Verified Writer4.912527 reviews
Verified Writer
Rome, Italy
4.97(2485)
15 Guests Max
2 hrsImmortalised in the 1953 film Roman Holiday, starring Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck, the Mouth of Truth is among the Eternal City's most famous attractions. Rome's visitors flock to stick their hands in the stone statue's mouth. But what's all the fuss about?
Well, here we'll tell you everything - straight from the horse's mouth.
Gregory Peck gets handsy in front of Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday
While we cannot be sure, the prevailing theory is that this was an ancient drain cover from the time of the Roman Empire. The Mouth of Truth underwent carbon dating which confirms that it is from the ancient Roman period. The marble mask is enormous and weighs in at an incredible 1300 kg, notice that the holes for the eyes, nostrils and mouth could theoretically allow the water to pass through.
The Mouth of Truth was discovered in the 13th century very close to a pagan Roman temple dedicated to Hercules, and it is believed to have been contained inside the temple. Hercules was the Roman equivalent of the Greek Divine Hero Heracles, characteristically famous for his strength and for his numerous far-ranging adventures.
The Mouth of Truth in Rome’s Santa Maria in Cosmedin
The Mouth of Truth, or Bocca Della Verita in Italian, is extremely famous for the medieval legend that is associated with it. People believed that the mouth of the marble face would close and remove the hand of anyone who told a lie when they dared to put their hand inside. You could call it an ancient lie detector.
Back in the day, people who were accused of committing perjury or adultery were brought here. After swearing under oath they would then put their hand into the mouth. According to the legend it was even used during the Middle Ages as a trial by ordeal. An executioner would hide behind the disc with a sharp sword ready to strike.
The legend became a popular part of Roman culture and one of Rome’s most popular hidden gems. Italian parents still threaten fibbing children with a visit to the Mouth of Truth. The 1953 film ‘Roman Holiday’ featured it and made it famous in the world through Hollywood.
The Mouth of Truth is located in central Rome, on the porch of the Church of Santa Maria in Cosmedin.
Use this map we’ve added below to take a look at where it is or navigate there.
If you are going to visit then make sure you combine it with a short stroll over the oldest bridge in Rome the Pons Fabricus. Incredibly the bridge was constructed in 62 BCE, and it still stands in its original location and its original state.
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Pons Fabricius (Fabricius’ Bridge). Photo by Giuseppe Moscato
On the other side of the bridge, you find the beautiful area of Trastevere which certainly cannot be missed during your stay in the Eternal City – our team regularly eats here as it is famous for the cities best Roman food.
That should keep you busy for a few hours in Rome!
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Rome, ItalyChannel your inner-Maximus as you step out onto the Colosseum Arena floor and access this recently reopened area of the world famous amphitheatre. Then, explore the rest of the heart of ancient Rome, with a friendly, expert guide and a small group of like-minded travellers!
Unlike regular tours of the Colosseum, our Colosseum Arena Tour gets you straight inside the ancient amphitheatre and out onto the arena floor through the Gladiator’s Gate. This is the route the gladiators themselves took almost 2,000 years ago. Imagine the moment they left the gates, and were greeted by the cheers and jeers of 50,000 bloodthirsty spectators.
Your expert guide will transport you back in time to the height of the Roman Empire when the Colosseum was constructed. These were times when Rome was ruled by all-powerful emperors (sometimes wise, sometimes wacky), the city was flooded with exotic riches from around the world, and the Colosseum acted as the city’s main stage for showing off the animals and people that Rome had conquered and captured.
After a short 30-minute break, we’ll head off on the next part of the tour…
Next, we’ll climb the Palatine Hill, where the ancient city was founded. The Palatine Hill is a real archaeological wonder, home to settlements from the Iron Age to the 16th century. Gaze upon such sites as the Hut of Romulus, Rome’s legendary founder, and the Imperial Palace, where the emperors in their family engaged in ruling, politicking, and scheming. Get your camera at the ready – you really can’t beat these views!
The final destination on our Colosseum Arena Tour is the Roman Forum. As the beating heart of ancient Rome, the Roman Forum was once a bustling hub of markets, law courts, temples, and more. It was here that Julius Caesar was cremated, where victorious triumphs paraded with the spoils of Roman conquests, here where two disgraced emperors were murdered in 69 AD, and here where Cicero delivered the speeches that shaped western culture for centuries.
When our tour is over, feel free to stay and explore the Roman Forum at your own pace.
Book the complete ancient Roman experience today with our Colosseum Arena Tour!
4.98(1839).webp&w=3840&q=75)
Rome, ItalyFeed your curiosity as you please your palate on this indulgent Rome Food Tour! There's a reason our tour is multi-award-winning, and it's because we give you an all-access pass to savouring the Eternal City, stress-free. With everything pre-arranged, you’ll bypass the crowds as you taste your way through Rome; no queues, no guesswork—just authentic Roman cuisine. This fun (and filling) food tour gives you and a group of fellow foodies a taste of the city's culinary treasures, from local delicatessens and pizzerias to traditional trattorias and restaurants, you'll try all the authentic spots that the locals keep to themselves but your guide will reveal to you.
Our award-winning Rome food tour takes place in Trastevere, Rome's most traditional medieval neighbourhood. While the area is renowned for its buzzing nightlife and world-class cuisine, just like the rest of Rome, this neighbourhood also has its fair share of tourist traps. That's why we have teamed up with the places that keep to traditions and serve food for locals.
Because holidays are too short to eat badly, right?
This food tour in Rome will treat your tastebuds to at least 10 different tastings (vegetarian options available!) perfectly paired with a selection of local wines or non-alcoholic beverages for sober travellers. Try crispy Roman-style pizza by the slice, savoury supplì, and the best gelato in the city. Experience is more than just simply trying local cuisine, it's a glimpse inside the Roman kitchen—discovering the delicacies, the diet and the cultural dos and don’ts.
While you taste your way through the capital on this food tour; Rome will fully open up as you’ll also discover the process, meet the makers, and truly understand why Italian cuisine is considered the best in the world. So book your spot on our Rome Food Tour today and get ready for a true taste of the capital!
Please note: the places that we visit and the food that we try depend on the season.
Looking for a more intimate local experience with no strangers? We now offer an exclusive semi-private Rome food tour for groups of 6 or fewer.
This is a sustainable tour, meaning part of its profits go towards reforestation and other sustainable projects. We also ask all of our guests to bring a reusable water bottle to refill at one of the water fountains along our route to stay hydrated and help us reduce waste.
**Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate a gluten-free or vegan diet, but we hope to be able to in the future. While we can cater to vegetarians, we ask that you let us know about dietary requirements in advance so we can best suit your needs.**
4.96(3203)
Rome, ItalyLearn to cook like an Italian in this small group pasta & tiramisù cooking class that gives you mastery over the country’s best-loved classics. Over the course of three fun-filled hours, you’ll enjoy the expert guidance of our fluent professional chef and get hands on recreating real Roman recipes, culminating in a well-deserved dinner and dessert.
Situated in our centrally situated air-conditioned cooking school, your interactive class will give you the true sense of an Italian nonna’s loving kitchen. Led by an enthusiastic and knowledgeable English-speaking chef, our cooking masterclass is perfect for kids and adults, beginners and experts.
Savoiardi (ladyfingers) are gently dipped in rich coffee before being layered with dollops of delicately mixed eggs and panna (cream). Finished off with a sprinkle of cocoa, these delicious desserts are set aside to rest in time for an after-dinner energy boost. In fact, the espresso within a tiramisù is what gives it a name that translates literally as “pick me up”!
Rolling up our sleeves, here is where we channel our inner nonna. Mixing, kneading, rolling, and shaping our fresh pasta from scratch will work up a sweat but result in elegant end products. We will then combine these carefully crafted creations with the flavours of the season and locality; be it twangy cacio e pepe or creamy carbonara.
How else to conclude your cooking class than by fully indulging in your culinary creations! Celebrate your accomplishment with family-friendly company, a gorgeous setting, and a glass of local wine or prosecco.
Whether returning a culinary maestro or a self-proclaimed novice, you’ll be sure to take the memories home with you and ruling your dinner parties back home!
4.96(1852)
Rome, ItalyDid someone say Spritz? Discover the flavours of Rome on our Spritz and Spaghetti Class. Our centrally located kitchen is where you’ll learn everything you need to mix traditional Italian cocktails, and perfect the art of making fresh pasta. This is the only cooking class of its kind in Rome – a perfect blend of food, friends, and tipsy fun. So come join us and see what all the fuss is about!
Our team will welcome you and your small, intimate group with a mixology demo making Italy’s best-loved drink: Aperol Spritz. You’ll then get started on your hands-on pasta-making lesson led by a fun-loving, fluent professional chef before making a Hugo Spritz.
Your professional chef will guide you every step of the way – from kneading the dough to cutting the pasta. You’ll also be making a creamy carbonara sauce to coat your fresh pasta (vegetarians can try out another Roman classic of cacio e pepe). Travelling is all about meeting new people. At the end of this cooking class, you’ll dine on what you’ve made with a glass of Limoncello Spritz to wash it all down.
Book now and start making memories.
4.95(3841)
Rome, ItalyShort on time but big on curiosity? Our Colosseum Walking Tour is your express pass to ancient Rome, without waiting in queues. In just 1.5 hours we’ll walk the same route once trodden by gladiators and discover the drama, architecture, and daily life of the Roman Empire, all from outside its most legendary landmarks.
We’ll start just outside the Colosseum, where your guide will bring its epic past to life, from bloody battles to groundbreaking Roman engineering. Then, we’ll stroll through the Forum of Augustus, where politics met propaganda, and on to Trajan’s Column, once the empire’s grandest shopping and storytelling space. You’ll hear not just about emperors but also about the shopkeepers, citizens, and stories that represented everyday life in the Ancient City.
For the grand final we’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of the Roman Forum, the true heart of ancient Rome, where religion, power, and public life collided. It’s here where you’ll begin to truly understand the bigger picture of Rome’s rise, rule, and reinvention.
This tour is perfect for travellers who want maximum insight in minimal time, so what are you waiting for?
Book now, and experience the stories, secrets, and sights that shaped the Eternal City, no tickets, no lines, just unforgettable history.
4.95(102)
Rome, ItalyOne of the best ways to meet people in a new city is to grab a drink together, and few city serve up more iconic drinks than Rome. Whether you’re travelling solo or with a group, for a long vacation or a short city break – our Rome Tipsy Tour is for you!
This unique nightlife experience combines all our favourite elements of travel: discovering new places, being immersed in different cultures, meeting fun people, and trying out a range of delicious drinks! It’s not a run-of-the-mill bar crawl. It’s a sociable tour that gives you a real taste of with Rome’s sights, stories, and signature drinks in a friendly, relaxed atmosphere with fun, local hosts. We also welcome sober travellers who want to join for a social experience but who want to forgo a hangover, so we’ll have non-alcoholic options available as well!
You’ll meet your guide and group at Piazza Madonna dei Monti, where we’ll break the ice with a warm Italian welcome – aka, a refreshing glass of local wine. After saying cheers—salute—we’ll head into Monti, an uber-trendy district filled with quirky bars and cobblestoned streets, and plenty to unpack. In ancient Rome, Monti was known as a suburra – the red-light district of Rome where prostitutes plied their trade and gangsters once roamed. As we wander through the cobblestone streets your guide will tell you scandalous stories of sex and bloodshed that you won’t hear on your typical walking tour.
After so much scandal, you’ll surely need a drink. So at our first stop on the Rome Tipsy Tour you’ll get an extra stiff one. The spotlight will be on Carpano Classico a venerable vermouth with a curious story! Unravel the history of the man who made it – Antonio Benedetto Carpano – back in 1786 whilst sharing some sips with your newfound friends.
We’ll keep the night going with some more saucy stories before trying a classic Italian Spritz. Indulge in the bitter flavours of Aperol or Campari Spritz while enjoying dolce far niente, the sweetness of doing nothing—apart from getting tipsy of course!
Our final stop is Rome’s most iconic road, the Via dei Fori Imperiali, leading down to the Colosseum. The views of the ancient city are best enjoyed after dark with an ice-cold Limoncello – trust us. Sip away as your guide tells shocking stories of the power-hungry Roman emperors who once ruled the known world.
At 11 p.m., the Tipsy Tour officially ends, but the night out begins! We will continue drinking with our new friends at some of Rome’s most popular bars!
Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime experience. We promise to make your night in Rome one you’ll never forget! Skip a boring walking tour, and come get tipsy with us.
Book your spot now!
4.94(2344).webp&w=3840&q=75)
Rome, ItalyJoin us on a journey through Roman history on our immersive Rome by Night Walking Tour. Your expert guide will share the city’s secrets, history, and fascinating tales—from antiquity through to the modern day, and at a pace to suit you.
Our tour starts in Rome’s most picturesque square, Piazza Navona, where the ancient Romans used to watch athletic contests (agones). Today’s piazza sits above the ancient stadium and boasts Gian Lorenzo Bernini‘s stunning Fountain of the Four Rivers as its centrepiece.
A five-minute walk from Piazza Navona takes us to the world-famous Pantheon. Constructed more than two-thousand years ago by the eccentric emperor Hadrian, the Pantheon was consecrated as a monument to all the pagan gods (pan theos, in Greek meaning all the gods). This second-century temple is one of the best-preserved monuments in the Roman Empire and its unreinforced concrete dome still perplexes architects.
Our next stop is the iconic Trevi Fountain. Immortalised by Anita Ekberg wading through its water in Federico Fellini’s iconic film La Dolce Vita, the Trevi Fountain one of the most romantic spots in the Eternal City. Snap your photos of the monument in the moonlight, listen to your guide decipher its symbols, and toss a coin over your shoulder to guarantee your return to Rome.
We emerge from Rome’s winding backstreets onto Piazza Venezia. Stretching from the foot of the Capitoline Hill, against the backdrop of the Altar of the Fatherland, Piazza Venezia is Rome’s most recognisable square, and a repository of history involving figures from Napoleon to Mussolini.
Your guide will lead you down the Via dei Fori Imperiali, the boulevard that cuts through ancient Rome, past Trajan’s Column and alongside the forums of Trajan, Augustus and Nerva. Your guide will feed your curiosity and nourish you with knowledge about ancient Rome and its empire as you make your way towards the most famous monument of all: the Colosseum.
The Colosseum is one of the most awe-inspiring attractions that has survived from antiquity. As a colossal feat of architecture and engineering, its form has been replicated throughout the ages, manifested in stadiums and sports venues around the world. But while its form is familiar to us, the spectacles it accommodated are entirely alien, and remind us of the violent nature of Roman culture.
Group sizes are 15 people maximum.
Book your spot now to avoid missing out!
4.98(567)
Rome, ItalyReady to travel back in time to experience the might of the Roman Empire? Our small-group Colosseum guided tour lets you step straight into ancient Rome, no time machines (or long lines) required. With timed -entry and fast-track access and an expert licensed guide, you’ll breeze past the queues and straight into the jaw-dropping world of emperors, gladiators, and ancient stories that will stick with you forever.
We’ll start our 3-hour adventure at the Colosseum, Rome’s most famous amphitheatre and the site of some of the most bloody public spectacles in history. Your guide will reveal the story and secrets behind this impressive monument and provide answers to your burning questions:
The answers might surprise you, but not more than the exclusive above-the-arena views that offer a new perspective of the Eternal City.
After your immersive Colosseum tour, we’ll ascend Palatine Hill, Rome's legendary birthplace. It was here that Romulus founded his city, after murdering his brother Remus, and here where the rich and famous of the Roman Republic had their homes. During the time of the Roman Empire, the Palatine Hill was the site of the emperor's palace, royal intrigue, and some of the city's best panoramic views. This is where myths met marble, and emperors ruled with an iron fist.
Then we will head down into the Roman Forum, once the buzzing hub of Roman public life. We’ll wander through the ruins of ancient temples, triumphal arches, and the political stages that shaped the Roman Empire, all brought to life through the expert storytelling of your licensed guide.
With the comfort of a small group, a well-paced itinerary, and the best value for money of any Colosseum tour, this isn’t just a tour, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience through the rise (and fall) of ancient Rome. Spots fill fast, so grab yours and make your Roman holiday legendary.
Travelling with 6 or fewer people? We recommend upgrading to our semi-private tour of Ancient Rome for a more personalised experience. With this semi-private Colosseum tour, you can explore at a more relaxed pace, enjoy a more intimate experience with the people you care about most, and experience the personalised attention of a guide who can answer all of your burning questions.
4.96(2727)
Rome, ItalyLooking for family-friendly fun in the heart of Rome? After this class, the Eternal City is sure to steal a pizza your heart. This midday culinary experience is perfect for families, kids, and anyone who believes lunch should come with a side of laughter (and dessert). You’ll be mixing, kneading, laughing, and layering your way through two of Italy’s most iconic dishes: pizza and tiramisù.
We’ll meet in our centrally located kitchen, just a stone’s throw away from the Colosseum. Here you’ll roll up your sleeves and get ready for a delicious adventure from start to finish. A local chef will teach you about the different styles of pizza before you craft your own from scratch. Make and knead the dough, then get creative with toppings before firing it up to golden, cheesy perfection.
But wait—there’s s’more! After the pizza party, it’s time to sweeten things up with a tiramisù-making session. It’s creamy, dreamy, and sure to tirami-woo the crowd.
After everything is cooled and baked, you’ll sit down and enjoy your culinary masterpieces with your fellow chefs. The best part? Parents can also enjoy a glass of local wine or prosecco. It’s more than a meal, it’s a memory in the making, sprinkled with a touch of cocoa powder.
What are you waiting for? Grab your spot, bring your appetite, and get ready for a slice of fun that the whole famiglia will love.
5(473)