The glory that was Rome had already faded when the city reputed eternal was sacked by Alaric in 410. Dormant for twelve centuries while western Christendom haggled over the distinction between spiritual and temporal power, and sacked once again by the exasperated armies of Charles V in 1527, her fortunes were not restored until the 17th century when three successive Popes,liberated from military and political preoccupations by the Imperial distraction of a civil war in

central Europe, turned their attention to art and architecture. Our tour explores the vestiges of antiquity and the most significant monuments of the Roman Baroque, in the oldest, the newest and the most provincial capital city in Europe: a sleeping beauty pregnant with history.

We fly to Rome and transfer by private coach to our hotel in the city centre. Dinner this evening and every evening is independent, but once we have settled into our rooms, we will take a turn about the neighbouring streets and squares to enable you to get your bearings and your tour-leader to point out restaurants where you might like to dine.

Today we explore the monuments of the Imperial forum – Trajan’s market, library and the famous column, as well as the triumphal arches, temples and political institutions at the heart of ancient Rome; hemmed in on two sides by the Palatine hill where the Emperors built their successive palaces, and the Capitoline, where the former Tabularium once housed the archives of the Roman republic and now, transformed by Michelangelo, contains an important collection of sculpture and other works of art.

We begin today with the mosaics and frescoes of Livia’s house, now displayed in the Palazzo Massimo, before crossing the square to the church of Sta Maria degli Angeli. Recycled by Michelangelo, this enormous building began life as the hall of the public baths that Diocletian offered to the citizens of Rome. After an independent lunch we make our way to the Piazza Navona the elongated form of which betrays its origin as a stadium, and the nearby Pantheon, the most perfect and impressive of all surviving Roman buildings.

We leave the city today by private coach for Tivoli where cascades and fountains articulate the magnificent hillside site of the 17th century villa and gardens of the Cardinal d’Este. After an independent lunch we move down to the valley below, where on a site the size of small town the Emperor Hadrian spent his twilight years in an orgy of nostalgia, reproducing in a controlled environment the hills and valleys, the lakes and rivers, the pavilions and palaces, the remembered scenes of the triumphs and tragedies of his eventful life.

After breakfast we start with the Colosseum, the largest amphitheatre in the Roman world. Later, pausing at the arch of Constantine, we make our way to the site of Nero’s Golden House, a vast and vulgar palace complex of the greatest architectural significance. An atmosphere of lions and Christians leads us to San Clemente, a paleochristian basilica built over a pagan temple, and thence back to Imperial Rome for the gigantic bath complex of Caracalla.

This morning the Vatican gardens provide us with views over the city and St Peter’s Basilica in whose vast and echoing spaces we will end our morning admiring Michelangelo’s incomparable Pieta, Canova’s Stuart monument and the micro-mosaics. The afternoon will be free until we meet again for our private evening visit to the Vatican galleries where we will concentrate our attention on one or two major works before making our way to the Sistine chapel, which we will have more or less to ourselves.

We have a timed visit today to the Villa Borghese which houses the most wonderful sculpture collection including antique marbles and major works of Bernini, Canova and other baroque and neo-classical artists. The rest of the day will be spent exploring some of the city’s churches, ranging from the exquisite mausoleum of Constantine’s daughter, to the splendours of St John Lateran – the cathedral of Rome – and Sts Maria Maggiore.

We check out of our hotel this morning and leave Rome by private coach for the port of Ostia on the mouth of the Tiber, where an anthology of ancient domestic architecture – blocks of flats, warehouses, shops and bars – completes our survey of Imperial Roman building. From Ostia a short drive brings us to the airport and our flight home.

• Accommodation -

Excursions as outlined in the itinerary.

Entrance fees to all places mentioned in the itinerary

Services of an experienced lecturer/tour leader -

Local guide where required by local legislation

All tips and gratuities

• Insurance
  • It is a condition of booking that you have adequate travel insurance to cover your needs when you travel with us. This will need to cover a missed departure, any emergency that may arise while you are travelling with us, and should also enable you to claim back from the insurance company any monies already paid to us or due to us in the event of your having to cancel the tour after booking and before the departure date.
    
    If you have difficulty finding cover due to your age, it may be of help to know that there are at least two companies who provide Travel Insurance to those over retirement age:-
    • Age Concern - Tel 0845 601 2234 Click here for Website
    • Saga - Tel 0800 559 3231 Click here for Website
  
  
• Walking - Most of our tours involve a good deal of walking.
• Sites and Museums - Archaeological sites in some countries can be rough and uneven underfoot and do not always conform to western standards of health and safety.