We recently toured in Italy using Rick Steves' guidebook. All of his suggestions were amazing. We were based in Rome but took day trips and we chose to get a private tour guide at each of those locations since we had less time in the area. We traveled as a family with our two children ages 13 and 17. It was most economical to hire private guides with this amount of people, in some instances even cheaper than a tour company. We all commented how the private guide was such a nice touch.
Our first day trip was to Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast. We chose Pina Esposito from Rick Steves' guidebook. We couldn't have been happier. Prior to arrival she assisted us with all of our many questions and gave us great tips on getting to the area quickly. We had all day with her and she arranged for a car service, since we were also taking in the sights of the coast. She is extremely knowledgeable and our children remarked how they loved every story that she had to tell. One of my favorite times with her was when we sat down for lunch. It was nice to have some time to learn a little about Pina and to have time to share with one other about ourselves. Pina was so very knowledgeable about the area, but a particular highlight was Pompeii. She is a wealth of information and shared it in such a way that it was very interesting for the whole family. Without a doubt, if you desire a tour guide of this area she is the person to contact.
Contact information: annamariaesposito1@virgilio.it
Our other private guide was Elena Fulceri in Florence. She too was an excellent suggestion by Rick Steves. We took the train to Florence for the day. She met us at the train station and she gave us a walking tour of the city. We were a bit flexible about what we did, other than seeing David was a must. We had discussed what our interests were and she made all the needed reservations and even one reservation to decide on the spot if we wished to use it. It was another wonderful day. She gave a great overview of the city and we are able to see the highlights of Florence. We also sampled wonderful food based upon her suggestions. We had the best gelato in Florence on our entire trip! She also gave us a few suggestions of how to spend our time once we parted. Once again if you need a tour guide in this area, she is the person to contact.
Contact information: www.florencewithflair.com and info@florencewithflair.com
I would highly suggest either tour guide if you are traveling to the area and wish for a guide. They are both wonderful. The bottom line is you just can't go wrong with Rick Steves' suggestions! Thanks Rick!