 per person; open 9 am–7 pm, closed on Mondays).
• Wear comfortable shoes, and in hot weather a bottle of water is a must.

Meeting point: Arranged with your guide when you order the tour.

This is a history-and-tasting tour for gourmets and anyone who wants to learn to tell truly good Italian cuisine from the tourist kind.

Traditionally the tour starts at Campo de’ Fiori, where Michelin-starred chefs are said to buy produce from all over Italy every morning. On a short stroll you’ll learn a few insider addresses for quality products and chat about ancient Roman traditions of winemaking, recipes and feasting.

We then cross the Tiber, where you’ll get the addresses of the best gelaterie in the city and can try treats from a world ice-cream-making champion (optional, gelato is not included in the price).

After a short walk and a bit of “theory” we settle into one of the city’s non-touristy places and taste several wines with the finest delicacies from different regions of Italy. We’ll talk about the history of wine, how to choose it and which snack goes with which wine.

Good to know

• The price includes, for one guest, a set of 3–4 glasses of wine with a snack for each round. Each additional guest adds €55.
• Optional extras: coffee, gelato and the like.
• About 2 km on foot.
• We recommend starting between 4:00 and 5:00 pm, when the timing matches Italian aperitivo hours.

Meeting point: Campo de’ Fiori.

What should you bring home from a trip? Memories, of course – and the best memories are photographs you can look at again and again. With our top photographer Evgeny you’ll stroll through the most recognisable and picturesque places in the Eternal City.

In an hour and a half you can shoot at 3–4 landmarks. Sample routes: (1) St Peter’s Basilica – Castel Sant’Angelo – Via dei Coronari – Piazza Navona; (2) Trevi Fountain – Pantheon – Piazza Navona; (3) Spanish Steps – Trevi Fountain – Piazza Venezia; (4) Colosseum – Piazza Venezia – Capitoline Hill. Other combinations are possible by arrangement with the photographer, and extended sessions with extra locations can be ordered too.

During the walk the photographer takes around fifty shots of you with the landmarks in the background and in cosy corners of the city. Don’t worry if you’re not used to posing: Evgeny will help you relax and catch natural emotions.

Good to know

• A pedestrian walk with no mandatory extra costs. Optional extra: coffee.
• Shot on a professional Sony Alpha A9 II camera with premium lenses.
• You receive the finished photos within 4–10 days (depending on workload) via a cloud link: 35–40 quality colour shots for every hour of shooting. You can choose photos for detailed retouching. Original files are available on request.
• A stylist and outfit rental can be ordered separately (arranged individually).
• A photo session without the sightseeing part is also possible – just discuss the style, theme and locations in advance.
• A partial prepayment is required to book a date and time.

Meeting point: Agreed the day before.

Founded in the 13th century BC, Tivoli is considered one of the most beautiful towns around Rome. Its main sights are the Villa d’Este and Hadrian’s Villa.

The first, famed for its gardens and unique fountains, is a true wonder of 16th-century landscape architecture, built as a governor’s residence. The second belonged to an emperor: built in the 2nd century AD, Hadrian’s Villa covers ten hectares and is today considered one of the best open-air museums.

With our guide you’ll visit old Tivoli and one of the villas. Tivoli is an ideal way to rest from the bustle of Rome and feel the spirit of regional Italy. We recommend rounding off your day with lunch at the best restaurant in town before heading back to Rome.

Good to know

• The transfer from Rome and back is included.
• The price is for a group of up to 3 guests.
• Entrance tickets to the villas are paid separately.
• The meeting point is agreed in advance.

Meeting point: Agreed in advance.

This is a day trip through the picturesque countryside around Rome, visiting a unique five-sided fortress and an ancient amphitheatre. We leave Rome (from your hotel if possible) and can stop on the way for a coffee and some views.

The first stop is the ancient Etruscan town of Sutri, with an amphitheatre carved right out of the rock. Then we head to Caprarola, to the Farnese palace and park. There you’ll see the famous Hall of Maps with mysterious images, including the outline of Australia long before it was discovered. We’ll talk about the secrets of the Farnese family, strange maps and rewritten history.

If you like, you can have lunch in Caprarola and visit the monastery (if it is open). On the way back you’ll enjoy views of Lake Vico and the volcano known as Monte Venere.

On the extended programme we also stop at Lake Bracciano and its medieval castle, famous for the wedding of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes. You can stroll, take photos and try excellent gelato.

Good to know

• Entrance tickets are extra: Palazzo Caprarola €10 per person, the amphitheatre €5 (optional).
• Other extras: coffee, lunch, tickets.
• Please note: filming or photographing the entire route without breaks is not allowed – the tour is intellectual property.

Meeting point: From Rome – ideally from your hotel.

Routes. 1) City Flash Tour: Circus Maximus – Forums – Capitoline Hill – Jewish Ghetto – Castel Sant’Angelo – St Peter’s Square – Janiculum Hill and the Acqua Paola fountain – Circus Maximus.

2) City Tour Standard: Circus Maximus – Forums – Capitoline Hill – Jewish Ghetto – Castel Sant’Angelo – St Peter’s Square – Janiculum Hill and the Acqua Paola fountain – Trastevere – Testaccio – Pyramid of Cestius – Circus Maximus.

3) Grand Tour, the left bank of the Tiber: Circus Maximus – Aventine Hill – Celian Hill and Villa Celimontana – Colosseum and Colle Oppio Park – Basilica of St John Lateran – Alchemical Door – Piazza della Repubblica – Porta Pia – Villa Torlonia – Coppedè – Villa Borghese – Mausoleum of Augustus – Piazza Sant’Eustachio – Jewish Ghetto – Theatre of Marcellus – Forum Boarium – Circus Maximus.

4) Appian Way Standard: Circus Maximus – Baths of Caracalla – Porta San Sebastiano (the imperial gate) – the Appian Way (mausoleums, villas) – Circus Maximus.

5) Appian Way Extended: Circus Maximus – Baths of Caracalla – Porta San Sebastiano – the Appian Way (mausoleums, villas) – secret churches and hidden spots (on Mariarty’s route) – lunch at a recommended restaurant – optionally the catacombs, a horse ride or a gladiator school (extra fee, to be confirmed) – Circus Maximus.

Good to know

• Prices above include English-language guiding.
• None of the bike tours go to the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps and other spots packed with pedestrians: with such crowds cycling is difficult and the tour would stretch out for no reason. The routes are planned to avoid pedestrian jams and to cover the places that are best seen on a walking overview tour.
• Not included: lunch, coffee or tea, snacks, entry to paid museums.
• In bad weather we either switch to a museum visit the same day (your guide will suggest options) or move the tour to another day, if a guide is free.
• We recommend comfortable shoes and clothes. Basic cycling skills help, but e-bikes also suit guests who are not sporty.
• The bikes are regularly serviced and checked again before handover – we work with a reliable service in the city.
• The best start time is 10:00 am or earlier; in the hottest season the tour runs with limitations.
• The date and time are booked with a partial prepayment. Cancellation is possible up to two weeks before the event.

Meeting point: Agreed with your guide the day before.

This breezy tour whisks you past the most iconic places in Rome: the Colosseum, the Circus Maximus, the Aventine Hill and many more “postcard spots” you’d never have the time or energy to reach on public transport or on your own.

A dynamic ride on a Vespa, the classic Italian scooter, or in a retro Fiat carries you into the atmosphere of your favourite films. A beautiful route, a comfortable pace – and a mood straight out of Roman Holiday.

Good to know

• Every guest on a Vespa rides with their own guide-driver. If there are three of you, you’ll need three Vespas.
• The vintage Fiat takes 3 passengers – ideally 2 adults and 1 child.
• All vehicles pass regular technical inspections and the drivers are experienced and careful, so there’s no need to worry about safety.

Meeting point: Agreed in advance.