Rome Walking Tour: Mouth of Truth, Circus Maximus & Local Guide

Walk Rome's founding story from the river to the arena

A 2-hour walking tour in Rome starting at Tiber Island and moving through the sites that shaped the city's earliest history, with a professional local guide speaking English. You'll learn why the island is ship-shaped, hear the legend of Romulus and Remus, visit the Mouth of Truth at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin, and stand in Circus Maximus where Romans watched chariot races. The tour covers the areas along the Tiber where merchants and shepherds first traded, connecting the city's mythical founding to the public spaces that defined Roman life.

Step-by-step itinerary

Explore origins of Rome

• Meet guide at Tiberine Island
• Learn history of Tiber Island
• Discover legend of Romulus and Remus
• Visit Mouth of Truth and take photo
• Imagine chariot races at Circus Maximus

The Experience

Start at Tiber Island in the middle of the Tiber River, where your guide explains the unusual ship shape of the island's core and why it mattered to Rome's early settlement. From there, the walk traces the riverbank where the first merchants and shepherds conducted their trades—the economic foundation before Rome became an empire. You'll hear the legend of Romulus and Remus, the twins raised by a she-wolf, and how they're connected to Aeneas, the mythical ancestor whose line led to the city's founding in the 6th century BC.

The tour moves to the Mouth of Truth at the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin, the limestone mask carved into the church wall that became famous from the 1950s film "Roman Holiday." You'll get a chance to pose for a photo the way Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck did. Then you step into Circus Maximus, the massive open arena where Romans gathered to watch chariot races—your guide helps you picture the crowds, the speed, and the scale of public entertainment that rivaled the Colosseum itself.

The whole route takes 2 hours and covers the places that tell Rome's origin story, from the river's edge to the public spaces that shaped daily life. Wear comfortable shoes and bring water; the walk is suitable for all fitness levels, and strollers are welcome if you're traveling with small children. Your guide speaks fluent English and knows the history that connects each stop to the next.

What’s included

Professional local guide speaking fluent English; access to Tiber Island, the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin with the Mouth of Truth, and Circus Maximus.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Maria Tours

Is this one for you?Choose this if you want Rome's founding story and key riverside sites connected by a guide in one walk, rather than visiting them separately—you'll see Tiberine Island, the Mouth of Truth, and the Tiber's merchant origins all in sequence.

Top questions

What is the Mouth of Truth and why is it famous?

The Mouth of Truth is a large limestone mask carved into the wall of the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin. It became widely known from the 1950s film "Roman Holiday," where the main characters posed for photographs at it, and you'll have the chance to do the same during the tour.

Will I learn about Romulus and Remus on this tour?

Yes. Your guide will tell you the legend of Romulus and Remus, the twins fed by a she-wolf and heirs of Aeneas, and explain how they founded Rome in the 6th century BC. The tour connects this myth to the actual sites where early settlement took place along the Tiber.

What is Circus Maximus and what will I see there?

Circus Maximus is the massive open arena where Romans gathered to watch chariot races. On the tour, you'll stand in the space and your guide will help you imagine the crowds and the speed of the races that took place there, contrasting it with the Colosseum as a center of public entertainment.

How long is the walking tour and what is the pace like?

The tour lasts 2 hours and is suitable for all physical fitness levels. It covers the riverbank areas where early merchants and shepherds traded, Tiber Island, the Basilica of Saint Mary in Cosmedin, and Circus Maximus. Comfortable shoes are recommended, and strollers are welcome if you're traveling with young children.

Is a guide included and what language do they speak?

A professional local guide is included with the tour and speaks fluent English throughout the 2 hours, explaining the history and legend at each stop.