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Renaissance Scarlet Ladies Tour: Caravaggio's and Borgia's Women

Recommended by 100% of travelers
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Rome, Italy
  • 3 hours (approx.)
  • Mobile ticket
  • Offered in: English

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Overview

While most Renaissance tours focus on the male artists and rulers of the era, this walking tour delves into the fascinating history of the women during this period. Join your guide on a walk through Rome to learn about the colorful lives of a handful of mistresses, courtesans, and noblewomen who changed the course of the city’s history. Visit the ornate churches and palaces they once frequented, including Palazzo Doria Pamphilj and Basilica San Agostino.
  • Explore Renaissance Rome through the lens of its most influential women
  • Visit historic churches and palaces overlooked by most tourists
  • Learn about figures such as the courtesan Lady Lucrezia and Caravaggio’s muse
  • Hear facts and anecdotes that you won't find in a typical guidebook

What's Included

  • Guided tour
  • Snacks
    Halfway through of the storytelling walking tour, there is chance to make a stop in a Snack Bar but the cost is not included in the tour

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

  • Basilica of St Mark Evangelist at Campidoglio
    Palazzo Venezia, Piazza di S. Marco, 48, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

    The meeting point for this tour is adjacent to Piazza Venezia. In this piazza, you will see Rome's biggest monument. The locals call it the "Wedding Cake Monument," although its proper name is the "Victorian." Facing it, you will find our meeting point, Basilica San Marco, on your right.

End point

  • Piazza Farnese, 44, 00186 Roma RM, Italy

    The Scarlet Ladies walking tour ends in Piazza Farnese, a very central location adjacent to Campo de' Fiori square and very close to Piazza Navona too. Nearby the ending point of this tour there's a taxi stand, as well as many bus stops.

Operating hours
.2:30 pm

Itinerary

1

Basilica San Marco Evangelista

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

2

Villa Doria Pamphilj

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

3

Chiesa Di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva

25 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

4

Basilica S. Agostino

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

5

Via dei Coronari

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

6

Campo De' Fiori

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

7

Piazza Farnese

20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Additional Info

  • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Stroller accessible
  • Service animals allowed
  • Near public transportation
  • Infants must sit on laps
  • Not recommended for travelers with back problems
  • Most travelers can participate
  • The itinerary of the tour is 95% accessible to wheelchairs. There's only 2 churches which are hard to get in with a wheelchair but that doesn't manage the content of the tour, since in that case we just tell the story outside of the church
  • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 18 travelers
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Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

Traveler Photos

Gallery picture 1 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 2 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 3 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 4 (from a traveler's review)
Gallery picture 5 (from a traveler's review)

Reviews

5.0
based on 69 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
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Massimo Brings History Alive

Michelle_E, Nov 2025
Massimo uses knowledge and humor to share what life was like for women. This was an enjoyable way to learn about aspects of economic reality of the time while seeing sights often overlooked by tourists,

A must!!

Reem_A, Nov 2025
This experience is one of my core memory tours. It was equally in depth, but not too overbearing. Massimo is really good about laying out the dates and history in a way that really stuck in my mind. I found myself shocked i hadnt known about it sooner. Do it solo, do it with your companions that love art/history. Do it because the background of so much history you witness in Rome, depends on the women that were never acknowledged.

Fascinating history told by a born storyteller

Nadia_d, Dec 2024
You will walk a fair bit but it's not too much. The tour guide, Massimo, is enthusiastic and a great storyteller and the subject matter fascinating. Highly recommended.

FABOULOUS tour - absolute must for all women

P_L, Jun 2024
Probably the BEST tour I have ever been on! Very detailed descriptions about the history of several women, which must have taken a lot of research. I finally understood the meaning behind some of the famous paintings. We also visited some of the houses where they lived.

Very interesting unique tour

Victor_S, Apr 2023
I learned a lot from this unusual unorthodox tour taken on March 28, 2023. Grazie Massimo for sharing your knowledge with us. This tour is strongly recommended.

One of the Better Walking Tours

Maria_P, Oct 2022
We spent an enjoyable afternoon walking through one of Rome's most historic quarters with Massimo. He was the perfect guide, knowledgeable and fun. I had heard if one or two if the women but not most. This ranks right up there as one of the better walking tours I've taken. Be sure to do this if you get the chance!

Not to be missed!

Susan_P, Sept 2022
Very interesting and informative. Great thing to do if you are already familiar with the typical sights. Knowledgeable tour guide who went above and beyond for his guests

From $46.19

per person

up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)

Book ahead!
On average, this is booked 41 days in advance.

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