Description - 1st Day: We begin at The Arch of Constantine, one of the most beautiful and mysterious monuments of antiquity, and continues to the Colosseum. Inside, you'll learn how it was built, the way games were carried out, who the gladiators were and so on. Next we're off to the heart of the ancient city, the great Roman Forum, to discover within the temples, the Senate and the basilicas, the customs, rituals and the significance of Roman life and key figures such as Cicero, J. Caesar and Augustus.

Once at Campidoglio we'll take a break and enjoy a good glass of wine in a bar which has one of the city's most beautiful panoramic views. Then we'll proceed to the Palantine Hill, a secret place of endless beauty where aristocratic families of the senate lived for centuries until the emperors built their own immense palaces which even today afford us breathtaking views of Circus Maximus and the Forum. This should take about 4 - 5 hours and finish in time for a hearty lunch in a restaurant suggested by the guide.

After the lunch break we'll begin our stroll through the Renaissance and Baroque era, crossing through the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Saint'Eustachio, Piazza Navona and Campo dei Fiori. We'll also see some jewels of Ancient Rome such as the Pantheon and Hadrian's Temple which were objects of study and provided models for all the great artists of the Renaissance onwards. Anecdotes and legends recounting ways in which artists, popes and the ordinary folk dealt with the great changes of time, will heighten the pleasure you derive from the beauty of all these works of art. The magnificent Piazza Farnese, with one of the most beautiful palaces of the Italian High Renaissance and the fountain basins from the Baths of Caracalla, offers a perfect synthesis of the Ancient and the Modern. An ideal place to end a day of discoveries in the city!

2nd Day: The tour begins at the Vatican Museums with an in depth and dynamic appraisal of its masterpieces. In the " Court of the Pigna " and in the " Belvedere Courtyard " we'll stop to admire the perfection of two of the most famous statues of ancient times - the Laocoon and the Apollo. We'll try to understand why the latter is considered "the highest ideal of art of all the works of antiquity." In the many wings of the Museums we will stop by the works of art that deserve our attention, until will reach the frescoes of the Raphael rooms, a perfect example of how colours, space and ideas can generate a unique and unforgettable emotion.

Then off to the Sistine Chapel where through a detailed account of his life and torments, you'll be given the key to understanding and enjoying the beauty and complexity of Michelangelo's images. After lunch in a good restaurant suggested by the guide, we'll visit Saint Peter's Basilica and Bernini's immense colonnade. While under the dome, we'll recount stories and legends about the popes and artists who gave rise to some of the world's greatest churches.

After a short stroll along the streets of Borgo Pio - the only medieval area of the city - we arrive at Castel Sant'Angelo, an impressive fortress situated on the river where 2000 years of art and history were blended. In fact, this imposing monument, erected in the second century as a mausoleum for the ashes of the Emperor Hadrian , was transformed into a fortified castle in the middle ages. Later, during the Renaissance, it became both a luxurious papal residence and complex war machine. Only from here can you see Rome as it's seen by the angels - don't forget your cameras!

We cap off the day with a good glass of wine in the beautiful piazza of Santa Maria in Trastevere. You can still stroll through Trastevere, the typically Roman and renown bohemian neighbourhood, and experience one of Rome's most beautiful sunsets with the scent of freshly baked bread in the air.