Have you ever marveled at a mosaic in a church and wondered “how do they do it?”
Prepare to find out! After our tour of Saint Peter‘s, we will tour the school where they created the mosaics on display in the basilica. This school opened in the 18th century and still makes the most important and beautiful mosaics adoring churches, convents, villas and private collections all over the world.
The mosaic artists use a secret technique invented by Venetian artists in the 17th century. We’ll visit their school and see the mosaic masters in progress – and even learn their trade secrets!
Bathing played a major part in ancient Roman culture and society. Bathing was one of the most common daily activities in Roman culture, and was practiced across a wide variety of social classes. Though many contemporary cultures see bathing as a very private activity conducted in the home, bathing in Rome was a communal activity.
Once the largest ancient baths complex in the world, the Baths of Diocletian – or Terme di Diocleziano – were built between 298AD and 306AD in honour of the Roman Emperor Diocletian.
Set out along the traditional model of a Roman baths complex, the Baths of Diocletian contained a frigidarium (cold room), tepidarium (warm room) and caldarium (hot room or steam room) as well as additional large bathing chambers, gymnasiums and even a library. The baths themselves were a hugely impressive building project, particularly given how swiftly they were constructed. The majority of the water for the baths was supplied by the Acqua Marcia.
The key difference with other contemporary baths was simply a question of scale – it is believed that at their height the Baths of Diocletian could hold up to 3,000 people at a time.
After 30 years of restoration the Baths opened to the public in 2008 and became part of the National Museum of Rome. At present we will be able to visit some remaining parts of the remarkable structure. It will be even possible to walk through a cloister garden projected by Michelangelo where nearly 400 works of art, including statues, sarcophagi and reliefs, are on display.
EXTERNAL VIEW
VIEW OF THE CLOISTER
CLOISTER
Look at this video with a gorgeous rendering about the old Bath:
This magical site will bring you back in time to wander its Roman streets, watch a play in a Roman theatre, visit one of its many Roman baths complexes.
Ostia was the commercial port of Ancient Rome. It would have been a busy port town, exotic and lively, brimming with people from all over the Roman empire: Greeks, Egyptians, Nubians, Jews, Syrians and Gauls. In the first century AD, Ostia's main function was to receive grain from Egypt and Sicily and to ship it on to Rome and its one million inhabitants. This grain was stored in Ostia's many warehouses and sometimes made into bread before being transported by barge along the winding Tiber to the capital city, fourteen miles away. In addition to the usual residents of a first century Roman town there would have been sailors, stevedores, ship-owners, storehouse managers, customs officers, rope-makers, sail-makers, and plenty of unsavoury types.
THE THEATRE
ANCIENT RESTAURANT AND BAR
A STREET in ANCIENT OSTIA
MOSAIC
Today, Ostia is no longer bustling and dangerous, but quiet and peaceful. Over the past two thousand years the mouth of the Tiber has silted up, pushing the coastline away from Ostia. The site is landlocked and long deserted. Wandering around its ruins, you will find the remains of baths, temples, houses, shops, taverns, latrines and even a theatre. You can see traces of frescoes on the walls, half standing columns, marble thresholds and millstones from bakeries. One of the most distinctive features of Ostia are its black-and-white mosaics. They are everywhere...
Hadrian's Villa tour will allow us to discover the grand 2nd-century AD Hadrian's villa , located 4 miles south of Tivoli, was an emperor’s paradise, an exclusive retreat below the ancient settlement of Tibur where the marvels of the classical world were reproduced for a ruler’s pleasure.
Hadrian, who succeeded Trajan as emperor in AD 117, was a man of genius and intellectual curiosity who was fascinated by the accomplishments of the Hellenistic world. From AD 125 to 134, architects, laborers, and artists worked on the villa, periodically spurred on by the emperor himself when he returned from another voyage full of ideas for even more daring constructions (he also gets credit for Rome’s Pantheon).
After his death, the fortunes of his villa declined. It was sacked by barbarians and Romans alike; many of his statues and decorations ended up in the Musei Vaticani, but what is left of expansive ruins are nonetheless compelling.
It’s not the singular classical elements that make the villa special, rather the peace and harmony of the design that leaves a lasting mark. The vast estate is a fascinating succession of baths, theaters, temples, libraries, guest pavilions, nymphaeums, and open-air gymnasiums. Oleanders, pines, and cypresses growing among the ruins heighten the visual impact.
The most famous “sight” in the Villa is the Canopus, an artificial valley with a long pool modeled after an Egyptian canal on the Nile, surrounded by colonnades and sculptures. Hadrian did not live long enough to enjoy his creation. He fell ill and retired to Baia near Naples, where he died in AD 138.
Transportation private minivan 1 hour away from Rome
Tour length: 2/3 hours
VILLA ADRIANA Maritme Theatre
VILLA ADRIANA Baths
Hadrian’s villa Canopus
Suggestions: Confortable shoes, a hat, sun cream in Summer. It can get very hot in Summer, it is better to visit Hadrian’s villa early or in the afternoon.
Photo reference: Paliano, Jastrow, Szilas et al., Wikimedia Commons and Jean-Pierre Dalbéra via flickr
Lying more than 50 feet below the present-day town of Ercolano, the ruins of Herculaneum are set among the acres of greenhouses that make this area one of Europe’s principal flower-growing centers.
In AD 79 the gigantic eruption of Vesuvius, which also destroyed Pompeii, buried the town under a tide of volcanic mud. The semiliquid mass seeped into the crevices and niches of every building, covering household objects, enveloping textiles and wood — and sealing all in a compact, airtight tomb.
Excavation began in 1738 under King Charles of Bourbon, using the technique of underground tunnels. Digging was interrupted but recommenced in 1828, continuing into the following century. Today less than half of Herculaneum has been excavated. With contemporary Ercolano and the unlovely Resina Quarter sitting on top of the site, progress is limited.
We will start our discovery from the ancient shoreline, overviewing the whole city, including part of the beach. We will continue along the old streets visiting the beautiful preserved houses with their inner frescos and furniture as well as the Baths, restaurants and laundries.
