Clients can choose between running and power walking while discovering the city
ArcheoRunning is inviting energetic tourists to participate in mobile history classes showcasing Rome’s long past.
The company’s Isabella Calidonna, who doubles as an art historian and certified running coach, leads visitors on 5K running and power walking tours of the Italian capital, with guests able to choose between a 75-minute run or a 2-hour power walk that showcase some of the city’s Virgin Mary shrines, known as Madonnelles. Once numbering in the thousands, the small street-corner shrines were lit with candles by locals before modern streetlights existed. Around 500 remain today, each telling a story of faith, artistry, and Roman tradition.
“Madonnelle of Rome running and power walking tours from ArcheoRunning are especially timely as we are in the Jubilee Year of 2025, when Rome is expected to welcome more than 30 million pilgrims and travelers. With the city preparing for a significant influx of visitors, many are seeking unique, off-the-beaten-path ways to explore the Eternal City beyond the crowded basilicas and piazzas,” Calidonna says.
“As major landmarks draw unprecedented crowds in 2025, this experience offers a peaceful and meaningful alternative – an active, early-morning journey through Rome’s quieter neighborhoods and lesser-known treasures. It’s a chance to connect with the city’s soul while beating the tourist rush,” ArcheoRunning adds.
Group sizes are kept small to ensure a personal experience.
But why the focus on the Madonnelles, rather than such famed landmarks as the Colosseum? Well Calidonna says the shrines are intriguing, even if they don’t have as high a profile as some imposing, still-standing structures dating back thousands of years.
“Each Madonnella shrine is unique, reflecting different artistic styles, historical eras, and local traditions,” she says. “Visitors often find them fascinating because they offer an intimate glimpse into Rome’s religious and cultural history, including stories that are rarely shared on standard city tours.”
Calidonna says her tours welcome people of differing fitness levels, with the focus on enjoying Rome and its history, not on speed or competition.
“During an ArcheoRunning tour, the pace is relaxed and adaptable to the group,” she reports. “For running tours, it’s a gentle jog with frequent stops for storytelling and exploration. The walking tour is a leisurely stroll that still allows plenty of time to appreciate the shrines and surrounding streets.
“The tours were created to showcase Rome’s lesser-known treasures while combining a love for art history with wellness and movement. ArcheoRunning tours have been adjusted with the Jubilee Year in mind, offering visitors a meaningful alternative to standard sightseeing.”
Tours can be conducted in either English or Italian and are available year-round, with early morning and off-peak timing to ensure what Calidonna labels a comfortable and peaceful experience.
The tours typically avoid crowded landmarks like the Colosseum but can be customized. “ArcheoRunning tours explore quieter neighborhoods and hidden corners of the city, offering a more authentic, reflective experience. This approach is especially appealing during the Jubilee Year, when major attractions are expected to be extremely busy,” Calidonna says.
“Rome is known for its heavy traffic, but ArcheoRunning tours try to avoid that entirely. By running or walking through quieter streets and hidden alleys, participants experience a side of the city that most tourists never see, all without worrying about navigating traffic. Additionally, tours are typically offered in the early morning before the tourist rush and crowd hit.”
Meanwhile, Calidonna says both those who enjoy the thought of exploring Rome on foot and those who appreciate the city’s famed history will appreciate her tours.
“Both are equally important, and the tours are designed to merge them seamlessly. I am both an art historian and a certified running coach, which means guests enjoy expert storytelling alongside a mindful, active experience,” she says
“The Madonnelle tour is an opportunity to slow down and discover the spiritual and artistic heartbeat of Rome beyond the tourist crowds,” Calidonna adds. “The tour is a truly unique way to experience the city, part cultural journey, part mindful movement, especially during this unique year of the Jubilee.”
