Papal Jubilee Walking Tour of Rome's Basilicas
Rome, Italy
Trip Type: Cultural Tours
Duration: 1 day
Retrace the Roman pilgrimages of old with a tour of the capital’s grand basilicas. Designed to celebrate the Papal Jubilee, the 6-hour walking tour takes in St Peter’s Basilica, the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Hear tales of history, religion and legend from a knowledgeable guide, and rest your legs between church visits; a public transport ticket is also included.
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Retrace the Roman pilgrimages of old with a tour of the capital’s grand basilicas. Designed to celebrate the Papal Jubilee, the 6-hour walking tour takes in St Peter’s Basilica, the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, the Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano and the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore. Hear tales of history, religion and legend from a knowledgeable guide, and rest your legs between church visits; a public transport ticket is also included.
Meet your guide in St Peter’s Square, and start with a look inside its crowning glory: St Peter’s Basilica. One of the world’s largest churches, the basilica is just as impressive inside as it is outside; its interiors hold some of the world’s most influential pieces of artwork. See the holy door, and check out works by Michelangelo and Giotto, two of the Renaissance greats.
From St Peter’s Basilica, continue to the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that stands on the burial site of St Paul. As you explore, hear how the monument was built for Constantine the Great and subsequently consecrated by Pope Sylvester I.
At the nearby Basilica of San Giovanni in Laterano, listen to your guide’s commentary about its importance in to the Catholic Church. In addition to its accolade as Rome’s official cathedral, the basilica is the formal papal seat of the bishop of Rome.
Your last stop is the Church of Santa Maria Maggiore, a basilica dedicated to the Virgin Mary. According to Christian legend, Pope Liberius dreamed that she asked him to build a church on the spot where it snowed in August. That spot happened to be here, at the top of Esquiline Hill, and the church became known as the Madonna of the Snow.
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