Rome in the Movies

A walking tour for seeing Rome as it appeared in movies that made the history of cinema

Since the ancient times Rome has been a set of representations for Emperors and Popes, for the aristocracy and ordinary people, so it seems a natural place for shooting movies that have become world famous like Dolce Vita or in recent times Angels and Demons.

With this in mind, we designed a walking tour as a way to see Rome from a movie perspective. We this private tour we will visit the locations where famous movie scenes were filmed and learn about the anecdotes related to the movies and the celebrities that played them. But this tour is also a great way to see the most important sites of Rome together with some hidden gems away from the tourist crowds.

La Dolce Vita - Federico Fellini (1960)

Itinerary

Piazza Navona – An attic facing on this beautiful square is the place where Sofia Loren made one of the most famous strip-tease of the Italian movie history in front of Marcello Mastroianni, in the movie Ieri Oggi Domani, by Vittorio De Sica, Academy Award for best foreign language movie in 1963. This scene became so popular that director Robert Altman re-made it in his movie Pret-a-Porter. In Piazza Navona was also shot Poveri ma belli (1956), a very popular film by Dino Risi

Pantheon - We continue to follow the path of De Sica’s and the Italian Neorealism movement in the Pantheon Square. Here was shot one of the most touching scenes from Umberto D (1952). Many years later the English director Peter Greenway used the Pantheon as a fantastic backdrop for a dinner in The Belly of an Architect (1987)

Piazza Di Pietra – A Roman temple has been incorporated in a Renaissance building in this square where Monica Vitti meets Alain Delon in the movie L’eclisse (The Eclipse, 1962), a movie by another of the greatest Italian directors Michelangelo Antonioni

Trevi Fountain – This astonishing fountain is in the memory of all movie lovers for the scene where Anita Ekberg is bathing in La Dolce Vita (1960), the masterpiece by Federico Fellini. But also Three Coins in the Fountain (1954) and Roman Holiday (1953) contributed to increase the allure of the place. It is also important to note the scene where Totò is trying to sell the fountain to an American tourist in the Tototruffa 62 (1961). Although not very popular abroad, Totò is one of the most prominent and loved Italian comedians of all times

Spanish steps – Here Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck are flirting in Roman Holiday (1953). While in The Talented Mr Ripley (1999), Freddy (Philip Seymour Hoffman), rival of Mr. Ripley (Matt Damon), arrived by driving a red Alfa Romeo convertible.

Nearby there is a lovely street where art dealers have their galleries lived the fictitious Joe Bradly (Gregory Peck) of Roman Holyday. In real life it is the place where Federico Fellini and his devoted wife used to live

Trinità dei Monti – While climbing the Spanish Steps we see the palace where Bernardo Bertolucci made the very romantic story of L'assedio (Besieged, 1998).

Piazza Barberini – Facing on the the square you willl se the palace Barberini where in Roman Holiday (1953) was the embassy where stayed princess Anna (Audrey Hepburn)

Via Veneto - The street of La Dolce Vita, the street with cafes and night clubs that made it so popular in the 60s, just when the name paparazzo was created after one of the photographers chasing the movie stars

Casa del Cinema – The tour will end in this building, a place specifically dedicated to the Italian Cinema. After saying good by to your guide, you can take a look at one of the periodic exhibitions about movies and you can rest in the cafeteria in the wonderful park of Villa Borghese

Type of tour: Walking tour

Duration: 3 - 3.5 hrs

If you are interested in movies set in Rome, take a look to our tours

Angels and Demons and Eat, Pray, Love Tours and don't miss the articles in our Italian Movies Blog

Booking

For more information or to book any of our private tours contact us