Renaissance Scarlet Ladies Tour: Caravaggio's and Borgia's Women

5.0 (73 reviews) Rome, Italy
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Duration3h
Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before
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TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted
LanguagesEnglish
Group sizeUp to 18 travelers

Overview

Welcome, to the most scandalous, jaw-dropping, and utterly fascinating walking tour you never knew you needed! Forget the dry history lectures—this is a tour about the women who made Renaissance Italy sizzle.

We will dive deep into the world of Renaissance courtesans, scarlet ladies who played a significant role in the politics of Renaissance Europe. Think of them as muses who inspired some of the greatest artists in history. These women weren’t just beautiful; they were resourceful.

You will meet seven unforgettable women, each immortalized in paintings by Caravaggio and Raphael. These weren’t just pretty faces—they were trendsetters, intellectuals, poets, and, in some cases, royal game-changers. Their lives were filled with passion, intrigue, and, of course, a little scandal (okay, a lot of scandal).
Expect stories of dangerous ambition and a society that couldn’t decide whether to adore or condemn these women—so naturally, it did both.
Trust me, history has never been this juicy.

What's included

  • Guided tour
  • Halfway through of the storytelling walking tour, there is chance to make a stop in a Snack Bar but the cost is not included in the tour

What to expect

  1. Basilica San Marco Evangelista
    20m
    The tour begins with a massive statue that in 1477 was named after a famous Courtesan. The statue nowadays is indeed known as "Lady Lucrezia". This XV century woman who lived an incredibly colorful life, is the first story of this storytelling tour
  2. Villa Doria Pamphilj
    20m
    We make a stop in the courtyard of the Doria Pamphilj, to talk about our second woman named Anna Bianchini, who modeled many times for a famous italian painter known as Caravaggio.

    Anna was indeed Caravaggio's first model and also the one who modeled for him most of the times
  3. Chiesa Di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
    25m
    We enter a this magnificent church which is full of important and beautiful artworks and tell we tell the story of the most successful courtesan in all of Europe, back in the early XVI Century
  4. Basilica S. Agostino
    20m
    Sant'Agostino church is another fantastic site included in this storytelling walking tour. This church is historically related to women, there's so many stories about the women in here and plus, there is the original "Virgin Mary and the Pilgrims" canvas painted by Caravaggio
  5. Via dei Coronari
    10m
    On this storytelling walking tour, we walk amongst original XVI and XV century building that back in the day, were owned by Courtesans. This is the Best Way to bing the stories to Life, since we are really able to eye-witness what their daily life was really like
  6. Campo De' Fiori
    20m
    Are you a Borgia Family fan? oh well, you will love the story of Vannozza Cattanei, mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia. Her story is incredible and usually is people's favorite story in all of the tour.
  7. Piazza Farnese
    20m
    Here in Piazza Farnese, right by the beautiful Palazzo designed by Michelangelo which is the French Embassy today, the tour ends with the sad story of Giulia Farnese. We don't spoil anything but the finale of the tour is really moving...

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

The meeting point for this tour is adjacent to Piazza Venezia.
In this piazza, you will see Rome's biggest monument. The locals call it the "Wedding Cake Monument," although its proper name is the "Victorian."
Facing it, you will find our meeting point, Basilica San Marco, on your right.

End point

The Scarlet Ladies walking tour ends in Piazza Farnese, a very central location adjacent to Campo de' Fiori square and very close to Piazza Navona too. Nearby the ending point of this tour there's a taxi stand, as well as many bus stops.

Additional information

  • Wheelchair accessible
  • Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
  • Service animals allowed
  • Public transportation options are available nearby
  • Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
  • Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
  • Suitable for all physical fitness levels
  • The itinerary of the tour is 95% accessible to wheelchairs. There's only 2 churches which are hard to get in with a wheelchair but that doesn't manage the content of the tour, since in that case we just tell the story outside of the church

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

5.0 (73)
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Operated by Storytelling Rome Tours & Walks · Booked through Viator
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