Day
 

Today we will visit 2 countries in a day! Did you know that enclaved within Rome is the smallest country in the world? Vatican City! Also known as the Holy See, the Vatican serves as the home of the Pope and the seat of the Roman Catholic Church. 

It is also home to the breathtaking Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, we will spend the morning marvelling at one of the greatest art collections in the world,  containing art and artefacts from 3,000 years of Roman life. 

The highlight for many will be the  the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo. (INCLUDED)
 

Next we will visit the Basilica of St Peter - one of the largest Renaissance churches in the world (built above St Peter’s tomb), with a suitably impressive dome painted by Michelangelo! (INCLUDED) 

Afternoon Optional Activity

After lunch we will go on a guided tour of Rome, to immerse ourselves in the history and culture of this ancient and fascinating city! Highlights will include the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, (INCLUDED) 

For those who would like to enjoy a slower pace, the afternoon can be spent in Piazza Navono (the perfect place to slow down and soak up the atmosphere of the city), wandering through the Villa Borghese Gardens, or indulge your inner shopaholic on one of the many splendid shopping streets in the city!
 

Dinner 

Join us for apertifs and a delicious Italian meal at a well loved restaurant in Rome! Here we can try famous Roman dishes such as Cacio e Pepe, Bucatini all'Amatriciana and Carbonara!
 

After dinner (optional) Drinks and dancing 

Day

Today we have the option of visiting two ancient wonders! 

Option 1: The Colosseum and Roman Forum.  No visit to Rome is complete without a visit to ancient Rome's most famous site - the Colosseum!! The Colosseum is the world's largest amphitheater,  and it's size and eternalness really must be seen to be believed! After discovering it's secrets, we will head to the nearby Roman Forum - the religious, civic, and commercial centre of ancient Rome.  (INCLUDED)

Option 2: Baths of Caracalla. For those who may have already visited the Colosseum, we will visit the Baths of Caracalla - Rome's best-kept secret ways to see and understand Ancient Rome.   This gargantuan set of ruins from the 3rd century showcases the skills the Romans had to make spectacular structures that have been able to stand the test of time. (INCLUDED)

Afternoon

For lunch we will try one of Romes most quintessential street foods - Supplì! This deep-fried rice ball - not to be confused with Sicilian arancini - is cooked with tomato ragù, coated with bread crumbs and contains a mozzarella heart - yum!!

Optional Activity

Join us for an optional activity or enjoy free to to relax or explore the city! 

Optional activity:  Come explore Trastevere - probably the most charming district in Rome! There's perhaps no better Roman neighborhood in which to get lost than Trastevere. Mostly laid out in the medieval era, its cobblestone streets are a picturesque warren of ochre-colored buildings, old doorways with antique doorknockers, arched passageways, flower-filled balconies and Rome's ubiquitous graffiti. Get your camera's ready - it's hard to take a bad photo here!  

We will see the Shrine to Madonna, the Basilica di Santa Maria, the quaint and bustling Piazza Trilussa, before taking a rest at Almalu Trastevere - a much-loved watering hole and now something of an institution in this charming neighbourhood.

Dinner 

For dinner we will go to a Roman restaurant to share a delicious meal together! (INCLUDED)

Morning

Breakfast (not included), followed by a relaxed morning preparing to leave.

There will also be a chance to revisit the UNESCO listed city centre of Rome, take group photos, and have lunch together for those with later flights.

Daytime optional activities

Rome Off the Beaten Path! Let's discover some more of Rome's hidden gems!

Visit the courtyard of Galleria Sciarra, with enormous Art Nouveau frescoes painted by Giuseppe Cellini in the late 19th century.

Visit the Largo di Torre Argentina - this set of ruins is home to two memorable things that are wildly different from each other: the spot where Julius Caesar was assassinated, and a cat sanctuary! 

Explore the Jewish quarter, home to a small Jewish community whose history stretches back over 2,000 years. The cobbled streets are lined with souvenir stores and kosher eateries - here we can try the famous fried artichokes and Jewish Roman pizza, a sweet cake with dried fruit and nuts that is a definite must try!

We will also see the nearby Teatro di Marcello, a colosseum and enchanting historical site which illustrates the last two thousand years of Roman history. The theatre was begun by Julius Caesar, and finished by Augustus - now topped with a 16th-century apartment complex. It’s one of the weirdest and most fascinating buildings in Rome!

(Please note that this is a provisional schedule, and it may alter)

♥