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Spoil yourself with a getaway under the sign of la dolce vita in the Eternal City! The Italian capital, Rome surprises with its impressive Roman ruins, majestic churches, and romantic squares. As soon as you leave, you will want to go back, for its beauty is incomparable.
A true open-air museum, Rome seems to have stopped in time. From the Colosseum and Pantheon to the Roman Forum and Castel Sant’Angelo, ancient buildings dot the city, transporting you back to the time of the gladiators and Roman emperors. A stroll through its streets is like a fabulous journey into antiquity. Keep on reading to find out what a perfect week in Rome could look like.
You will be greeted at the apartment and shown everything you will need to know about your accommodation. For your enjoyment this evening, a light arrival buffet will be laid out for you composed of regional favourites and delicacies. Enjoy this buffet of food while you settle into your city apartment and start to fall into life in Rome.
Awake early and grab a cappuccino and a pastry at your local caffe, before heading out for a big day of sightseeing. Today you visit some of Ancient Rome’s best monuments and ruins. We will help you make your travel arrangements.
The Roman Colosseum, Ancient Rome’s huge amphitheater, was built between 70 and 82 AD in the heart of Rome as a venue for gladiatorial and wild animal fights. Today it’s one of the best and most popular monuments of Ancient Rome. Nearby you can visit the excavations and museum on the Palatine Hill, home to Roman emperors and aristocrats. Tip: On Sunday, the Via dei Fori Imperiali leading to the Colosseum is closed to traffic, making it a nice place to walk.
The Roman Forum, a huge complex of ruined temples, basilicas, and arches, was the ceremonial, legal, social, and business center of ancient Rome. Give yourself at least two hours to wander around.
After this full morning on your feet it is time to sneak into a typical Roman Trattoria or splurge on a gourmet-style lunch at any of the abundant restaurants, trattorie or wine bars around this area of Rome. We can give you suggestions and make a reservation for you. A long, leisurely lunch will be just what you need to give you the energy to continue your tour of ancient Rome.
From the busy Piazza Venezia, a transport hub and home to the Vittorio Emanuele Monument, go up to the Capitoline Hill, where you will have a fabulous view of the Roman Forum. The piazza was designed by Michelangelo and the museums here are the oldest in the world. Palazzo Nuovo has Greek and Roman sculptures and Palazzo dei Conservatori has art galleries, sculptures, and frescoes. A ticket is good for both Capitoline Museums. Ask your local host to let you know what is on during your stay, as the Palazzo Venezia has a constant rotation of excellent exhibitions.
This is a long day so you might consider calling a cab from Piazza Venezia and heading back to your city apartment. HV can suggest many fine places to eat in the area near your apartment or can arrange for a take-home meal or private cook to come by the apartment, giving you the night off.
See Rome like you have never seen it before! At 5 am the city is still fast asleep and this allows you to enjoy it in all it’s splendor! That is when your expert driver/guide will pick you up!The pictures you will be taking will be amazing! Sunrise in Rome are breathtaking! Imagine the Trevi Fountain all for you, or St. Peters square quiet and empty! In just 3 hours you will enjoy The bridge of Palazzaccio (photo point), Castel Sant’Angelo, St. Peter’s Square, Gianicolo Hill, Tiberina Island, Piazza Venezia, Colosseo, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Piazza del Popolo, Pantheon, Key Hole.You will finish this stunning experience with a foamy and warm cappuccino and a cornetto while admiring the city wake up and change!It is an early start, but it’s so worth it!
In the afternoon, do what all Italians do well and take a well deserved Siesta at your apartment. Take the time to recharge your batteries and get ready for the early evening Passeggiata.
Throughout Italy, in small towns and neighbourhoods in large cities, Italians of all ages and all walks of life stroll around the streets between 6:30-8pm, to see and be seen. Known as the passeggiata, or stroll through town, this is a community social event without parallel in North America. This phenomenon creates vibrancy in the town centers and is truly infectious. To be within this bubbling kettle of social interaction and bella figura, is an authentic experience we know you will enjoy.
HV will suggest the trendy places for an evening stroll. Afterwards, settle in at a local wine bar “enoteca” for a glass of Italian wine or sparkling spumante and watch the beautiful people saunter by.
Today, HV can arrange for an exciting full day excursion to visit historic Pompeii and Herculaneum with lunch and wine tour in between. A car and driver will pick you up at the apartment and take you to Pompeii where you will meet your guide. Enjoy a private guided tour of the famously preserved city of Pompeii, which sits eerily beneath the shadow of nearby Mt. Vesuvius. After Pompeii head to a nearby winery for a visit and tasting of some of Campania’s local wines. After lunch and the wine tasting your driver and guide will take you to Herculaneum for your tour of this Roman archeological site.
As an alternate and if you are looking for shorter trip options from Rome, you could visit Ostia Antica, one of the best-preserved Roman cities in Italy. Similarly, you could head to Tivoli and visit Hadrian’s Villa. The latter is a UNESCO World Heritage Site comprising the ruins and archaeological remains of a large villa complex built c. AD 120 by Roman Emperor Hadrian at Tivoli outside Rome.
Freshen up, have a glass of chilled wine and enjoy a moment of quiet and relaxation before heading out to one of Rome’s many delectable restaurants.
Take a day off from visiting and relax at the apartment or take the opportunity to discover your neighbourhood by taking a stroll throughs the streets. After that, take the time to go market shopping or stop by a local cafe and indulge in people watching while you are savouring your espresso. Sometimes, having no plan is the best plan.
In the afternoon, you could head to the Spanish Steps and take the opportunity to go shopping. This is where the city comes alive with an array of colours, people and shops. Walk down Via Condotti, Rome’s “via della moda” and relish in the stylish shop windows and high fashion décor. At the end of Via Condotti, turn left onto Via del Corso for more trendy and youth-oriented shopping. When you see the sign for the Trevi Fountain, turn left and continue until you come to Rome’s most famous tourist attraction – completed in 1762 and made famous in the films of Federico Fellini. Toss a coin in the fountain to ensure your return to Rome and then head to nearby San Crispiano, where a famed gelaterie beckons a taste – after all, you’re an expert now.
On this unique 3-5 hour experience you will discover the jaw-dropping treasures of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with a special early access. For instance, you will be entering the Vatican collections before they open to the general public, exploring the highlights of the galleries in the tranquility of the early morning before entering the Sistine Chapel when it is at its quietest. HighlightsThe Sistine Chapel, The Raphael Rooms with School of Athens, The Belvedere Courtyard, St. Peter’s Basilica (except on Wednesdays), Michelangelo’s PietaHidden GemsThe Ancient Sculpture Galleries, The Hall of Maps, The Tapestries Gallery, The Gallery of the Candelabras, Sarcophagi of Helena and Costanza
It is a wonderful private 3-hour experience in some of Rome’s most charming and historic neighbourhoods such as Campo de Fiori and Trastevere!Not only will you be tasting some of the best street food Rome has to offer, but you will also be guided by one of our amazing guides. He will teach you all about the ingredients, how these dishes were invented, what makes them so special and so much more…. And all while strolling through the cobblestone backroads of beautiful Rome.
For your last night in Rome, attending an opera is a must. During the summer, enjoy a performance at the magnificent outdoor opera at the Baths of Caracalla. Not only does this outdoor theater offer marvelous acoustics, but there are also stunning lightshows projected onto the Baths’ ruins that accompany and enhance all operatic performances.
Time to pack up and say “Arrivederci” to the apartment and Rome. But we know you’ll be back in Rome for another perfect week!
