Rome in a Day (Arch of Titus, Colosseum, Forum)

A perfect quick-paced Rome Highlights Tour for the guest wanting to see as much of Rome as possible in one day. This private Rome city highlights private tour will help you weave through the congestion and see more and wait less than the large group tours.

You will be met on the pier by your private driver who will whisk you off to the city of Rome, approximately a 70 minute drive from the pier. Upon arrival in Rome, you will meet your English-speaking professional guide who will lead you on a quick-paced exploration of the city's famous sites. As you stroll through Imperial Rome, you will marvel at buildings and ruins reflecting twelve centuries of Roman cultural, political and religious history.

You will visit the symbol of the Eternal City, the Roman Colosseum. It is certainly one of the most recognized and one of the most important monuments of ancient Rome. A masterpiece of classical architecture, the Colosseum is an enormous amphitheater where gladiators, Christians and wild beasts once battled to the death in front of 50,000 spectators. As you explore the stadium, you will be able to look down into the labyrinth of tunnels that ran underneath the arena area

Outside the Colosseum, you will see some of the ruins of the Roman Forum, the heart of ancient Rome. The imposing triumphal Arch of Titus was erected in A.D. 81 by the Emperor Domitian in honor of the victories in battle of his brother and father in Judea

You will then drive to the old section of Rome where you will be dropped off near the Trevi Fountain. You will walk with your guide through the narrow twisting streets to the Trevi Fountain, named after the area of Rome where it is found. The fountain stands 85 feet high, 65 feet wide, and is the largest Baroque fountain in the city. A traditional legend holds that if visitors throw a coin with one's right hand over one's left shoulder into the Trevi Fountain, they are ensured a return to Rome.

Then walk to the Spanish Steps approximately 20 minutes away. Here, a set of steps climbs a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna (Spanish Square) at the base and Piazza Trinita dei Monti, dominated by the French church of Trinita dei Monti at the top. It is the longest and widest staircase in all Europe. After your guide answers any questions you might have about sightseeing, shopping or finding a quick lunch on your own, you will have approximately 40 minutes of free time at leisure.

After meeting your guide at the appointed time and location, you will drive across the river to the Vatican City. You will visit St. Peter's Basilica, the largest church in the world, which is reached by crossing famous St Peter's Square. Inside the church, you will have the opportunity to see many of the fine pieces of art and mosaics on display such as Michelangelo's "Pieta" and the beautifully carved Bernini Pulpit.

After your visit to St Peter's, you will bid your private guide farewell and your driver will return you to Civitavecchia.

Please Note: If your group includes more than 14 guests, due to restrictions for private guides, you will have free time to explore the Colosseum on your own. Your driver speaks basic English and cannot function as a guide. Depending on traffic or crowds at the sites, the tour may operate in a different order. All sites will be visited time permitting. The Colosseum interior visit is unavailable on the first Sunday of every month. The Minister of Tourism has established a maximum number of visitors that are allowed inside the Colosseum at once (3000 people). As a result of this new rule, guests with reserved tickets may be stopped or delayed. Crowds at St Peter's Basilica are considerable, and as a result, should the wait at the security check point last longer than an hour your guide may forego an interior visit but will still provide a full explanation while viewing from outside. Additional shopping time or free time will be provided to compensate. Also, please note that the Basilica may close for security reasons at any given time without previous notice. Should this occur, free time will be provided to compensate.