Caesar's Rome -- worth hiring a private guide?

I've never thought so. You can easily see these sites for yourself with a good guide book or audio guide. With either of these you can go at your own pace and start when it's convenient to you. The choice is a personal one so if you are a "tour" person you should go for it, if not, just wander on your own. Donna

I have to agree with Donna. We just got back from two weeks in Italy (one in Rome) and we did the antiquity sites on our own. A good guide book (RS's Rome, of course) was all we used. We took our time and went at our own pace, a good thing because it was very hot and humid. We rested when we needed to and went on when we wanted to and not when a paid guide herded us on. FYI: We did buy our tickets to the Forum, Colosseum, and Palatine Hill at the Palatine ticket office, as RS recommends No line, no wait, and then walked over the the Colosseum and walked right in

We hired Francesca Caurso We hired a guide for a full day in Rome. I have to tell you, it made all of the sights so much more meaningful. Even our teenagers loved her and loved her stories and descriptions of all the sights. She was really wonderful, incredibly knowledgable and spoke perfect english. Her contact info: Francesca Carousa [email protected]
339-261-6482

FWIW, "Francesca Caruso". Google her email address to see lots of positive comments about her.

Not for my money. Rick's books are plenty good enough. The "Eyewitness Travel Guides" make a good supplement to Rick's books. They're a little heavier, but they're loaded with glossy pictures and good background on thing you'll want to see. They have good suggested "walks" too.

Taking Rick Steves' Rome guidebook is like having your own tour guide with you. Been to Rome twice with his book and loved it! Be sure to take the night walks he recommends.

On today's Rick broadcast on the radio, his main guest is Francesca Caruso and she sounds wonderful. Click "Rick on Radio" in the upper right.

We toured Ancient Rome (Palatine Hill, Forum and Colisseum) with Francesca last fall. I am so glad we hired her! She made ancient Rome come alive, and I didn't have to have my head stuck in a book the whole time. We had a private tour for almost 4 hours, just the two of us and Francesca, whose English is as perfect as her Italian.

I think a guidebook works fine for the Pantheon and the new audio guide at the Colloseum has plenty of info. As for the Forum, I've been there a half dozen times -- with books, with and without guides -- and it is still something of a jumble to me. The guide others recommend here sounds much better than the one I hired. I think I would give her a try. I love Rome, its art and history, but the Forum is just not one of my favorites. (But the Mammertine Prison just at the end on the Forum IS!)