Discover Caravaggio’s Rome with Andrew Graham Dixon

We begin our exploration north of the historic heart of Rome at the Basilica of Sta Maria del Popolo, which displays The Crucifixion of St. Peter and The Conversion of St. Paul. Then we transfer to the Ludovisi district, to visit the Villa Ludovisi (now a casino, but with private tours available) for Caravaggio’s only oil wall painting Jupiter, Neptune and Pluto. In the afternoon, we proceed to the Palazzo Barberini for St. Francis in Meditation, Narcissus and Judith Beheading Holofernes, and the Chiesa da Sta Maria Immacolata, home to the ‘newest’ Caravaggio – the recently-authenticated Meditation of St. Francis – and Capuchin ossuary crypt.

We spend our morning at the glorious Galleria Borghese, home to no fewer than seven Caravaggio masterpieces – Self Portrait as Bacchus, Boy with a Basket of Fruit, St. Jerome Writing, The Madonna and Child with St. Anne, Portrait of Pope Paul V, David with the Head of Goliath and St. John the Baptist. Andrew Graham-Dixon departs in the afternoon, and our expert local guide takes us into the city to the Palazzo Doria Pamphilj to admire three Caravaggio works – Rest on the Flight to Egypt, Penitent Magdalene and John the Baptist.

Our day is spent exploring the treasures of Vatican City, the world’s smallest city state. Admire the elegant expanse of St. Peter’s Square, the majesty of St Peter’s Basilica (described as ‘the greatest of all churches in Christendom’) and the extraordinary Vatican Museums, home to Caravaggio’s Entombment of Christ amongst countless other artistic treasures, including Michelangelo’s sublime Sistine Chapel ceiling. The day concludes with a farewell meal.

On our final morning in the Italian capital, we visit the Chiesa di S. Luigi dei Francesi to view Caravaggio’s three St. Matthew paintings (The Calling of St. Matthew, The Martyrdom of St. Matthew and St. Matthew and the Angel) and the Basilica di S. Agostino to view the so-called Pilgrims’ Madonna. This is the Campo Marzio neighbourhood of Rome, where Caravaggio killed Ranuccio Tomassoni. Under sentence of death, he would flee the city. We fly home late afternoon.