Rome & Southern Lazio 9 days – 8 nts

Rome
Arrival at Rome Leonardo Da Vinci Airport and transfer to   hotel. Accommodation   and lunch.
In the afternoon   visit with   local guide of the   Squares of   Rome, starting from Trevi fountain, the monumental celebration of the Virgin Aqueduct, crossing the Galleria Colonna recently restored and opened to the public.Visit then Piazza Colonna, taking its name from the Column in honour of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius. And then Piazza Montecitorio, with the 17th century old tribunal is now the seat of Italian Parliament, Piazza Sant’Ignazio, beautiful rococo square and the Jesuit renaissance church with the illusionist dome by Andrea Pozzo. We’ll enter Pantheon with its huge Ancient Roman dome and the grave of the great Italian artist Raphael, the church of St. Louis of France, with the famous canvases by Caravaggio, the eclectic dome of Saint Ivo alla Sapienza by Borromini. Our tour finish off with Piazza Navona and its famous fountain of the Four Rivers designed by Bernini for the Pope Innocent X Pamphilj. Welcome dinner at a   local restaurant and   back to   hotel for overnight
 
Rome
After breakfast visit   with local   guide of   the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel.
We enter the Pinecone Courtyard, crossing the collection of Greek and roman sculpture, admiring the famous statue of Apollus, the Laocoon and the Belvedere Torso, the statues of animals, the Coffins of St. Helen and St. Constance,  the Galleries of Tapestries and the frescoed Maps of all Italy painted in 1585. The Rooms painted by Raphael and his pupils, ending with the amazing Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.  Afterward the tour will lead you inside the highest temple of Christendom: St. Peter’s Basilica. More than a simple church the Basilica, originally build by Emperor Constantine over the tomb of the very first pope, the apostle Peter, was designed by the best Italian architects. Its building took more than 150 years, and under a certain point of view is still a “work in progress”. The Pietà by Michelangelo, the Jubilee Gate,  Bernini’s main staircase enlightened by eternal lamps leading to the tomb of Saint Peter designed by Carlo Maderno, the tombs of the Popes made by Bernini, Della Porta, Canova and many others, Michelangelo’s amazing dome and more masterpieces will over helm you. Quick view of  Saint Angel Castle outside , and the secret passage (Passetto) connecting with the papal apartment, will give you the complete picture of the headquarter of Roman Catholic Church.
Free time for   lunch
In the afternoon   visit of Santa Maria Maggiore’s Basilica , the last of the fourth Papal Basilicas that was founded in 5th century A.D., after the miracle of the snow in August. After visiting St. Mary Major Basilica, the guide   will lead you to  Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano : the oldest Papal Basilica, once called by Pope John Paul II “the mother of all the churches in the entire Christianity”, was built over the Headquarter of the Imperial Knights called “equites singulares” under the Emperor Constantine. It was the papal seat until the 15th century, when Pope Martin V moved to the Vatican. We’ll visit the Basilica inside with its 1700 century of history, the baroque decoration made by Borromini the beautiful Romanesque cloister, the Baptistery ending with the Holy Staircase, that was rebuilt in front of the basilica in the 4th century AD after being taken by St. Helena in Jerusalem and being found Pilatus’ House entrance on which Jesus himself stood in front of his people before the crucifixion. Back to hotel for dinner and overnight.
 
Rome 
After breakfast visit   with local guide of the archaeological heart of the eternal city will starting from the Amphiteatrum Flavium , better known as the Coliseum, in which thousands of cruel fights between beasts and slaves took place. Inside visit. Then you will admire the majesty of the triumphal Arch of the Emperor Constantine. Nearby this arch, the Roman Forum is a journey into ancient roman history: from the early Seven Kings to the Late Empire every man who ruled Rome left a reminder of himself in Rome main public square. In the end you’ll enjoy the breathtaking view from Capitoline Hill, the main of the seven hills of Rome, where Michelangelo designed in the Renaissance a monumental square built upon the ancient roman ruins. You can admire the view of Rome from the   top of the Vittoriano.
Free time for lunch and afternoon at disposal for personal activities.
Dinner at hotel and   overnight.
 
Rome Ostia & Roman Castles  
After breakfast visit with local guide of the   Ancient Ostia only at   30 kilometres from the   capital.
This is an extraordinary archaeological site as important   as exciting Pompei. The excavations of Ancient Ostia will   show the city harbour, founded by ancient
Romans, at the mouth of the Tiber and which later was hidden by floods and oblivion up to our days. By walking through the ancient roads you will plunge
Into the past everyday’s live of a refined and dynamic   city , where the cult of art and pleasure was sovereign. You will admire the majestic public buildings, like
Temples, theatres, basilicas as well as the private houses, shops and workshops. Particularly attractive are famous mosaics of the   12thermal baths and of the various harbour offices. Lunch   at restaurant close to the Ancient   Ostia.
In the afternoon  visit of the Roman countryside called   Roma Castles. This pleasant trip to discover the surroundings of Rome with the old medieval towns and its volcanic lakes, will give you the opportunity to relax for few hours outside the city traffic. Along the Caracalla Baths and the Appian Way we reach Castelgandolfo , summer residence of the Pope, overlooking one of the deepest volcanic lakes. We continue to Albano former Albalonga where Rome founders came from. Then arrival at   Ariccia and visit of the Palazzo Chigi, an architectural complex redesigned by Bernini in cooperation   with C. Fontana. In the palace   was set almost entirely the movie “the Leopard “   by Luchino Visconti. Dinner in a typical trattoria called Fraschetta   with local products . 
Back to   Rome for   overnight.
 
Rome /Ninfa/ Valvisciolo/ Sermoneta/ Fossanova / Sabaudia
After breakfast departure   with escort   for the southern part of Lazio region. Stop for the   visit of Ninfa  Gardens. The garden has a hexagonal shape, with the presence of numerous plants of all types and from all over the world: Japanese maple, bamboo, fir of Canada that are integrated among the ruins of the city. The oasis includes the garden, the lake and the source of the river Ninfa. It hosts numerous animals and types of birds. The Garden is not open all days. After   the   visit    with local guide , continue to Valvisciolo Abbey(XII sec.) The Abbey is one of the first examples of Gothic-Cistercian abbey in Italy, built in local limestone. From Valvisciolo, after about 6 km, you reach SERMONETA set on a hill at 257 mts high, is one of the best preserved examples of medieval villages of Lazio.
The historic core is surrounded by walls to open doors or five doors, and is dominated by its massive Castello Caetani with the male, 42 meters high, a drawbridge that enters on military housing military secret stables, walking patrol. Also interesting to visit the country in the fifteenth century that houses the town, some house-towers, scenic Belvedere, the Loggia dei Mercanti, the Cathedral or Collegiate dell'Assunta (XIII sec.) Stop   for lunch in a typical   restaurant   with local dishes.
After the visit continue to   Priverno and at a few kilometers from there, lies the Fossanova Abbey first masterful example of Gothic-Cistercian architecture in Italy, consecrated by Innocent III in 1208, with the central nave and two aisles children, and a beautiful rose window. They are part of the complex, the Guesthouse, where he died S. Thomas Aquinas (1274), the cloister, the Refectory, the former convent. The Village also includes the former medieval stables, now house the Medieval Museum.
Continue to Sabaudia and accommodation at hotel.   Dinner and overnight.    
 
Sabaudia/ Ponza/ Sabaudia
After breakfast escorted tour   Ponza Island. You will reach   Anzio and  transferred   by ferry boat to Ponza Island.   After 90 minutes   you will reach the harbour of   Ponza. The economy is mainly based on tourism and fisheries, agricultural production, especially lentils, as well as that of wine, white and fragrant. Along Carlo Pisacane main street, overlooking the harbor, you will reach St. Antonio area, from there   we will take a local coach to reach the   opposite side of the Island   where the small fisherman’s   village Le Forna is located. The view of  the panorama and  Palmarola island   is granted. Lunch at a local restaurant and time  at leisure free for sunbath or snorkelling at a natural swimming pool called  “ Le Piscine”. Another popular beach   is called "Chiaia di Luna, accessible only by sea or through a tunnel to the Roman era. Currently, the beach was a closed by the municipality, because there have been landslides and falling boulders. In ancient times in this beach was located a port Greek, still in their neighborhood is not uncommon to find remains of ancient buildings and fragments of amphora.
Another beach is Frontone easily accessible from the port through extensive liaison guaranteed. Don’t   miss a stroll   among the white streets of the centre full   of shops and boutiques. Back to Anzio   by ferry- boat. Transfer at hotel. Dinner and overnight. 
 
Sabaudia / San Felice Circeo / Terracina /Sperlonga/Sabaudia   
After   breakfast  departure   with escort for the visit of   San Felice   Circeo a city of ancient origins and famous seaside resort, linked to the myth of the wandering of Ulysses who landed here attracted by the sorceress Circe. An arched doorway gives access to the old town, with the Tower of the Templar. The old town is full of narrow streets with shops, bars, boutiques. Continue to Terracina, founded by Volsci, who were here from the VI to the IV century b.C., and from them, the city received the name of Anxur, in the name of their patron god. Visit of  the most important monument, the Temple of Jupiter Anxur, erected in the IV century a. C. ,where an ancient god was venerated. This god was identified later  on by the Romans with Jupiter Child (Anxurus). Standing on top of Mount St. Angel, at 227 meters, overlooking the city, the temple is the only building of 12 arches, which on a front of 60 m. claimed the sacred building, now disappeared. From here there is an exceptional panorama: on the Pontine Iskands  and Circeo. Continue to Sperlonga and stop for lunch   in local restaurant.
Sperlonga is an important archaeological centre. Many searches were conducted in 1955 in the area where the tradition locates the villa of Tiberius. Many fragments of sculptures have been found in some marine caves, including Scilla which attacks the ship of Ulysses and Polyphemus. The Tiberio’s grotto , where the Roman emperor Tiberius loved to spend long time, was full of masterpieces. Back to Sabaudia   for dinner and overnight.
 
Sabaudia / Casamari Abbey/Certosa di Trisulti/ Rome
After   breakfast departure with escort for the visit of the Casamari’s Abbey, located in the territory of Veroli, built in 1035 by four priests, who formed a religious community under the rule of St. Benedict. The Abbey, situated in the valley of the River Amaseno, is almost completely hidden by the thick vegetation at the bottom of the valley, which was reclaimed by the monks themselves. A large portal leads into the courtyard, lined by trees and on a slight incline. At the end of the courtyard a staircase leads to the church and the entrance to the monastery. Visit of the Church with its three naves and rectangular apse, dedicated to the Lady of Assumption and consecrated by Pope Honorius III in 1217, the Cloister (to the right according to Cistercian rules), the Chapter House, the Refectory, the fields and the workshops. Inside there is also a well-stocked Library and a Museum Gallery, which houses archaeological finds and several canvases from the 1500s.
 Free time for   lunch and continue   to Collepardo for the   visit of the Carthusian Monastery of Trisulti. The buildings can be accessed via a door decorated with a low-relief depicting St. Bartholomew, protector of the Carthusians. In the main square of the monastery are the medieval facade of the Palace of Innocence III, which today houses an important Library. The church is dedicated to St. Bartholomew and houses frescoes and paintings by Filippo Balbi.
The tour continues with a visit to the Cloister and the Chapter House but above all the ancient pharmacy, today a museum, to which this place owes much of its fame and still houses glass cabinets and glass bottles used by the monks to preserve the herbs and spices they collected from the surrounding hills and used to extract the essences and aromas still produced in the monastery today. At the end of the visit transfer to   Rome for accommodation at hotel. Farewell dinner at a typical restaurant in
Trastevere area and overnight.
 
Roma
After breakfast departure to Rome   Leonardo Da Vinci Airport for departure.
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