podtour
The Pantheon, the Minerva and Piazza Colonna
In just a few blocks, Rome shows off its favourite trick: never throwing anything away.
Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori: audio walk in Rome
Caravaggio, Pasquino and Giordano Bruno: a painter whose pictures were turned down, a mutilated statue that mocked the popes, and a philosopher who heard his sentence in Navona and died in Campo de' Fiori. With a tower, a monkey and a lamp that's kept burning.
What this walk is about
In the Rome of the popes, speaking out came at a price. You start at a tower where, according to a legend a novelist noted down in 1858, a lamp burns because of a vow. Next come two churches with Caravaggios: a rejected painting, and a pair of dirty feet that caused an uproar. You enter Piazza Navona through the stadium beneath it, take apart the myth of Bernini's rivers, and hear the legend of Agnes and the day Giordano Bruno's sentence was read out to him. Pasquino and Abate Luigi show you how to criticise without signing your name; a theatre hidden under the houses takes you to the Ides of March; Palazzo Farnese, to the opera. You finish in Campo de' Fiori, in front of the statue of Bruno.
- Start
- The Tower of the Monkey
- Finish
- The execution in Campo de' Fiori
- Who it is for
- For anyone interested in art, satire and freedom of thought. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
- Underfoot
- The walk has slopes or changes in 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.
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
Castel Sant'Angelo and St Peter's Square
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.
Rome's Ghetto and Tiber Island
You start in Piazza Mattei, at a fountain that was meant for the Jewish square and ended up at a nobleman's door.
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.