Shop, Sip & Savor Roma

You'll be swept away to the dreamy Hotel Chapter Roma in the heart of Rome upon your arrival via a premium-class van. Unpack, settle in and enjoy a little free time.

Our adventure will start in the afternoon with an introductory guided tour. We’ll discover some “cannot miss” Roman historical and archaeological sites, including the Colosseum (outside), the Roman Forum, Capitoline Hill, and Torre Argentina. At the end of the tour, we will have a traditional pizza dinner at the restaurant Seu Pizza Illuminati.

If you'd like a guided tour of the Colosseum interior or basement, we can arrange it at extra cost. 

Wake up fully refreshed in your unique and glorious Art Deco hotel room. Get ready, we're heading out to explore the Vatican City. 

The tour starts with a sumptuous breakfast in the Vatican Museums bar. What makes this breakfast special is the buffet of Italian “cornettos,” pancakes, eggs, bacon, cheeses, yogurt, fruit, assorted biscuits, and espresso coffee, all freshly prepared! Delightfully full, we'll set off to discover the most important Vatican Museum galleries, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica.  

You'll have free time at the end of the tour to explore and enjoy your choice of lunch.

Join the group in the late afternoon for Prosecco, snacks, orientation, and dinner (see Day 1).

If you've skipped the Pre-Trip, arrive in Rome, where we'll pick you up in a premium-class van and take you to the dreamy Hotel Chapter in the heart of Roma.  

Take time to settle in and freshen up before meeting the rest of the GG2W group at the bar, Hey Baby for Prosecco, served with snacks and orientation in the early evening.

Get to know the other women and learn about what’s scheduled for our week together. We'll enjoy a welcome dinner at the Glass Hostaria, headed by Michelin-star chef Cristina Bowerman. Expect modern and refined Italian cuisine. 

Benvenuti a Roma!

This morning, we’ll discover one of Rome's most famous and charming neighborhoods – Trastevere.

Colorful Trastevere is a funky, bohemian area that clings to its centuries-old, working-class roots. It's known for traditional and innovative trattorias, craft beer pubs, and artisan shops.

We’ll start our guided tour visiting the Villa Farnesina, a Renaissance suburban villa in the Via della Lungara. It's famous for the rich frescos by Raphael and other high Renaissance artists.

We’ll learn about the historical female figures of Trastevere, including saints, martyrs, and patriots. We’ll visit a church dedicated to one of them, St. Mary in Trastevere. 

We’ll savor aromatic Italian coffee with freshly baked pastries at the Giselda Cafè.  Our last stop is at the Basilica of St. Cecilia, Patron Saint of Musicians. It stands at the family home of the noble Cecilia, martyred around 230AD.

At the end of the tour, we'll have lunch at the Roma Sparita restaurant. Here, you’ll taste the most delicious pasta, “cacio & Pepe.” This place was on one of Anthony Bourdain’s television shows. Doni Belau, GG2W founder, defined it as “one of the best bites I’ve ever put in my mouth!”

After lunch, you’ll have free time. 

Early in the evening, we’ll meet Sophie, a seasoned culinary guide, for a stroll through her favorite neighborhoods, Campo de Fiori, Trastevere, and the Jewish ghetto. There's a fair amount of walking with tasting along the way. Flavors include cheeses and cured meats, fried rice balls, pizza, gelato, and artisan coffee. A stop at one of Rome's oldest bakeries will end our walk. You won't need dinner after the tour, so we’ll stop in for a glass or two at a very famous wine bar Trastevere l’Antidoto. 

Sleep should come easy tonight!

After breakfast, we'll meet our driver and travel about an hour out of Rome to the countryside, Castelli Romani, famous for wine production, “porchetta,” and strawberries.

Our first stop will be in Castel Gandolfo, a small town overlooking Lake Albano, the summer residence of popes. We'll visit the iconic papal gardens on an open bus and explore the rich history inside the grand Apostolic Palace. 

Our next stop is the town of Ariccia, about 10 minutes away. We’ll admire the fine architectural examples from the Baroque period, a masterpiece by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and Carlo Fontana, and visit the Chigi Palace (outside only). 

We'll savor lunch at a Fraschetta, a typical local tavern, relishing the delicious “porchetta di Ariccia,” spiced spit-roasted pork, a world-famous certified IGP product. Of course, we'll wash it down with a local wine as any proper Italian would!  

In the afternoon, we’ll be driven to the third town in Castelli Romani, Genzano, to visit the winery. 

After a short introduction to the estate and a welcome drink, we’ll visit the small farm's vegetable garden. We’ll help produce some fresh ricotta cheese and taste it. Then, we will enjoy a demonstration of the grape harvest. We can even get our hands dirty using scissors and boxes to start our own harvest. Why not get your feet involved by traditionally pressing grapes?!

The winery staff will take personalized photos so you can be in the moment. Later, the sommelier will lead us in a sensory analysis technique and guided tasting of four wines, served with a selection of cheeses combined with homemade jams, a warm first course, local cold cuts, porchetta, and Genzano bread with extra virgin olive oil and pickles. We can buy wines in the cellar to take home. 

Breakfast at the hotel. 

This morning, we will immerse ourselves in the luxury world created by women at the Fendi Roma Palazzo Boutique. This optional side trip offers an adventure into Italian history, culture, fashion, and art, as well as an exclusive shopping experience. We’ll visit every corner of the Maison, discovering the ins and outs of this world-class, high-luxury brand.

The group will meet for lunch at Ginger and Sapori, offering healthy, organic, sustainable food.

The afternoon will be dedicated to individual shopping on the Via Del Corso, hosting many world-famous brands in stores along the way.

In the evening, we get dressed up for a special open-air opera Aperitif at Terrazza Borromini. We’ll sip an Italian Prosecco while overlooking the unique Roman skyline as we listen to the famous arias from Puccini's Tosca along with selected arias by Verdi, Rossini, and Bellini in the historical setting of the Palazzo Pamphili.

After the Opera, we’ll follow the guide to the Rooftop Terrace, where the Oscar‐winning movie La Grande Bellezza was filmed. 

Tonight, you'll enjoy an a la carte dinner by candlelight on the terrace with a stunning view of Piazza Navona.

Today, we’ll have a unique experience visiting the Art Studios and Art Galleries of the American Academy with a guide.  You can buy original artwork during the visit. 

In the afternoon, we’ll meet a local food expert and don our aprons make the best tiramisu in the world, as well as fettuccine and gnocchi from scratch. Once it's done, we’ll enjoy a full 5-course meal, including the pasta, gnocchi, and tiramisu we prepared. A Roman Feast! 

We’ll start our morning visiting the most authentic piazza of Rome - the Piazza Navona, followed by the architectural masterpiece, the Pantheon. We’ll stop at the toy store Al Sogno, selling old-world style Italian toys and unique souvenirs.

We'll enjoy our mid-day meal at Antica Osteria la Pietra or something similar.

We’ll shop for unique and creative jewelry at a shop owned by two women artisans. Then, we'll enjoy free time for individual shopping in the city center.

After a rest at the hotel, dinner is at an authentic kosher restaurant Casalino Osteria, where the typical Roman ingredients meet the dictates of Jewish religion, summarized with a delightful conclusion. Fried artichokes are a specialty that you absolutely must try when in Rome....

Sadly everything in this life must come to an end. It's time after a final breakfast to say goodbye to your new traveling sisters. Bid farewell to Roma but promise her you'll be back, as she'll be waiting.