Renaissance Women Walking Tour: Caravaggio's Courtesans & Borgias

Seven women who rewrote Renaissance history, told where they actually lived

This three-hour walking tour through Renaissance Rome traces the lives of seven women (courtesans, muses, and political players) immortalized in paintings by Caravaggio and Raphael. You visit five landmarks including Basilica di Sant'Agostino, where Caravaggio's "Virgin Mary and the Pilgrims" hangs, and walk through the neighborhoods where these women lived in the 15th and 16th centuries. A live English-speaking guide leads the route, which is 95% wheelchair accessible, with the option to stop at a snack bar halfway through (cost separate).

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Pamphilj Palace20m
2. Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva25m
3. Basilica di Sant'Agostino20m
4. Campo de' Fiori20m
5. Piazza Farnese20m

Explore Renaissance Scarlet Ladies

• See Lady Lucrezia statue
• Visit Doria Pamphilj courtyard
• Enter Basilica of Santa Maria Sopra Minerva
• Explore Sant'Agostino church
• Walk past courtesans' historic buildings
• Hear story of Vannozza Cattanei at Campo de' Fiori
• End tour at Piazza Farnese

The experience

The tour starts at a statue named after Lucrezia, a 15th-century courtesan whose colorful life opens the day. From there you move through the courtyard of Palazzo Pamphilj to learn about Anna Bianchini, Caravaggio's first model and his most frequent one. The guide takes you inside Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva to tell the story of Europe's most successful courtesan of the early 16th century, then into Basilica di Sant'Agostino, where you stand in front of the original Caravaggio canvas and hear the stories woven through the church itself.

Walking the streets of the neighborhood, you pass 15th and 16th-century buildings that courtesans once owned: the guide uses these real structures to show what daily life actually looked like for these women. At Campo de' Fiori, you hear about Vannozza Cattanei, mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia, whose story is often the tour's most memorable moment. The route ends at Piazza Farnese, beside the Palazzo designed by Michelangelo (now the French Embassy), where the guide tells the final story of Giulia Farnese.

These weren't footnotes in history. They were trendsetters, intellectuals, poets, and in some cases royal game-changers whose ambitions and scandals shaped the politics and art of Renaissance Europe. The guide connects each woman to the paintings and palaces around you, so the stories stay rooted in the places where they actually happened.

What’s included

• Guided walking tour led by a live English-speaking guide.
• entry to five Renaissance landmarks including Basilica di Sant'Agostino, Basilica di Santa Maria Sopra Minerva, and Palazzo Pamphilj.
• stories of seven women connected to Caravaggio and Raphael paintings.
• a walk through 15th and 16th-century neighborhoods where these women lived.

Before you book

Days and timesThursdayDeparts at 14:30

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (18 to 65 years) · Senior (66 to 90 years) · Youth (14 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 13 years) · Infant (under 5): free

GroupUp to 18

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortWheelchair accessibleStroller-friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot recommended with back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Storytelling Rome Tours & Walks

Is this one for you?Book this tour if you want Renaissance history told through the women who shaped it, not the usual male-centered narrative: the guide connects each woman to the actual buildings and paintings around you, so the stories come alive in the places where they happened.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (14 to 17 years); Child (5 to 13 years); Infant (under 5): free.

Who was Anna Bianchini and why does she matter to this tour?

Anna Bianchini was Caravaggio's first model and the one he painted most frequently. You visit the courtyard of Palazzo Pamphilj, where the guide tells her story and explains her role in shaping some of the Renaissance's most important paintings.

Will I see original paintings by Caravaggio on this tour?

Yes. Basilica di Sant'Agostino holds the original canvas of "Virgin Mary and the Pilgrims" painted by Caravaggio, and you enter the church as part of the walking route to see it and hear the stories connected to it.

What makes Vannozza Cattanei's story special on this tour?

Vannozza Cattanei was the mother of Cesare and Lucrezia Borgia and one of Europe's most successful courtesans. The guide tells her story at Campo de' Fiori, and visitors often say it is their favorite moment of the entire tour.

Is this tour accessible if I use a wheelchair?

The itinerary is 95% wheelchair accessible. Two churches are difficult to enter with a wheelchair, but the guide tells those stories outside the buildings, so the content stays complete. Public transportation options are available nearby if you need them.

Can I take a break during the three hours?

Halfway through the tour, there is a chance to stop at a snack bar if you want one. The cost of food or drinks is not included in the tour price, but the stop gives you time to rest and refresh.