Angels And Demons Tour In Rome
Looking To Experience The Thrill Of The Angels And Demons Tour In Rome?
This blog post is about my experience doing the Angels and Demons Tour in Rome!
This tour is inspired by the Dan Brown book “Angels and Demons”.
If you have not read the book, you are not going to understand what I’m referring to in this blog post.
Therefore, make sure you read the book first and then hop back here to read about my experience doing the tour.
This is probably my absolute favorite tour I have ever done!!
Also, the tour guide was so into it and made us all extremely excited. He also explained a lot of cool facts and we learned a lot of interesting info about the attractions.
There is a map of the tour at the end of this post which shows the location of all the places mentioned in the book.
Is There An Angels And Demons Tour In Rome?
Yes, there is an Angels and Demons tour in Rome.
It precisely follows the story and events of the book.
However, the best part about it is that you get private transportation between all the locations.
Hence, you don’t have to worry about anything and can immerse yourself in the experience.
👉 This is the exact tour that I did: Angels and Demons Half-Day Guided Tour with Private Transport
Angels And Demons Tour In Rome
Let’s follow in the steps of Professor Robert Langdon in his attempt to save the four kidnapped cardinals before it is too late.
Church of Santa Maria del Popolo – Chigi Chapel
The tour group met in front of the Church of Santa Maria del Popolo.
It is easy to access with the metro, and there is a station right outside Piazza del Popolo, with the same name. It is on the Orange Metro Line.
If you need more info on how to get there, take a look at the Rome Metro site.
The church doesn’t look promising on the outside, but the interior is stunning.
This is the church where the first kidnapped cardinal was murdered (in the book).
He was found inside the Chigi Chapel, underneath the circular crest with the skeleton.
The cardinal was buried in the ground with only his head sticking out and his mouth full of soil.
On his chest, he was branded with the word Earth which is one of the four elements.
Can the circular crest in Chigi Chapel actually be removed?
In reality, the circular crest cannot be removed as it is in the book so there is no way of going underneath the Chigi Chapel.
However, it is still a pretty cool concept that Dan Brown came up with.
Also, another thing to mention in the Chigi Chapel is the Habakkuk and the Angel statue created by Bernini.
In the book, they find a poem that the main character Robert Langdon is supposed to use to decipher the clues in order to find the four kidnapped cardinals.
One of the lines in the poem states “Let angels guide you on your lofty quest.”
So the angel in the Habakkuk and the Angel statue points toward the circular crest with the skeleton.
They deciphered the clue, however, they arrived too late – the cardinal was already dead.
🦄 If you want to learn more about what to do in Rome, check out this blog post: 7 Things You Must See In Rome If It’s Your First Visit
St. Peter’s Square – West Ponente
The second cardinal is supposed to be murdered in St. Peter’s Square.
The next element is air so they realize that another creation of Bernini is located in St. Peter’s Square.
It is a relief called West Ponente (or the West Wind).
It depicts a face that looks a lot like an angel with curly hair that is about to blow a gust of air out of its mouth.
The air coming out of the angel’s mouth is sent outwards, away from the Vatican.
Where exactly is West Ponante located?
West Ponente is located in the center of the square, close to the obelisk.
It might be hard to spot as it is not too big and sometimes it can be closed off when they have the Papal Audience seating arranged.
That usually happens when people come and sit to listen to the pope addressing them.
There are millions of seats everywhere so you might not be able to get to it because there will be people sitting in that area.
As you know, if you have read Angels and Demons, the second cardinal dies beside the West Ponente relief because his lungs are pierced (he suffocates).
They find the word Air branded on his chest.
This stop is pretty quick, you get off the bus, and walk towards the obelisk.
Search for the West Ponente relief, take a picture of it and then head back to the bus.
There are a few more similar reliefs around the obelisk so you would have to walk around to find the right one.
Also, keep in mind that St. Peter’s Square is always extremely busy and there are many people everywhere.
Therefore, it will be difficult to get a picture of the relief without people’s legs and feet in it.
🦄 If you want to learn more about what to do in Vatican City, check out this blog post: 5 Things You Must See In Vatican City
Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria – Ecstasy of St. Teresa
This baroque church was absolutely stunning, it was probably my favorite stop on the Angels and Demons tour in Rome.
Our point of interest in this church is the marble statue Ecstasy of St. Teresa.
It was created by, you guessed it, Bernini.
The statue is perched on an elevated aedicule (kinda like an elevated niche). Therefore, you are looking up at it, it is not at eye level.
The clue for fire brings the characters to this church.
The statue depicts Saint Teresa in a state of ecstasy with an angel holding an arrow about to pierce her.
Basically, the arrow that the angel is holding represents the love of God.
In her own diary, Saint Theresa says that she had a lot of dreams about an angel piercing her with an arrow/golden spear.
Also, she refers to the experience as “filled with fire”.
Here they find one of the cardinals being hung above the church’s pews burning alive.
On his chest, the word Fire has been branded.
When they arrive, they find the killer in action and try and catch him.
However, he escapes and the burning cardinal dies.
The Church of Santa Maria della Vittoria is gorgeous and so is the statue of Ecstasy of St. Teresa.
You do have a lot of time to walk around and explore the rest of the church – the ceiling is out of this world.
Evidently, you can see the theme in Angels and Demons – angels, statues by Bernini, places tied to religion, the four elements.
Piazza Navona – Fountain of the Four Rivers
Piazza Navona is a famous, large piazza (square) in Rome.
Therefore, it has a lot of restaurants and cafes as well as three fountains in the center of the square.
One of the most famous ones is the Fountain of the Four Rivers (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi).
This is where the last cardinal is about to be murdered.
And yes, you guessed right, he is going to drown in one of the fountains on Piazza Navona.
More specifically the Fountain of the Four Rivers.
This marks the last element which is Water. The fountain features four river gods which represent the four big rivers in the world, located on four different continents.
The rivers are the Danube (Europe), the Nile (Africa), the Ganges (Asia), and the Río de la Plata (America).
Bernini is the artist who created this gorgeous fountain.
It is stunning and way bigger than I expected it to be (it is possible to drown someone in it for sure).
In the center of the fountain, you will find an obelisk and on the top of it, you will see the dove.
They refer to it in the book as it reveals the direction of the last place that they have to go to.
🦄 If you are looking for some night tours in Rome, check out this blog post: 17 Best Rome Tours By Night To Take
Castel Sant’Angelo
And that place is Castel Sant’Angelo, which is located close to Piazza Navona – you can actually walk there.
The Castle of the Angel is a building that had many purposes throughout history.
Its original name is the Mausoleum of Hadrian. The Roman Emperor Hadrian was the one who commissioned this building.
It was to be used as a resting place for himself and his family.
Later on, it was used as a fortress by the Popes (there is even a prison, which is not accessible to tourists) and it’s now a tourist destination/museum.
Why is it called the Castle of the Angel?
The reason why the building is called the Castle of the Angel is that there is a huge statue of an angel.
The angel is in fact Saint Michael the Archangel, holding a sword, located on the top of the building.
Also, there are angels all around the bridge (again, made by Bernini) that connect it to the opposite shoreline (Ponte Sant’Angelos).
This is where the killer has kidnapped Vittoria, she is Robert Langdon’s sidekick in the story.
Evidently, Robert goes in there to save her and has a dramatic quarrel with the killer.
The tour ends on the balcony which offers beautiful views of Rome and the Vatican.
One thing that was interesting to see was the Passetto di Borgo.
It is the secret elevated passage that connects Castel Sant’Angelo with Vatican City.
The Popes used it as an escape route in the past.
Unfortunately, as tourists, we can’t go through it but you can see it from the balcony which I thought was neat.
In Angels and Demons that is how they kidnap the four cardinals from the Vatican, they sneak them out through the Passetto.
👉 This is the exact tour that I did: Angels and Demons Half-Day Guided Tour with Private Transport
🦄 If you are looking for accommodations in Rome, check out these two posts:
17 Best Rome Hotels Near Termini Station
21 Best Rome Hotels Near The Trevi Fountain
Angels And Demons Tour Rome Map
Conclusion: Angels And Demons Tour In Rome
In conclusion, the Angels and Demons Tour in Rome is a captivating journey that unravels the mystique surrounding the eternal city.
As participants traverse the historic streets, visiting iconic landmarks and hidden gems, they become immersed in the intriguing world depicted in Dan Brown’s novel.
This tour not only offers a unique perspective on Rome’s rich history and artistry but also sparks contemplation on the eternal struggle between science and religion.
The tour serves as a testament to the enduring allure of Rome, where the past seamlessly intertwines with the present.
Leaving visitors with a deeper appreciation for the layers of history woven into the fabric of this extraordinary city.
