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Italy

Roaming Rome: The City of the Seven Hills

Program No. 22620RJ
Become an expert on the Eternal City on an adventure combining local scholarly insight with a flexible schedule and city-center lodging ideal for self-directed discovery.

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
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Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.
DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Filling Fast!
Apr 7 - Apr 15, 2024
Starting at
3,449
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by February 23, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Filling Fast!
Apr 28 - May 6, 2024
Starting at
3,449
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by February 23, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

May 19 - May 27, 2024
Starting at
3,449
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Sep 1 - Sep 9, 2024
Starting at
3,449
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Sep 22 - Sep 30, 2024
Starting at
3,449
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Oct 13 - Oct 21, 2024
Starting at
3,449
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

DATES & starting prices
PRICES
Apr 7 - Apr 15, 2024
Starting at
4,149
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by February 23, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Apr 28 - May 6, 2024
Starting at
4,149
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by February 23, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Filling Fast!
May 19 - May 27, 2024
Starting at
4,149
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Filling Fast!
Sep 1 - Sep 9, 2024
Starting at
4,149
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Sep 22 - Sep 30, 2024
Starting at
4,149
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

Oct 13 - Oct 21, 2024
Starting at
4,149
Itinerary Note

Participants continuing onward to Road Scholar program "Independent Florence: From Medieval to Modern Culture" (22589) will receive a high-speed train ticket to Florence at no extra charge. To take advantage of the hotel transfer and train ticket, please get in touch with Trinity College (cp-italy@trincoll.edu) by August 2, 2024, to make the necessary arrangements.

At a Glance

Become an expert on the icons of Rome and seek out knowledge of its lesser-known treasures on an adventure that combines the insight of local scholars with a flexible schedule and city-center lodging ideal for self-led discovery. Illustrated presentations provide a wide angle on the Eternal City from before Caesar to today, and narrated field trips ensure you experience the essentials, while periods of unscheduled time leave it to you to decide what next to explore.
Activity Level
Let's Go!
Walking up to five miles a day. Extended standing during site visits with limited or no public seating. Uneven terrain, limited public handrails, unavoidable stairs, marble and terracotta flooring, cobblestones, steep inclines, loose gravel, dirt paths. Elevator use is limited or restricted in historic sites. Expect crowded conditions in pedestrian centers and museums. Program-related travel and transfers will be via bus and minivan. The extent of walking and other activities during free time according to personal choice.
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Explore the Colosseum and Roman Forum with a local expert.
  • Learn to make and enjoy a typical Roman dish in a cooking class.
  • Discover the history of Rome's Jewish Quarter with a walk through one of the city's oldest neighborhoods.

General Notes

The program includes independent time to explore Rome and several meals on your own. The Group Leader will provide directions for self-directed excursions. Suggestions for free-time activities are provided in your Final Information Packet.
Featured Expert
All Experts
Profile Image
Rachel Potts
Rachel Potts is a licensed excursion leader in Rome. She graduated from Manchester University with a bachelor's in Philosophy and French, and later studied garden design at the London Gardening School. Having grown up in Rome, she chose to return to Italy and share her knowledge and love of Rome and the surrounding areas.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Rachel Potts
Rachel Potts View biography
Rachel Potts is a licensed excursion leader in Rome. She graduated from Manchester University with a bachelor's in Philosophy and French, and later studied garden design at the London Gardening School. Having grown up in Rome, she chose to return to Italy and share her knowledge and love of Rome and the surrounding areas.
Profile Image of Giulietta Seme
Giulietta Seme View biography
Julieta is a passionate student of history, specializing in the history and culture of her native city of Rome. She studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma with a concentration in painting before earning a degree in classical archaeology and art history from the Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza." Outside of history, Julieta enjoys hiking beautiful nature trails by the seaside or in the mountains of Italy.
Profile Image of Bruna Baravelli
Bruna Baravelli View biography
Bruna Baravelli is from Forlì, on the northeastern coast of Italy. After graduating from Liceo Classico, she got her PhD in English literature at the Università di Bologna. Before retiring, Bruna taught English literature and held administrative positions in the local school district. She has dedicated her time to public service as a member of the Forlì city council and the national council for equal opportunity. She is passionate about the merits of travel and has fostered educational exchanges in Europe and the United States.
Profile Image of Shara Wasserman
Shara Wasserman View biography
Shara Wasserman is a specialist in modern art in Italy. She was awarded her MA in art history from the New York University Institute of Fine Arts, has taught for Cornell University's study away program in Rome and is on the faculty at Temple University's Rome campus. Shara is an independent curator, focusing primarily on organizing exhibitions in public spaces of fellows' residents at the foreign academies in Rome.
Profile Image of Simon Martin
Simon Martin View biography
Simon Martin holds a B.A. in History from Queen Mary and Westfield College (London), an M.A. in Slavonic Studies from the School of Slavonic and East European Studies (London), and a Ph.D. from University College (London). His doctoral thesis, later developed into a book — “Football and Fascism” — on football and Fascism in Mussolini’s Italy (2004) won the British Society for Sport’s History’s Lord Aberdare prize for literary history. His book, “Sport Italia: the Italian Love Affair with Sport” won the same prize in 2012.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
The Colosseum
by Keith Hopkins, Mary Beard
This engaging overview of the history of the Colosseum deconstructs Hollywood-perpetrated misconceptions of gladiator-eating lions, Nero fiddling and other myths.
Four Seasons in Rome
by Anthony Doerr
The author was awarded a fellowship at the American Academy in Rome to research and write. When "All The Light We Cannot See" was published it won a Pulitzer Prize. "Four Seasons in Rome" is a personal memoir of the challenges he and his wife faced day to day in Rome with infant twins.
Ancient Rome: Art, Architecture, and History
by Ada Gabucci (Editor)
This lively, illustrated survey of Ancient Rome's monuments, history and art is a terrific introduction.
The Italian Renaissance
by J. H. Plumb
A well-written history of the Renaissance, its artists and thinkers, with chapters on Florence, Milan, Rome and Venice, Michelangelo, Da Vinci and Women of the Renaissance.
Blue Guide Rome
by Alta MacAdam
The 10th edition of Macadam's ultimate guide to Rome, with full color street maps, dozens of site plans, suggested walks and extensive commentary on the history and significance of every church, monument and district.
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman World
by Jasper Griffin (Editor), Oswyn Murray (Editor), John Boardman (Editor)
Diverse scholars contribute chapters to this authoritative, illuminating overview of history, art, society and life of Roman and the Roman world. With maps, drawings and illustrations throughout.
La Bella Figura, A Field Guide to the Italian Mind
by Beppe Severgnini
From Amazon: You won’t need luggage for this hypothetical and hilarious trip into the hearts and minds of Beppe Severgnini’s fellow Italians. In fact, Beppe would prefer if you left behind the baggage his crafty and elegant countrymen have smuggled into your subconscious. To get to his Italia, you’ll need to forget about your idealized notions of Italy. Although La Bella Figura will take you to legendary cities and scenic regions, your real destinations are the places where Italians are at their best, worst, and most authentic: the highway, the airport, and the small town.
Rome Map
by Berndtson & Berndtson
A handy map at a scale of 1:11,000, with a more detailed overview of the city center.
As The Romans Do
by Alan Epstein
from Amazon: "A celebration of the character and style of one of the world's most spectacular cities! This vibrant insider's view of the most mature city on earth is the perfect companion for anyone who loves anything Italian. In 1995, after a twenty-year love affair with Italy, Alan Epstein fulfilled his dream to live in Rome. In As the Romans Do, he celebrates the spirit of this stylish, dramatic, ancient city that formed the hub of a far-flung empire and introduced the Mediterranean culture to the rest of the world."
Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
by Ross King
Presented with flair and backed by a wealth of research, King's captivating chronicle of Michelangelo's painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel tells the story of its conception and creation.
Roman Art and Architecture
by Sir Mortimer Eric Wheeler
Sir Mortimer Wheeler describes Roman art, architecture and town planning in this abundantly illustrated book in the World of Art series.
St. Peter's
by Keith Miller, Mary Beard (Editor)
Miller traces the evolution of St. Peter's from its original incarnation, built on the orders of Emperor Constantine, to its medieval rebirth and additions by Michelangelo, Bernini, and Maderno in this history, guide and celebration of the great baroque basilica.
Rome, A Cultural History
by Jonathan Boardman
Not a comprehensive history, but a good, easy-to-read introduction to the city and its landmarks that will appeal both to first time visitors and those who know and love the city.
The Seven Hills of Rome, A Geological Tour of the Eternal City
by Grant Heiken
With a timeline, chapters on each of the seven hills, Tiber Floodplain and overview of geology, this accessible guide, written by experts in geology, culture and history of Rome, shows the importance of the geological setting to the history of the city over the millennia.
The Smiles of Rome, A Literary Companion for Readers and Travelers
by Susan Cahill
A wonderfully inspired anthology featuring excerpts from 29 writers and artists interspersed with practical suggestions for travelers.
Rome: The Biography of a City
by Cristopher Hibbert
From Amazon: "This beautifully written, informative study is a portrait, a history and a superb guide book, capturing fully the seductive beauty and the many layered past of the Eternal City. It covers 3,000 years of history from the city's quasi-mythical origins, through the Etruscan kings, the opulent glory of classical Rome, the decadence and decay of the Middle Ages and the beauty and corruption of the Renaissance, to its time at the heart of Mussolini's fascist Italy. Exploring the city's streets and buildings, peopled with popes, gladiators, emperors, noblemen and peasants, this volume details the turbulent and dramatic history of Rome in all its depravity and grandeur."





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