An itinerary in Rome to discover the Grand Tour, the fascinating initiatory journey of the European aristocracy to the Eternal City.

The Grand Tour was an educational journey through Europe undertaken by young elites starting in the 18th century to study classical culture and understand the various social realities. The term first appeared in 1670 in the book The Voyage of Italy by English canon Richard Lassels, in which he asserted that “every student of architecture, antiquities, and art could not fail to visit Italy.“

Let’s imagine an itinerary through Rome, the most important Italian stop on the Grand Tour for its treasures linked to the great Roman Empire and ancient Greece, among the places that were essential stops during the 18th and 19th centuries, and some addresses that would be if this journey of knowledge were set in the present day.

Travel is the greatest school there is.

(about Grand Tour)

The 18th century saw the beginning of major archaeological discoveries that marked a turning point in the dawn of tourism and the Grand Tour itself. In Rome, excavations began in 1720 on the Farnese estate on the Palatine Hill, and in 1738 Charles of Bourbon, King of Naples and Sicily, began work on Herculaneum and then Pompeii.

This marked the beginning of a true mythologization of classical art, as theorized by the most famous archaeologist of the 18th century, Johann J. Winckelmann, who in his book On Beauty in Art suggests two statues of Greek origin as symbols of beauty and perfection: the Apollo Belvedere and the Laocoon.

Rome became the center of a veritable fight between the most powerful families to demonstrate their supremacy through the acquisition of the most important works of art of the era.

It is precisely here that our itinerary begins, with two of the palaces built by the city’s most important dynasties and treasure troves of precious objects: Palazzo Colonna and Palazzo Barberini.

In addition to the magnificent Colonna Gallery, a jewel of Roman Baroque, Palazzo Colonna houses one of the most significant private collections in the world. There are several reasons for this: because it has survived almost intact, except for the masterpieces it had to give up to support the papal finances following the Treaty of Tolentino and Napoleon’s victory; because of the importance of the works still displayed in their original arrangement; and because it spans eight centuries of art history, testifying to all its key turning points.

Among the various rooms, the one housing the most famous masterpieces is the Hall of the Apotheosis of Martin V, where you can admire, among others, Annibale Carracci‘s The Bean Eater, which depicts a 16th-century peasant’s meal and which undoubtedly inspired, three centuries later, Impressionist painters such as Van Gogh and Degas.

Part of Rome’s National Galleries of Ancient Art, Palazzo Barberini housed one of the world’s most renowned private collections. Masterpieces such as Raphael‘s La Fornarina are still on display today, along with new acquisitions from other illustrious bequests.

One of the most popular paintings of the Grand Tour is housed here: the Portrait of Beatrice Cenci from 1650, recently attributed to the painter Ginevra Cantofoli. According to various theories, it portrays the young woman condemned to death for killing her incestuous father. Johann Wolfgang Goethe, a celebrated narrator of the Grand Tour in his book Italian Journey, wrote of this young woman: “In this face of Cenci there is more than I have ever seen in any other human face.“

After visiting the Museum, you can stop at the new Caffè Serre Barberini, located within the greenhouses of Palazzo Barberini, which retains all its 19th-century charm, for a break immersed in art and nature.

Nearby, you can stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Rome Monti lifestyle hotel, overlooking the magnificent Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore, one of Rome’s four papal basilicas and a landmark of the vibrant Monti neighborhood, with its panoramic rooftop cocktail bar, an all-day bistro, and numerous art exhibitions.

Walking toward the heart of Rome, another must-see is the Tempietto di Bramante, “portrayed” by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, the most famous engraver in the history of Italian art. During the 18th century, he captured the stops on the Grand Tour in meticulous illustrations that capture with incredible precision what Rome looked like at the time.

Here, you can visit the Cloister designed by Donato Bramante, a Renaissance masterpiece by the celebrated architect, and, a little further on, stop at the Bar della Pace, which, since its documented opening in 1891, has been one of the city’s most iconic spots, almost on par with its most popular monuments.

Reopened in 2024 following the restoration of the building that houses it, its restyling included the recovery of all the iconic furnishings of the historic venue, such as the beautiful bar, the bistro chairs and tables, and the paintings, which have preserved the romantic feel of late 19th-century artist bars.

A five-minute walk away is one of Rome’s most unusual museums: the House Museum of Mario Praz, the Italian greatest Anglicist and an eccentric Anglophile, University professor, and art critic, who transformed his home into that of a gentleman during the Grand Tour, although he only moved there in 1969.

Here, in fact, we find many original objects collected by Praz over a period of 60 years, which tell us how, in particular, the English and French viewed our country and how it appeared in the 19th century. These are his collections of postcards and souvenirs from the era, such as paintings of Italian landscapes and fans decorated with famous views and archaeological monuments of Rome.

Continuing our stroll through Piazza Navona to the Pantheon, it’s time for a gastronomic break. During the Grand Tour, travelers were enchanted by the delicious local products, as Goethe recounts in his book Italian Journey, describing many of the foods he discovered in Italy, such as pasta.

To rediscover these traditional flavors, a stop at La Ciambella Bar à Vin con Cucina is a must. It embodies three souls: a French wine bar, a typical Roman fraschetta (traditional small osteria), and a refined restaurant. This happy union is made possible by its owners: chef Francesca Ciucci, who was introduced to her great love, cooking, in the family fraschetta, and maître d’ and sommelier Mirka Guberti, with significant Michelin-starred experience under her belt. The pasta dishes are fantastic, from Cacio e Pepe to Carbonara.

If you’re craving a quicker break, still near the Pantheon, you can stop at the historic Pizzeria da Baffetto (where reservations aren’t possible and the line outside moves quickly) to try the typical Roman pizza known as “scrocchiarella” because it’s thin and crispy on the edges.

At the beginning of the Grand Tour, hotels as we know them today didn’t exist, and those who undertook it typically stayed in the noble residences of the important families of the time, which always had rooms or guesthouses for their guests. It wasn’t until the late 18th century that some enlightened entrepreneurs began to see a business opportunity in the “grand tourists”, the first tourists.

Among them, founders of one of the world’s first hotel chains, is Franz-Joseph Bucher, whose son-in-law Heinrich Wirth, after taking it over from his partner Alberto Hassler, who had founded it in 1893, transformed the Hotel Hassler into a symbol of luxury in the capital. Located at the top of the Spanish Steps, it is still managed by the Wirth family today.

Its panoramic restaurant on the sixth floor, Imàgo, is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, offering an incredible view of all the city’s monuments and the cuisine of chef Andrea Antonini, whose artistry makes you forget everything else.

The Hotel Hassler truly embodies the Eternal City’s great beauty, with busts and ornaments from Classical Rome, the magnificence of the Renaissance, decorations by the finest craftsmen, and the magical touch of cinematic glamour of the magnificent Spanish Steps.