An Art Tour of Rome for the Classically Curious
The Paideia Institute invites you to join us for a one-week art historical tour of Rome in July of 2024. This curated experience will give you the opportunity to travel through the timeline of the Eternal City's major art movements, with an emphasis on the stratified dialogue between ancient and modern that defines the city's visual landscape. Reconnect with the classics and discover Rome's timeless beauty through juxtapositions of classical archaeology, Mannerist and Baroque art, 20th century Modernism, and contemporary responses to the city's rich artistic tradition.
Each guided activity is led by the Paideia Institute's expert docents and paired with a meal at some of Rome's most sought-after restaurants and enoteche. Savor delicious food, exquisite wine, and excellent conversation.
Itinerary
Monday, October 9: Baroque Walking Tour
A stroll through the architectural gems of Rome's Baroque era. Learn about why this historical period produced such a dramatic artistic vocabulary, full of surprising and theatrical illusory visual effects. Highlights will include Bernini's Fontana del Tritone, the Ecstasy of St. Teresa sculpture group at Santa Maria della Vittoria, Borromini's undulating architectural masterpiece at San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane, and, of course, the Trevi Fountain.
Lunch at: Marzapane, Via Flaminia 64. A Michelin-starred restaurant offering creative variations on Italian classics in a sleek, minimalist space.
Borromini's oval dome at San Carlino alle Quattro Fontane.
Tuesday, October 10: Mannerist Day Trip
A very special day trip to two enchanting sculpture gardens an hour north of Rome. Discover the fantastical and grotesque stone creatures of the Sacro Bosco ("sacred grove") of Bomarzo, which Renaissance duke Vicino Orsini commissioned to cope with the loss of his wife, Giulia Farnese. After lunch, explore the dazzling sculptures and spaces of 20th century artist Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden in Capalbio. Witness a magical artistic dialogue between past and present!
Lunch at: Dieci Sedie, Largo Della Neve 2, Tuscania. A hidden gem serving seafood en route to Capalbio.
The High Priestess fountain at the entrance to Niki de Saint Phalle's Tarot Garden.
Wednesday, October 11: Modern Art Movements in Italy
A guided tour of Rome's Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna (GNAM), focusing on the major movements of 20th century Italian art. Investigate the meaning of the mysterious Classical motifs in Giorgio De Chirico's metaphysical compositions, deconstruct the fractal dynamism of Umberto Boccioni's futurist paintings, plunge into the heady hues of Renato Guttuso's Mediterranean expressionism, and much more.
Lunch at: Gli Ulivi, Via Luigi Luciani, 23. Fine Italian dining & an extensive wine list in a warm-hued, contemporary space with a leafy patio.
Nearby: Il Cigno Caffè Pasticceria, Viale Parioli, 16a. A small neighborhood jewel serving classic pastries, among them chocolate cream puffs that some say are the best in Rome--if not all of Italy.
An expressionist Crucifixion by Renato Guttuso, 1940, on view at GNAM.
Thursday, October 12: A Critical Lense on Authoritarian Architecture
A walking tour of Rome's Fascist-era EUR ("Universal Expo Rome") district and visit to the monumental Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana. Learn about the massive urban planning project inaugurated by Mussolini in the 1930s that was intended to be the site of the 1942 World's Fair, and how the architectural motifs of imperial Rome influenced the authoritarian aesthetics of the Fascist built environment.
Lunch back in Rome at: Retrobottega, Via della Stelletta, 4. Well-presented small plates that tell the story of the land, served in a casual dining room. One of the world's 50 Best Restaurants.
The Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, also know as the "square Colosseum".
Friday, October 13: Industry and Archaeology in Testaccio
A guided tour of the Centrale Montemartini museum in the neighborhood of Testaccio. Explore the striking juxtaposition between ancient Roman artifacts and the industrial machinery of the decommissioned power plant, which has housed part of the Capitoline Museums' collection since 1997. The neighborhood's foremost example of urban transformation and renewal, the museum represents the unique proximity of ancient and contemporary archaeologies that interface throughout the city.
Lunch at: BAUHAUS ROME, Piazza Eugenio Biffi, 3. Italian classics share space with more experimental fare on the BAUHAUS menu, whose chef hails from Copenhagen's Noma.
Nearby: Latteria Garbatella, Piazza Geremia Bonomelli, 9. A chic cocktail bar with terrace.
Classical and industrial archaeology on display side by side at the former thermal power plant.
Tour Leaders
Registration
More information about program dates, fees, and accommodations will be available in the spring of 2024. If you would like to be notified when registration for Roman Holiday opens, please fill out the form below. If you have any questions, please contact [email protected].
About the Paideia Institute
The Paideia Institute is a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the study of the classical humanities. The Institute was founded in 2010 by former students of the Vatican Latinist Fr. Reginald Foster, who taught generations of Latin students to love the Latin language and the city of Rome. Since then, we have pursued that mission through travel programs, outreach to expand access to the classics, publications, curriculum development, and digital language learning.
Each year we organize and operate over 50 educational travel experiences in Italy and Greece for school groups and adult learners, bringing the study and appreciation of the classical humanities to more than 1,000 students from all age groups. Our tour leaders–Classicists, linguists, archaeologists, and art historians–are experts in their academic fields with decades of rigorous preparation and experience. Our Rome-based staff members bring a depth and breadth of local knowledge about the city to our tours.