Travel to Rome, Italy

Rome’s rich millennial history and culture, all for you

The Eternal City has beckoned visitors for millennia, from pharaohs and queens to pilgrims, merchants, diplomats, Grand Tourists, and modern-day travelers. It is a city filled with wonder at every turn and Giulia’s beloved home town. Let her guide you through it, from famous sites to hidden gems, and lose yourself in its fascinating history and vibrant present.

• Stay in comfort at the centrally-located, rave-reviewed Hotel Damaso in the heart of Rome’s famed centro storico.

• Indulge in delicious food at carefully selected modest trattorie and upscale ristoranti. And get tips on where to find the best gelato and caffé. Learn what it means to be a real buona forchetta, a “good fork,” Roman style!

• Soak up world-renowned sites such as the Vatican Museums, Galleria Borghese, Pantheon, and iconic piazze, or squares, like Piazza Navona, Piazza del Popolo, and bustlingCampo de’ Fiori, as well as less-known jewels like the charmingly romantic Non-Catholic Cemetery. Enjoy seeing these and other marvels come alive thanks to Giulia’s great knowledge of and passion for the history of the Eternal City.

More on “Patrons, Artists, and Private Palazzi”

For one indulgent week, we will feast on the art, architecture, food, and dolce vita (sweet life) of my enchanting native city and beyond. We’ll begin our exploration by considering the impact Rome’s imperial past had on the papal power brokers of central Italy from the fifteenth through the seventeenth centuries. As we discover palaces and squares, churches and monuments, we’ll see how Rome’s Renaissance and Baroque rulers harkened back to the glory of the ancient Roman empire to consolidate their dominion over one another, the city, the region, and all of Europe.

We’ll learn about the famous – and infamous – papal families of Rome as we take in ceiling frescoes and private collections in opulent, sprawling palazzi in the city proper and in picturesque country towns. We will gain an invaluable understanding of these vibrant periods of art patronage and architectural expansion all while exploring the roles played by artists such as Raphael, Michelangelo, Annibale Carracci, Bernini, and Caravaggio, among countless others, as we stand before their breath-taking works. All this will take place not only in the city’s numerous world-class museums but also in the many churches, private galleries, and elegant suburban villas where the works of art have stood since their creation.

Following the sound advice to “do as the Romans do,” we will punctuate our fascinating art historical explorations with leisurely walks through lively piazze, drinks in cafés on Rome’s most delightful streets, dinners in local osterie, and a leisurely full-day outing to two blissfully under-explored countryside palaces.

Join us for this unmissable experience. I look forward to seeing you at the feast!

- Giulia