My group of 30 people, mostly teenagers under 17 is traveling to Europe this summer. We will be spending a day in Rome doing the typical tourist sites and the next day we are going to Pisa. I had heard there were laws requiring groups to have a licensed tour guide. I have tried to find more information about this but have been unsuccessful.
Can someone please provide some insight and possible sources that explain these requirements if they exist?
Thank you in advance!
Your are not required to be accompanied by a licensed guide, but unless you are a licensed guide, you are not allowed to give historical information to your group in public places. Don't stand and lecture. This is a complicated law and there will be more people against you (licensed guides trying to protect their business) than on your side.
Sorry for my poor English, i hope you'll get what I mean. You can't do that for money, as a professional. Nobody can forbid you to share your knowledge with a group of 30 friends or wander around by yourselves.
Where did you get such a strange info, by the way?
Laura, do you have a source where I can see that law?
We would like to have someone with us who can give us some context about what we are seeing. So in that regard we will need someone who knows "historical information".
Certain sites have specific provisions for school groups, including a minimum teacher:student ratio.
In principle, you can take you 30 friends into a museum, church etc and talk to them about what they're seeing. However, it is unlikely that the authorities will see it that way, especially since it will be very evident that you are being paid for what you do. The rules are strict. Even a licensed tour driver cannot take his three passengers on a tour inside a listed monument. You need a licensed tour guide.
It sounds like you don't have someone already - that you are looking to hire someone. Especially in that case, yes - hire someone who is licensed to show you the sites.
I'm not sure if this will answer the question, but the third paragraph on THIS website might be applicable.
Thanks, Ken, I was wondering about this question.
The advice about giving historical information in public places is vague - perhaps incorrect. Laura, do you mean on property that is a museum or archeological site? I can't imagine Italians (or well-informed tourists) not talking to visitors about history, art and culture in a public place without a license.
My wife and I take her students every year to Europe, and we experience this all of the time mainly in Italy. We've learned that we tell the group what they're going to see, tell them what to look for BEFORE you enter the place. Sometimes we hire a guide just because we want the detailed information explained along the way (Vatican Museums, for example). Otherwise you can navigate around the roadblocks if you plan ahead.
