Saints, Sinners and Executions: A Self-Guided Rome Walking Tour

1 h 15 min – 1 h 45 min Free cancellation Private tour

Saints, Sinners and Executions: A Self-Guided Rome Walking Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

Rome's beauty hides a darker history of trials, prisons, and public executions. This self-guided walking tour follows a route from Campo de' Fiori to Castel Sant'Angelo, revealing how the city's streets once staged punishment, devotion, and fear.

Highlights include:

Uncover Giordano Bruno's execution in Campo de' Fiori
Follow the tragic story of Beatrice Cenci
Walk streets tied to prisons, judgement, and papal power
Learn how confraternities cared for the forgotten dead
Cross Ponte Sant'Angelo, where mercy and violence met
End near Castel Sant'Angelo, Rome's fortress-prison

More than tales of death, this 75-minute tour reveals a Rome of faith, resistance, and memory - where beauty and brutality stood only steps apart.

Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Audio Guides Architecture Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours Short term availability Weather Dependent - Moderate

At a glance

Duration: 1 h 15 min – 1 h 45 min
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio guide: English
Written guide: English
Operated by: VoiceMap Audio Tours

Ages: Adults (6–99 years)

What is included

Included

Included: Lifetime access to this tour in English before your booking date and after it
Included: Offline access to audio, maps, and geodata
Included: App for Android and iOS
Included: Flexibility to explore at your own pace with a self-guided GPS tour
Included: Directions to the starting point so that when you’re in the right place, the tour will start

Not included

Not included: Smartphone and headphones
Not included: Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour
Not included: Food and drink
Not included: Transportation

Itinerary

Stop 1

Passing by

Stroll past Campo de' Fiori, Rome's lively market square where philosopher Giordano Bruno was burned in 1600. Browse flower and produce stalls, cafés, and Renaissance architecture. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Stop 2

Passing by

Pass by the Monumento a Giordano Bruno, a bronze statue honoring the philosopher executed here for heresy in 1600. Learn about his ideas on an infinite universe. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Palazzo Farnese

Passing by

Walk along and admire Palazzo Farnese, a Renaissance palace built by the powerful Farnese family, designed by Sangallo, Michelangelo, and della Porta. Now home to the French Embassy. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Stop 4

Passing by

Pass beneath the Arco dei Banchi, a small covered passage with a painted ceiling and an ancient Tiber flood marker from 1277. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Via Giulia

Passing by

Walk along Via Giulia, a straight Renaissance street commissioned by Pope Julius II, once lined with courts, papal offices, and legal institutions. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
St. Angelo Bridge

Passing by

Stroll across Ponte Sant'Angelo, lined with Bernini's angel statues, each holding a symbol of Christ's Passion, overlooking the Tiber and Castel Sant'Angelo. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Stop 7

Passing by

Pass by Castel Sant'Angelo, once Emperor Hadrian's mausoleum, later a papal fortress and prison holding figures like Benvenuto Cellini. Explore its terraces, apartments, and views. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Passetto di Borgo

Passing by

Pass by the Passetto di Borgo, an elevated papal escape route linking the Vatican to Castel Sant'Angelo, famously used in 1527. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.
Stop 9

Passing by

Walk toward Saint Peter's Basilica, the heart of Vatican City, marking the end of this journey through Rome's papal power and dark history. Personal expenses for admission fees not included during the tour.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

This tour begins in Campo de’ Fiori, beside the statue of Giordano Bruno at the centre of the square. Before arrival, please install the mobile app and use the code provided on your confirmation ticket. Detailed starting point instructions are available after downloading.

End point

The tour ends near Piazza Pia, by the Monumento di Santa Caterina da Siena.

Using your ticket

VOICEMAP CODE

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Please check your email at the address you provided when you made this booking. You've been sent an eight character code you'll need to redeem your tour.

This code can be used by every member of your party. If you've booked for three people, for example, three people can download this tour using the same code.

DOWNLOAD INSTRUCTIONS

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Once you've received your code, please follow these steps:

Install the VoiceMap Audio Tours mobile app

Create an account

Select Tour Codes from the menu, then select Enter Codes

Enter your code then select Download Now

PLEASE NOTE

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You can download the tour at any time, before or after your booking date. It’s best to download the tour before you set off for the starting point.

This tour follows a set route and includes turn-by-turn directions. It works best if you start it in the right place and follow the directions from one location to the next.

When the download completes, you’ll see a screen with a photo of the starting point and directions to it. The red start button will become active when you are at the starting point.

Remember to bring your own headphones, unless you have booked a driving tour.

SUPPORT

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For technical support and other queries, please email [email protected]