Building a Roman City

Explore the rich history of the Eternal City on this immersive five-day Ancient Rome itinerary.

Rome

5 Days

MAY 12 – 16, 2025

14 Guests

$2800 per person

Tour Overview

Discover Rome’s vast urban sprawl and peel back the layers of its storied past, delving into its foundations of strategy, intelligence, economy, and brute force. You’ll visit iconic sites both within and outside the city, while engaging with contemporary experts who bring Ancient Rome to life. This journey offers a deep dive into the empire’s enduring legacy, blending historical exploration with modern insights. Ideal for history enthusiasts looking to connect with Rome’s timeless allure.

The Roman Forum, featuring ancient stone columns, ruins, and grassy pathways under a clear blue sky.

A faint, monochrome outline of a classical statue depicting a standing figure with one arm raised and a deer by their side on a pedestal.

Day-By-Day Itinerary

May 11

Arrival

Arrival in Rome at your leisure. At 5:30 pm, we’ll meet for a pleasant stroll through the centro storico, Darius’ backyard, for some insights into the city’s earliest urban development. We’ll then dine at Darius’ favorite Roman osteria where he will discuss the itinerary and share some favorite places to eat and shop.

Meals Included: Group dinner

May 12

Campus Martius

We’ll start the day tracing the urban development of the city in Rome’s flood plain, culminating at Tiber island, and examining life along the river.

Afternoon and evening free.

May 13

Forum & Palatine

We’ll explore the Epicenter of Rome, and examine the emergence of Rome, from its beginnings to the fruition of politics and empire.

Meals Included: Group aperitivo

May 14

Hadrian’s Villa & Villa d’Este

We’ll head out of Rome to the extraordinary town of Tivoli to explore imperial urban development and the Renaissance response to Antiquity.

Meals Included: Light lunch
Afternoon and evening free

May 15

Ostia Antica

Ostia Antica is a microcosm of imperial Rome and no city better reflects the urban layout of Rome than here. Darius, who for several years excavated in the archaeological park, shares an intimate look at Rome’s major port city and its man-made harbor, Portus.

Meals Included: Light lunch
Afternoon and evening free

May 16

Palimpsest Rome

Starting at the Markets of Trajan, we’ll explore layers of urban development as we look at private palazzi, key architectural spaces and integral paths from the imperial period through to the Renaissance. With new museums and sites, this will be an opportunity to delve into the newest archaeology of the city. At 7pm, we will meet up for our goodbye dinner.

Afternoon free
Meals Included: Group dinner

Moments Along the Journey

The Pantheon in Rome, showing its large portico with Corinthian columns and a fountain in the foreground.

Two wine bottles, one with a colorful circular pattern and one labeled Ortaccio Rosso 2017, next to two glasses of red wine.

Two people stand before the large, tiered Fountain of Neptune at Villa d’Este.

Five women stand in a row behind a large black-and-white ancient mosaic depicting figures at a Roman port.

A mound of spaghetti coated in a creamy sauce, topped with grated cheese and cracked black pepper in a shallow bowl.

A stone arch bridge crossing a river in Rome at sunset, with a church bell tower in the background.

Fragmented medieval fresco depicting a crowned figure holding the Christ child, with an adult male and a third figure to the right.

Rigatoni pasta with pieces of guanciale and black pepper on a plate labeled La Matriciana.

A man in a brown jacket uses his smartphone to photograph a glass-covered floor map with stone fragments placed on top.

A man in a black t-shirt standing next to a large stone sculpture of a human head in a colonnade.

The entrance to Bar Farnese, with a man sitting at an outdoor table and another standing near the doorway.

The Roman Forum with ancient stone columns in the foreground and the Colosseum in the distance.

A stone caryatid statue overlooking the Canopus pool and Roman ruins at Hadrian’s Villa.

A person holding a smartphone captures a photo of a weathered stone statue of a man with a missing arm.

A person photographs Trajan’s Column at the Roman Forum, with the Church of the Most Holy Name of Mary in the background.

Ancient brick ruins with tall columns at Largo di Torre Argentina in Rome, surrounded by modern city buildings.

The Pantheon in Rome with a person walking a dog in the foreground near the Fontana del Pantheon.

Rigatoni pasta with red sauce and grated cheese in a bowl labeled “da Enzo,” served with a fried artichoke.

Ancient Roman floor mosaic featuring black-and-white depictions of sea creatures and dolphins.

Ancient stone temples in Rome near a road with parked cars and trees.

Travel With Context

Every destination becomes richer when you understand the people who lived there, the events that shaped it, and why it still matters today.

Experience Rome alongside someone who has dedicated his career to studying, teaching, and sharing its history.

Small groups create space for conversation, flexibility, and meaningful engagement throughout the journey.

Discover unexpected connections between archaeology, architecture, food, culture, mythology, and everyday life.

Benefit from decades of living and working in Rome while exploring both world-famous landmarks and lesser-known places that reveal another side of the city.

What's Included

Included:

All meals and beverages, as detailed in the itinerary

All guided touring, admission fees, site transport and activities, as detailed in the itinerary

Expert guides and drivers, including your host and the 24/7 support of Ancient Rome Live’s partners on the ground

Expert travel team to plan all excursion details

Custom trip planning for add-on travel is available; please inquire

Participants can opt to receive educational credit for an added cost of $75 per person

Not Included:

Hotel Accommodations

Meals not specified and premium or alcoholic beverages

Optional activities and expenses

All gratuities

Trip insurance

From Past Travelers

“Darius made archaeology feel immediate and human. The conversations were just as memorable as the places we visited.”

Traveler Name

Location

“Darius has an extraordinary gift for making Rome’s history feel alive. With decades of experience living, working, and studying in the city, he knows its layers like few others. Every story he tells feels like stepping through a portal to Ancient Rome. Exploring the city through his eyes is an unforgettable experience.”

Laura and Jim

Palm Beach, FL

“Darius helped us see connections we never would have noticed on our own. Every place became part of a much larger story.”

Traveler Name

Location

“Darius made archaeology feel immediate and human. The conversations were just as memorable as the places we visited.”

Traveler Name

Location

Frequently Asked Questions

How many participants will there be?

The visits are in the mornings. What is there to do in the afternoon?

Are there any terms I should be aware of?

Continue Exploring

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Ready to Explore History Beyond the Guidebook?

Reserve your place on the next journey, or reach out to Darius directly with any questions about the itinerary, group, or destination.

Travel with Darius

Building a Roman City

Explore the rich history of the Eternal City on this immersive five-day Ancient Rome itinerary.

Tour Overview

Day-By-Day Itinerary

Arrival

Campus Martius

Forum & Palatine

Hadrian’s Villa & Villa d’Este

Ostia Antica

Palimpsest Rome

Moments Along the Journey

Travel With Context

Led by an Archaeologist

Thoughtfully Sized Groups

Stories Beyond the Guidebook

Local Perspective

What's Included

Included:

Not Included:

From Past Travelers

Frequently Asked Questions

Continue Exploring

The Odyssey in Sicily

Hidden Rome

Roman Algeria: Tracing Rome Across the Sahara’s Edge

Ready to Explore History Beyond the Guidebook?

Continue the Journey