Watercolor Painting on the Palatine | Private

Tour Description

**Painting on the Palatine is our suggested itinerary, but if you would instead like to try your hand at watercolours from the Orange Garden on the Aventine Hill or Castel Sant’Angelo, just let us know and we can tailor your private tour.

This private tour guides you through the gripping history of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill before immersing you in an art class overlooking the ruins of the ancient city. After an in-depth, 90-minute tour , we’ll take up position on the Palatine Hill. Here you’ll create your own watercolor capturing the stunning scenery stretched out before you.

Bask in the warming Roman sunshine and graze on a selection of sweet treats while you work away on your masterpiece. Suitable for all levels and ages, from first time painters to aspiring Monets, this tour is fully-customizable.

Explore the Roman Forum

Entering the Roman Forum, we’ll walk the ancient cobbled stones of the Sacred Way, the road along which triumphant generals processed in their chariots towards their terminus on the Capitoline Hill.

Passing by the Arch of Titus, whose reliefs depict one of Roman history’s most fascinating episodes, you’ll step inside the Roman Forum, where your expert guide will breathe life into its millennia-old monuments.

Among the ruins of the Roman Forum, we’ll unearth the epicenter of ancient Roman life. We’ll find the site of Julius Caesar’s cremation, where riots almost broke out in the days after his murder. We’ll marvel at the Temple of Vesta, home to Rome’s sacred fire which the Vestal Virgins kept forever kindled.

Your private guide will bring to life the Forum’s expansive basilicas: large colonnaded buildings where Romans held law courts, conducted all political and financial business, and mingled with one another. Learn all about the Roman Forum’s temples: some built to honor the Capitoline gods; others to honor emperors who, after shuffling off their mortal coil, the State declared gods.

Approaching the far end of the Roman Forum, just between the Palatine Hill and the Capitoline Hill, we’ll stand in the shadow of the imposing Arch of Septimius Severus. Commemorating Rome’s victory over one of her most dangerous enemies, for reasons that continue to elude us it’s one of Rome’s most popular monuments for couples’ selfies!

Tour the Palatine Hill

The Palatine Hill is the cradle of Roman history. It was here that Romulus built his first fortifications, committing his famous act of fratricide when his twin brother Remus dared to cross them. During the Republic, Rome’s most affluent residents had their homes here – the likes of Cicero and the young Octavian – who became the emperor Augustus.

Rome’s emperors built their residences on the Palatine, and in doing so gave us our word ‘palace’. The remains of one – the Domus Augustana – still sprawl across the ancient hill, overlooking the Circus Maximus from one side and the Roman Forum from another. Yet many other remains survive, including the House of Augustus, the House of Livia, and even the recently reopened Domus Transitoria of the emperor Nero.

Your tour of the Palatine brings this hill’s rich history to life. Your expert guide will trace the city’s history from the 8th century BC to the fall of the Roman Empire, nourishing you with the knowledge of this incredible civilisation.

Please note that entry into the House of Augustus, House of Livia, and Domus Transitoria is subject to the purchase of advance tickets. If you wish to visit, please let us know so we can obtain your tickets in advance.

Master the art of watercolor with sweeping views of ancient Rome

Having acquainted yourself with both the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, it’s time to commit your memories to canvas through a private watercolor class. Locals and visitors alike ascend the Palatine Hill for the stunning view it offers over the Roman Forum and Colosseum. Here, we’ll capture this sublime ancient landscape from the vantage point of Rome’s most historic hill.

Your 90-minute watercolor class is suitable for all ages and levels, and can be adapted to accommodate your interests. As well as all painting materials, we’ll be laying on a selection of snacks to keep you energized as you create your masterpiece.