TOURS FOR FLORENCE, ROME, POMPEII, CAPRI, NAPLES AND AMALFI COAST

The Trevi Fountain

Map with the tour route

The Pantheon

Piazza Navona

You'll meet our professional English-speaking guide in the prearranged meeting-point, which can be changed according to guests requirements.

This magnificent tour of Rome will begin with the visit of the Trevi Fountain, most sumptuous fountain.
It was Agrippa who brought the Virgin Water to Rome in the 1st century B.C., by way of an aqueduct. The fountain was built by Nicola Salvi (1735) under Pope Clement XII, and was decorated by several followers of Bernini. It is said that the soldiers of Agrippa were in the countryside, looking for water near the via Collatina, when they came upon a maiden who showed them the source of this pure water; it was from then on called the Acqua Vergine (Virgin Water). The bas-relief on the right side on the façade represents this event, the relief on the left shows Agrippa explaining the plan for the aqueduct to Augustus. At the centre, the statue f the Ocean God stands on a shell-shaped chariot pulled by winged horses. In 1991 important restorations work was done which returned the fountain to its original splendour.

Next stop is Rome's glory, the Pantheon. The portico has 16 monolithic granite columns. In the tympanum there was once a bronze relief which depicted the Battle of the Gods and the Giants. The ceiling of the portico was covered in bronze, but the precious material, was taken down by Pope Urban VIII (1623-1644), and used by Bernini for the canopy in St. Peter's and other works. In the niches were once statues of Augustus and Agrippa. The bronze doors are original.

The interior measures 43,4 meters in width and height. Light and air enters through the opening at the top, through which the sky seems to descend to the temple and in turn prayers freely rise to the heavens. The Pantheon's simple regularity, the beauty of its elements, and its splendid materials combine to give the interior a sublime solemnity.

The cupola is in reality a cap whose thickness diminishes as it rises. Around the perimeter are seven niches. In the niche opposite the entrance was once a statue to Mars Ultor, who had punished the murders of Caesar; in the others, statues of Mars and Romulus, Aenas, Julius Ascanius and of Julius Caesar; other gods and heroes were in the intermediate spaces. The splendid giallo antico marble columns testify to the temple's original magnificence.

At the end of the tour we'll go to reach Piazza Navona, also called Circus Agonale. The piazza is decorated by three marvellous fountains:

The Fountain of the Four Rivers by Bernini, which was designed as a base for Egyptian obelisk. On the rocks seat 4 figures that represent the Nile, Danube, Rio de la Plata and the Ganges.

The Fountain of the Moor which is located on the south side of the square, was designed between 1571 and 1576 by Giacomo della Porta. Later his masks and Triton statues were moved to the Villa Borghese at the Giardino del Lago. The statues that you can find on the fountain are copies from the 19th century. In the 17th century, Bernini added the statue of the Moor, from which the fountain takes its name.

At the north end of the square you can see the Fountain of the Coppersmiths. The fountain takes its name because of the many workshops in the area. This fountain was also completed only in the 19th century after losing some of its sculptural decoration and original statues.

Take water, camera & sun cream; wear comfortable shoes. In low season warmer clothing may be required!

THIS TOUR WILL OPERATE RAIN OR SHINE, SO BE PREPARED FOR ALL WEATHER CONDITIONS.