Rome Illuminated Tours

Your group is unique and your tour should be, too.

Our local knowledge and love of hospitality help us give travelers the best experience of Rome.

We've taken our most popular destinations and meticulously planned to get you to the right places at the right time for a beautiful and memorable visit. We buy and reserve VIP entry tickets ahead of time whenever needed so that you never have to wait with the crowd.

Here are the most popular spots in the city, not to be missed for first-time visitors who want to get the most out of their trip. Because no two travelers are the same, so we've prepared each tour itinerary to be a little bit flexible and you can can easily adjust the duration and content of each tour. Have a look at the list and tell us what suits you best!

Our private tours start at €295 per party (not per person) for parties of 6 people or under. Any required entrance tickets are additional.

contact us here or email us directly at tours@romeilluminated.com

THE BEST OF ROME

If you want to focus on Rome's most famous sites, this tour is for you! Visit Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, the Colosseum at the Ancient Rome archaeological park, and the Pantheon and Piazza Navona in the enchanting heart of the city. You can also customize this tour to explore other parts of Rome if you have been here before. Add in some exciting places off the beaten track such as an underground excavation site like San Clemente, a Renaissance mansion like Villa Farnesina, or take a peek at a world-class art collection like the Galleria Borghese.

This tour is designed to give you the most complete view of Rome possible in just a half day.

This tour lasts about 5 hours, but can be planned longer if you wish.

Available every day

ROME AT DUSK

Rome is a three-thousand year old city full of grand monuments, charming alleys, sumptuous piazzas, beautiful architecture, fantastic food and inspiring art. To truly understand why Rome deserves to be called the Eternal City, you have to explore the heart of the city on foot. This walk is designed to showcase the hidden corners of the city and, while we're at it, highlights that are not to be missed like the mysterious ancient temple called the Pantheon and the stunning Baroque square called Piazza Navona. Rome is at its most magical when the lights flicker on in the evening, but this tour's timing can be customized according to your schedule.

We recommend this tour as close as possible to your arrival in Rome since it is an excellent way to get to know the city.

This tour usually lasts 3 hours and no entry tickets are required.

Available every day

Borghese Gallery extension: Start your evening stroll with an unforgettable visit to Rome’s most beautiful art collection. Jaw dropping works by Bernini and Caravaggio make this gallery famous, and the incredible setting make it truly memorable. Our Borghese Gallery extension adds between one and two hours to this tour, so tell us how long you'd like it to last and we'll design it to fit perfectly into your itinerary. (Mondays not available)

Colosseum extension: Start your evening with Rome’s most iconic attraction. A visit to the Colosseum is the perfect way to get in the mood for exploring the breathtaking city center. Our Colosseum extension adds an hour and a half to this popular walking tour. 

Food and Wine extension: Stop for culinary tastings at some of Rome’s best local eateries in the historic center or the bustling Trastevere neighborhood. Our Food and Wine extension usually adds half an hour or one hour to this walking tour. Set your tasting budget and interests with us and well plan an amazing experience.

IMPERIAL ROME

Ancient Rome has shaped our modern world more than any other civilization in history. The most important relics of the ancient empire still stand in the middle of the Eternal City! The Roman Forum was the bustling center of the ancient capital, where Julius Caesar and Cicero enthralled the crowds. Nearby, the Colosseum still stands as a monument to the spirit of the great empire, and a literal stone's throw away we can also visit the evocative ruins of the imperial palace on the Palatine Hill. This tour also gives you the rare chance to visit an underground excavation site so you can literally walk through the many layers of history that make Rome unique, and to see the gems of a stunning art collection overlooking the Roman Forum so you can witness the images and decor from Ancient Rome's palaces and town squares.

The very best way to get a global view of Ancient Rome!

This tour usually lasts 5 hours, but if you're in a hurry let us know and we'll plan an express-itinerary to suit your needs.

Available every day

SPLENDOR OF THE VATICAN

For centuries the Vatican has gathered the artistic gems of our civilization. Encounter the spirit of the Renaissance and learn how this spectacular place came to fruition at the spiritual heart of Italy. This tour includes viewing Michelangelo's beautiful paintings in the Sistine Chapel and a memorable visit to the astonishing Basilica of Saint Peter. We will visit the pope's fortress and the old papal palaces where, among the endless halls and courtyards, you'll find incredible pieces from Roman and Greek antiquity as well as works by Renaissance masters like Raphael. We arrange this tour at the quietest times of day so you can enjoy this special place at its very best: after lunch or with special access in the early morning, before general admission begins.

Our years of planning Vatican visits have refined this tour to perfection!

This tour lasts about 5 hours but if you're in a hurry let us know and we'll plan an express-itinerary to suit your needs.

Available any day but Sunday (early morning entrance not available Wednesday)

CUSTOMIZED CULINARY WALKS

Discover Rome's unique flavors during a beautiful walk through Rome's most traditional neighborhoods. Italy has one of the most storied food cultures in the world and Rome's local products provide bold, unique, and natural flavors. We recommend two times of day for this tour, either starting in the late-morning tour to include the outdoor market or in the early evening to take advantage of the wine bar culture. In either case we sample street food, visit gourmet shops, family-run restaurants, outstanding gelaterie, and enough tasty stops that this tour will easily replace your lunch or dinner.

This way you're sure to sample all the best flavors in Rome!

These tours usually last about 3.5 hours.

Available every day.

A DAY IN ROME

Just one day in Rome and really want to make the most of it? Rome may not have been built in a day but, with our local knowledge, you can conquer it. Choosing your key sites and spend the rest of the day hopping between art galleries and museums, charming neighborhoods, fantastic eateries, beguiling shopping streets, and ancient archaeological sites. Cherry pick your favorite locations from our personalized tours page. If you like we can help you decide on a great place for breakfast and pick you up there and after your tour we can drop you off to end your day with a classic aperitivo, that delicious Italian tradition of drinks and food before dinner.

Just tell us what you imagine as the perfect day... we'll take care of the rest.

This tour lasts about 9 hours but can be abbreviated or enhanced to suit your interests.

Available every day

CATACOMBS, APPIAN WAY, AND TIVOLI FULL-DAY EXCURSION

Tivoli is a gem among Italy's famous hilltop towns. Its fresh breezes and prime location just outside of Rome have made Tivoli a favorite summer escape for the city's elite for more than 2,000 years. Here you can visit two famous villas: Villa d'Este: the spectacular garden and mansion of a Renaissance cardinal, and Villa Adriana: the ancient summer palace built by the emperor Hadrian. I also recommend lunch at one of the town's charming restaurants. On the way out, we can stop to visit the catacombs excavated by the early Christians along the Appian Way.

The perfect getaway to the Roman countryside.

This excursion lasts 6 or 9 hours depending on details covered and lunch option. 

Available any day but Monday

contact us here about your trip or you can email us directly at tours@romeilluminated.com