Virgin Voyages' guide to Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy
With an incomparable history of countless empires and kingdoms, Civitavecchia is the entryway to the Eternal’s city's most beloved sights and landmarks – from the Colosseum to Vatican City and everything in between.
CIVITAVECCHIA
The gateway to Rome
There are fewer cities in the world more well known than Rome, after all it’s known as the Eternal City because even the ancient Romans believed that no matter what happened in the rest of the world Rome would always stand tall – and, believe it or not, this was all before it was trending on TikTok.
While we dock at the port town of Civitavecchia – Rome, and all of its mystical glory, is only a brief 40- minute train commute or hour and a half drive from the pier, you’ll have plenty of time to explore as much as you possibly can with your time here.
See all of the sights that have become synonymous with Rome. Stand in the mist of the Trevi Fountain, walk across the Roman Forum, bear witness to the Colosseum, climb the Spanish Steps, tour Vatican City and step foot in St. Peter’s Basilica and feel your jaw drop as you lay your eyes on Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Walk the narrow alleyways and cobblestone streets on a mission to find the best pizza in the city, hold a condensating aperol spritz while listening to the welcomed cacophony of sounds of the city and peruse the litany of street vendors that help to make Rome the all-encompassing experience that it is.
No matter what you’ve imagined when you think of Rome, the expectations you’ve collected from a lifetime of movies, television shows and travel guides that feature this seemingly magical place – once you step foot here you’ll immediately understand what the hype is all about.
See all of the sights that have become synonymous with Rome. Stand in the mist of the Trevi Fountain, walk across the Roman Forum, bear witness to the Colosseum, climb the Spanish Steps, tour Vatican City and step foot in St. Peter’s Basilica and feel your jaw drop as you lay your eyes on Michaelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Walk the narrow alleyways and cobblestone streets on a mission to find the best pizza in the city, hold a condensating aperol spritz while listening to the welcomed cacophony of sounds of the city and peruse the litany of street vendors that help to make Rome the all-encompassing experience that it is.
No matter what you’ve imagined when you think of Rome, the expectations you’ve collected from a lifetime of movies, television shows and travel guides that feature this seemingly magical place – once you step foot here you’ll immediately understand what the hype is all about.
Best of Rome — Guided Tours, Highlights, & Lunch
A guide will take you on a route from the Trevi Fountain, across the Roman Forum, and over to The Colosseum for a guided tour of its interior. Lunch will be provided at a local restaurant, followed by a drive to Vatican City. Here you’ll get a tour of the Vatican Museum’s incredible artwork adorning the halls, while making your way into Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Your group will then walk over to St. Peter’s Basilica where you’ll have free time, before your return ride back to the ship.
A Day in Rome & Vatican City Tour
From the port, you'll be driven over to the Eternal City. Here there will be photo stops at The Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and Spanish Steps, plus free time to explore independently. Your group will then visit one of the world’s holiest places: Vatican City. Inside St. Peter’s Basilica, your group will see the iconic Sistine Chapel — Michelangelo’s heavenly ceiling fresco. Once you exit, marvel at the grand exterior and piazza before your return to the ship.
Colosseum Walking Tour & Rome on Your Own
After a drive into Rome’s city center, step into history on a tour of the city’s iconic Colosseum. Inside the arena, see where gladiators and wild animals fought to the death during Rome’s glory days. A guide will walk you over to Palatine Hill and through the Roman Forum, two of the city’s oldest relics that have survived millennia, then to the Trevi Fountain. Here your guide will give you details on where to meet later on, so you can continue your day discovering the Eternal City on your own.
Cat people rejoice! Cats have special rights in Rome
Cats can live wherever they want and it’s illegal to move them.
Shore Excursions
Civita di Bagnoregio & Bomarzo
Visit an isolated hilltop village, a vineyard for lunch, and an extraordinary sculpture park known as the “Park of Monsters.”
DISCOVER MORE SHORE THINGSThere are fewer places on Earth as well known and respected as Rome. Whether you’ve spent a lifetime dreaming of coming here or this is your yearly tradition, Civitavecchia and Rome will soon become one of your most beloved travel memories you’ll want to relive again and again.
See the various sights and landmarks that have given Rome the reputation it has today, from the breathtaking Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum to a traditional restaurant you’ll stumble upon while exploring the cobblestone streets and alleyways that make this city so special, you’ll have plenty of time to explore, eat and create memories that will make you understand why all of those people on TikTok are always thinking about the Roman Empire.
