Highlights of modern Rome

White Hat Tours, the specialist Italian cultural tour operator, is offering a 7-day tour of Modern Rome, exploring the city’s more recent cultural heritage and staying well away from the crowds at the Coliseum.

Modern Rome began in 1870, when the city was declared the capital of a united Italy. The optimism and confidence of the times were expressed in the enormous Vittoriano monument, built to celebrate unification and commemorate Italy’s first king, Victor Emanuele II.

Following the First World War, Mussolini’s government saw itself as heir to the Roman Empire and new buildings and streets were constructed to glorify the fascist regime and create a new imperial city. More recently, the new millennium has prompted a significant amount of building and restoration, with new cultural venues offering innovative ways for travellers to experience the city’s rich artistic heritage.

The White Hat Tour of Modern Rome explores the development of Rome since 1870, visiting places off the beaten track and well away from the mainstream tourist sites. Highlights of the tour include:

- The Jubilee church at Tor Tre Teste, commissioned by the Vatican from the American architect Richard Meier as part of the recent millennium celebrations
- The house and studio of Giorgio de Chirico, located near the Spanish Steps, where the artist spent the latter years of his life
- Private visit to the collection of modern Italian art housed in the Farnesina building, used by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- The legacy of the fascist era at EUR, the Foro Italico and the Villa Torlonia

The White Hat Tour of Modern Rome confirms the company’s reputation for creating innovative itineraries that guide travellers away from the crowds. Furthermore, the tour also includes an evening class at a cooking school, a dinner in a private Italian home, some language classes for beginners and an evening concert, enabling travellers to experience many different aspects of contemporary Italian culture.

The price of the 7-day tour is £1,495, including flights and 4-star hotel accommodation, and is scheduled from Saturday 6th to Friday 12th September 2008. Prices excluding flights and accommodation are also available.

A full itinerary of the tour of Modern Rome is available on our website at Whitehattours.com.