The average time of tourists visiting Rome, in the last few years, is only of two and a half days: one half day at the Vatican, one half day at the Forum and at the Coloseum, one half day through the most famous historical squares and fountains… and only rarely they visit the rest of the museums and/or other treasures of the city. And in those couple of days, they are ready to spend hours in long lines or invest more money in avoiding them!

Nevertheless, inside of these “must be done museums and monuments” the experience can really be claustrophobic! Difficult to avoid the mass of almost 40,000 people inside the Vatican, often crammed into those museums and chapel like a box of crayons ready to be sold at the market! No chance even for those who can afford early entrances! They spend no more than 10 minutes in the Sistine Chapel with a bunch of other groups or individuals…and consequently for all of them there is no chance to savor the pleasure of Michelangelo’s deep feelings and revolutionary thoughts and style, no chance to savor Raphael’s idea of beauty, no chance to spend there the time necessary to start an empathic “conversation” with those masterpieces! After a while they seem to be taken by such a suffocating feeling which starts to abandon them on their way out!

A success though for tourism industry that seems to overeat art, artists and travellers, wrapped in a greedy consumption shroud pushing them to think: “ok, what is next…?” An endless business of emptiness where art is only a virtual idea!

How unhappy would Michelangelo and Raphael be if they could see all this! No emotional tears just for being in front of their masterpiece, no heart nor human touch, no sympathy for it!

However Rome, as a daughter of Venus, seems to be still there, although tired and nostalgic of her old travellers: the grand-tourists. Only for them, for those special explorers, do the Eternal city still desire to unveil herself, little by little, veil after veil, as a misterous charming lady would do. Oh yes! Her tourists today still wake up early in the morning but not for her, for her soul they wake up early to look for tours and meals and shops to consume… But anyone with more intuitive eyes and/or memory can see how much Rome dreams of going back in time when from the XVIII century, throughout the XIX century, until the beginning of the XX century, her grandtourists came to visit her overwhelmed with passion and dreams! And when they went back to their home, they were positively transformed! After having learned the most important of all the virtues: patience. Indeed, in Rome a waste of time was a need, and so being efficient was not her life style!

As Rome gave people time and space to talk and socialize or being silent and in touch with her people, art, architecture, and natural landscapes! Her belved life style was at a slow pace! And ideas, creativeness, critical thoughts, human relationships, sense of humour, art and artists found their warm and prolific mum in her! Anyone would respect her as you normally respect a seducing misterous woman waiting for you and your dreams on her and her life!!

Reserve a slow tour with Anna Bruno.