Rome Angels & Demons Tour | Illuminati Path Small Group
Description
Explore Rome following the trail of Robert Langdon in Dan Brown's best-selling novel, Angels and Demons! The tour begins at to the Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. It was here that Langdon found the third dead cardinal, who was branded with the word fire. You will also see the Pantheon, where Robert Langdon arrives having misunderstood a clue. His intended destination was the church of Santa Maria del Popolo. You will stop outside St. Peter's Basilica and see the point in the square where the protagonist found another dead cardinal, branded with the word air. Your guide will take you through the most important places in the ancient city center, including Repubblica Square, and Navona Square, whereLangdon finds the last dead cardinal here, branded with the word water. From Navona Square you’ll head to Castel Sant’Angelo, a gathering place of the Illuminati, and hear about the passetto, a hidden passage that leads to Vatican City.
Tour Options
Itinerary
The church is known for the masterpiece of Gian Lorenzo Bernini in the Cornaro Chapel, the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa. The basilica has become extremely popular since it appeared in the novel Angels & Demons, written by the American author Dan Brown.
Construction of the building began in the year 135 under the direction of the Emperor Hadrian, who intended to use it as mausoleum for himself and his family.The building was later used by the popes as a fortress and castle, and is now a museum. You will see Castel Sant'Angelo from the outside and your tour guide will tell you all about its history.
The Pantheon is without any doubt one of the best preserved ancient monuments in Rome. It is a wonderful example of the reutilization from a Christian perspective of a sacred building consecrated to all Gods. It stands in the heart of the ancient Campus Martius, in one of the lowest parts of Rome, and its imposing facade dominates the southern side of Piazza della Rotonda. In 1870 the Pantheon became the shrine of the kings of Italy and hosts the mortal remains of Victor Emanuel the Second, Humbert the First and Margaret of Savoy and also Raffaello Sanzio, the supreme artist of the Renaissance, is buried in the Pantheon. You will see Pantheon from the outside and your tour guide will tell you all about its history.
The Parish Basilica of Santa Maria del Popolo is a titular church and a minor basilica in Rome run by the Augustinian order. The church contains works by several famous artists, such as Raphael, Gian Lorenzo Bernini, Caravaggio, Alessandro Algardi, Pinturicchio, Andrea Bregno, Guillaume de Marcillat and Donato Bramante.
The Papal Basilica of St. Peter in the Vatican (Italian: Basilica Papale di San Pietro in Vaticano), or simply St. Peter's Basilica (Latin: Basilica Sancti Petri), is an Italian Renaissance church in Vatican City, the papal enclave within the city of Rome. Designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini, St. Peter's is the most renowned work of Renaissance architecture and the largest church in the world. While it is neither the mother church of the Catholic Church nor the cathedral of the Diocese of Rome, St. Peter's is regarded as one of the holiest Catholic shrines. It has been described as "holding a unique position in the Christian world"and as "the greatest of all churches of Christendom". You will see the Basilica from the outside and your tour guide will tell you all about its history.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- It is recommended to wear comfortable shoes
Reviews(67)
Do not waste your time with this one. The tour operator cancelled on the morning of our tour while we were walking to the pickup spot. They previously requested that we move our tour to a different date, though we were unable to accommodate due to other tours booked during our time in Rome. They provided the vague excuse of “operational issues”, though we assume it was because we were the only two people booked on the tour (though the tour operator denies this). We would highly recommend City Wonders, as our experiences with that company were great. Our tour operators were reliable, professional and knowledgeable. In particular, we enjoyed their Crypts and Catacombs tour.
Thank you for your feedback. We're truly sorry the tour had to be cancelled — we know how frustrating this can be, especially when travelling with a tight itinerary. We did reach out in advance to propose alternative solutions and avoid the cancellation, and we sincerely regret that we weren't able to find an option that worked for your schedule. A full refund was of course provided. We operate small groups and private tours regularly and take every booking seriously, regardless of group size. We hope to have the opportunity to restore your trust in the future.
Very well presented & interactive, guide shared insight into the book & differences from the movie. Good pace & recap at the end was helpful
Thank you for your wonderful review. We are very happy to hear that you enjoyed the interactive experience and the insights shared by the guide about the book and the differences from the movie. It is great to know that the pace of the tour and the final recap were helpful as well. We truly appreciate your feedback and hope to welcome you again in the future.
Irene was a great guide and a good human being. I really enjoyed the detailed explanation. She was prepared with pictures if a part of a sight was not available, which made the whole experience feel complete. She also shared tons of historical details about each place and many others along the way. Be ready to see Rome through another lense!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are truly happy to hear that you enjoyed the tour with Irene. She is very passionate about sharing the history and stories behind Rome, and we’re glad her preparation and attention to detail made your experience even more special. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we hope to welcome you back to Italy again in the future!
Tour guide was 30 minutes late with no prior notification
Thank you for your feedback. We would like to clarify that a message was sent the day before the tour to the phone number provided in the booking, informing you that the start time had been postponed by 30 minutes. We always do our best to communicate any changes in advance to ensure a smooth experience for our guests. We hope you still enjoyed the tour overall and appreciate your understanding.
Our guide was great. She was knowledgeable and flexible, catering the tour to our needs and interests. We had a great time and I would highly recommend her!
Thank you for your review, we're happy you enjoyed the tour!
Do not waste your time …. For the price of this tour you get to go into only one church , then walk to a few fountains. Finally to St. Peter’s square . Guide didn’t talk about the movie/ book much . Meet us late and as soon as we got near St. Peter’s the tour was done …. This was at noon …tour says we would return to place we started … also completely skipped one of the churches that was listed as a stop. 4 hour tour that was done in 2 1/2 hours. Very disappointed:( This felt very much like a scam.
Out travel guide Irene was wonderful. She was so knowledgable and nice. Had a wonderful day with her.
Thank you for your review, we will be sure to tell Irene! Glad you enjoyed your day!
Felice was a walking encyclopedia of Angels & Demons facts. We really enjoyed his tour!!! And, he went above and beyond to help us when we had a hard time finding a cab due to a transit strike. Awesome guy!!
Thank you for your review, we're happy you enjoyed your time and will be sure to tell Felice!
We met Felice and were the only people on the tour. We had a fabulous 3 hours walking to the main sites in the book/ film. Felice's knowledge was amazing. He explained how the book is based on some truths, some myths and some pure fiction and explained how each site was used during the film. He also told us stories and history about Rome and the Catholic church. We asked loads of questions and he answered them all. A brilliant day and would definitely recommend.
Thank you for your review, we will be sure to tell Felice!
We had a great walk through Rome taking in the sites and leaning about their importance. The ties to the movie were not as strong as we hoped for was a very interesting walking tour.
Thank you for your review
