Rome for Readers: A Self-Guided Literary Tour

1 h 30 min – 2 hours Free cancellation Private tour

Rome for Readers: A Self-Guided Literary Tour, photo 2 — Photos: the activity supplier, via Viator

About this activity

“Rome has opened my eyes to beauty,” said Hans Christian Andersen, one of the many literary geniuses who spent time in the Eternal City.

Some of the world’s greatest writers and poets traveled to Rome on cultural pilgrimages, in search of art, history, beauty and, above all, inspiration for their own work. On this walking tour, you’ll follow in the footsteps of these famous writers, making your way past many of the city’s most iconic landmarks.

You’ll find out where these writers lived and wrote their most famous lines, and where they drank coffee and met with other writers. As you stroll from Terrazza del Pincio where our tour starts to Piazza Barberini where it ends, you’ll see the sites that inspired their greatest masterpieces.

Most of all, you’ll hear from these writers in their own words: from famous quotes and lines of poetry to snippets from letters they sent home describing their impressions of the city, what it meant to them, and how it influenced their work.

Private and Luxury Private Sightseeing Tours Audio Guides Cultural Tours Historical Tours Walking Tours New Product Short term availability

At a glance

Duration: 1 h 30 min – 2 hours
Confirmation: Instant confirmation
Ticket: Mobile or paper ticket accepted
Group: Your group only
People per booking: 1–15
Audio 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 attractions not included during the tour
Not included: Food and drink
Not included: Transportation

Itinerary

Piazza del Popolo

Passing by

This self-guided audio tour starts near Piazza del Popolo. As you explore the sites connected to some of the world's greatest writers, you'll pass through the piazza.
Stop 2

Passing by

On this self-guided walking, you'll stroll past Hotel de Russie where Charles Dickens stayed in the mid-1800s.
Stop 3

Passing by

On this self-guided walking, you'll see Antico Caffè Greco where Gogol would write for hours and Terrazza della Pincio where Henry James liked to sit and write while people-watching.
Stop 4

Passing by

On this self-guided tour, you'll find out where famous writers lived in Rome and wrote their most famous lines, and where they drank coffee and met with other writers. You'll pass by Hotel d'Inghilterra Roma and hear how its connected to these writers.
Stop 5

Passing by

On this self-guided tour, you'll stroll through Piazza Mignanelli, taking in its surrounding sites and hearing about its connected to famous writers like Shelleys, Keats, the Brownings, Lord Byron and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Spanish Steps

Passing by

On this self-guided tour, you'll stroll through Piazza Di Spagna, taking in its surrounding sites and hearing about its connected to famous writers like Shelleys, Keats, the Brownings, Lord Byron and Nathaniel Hawthorne.
Babington's Tea Room

Passing by

On this tour, you'll pass by Baington's Tea Room and hear how it got its start as the first tea room in Rome.
Keats-Shelley House

Passing by

On this self-guided walking, you'll take in the fountain that inspired John Keats’ epitaph (Fontana della Barcaccia) from the house that Keats stayed in on Piazza di Spagna.
Spanish Steps

Passing by

On this walking tour, you’ll follow in the footsteps of these famous writers, making your way past many of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including Piazza del Popolo and the Spanish Steps.
Piazza Barberini

Passing by

As you stroll from Terrazza del Pincio where our tour starts to Piazza Barberini where it ends, you’ll see the sites that inspired great masterpieces from world-renowned writers.

Meeting point and pickup

Everyone meets at the meeting point.

Meeting point

This tour starts at Terrazza del Pincio. 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

This self-guided audio tour ends in front of Fontana del Tritone on Piazza Barberini.

Using your ticket

VOICEMAP CODE

───

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

───

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

───

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

───

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