Introduction to Rome Tour

This two hour tour, led by a local expert, is designed to provide a perfect introduction to Rome for first timers, or to reorient returning travelers to the Italian capital. Over the course of the walk, we’ll get a broad but comprehensive look at the city’s many layers of history and cultures. We'll develop a working vocabulary of the city and its various neighborhoods, learning to decode the archaeological ruins from various eras, and parsing out the different characters of sections of the city.

We’ll begin our introduction to Rome in the elegant and stately Piazza del Popolo, leisurely snaking through the neighborhood known commonly as Tridente, or “Trident”. As we stroll through one of the most elegant areas of Rome, we'll sift through the remains of imperial tombs and obelisks, medieval churches and their legends, Renaissance palaces and princes, and modern efforts at urban development and renewal, before winding up at the Spanish Steps. Here, we'll discuss the history of this Roman icon, from its origins—ironically as much French as Spanish—to its present-day popularity. 

Next we’ll make our way over to the legendary Trevi Fountain, where we'll discuss the importance of water to the city, the competition that birthed its design, and the dramatic scene portrayed by its sculptures. Finally, working our way further south through central Rome's circuitous, scenic streets, we'll wrap up our walk at one of the city's most dramatic, commanding sites—the Pantheon. This is just an introduction to Rome, and so it does not go in-depth into architecture, art, or history. We will spend a certain amount of time explaining the sites along the route, but will also try to situate you in the city, orient you to its major areas, and answer any of your questions.

Looking for more to do in Rome? Some of our most popular tours in Rome include our Vatican Tour and Forum Tour.

This is one of our guaranteed departure tours. It has no minimum participant numbers and places you in a group of 10 or less. We have chosen certain tours to be guaranteed departure based on popular routes and times; Like our private and small group tours, our guaranteed departures are designed to be conversational learning experiences. 

Our private tours are limited exclusively to travelers in your party. They are designed to provide a learning experience that is completely tailored to you and your traveling companions. Private tours give you more flexibility with scheduling (you decide when the walk best fits in your trip), the ability to tailor your itinerary (we'll work to match the itinerary to the interests and dynamics of your group), and more personalized time with your guide.

Our small group tours cover many of the same itineraries as our private tours, but they place you with other travelers in groups of 6 or less. They operate on a pre-scheduled calendar, and are designed to provide an opportunity to engage with and learn from other travelers. Most of our small group tours require at least three (3) participants to run, although there is some variation from walk to walk. However, there is some variation from walk to walk. As you sign up for a tentative walk we display the minimum number required in order to confirm.

The Pantheon is considered a holy place. Men should wear slacks, and women should wear slacks or skirts below the knee. Shoulders must also be covered. If you are intent on wearing spaghetti straps or a halter-top, bring a shawl and expect to keep it around you. Shorts above the knee are not allowed. These rules may seem unduly strict, but remember, the Pantheon is also a church so the same dress code standards apply.

What is a guaranteed departure tour?

Our guaranteed departure tours are just that: guaranteed. They have no minimum participant numbers and will definitely operate as scheduled. They are typically orientation-style itineraries that place you in a group of 10 or less. Guaranteed departure tours are designated by the guaranteed departure seal in the tour listing.