This morning we walk to the heart of ancient Rome to explore the Forum and Palatine off the beaten track, visiting such gems as the late antique church of Santa Maria Antiqua and the Oratory of the Forty Martyrs, as well as the Temple of Romulus, the Curia Julia in the forum and the Ramp of Domitian and Augustus’ House on the Palatine. After lunch, we visit the remains of Nero’s extraordinary Domus Aurea, the sprawling residence built on the slopes of four of Rome’s seven hills.

This day is spent exploring the Campus Martius and its transformation in the imperial period, when it became the canvas for emperors’ image-making. We start with the Mausoleum of Augustus, newly opened to the public after a long period of restoration. Built in the early part of Augustus’ career in order to demonstrate his loyalty to Rome, it was a monument celebrating the Julio-Claudian dynasty. We proceed to a visit to the adjacent Ara Pacis, celebrating the prosperity of the Augustan age. In the afternoon, we explore a series of imperial monuments, including the remnants of Domitian’s Stadium incorporated in the stunning Piazza Navona, the inimitable Pantheon, as well as the neighbouring Hadrianeum and Column of Marcus Aurelius. (L)

Today is dedicated to exploring the lives of ordinary people in Ancient Rome. We start with a specially arranged visit to the extraordinary Insula Ara Coeli, the only remaining ancient apartment building which survives. From there we walk a short distance to the Theatre of Marcellus, and from thence to the Church of San Nicola in Carcere, which incorporates remnants of 3 ancient temples and finally to the Forum Boarium where we see the remains of the Republican temples of Hercules Victor and Portunus and consider the lives of Romans loading and unloading goods from the Tiber. We end the morning with a visit to the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin, once the statio annonae, where ordinary Romans collected their dole. We lunch in the Jewish ghetto before traversing the ancient Pons Fabricius which leads us to the lively Trastevere where we visit the early Christian Basilica of Santa Maria. (L)

This morning we consider the transformation of Rome into the centre of Christianity by visiting a series of important early churches, starting with the staggering Basilica of San Clemente, which lies on top of millennia of history, including an early Christian basilica, a Mithraeum, as well as a Roman industrial section. We continue to the nearby Basilica of the Santi Quattro Incoronati, one of the earliest churches of Rome. We finish the morning with a visit to the 5^th century Basilica of Santo Stefano Rotondo, which lies on top of a Mithraeum, currently under excavation. In the afternoon, you have the choice of visiting the stunning early Basilicae of Santa Prassede and Pudenziana or exploring the Eternal City under your own steam. (D)

On our last day in Rome we travel to Ostia, the extraordinary port of ancient Rome, which preciously preserves remains of apartment blocks, tabernae and baths, giving us an inimitable view of ancient Rome, before we make our own ways back home.