Rome Guided Day Tour from Civitavecchia Cruise Port

Civitavecchia, the cruise port of Rome

Civitavecchia has been the port of Rome since the second century, when an imperial Roman harbour was built here; today it is the busiest cruise port in Italy. The town lies about 80 kilometres north-west of the capital, which is why the first question every passenger asks is how to get from Civitavecchia to Rome and back without missing the ship. Trains exist, but they mean a shuttle bus, a walk to the station and crowded carriages in both directions.

With this Civitavecchia shore excursion our driver meets you right beside your ship at 09:00, so you skip the port shuttle completely. The drive to Rome along the coast and through the countryside takes roughly an hour and a quarter, depending on traffic, and the minivan brings you back to the same spot in the afternoon. Please give us your ship's name when you book so we can find you quickly.

The Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Circus Maximus

The Colosseum is the symbol of Rome: an oval amphitheatre inaugurated in the year 80 that could seat around fifty thousand spectators for games and shows. Its outer ring of arches, three storeys of columns and the exposed tunnels of the arena floor make it the most visited monument in Italy. Beside it stretch the ruins of the Roman Forum, the political heart of the ancient city, and the long grassy hollow of the Circus Maximus, once the great chariot-racing track.

On this tour you see the Colosseum from the outside, with time for photos from the best angles and the audio guide telling its story. Entrance tickets are not included, so the stop fits travellers who want the views without queues. If you dream of a full Colosseum tour inside, book that separately on another day in Rome; for a cruise day, the outside view is the efficient choice.

The Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon

The Trevi Fountain is the largest Baroque fountain in Rome, finished in 1762, where the sea god Oceanus rides a shell chariot pulled by sea horses across a wall of carved rock. Tradition says that throwing a coin over your shoulder into the water means you will return to Rome. A few streets away the Pantheon, a temple rebuilt around the year 125, still has the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world, open to the sky through its round oculus.

Both sights stand in the pedestrian heart of the historic centre, so the minivan drops you nearby and you walk the short distance with time to look around. The Pantheon is free to see from the portico, and a small ticket gives access inside. Early in the day the Trevi Fountain is less crowded, which is one reason our route reaches the centre in the late morning.

Piazza Navona and the Spanish Steps

Piazza Navona keeps the long oval shape of the ancient Stadium of Domitian, on whose foundations it was built. Today it is the most elegant square in Rome, lined with ochre palaces and cafes, with three fountains along its length, the central Fountain of the Four Rivers topped by an Egyptian obelisk. Artists and street painters set up their easels here, and the square is a lively place for a gelato.

The Spanish Steps climb in a graceful sweep from Piazza di Spagna to the twin-towered church of Trinita dei Monti, with the boat-shaped Barcaccia fountain at their foot and the city's smartest shopping street, Via dei Condotti, opening in front. Depending on traffic and the group's pace, the driver includes these squares on the route or points them out as you pass, so you see as much of central Rome as the day allows.

St Peter's Square and the Vatican

St Peter's Square is the grand entrance to the Vatican, the smallest independent state in the world. Two curved colonnades of travertine columns, crowned by statues of saints, open like arms in front of St Peter's Basilica and its huge dome, which dominates the Rome skyline. In the centre stands an Egyptian obelisk brought to Rome in ancient times, flanked by two fountains.

The tour stops here so you can walk into the square, take photos of the basilica facade and feel the scale of the place. Visiting the basilica or the Vatican Museums needs more time and separate tickets, and modest clothing covering shoulders and knees is required inside. Is a Vatican stop worth it on a short cruise day? Absolutely: even from the square, it is one of the most moving sights in Rome.