podtour
Piazza Navona and Campo de' Fiori
In the Rome of the popes, speaking out came at a price.
The Pantheon, the Minerva and Piazza Colonna: audio walk in Rome
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.
See the walkFree route
What this walk is about
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. You carry on past a temple turned customs house and stock exchange, a church that paints the dome it never had, and the Pantheon, which signs itself with someone else's name, survived by becoming a church and holds Raphael's tomb. Behind it, an elephant by Bernini and the convent where Galileo knelt. You finish between a stag on a rooftop and a Borromini spiral, a step away from Piazza Navona.
- Start
- One rain shower, three miracles
- Finish
- Borromini's spiral
- Who it is for
- A good starting point for your first visit. You don’t need any prior knowledge.
- Languages
- Spanish and British English
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
One rain shower, three miracles
- 2
The slow clock and the lucky balcony
- 3
A temple inside a customs house
- 4
The dome that isn't there
- 5
The wrong name
- 6
The building that survived
- 7
Raphael wanted to stay here
- 8
The old man on his knees
- 9
The elephant and wisdom
- 10
The stag on the roof
- 11
Borromini's spiral
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
From the Quirinale to Via Veneto
You start in front of the giants of the Quirinale and the palace from which a French general took a pope away at night, and in whose courtyard Italy's last king said goodbye, after a reign of little more than a month.
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.
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.