Rome: Domus Aurea Tour with Virtual Reality Experience

Join us to uncover traits of Nero's personality, tastes, and his sharp intellect. Because he was far from mad, the bizarre figures in his frescoes reflect his eccentricity while showcasing no less his artistic sensitivity. Of course he wasn’t the one behind the disastrous fire of July 64 AD, as he was also at his seaside villa outside Rome.

Get ready to be amazed as you explore with our engaging guide the EAST and recently reopened WEST WINGS of the Domus Aurea, discovering vaulted halls and stunning hallways, with spectacular frescoes properly restored, originally bathed in delicate beams of light, thanks to the genial combination of porticoes, fountains, and gardens. Up to the impressive OCTAGONAL ROOM, perhaps with a rotating ceiling. Incredible technique, but not for Imperial Rome, where we will take you on a journey among people, goods, cultures from its vast empire.

The PEAK of our visit is a 3D VIRTUAL REALITY RECONSTRUCTION of the halls and an outside lavish portico of the Palace, not yet completed when Nero committed suicide. Just 4 years after the great fire, a catastrophe unlike any other, destroying two-thirds of the city, causing thousands of deaths among its 1,000,000 inhabitants.

Nero takes action, opening his gardens to shelter the homeless, distributing essential goods, lowering the price of grain, implementing new urban planning regulations to prevent similar disasters, such as a minimum distance between buildings and the use of stone and bricks instead of wood. But he is accused of delays in rescue efforts and insufficient funding for the reconstruction.

But Nero also takes advantage of the destroyed areas to expand his palace on the Palatine Hill, building the Domus Aurea. Even adding, in the heart of this luxurious complex, a stunning lake, a private oasis where he can indulge in art and pleasure without holding back. However, the discontent among the Romans continues to rise, the emperor's popularity collapses, and he is driven to take his own life in June 68 AD.

The next emperor, Vespasian, decides to build the Colosseum in place of Nero’s lake, a grand public work in support of Rome’s reconstruction and a political signal of a shift in imperial governance. By creating a venue for the already popular gladiator games, he wins the favor of the Romans while simultaneously distancing himself from the policies of the now infamous Nero.

Fifty years later, the emperor Trajan buries the Nero’s Golden House, building an immense bath complex above it. The Domus Aurea then falls into oblivion for nearly 1,500 years. It’s rediscovered by Renaissance artists in the 1500s. From there begins the greatest journey of European culture: the rediscovery of Ancient Rome’s forgotten cultural heritage, which you’ll experience on our tour.
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