Italy! April 11 Monday - Tour of Rome, Part 1

The next day, Steve and I participated in a full-day walking tour of the major sites of Rome, through Walks of Italy. (www.walksofitaly.com).  We met our tour guide at the Colosseum Metro Station, and took off from there.  Going on a tour such as this is a great way to see the city on limited time, and the live commentary through the headsets was an added bonus.

The following tour information was taken directly from the company's website, and in Part 1, I have included photos from the Colusseum and the Pantheon.

EXTENDED TOUR DESCRIPTION EXPLORE THE COLOSSEUM WITH AN EXPERT GUIDE – AND NO LINES! You’ll begin your day as Rome did: With the ancient world. At an overlook of the Roman Forum, learn how the little-city-that-could became the heart of a vast empire, spotting the Senate and the Temple of the Vestal Virgins, and hearing the incredible stories behind the sites. Then skip long general entrance lines to get inside the Colosseum. With your expert guide on hand, you’ll discover what gruesome entertainment these ancients enjoyed – from gladiator fights to the execution of the first Christians and even mock sea battles! With our handpicked guide on-hand to bring this ancient amphitheater to life, you can be sure that you’re getting a true local insight on your Rome in a Day tour.

DISCOVER HISTORY AND ART IN THE HISTORIC CENTER. By including a walking tour of the historical center on your Rome city tour, you’ll experience the Pantheon, a 1,900-year-old temple that’s inspired everything from the U.S. Capitol to St. Peter’s Basilica. You’ll also explore the other side of Rome, the Rome of Audrey Hepburn and Federico Fellini, piazzas and fountains, gelato and photo ops. You’ll see the world-famous Trevi Fountain, where Fellini’s lovers cavorted in ‘La Dolce Vita’ and beautiful Piazza Navona, home to Bernini's Fountain of Four Rivers. As an extra bonus, you’ll enjoy a refreshing Italian gelato to eat as we stroll, just as the Italians do. Don’t resist; after all, it’s on us! Consider it part of your welcome to Rome.

SEE THE BEST OF THE VATICAN MUSEUMS, SISTINE CHAPEL & ST. PETER’S BASILICA. Let’s not forget Vatican City. As at the Colosseum, we’ll skip long general entrance lines for our Vatican tour, ensuring that you get the best from your time with us. Once inside you’ll tour the best of the Vatican collection with your expert guide, visiting the Raphael Rooms, ancient sculpture galleries and the stunning Hellenistic ‘Laocoön’. The Vatican Museums can be overwhelming, with nine miles of art, sculpture, tapestries, maps and relics contained within, not to mention Michelangelo’s frescos in the Sistine Chapel. We’ve chosen the best for your three-hour visit, giving you a broad view of the collection as well as its most famous works. You’ll end your Rome in a Day experience in the Sistine Chapel, with the option to spend more time inside the breathtaking chapel and Vatican Museums, or to leave the Sistine Chapel with your guide and gain direct access to St. Peter's Basilica with skip the line entrance after your tour. Once in St. Peter's Basilica, your guide will leave you alone to explore the Basilica on your own, visit the Papal Crypts, or even climb the dome to the highest manmade point in Rome. Don’t waste any time standing in line. Instead, see exactly what you need to see, get the best and most entertaining stories behind it all, and get past the normal lines with the special entrance we’ve already pre-booked for you. It’s the only way to make the most of your time in Rome! See, we promised you’d be able to pack it all in, while still letting travel be what it should be – fun!