Rome Highlights Shore Excursion from Civitavecchia

This full-day private shore excursion from Civitavecchia takes you into Rome for a comprehensive tour of the city's most celebrated ancient, Renaissance, and Baroque landmarks. Your driver guide meets you at the pier in Civitavecchia and drives you into the center of Rome, approximately 90 minutes away depending on traffic. The drive into the city passes the Pyramid of Caius Cestius, the ruins of the Baths of Caracalla, the Capitoline Hill, and the Piazza Venezia — the geographic center of Rome.

Your first stop is the Colosseum, completed in 80 AD and the largest amphitheater ever built. With a capacity of up to 80,000 spectators, it hosted gladiatorial contests, animal hunts, and public spectacles for four centuries. You have time to walk around the exterior and photograph the Arch of Constantine, the triumphal arch erected in 315 AD to commemorate Constantine's victory at the Battle of Milvian Bridge. From a nearby vantage point, your driver guide provides an overview of the Roman Forum below — the colonnades, temples, and arches that once formed the civic and commercial heart of the Roman Empire.

From the Forum, you drive to the Trevi Fountain, the largest and most celebrated Baroque fountain in Rome, completed in 1762. The fountain marks the terminal point of one of ancient Rome's original aqueducts. Legend holds that tossing a coin over your left shoulder into the water guarantees a return visit to the city. A short drive brings you to the Spanish Steps, the longest and widest staircase in Europe, connecting the Piazza di Spagna below to the Trinità dei Monti church above.

Your next stop is the Pantheon, the best-preserved building of ancient Rome. Originally constructed as a temple to all the gods of ancient Rome and rebuilt by Emperor Hadrian around 125 AD, it was later converted into a Christian church, which accounts for its remarkable state of preservation. The coffered concrete dome, with its central oculus open to the sky, remains one of the greatest engineering achievements of the ancient world and influenced architects for over 1,500 years.

From the Pantheon, a short walk brings you to Piazza Navona, one of Rome's most beautiful Baroque squares, built on the site of the ancient Stadium of Domitian. The piazza is anchored by Bernini's Fountain of the Four Rivers at its center and lined with outdoor cafes and restaurants. You have free time here for lunch at your own expense.

Your final stop is the Vatican. You approach St. Peter's Square through Bernini's famous colonnade, which frames one of the most dramatic architectural approaches in the world. St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in Christendom, took over a century to complete and contains works by Michelangelo, Bernini, and Raphael. Inside, you see Michelangelo's Pietà, carved when the sculptor was in his mid-twenties, along with the gilded Baroque baldachin over the papal altar. Please note that security checks are required to enter the Basilica and queues can be significant, particularly in peak season.

In the late afternoon, your driver guide returns you to the pier in Civitavecchia.

Contact us if you would like to customize this Rome shore excursion or arrange transportation for a larger group from Civitavecchia.

• Churches in Italy have a dress code. No bare shoulders, no shorts, no dresses above the knee, and no bare feet or midriffs are allowed. Please come prepared, or you may be disappointed if you are turned away. Some women travel with a large scarf that they can used to cover exposed shoulders or legs. Men can cover tank tops with a t-shirt or use shorts with zip on legs.
• Mobility: Folding wheelchairs OK, some sites may be inaccessible (advance notice required)