Rome in 2 Days Catacombs, Colosseum, Vatican Museum Small Group Guided Tours

Itinerary

Day 1: COLOSSEUM, ROMAN FORUM, PALATINE HILL AND APPIAN WAY CATACOMBS

Stop At: Colosseum, Piazza del Colosseo, 00184 Rome Italy
The Colosseum (/ˌkɒləˈsiːəm/ KOL-ə-SEE-əm; Italian: Colosseo [kolosˈsɛːo]) is an oval amphitheater in the center of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. Despite its age, it is the largest ancient amphitheater ever built and is still the largest standing amphitheater in the world today. Construction began under the emperor Vespasian (r. 69–79 AD) in 72[1] and was completed in 80 AD under his successor and heir, Titus (r. 79–81).[2] Further modifications were made during the reign of Domitian (r. 81–96).[3] The three emperors that were patrons of the work are known as the Flavian dynasty, and the amphitheater was named the Flavian Amphitheatre (Latin: Amphitheatrum Flavium; Italian: Anfiteatro Flavio [aɱfiteˈaːtro ˈflaːvjo]) by later classicists and archaeologists for its association with their family name (Flavius).
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Roman Forum, Largo della Salara Vecchia 5/6, 00186 Rome Italy
The Roman Forum, also known by its Latin name Forum Romanum (Italian: Foro Romano), is a rectangular forum (plaza) surrounded by the ruins of several important ancient government buildings at the center of the city of Rome. Citizens of the ancient city referred to this space, originally a marketplace, as the Forum Magnum, or simply the Forum.

For centuries the Forum was the center of day-to-day life in Rome: the site of triumphal processions and elections; the venue for public speeches, criminal trials, and gladiatorial matches; and the nucleus of commercial affairs. Here statues and monuments commemorated the city's great men. The teeming heart of ancient Rome, it has been called the most celebrated meeting place in the world, and in all history.[2] Located in the small valley between the Palatine and Capitoline Hills, the Forum today is a sprawling ruin of architectural fragments and intermittent archaeological excavations attracting 4.5 million or more sightseers yearly.[3]
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Palatine Hill, Piazza Santa Maria Nova, 53, 00186 Rome Italy
The Palatine Hill (/ˈpælətaɪn/; Latin: Collis Palatium or Mons Palatinus; Italian: Palatino [palaˈtiːno]), which relative to the seven hills of Rome is the centremost, is one of the most ancient parts of the city and has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire."[1] The site is now mainly a large open-air museum while the Palatine Museum houses many finds from the excavations here and from other ancient Italian sites.

Imperial palaces were built here, starting with Augustus. Before imperial times the hill was mostly occupied by the houses of the rich.

The hill originally had two summits separated by a depression; the highest part was called Palatium and the other Germalus (or Cermalus). Using the Forma Urbis its perimeter enclosed 63 acres (25 ha); while the Regionary Catalogues of the 4th century enclose 131 acres (53 ha).[2]
Duration: 45 minutes

Stop At: Catacombs of Saint Callixtus, Via Appia Antica 110, 00179 Rome Italy
The Catacombs of Rome are underground galleries used for centuries as cemeteries. The catacombs began in the 2nd century and were not finished until the 5th century. Here the pagan citizens, Jews, and the first Christians of Rome were buried.
The word catacombs means "next to the quarry" and come from the fact that the first excavations made to be used as a burial site were carried out on the outskirts of Rome, next to the ground of a quarry. Christians did not share the heathen tradition of incinerating bodies. These enormous cemeteries were created underground to solve the problems of lack of space and the high cost of land.
The Catacombs are made up of an infinity of underground tunnels that form authentic labyrinths of kilometers along which several rows of rectangular niches were excavated. The corpses were wrapped in a sheet and placed in these niches that later were closed with marble or cooked clay tombstones where the name of the deceased was engraved with a Christian symbol.
Duration: 1 hour

Stop At: Vatican Museums, Viale Vaticano, 00120 Vatican City Italy
The Vatican Museums (Italian: Musei Vaticani; Latin: Musea Vaticana) are the public museums of the Vatican City. They display works from the immense collection amassed by the Catholic Church and the papacy throughout the centuries, including several of the most renowned Roman sculptures and most important masterpieces of Renaissance art in the world. The museums contain roughly 70,000 works, of which 20,000 are on display,[1] and currently employ 640 people who work in 40 different administrative, scholarly, and restoration departments.[4]

Pope Julius II founded the museums in the early 16th century.[5] The Sistine Chapel, with its ceiling and altar wall decorated by Michelangelo, and the Stanze di Raffaello (decorated by Raphael) are on the visitor route through the Vatican Museums.[6]
Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Vatican City Italy
The Sistine Chapel (/ˌsɪsˈtiːn ˈtʃæpəl/; Latin: Sacellum Sixtinum; Italian: Cappella Sistina [kapˈpɛlla siˈstiːna]) is a chapel in the Apostolic Palace, in Vatican City and the official residence of the pope. Originally known as the Cappella Magna ('Great Chapel'), the chapel takes its name from Pope Sixtus IV, who built it between 1473 and 1481. Since then, the chapel has served as a place of religious and functionary papal activity. It is the site of the papal conclave, the process by which a new pope is selected. The fame of the Sistine Chapel lies mainly in the frescoes that decorate the interior, most notably the Sistine Chapel ceiling and The Last Judgment, both by Michelangelo.
Duration: 20 minutes

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

Day 2: VATICAN MUSEUM

Stop At: Vatican City, Vatican City, Lazio
Introduction on the Vatican City and Vatican History while entering into the Museum.
Duration: 20 minutes

Stop At: Vatican City, Vatican City, Lazio
Discover the treasures hosted by one of the largest and most-visited museums of the world enriched by a considerable number of masterpieces collected through time.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Stop At: Sistine Chapel, Viale Vaticano, 00165 Vatican City Italy
Admire the major representatives of Italian art such as Leonardo, Perugino, Beato Angelico, and many more

Towards the end of this tour, you will visit the beautiful Sistine Chapel to admire Michelangelo’s masterpiece: The Last Judgement.
Duration: 45 minutes

Pass By: St. Peter's Basilica, Piazza San Pietro, 00120 Vatican City Italy
After the tour, enjoy privileged access to St. Peter's Basilica.

Note: WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO VISIT THE BASILICA DURING RELIGIOUS HOLIDAYS AND CEREMONIES (Audiences, Beatifications, Masses of the POPE). The Basilica is often subject to sudden closures. In these cases it is not possible to guarantee access to the Basilica.

No meals included on this day.
No accommodation included on this day.

• Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel skip the line tickets and Guided Small Group Tour
• Colosseum, Palatine and Roman Forum skip the line tickets and Guided Small Group Tour
• Catacombs Undergrounds skip the line tickets and Guided Small Group Tour
• Headsets, Insurance, Taxs
• Transfer from the Colosseum to the Catacombs (pick-up/drop off)
• Entry/Admission - Roman Forum
• Entry/Admission - Colosseum
• Entry/Admission - Catacombs of Saint Callixtus
• Entry/Admission - Sistine Chapel
• Entry/Admission - Palatine Hill
• Entry/Admission - Vatican Museums

• Food and drinks
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Guide service during the transfer to the Catacombs
• Gratuities

• Not wheelchair accessible
• Near public transportation
• No heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Most travelers can participate
• Customers have a mandatory meeting time stated 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time due to managing and organizational reasons.
• Please provide the full names of all travelers when booking. Failure to present a voucher with all travelers' full names at the ticket office prior to entry may result in denied entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
• Children discount is applied only with a valid ID card
• The order in which the sites will be visited may change
• To get inside the monuments it is used group ticket and not individual one. It cannot be asked just the ticket entrance.
• Please note that monuments' capacity regulation and the security checkppoint may delay the access to the site, even for pre-booked visitors
• The activity can suffer 20/30 min variation due to organizational resons
• For security reasons all visitors and their luggage shall be screened.
• To facilitate the security checks please insert any object (including mobile phone) in the bag/backpack or in the tray to be included in the X-ray
• Forbidden objects inside the Colosseum: bottles and glasses containers, alcholic beverages and aerosols, backpacks, camping, bulky bags and luggage / trolley
• Can be introduced medium and small size backpacks to shoulder, which must be checked, as any other bag, with metal detectors, opened and visually inspected by the Urbe Security Institute, responsible for the entrance inspection
• Please notice that the Colosseum Administration, which depends on the Ministry of Cultural Assets and Activities has the faculty to close the Colosseum, or parts of it, with or without notice, for events, strikes, heavy rain, or any other reason. In which case, we will offer an alternative itinerary as it seems fit and offer a partial refund
• A dress code is required to enter places of worship and the Vatican Museums. No shorts or sleeveless tops allowed. Knees and shoulders must be covered for both men and women. You may risk refused entry if you fail to comply with these dress requirements
• Note: tour will not operate on religious holidays
• Transportation to the Catacombs will be lead by a professional driver (not a guide)
• The catacomb temperature is about 60°F and the moisture content is high; please dress appropriately
• No one can visit the catacombs on their own, nor stray from their group along the route, nor cross the gates that delimit the paths open to the public
• It is forbidden to touch the exhibits along the visit path
• It is forbidden to remove any object and/or material
• No photos allowed inside the Catacombs
• Food and drink are not allowed
• No change on a booking can be accepted after 24hrs to the starting time of the tour. In that instance, no refund will be issued.
• For the safety of all guests, the tour operator reserves the right to refuse service to passengers who are intoxicated or show signs of intoxication. If, as a result, your tour is canceled, you will not be entitled to a refund.
• Pets are not allowed
• Children must be accompanied by an adult
• To visit the Catacombs is required to wear a mask
• All the refund requests must be done within and not later than 48 hours from the day of the tour
• You will be asked to also provide your name, last name and date of birth (at the beginning of the tour, if not provided beforehand.)
• Each traveler must present a valid passport or ID document that matches the name provided at the time of booking for successful entry to the Colosseum and Roman Forum.
• We kindly inform you that any kind of disability (visual impairment, hearing impairment,... ) or anything that might prevent you to regularly join the tour, MUST BE communicate in advance to our staff.
• This tour/activity will have a maximum of 25 travelers
• Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability

1: Via delle Terme di Tito, 72, 00184 Roma RM, Italy
2: Via dei Gracchi, 17, 00192 Roma RM, Italy

Returns to original departure point

You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.

2 days