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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DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
Oct 13 - Oct 21, 2024
Starting at
3,449DATES
& starting prices
PRICES
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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
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
What You'll Learn
- 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 trip experts
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.
Rachel Potts
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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.
Giulietta Seme
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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.
Alessio Rosoldi
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Alessio Rosoldi is a native of Rome and a true lifelong learner. He graduated from the Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" with a degree in foreign languages and literature and an MA in intercultural communication. Alessio went on to work for the World Food Program, a United Nations entity based out of Rome. Recently, he earned a second MA, this time in Italian studies from the University of Washington.
Daniela Sarghini
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Daniela is a licensed travel leader for the city and province of Rome. She studied and worked in other countries in Europe, in China and Morocco. Daniela defines travel as learning about and appreciating different cultures. With a young family, her most recent adventures have been traveling in time, rediscovering ancient sites and historic curiosities in sites off the beaten path in Rome, the city she considers the most beautiful in the world.
Shara Wasserman
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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.
Marco A. Ceccarani
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Marco Ceccarani, a native of Assisi, holds a PhD in humanities from the Università degli Studi di Perugia. His field of expertise includes medieval and Renaissance Italian civilization and literature. He has taught for several American universities in the United States and currently teaches in Florence for American university study away programs.
Simon Martin
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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.
Andrew Kranis
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Andrew Kranis, a Columbia M.Arch graduate and LEED-accredited professional, boasts a decade-long journey leading, teaching, and immersing himself, students, and clients in Rome's rich architectural culture. As an adept designer, he leads diverse teams in commercial and residential projects, serving clients like Whole Foods. With expertise spanning urban analysis, conceptual design, construction management, and long-term preservation, Andrew offers a global perspective influenced by transnational experiences.
Loredana Ottomano
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Loredana Ottomano was born in Puglia but has resided in Rome since 1983 due to her studies, earning a translation degree in English and French. She has worked in the field for several years with a passion for translation, particularly of Shakespeare. Additionally, Loredana's love for art inspired her to pursue studies again, leading to her qualification as a licensed Rome travel leader after four years of dedicated learning. She adores her profession and has been happily married for over 35 years, raising two children.
Suggested Reading List
(16 books)
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.
Roaming Rome: The City of the Seven Hills
Program Number: 22620
The Smiles of Rome, A Literary Companion for Readers and Travelers
A wonderfully inspired anthology featuring excerpts from 29 writers and artists interspersed with practical suggestions for travelers.
Four Seasons in Rome
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.
Rome: The Biography of a City
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."
Michelangelo and the Pope's Ceiling
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.
Blue Guide Rome
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.
Rome, A Cultural History
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 Colosseum
This engaging overview of the history of the Colosseum deconstructs Hollywood-perpetrated misconceptions of gladiator-eating lions, Nero fiddling and other myths.
Rome Map
A handy map at a scale of 1:11,000, with a more detailed overview of the city center.
The Italian Renaissance
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.
La Bella Figura, A Field Guide to the Italian Mind
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.
St. Peter's
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.
As The Romans Do
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."
The Seven Hills of Rome, A Geological Tour of the Eternal City
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.
Roman Art and Architecture
Sir Mortimer Wheeler describes Roman art, architecture and town planning in this abundantly illustrated book in the World of Art series.
The Oxford Illustrated History of the Roman World
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.
Ancient Rome: Art, Architecture, and History
This lively, illustrated survey of Ancient Rome's monuments, history and art is a terrific introduction.