VIP Tour of Rome & Vatican City

The Tiber River frames the borders of ancient Rome. The current propels the water beneath the decorative statues lining Sant’Angelo Bridge. Three posts at the center of the structure remain from its original construction in the 2nd century AD, connecting the heart of Rome with Hadrian’s mausoleum. In the morning, your guide meets you after breakfast, ready to lead you on a private tour of the ancient sites of the city, branching out from the heart of Rome to the walls of the Colosseum. The edifice was erected in the 1st century AD; its four walls rise to a height of more than 185 feet tall. Inside the stadium, your guide leads you into the secret compartment beneath what was once the arena floor.

Although the wooden slats covering the subterranean level are gone, the thrill of wandering along the labyrinthine tunnels remains. The walls of the hypogeum rise to two-stories tall and once contained training rooms for gladiators, along with cages to house exotic animals before a battle. Outside of the arena, before visiting the Roman Forum, your guide leads you first to Palatine Hill, which watches over the Tiber River. The first inhabitants of Rome settled along the hillside before the temples, villas, and emperors. The remains of Emperor Augustus’s wife’s house highlight the apartments of the Republic before the empire. The house was erected in the Pompeian style around the year 25 BC.

The Trevi Fountain is serene in the morning without the crowds of couples cozying up to one another on the marble benches. The stone figures depicting Oceanus, his horses, and various tritons offer symmetry to the opulent décor, with a natural spring spilling refreshing water into the pool. The 18th-century fountain continues to draw spectators from around the world eager to bask in the grandeur of the position attached to the back of Palazzo Poli. After breakfast, your guide leads you on another wonderful tour of the city, this time beginning with the National Museum of Rome followed by a visit to the Baths of Diocletian.

The structure was erected in the 4th century AD and contained the largest imperial baths in all of Rome, positioned on the smallest of Rome’s seven hills. The water supply to the baths was cut in the 6th century AD, causing the structure to fall into disrepair. A portion of the National Museum fills the former bathhouse with artifacts from ancient Rome, containing an impressive collection of historic art. The familiar Greek figure of the Discobolus, the Disk Thrower, was created in the 5th century BC in bronze. The Roman copy was crafted from marble in the 1st century AD is on display in the gallery.

You take advantage of Rome’s open-air museum atmosphere with a guided walk through the neighborhood of Trastevere, a medieval neighborhood of cobblestone streets and historic houses crossing the Tiber River. The historic Roman identity of the district emanates from the classic Trilussa Piazza in front of the Sisto Bridge. Vines dangle along the facades of the houses and bright flowers grow on the windowsills in narrow pots. If you want to let the artist in you free, you can partake in a mosaic workshop taught by a master craftsman eager to share his trade with newcomers.

The baroque façade of Palazzo Barberini glows opulent white in the spreading sunlight of morning. Pope Urban VIII rebuilt the palace of his family name in the 17th century using the brilliant designs of renowned architects Borromini and Bernini. Oval stairways contrast the rectangular design of the structure. The décor of the apartments embody the style and grandeur of Italian baroque. After breakfast, you are eager to see more of the styles and artistry of Rome’s history. Your private guide leads you to Vatican City to explore the treasures of the church, from Michelangelo’s dome accentuating the magnificence of St. Peter’s Basilica to the marvels of the Borgia Apartment, the private residence of Pope Alexander VI.

The Museo Chiaramonti offers a perfect introduction to the wealth of artwork on display in the variety of galleries inside the independent principality covering less than a quarter square mile. The gallery connects the Papal Palace to the Braccia Nuovo and displays the works of Greek and Roman statues, including a number of the only surviving figures of known Greek sculptors. Two Discus Throwers, marble copies of the original bronze work, stand near the entrance as if protecting the portal.

The figures have become a theme through your time in Rome. Your tour only gets better as the day progresses. When the doors of the museum close, your guide leads you on an intimate after-hours tour of the galleries, allowing you to traverse the gilded halls at your preferred pace, with pristine views of the works on display. The Sistine Chapel adorns the end of the tour, providing you ample time to get close to the 16th-century frescoes draping the nave and accentuating the ceiling. The scent of candle wax and myrrh emanates from the walls.

The city of Ostia Antica once thrived with goods and people venturing from around the known world. The city was founded in the 4th century BC where the Tiber River and the Tyrrhenian Sea converged. At its zenith, the city held more than 50,000 people, forming Rome’s largest suburb and the empire’s main commercial port. The Tiber River shifted in the 16th century, and the sea receded from the once vibrant port. Venture to the city during a private guided tour of the excavated streets and homes, which paint a vibrant picture of Ostia between the 2nd and 4th centuries AD. The scent of oak and cypress trees drift along the cobbled avenues. Lush meadows border the brick red hues of the former city.

The main street of Decumanus Maximus traveled half a mile connecting to the marina. Public buildings and shops lined the old boulevard, including a fishmonger’s shop. The stone table used for cutting fish remains at the center of the shop. The Baths of Neptune provide insight into the social and hygienic lives of the city. Rich mosaics decorate the floors of what were once pools. Sea serpents, fish, and mermaids bring vibrant detail to the bathhouse. The heating system in the corner of the northeast terrace kept the temperatures around the bathhouse diverse and consistent. Your guide has a natural ability of bringing the past to life, mixing mythology with history for an immersive experience into the ancient Roman Empire.

In the morning, the active runners of Rome venture to the gardens at the Borghese estate to enjoy the fresh air of the countryside separate from the bustling atmosphere of Italy’s capital city. After breakfast, you follow in the footsteps of Romans seeking an escape to the beauty of the land in the glades, lakes, and woods of the nearly 200 acres of the collected gardens of the Borghese. The villa was erected in the 17th century under the patronage of Cardinal Scipione Borghese. The sensational entryway contains frescoes decorating the ceiling, each painted by the baroque artist Mariano Rossi. Fragments of mosaics from Torrenuova add layers of historic grandeur to the halls, depicting gladiators and hunting scenes.

In the garden, you can wander along manicured hedges and blossoming tulips. Chestnut trees add a sweet fragrance to the air drifting past the marble lion heads framing the gravel path. To truly indulge in the majesty of the Borghese would take days. Couples rent rowboats and paddle out onto the lake beneath a copy of ancient temple façade. The museums bordering the gardens contain inspiring works of art from masters such as Titian and Caravaggio. After enjoying the villa, you venture into the history and lavish accents of the churches of Rome, beginning with St. John Lateran to view the bronze doors and Statue of Constantine the Great. In the evening, you can partake in Roman traditional by learning the art of pasta making. Dig your fingers into soft flour and eggs until you begin to knead the homemade dough.

Today, your guide meets you at the hotel in the early morning before the bustle of Rome has returned to the streets. You venture south towards the Bay of Naples, arriving at the entrance to the ancient city of Pompeii. The sprawling cobblestones streets cover an area of 170 acres. The looming silhouette of Mount Vesuvius stands stoic across the water, the reason for the city’s preservation. In 79 AD, the volcano erupted, casting the life of Pompeii in ash and pumice stone waiting to be uncovered. The city once contained up to 20,000 people, when it was one of Rome’s great port cities.

The scent of the rich earth continues to rise from partially covered homes, blending with the prevalent fragrance of lemon trees emanating from the nearby citrus groves. Nearly half of the city has been excavated, with the most recent ruins displaying private homes of merchants. Furniture and frescoes continue to decorate the rooms meant for social gatherings. Lavish Corinthian capitals border the entrance to the House of Meander. The wooden roof has remained intact over the millennia. An opening at the center allowed water to drain into waiting pools.

The rooms contain vivid frescoes depicting scenes from Homer’s Iliad, highlighting the connection to the mythology in the fast-paced world of Pompeii. You make your way into Naples for lunch and meet a private chef ready to teach you the celebrated flavors involved in creating a perfect Neapolitan pizza. The dough and sauce were made fresh. The cheese was made at a local dairy in the Campania region, specializing in mozzarella buffalo. The scent of the brick oven fills the kitchen savory delight.

The treasures of the Palazzo Doria Pamphili are often overlooked when people visit the Eternal City. The palace contains four wings looking inward to the courtyard. Renaissance arches lead into elegant rooms decorated with the private art collection of the Doria Pamphilj family. The palace was erected in the 16th century and witnessed the unions of powerful and important Italian families. After breakfast, the day is yours to experience Rome and the region of Lazio as you desire, from wandering beneath the extravagant ceiling décor of the Doria Gallery wing to visiting the captivating villas of Tivoli located less than 20 miles outside of Rome.

The grand hotels and shops along Via Veneto are famous for their luxury, along with their connection to celebrities who take the time to wander down the tree-lined boulevard. Spend the day discovering the treasures of the city too often passed over, including the Church of Sant’Ignazio. The baroque structure is tucked into the heart of the historic city. The encompassing piazza provides a perfect frame for the church. The interior contains the herbaceous fragrance of frankincense. When your eyes adjust to the dim light, you find magnificent frescoes painted across the ceiling.

The alluring colors create a dizzying display of 17th-century oil painting depicting St. Ignatius, created by a Jesuit priest, Andrea Pozzo. You tear your eyes away from the lavish painting of the ceiling to find the marble disc in the nave floor. Stand atop the disc before returning your gaze to the ceiling. The simple change in perspective sends you into the heavens as painted by Pozzo, turning the artwork into a three-dimensional landscape. The effect continues as you stare into the artwork decorating the dome, which in fact is a flat surface draped in canvas.

In the morning along the hills of Rome, locals stroll near the Parco Savello. The small park near the Aventine offers unparalleled views of the city skyline, from the red-tiled roofs to the domes and towers of the churches. An elegant monastery belonging to the Knights of Malta contains an antique door with a seasoned keyhole. When visitors look through the keyhole, you view the capital of three states, Rome, the Vatican, and the micro-country of the Knights of Malta. The main view creates a dramatic frame of St. Peter’s Basilica as shaped by the figure of the keyhole. The scent of espresso drifts from the cafes, one of which uses the fresh espresso to infuse hints of their celebrated tiramisu. When you are ready, your private transfer meets you in the hotel eager to escort you to Rome’s Fiumicino Airport for your flight home.