Ancient Rome Walking Tour

🚌 Getting here

Largo di Torre Argentina is centrally located and accessible by several bus lines (including 30, 40, 46, 62, 70, 81, 492, 916) and the 8 Tram. This tour could also make a nice afternoon walk after having lunch in a city center restaurant. If you find yourself near any of the churches below, jump right in.

Tip: Slow down. The Italian pace is often not the same as an American pace. Rather than allow this to frustrate you, embrace this slower way of life. You will find that most churches and even some stores close for a few hours after lunch. Maybe this is a perfect time to wander around ancient Rome and see the ruins. 

Largo di Torre Argentina

This large open space contains the remains of four temples dating back to the 2nd and 3rd centuries BC, as well as ruins from Pompey's Theatre. On the Ides of March 44 BC, the Roman Senate was meeting at the theatre because the Curial building in the Forum was under renovation. Therefore, somewhere very close to where you are standing, Julius Caesar was assassinated. 

It's now a cat sanctuary, so look carefully amongst those ruins and you'll see some furry friends.

Chiesa del Gesù

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Some claim this is the most beautiful church in Rome. The mother church of the Jesuit order, here you will find the tomb of St. Ignatius and the relic of the right arm of St. Francis Xavier–the arm that baptized 300,000 people. Not to be missed is the ceiling fresco, the Triumph of the Name of Jesus by Giovanni Battista Gaulli. Every afternoon, a 300 year-old musical light show in the church reveals a statue of St. Ignatius hidden behind the painting above his tomb. This happens every day at 5:30 from October to June and every day at 6:00 pm from July to September.

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It's also possible to visit the rooms of St. Ignatius in the building directly next to the Gesù for a small entry fee. They have several things owned by St. Ignatius and the room where he died is now a small chapel.