Rome: Imperial Highlights Half-day Small Group Tour

Overview

Learn the story of one of the world’s great empires on a 3-hour tour of Rome, and travel back to the days of the Roman Republic at the city’s main imperial monuments. Meet your guide by the Colosseum to start your tour at the Flavian amphitheater, commissioned by Emperor Vespasian in 72 AD, and inaugurated by his son Titus in 80 AD. Your guide will bring history to life, telling stories of the ferocious battles between man and beast put on for the Roman citizens. Next, follow in the footsteps of Roman emperors on a walk through the Imperial Forum, and learn how it was once the center of all religious, political and commercial life in Rome. Hear the history of the Temple of Concord and Temple of Saturn and Vesta, and learn about the Tabularium, an impressive temple to Antoninus and Faustina. Ascend Palatine Hill, one of the “7 Hills of Rome,” where Augustus moved his sumptuous villa in 44 BC. Hear how the Temple of Victory was used to house Cybele's sacred stone between 204 BC and 191 BC, and learn about the Temple of Jupiter Stator, founded by Romulus after a battle with the Sabines. Go to the main terrace of Palatine Hill for a full insight into the Maximum Circus, where the legendary chariot races of the Roman Republic were held.