Best of Rome in 7 Days Tour

Day 1: Welcome to Rome

Let's get together at our hotel for a meeting at 3 p.m. this afternoon. After an orientation walk through our neighborhood, we'll enjoy an "Am-I-really-here?" la dolce vita stroll through the heart of Rome, soaking up the city's evening ambiance at the classy Piazza Navona, the remarkably-preserved, 2,000-year-old Pantheon and the magical Trevi Fountain. Our day will end with a chance to get acquainted during a "Welcome to Rome" dinner together. Walking: moderate.

Day 2: Ancient Rome

After breakfast we'll get oriented to Rome's efficient metro system, then hop aboard to ride back in time to Ancient Rome. We'll arrive at multi-layered San Clemente — a 12th-century church sitting atop a 4th-century basilica and a previous Roman temple. Then we'll tour and hear vivid tales of the larger-than-life Colosseum and Ancient Rome's birthplace: the Forum. You'll have the rest of the day free to wander through the nearby Palatine ruins, St. Peter-in-Chains Church (home to Michelangelo's magnificent Moses), the Mamertine Prison — or climb to the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument to enjoy a panoramic city view (don't forget to savor a foamy cappuccino in between). Walking: strenuous.

Day 3: Vatican Rome

We'll spend much of today on the Vatican side of the Tiber River. At the sprawling Vatican Museum we'll tour their seemingly endless collection of treasures as we make our way to the single work of art that dwarfs them all: Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel. We'll then have an orientation to the awe-inspiring St. Peter's Basilica, home to Michelangelo's moving Pietà. You'll have generous free time to explore this immense church, climb the dome if you're feeling energetic, and then enjoy lunch on your own, perhaps along a nearby market street. Later this afternoon we'll rendezvous and compare sightseeing notes over dinner together. Walking: strenuous.

Day 4: Neighborhood Rome

This morning we'll take a more intimate look at Rome, with a Vespa-dodging walking tour through the city's proud and colorful Trastevere neighborhood. Our tour will continue across the river, where we'll learn about the rich, yet often-overlooked, history of Rome's Jewish Ghetto. Then we'll be treated to an enthusiastic cooking demonstration — creating today's tasty, Sicilian-style lunch. You'll have the rest of the day free to make your own neighborhood discoveries. Walking: moderate.

Day 5: Day Trip to Ostia Antica

Today we'll venture outside the city, touring the ruins of Rome's first colony, Ostia Antica, the ancient seaport which connected Rome to its ever-expanding Mediterranean empire. Unlike Rome's politically-oriented Forum, our walk through Ostia gives us a chance to envision the daily lives of merchants and craftsmen, and appreciate beautifully preserved mosaics. We'll head back to Rome along the ancient "Queen of Roads," the Appian Way. On the way we'll stop to tour the eerie Catacombs of San Callisto, the official burial site of early popes, bishops, and Christian martyrs. Arriving back in our Rome neighborhood, you'll be free for dinner on your own. Bus: 3 hrs. Walking: moderate.

Day 6: Rome's Baroque Treasures

We'll begin with a guided tour of sheer beauty in the Borghese Gallery. Bernini's most graceful and lifelike sculptures reside here — his athletic David and delicate Apollo and Daphne — as well as masterpieces by Canova, Caravaggio, Titian and Raphael. Your afternoon is free to relax in the surrounding park, ramble through more of Rome, or do some last-minute shopping. Tonight we'll have one last dinner together to share travel memories and toast new friends. Salute! Walking: moderate.

Day 7: Tour Over After Breakfast

This morning we'll say our final farewells and head for home — or further adventures in Italia. Arrivederci, Roma!