Ancient Rome: Caracalla Baths and Circus Maximus, private tour
A special tour to learn all about the customs of ancient Romans, with a private tour of the Baths of Caracalla and Circus Maximus! The guided tour ends in Piazza della Bocca della Verità.
Tour of Ancient Rome with private guide
This three-hour original tour will introduce you to the Baths of Caracalla, then take you to explore Circus Maximus, ending in Piazza della Bocca della Verità, where you'll hear the curious history of this place.
The Baths amaze for their massive structure, built by Emperor Caracalla between 212 and 217 AD, becoming Rome's largest baths ever! Just imagine if the Baths' majesty amazes us today, how astounding they would have been at the time of Imperial Rome, completely clad in fine, polychrome marble with stucco and fresco decorations.
The guided tour continues to Circus Maximus, built for horse races, and the legendary location of the infamous episode known as the Rape of the Sabines.
We end the tour in Piazza della Bocca della Verità. Right across from the Tiber Island, this square is named for the "Bocca della Verità" (Mouth of Truth), a giant stone sculpture depicting a head of a faun with mouth agape, now placed in the portico of the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
Caracalla Baths and Circus Maximus with private guide – Tour details
Duration: Approx. 3 hours
Price includes: Guide service for approx. 3 hours, ticket to the Baths of Caracalla, guided tour of the Circus Maximus, and Piazza della Bocca della Verità.
Availability: Every day, except Monday afternoon, the first Sunday of the month, January 1, May 1, and December 25.
Children: Between 6 and 17 must book the reduced ticket (they participate in the tour free of charge and only pay a booking fee for Caracalla and a headset if needed). Children: Under 5 are free of charge and require no reservation.
Start time: Your choice every 30 minutes from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm.
Tour itinerary with private guide of the Baths of Caracalla and Circus Maximus
Our three-hour stroll starts at the Baths of Caracalla, built at the behest of Emperor Caracalla. The Baths of Caracalla are a magnificent example of architecture built for the pleasure of the leisured class. Its layout follows that of typical Roman baths. The baths were used for bathing, athletics, care of the body, and even as a place of study.
Your guide will help you envision exactly what it was like in antiquity, in 212 AD, to be exact, when they were built.
The baths were adorned in lavish stuccos. The walls were richly frescoed and the niches held splendid statues, flanked by marble columns.
Major works were discovered during excavations, especially in the underground area of the Baths.
The most famed works are in the National Archaeological Museum in Naples, including the Farnese Bull and Hercules.
A beautiful polychrome mosaic with 28 figures of athletes was so impressive that it was moved to the Vatican Museums.
The tour continues to Circus Maximus. This space between the Palatine Hill and the Aventine was the site of horse racing and games. The site's history is intertwined with two very significant historical events for Rome: The Rape of the Sabine women and the founding of Rome.
Continuing to the Forum Boarium area, we'll come to Piazza della Bocca della Verità, where a large circular stone is the legendary mask with an agape mouth has gone down in history for having oracular powers. There are countless stories about this emblematic Roman site. The Bocca della Verità's best known for having appeared in the movie "Roman Holiday."
This tour will tell you all about pagan myths, customs in Imperial Rome, and the legendary sites related to Rome's founding. A tour not to be missed!
Our guides
All Italy Travels guides are licensed by the Province of Rome, have extensive experience, and work at the highest levels of professionalism, skill, and excellence. Our staff is always committed to providing top-notch service to our clients. We provide the best guides working in Rome, most of whom are art historians and teachers in the humanities.
Private tours with admission to Roman museums always include booked tickets to avoid waiting in ticket lines.
For the cancellation policy for this tour, click here
