Day tripsCountriesItalyRomeRome to Gladiator Sites: Private day trip

Rome to Gladiator Sites: Private day trip

Scenic view of Rome - private day trip from Rome - photo 1
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Private ride with a local driver

9h 15m
Round trip
Private driver
Trusted by 1+ million happy travelers across 120 countries
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About your trip

Spend a day immersed in the movie “Gladiator,” visiting filming sites and the surrounding villages. Spend the day amongst the rolling hills, golden wheat fields, and stone homes featured in Maximus’s idealized vision of home.
Exclusively yours: private vehicle and professional driver
Discover local insights you won't find in guidebooks
Experience the freedom to explore at your own speed
Perfectly planned for families, friends, or solo travelers
From €179
Private group ride
per person
Select date and travelers
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your pickup time.
For a group of 1-3 travelersTotal€537

What to expect

Your day trip begins wherever you are

Meet our professional driver right where you prefer in Rome whenever suits you best. No time wasted getting to the pickup point, grab your bag and start your trip right away.

Discover more with local expertise

Your driver’s local insights will set the tone for your day trip. A hidden café here, a must-try restaurant there; insider tips you’ll love sharing later. This isn’t a guided tour but your ride will be rich with stories and discoveries along the way. And throughout the day, your driver will be available for you as needed, ready to assist, happy to help, making your trip stress-free.

Explore at your own pace

Meet your private driver in Rome, and explore three stops themed after “Gladiator.” Start in Pienza, one of the movie’s filming locations, then visit San Quirico d’Orcia and Bagno Vignoni, two small villages in the UNESCO-recognized Val d’Orcia Countryside.

Perfect for any private group

Whether you're traveling solo, as a family with kids, or as a large group, this service is tailored for your comfort and flexibility. It's the ideal option especially if you have limited time or a busy schedule.

Good to know

  • Two-way private car transfer
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Personalized pickup and drop-off
  • Professional English-speaking driver
  • Complimentary bottled water
  • Free cancellation 24 hours before departure
  • Entry/Admission tickets to paid attractions Pienza, San Quirico d'Orcia, and Bagno Vignoni should be purchased separately unless specified otherwise
  • Meals, snacks, and gratuity are not included
From €179
Private group ride
per person
Select date and travelers
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before your pickup time.
For a group of 1-3 travelersTotal€537

Your trip at a glance

Your trip at a glance

Start in Rome
You choose the pickup spot.
1
Pienza
Feel free to explore at your own pace and discover
Stop: 1 h 30 min - admission not included
Itinerary stop at Pienza on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Pienza on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Pienza on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Pienza on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Pienza on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Pienza on private day trip from Rome
Pienza underwent a transformation under the guidance of Pope Pius II, growing from the medieval town of Corsignano into a vibrant Renaissance city and eventually a UNESCO World Heritage Site. When Maximus dreams of home in “Gladiator,” Pienza is the idyllic backdrop seen on screen. Visitors can explore the Piazza Pio II, an elegant Renaissance-era square featuring a cathedral, papal palace, and town hall. The palace itself is particularly popular for its hanging garden and stunning views across the surrounding countryside. Verify the palace’s opening hours and entry fees in advance: palazzopiccolominipienza.it
2
San Quirico d'Orcia
Feel free to explore at your own pace and discover
Stop: 1 h 30 min - admission not included
Itinerary stop at San Quirico d'Orcia on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at San Quirico d'Orcia on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at San Quirico d'Orcia on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at San Quirico d'Orcia on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at San Quirico d'Orcia on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at San Quirico d'Orcia on private day trip from Rome
Continue your “Gladiator”- themed excursion with a visit to this nearby medieval village, beloved by photographers for its hilltop location and charming views. This compact village boasts pristine gardens and sculptural Romanesque churches. Here, visitors can enjoy strolling through the main pedestrian streets with far fewer crowds than in the bigger cities. The village is central to the Val d’Orcia, surrounded by the iconic rolling hills and golden fields that are key to the idyllic scenes of Maximus’ home in “Gladiator.”
3
Bagno Vignoni
Feel free to explore at your own pace and discover
Stop: 1 hour - admission not included
Itinerary stop at Bagno Vignoni on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Bagno Vignoni on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Bagno Vignoni on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Bagno Vignoni on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Bagno Vignoni on private day trip from Rome
Itinerary stop at Bagno Vignoni on private day trip from Rome
Visit Bagno Vignoni, a medieval village centered around an ancient Roman thermal bath. Rather than a traditional piazza, visitors will find a large pool of steaming thermal water that has been in use for centuries. A series of ancient stone buildings surrounds the bath, and the steam from its waters lends the village a mystical atmosphere. Those who want to enjoy a soak must head to the thermal park below the village, where swimming in similar steaming pools is free. This site is the perfect way to round out a day spent appreciating the classic Val d’Orcia beauty captured in “Gladiator.”
Back to Rome
We’ll take you back to your starting point.
Duration of the stops can be changed upon request after booking
Have questions or need help?Contact our Customer Support. We are available 24/7

Daytrip is loved all around the world. Here's why.

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5176 reviewson Tripadvisor
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4.9
991 reviewson Trustpilot

Know more about your day trip

San Quirico d'Orcia and Pienza are medieval hilltop towns with cobblestone streets and some steep areas, which can challenge wheelchair users. Palazzo Piccolomini has some accessibility limitations due to its historic nature. Bagno Vignoni is more accessible with flatter terrain. Inform your driver of mobility needs to plan appropriate stops.
The historic thermal pool in Bagno Vignoni's main square is for viewing only, not swimming. However, the Parco dei Mulini below the village offers free thermal pools where visitors can swim in naturally heated waters. These pools provide a relaxing conclusion to your day exploring "Gladiator" filming locations.
Pienza is approximately 125 miles (200 kilometers) north of Rome, about a two-hour drive through the scenic Tuscan countryside. This journey takes you through the beautiful Val d'Orcia region, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, and medieval villages that perfectly capture the idyllic Italian landscape.
Plan approximately 90 minutes in Pienza for the town and Palazzo Piccolomini tour. Allow 90 minutes in San Quirico d'Orcia for exploring the gardens and churches. Reserve about an hour for Bagno Vignoni and its thermal parks. With drive time, this creates a full but comfortable nine-hour round trip from Rome.
Pienza served as the backdrop for Maximus's dream sequences of home in "Gladiator." The town's Renaissance architecture, golden wheat fields, and surrounding rolling hills of Val d'Orcia created the idealized vision of Maximus's Spanish farm. The nearby countryside's cypress trees and wheat fields appear throughout his emotional dream sequences.
Palazzo Piccolomini is a Renaissance palace built for Pope Pius II in the 1400s. The palace features elegant interior rooms, period furnishings, and a famous hanging garden with spectacular views across Val d'Orcia's rolling hills. Visitors can tour the papal apartments and enjoy the same vistas that inspired the "Gladiator" filmmakers.
Val d'Orcia is a UNESCO World Heritage Site celebrated for its harmonious Renaissance landscape. The region's iconic imagery includes rolling hills, cypress-lined roads, golden wheat fields, and medieval hilltop towns. This perfectly preserved countryside inspired Renaissance paintings and modern films alike, embodying the ideal Tuscan landscape that "Gladiator" captured on screen.
Late spring (May through June) showcases green rolling hills with wildflowers. Early summer brings golden wheat fields matching "Gladiator's" imagery. September through October offers harvest colors and comfortable weather. Morning and late afternoon provide the best light for photography, creating dramatic shadows across the hills.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have any questions, here are the answers.
Day tripsCountriesItalyRomeRome to Gladiator Sites: Private day trip