Are you a little weary of the crowds and want to spend a perfect morning discovering some of the lesser known places? We have your back! Join our True Rome Tour to learn how the Romans lived and how the city changed over the centuries, but most of all to discover the essence of Italian dolce vita – a life ruled by good food, aromatic coffee and passionate love for football. And don’t worry – even though we will wander off the city centre, there will be no shortage of wonderful historical sights and stunning views!
We will meet at the monument to Giuseppe Mazzini and start the tour with stories about life in ancient Rome. We will see the Circo Massimo, an ancient stadium for chariot races that could hold 150,000 spectators! We will also have a perfect view of the Palatine Hill, where the houses of the rich ancient Romans stood and where the emperors built their palaces. Then we will jump back to the present and wander to a peaceful, residential area nestled on the Aventine Hill, where wealthy Romans live, to admire the elegance of their villas and gardens. Passing the Rose Garden, home to more than 1100 varieties of roses, we will arrive at a charming park – the Orange Garden – known from the Oscar-winning film “The Great Beauty”, offering a magnificent view of Rome. There is another treasure hidden here, the magic keyhole, through which one can see 3 countries at once! Then the scenery will change as we head to the former working-class district of Testaccio. In ancient times, food (mainly wine and oil) came here via the Tiber in clay amphorae, which were crushed after emptying. This way, in the middle of the flat area, the mountain made of 25 million broken amphorae – Monte Testaccio – was created. Centuries later, houses for the industrial workers of the huge slaughterhouse and nearby factories were built here. Local butchers were often paid with the “quinto quarto”, the fifth quarter of the animal, detested by the rich, which their wives turned into tasty meals. Decades later Testaccio became a hip area, home of the local artists, private theatres, full of cool nightclubs and restaurants. Still, it is an area where you witness the rhythm of life of more traditional, multigenerational Roman families. Come on a football night and you will experience a fanatical devotion of the AS Roma fans who gather at the legendary club. After all, in Italy football is not a sport, it is a religion. Our walk will finish just in time for an excellent lunch in the incredibly colourful food market, right in the heart of Testaccio. The very place where Romans come to eat honest, local food!
So join us on a tour off the beaten track, through both quiet and trendy neighbourhoods, to discover the Roman way of life, driven equally by love of elegance, simple yet delicious food, excellent wine and, of course, football!
During this 2,5 hour tour you will see and discover:
- Monument of Giuseppe Manzini
- Circo Massimo and the view of Palatine Hill
- Aventine Hill
- Orange Garden and the famous Keyhole
- Basilica di Santa Sabina
- Testaccio district with Piazza di Testaccio
- Testaccio Market
