From Bernini's Boat to the Templar's Ship

What to Expect

Noise and coolness of the Trevi and Barcaccia fountains
The walk will start at the Spanish Steps, where you will admire the white travertine staircase with wave-like steps smoothly flowing down to the 'Barcaccia' fountain in the shape of an elegant white boat. Along the way, we will visit the ancient cafe 'Il Greco', where many representatives of the European and Russian creative bohemia spent their time. You will see the sculptural composition of the beautiful 'Trevi' fountain - a hymn to water and the aqueducts of Rome, near which you can feel like participants in a water feeric festival under the open sky.

Piazza Navona and the Pantheon
Near the temple, I will tell you the history and legends associated with this mysterious object and its surroundings. For centuries, architects and scientists have been trying to unravel the secret of this abode of the gods, its stunning dome with the 'eye of God', but have not succeeded. The Pantheon houses the sarcophagus with the remains of the great Raphael Sanzio, who was canonized. Piazza Navona will greet you with the 'Four Rivers' fountain. We will talk about the legend of Saint Agnes, where the dramatic clash between ancient debauchery and the recently emerging - and therefore particularly fanatical - Christian chastity was fully reflected. In the long and diverse history of the square, you will discover a reflection of the interests and inclinations of the Romans, who always wanted 'bread and circuses'.

Piazza Venezia - a magical entrance to the ancient world
You will stroll through the square named after the Venetian Palace, in the inner courtyard of which you will discover the charming 'Venice with the Sea' fountain. You will learn why this square is called the magical entrance to the ancient world. Near the square, I will show you the huge white marble Palace in the Empire style - the Vittoriano or the Altar of the Fatherland - and tell you about the excavations conducted here, thanks to which new data on the stages of its construction were obtained.

History of the Capitoline Hill and the Theatre of Marcellus
From the Capitoline Square - a creation of Michelangelo - we will climb the Cordonata staircase, and you will see the Palace of the Senators, which now houses the Rome City Hall. Along the way, you will learn interesting facts from the rich and rich history of the Capitoline Hill, which could have inspired more than one novel. Near the Theatre of Marcellus, I will tell you about this grand structure, erected before the Colosseum, and about the place the theatre occupied in the life of the Romans.

'Mouth of Truth', ancient temples, and the circus admired by Pliny the Elder
In the portico of the church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, you will see the famous marble circle with the image of the mask of the sea pagan deity with slightly open mouths - the 'Mouth of Truth' and hear the legend associated with this ancient hatch. Nearby, you will see another beautiful square. At the fountain with Tritons, two miniature ancient temples peacefully coexist: the Temple of Fortuna Virilis, dedicated to the river god Portunus, and the Temple of Hercules Victor. On the way to the Aventine Hill, you will see the valley where the Great Circus was located, which to this day remains one of the liveliest ancient Roman attractions. During the tour, I will tell you about the interesting events that took place in this place in ancient times.

Legend of the Most Beautiful Roman Hill
On the most picturesque of the seven Roman hills - the Aventine - you will see its most interesting ancient churches and the beautiful Orange Garden, from the observation deck of which one of the best panoramas of Rome opens up. Here grow wild oranges, pine trees, and oleanders. Here students relax, weddings are held, and city residents come for a walk. Nearby is a male monastery, so do not be surprised if a monk in a hood and with a smartphone runs past you. And at the Square of the Knights of Malta, you will be able to look into a keyhole, through which you will see three states at once: Italy, the Vatican, and the Order of Malta. In the square, we will talk about the legend of a secret admirer of the order, about obelisks with mysterious signs that generations of historians have been trying to decipher, and about the symbolism of the hill, conceived as a huge ship.

Main Route Objects

• Piazza di Spagna, Spanish Steps, Barcaccia Fountain, Trevi Fountain
• Pantheon - the temple of all gods
• Piazza Navona and its three fountains
• Via del Corso
• Piazza Venezia
• Capitoline Hill, Theatre of Marcellus
• Ara Coeli (7th century BC)
• Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin ('Mouth of Truth')
• Unusual temples of the Forum Boarium
• Great Circus
• 'Holy Hole' on the Square of the Knights of Malta