Field of Mars

Piazza Navona, Ara Pacis, Pantheon Tour

Outside the boundaries of the Republican city, the Campus Martius occupies an area of low-lying land within the loop of the Tiber.

Initially reserved for military training, the area took its name from an altar dedicated to Mars, god of war. In 7 BC the Field of Mars was for the first time incorporated within the city limits by the first of the Emperors, Augustus. His right hand man Agrippa laid out an aqueduct (which is the only ancient one in the city still functioning today), and as the Empire progressed the area became ever more densely populated with Imperial monuments.

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the presence of the Aqua Virgo, the area’s proximity to the river, and the ever increasing importance of the Vatican across the river led the Field of Mars to be one of the most densely populated areas of the medieval and Renaissance city.

Today churches hide opulent ceilings behind unassuming facades, and the austere exteriors of Renaissance palaces bely the elegant courtyards which lie beyond. Fountains abound in elegant piazzas, and baroque frivolity jostles with ancient monuments on cobbled streets, many of which are still home to artisans’ workshops. An inexhaustible number of hidden corners offer glimpses into the city’s history. From the city of the Emperors, to the city of the Popes (and beyond) this is the perfect area in which to disentangle the palimpsest of Imperial, medieval, Renaissance and Baroque Rome.

This tour is extremely flexible and can focus on whatever interests you most. Major sites which can be incorporated into the itinerary include: the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the Trevi fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Mausoleum of Augustus, and the Altar of Augustan Peace (the Ara Pacis), as well as assorted fabulous churches in the area. Or you can leave the route up to me, entirely as you prefer!

The cost of the tour does not include your entrance fees, currently €8.50 per person.


  • Visit the Pantheon and Ara Pacis
  • Flexible itinerary to be tailored to your wishes

3 hours