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The Pantheon, the Minerva and Piazza Colonna
In just a few blocks, Rome shows off its favourite trick: never throwing anything away.
Rome audio tours and self-guided walks
Rome is bigger than a postcard.
A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
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One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.
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Walk through Rome, story by story
From the forums to the streets of Trastevere, Rome changes century around every corner. Follow stories of power, explore its squares or cross the Tiber. One walk for the great monuments; another for everything that happens between them.
Start with “The Pantheon, the Minerva and Piazza Colonna”. In just a few blocks, Rome shows off its favourite trick: never throwing anything away. You start at a column where it rains on an army, and an obelisk that was once the pointer of a sundial and later watched the lottery being drawn.
Then there’s “Legends from the Capitoline to the Mouth of Truth”. You start at the foot of the long staircase up to the Aracoeli, where the Middle Ages placed Augustus before a sibyl. You climb with Cola di Rienzo, who wanted to bring back the Republic and fell on this very hill, and you reach the bronze horseman who survived because he was mistaken for someone else.
For another side of the city, try “The Caelian and the Circus Maximus”. On the Caelian there's hardly any traffic, and a great many questions. You start in front of a marble ship that nobody can explain, sitting on top of a hill.
Keep exploring with “The Imperial Forums and the Colosseum”. You start at the foot of the Capitol, outside the prison where Rome held its enemies before executing them. Then you follow the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
Choose by neighbourhood or by the stories that interest you: each route shows its distance, stops and approximate duration before you set off. The audio is written for walking, with a clear distinction between documented events and local legend. Download it in the app, put on your headphones and pause whenever something catches your eye. English and Spanish are included.
Start for free
The Pantheon, the Minerva and Piazza Colonna
A temple bearing the name of a man who didn't build it, another tucked inside a customs house, a column with a miracle claimed by three parties, a painted dome and an elephant with a message. Ancient Rome is still here, but it's changed hands.
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Monument audio tours
Rome, before you go
Rome calls for a water bottle, reliable shoes and room for a detour. Its squares link up on foot; the hills and sunshine decide how many you will enjoy in a day.
Stories for your next walk
Facts and legends
Bernini's elephant and Piazza della Minerva
Bernini's little elephant carries an obelisk outside the convent where Galileo recanted. What its pedestal says, and which famous tale has no source.
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Facts and legends
Pasquino: the statue that mocked the popes
An armless, faceless torso near Piazza Navona was Rome's anonymous voice for centuries. Pasquino, his overnight verses and the city's other talking statues.
Read the story
Facts and legends
Thumbs down? What we really know about gladiators
Thumbs down was popularised by an 1872 painting, and 'those who are about to die' is recorded just once, on a lake. What the ancient sources really say.
Read the story
Walk at your own pace
Free self-guided walking tour of Rome: Podtour's free audio route
A complete free audio walking route through Rome, taking in the Pantheon and Bernini's elephant: no group, no set start time and no tip.
Read the storyBefore visiting Rome
How many days do I need in Rome?
Our Rome guide has suggestions for one, two and three days. Start with one area rather than trying to fit every walk into a day; leave room for travel between neighbourhoods and any indoor visits.
Can I explore Rome on foot?
Terrain: the centre mixes easier ground with hills, slopes and stairs; Monti and the Capitoline make themselves felt. Surfaces: the centre’s sampietrini are dark stone cobbles, uneven and slippery in rain; heels make them harder work. Take care around gaps and narrow pavements.
Which Rome route is free?
“The Pantheon, the Minerva and Piazza Colonna” is the free route: 11 stops over 1.14 km, with an approximate duration of 46 minutes. You can see its map and stops on the route page.
When is a good time to visit Rome?
Choose spring or autumn to avoid the strongest heat; the best-known places will still attract crowds. June brings celebrations of Saints Peter and Paul; December brings Christmas atmosphere and more activity around St Peter’s. Arrange accommodation ahead if that is the atmosphere you want.
Can I listen without an internet connection?
Download the audio in the app before heading out, then listen offline. Loading the online base map and calculating a new route from your location require a connection.
What languages are included?
Every route includes Spanish and British English. The English version is adapted for English-speaking travellers, rather than translated word for word.
How do I get a whole city for free?
Join the waitlist, choose a city and confirm your email address. When the app launches, we will email you with access details. No card is required. You can also try one free route in every city.
Can I buy for myself or for a group?
Yes. Your own access is included and you can choose 0–5 guests: up to 6 people including you. Each guest saves up to €0.50 on a walk, €1 on a pack or €2 on a whole city compared with buying separately. The counter shows the total before you confirm one payment.
How do I share, and when must guests accept?
After paying, share your purchase’s invitation link. Each guest opens it in Podtour and accepts their place on their own iPhone or Android phone. They must redeem it within 30 days of purchase. Unclaimed places then expire and cannot be recovered or renewed. Access accepted in time is kept. Opening the link does not use a place; one account takes just one place, and no more people can join once all places are taken.
Can I add guests after buying?
No. Choose all your guests before confirming the first purchase. Afterwards you can share the places you paid for, but you cannot increase their number or restart the 30-day deadline.
