Our travel expert answers your questions
I am an architecture student and I will be visiting Rome for a few days in December. I am really interested in seeing both historical and contemporary architecture. Do you know of any good day tours, preferably walking tours, that run in December? — Lindy Pincus
An ideal walking tour for you is organised by the Context group (www.contexttravel.com). It offers a three-hour visit to some of Rome’s top architectural sights, accompanied by an expert. It includes churches, mausoleums, ancient temples, modern shopping centres and Renaissance palazzos. The tour starts at the revamped Ara Pacis Museum before heading to the Palazzo Borghese and the Campo Marzio area, the ancient training ground for the Roman army. Other sights you will explore include the Galleria Colonna, the Pantheon and Trevi Fountain. Tour leaders have masters or doctorate degrees in their field. The cost is around 70 euros (about R972), plus entry tickets of 9 euros.
You can also check www.e-architect.co.uk for an alternative tour of the city’s architectural highlights. This tour visits buildings such as the Sistine Chapel, The Colosseum, Santa Maria Maggiore, the Gesù church, Hadrian’s Mausoleum and the stunning San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane