Baroque Rome Private Walking Tour

Starting at the Repubblica square, our first stop is just a few steps away: the often overlooked church of Santa Maria della Vittoria. It houses the magnificent sculptural complex of Bernini – Ecstasy of St. Teresa, featured prominently in Dan Brown’s Angels and Demons. This sculpture is fully staged by the surrounding decorations, offering a textbook example of baroque theatricality.

Next up, however, is a much quieter but more elegant example, San Carlo alle Quattro Fontane designed by Bernini’s biggest rival, Borromini. This church, despite its small size, is a favorite among architects. Its intricate dome is a perfect play of geometry. Here we’ll compare the contrasting personalities of Bernini and Borromini, digging deeper into the aesthetic details that define the high Baroque art.

Passing by the presidential complex of the Quirinal palace, we’ll discover two churches of the powerful Jesuits order: Il Gesù and Chiesa di Sant’ Ignazio. We’ll not only marvel at the chill-inducing trompe-l’oeil false-perspectives that open up the ceilings to heaven, we’ll also learn about the role of the Catholic Church in shaping the Baroque style, as the counter-reformation became the ultimate art patron.

After a short stop in the courtyard of Borromini’s S.Ivo alla Sapienza, we’ll visit the Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi, where you will enjoy the once-in-a-life-time experience of seeing three masterpieces of Caravaggio, another baroque genius, under the church’s original dim lights. This tour ends at the unmissable Piazza Navona. You’ll be able to look at this must-see sight of Rome from a baroque perspective that you have developed during this tour!