Page 115 - Cork & Tee Sample Program Flipbook, 2018

Pass by the Circus Maximus, a chariot racetrack in Rome first constructed in the 6th century BC.
The Circus was also used for other public events such as the Roman Games and gladiator fights.
The last race in the Circus Maximus was held in 549 AD, almost a millennium after the first
races were held at this location. Make a stop at the Chiesa di Santa Maria in Cosmedin, a
handsome medieval church and home to the Bocca della Verità, a bearded face carved into a
giant marble disc and one of Rome's most popular curiosities. Legend has it that if you put your
hand in the mouth and tell a lie, the Bocca will slam shut and bite your hand off. As you can
imagine, kids get a kick out of this, but note that there can be a wait!

Additionally, you might see where recent excavations on the Palatine Hill have provided
evidence that people might have lived there since
1000 B.C. We’ve included a guided visit to some
of the Catacombs, a number of underground burial
chambers used by early Christians. In ancient
Roman times, burial within the city walls was
prohibited. While pagans favored cremation,
Christians were buried in these subterranean
chambers outside the city, and the remains of early
Christian martyrs and saints were kept here. When
Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity in 313
A.D., the catacombs became pilgrimage sites.

Admission to the Colosseum, Forum and Catacombs is included. Please note that lines to pass
through a metal detector at the Colosseum can vary from 10 min to more than an hour in a very
worst-case scenario. Spend the balance of the day at leisure. Please see Appendix I for
suggested activities for time on your own.

This evening, we recommend a special dinner for Dr. and Mrs. Tolan. Perched atop Hotel
Splendide Royal, Ristorante Mirabelle tantalizes its guests with innovative cuisine served in
more manageable portions, with lots of attention paid to presentation—this is fine dining and
pretty much what one should expect from such a restaurant. This is one of the most beautiful
(and romantic) dining rooms in Rome and the view can’t be beat. A word of warning: it is
expensive, so don’t be shocked by the menu or the bill.

Proposed Accommodations: Hotel Splendide Royal

Day 3 – Monday, July 17: The Vatican. Today, you will have special access to the Vatican
Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) at 8:00 a.m., which is before opening hours (the
museums including the chapel open at 9:00 a.m.). Please note that other groups will have access
at this time, but the museums including the Raphael Rooms and Sistine Chapel are relatively
empty at this time compared to the excessive crowding you would experience during regular
opening hours. At 7:30 a.m., meet your Rome guide at hotel reception. After proceeding to the

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