Be sure to read the Special Notes further down this page for important requirements and restriction.

Departing from Civitavecchia, your 90-minute motorcoach ride to the heart of Rome takes you through the glorious Roman countryside and along the Tyrrenian Sea. Once in the city, you'll walk to your first destination, the Roman Catacombs.

The Roman Catacombs contain important examples of early Christian art from before 400 AD including frescos and sculptures. The first large-scale catacombs were excavated from the 2nd century onwards. Originally they were carved through tufo, a soft volcanic rock, outside the boundaries of the city, because Roman law forbade burial places within city limits. Furthermore, the pagan custom was to incinerate corpses, while early Christians and Jews buried the deceased. Many lacked the resources to buy land for burial purposes, thus using the soft volcanic rock around Rome to dig tunnels in which to bury their dead.

Christian excavators (fossors) built vast systems of galleries and passages on top of each other. They lie 23 to 62 feet below the surface in area of more than 590 acres. Narrow steps that descend as many as four stories join the levels. Passages are about eight feet tall by four feet wide with burial niches carved into walls.

Your tour continues as you walk through the impressive St. Peter's Square. With its fountains and semicircular colonnades crowned with statues of the saints, the square perfectly frames the Basilica's entrance. The first church here was built by Constantine on the site where St. Peter was martyred and buried. Michelangelo deserves much of the credit for the massive reconstruction and his famous "Pieta" masterpiece is located inside. You'll have an opportunity to a full outside explanation of St. Peter's Basilica and free time to purchase religious articles and other mementos of this unforgettable and spiritual experience.

A stroll returns you to your motorcoach for a scenic drive to a 1st class hotel/restaurant for lunch. Aboard, you'll have a moment to relax, see the sights, and anticipate your sumptuous meal. A glass of Italian wine, sparkling mineral water and a traditional meal made with fresh, local ingredients is a welcome respite in your day.

Refreshed from lunch, you'll board your motorcoach and travel a short distance to one of the grandest of all Rome's monuments, the Colosseum, for a photo stop.

A 15-minute walk brings this iconic, imposing structure into view, and you are immediately taken back in time. The grandest amphitheaters ever built, no building in existence gives such an impression of imposing size. Be sure to photograph this awe-inspiring icon from several angles to truly capture its architectural significance. The Colosseum holds a special place in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, and on each Good Friday, the Pope leads a torch-lit "Way of the Cross" procession that starts in the area around it.

After the photo stop at the Colosseum, your tour concludes with a walk back to your motorcoach and a scenic return to Civitavecchia. Relaxing in the comfort of your motorcoach, you will leave the Eternal City but take a lifetime of memories home.