Imperial Rome Afternoon Tour

Discover the history of Imperial Rome on this 3-hour afternoon tour by coach and foot! As the capital of the Roman Empire, Rome boasts an array of ancient monuments and piazzas that teem with tales of times gone by. Learn of Rome’s Imperial past on visits to Piazza de Campidoglio on Capitoline Hill, Circus Maximus and the fascinating Church of St Peter in Chains. See Michelangelo’s ‘Moses’ sculpture, and then finish with a skip-the-line Colosseum tour.

Start your Rome afternoon tour with a hotel pickup, or alternatively, meet your guide in town — near Termini Station. Head to Piazza Venezia by air-conditioned coach and begin your afternoon of Imperial Rome sightseeing with a walk around to soak up the sights. As you pass through the piazza, marvel at the sight of magnificent Il Vittoriano – a dazzling white marble palace that dominates the square and can be seen from just about every angle of Rome.

Stroll to Capitoline Hill for a walk around Piazza del Campidoglio — the beautiful 16th-century square designed by the Renaissance maestro Michelangelo. Soak up views of the Roman Forum that sits below it, and envisage life during the days when Rome was founded, around 500 BC.

Return to your coach and ride through Rome’s downtown streets, passing pretty Aventine Hill and Circus Maximus, where chariot races were held during the times of Imperial Rome. Learn about the venue itself, and hear how it was once large enough to seat a quarter of Rome’s population!

Continue to the Church of St Peter in Chains (Basilica di San Pietro in Vincoli), and head inside for a look around this fascinating 5th-century gem. As its name suggests, the church’s main attraction is the chains that bound St Peter when he was imprisoned in Rome’s Mamertine Prison. After a brief spell in the ancient city of Constantinople, the chains were returned to Rome in two pieces, yet were said to have miraculously joined together when they reached the church’s altar.

Equally intriguing is the church’s Tomb of Pope Julius II, a lavish marble vault designed and sculpted by Michelangelo. His iconic Moses sculpture takes center stage on the façade of the tomb, and as you gaze up at it in awe, your guide will talk your through its defining features.

Leave the Church of St Peter in Chains and continue your tour, by coach, to the world-famous Colosseum. Skip past the long entrance lines with your priority-access ticket and head straight inside to see where Rome’s brutal gladiatorial games once took place. Walk around the first tier with your guide, seeing where the city’s different social classes once sat, and looking into the arena to see where the battles were fought.

Your tour then finishes outside the Colosseum in the late afternoon.