Day tours in Rome

Below is a list of licensed independent local guides Rick has worked with and recommends, who speak excellent English and enjoy tailoring tours to your interests. Their prices (roughly 55-60 Euros per hour) flex with the day, season, and demand, and they can be contacted by email.

Francesca Caruso -- www.francescacaruso.com, [email protected]
Carla Zaia -- [email protected]
Cristina Giannicchi -- www.crisromanguide.com, [email protected]
Sara Magister -- [email protected]
Giovanna Terzulli -- [email protected]
Alessandra Mazzoccoli -- [email protected]
Sean Finelli - www.theromanguy.com

Also, below are some walking tour companies we recommend. Three-hour guided walks generally cost 25-30 Euros per person.

Context Rome -- These walking tours are more intellectual than most, designed for travelers with longer-than usual attention spans. They are more expensive than others and are led by "docents" rather than guides. (tel. 06-9672-7371, US tel. 800-691-6036, www.contextrome.com)

Enjoy Rome -- (Via Marghera 8a, tel. 06-445-1843, www.enjoyrome.com, [email protected])

Rome Walks -- (mobile 347-795-5175, www.romewalks.com, [email protected], Annie)

Europe Odyssey -- (tel. 06-580-9902, mobile 328-912-3720, www.europeodyssey.com, Rahul)

Through Eternity -- (tel. 06-700-9336, mobile 347--336-5298, www.througheternity.com, [email protected], Rob)

Walks of Italy -- (US tel. 202/684-6916, Italian mobile 334-974-4274, tel. 06-9558-3331, www.walksofitaly.com, Jason Spiehler)

Also, if you're bringing a mobile device, you can download (for free) the Rick Steves Audio Europe app, which features audio tours of Rome's major sights, hours of travel interviews on Rome, and more (via www.ricksteves.com/audioeurope, iTunes, Google Play, or the Rick Steves Audio Europe smartphone app)

Why not just book a guide that works at the specific sites? The colosseum and Vatican museums have their own guides who are very good and won't cost you a fortune. You can take a taxi or other means of transportation to get to the sites and meet the guides there. For the rest of the city, just grab a map and an audio guide and start walking. It's a very easy city to see on your own without the aide of an expensive guide.

http://www.coopculture.it/en/colosseo-e-shop.cfm

http://biglietteriamusei.vatican.va/musei/tickets/do?weblang=en&do

Donna