About Rome
- The History of Castel Sant’Angelo
26 October, 2022 - The Founding of Rome: Birth of a Superpower
5 October, 2022 - Two Famous Myths of Ancient Rome
21 September, 2022
Why Choose It?
- Journey to the papal estate for a day in Rome’s beautiful countryside.
- Master unique recipes in a cooking class on the papal estate.
- Explore the beautiful town of Castel Gandolfo and Barberini Gardens.
Tour Description
Escape the frenetic energy of the Eternal City for a heaven-sent day in the surrounding hillside. Our exclusive collaboration with the Vatican Museums brings you an indulgent day of culture and cuisine, exploring the papal palace and landscaped Barberini Gardens and taking part in a hands-on cooking class in which you’ll master age-refined recipes originating from the papal estate.
Castel Gandolfo is the most idyllic retreat in the Roman countryside, benefiting from an exquisite spot overlooking the fantastically sapphire volcanic lake. Before the popes, the emperor Domitian built a summer villa here in the first century AD, the ruins of which are within the estate of the Pontifical Villas. Discover what drew them to the area on this unforgettable day trip.
Venture from the Vatican into the Roman countryside
We’ve laid on luxury transport to take you into the Roman countryside. Traveling south of the city along the Via Appia, you’ll pass rolling hills and lush landscapes as you ascend above the Eternal City.
Upon arriving in the tranquil town of Castel Gandolfo, you’ll accompany your expert guide across the square and into the Apostolic Palace that’s served as the popes’ summer residence since the 16th century.
Tour the pope’s private apartments in the Apostolic Palace
Starting off in the palace’s small museum, which Pope Francis recently opened to the public to display the papacy’s treasures, we’ll discover the fascinating history of the popes and enjoy sweeping views over the sapphire waters of Lake Albano.
We’ll then make our way up to the second floor to wander the storied hallways of the pope’s private apartments. Furnished in ancient carrara marble, these apartments tell the fascinating stories of the popes who lived here. Your guide will walk you through the protocol and procedure of their prestigious visitors and provide a fascinating insight into their private lives here.
Embark on a hands-on cooking class on the papal estate
Leaving the Apostolic Palace, you’ll be met by private transport to take you the short distance through the papal estate to our converted farmhouse – the location of your cooking class. Our fluent English-speaking chef will welcome you with a wine and antipasti reception to whet your palette before your unforgettable cooking experience.
Learn how to master recipes refined over generations in this fun, hands-on cooking class. Using ingredients sourced exclusively from the papal estate, you’ll be making a pasta dish and dessert to indulge on over lunch. Best of all, we’ll email you the recipes so you can replicate them at home to impress friends and family.
Explore the sculpted Barberini Gardens
The Barberini Gardens are among the most beautiful in Italy. With sweeping panoramas over Rome and the Tyrrhenian Sea in the distance, they’re home to a wealth of ancient and apostolic treasures from an imperial palace and amphitheater to a range of themed landscaped gardens.
We’ve laid on eco-friendly transport to take you through these lush, sculpted gardens. Your guide will nourish you with the knowledge of their history, taking you from the time of Romulus and Remus to the present-day papacy of Pope Francis. Along the way, you’ll have the chance to stop off and explore various sites and gardens for stunning photo opportunities.
Finish in the town square of Castel Gandolfo
Spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the quaint town of Castel Gandolfo, enjoying views over the sapphire waters of Lake Albano, and relaxing over a coffee or gelato in the historic town square. You’ll then meet your driver who will accompany you back to Rome, refreshed and relaxed.
If you’d like to start your day with exclusive earliest access to the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and Saint Peter’s Basilica, you can upgrade this tour to our Full Day Sistine Chapel and Pope’s Summer Residence experience. Click on the link for more information.
- Itinerary:Apostolic Palace tourCooking Class and LunchBarberini Gardens tourFree time in Castel Gandolfo
- Included:Round-trip transfer from RomeLicensed guideTransport around Castel GandolfoCooking Class and Lunch
- Wheelchair accessible:Not for shared tours. Guests with limited mobility are encouraged to visit our private tour page.
- Meeting Point:Piazza Barberini in front of Hotel Bernini
excellent guides
Our guides are fluent in English and have a contagious passion for the inspiring cultural heritage of our Italian cities. Experts in their fields, they will immerse you in the hidden histories and intriguing lives of history's great protagonists. So much to see, so easy to miss out: with the help of our guides, visit the most absorbing sites and uncover the stories that have changed the world. Don't miss this fascinating journey!
Terrific Trastevere Food Tour with Luca! Luca took my wife and myself on a wonderful food tour through Trastevere. The things we saw and ate and learned were excellent. The best part was Luca's friendly nature.... read more 
- A must do experience This cooking class was a highlight of our trip. We got to meet a young chef, Sara. She had us decide what to cook. Then we walked through... read more
- Best Food Tour We Took! My fiance and I capped off our first full day in Rome with this lovely food tour. Luca was friendly, excited, and knowledgeable. We got to try a ton of... read more
- Worth every penny. What an evening! This was without a doubt the highlight of my trip. A great evening with plenty of incredible local food and drink and a really good way to meet and... read more
- Delicious food from fabulous foody Luca Boccia was PHENOMENAL!
His knowledge of Italian cuisine was exceptional, especially welcomed because it included more than just the well known dishes. He was funny and friendly, making our... read more - A Must Do Tour of Sistine Chapel Amazing! This was my third time to the Vatican but this time I took my adult/teen children and wife and we used a tour guide. It was a... read more
- Amazing evening activity in Rome Excellent night with Sara on her birthday!
We drank wine, ate amazing food and capped it with gelato!! - Amazing walking food tour w Luca B My wife and I had an amazing walking food tour through the Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere. Luca B was extremely informative and accommodating. Would absolutely recommend to anyone!
- Best tour ever. Martha was our guide. She is the best. They way she explained all , answered our questions give us all the information in every place all was wonderful. It was... read more
- Great Food Stroll with Luca We did the Trastevere Food Stroll with Luca B and he was great! Brought us to great authentic locations and provided his expert advice! We would highly recommend this tour... read more
