Description
The Pantheon audio tour with timed entry removes the usual planning. A host meets you in Via della Rotonda, close to the entrance, wearing a red T-shirt and carrying the Rome City Sightseeing Tour flag. The host checks your group, shows you how to start the audio on your own phone, and has the entry booked for your slot.
Inside you set the speed. The audio tells how Emperor Hadrian built a temple to all the gods that later turned into a church and a royal mausoleum. Look up at the nine-metre oculus at the top of the dome and you will learn why rain hardly ever reaches the floor, then watch the sunbeam that moves across the marble like a sundial. The route also takes in the tomb of Raphael and the monuments to Vittorio Emanuele II and Umberto I.
- A personal host at the meeting point
- Entry arranged for your scheduled time
- Audio story on your smartphone, in a choice of languages
- A small group, capped at 25 guests
It works well for solo travellers, couples and families who want more than the plaques, without a group tour's pace. Visits last about an hour. Bring your own headphones and a valid ID, and cover shoulders and knees.