Roman Strolls...Walking in the Ancient City

Versión en
castellano

 
by Alvaro Higueras, PhD, specialized guide

I present here nine strolls in the city of Rome. These strolls can be tailored for the particular interest of the visitors. For instance compare strolls 3, 4 and 5, all with the Palatine, the Colosseo and the Roman Forum as core visit, but adding additional attractions as more time is available.

The start and arrival of each stroll will vary according to the location of the monuments to be visited. Each Stroll will have a pre-established starting point. In this way we also make the most of the time at disposal for each stroll.

See the interactive map for all nine walking strolls in Rome

Stroll 1 - The Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica - 3 hours.

Nota: this tour is scheduled in the afternoon, meeting at 1.30 pm in front on main entrance, to avoid the morning's long lines. It foresees 2 hours in the museum and one in the basilica. The complete tour could as well be enjoyed in the museums alone.

Other Vatican visits: Necropolis Vaticana and the Roman foundations of St. Peter.
A reservation with four weeks advance is needed for both, reserved and visited separately. Once the reservation is set with the Office of Excavations an advance payment of €10 per person will be needed to secure the visit (needed only for the foundations of Saint Peter). 
interactive map
 

Stroll 2 - Roman Rennaissance - 3 hours - walking.

Piazza Farnese (start point) - Campo di Fiori - Piazza Navona - Church of San Luigi dei Francesi - Pantheon - Church of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva - Piazza Colonna - Trevi Fountain - Piazza Spagna ("Spanish steps").

interactive map
 

Stroll 3 - Ancient Forum and Surroundings - 3 hours - walking.

Palatine (start point: Entrance of Via San Gregorio) - Colosseo - 
Church of San Cosma & Damiano - Roman Forum -
Piazza del Campidoglio.

interactive map

Stroll 4 - Ancient Forum and Surroundings in depth - 4 hours - walking.

Palatine (start point: Entrance of Via San Gregorio) - Colosseo -
Church of San Cosma & Damiano - Roman Forum -
Piazza del Campidoglio - Imperial Fora.

interactive map
 

Stroll 5 - Ancient Forum and Surroundings for the very Curious - 5 hours - walking

Church of San Pietro in Vincoli (start point)- Colle Oppio & Domus Aurea (only surroundings) - Church of San Clemente - Palatine - Colosseo -  Church of San Cosma & Damiano - Roman Forum - Piazza del Campidoglio - Imperial Fora.

interactive map
 

Stroll 6 - Early Christian Rome - 3 hours - walking

Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, Church of Santa Prassede, Church of San Martino, Church of San Pietro in Vincoli, (Crossing the Colle Oppio), Church of San Clemente - Church of San Cosma & Damiano. Nota: this tour needs to finish before 12.30 because smaller Roman Churches close during lunch hours.

interactive map
 

Stroll 7. The Outskirts of the Forum - 3 hours - walking

Circo Massimo (Meeting point at Metro Station) - Church of Santa Saba (Aventine) - Mouth of the Verità and Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin - Temple of Hercules Victor - Temple of Portunus - Church of San Giorgio in Velabro and Arches - Temples of Saint Omobono - Church of San Nicola in Carcere -  Portico d'Ottavia - Teatro de Marcello - Jewish Ghetto.

interactive map
 

Exploring the outskirts of Rome

Stroll 8. Ostia Antica - 5 hours - train and walking

Meeting point at the Lido Ostia Train Station (Metro: Piramide)
Forum - Late Republican Domus - The Eastern cults - Production and activities.

interactive map

Stroll 9 - The Via Appia - 4 hours - Walking or bicycle (very preferably Sunday when it is reserved for pedestrians).

Meeting point at Gate of San Sebastiano - Church of Quo Vadis - Catacombs of Saint Callistus - Circus of Maxentius - Mausoleum of Cecelia Metella - Necropolis of the Via Appia - Villa dei Quintili.

interactive map
 

Stroll 10 - Tivoli: The Villa of Hadrian and Villa d'Este - 5 hours

The sites are located 25 km East of Rome. For this stroll it is highly recommended that a car be hired, as public  transportation is poor - unlike strolls 8 and 9.

The special 10-hills-of-Rome bicycle tour

This is a special stroll for those sport-oriented visitors who want to live the experience of exploring the
summits of Rome's hills and the very special buildings that crown them. The full tour (about 31km or 20 miles) requires experience in biking on steep slopes, paved, with asphalt and stone, and a good physical condition.

The tour is a combination of a medium to difficult bicycle ride with brief stops at the top of each of the hills, those legendary and not, except for the Palatine hill which is closed to traffic as it is an archaeological site. The route described below crosses important landmarks of the city, such as the Mouth of Truth, Piazza del Campidoglio, the Quirinale Palace, the Spanish Steps and the Piazza del Popolo, among others.

The loop can start at any point in the following sequence:
(1) Vatican hill (St Peter), (2) Gianicolense hill (view), (3) Aventine hill, (4) Capitoline hill (stop), (5) Celio hill (i) & Celio hill (ii), (7) Oppian hill and Esquiline (stop), (8) Viminal and Quirinal hill, (9) Pincio hill - Borghese Gardens (i) & Pincio hill - Piazza Napoleon (ii), (10) Monte Mario and superb view of the city.

See the interactive map of 10-hill bike stroll of Rome

 

Costs

Nota 1 : the price of the guided tour does not include ticket (for example to enter the Palatine & Coliseum -both on a single ticket- or the Church of San Clemente). The clients will cover the ticket of the guide.
Nota 2 : the price of the guided tour does not include eventual transportation costs, such as taxi, bus, train, or hired car.

Walking strolls : Groups of 1-6 people : 45 € per hour ; Groups of 7-12 people : 55 € per hour

Bicycle strolls 1 : any of the above tours on bicycle with extra sights as we cover more in less time.
Groups of 1-6 people (max. 6 p.) : 40 € per hour.
Bicycle strolls 2 : The special 10-hills-of-Rome tour is 50 € per hour ((max. 5 p. & aprox. 4 hours).
Nota 3 : These prices do not include the bicycle rental.

All bicycle strolls will meet 30mn. before actual start at the rental office of the tour to
avoid delays due to the rental procedures.

Modality of payment - cash.
 

© Text and photos Alvaro Higueras