EXCURSIONES EN TIERRA

Walk through Lungotevere, one of the oldest sections of Rome, and sample a multitude of classic Italian treats. Your culinary immersion will begin at Campo de Fiori, where you will meander a bustling outdoor marketplace with stalls full of colorful produce, aromatic spices and classic Italian condiments. Crudites will be offered, allowing you to see just how tasty raw vegetables can be, especially when dipped in seasoned fresh-pressed olive oil. You will then walk to a bakery for a pizza tasting, on to a chocolate shop to sample confections and then to Sant’ Eustachio, a coffee shop that makes its espresso with water from an ancient aqueduct. The proprietors will explain how they ensure the freshest ingredients and highest quality. A refreshing dessert follows at Giolitti, which may be Rome’s oldest, if not finest, gelato shop. You will then enjoy free time around Navona Square, a wonderfully atmospheric area built over a stadium from the 1st century.

HIGHLIGHTS:
• Taste an array of classic Italian treats in one of the Rome’s oldest sections.
• Expect to sample crudites, pizza, chocolate confections, coffee and gelato.
• Spend free time exploring atmospheric Navona Square.

Capture the moment by taking the perfect selfie photo in Rome! Instantly share your experience with family & friends on your favorite social media site as many of the stops will include wi-fi in real time. Professional photographers & selfie experts will teach you how to take the best selfie photo including composition, posing, lighting etc. Capture the spirit of this incredible destination.

Your tour will start with a scenic drive from the ship to Rome. Your walking tour will have designated selfie stops at: • Colosseum
• Imperial Forum
• Campidoglio
• Borghese Gardens
• Pinicio Terrace
• Spanish Steps
• Trevi Fountain
• Navona Square
• St. Peter’s Square

To make this experience even more fun you will be provided with a selfie stick to help catch the perfect picture. In addition, you will enjoy some free time at Navona Square and end your picture-perfect day with a gelato near St. Peter’s Square.

Verás la Ciudad Eterna en un paseo de orientación por las estructuras más emblemáticas, como el Coliseo donde peleaban los gladiadores de la antigua Roma. Durante tu breve visita a la Ciudad del Vaticano, podrás admirar la belleza de la Plaza de San Pedro y contemplar algunos de los tesoros de la iglesia más grande del mundo, la Basílica de San Pedro. El Museo del Vaticano alberga obras maestras de distintos siglos. Admira la Capilla Sixtina, coronada con los magníficos frescos de Miguel Ángel. Se incluye el almuerzo.

Enjoy a leisurely walk through the woods with a truffle hunter and a dog specially trained to sniff out the prized subterranean mushrooms. Truffles grow near the roots of trees such as birch oaks and hornbeams and prefer well-drained soils. Expert truffle hunters know where to find them and fiercely guard the locations, as gourmands covet these aromatic, flavorful delicacies, sometimes paying huge sums for the rarer ones. As you follow the truffle hunter and dog through the forest, you will learn about the local species of truffles and their characteristics. Watching the dog in action will be quite the treat, as it has a knack for finding truffles at peak ripeness. The lagotto romagnolo is the traditional truffle-hunting breed in Italy, although many other breeds can be trained to point out a buried truffle. As the perfect end to your truffle-hunting adventure, you will sample a selection of truffle-based specialties.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Watch a specially trained dog find truffles growing underground deep in the woods.
• Gain insight into the world of rare truffles, which are coveted among gourmet chefs.
• Sample classic Italian specialties made even more flavorful with local species of truffles

Discover some of the more unusual attractions in and around Rome, including one of its largest catacombs and Castel Gandolfo, the pope’s glorious summer residence.

After departing from the pier, a meandering drive toward Rome will bring you to the Catacombs of Santa Domitilla, which are believed to be the world’s oldest Christian cemetery. While browsing the sprawling complex of burial chambers, be sure to notice the stunning frescoes, which have been meticulously restored with lasers that removed centuries of grime without damaging the color pigments below.

Continuing on to the lovely village of Genzano, you will enjoy a traditional Italian lunch and wine tasting at the farm Monte Due Torri. Not far away lies the beautiful village of Nemi, which overlooks a smallish volcanic lake of the same name.

This area is known for the wild strawberries that grow in the surrounding woods, and Nemi takes full advantage of their popularity by using berries in all sorts of dishes. During free time, you might try something as classic as strawberry gelato or as unexpected as strawberry risotto. Strawberries and references to them are virtually everywhere.

A stop at Castel Gandolfo, the pope’s summer residence, rounds out this excursion, presenting yet another perspective of the Roman countryside. Construction on the palace began in the 1600s but it wasn’t until somewhat recently that this glimpse into papal life was opened to the public. After exploring on your own, you will have time to shop before returning to the pier.

Meander through the excavated ruins of Ostia, the commercial center and port for ancient Rome, which was completely abandoned after the fall of the empire.

After departing from the pier, you will settle in for a leisurely and picturesque drive that follows the coast to Ostia, Rome’s principal port through antiquity. It was founded at the mouth of the Tiber River in the 7th century B.C. to extract salt from the nearby marshes.

Ostia was later fortified and thrived until the fall of Rome, when the port was abandoned. Fortunately, river silt eventually covered the city, protecting it from the elements and plunderers. The ruins that remain today offer a wonderful glimpse into early Roman life.

As you meander roads such as the main thoroughfare Decumanus Maximus, you can expect to see one of the world’s oldest theaters, which is still used on occasion. Nearby, you will find the Forum Baths, a mosaic of Neptune riding four horses and a collection of large warehouses that stored grain and other items needed to feed the ancient Romans.

Ostia is also full of temples, including one dedicated to Hercules and another patterned after the Pantheon in Rome. You may also see excavated private residences adorned with frescoes, a bakery with millstones scattered about and commercial offices for ship-owners and traders. The port was designed around a grid pattern that became the standard for Roman military cities, and the layout is still visible today.

Admira un exuberante paisaje salpicado de pueblos históricos, granjas y grandes villas. Viajarás al lago Albano, que está situado en el cráter de un volcán extinto y a Castel Gandolfo, que se encuentra en la cima de una colina, un bonito pueblo que bordea el palacio papal, y que ha sido durante siglos la residencia de verano de los papas. Pasea por el pueblo medieval y contempla el exterior del palacio.

Conduce por las ondulantes colinas de la región vitivinícola de Roma y haz una parada en una granja local. Te recibirá un miembro de la familia que te mostrará la propiedad. La señora de la casa hará una demostración de cómo hacer pasta fresca y, si quieres, podrás probarla antes de degustar una comida casera italiana, acompañado por supuesto por un vino artesanal.

Después de comer dirígete al centro de Roma, detente para contemplar el exterior del Coliseo y haz turismo panorámico de otros lugares de interés de la ciudad. Contempla desde fuera el Coliseo, el Foro Romano y otros lugares de interés de la ciudad.

OVERVIEW

See icons that define Rome during several transformative time periods and come away with a deeper understanding of Italy's capital. The Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain beautifully represent the Baroque era. If you toss a coin in the fountain - ensuring a return to Rome according to legend - it will be collected later that day and donated to charity. Standing on the terrace overlooking the Roman Forum will offer a perspective of ancient times as this public space was used for events ranging from religious ceremonies to secular spectacles. Similarly, an outside look at the massive Colosseum will add insight, especially through the guide's enlightening commentary. The amphitheater held as many as 50,000 spectators that come to watch everything from gladiatorial games to public executions. After you behold the Renaissance treasure St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City from the square out front, you will enjoy free time for shopping and independent exploration.

LO MÁS DESTACADO

• Climb the iconic Spanish Steps and drop a coin in the Trevi Fountain if you wish.
• Behold the famed Roman Forum from the terrace overlooking it.
• Enjoy outside visits of the Colosseum and St. Peter’s Basilica as the guide describes them.
• Spend free time shopping or further exploring landmarks that you find most interesting.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

View Lake Bracciano from several vantage points, including the towns of Trevignano Romano and Bracciano. One of the largest, clearest bodies of water in the region, Lake Bracciano is volcanically formed unlike the glacial lakes to the north. A natural reserve of forests and olive groves borders much of the lake making for a serene setting, especially since motorized boats are prohibited. You will enjoy a bit of free time in Trevignano Romano, one of the three main towns along the lakeshore. You might walk the lengthy waterfront promenade, stop in one of the cafés for coffee and a snack or simply spend the entire time gazing out over the turquoise waters. Afterwards, you will drive to the town of Bracciano – home to the landmark medieval castle Orsini-Odescalchi – for a multi-course lunch of classic Italian cuisine at a restaurant right on the lake.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Explore beautiful Lake Bracciano, a brilliant blue volcanically formed body of water.
• Spend free time in Trevignano Romano and perhaps stroll its lakeshore promenade.
• Dine at a restaurant partially built on stilts directly over the shoreline of Lake Bracciano.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Enjoy a farm-to-table lunch at a country estate after an enlightening walk through Tarquinia, an enchanting village within Tuscia, the province more commonly known as Viterbo. As you meander through the winding streets of the village, you will get a great sense of history as this area was once the stronghold of the Etruscans. Known for its ancient necropolis and medieval architecture such as the palazzo that now holds the Etruscan National Museum, hilltop Tarquinia also offers extraordinary views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. The panoramas from the nearby estate Casale Poggio Nebbia will be just as magnificent. It too perches on a hill with sweeping views of the sea. The restaurant at this working farm serves organic dishes prepared according to family recipes handed down from generation to generation. The courses will be thoughtfully paired with local wines, so you will come away with a deeper understanding of the province’s simple, yet wonderfully distinctive cuisine.

HIGHLIGHTS
• Discover the charms of Tuscia, a picturesque province better known as Viterbo.
• Walk through the medieval town of Tarquinia and take in the sweeping views.
• Dine on a farm-to-table meal prepared with organic ingredients grown on the property.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

OVERVIEW

Spend a delightful and wonderfully enlightening day exploring Rome's most representative landmarks, beginning with an introductory drive through the city. As you pass the Egyptian-influenced Pyramid of Cestius, the 3rd-century Baths of Caracalla and the ancient chariot racetrack Circus Maximus, the guide will describe these icons in fascinating detail. You will also behold the famed Colosseum from the exterior and the Pantheon, a 1st century B.C. monument renowned for the oculus at the center of its dome. As a contrast to these ancient sites, you will drop by the Trevi Fountain, an immense baroque-style masterpiece with statues of mythical and allegorical figures. You will see more baroque-era fountains at Navona Square, where leisure time will allow you to shop and dine on your own. The focus will turn to Christianity as you browse the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica, once the largest church in Christendom.

LO MÁS DESTACADO

• Drive past ancient monuments such as the Baths of Caracalla and Circus Maximus.
• Enjoy outside visits of the Colosseum and the Pantheon as the guide describes them.
• Marvel at the ornate Trevi Fountain and drop a coin in its waters, if you wish.
• Spend free time shopping or dining in and around Navona Square.
• Behold the treasures within the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.

HELPFUL HINTS

• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.

Watch extra-virgin olive oil being produced at a mill in Canino and savor its extraordinary flavor when drizzled over local specialties. Along the way, you will pause for photos of two medieval churches near the town of Tuscania – Santa Maria Maggiore and the Basilica of San Pietro. The latter is so atmospheric and architecturally spectacular that it was used as a set for the Academy Award-winning film “Romeo and Juliet.” The nearby town of Canino is known more for its olive oil, which carries a Protected Designation of Origin that guarantees that it is produced, processed and prepared locally using traditional methods. You will gain an understanding of those time-honored steps while touring the Canino oil mill. The extra-virgin variety must be cold-pressed within 12 hours of harvesting, giving it an intense green color, low acidity and a medium fruity taste. As you will see, it perfectly complements the Italian specialties that you will be served.

HIGHLIGHTS
• See the steps involved in producing extra-virgin olive oil at a mill in Canino.
• Enjoy a tasting of the olive oil on locally made specialties that complement its taste.
• Snap photos of two medieval churches in the town of Tuscania.

HELPFUL HINTS
• Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
• Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.