1) ROMAN FORUM AND PALATINE HILL

This itinerary will help you get to know the heart of ancient Rome.
At the foot of the Capitoline arx, we will visit the political, administrative and commercial seat of the City; we will see the Curia, once the meeting place of the Roman Senate, and the remains of the Comitium, the meeting square of the people; here, there are important monuments such as the Lapis Niger – the oldest known Latin inscription , the Aerarium or Tempio di Saturno (Temple of Saturn) – seat of the City’s treasury -, and the Rostri – platforms for public speakers.
Along the Via Sacra – the street of sacred processions – we will admire the remains of the Basilica Giulia, founded by Augustus, the Tempio di Giulio Cesare (Temple of Julius Caesar), where Caesar’s body was buried in 44 B.C. Then, we will proceed to the Casa delle Vestali (House of the Vestali Virgins), the priestess who tended the sacred flame in the adjoining Tempio di Vesta (Temple of Vesta).
Having past the Basilica di Massenzio (Maxentius’ Basilica), we will reach the Arco di Tito (Titus’ Arch), built in 81 A.D. in honour of the Emperor.
Then, we will climb to the top of the Palatine Hill: according to the tradition, here Romulus founded the city of Rome, the so called “Roma quadrata”.
During the Republican era, the hill was seat of great sanctuaries, such as that of Magna Mater or Apollo and Venus.
The Palatine Hill was also the ideal spot for wealthy Romans to build their homes (the famous orator Cicero and the commander Marco Antonio lived here).
It later became the realm of the Emperors.
We will visit the Casa di Livia (Livia’s House), Augustus’ wife, the Casa di Augusto (Augustus’ House) and the remains of imperial palaces: the Domus Flavia, with the Aula Regia or the Emperor’s throne room, a large banqueting hall or triclinium, the Stadio Palatino (Palatine Stadium), used by the Emperors for private games and events.
From here, we will enjoy a wonderful view on the Circo Massimo, built in the 2nd  century B.C. and used until 4th  century A.D.: it could seat 300000 spectators! 

2) ARCHAEOLOGICAL WALK - THE FORI

Along Via dei Fori Imperiali, we will take you to discover the greatest archaeological area of Rome.
Our itinerary begins in Piazza Venezia: from here, we will walk towards the Foro di Cesare (Caesar’s Forum), where there are the remains of the Tempio di Venere Genitrice (Temple of Venus Genetrix) and the Basilica Argentaria.
Then, we will admire the most important monuments of the Foro Romano (Roman Forum), including the Curia, the Arco di Settimio Severo (Arch of Septimius Severus), the Tempio di Saturno (Temple of Saturn), the Tempio and the Casa delle Vestali (Temple and House of the Vestali Virgins), the Basilica di Massenzio (Maxentius’ Basilica) and the Arco di Tito (Titus’ Arch).
We will reach Via Cavour and will see the remains of the Foro di Nerva (Nerva’s Forum) or Transitorio, founded in 97 A.D.: only two columns of a temple dedicated to Minerva still remain.
We will proceed to the Foro di Augusto (Augustus’ Forum), built after 42 B.C.: three columns of a temple dedicated to Mars the Avenger are still standing.
Next to Augustus’ Forum, there is the most monumental roman forum, the Foro di Traiano (Trajan’s Forum), designed by the famous architect Apollodorus of Damascus in 107 A.D.: we can still admire the remain of the Basilica Ulpia, the greatest roman basilica, and the Colonna traiana (Trajan’s Column), erected to mark the victories of Trajan over the Dacians and to house the Emperor’s ashes after his death. We will also admire the stately Mercati traianei (Trajan’s Markets), also designed by Apollodorus.
Along the itinerary, we will also visit the Carcere Mamertino (Mamertine Prison), where, according to the tradition, St. Peter was imprisoned; the Basilica of Sts Cosmas and Damian, with a wonderful 6th century apse mosaic; the Church of St. Francesca Romana, in which there is a beautiful 5th  century icon of Virgin Mary.

3) THE FORUM AND MARKETS OF TRAJAN AND THE SUBURRA

In the buildings of the Markets we will admire many sculptural fragments found during excavations in the Imperial Forums. You will walk on the ancient Via Biberatica, so called because there were shops selling drinks (in fact, the name is from “biber”, meaning “drinks”).
We will visit the large exedra and the halls where originally were the shops; them we will go down to the Trajan’s Forum: here we will admire the remains of the Basilica Ulpia and the wonderful Trajan’s column.
Them, we will go for a walk in the Rione Monti, the ancient Suburra /the name is from “sub urbe”, that is “under the city”), a very popular and characteristic area.
We will see the Palace where marquis Del Grillo lived in the 18th century (the roman actor Alberto Sordi played this character in the famous movie “Il marchese Del Grillo”).
In via Panisperna we will also visit the palaeochristian church of Sant’ Agata dei Goti, the only Arian building in Rome.
From here, we will walk towards via Urbana, the ancient vicus Patricius, where there is the church of Santa Pudenziana: the interior is noted for its magnificent apse mosaic.

4) COLOSSEUM, ARCH OF COSTANTINUS AND PALATINUS

The visit will allow us to discover the valley of Colosseum.
We will see the Ludus Magnus, the barracks where the gladiators used to train themselves before fighting in the Colosseum.
It is located just in the corner between Labicana street and S. Giovanni in Laterano square and it has a large hall with all the entrances of the billets of  the athletes.
It had a very small amphitheatre  too, and it was joined to Colosseum by an underground corridor.
It is well known that Colosseum is one of the most famous symbols of Rome and the most grandiose amphitheatre of antiquity, place of  terrible gladiators fights, wild animals hunting and, after filled it with water, spectacular naval battles stage (naumachie).
No many people know that Colosseum was a place of amorous meetings too, as testified by the great latin poet Ovidius in a lot of his poems.
We can read some verses from his masterpiece, Ars Amatoria, that means the “art of loving” not by chance.
The Arch of Costantinus was built in 315 a.D. to celebrate the first ten years of his rule and to commemorate his victory in the civil war against Massentius.
The next stop of our walk will be upon the hill Palatinus where the noblest and the most beautiful roman villas are located: Augustus’ and Livia’s  houses, the imperial palaces.
At the end of our visit we will enjoy the fantastic view of the Aventinus hill over the valley where the Circus Massimus lays.
It was the largest circus in the world for every kind of horse riding races.

5) CIRCUS MAXIMUS, FORUM BOARIUM AND FORUM OLITORIUM

The next stage of our visit is dedicated to the commercial district of ancient Rome, with the large harbour on the river Tibur, named Portus Tiberinus.
Close to the harbour there are two important temples, the former called the Virile Fortune Temple, dedicated to Portunus, the God of  the sailors, the latter called the Vesta Temple, dedicated to Hercules. Then we can visit Santa Maria in Cosmedin Basilica which has the famous Bocca della Verità (the Mouth of the Truth) in its portico.
That is an enormous marble head of a river God, with his mouth open to challenge the people to put their right hands inside while promisig eternal love to their partners.
The ancient legend says that the hand of every liar will be cut off  by the deep marble mouth.
Through the Gianus Arch we will arrive at San Giorgio al Velabro Church, ancient deacon house dedicated to San Sebastiano by Pope Leone II.
By the side of the church there is one of the access way to Forum Boarium: Argentari Arch, so called because it were built thanks to the money of the corporation of the bankers (argentarii, i.e. silver coins owners and users) in addition to  the money  of the other sponsors, first of all the corporation of  the livestock dealers (boarium, i.e. cattles, oxen).
Walking along Petroselli street, we will visit the San Nicola in Carcere Church  (dedicated to the Saint imprisoned). On the other side of the street there are the Sacred Area of  Sant’Omobono, one of the first Christian Saints, including the Temples of the Mater Matuta and of the Fortune, whose foundations were laid during the kingdom of Servius Tullius, one of the first kings of Rome, lived in the sixth century b.C. .  
The end of the visit is planned in front of  Marcellus Theatre, whose construction began under the rule of Giulius Caesar and ended during the empire of Augustus.
The emperor wanted the actual name to honour his son-in-law Marcellus.
Nowadays the Theatre is merged, in an only architectural complex, with the Savelli-Orsini Palace and with the ruins of  the Apollus Sosianus Temple, whose three marble columns are still visible.

6) CAMPIDOGLIO AND MUSEI CAPITOLINI

The Campidoglio (Capitolium) is the political hearth of Rome.
The facing square, designed by Michelangelo, has the copy of the equestrian statue of emperor Marcus Aurelius, in its centre, and three important Palace on its sides.
The first two Palaces, Palazzo dei Conservatori and Palazzo Nuovo,  form the architectural complex of the Musei Capitolini, the first public Museum in Rome. In the third Palace, Palazzo Senatorio, there are the headquarters of the mayor of Rome.
We’ll also admire the Spinario, the Lupa Capitolina, the female wolf that’s the symbol of      Rome, Venus Capitolina, the dying Galata and the collection of  the Roman Emperors’ busts.
At the end of the visit it will possible to achieve the arches of  Tabularium and from there to see down and to enjoy the evocative view of the Foro Romano.
The Tabularium was the name of the ancient State archives in Rome, built in 78 b.C. under the rule of  the consul Quinto Lutazio Catulo.

7) APPIA ANTICA ROAD - FROM S. SEBASTIANO GATE TO CECILIA METELLA MAUSOLEUM

We are going now for a walk along one of the most ancient consular road: Appia Antica road, opened by the consul Appius Claudius Ciecus in 312 b.C..
The first stage will be in front of  “Domine quo vadis?” Church, the place where, according to the popular tradition, Jesus called Peter escaping from Rome and Peter came back to face his martyrdom. 
Then we will cross over the place of the S. Callistus Catacombs and we will visit one the most evocative catacombs under the S. Sebastianus Basilica.
This Basilica was built over the ruins of  the Apostolorum Basilica (i.e., the Basilica of the Apostles), famous for the graffiti of the first Christian Pilgrims on the wall of the most interior part of the Church (the Triclia).
The graffiti report the pilgrims’ appeals to the Apostle Peter and Paul.
After crossing over the place of the Massentius villa, we arrive at one of the most famous monument in Rome and a real symbol of the Appia Antica road: the tomb of Cecilia Metella, daughter of  Metellus and wife of Crassus, a roman noble and a brave general in the Caesar’s army during the war in Gallia

Duration – 3  hours