Civitavecchia Shore Excursion: Splendor of Rome Tour

This shared tour of Rome begins by taking a free shuttle from the ship to the bus terminal. There you'll meet your guide who will be holding a "Driverinrome" sign (with 8 or fewer passengers, the tour is carried out in a minivan with an English-speaking driver, no separate guide). On the 90-minute ride to Rome, the excursion begins with some backyou'll be given information on The Eternal City. KINDLY NOTE: This tour does NOT include the Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel, and most of the sites are seen walking through the city. The pace is quite fast. The streets of Rome can be very crowded, so this tour could pose challenges for those with mobility issues or if you have small children in strollers.

The Colosseum, a place where 50.000 spectators watched cruel battles between gladiators and wild beasts in ancient Roman times, is the most iconic and perhaps the most fascinating monument in Rome. Tickets to enter are optional and an additional, out-of-pocket expense. You'll be able to appreciate the Colosseum from the exterior. if you don't want to go inside.

Right next to the Colosseum sits the Arch of Constantine. The monument, commissioned to commemorate an important military victory of the Emperor Constantine, is one of several triumphal arches in the area of the Roman Forum.

Circus Maximus is an Ancient Roman entertainment venue famous for chariot races. Situated in the valley between the Aventine and Palatine Hills, it was the first and largest stadium in Ancient Rome, holding between 150,000 and 300,000 spectators.

Trevi is the largest Baroque fountain in the city of Rome and one of the most famous fountains in the world. The masterpiece in travertine has appeared in a number of films, most notably Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, released in 1961, in which Italian icon Marcello Mastroianni gets into the fountain with Swedish siren Anita Ekberg.

A former Roman temple to all the gods and now a Catholic church, the Pantheon is a marvel of engineering from the ancient world. If the massive marble columns on the porch don't make your jaw drop, the massive coffered dome with a giant oculus in the center surely will! KINDLY NOTE: Viewing the Pantheon from the exterior is free. As of July 2023, a ticket is required to visit the interior. The ticket costs 5 Euro. If you'd like to go inside the Pantheon, please request that we make a reservation for you.

Piazza Navona attracts visitors with its fountains, restaurant terraces, and splendid Baroque architecture, but its elliptical shape gives away a secret: the piazza was built on top of an ancient stadium! Enjoy the beauty of the architectural elements in the piazza, especially Bernini's Fountain of Four Rivers, or go underground to check out the ruins of the Stadium of Domition.

The Roman Forum was the center of civic life in Ancient Rome. Today, the ruins -- encompassing marketplaces, public and government buildings, temples, and triumphal arches -- tell the story of Rome's greatness two thousand years ago.

A 90-minute guided tour of the Palatine Hill, the Beverly Hills of Ancient Rome, is optional for an additional 25 Euro per person (in cash to cover the entry fee). If you choose not to participate in the guided tour of these fascinating ruins where the Emperor had his palace, you will have free time to explore the exterior areas of the Roman Forum and Colosseum, in addition to such nearby attractions as the Victor Emanual monument, Circus Maximus, and the Bocca della Verità.

Enter the vast expanse of St. Peter's Square through Bernini's colonnades and behold Christendom's largest church. Not an inch of the basilica is unadorned; the lavish decorations and works of art are stunning. One of Michelangelo's most beautiful and famous sculptures -- his first Pietà -- is housed in the church. (There is no fee to enter the church but you do have to be dressed properly (no short skirts or shorts, no bare shoulders) and clear a security screening, time permitting. The line can be very long.)