Italy
Christmas in Rome
Program No. 19115RJ
When in Rome, celebrate Christmas as the locals do. Enjoy the Christmas markets, marvel at the Sistine Chapel, and explore the grand monuments of the city's past and present.
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Participant Reviews
Based on 14 Reviews
SHOWING
Christmas in Rome was lovely. So nice to see how Rome dresses herself up during the Christmas season; she sparkled in anticipation of the Jubilee Year! Every one of the guides was well-informed, friendly and mindful of our busy touring schedules. I appreciated the balance between organized activities and free time so that we had several opportunities to explore on our own. The hotel was comfortable. Our group leader, Bruna, was tremendous! Friendly, caring, eager to share her Italian culture, responsive to our individual desires and needs, flexible, organized. On more than one occasion, she went the extra mile to provide for us a positive experience. She spent a fair amount of time looking for a neighborhood church offering a Christmas Eve service that would work comfortably into our schedule. At the end of the week she accompanied two of us on the train to Florence to join the RS program there. Upon our arrival at the station, she carefully explained the train system so we could easily navigate it on our own in the future. It was a full week that gave me a fine overview of Rome, her layered history and priceless art.
— Review left January 29, 2025
The program hits all the historic highlights. The guides and lecturers were very knowledgeable. The hotel and food can be improved. Be prepared to walk and climb stairs. Also be prepared for crowds. I enjoyed the free time. There were many solo travelers like me. Road Scholar is very organized and provided helpful information in advance of the trip.
— Review left January 1, 2025
My Road Scholar trip to Rome was one of the best weeks of my life and here is why:
1) Rome is breathtaking. The day at the Vatican Museum/St. Peter's Basilica/Sistine Chapel was incredible and the day at the Jewish Quarter was unforgettable.
2) the trip was so well planned--everything from sightseeing, to delicious meals, to airport transfers,
3) I made terrific new friends. It's impossible to describe how close we solo travelers became in nine days. Three of us are already signed up for a trip to Costa Rica next January, and we hope to go to Iceland in 2025,
4) Dr. Bruna Baravelli, who is a retired professor of literature, and was our group leader, teacher, "mother", cheerleader and crossing guard. She is marvelous and made the trip so special and enjoyable.
This was my third Road Scholar trip and I look forward to many more!
— Review left January 20, 2024
The RS program itself was extremely well planned. It exceeded our expectations. We'll remember it for years.
— Review left January 9, 2024
The program was excellent and the leader was magnificent. It was an experience I will never forget.
— Review left January 9, 2024
I've been to Rome before on my own, and I'm so glad I returned for a Road Scholar tour to experience and learn about it more thoroughly. The group leaders and program guides were outstanding and offered more knowledge and depth than one can get from a travel book. It's so much easier to access the major museums and historical sites rather than trying to deal with it on your own. And the food and wine were OUTSTANDING and in charming "neighborhood" family-run restaurants that a tourist probably would never find on their own.
— Review left December 31, 2023
The Road Scholar Christmas in Rome exceeded expectations. What a great way to spend Christmas and have an introduction to Rome. The trip was incredibly well planned and organized. Our on the ground leader, Bruna, was always on top of everything. She was amazing.
We saw a selection of the greatest hits, but were also given in our itinerary a list of options to see in our free time, depending on our particular interests.
Having the lecture on the Sistine Chapel before our visit was really critical in understanding what we were seeing. The history of Rome lecture was only an hour-too short, so do some of the recommended reading ahead of time.
The hearing devices were very useful since we were often in crowds. Our two guides, Rachel and Giulietta were funny and interesting and so knowledgeable. Their experience was very useful navigating the crowds in a couple of the locations. They added so much to the visits.
The program can be exhausting, and there are a lot of stairs, and there is a lot of walking. Because of Christmas traffic, it was easier to take long walks to locations rather than be driven…we burned a lot of calories, which was good because there were large, heavy meals. The Romans sure do know how to eat in quantity.
My favorite stops were the Jewish Museum on Christmas Day, the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. During our free time, I also visited the Catacombs, several amazing basilicas, and the prison that held Peter and Paul.
The hotel we stayed in was very well located.
Lastly, having a week with a terrific group of people made my Christmas holiday very special. I am really grateful for that.
— Review left December 30, 2023
As a relatively new widow, this was a perfect way to pass the Christmas holiday -- going to a city I had always wanted to visit, seeing incredible artwork, learning so much history, meeting new people and making new friends, eating pasta and drinking wine almost every day. Going to a Jewish history museum on Christmas day was an inspired choice too. This program made what could have been a very sad holiday season very special...a wonderful way to keep saying yes to life. I recommend it highly.
— Review left December 29, 2023
Hotel was perfect.
The leader and guides were outstanding.
Agenda was great.
Lectures were incredible.
Restaurants could be improved - especially the first night.
Could use a little more time at St. Peter's Basilica.
A really fun cooking class.
Transportation was fantastic.
During transport, could use a little more commentary on sights.
Name lanyards need to be updated to handle carrying a phone.
Need to try blue tooth whisperers.
Overall, the trip a solid A grade.
The evening music program should follow a free time afternoon.
Again, Bruna Baravelli (leader) was wonderful.
— Review left January 6, 2023
What a special adventure! Thank you Road Scholar, my fellow travelers, and the wonderful people of Rome for the memories of a lifetime. From the culture to the history to the food to the friendships, this trip is not to be missed. Life is Good.........
— Review left January 6, 2023
This program will open your mind to the influence the Popes had in creating the city of Rome. What you'll see is the "lasagna" effect; the multi-layers of Rome and how they co-exist in today's world but yet still hold their own weight as markers in time.
— Review left December 29, 2022
I’ve taken many Road Scholar trips and have been to Italy before, but never to Rome. This was the perfect introductory visit: extremely well organized, smoothly carried out, and graciously led. The group leaders and instructors were of the high quality I’ve come to expect from RS. I was able to see all the things I had hoped, learned about places I didn't realize I wanted to go, and was splendidly prepared for each adventure by the experienced instructors. Definitely recommend this if you’ve never been to Rome or just want to refresh your memories.
— Review left January 3, 2020
What a joy to spend Christmas in Rome! Our hotel was so conveniently located that we could walk to a number of major attractions. Although my husband and I had been to Rome several times before, thanks to Road Scholar and wonderful tours we discovered places new to us during this week. There was a good balance between group activities and free time, and of course the cuisine was marvelous. It was Italian -- need I say more?! I highly recommend this program.
— Review left March 19, 2019
Traveling with Road Scholar makes it easier to learn and enjoy the experience because they do all the planning for you.
— Review left January 13, 2019
