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Small Group Tour

Discover Rome | Cultural and History Small Group Tour for Seniors

15 days · Small group · Max 14 travellers

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People-free editorial view of Rome History Colosseum Hero.
86% return to travel with us again 40+ years of small-group escorted touring 43,000+ travellers have toured with Odyssey

Tour Overview

Exploring Rome and beyond

Discover Rome: Small Group Cultural and History Hour

Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group tours across Italy, Western Europe and beyond. We explore Rome's fairy-tale natural beauty, its ancient Roman, and Imperial heritage, its World Heritage Sites, and this world famous city all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on Odyssey’s small group tour of Rome, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people.

On this 15-day small group winter tour, you experience the wonders of Rome, arguably the most fascinating city in Italy in December and January. As the capital city, the home of the Papacy, and the once-grand centre of a vast, ancient empire, Rome remains a cultural and historical mecca for the discerning traveller. This is great time to be in Rome both for Christmas and for New Year's Day.

Discover the cultural beginnings of faith, art, war, and technology with visits to the capital’s churches, monuments, and museums on this fully escorted small group tour. Be inspired by everything Rome has to offer. From ancient Roman monuments through to early Christian basilicas to modern exhibition spaces. Explore Renaissance palaces, Baroque churches, and the Neo-classical architecture of post-unification Italy. Experience artistic wonders such as monuments Hadid’s MAXXI exhibition space.

Exploring Rome in winter provides the opportunity to enjoy the ‘Eternal City’ without the buzz and distraction of the hordes of tourists who visit during Rome’s hotter months. This small group tour also allows us to take advantage of shorter queues in the off-season and enjoy the hidden gems of Italy's capital. You have time to meet the locals and revel in this magnificent city's culinary delights. Unlike other tours of Rome, you will have the opportunity to really do as the Romans do and eat in local trattorias, sampling some of the finest cuisine of the city.

Tour highlights

  • Explore Renaissance and Baroque churches and palaces associated with Michelangelo, Borromini, Bernini & Raffaello.
  • Travel to Tivoli to visit Hadrian’s Villa & Vill D' este.
  • View the magnificent collections of the Palazzo Borghese, Barberini, and Doria Pamphili.
  • Enjoy opera classics at the Teatro dell’Opera di Roma.
  • Trace the hub of Europe’s greatest empire through the fascinating Roman culture.

Value built into your journey

What’s included

  • 14 nights of hotel accommodation.
  • 14 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners.
  • Ticket to the opera.
  • Applicable entry fees and services of local guides.
  • Entrances and tipping.
  • All travel is in modern, air-conditioned coaches.
  • Services of a Tour Leader.
See all inclusions & exclusions →

The Odyssey difference

Small enough to experience more

One dinner table, shared experience

Our groups are deliberately small enough to dine together around one table—an intimate way to get to know fellow travellers, whether you join as a couple or on your own.

Access that larger groups miss

A smaller group can visit more intimate venues, stay in characterful places, and reach experiences that are often impractical for larger coach parties.

Time to understand a place

Expert Program Leaders and local guides add depth, while a considered pace leaves room to explore, rest, or follow your curiosity.

Discover why travellers choose Odyssey →
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Available Mon–Fri

Journey journal

Read, learn & explore before you travel

Expand your journey before departure with destination stories and carefully selected reading that bring the history, art and culture of this tour into sharper focus.

Blog

Ancient Roman Luxury Villas, Italy

Roman houses for wealthy people built in the times of the Republic and the Empire. Popular locations included on the lakes of Northern Italy, in the hills to the East of Rome, on the bay of Naples, and outside of Pompeii.

Read the article →
Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence, Italy

Blog

Questions about Italy
Read more →
Winter in Rome, Roman Ruins

Blog

The Roman Empire
Read more →
Colosseum

Blog

Who were the Roman Emperors? The Definitive Guide for Travellers
Read more →
Explore tour resources →
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What's Included:
What's included in our Tour
  • 14 nights of hotel accommodation.
  • 14 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners.
  • Ticket to the opera.
  • Applicable entry fees and services of local guides.
  • Entrances and tipping.
  • All travel is in modern, air-conditioned coaches.
  • Services of a Tour Leader.
What's not included in our Tour
  • International airfares including taxes.
  • Comprehensive International Travel insurance.
  • Airport transfers.
  • Items of personal nature such as table drinks, laundry and telephone calls.

Activity Level

Level 1 - Introductory to Moderate
Participants must be able to carry their own luggage, climb and descend stairs, moderate walking on uneven surfaces for 3 - 5 kilometres per day. Suitable for most fitness levels.
Learn about activity levels

Good to Know:

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Prices shown per person

Prices displayed below are per person, twin share occupancy.
Departure Date Price Availability
23 Dec 2026 – 6 Jan 2027
$9,595 AUD
✓ Available Book This Date
23 Dec 2026 – 6 Jan 2027
$9,595 AUD
✓ Available
Book This Date

A deposit of A$1,000 per person secures your place. Balance is due 120 days before departure. All prices are per person. View Terms & Conditions.

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Travel Specialist · Odyssey Traveller

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Available Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm AEST

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Travel with your own group on your own dates. We can customise the itinerary to suit your interests.

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Plan your journey

Available dates & prices

Choose a departure and room type to see the current tour price. Every departure travels in a small group of no more than 14 travellers.

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Prices shown per person, twin share occupancy. Select a departure to view booking details.

Small-group touring with a maximum of 14 travellers Meals: 14B · 1L · 6D included Comfortable accommodation and expert local guidance A$1,000 deposit per person secures your place

How many travellers?

Twin share Sharing a room with a companion
Solo traveller A room of your own

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Flexible booking support

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Your route

From Rome to Rome, one journey at a time.

Follow a carefully paced route through the places, stories and experiences that bring this journey to life. Open any day for the detail behind the itinerary.

Route map for this tour
⌖ 15 days · 2 stops
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1 1 day

Rome

On the first night of our Rome Winter Odyssey, we will transfer to our hotel and get settled in before coming together in the hotel for a briefing…

On the first night of our Rome Winter Odyssey, we will transfer to our hotel and get settled in before coming together in the hotel for a briefing on the tour, where we will receive an overview of Rome's many attractions, including the Vatican, St Peter’s Basilica and Castel Sant ‘Angelo, the Pantheon, the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, and Rome's magnificent piazzas and fountains. Following the briefing, we will walk to a local restaurant to enjoy our first local meal for a dinner together. (D)

2–15 14 days

Rome

On the second day of our Winter Odyssey, we will become acquainted with Ancient Rome on a full-day tour hosted by our local tour guide. The tour will…

On the second day of our Winter Odyssey, we will become acquainted with Ancient Rome on a full-day tour hosted by our local tour guide. The tour will feature ancient Roman sites, including the Piazza Augusto Imperatore, Ara Pacis Augustus Museum, the Portico di Ottavia, the Pantheon, the Baths of Diocletian, and the Marcello Theatre. Lunch and dinner are at own arrangements. (B)

On the third day of our Winter Odyssey, we will walk via Trastevere to St Peter's for the Pope's 12.00pm address on Christmas day. After St Peter's we walk back, but stopping to visit the beautiful Piazza Navona, where we can see Bernini’s magnificent Fountain of the Four Rivers. On Christmas day there is a market in the square. We enjoy a group dinner locally in Trastevere (B,D)

Day four of our Winter Odyssey will feature a visit to the Castel Sant’Angelo, or the Mausoleum of Hadrian. This site was originally built by Emperor Hadrian as a family tomb, but it was later used by popes as a fortress and castle. It was also the setting for the third act of Giacomo Puccini's 1900 opera Tosca, in which the eponymous heroine leaps to her death from the Castel's ramparts. Today this historical building is a museum. The tour will include visits to the Colosseum, Palatine Hill, the Roman Forum, and Domitian’s Stadium. We will also view the ‘Vittoriana,’ also known as the Altare della Patria (Altar of the Fatherland), and the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II) which was built in honour of Victor Emmanuel, the first king of a unified Italy. Following our visit to the Castel Sant'Angelo, we will explore the wonderful Piazza di Spagna and the Trevi Fountain. (B)

Our day today will be spent exploring some of the oldest churches and basilicas in Rome. We will visit Santa Maria Maggiore (a major basilica) which is the largest church in Rome dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the nearby Santa Pudenziana and Santa Croce in Gerusalemme (Basilica of the Holy Cross in Jerusalem, a minor basilica). We continue on to the Basilica di Santa Maria in Travestere (Our Lady in Travestere Basilica), one of the oldest churches in the city. Among the highlights of today will be the visit to the Catacombs of St Callixtus, possibly the greatest and most important crypt of Rome. Lunch and dinner are at own arrangements. (B)

Our study of Christianity in the Middle Ages will continue this morning as we join our local guide for a tour of San Paolo Fuori le Mura (Saint Paul Outside the Walls), another Major Basilica which was founded by the Roman Emperor Constantine I over the burial place of Saint Paul. We will also visit the Basilica of Santa Prisca on the Aventino Hill. Afternoon is at leisure to explore the city on your own. Lunch and dinner are at own arrangements. (B)

On our seventh day, we will commence our exploration of the Renaissance and Baroque periods in Rome. This exploration will include visits to churches and palaces built by the greatest architects of the time and decorated by the most important artists of the time. With our local guide, we will visit the Piazza Del Capidoglio, the Musei Capitolini, the Church of Saint John in Lateran (another Major Basilica), and Santa Maria degli Angeli e Dei Martiri. These fine examples of architecture by the greats such as Borromini and Michelangelo are sure to be unforgettable sights to behold. We enjoy a group dinner locally. (B,D)

Today our visits will take us to the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo, which houses a wonderful collection of paintings by the Renaissance masters. Following our visit to Santa Maria del Popolo, we will visit the Church of Sant’Andrea from the Baroque period and admire the architecture of the Palazzo Farnese, the most important high Renaissance palace in Rome. Lunch and dinner are at own arrangements. (B)

We will set out again today to discover more of Renaissance and Baroque Rome. Today our visits will include the Palazzo Spada Museum, where we will get to see major works by artists such as Titian, Andrea del Sarto, and Gentileschi, among others. We will visit the churches of Sant’Agostino and Santa Maria della Pace, both of which house paintings by Michelangelo and Raffaello. Lunch and dinner are at own arrangements. (B)

The tenth day of our Winter Odyssey will feature a change of pace with a full-day excursion to Tivoli, which is about thirty kilometres outside of Rome. Against the backdrop of breathtaking views that Tivoli offers, we will visit the palace and garden of Villa d’Este, which has been described by UNESCO as one of the most remarkable and comprehensive illustrations of Renaissance culture at its most refined. Afterwards we will visit Hadrian’s Villa, a complex of classical buildings created in the second century A.D. by the Roman Emperor Hadrian. We will say our goodbyes to the beautiful town of Tivoli with lunch at a local restaurant. When we return to Rome, we will enjoy a group dinner before attending a performance at the Teatro del’Opera di Roma. (B,L,D)

The eleventh day of our Winter Odyssey will feature visits to some of Rome's astonishing palaces. Our visits to the gorgeous Villa Borghese and Palazzo Barberini are sure to take your breath away with their grandeur and magnificent art collections. Lunch and dinner are at own arrangements. (B)

On our twelfth day, will will reconvene with our local guide to explore the remarkable Vatican Museums. The Vatican Museums feature art collections built over centuries by the Popes. The Vatican Museums' most notable feature is the Sistine Chapel, which features artwork by Michelangelo and Raphael. We enjoy group dinner locally. (B,D)

The last 2 days of our Winter Odyssey will feature sites that hearken to a more contemporary Rome. Our 13th day will commence with a visit to one of the most symbolic sites associated Mussolini, the Palazzo Venezia. The day will continue into the twenty-first century with a visit to the MaXXI Museum (National Museum of the 21st Century Arts), which was designed by the Anglo-Iraqi architect Zaha Hadid and completed in 2010. Our afternoon will feature a visit to the 16th century Galleria Doria Pamphili, which houses a fantastic collection of paintings, furniture and statues. (B)

Our last day in Rome will feature a half-day tour including visits to the Macro Museum (Museum of Contemporary Art) and the GNAM (Galleria Nazionale D’arte Moderna), both dedicated to modern and contemporary art. This evening, we will join together for a farewell dinner in a local restaurant. (B,D)

Tour will conclude after breakfast. (B)

Plan with confidence

Travel Information

Everything you need to know before you travel, presented in one easy-to-read planning guide.

What’s Included

What's included in our Tour
  • 14 nights of hotel accommodation.
  • 14 breakfasts, 1 lunch and 6 dinners.
  • Ticket to the opera.
  • Applicable entry fees and services of local guides.
  • Entrances and tipping.
  • All travel is in modern, air-conditioned coaches.
  • Services of a Tour Leader.
What's not included in our Tour
  • International airfares including taxes.
  • Comprehensive International Travel insurance.
  • Airport transfers.
  • Items of personal nature such as table drinks, laundry and telephone calls.

Traveller stories

What our travellers say

Real reflections from travellers who have experienced this journey with Odyssey.

No reviews have been shared for this tour yet. Be the first to tell us about your Odyssey experience.

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Discover Rome | Cultural and History Small Group Tour for Seniors
$9,595 AUD
per person · 15 days
Next departure
23 Dec 2026
View dates & prices