IN THE COMPANY OF ANGELS

Day 1 Fly from London Gatwick to Rome and transfer to Casa per Ferie guesthouse or the 4-star Starhotels Michelangelo for a four-night stay.

Day 2 This morning’s guided walking tour concentrates on Vatican City, and begins with a reserved visit to the collective of Vatican Museums, taking in the Pinecone Fountain, set into a niche in the Vatican wall; the 16^th-century Octagonal Courtyard, designed by Pope Julius ll to display ancient Roman statues; the bronze-gated Candelabra Gallery, with its huge candelabra, marble pillars and Greek and Roman sculptures; the Tapestry and Map Galleries; the Room of the Immaculate Conception, commissioned by Pope Pious lX, its fantastic frescoed walls, by 19^th-century painter Francis Podesti, taking nine years to complete; and the adjacent rooms known as Raphael’s Stanzas, with 16^th-century Renaissance frescoes by Raphael. Continue to the art and atmosphere of the sacred Sistine Chapel, taking its name from Pope Sixtus lV, and gaining its fame from Michelangelo’s breath-taking work; and finally visit the focal point of the Vatican, the Papal Basilica of St. Peter, the holiest of Roman Catholic churches, believed to be the burial site of St. Peter, and a vast and magnificent monument, from Bernini’s majestic colonnaded courtyard to the acres of marble and gilding within, the altars and chapels, the tombs of the popes, and Michelangelo’s affecting Pieta sculpture. Afternoon at leisure. (B)

Day 3 Ancient Rome is the focus of today’s walking tour, commencing in the centre of the city with a reserved visit to the Colosseum, the largest ancient amphitheatre ever constructed, the scale as terrific as its gladiator contests were terrifying. Continue to the 2,000-year-old Arch of Titus, built in honour of Emperor Vespasian and his son Titus; visit the Roman Forum, a centrepiece for ceremonies, markets, and in its heyday, now hemmed by whole or partially surviving structures including the Senate House and several temples; Capitol Hill, one of the Seven Hills on which the city was founded; the Piazza Venezia meeting point of Rome’s major streets; Trajan’s Column, a triumphal celebration of Emperor Traiano, erected in 113AD; and the Mercati di Traiano (Trajan Markets) museum, a sizeable 2^nd-century archaeological complex. Afternoon at leisure. (B)

Day 4 Walk through Renaissance and Baroque Rome, starting at the 18^th-century Rococo-style Spanish Steps, a trio of staircases leading from the Piazza di Spagna, at the base, to the Holy Trinity church (and fabulous views) at the top; have coins in hand for a wish at the Trevi Fountain pools; and see the carved Doric column of Marcus Aurelius; the 7^th-century Pantheon, the best-preserved of ancient structures, with various incarnations as a temple to all deities, a burial ground for kings and artists, and a Catholic church; and complete the tour in the Baroque grandeur of Piazza Navona, focused on the Fountain of Four Rivers. Afternoon at leisure. (B)

Day 5 Transfer to the airport for your return flight to London Gatwick. (B)

• Key
• B - Breakfast
• L - Lunch
• D - Dinner