Today we will break into small groups to begin our walk through Roman history, beginning at the Colosseum, where 50,000 spectators came to see gory games between wild animals and gladiators. Our guide will then take us through the famed Roman Forum, a complex of squares with colonnade ruins and temples, which was the core of ancient Rome. From the Forum we will walk up to the Campidoglio, the epicenter of Roman government since the city began.
    After lunch overlooking the city, we will walk to the wonderfully

preserved Pantheon. The massive columns that front the building and its unique proportions make it an architectural masterpiece. From there, we will wander narrow streets to a small piazza dominated by the rushing waters and sculpted marble sea creatures of the famous Trevi Fountain - toss in a coin to assure your return to Rome! Our last stop of the day will be at the impressive Spanish Steps, where the crowd is always lively.We’ll have time for an espresso or gelato before returning to the hotel. Enjoy this evening in Rome on your own.

    Rising early this morning, we will depart for the smallest country in the world - Vatican City - to visit the Vatican Museum and the Sistine Chapel. There we’ll see Michelangelo’s masterpiece ceiling fresco depicting the story of humanity and featuring the classic painting of Creation. Then we will stroll to St. Peter’s Basilica, an imposing structure filled with icons and masterworks that include Michelangelo’s Pietà.