Rome Center
My Life as an Emperor - for ancient Rome buffs and architects alike!
- Rome's first emperor, Augustus, seized control of the Roman Empire in the era of civil war and civic strife that followed the death of Julius Caesar. Among his greatest achievements was that of bringing peace to the Roman Empire after a century of war and turmoil. Such an achievement deserved an advertising campaign. In celebration of this achievement, he built the Ara Pacis or Altar of Peace, a monument embellished with sculptures meant to convince Romans that life had never been so good. Now housed in a brand-new building designed by American architect Richard Meier, the Ara Pacis is one of Rome's most complex and beautiful sites. You will also follow in Augustus's footsteps as you walk through the Field of Mars to see his sundial and the Pantheon. You will come away from this tour with a greater understanding of the most astute spin-doctors the world has ever seen.
Jewish Ghetto Walk
- For 22 centuries, Rome's Jewish ghetto has been the site of both relentless persecution and the undying pride and solidarity of a tightly knit community. Your tour through the Ghetto will take you to the Via del Portico d'Ottavia, Jewish Museum, Synagogue. You will stop at a Kosher Bakery to try their almond-paste-filled macaroons before touring the Piazza Largo 16 Ottobre 1943. This square is named for the day when Nazi trucks parked here and threatened to take the Jews to concentration camps unless the community came up with 110 pounds of gold in 24 hours. Everyone, including non-Jewish Romans, tossed in their precious gold, and the demand was met. The Nazis took the gold. And, shortly thereafter, they took the Jews anyway. We suggest lunch today in the Ghetto at Sora Margherita -- try their carciofi alla giudea
Saints Sinners and Superstars - explore the Vatican and Sistine Chapel after hours
- The Vatican Museums are indisputably one of the finest collections of art in the world. Cartolina Tours now offers its clients the opportunity to see these works as they were originally viewed and contemplated by the Popes who created the Museums. A private visit with an art historian is truly a once in a lifetime experience.
Three Coins in the Fountain
- Our fountains of Rome tour focuses on some of the more famous and unique fountains of Rome. Undoubtedly there is no city in the world that has more fountains than Rome, there are 280 of them. It has been this way since the Roman times when 11 aqueducts supplied thousands and thousands of liters of water to the city each day. Explore the Fontana di Trevi, commemorating the completion of the Acqua Vergine in 19 B.C. This is the world-famous fountain where legend has it, if you toss coins over your shoulder into its waters, you will return to Rome one day. The basin was built with monies collected from taxes levied on wine. You will also explore the recently opened excavations showing the remarkably intact conduits originally built to supply water to ancient Rome, and appreciate the important link between the history of this aqueduct and the history of the city. Next you will explore the Four Rivers Fountain, designed by Bernini for Pope Innocent X Pamphilj, The Fountain of the Porter is an example of one of Rome's talking fountains. For centuries political satires, known as Pasquinades, written by the Romans to ridicule the authorities were attached to these fountains. Visit our colleague, Garden-Fountains to read and learn more about Rome's fountains as well as other famous fountains around the world.
Play Indiana Jones for a Day
- Spend part of your day playing amateur archaeologist! No experience required. Darius Arya, archaeologist and director of the American Institute for Roman Culture will lead you into the AIRC’s latest archaeological dig, a Roman villa on the edge of the city. Darius will discuss the site, current findings, and this summer’s plan within the context of his extensive career as an archaeologist in Rome. This is an extraordinary opportunity to experience a real archaeological dig
A Day at the Spa
- An Ancient Roman Spa that is! Rome, as the capital of the empire, had to have an impressive water supply. The supply was designed by Julius Frontinus who was appointed Water Commissioner for Rome in 97 AD. The aqueducts that fed Rome carried an estimated 1000 million liters of water a day. The water was used many times to build public baths. Romans went to the baths for entertainment, healing in the case of some baths, or just to get clean. There were 170 baths in Rome during the reign of Augustus and by 300 A.D that number had increased to over 900 baths. Wander through the frigidarium, tepidarium, caldarium, and other vital rooms in our tour of the famous Baths of Caracalla, the second largest baths complex in ancient Rome, were built between 212 and 219 A.D. by the emperor Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, better known by his nickname Caracalla.
Underground Rome
- A visit to Rome's Basilica of San Clemente is more like a journey backwards in time — across centuries where history mingles with legend and phantoms and mysteries accompany the voyager every step of the way. Explore the three levels of this amazing site. The lowest level, was a small Mithraic temple dated to the end of the second or early third century A.D. Mithraism, introduced to Rome during the time of Pompey (67 B.C.), became popular among the Roman legions in Asia Minor and spread rapidly throughout the Empire, reaching its peak in the late second century. The cult was finally banned in the late fourth century. The second level is a fourth century church. Here and there wide-eyed Byzantine figures peer out from the crumbling frescoed walls. A modern stone altar at the end of the largest corridor reminds us that we are, in fact, looking on the nave, narthex, and north and south aisles of an early Christian church. Now you will climb San Clemente's top and present level. Here, inside an eighteenth-century restoration, you will find a typical medieval church. You will proceed with your guide next to Case Romane. Buried beneath the church of Saints John and Paul, on the Celian Hill, is a complex os houses dating from the 2nd to the 5th centuries. The houses provide a great example of domestic life in antiquity. Several of the rooms have very well preserved frescoes and give a clear idea of what life was like for the middle class in ancient Rome.
Burn Baby Burn
- When people think of Nero they often conjure up the anachronistic image of Nero playing a violin while the city of Rome burned. There were no violins at the time, but there was a fire, which started on the night of July 18 or 19 in A.D. 64. Nero is also associated with the persecution of Christians whom he blamed for the devastating fire in Rome. The fire burnt down two-thirds of Rome. People expected that Nero would help the city or rebuild their houses. Instead, Nero announced that he was going to take a lot of the land where the buildings had burned down and build himself a great big his golden house, the Domus Aurea and a new palace with an artificial lake. Rooms in the domus aurea were decorated in gold. A 37m high bronze statue of Nero modeled on the Colossus of Rhodes was placed near the entrance. After Nero's suicide in 68 A.D., the Domus Aurea was filled up with dirt and the artificial lake was drained, replaced by amphitheater, which would later be called the Colosseum. Visit the Domus Aurea with your guide to see the excavation in progress and its frescoes.
Go for Baroque
- Though many people mistake the Baroque style for "just decoration" it's really meant to convey awesome power, dazzling spectacle, and passionate rhetoric. This "compare and contrast" tour will allow you to decide which of Rome's two great Baroque artists you prefer - Gian Lorenzo Bernini or Francesco Borromini. You'll pay homage to Bernini's ravishing sculpture of St. Teresa in Ecstasy, soothe your souls in Borromini's church of San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane, and be overwhelmed by the riot of colored marble employed by Bernini in his church of Sant'Andrea al Quirinale.
Trastevere Trek
- See Piazza Santa Maria in Trastevere, and visit its basilica, Rome’s oldest church with priceless works of art: fluted columns from ancient Rome, spectacular gilded ceilings, baroque architectures and magnificent early 14th century mosaics by Piero Cavallini. Stroll along backstreets and see colourful stretched across festoons of hanging laundry. Walk by the home of “Fornarina”, Raphael’s lover, the botanical garden and the impressive palace of the Corsini family. Visit “Villa Farnesina”, amazing residence of renaissance banker Agostino Chigi ,with its “Triumph of Galatea” and “Amore e Psyche” two of Raphael’s most celebrated masterpieces.
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
- Rome is a splendid city, embellished by hundreds of churches and religious monuments. And people often assume that most of those were built by and for men…but it's just not true. Through the ages women have played a variety of religious roles in Rome, from church-builders to ecstatic visionaries. This tour will take you to the Quirinal Hill, where your guide will discuss the complex relationship between Renaissance women and the Catholic Church as you visit San Bernardo alle Terme, Santa Susanna, Santa Maria della Vittoria, and the Aqua Felice.
Art Talks
- The Art Talks series in Rome includes visits to sites that are normally closed to the public. Our experts will give a short lecture/ around a certain theme, designed to allow participants a chance to ask questions and explore a variety of topics. Space is limited. Art Talks are given on Thursday evenings through April, May and June.
Gourmet Goodies
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Italian Gourmet is our colleague in Rome. With the help of chef and cookbook author, Diane Seed, you can navigate your way through the food markets of Rome. We also offer balsamic vinegar and olive oil tasting/education as well as cooking classes and gourmet dinners prepared for you in her fabulous 17th century palazzo.
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Cartolina Tours has developed relationships with sommeliers from some of Rome's wonderful enotecas and can arrange a private wine tasting for you and your group. Or discover some of Italy's hidden wines in this three-hour stroll of traditional enoteche (wine bars) located around the Campo di Fiori. In the company of a trained sommelier, you will sample both Italian wines and Italian wine-bar culture
Leave the City Behind
Walk Like an Etruscan
- Depart Rome and head with your driver and guide to the National Museum in Tarquinia, housed in a beautiful 15th Century palace with an incredible collection of Etruscan Art: stone sarcophagi, reclining figures, terra-cotta objects, pottery, coins, tools and jewelry. Visit the necropolis as it possesses the most important painted tombs in Etruria, mostly rock-cut chamber tombs dating from the 6th to the 4th century BC. Today the location of more than one hundred and fifty painted tombs are known. The Tarquinia tomb frescos are well preserved in many cases, and modern understanding owes much of our insight into Etruscan lifestyle to the Tarquinia frescos. After visiting the necropolis of Monterozzi, break for lunch in a characteristic village built upon Etruscan origins to dine in at a local restaurant. Then continue to Cerveteri where the Banditaccia necropolis of more than a dozen mound style tombs beckon to be explored.
A Few Good Men - A Garden Lover's Delight!
- Emperor Hadrian, was the third of the five good emperors of the Roman Empire who ruled from 96 to 180. They were known for their moderate policies, in contrast to their more tyrannical and oppressive successors and predecessors; their rule was at the height of the Empire's prosperity. Visit Hadrian's villa, the Villa d'Este its gardens. The gardens are one of the best preserved garden complexes of the Renaissance. With its numerous and magnificent fountain features, the Villa d'Este is famous in all of Italy for its lavish presentation of that most prestigious resource: water. Enjoy a fabulous lunch in the countryside before returning to Rome
If You Build It, They will Come
- Tour the beautifully preserved ruins of Ostia Antica, Rome's ancient seaport, lie twenty miles from the modern metropolis, in the meadows between the Tiber River and the Tyrrhenian Sea. It was founded, probably in the 4th century BC, as a military colony to guard the river mouth against seaborne invasions. Later, during the centuries when virtually all imports reached the Capital via the Tiber, Ostia gained prominence as the domestic landing for cargo boats. By the 2nd century AD, it had become a flourishing commercial center inhabited by upwards of 100,000 people, whose apartment buildings, taverns, and grocery shops are still intact.