podtour
The Pantheon, the Minerva and Piazza Colonna
In just a few blocks, Rome shows off its favourite trick: never throwing anything away.
Castel Sant'Angelo and St Peter's Square: audio walk in Rome
From the pilgrims' bridge to St Peter's Square, without going into a single museum: the executioner's square, a deadly crush in 1450, an emperor's tomb turned fortress, an angel the witness never saw, Cellini's escape, the Pope's passageway, a vanished pyramid and the obelisk raised in silence.
What this walk is about
You start at the foot of the bridge, above the square where Rome executed its condemned, as the poet Belli and the executioner's own register tell us. On the bridge, a local man describes the afternoon in 1450 when 172 pilgrims died. Hadrian's tomb became a rampart and then a castle, and during the Gothic siege its statues ended up hurled as ammunition at the besiegers; a legendary angel gave it its name, and Cellini escaped from it on his bedsheets. In 1527 a pope fled along the passage on top of the wall. The Borgo hides a pyramid that never belonged to Romulus, a wheel for leaving babies, and an avenue opened up with a pickaxe. In the square: Caligula's obelisk, the ball that never held Caesar's ashes, the order of silence of 1586, and two discs where four rows of columns become one.
- Start
- The executioner's square
- Finish
- Two discs and a line
- Who it is for
- For anyone interested in popes, castles and legends. Plan your walk without booking an entry ticket.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk is mostly level. There are cobbles or uneven surfaces.
The route, stop by stop
An outline of the walk. The full stories are in the app.
Loading the map…
Open a marker to see its page. Use two fingers to move the map on mobile.
- 1
The executioner's square
- 2
The bridge that claimed 172 pilgrims
- 3
The emperor who wrote to his soul
- 4
Statues turned into ammunition
- 5
The angel the eyewitness didn't see
- 6
Cellini, a bat and some bedsheets
- 7
A corridor along the city wall
- 8
The pyramid wrongly named after Romulus
- 9
The foundling wheel of Santo Spirito
- 10
A street built to mark a peace
- 11
Lentils, Caligula and Caesar's supposed ashes
- 12
The shout nobody recorded in 1586
- 13
Two discs and a line
Walking directions are based on mapped pedestrian routes. Check local access and signs; the route is not an accessibility guarantee. Times are approximate.
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.
More walks nearby
Good to know
What is Podtour?
An app for self-guided audio walks. Choose a city and a route, then listen to the stories behind its streets. You decide when to start and when to stop.
When can I download the app?
Podtour is coming to iOS and Android. There is no confirmed launch date yet. Join the waitlist and we will let you know when it is ready.
Does Podtour include attraction tickets?
No. Street walks and monument audio tours do not include admission tickets, transport or a guide accompanying you.
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.
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist. When we launch, your chosen city is yours to explore.
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A little welcome gift
Your first city,
on Podtour.
Join the waitlist and get one whole city free when Podtour launches. You choose where.
Podtour manages your launch request with your consent. You can withdraw it and exercise your rights as explained in our privacy policy. Privacy details.
One city per person. All its Podtour routes in Spanish and English. Available at launch. Offer details.