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Which sites are visited in Rome
The tour description says that we will see the Imperial Palace, Circus Maximus, and the Forum while we are in Rome. Should I plan a private tour for other sites or was the description a condensed version of what we will actually see?
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If you have a free evening I suggest a “Rome at Night “ tour. We enjoyed it several years ago.
We did Classic Italy in 2013 so certainly the sites visited may have changed since that time. The Pantheon was not included on our tour - we did that on our own and found it very interesting. I would second BSP51's recommendation of a night tour. Our tour director helped arrange that for those interested - it gives a totally different perspective to some of the sites we had visited during the day.
I believe what you see in Rome and when, varies over the years and often from departure to departures.
Be advised the schedule in Rome is often driven by the Vatican and when Tauck can get access to St Peters and the Sistine Chapel/Vatican Museums. That can change with little or no warning. Our three day Rome schedule changed completely just two days before we arrived. We saw everything listed on the itinerary, however, just in a different order and at different times than initially scheduled. For that reason I always advise people not to make firm plans or at least plans that require you to pre-pay and/or have a strict refund policy.
Also, learn the Tauck itinerary terminology- "You will see" typically means a bus drive-by with or without a photo stop, "You will visit" typically means just what it says, but will not likely include a local guide or you may not see all of the attraction, "A guided visit" means a local guide (with few exceptions they will be fantastic, Tauck contracts excellent local guides) will lead you through and tell you about the site, but still you may not see it all, and "Free time on your own to visit" means exactly that, not likely include admission tickets, and may or may not include transportation to the site(s)- that is not usually a problem in places like Florence and to a lesser extent Rome.
I did this tour in May and it is fabulous. I agree with Alan about how your time will be changed around on a moments notice. If you have time (and interest) go to the Jewish ghetto and take in the museum and tour the exquisite Synagogue there. Have dinner in the ghetto area too. The street is lined with fabulous restaurants. I was there on a Sunday and it was a delightful and educational afternoon. The Pantheon is well worth the visit. You will need tickets purchased ahead. The hotel assisted us with that. Yes to Rome at night. Your TD will help with that. Enjoy the trip and travel safely.