The Vatican
The Vatican - Center of the Catholic Church
Vatican City, the smallest independent nation in the world with about 900 inhabitants, is also, as you know, the seat of the Catholic Pope, the religious head of 1.3 billion Catholics, a number comparable to the population of China.
You can walk around the city-state in less than an hour, yet it has embassies and representations in 180 countries. (The Vatican’s magnificent embassy in Cairo, by the way, is next door to the Swedish ditto).
The cultural wealth, covering the state’s 44 hectares, is unrivaled and irreplaceable. Here, the renaissance artists in particular have displayed their genius: Bramante, Raphael, Michelangelo, Bernini, Maderno and Della Porta.
We have chosen to spend a large part of our time in Rome exploring one of the absolute main centers of European culture. It goes without saying that the Vatican is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
We will see St. Peter’s Basilica – of course. In addition, we have exclusive access to the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums for a few hours. We also have unique access to the non-public part of the Vatican, which our main guide for the trip, Niels Christian Hvidt, has arranged for us.
Travel plan
An overview of what you will experience during our trip.
Overall
Unlike a physical product, a trip is only complete when the trip is over.
Changes will therefore occur and this is also desirable. From the time our trips are offered on the website to the trip itself, it usually takes 6-9 months. It would be quite unusual if an offer did not appear during that period that would be a clear improvement to the overall travel experience. However, significant changes to the overview below will not occur.
All of our trips are based on our guests wanting to join us on new adventures. This is your guarantee that we will strive, to the best of our ability, to ensure that you get a once in a lifetime experience – every time.
Day 1: Check in at Hotel Ponte Sisto - Lecture by Niels Christian Hvidt
We will check in at our hotel. Introduction by Niels Christian Hvidt. Dinner in the center of Rome.
Day 2: The Vatican, its museums, Sistine Chapel and lunch
Day 3: Villa Borghese - and Teatro dell' Opera di Roma
Day 4: Nero's magnificent palaces and Trastevere
Day 5: return trip or extension of stay
Incl. / Excl.:
What is included
- Fire nætter på det 5* Hotel the Ned.
- Kanapéer og velkomstdrinks fredag aften.
- Pub lunch lørdag.
- Operabillet lørdag aften.
- Sunday Roast.
- Signaturmiddag søndag aften.
- Pub lunch mandag.
- Kanapéer og vin i Sigmund Freuds House.
- Kanapéer og drinks til William Hansons event.
- Entré til Highgate Hill, bådfart, alle guidede ture er inkluderet.
- Morgenmad: du kan tilkøbe 4 kuponer á £ 15, der giver dig 4 * £ 26 at spendere i The Ned’s syv restauranter.
- Drikkevarer på restauranter og pubber overlader vi trygt til dig og tjeneren.
Always included
Not included
PRICE
14000 DKK / circa € 2,270
Deposit
2500 DKK / circa € 335
Location
4* Hotel Ponte Sisto, Via dei Pettinari, 64, 00186 Roma
Organizer
Parnassos.dk, Overgaden oven Vandet 58A, 2. 1415 Copenhagen
Phone
45 52736316
overtoner@parnassos.dk
Parnassos.dk ApS is a member of the Travel Guarantee Fund. It guarantees your money, while we guarantee your experiences.
The Trip in Detail:
- Our guide, Professor Niels Christian Hvidt
- Friday morning: The Vatican Museums
- Friday morning: Sistine Chapel
- Friday lunch: Domus Sanctae Marthae
- Saturday morning: Villa Medici
- Saturday afternoon: Villa Borghese
- Saturday evening: Teatro dell' Opera di Roma
- Sunday morning: Nero's magnificent palaces
- Sunday afternoon: San Clemente
- Monday morning: Gregorian University
- The four dinners
- What do you get for your DKK 14,000 ?
- Extra day: The Vatican Gardens and Monte Testaccio
Niels Christian Hvidt
Niels Christian Hvidt is from Denmark, a theologian and educated at the University of Rome. He lived here during the years 1997 to 2004, where he wrote his ThD (Christian Prophecy published by Oxford University Press).
The book’s foreword was written by one of Niels Christian’s acquaintances, Joseph Cardinal Ratzinger. While Niels Christian was editing his thesis for publication, Ratzinger was elected pope! I guess that’s what you call perfect timing.
We can’t think of a better presentation and introduction to Western culture than from this half a square kilometer city state.
The undersigned has had the pleasure of being cc’d on the e-mail correspondence between Niels Christian and relevant bodies in the Vatican.
I must admit I find it absolutely fascinating what we are going to see during our days in Rome. Experiences that are described in the following:
The Vatican Museums
Niels Christian has made sure that we have the Vatican Museums to ourselves on Friday morning. It’s nicest that way.
We have our own guide, and we have time and space to enjoy the treasures in one of the world’s – if not the world’s – finest museums.
The Vatican Museums house has one of the world’s largest art collections, built over centuries under the guidance of the various popes. From ancient Roman sculptures and Renaissance masterpieces to modern religious art, it is a visual journey through 3,000 years of history, culture and faith.
We walk at our own pace while enjoying the Museo Pio-Clementino, the Upper Galleries (Gallery of Candelabra, Gallery of Tapestry, Gallery of Maps), Raphael’s Stanzas and the galleries of the Vatican Library.
One of the questions you could ask Niels Christian during our tour, is how come that the Catholic Church tolerated, and later accepted and admired sculptures of, for example, Roman gods, which were considered pagan and false?
The Sistine Chapel
The Sistine Chapel is the crown jewel of the Vatican Museums. Millions of tourists visit it every year, and it is generally exceptionally crowded. Perhaps you have been there? If so, you have been standing in near claustrophobic conditions, which devalues the experience.
We have the chapel to ourselves on Friday morning, without being pushed through one of humanity’s greatest works of art. We can therefore enjoy every inch of the world-famous Renaissance masterpiece: Michelangelo’s ceiling frescoes, with nine scenes from the Book of Genesis, including the most famous, the Creation of Adam.
The side walls have 15th-century frescoes by masters such as Botticelli, Perugino and Ghirlandaio, depicting the lives of Moses and Christ.
It was built between 1473 and 1481 for Pope Sixtus IV and serves as the gathering point for papal conclaves and major ceremonies. It is also the official chapel of the Apostolic Palace and the place where cardinals gather to elect a new pope.
Lunch at Domus Sanctae Marthae
Parnassos’ tours usually start around 10am. Any earlier than that and we will be tired when we get to our enjoyable evenings. We can’t have that.
However, no rule without an exception. We have the Vatican Museums to ourselves for two hours starting at 6:45am Friday morning. We will enjoy a quick and spartan breakfast and coffee at the hotel before then.
At 8.45 am, when our private tour ends, we will have brunch at the museum’s Pinecone courtyard.
Two hours later, we will reach another highlight of the trip, lunch at the Domus Sanctae Marthae restaurant, which is a private dining room in the Vatican guesthouse that caters exclusively to Vatican residents and cardinals during conclaves.
Pope Francis always had his lunches here. The restaurant acts as a communal and informal environment for the residents – and for us for an hour and a bit.
After lunch, you can continue on your own in the Vatican Museums, as uor ticket is valid for the rest of the day. Besides, Niels Christian will take us to the Necropolis under St. Peter’s Basilica, where the Apostle Peter, according to tradition, was murdered and buried in the year 64.
Domus Sanctae Marthae, the Vatican
Villa Medici
A stroll through the streets of Rome on Saturday morning leads us to Villa Medici in Rome, located on the Pincio hill near the Spanish Steps.
The villa dates back to the 16th century and today houses the French Academy in Rome. It functions as an artist’s residence and cultural center with a large and magnificent Renaissance garden and antique art collections. In addition, there is always a special exhibition, currently about the film director Agnes Varda.
In year 1576, the property was acquired by Cardinal Ferdinando de’ Medici. At the cardinal’s insistence, the architect, Ammanati, incorporated the Roman bas-reliefs and statues into the design of the house, which during the excavation and reconstruction came to light at almost every shovelful of earth. It’s fairly impressive and can be seen on the facades to this day.
And from here there is a formidable view of the city, which we will enjoy before we move on to…
Villa Borghese Galleries
Villa Borghese is one of Rome’s most beloved public parks, with lush gardens, picturesque lakes and impressive historic architecture. Originally designed in the early 17th century, the villa served as a retreat for Rome’s elite and at the same time a place to exhibit art.
Today, it houses the famous Borghese Gallery, which features masterpieces by great artists such as Caravaggio, Bernini and Raphael.
It is a must-see during our stay in the city. In the park, you will wander among sculptures, monuments and fountains, works by famous Baroque and Renaissance artists.
The gallery itself houses “The Abduction of Proserpina”, a marble sculpture from 1622 by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. It depicts the mythological moment when Hades (Pluto) abducts Proserpina (Persephone) to the underworld.
The sculpture is famous for its incredible wealth of detail, especially the realistic skin texture, illustrated by the imprint of Pluto’s fingers gnawing into Proserpina’s flesh, and the ethereal drapery. To be marveled at.
Teatro dell' Opera di Roma
A culture trip to Italy would not be complete without witnessing another of Italy’s “inventions”: the Opera.
The Teatro dell’ Opera di Roma, one of Italy’s leading opera houses, is located in the heart of Rome. The theatre opened in 1880 and its architectural style is a blend of neoclassical and baroque elements. The theatre was originally built to host opera performances, but has since expanded its repertoire to include ballet and concert music.
The Teatro dell’Opera has exceptional acoustics and a stunning interior, adorned with lavish decorations, including beautiful frescoes and large ornate chandeliers. It has hosted numerous famous artists and performances over the years and has contributed significantly to Rome’s cultural landscape.
Parnassos often offers our trips before the program is set for the various concert and opera houses of Europe.
A dilemma that we try to solve by simply setting aside an evening for a concert. We won’t know what we’re going to see and hear until May, and then we’ll of course tell our registered guests plus you will find info about it on this page.
Domus Aurea
Domus Aurea – the Golden House – was a colossal and luxurious villa complex built using the most modern techniques of antiquity almost 2000 years ago. Thanks to the Romans’ use of concrete, they were able to create large, multifaceted spaces and colossal vaulted domes, such as those seen in the Pantheon.
It is a bit of a coincidence that today we can visit Emperor Nero’s magnificent square, which was built in the years immediately after the Great Fire of Rome in 64 AD.
Until around year 1500, everyone believed that the ancient building complex was lost forever. But a few years earlier, a young Roman had accidentally fallen into a ravine on the Esquiline Hill and ended up in an unknown cave filled with marvelous works of art and wall paintings. This prompted Renaissance artists to explore these underground caves. And that is how they found the Domus Aurea, located opposite the Colosseum.
A few years after the extremely unpopular and brutal Emperor Nero died in 68 AD, his entire extensive and magnificent construction was covered with earth. The Baths of Trajan were built on top. But the new construction helped preserve the original works of art – now included on the UNESCO World Heritage List – which we will visit Sunday morning.
Domus Aurea, Emperor Neros palace at the Palatine Hill
San Clemente
If you want to understand the history of Rome in one fell swoop, there is no place as captivating as the Basilica di San Clemente. In the church; located directly opposite Nero’s Domus Aurea; we will literally descend through the layers of history.
At the top we find the current basilica from the 12th century, which is famous for its unique apse mosaic.
But the journey through time does not stop here. Below the floor we move into a forgotten basilica from the 4th century, which is adorned with some of the oldest Christian frescoes in the city. And if we go even deeper – and we will – we hit the foundations of Rome from the 1st century.
Here we find the remains of the Mithras temple, dedicated to one of the mystery gods of antiquity. And here you can still hear the trickle of an underground spring that has been flowing for 2,000 years.
Standing at the bottom in the darkness and feeling the moisture from the Roman underground, then ascending into the light and seeing the golden mosaics of the 12th century, gives one a physical understanding of the course of history and the power of tradition that no book can convey.
Università Gregoriana
The Pontifical Gregorian University (PUG) stands as the Catholic Church’s most prestigious intellectual powerhouse. Founded in 1551 by Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuit order, it began as the “Collegio Romano” and was the world’s first Jesuit school. Today, it is known as the “University of All Nations” and is home to over 3,000 students from more than 120 countries.
What makes the Gregorian a unique place of learning today is the combination of historical weight and contemporary relevance. As a Jesuit-run institution, it is characterized by the Ignatian pedagogy, where academic rigor never stands alone, but is always in dialogue with human formation and social issues.
A visit to the Gregorian is exciting because you step directly into the “engine room” of Catholic thought. Everything from classical dogma and philosophy to modern ethics is discussed here.
The fact that the university has fostered 16 popes and countless saints underscores its historical significance. Niels Christian Hvidt himself defended his ThD from Gregoriana in January 2001 and will introduce us to the place where we will at the end will enjoy a cup of coffee.
Dinners and Menues in Rome
Parnassos’ trips never skimp on calories. On this trip we offer 4* breakfast, 1* brunch and 1* lunch. All our dinners are included in the price, as well.
The four dinners will be very different from each other, from the popular cuisine to the sublime. From rich and marrow-filled dishes served on long tables one evening, to pure elegance on another evening.
We adapt the menus to our program with time and geography as the most important landmarks, so that we do not sit heavily in our chairs during our opera or concert, for example.
In any case, nothing beats good food in good company after experiencing a cornucopia of cultural experiences during the day. Allergies are of course taken into account. and we also cater for vegetarians.
As mentioned at the beginning, our days usually do not start too early. That is why we always find time and for a cozy and social digistive after dinner.
What Exactly do you Get For your dkk 14,000?
• Four nights, from 26 – 30 Nov. 2026, with breakfast at Hotel Ponte Sisto.
• Thursday 26 Nov: Introduction by Niels Christian Hvidt. Dinner at the center of Rome. Wines are between you and the waiter, which applies to all our dinners.
• Friday 27 Nov: Visit and guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica and its Necropolis. Brunch at the Pinecone courtyard. Lunch at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Our dinner in Saturday evening is included as well.
• Saturday 28 Nov: Entrance and guide to the museums of the day.
The evening is at a yet-to-be-defined concert or opera. We will know this in April/May 2026. Dinner included, which will probably be an elegant pre-theater event.
• Sunday, November 29: Access and entrance to Nero’s Palace, then on to San Clemente and Trastevere where Niels Christian takes over and shows us something very special. Dinner included.
• Monday, November 30: Access and lecture at the Vatican’s Università Gregoriana (which is located in Rome) in the morning.
The official program ends here. You can extend the trip.
• Please note: The amount only covers the stay and experiences in Rome and the Vatican and does not include the flight. This is to give you the greatest possible flexibility for departure time and extension.
If you Extend your Stay
Friday’s visit to the Vatican doesn’t give us time for the Pope’s private garden. But if you extend your trip by one day from Monday to Tuesday (you just have to pay for the hotel accommodation, 1,700 kr/double room – 1,400 kr/single room) you will have this experience included in the price:
The Vatican Gardens, dating back to the reign of Pope Nicholas III (13th century), are incomparable to any other garden or park.
On our tour we visit the Giardino Quadrato, Casio Pius IV, Fontana dell’Aquilone, Grotta di Lourdes, the Grotto of Our Lady of the Guard, the latter dedicated to Virgin Mary. Here we will see the “Monument to the Attempted Assassination of John Paul II” in 1981.
The gardens also house parts of the old Leonine walls from the 9th century, the Torre Gregoriana tower from 1580 (an observatory that was used for the transition to the Gregorian calendar) and, as a curiosity, a piece of the Berlin Wall.