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Tour Rome with an English speaking driver-guide right after you transfer from the airport, seaport or train station. Start... |
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Frequent flyers say that if you yield to
tiredness and jetlag and go to sleep
right after
you arrive,
catching up with the time difference is
more difficult.
Instead you synchronize faster if you
stay up until night falls and go to bed
at the time you usually do. Frequently
I'm asked, by those who follow this
frequent flyer advice, to meet them at
Rome’s airport and start touring right
away. I always suggest to stop at their
hotel first though, just to drop off the
luggage. Rome's pretty safe, but safer
is better! Another good reason to
start touring immediately after you
arrive is that, not only you start
familiarizing with the new place with
the help of a local, but also you
maximize your time in case you arrive
early in the morning and your room isn't
ready until the afternoon!
In
this page you'll find some suggestions
about what kind of tour is best for you
to combine with an arrival or departure
transfer. |
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Half-day tour
of Rome |
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After meeting you at
Rome's airport, you'll be driven to your hotel to drop your luggage
and freshen up. About half an hour later, or longer if you wish, the
tour will start. Mainly it'll be an
orientation tour, covering some of the major highlights of the city,
For those who arrive from another continent, I would suggest to skip St.
Peter's and visit it together with the Sistine and the Vatican
Museums another day. Better make make it a In-and-out of the car
tour, just to stay awake. |
The
Colosseum |
The
Trevi Fountain |
Castel Sant'Angelo |
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description of the itinerary: |
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You'll be met at the airport upon arrival of aircraft
as you'll specify. We cannot come and meet you in the baggage claim
area, where the carrousels are, you’ll have to exit that area to
meet us. After collecting your luggage and clearing customs, you'll
be routed to the public lounge where people wait for passengers to
come out. Once in the public lounge you’ll see your driver posting
your name. You'll be driven to
your hotel to drop your
luggage and freshen up. Anytime within an hour after you arrive at
the hotel the tour will start.
Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini (drive), Quirinale
Palace (drive), Trevi Fountain (visit),
Via del Corso (drive), Piazza Venezia (stop),
Capitol Hill (stop),
Roman Forum, Colosseum (visit),
Circus Maximus (stop), St. Peter’s Basilica (optional visit),
Spanish Steps (stop)
More sites and curiosities,
less known than the places listed above, will be brought to
your attention while driving.
Remember: you'll
always see more than you'll be expecting to see! |
|
More about
the itinerary: |
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|
Depending on the
location of your hotel, we could start from either one of the three
sites and than continue with the others. Here follows a brief
description of the sites.
St. Peter’s
in Vatican.
Largest Catholic Church in the world, but also casket for numberless
art treasures. The legend says that the first Christian emperor,
Constantine, initiated the construction of the original basilica
carrying personally twelve chests full of stones, one for each
Apostle. The church was entirely rebuilt between the 15th
the 16th Century under the supervision of Michelangelo.
Inaugurated in 1624, it is the celebration of the Baroque Style,
housing some of the most beautiful masterpieces by Bernini, the
second greatest architect and sculptor that ever worked in Rome,
second only to Michelangelo.
The
Colosseum
parallels in
fame
St. Peter’s Basilica
and the
Fountain of Trevi,
but while
St. Peter’s represents Christian Rome and the Trevi Fountain
represents the most frivolous and carefree aspect of the city, the
Colosseum witnesses the grandeur of the Roman Empire, standing there
sturdy and austere, receiving the multitudes that go pay their
respect to it daily. Built nearly two thousand
years ago stills stands there in spite of the fact that for hundreds
of years the nobles have been subtracting marble from it to build
their churches and their palaces and the people have been stealing
the metal that was keeping the blocks of marble linked together,
making us think that sometimes men create things that last longer
and leave a bigger mark in history than they would have ever
thought.
"As long as the Colosseum will stand, Rome shall stand. But when the
Colosseum will fall, Rome shall fall and with it shall fall the
world " Byron
The Fountain of Trevi,
we'll get there before of after a stop in
Piazza Venezia
to take a picture at the Monument to the first King of Italy, Victor
Emmanuel II,
and
the balcony from which Mussolini used to harangue the crowds. Yes,
the world known
Trevi Fountain,
Nicola Salvi, one of Bernini's disciples, designed it, but everybody
goes there for
the legend that says
that if one throws a
coin in it, he will surely return to Rome! By the way, should you be
short of coins, it’ll be my pleasure to provide them… it’s my best
investment!
But this is not all
you'll see! Going from
St. Peter’s
to the
Colosseum
for example you drive though half of Rome and you sure see a lot of
things! I can’t really promise it, because you may not be so lucky
and take this tour in a day with a lot of traffic and/or with long
waits to get into
St. Peter’s Basilica,
but normally in four hours you fit in some more places like
the
Capitol Hill
or
Michelangelo’s Moses.
Please remember that
basically you hire a driver/guide for 4 or 8 hours and you're free
to change anything, |
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Rates per vehicle for this
half-day tour:
sedan (1/4 persons) 320 €;
minivan (4 persons) 340 €;
minivan (5/6 persons)
360 €;
minivan (7/8 persons)
380 € |
These rates include:
Transfer from the airport
4 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off at the hotel)
in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
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Those who end their cruise at the port of
Rome have the time to go on a full day tour, but if they
want to spend their afternoon shopping or just resting,
than they would probably prefer a half-day tour. Both
possibilities are listed here. Those who arrived by
plane the day before and did a half-day tour maybe want
to visit the Vatican before they board their cruise ship
in the afternoon. Those who instead started their cruise
from Rome and have seen everything in the city, can go
on one of the tours off the beaten path or go on a tour
in the country, basically the same ones listed in the
shore excursions page, but ending at their hotel in Rome
instead of returning to the port. |
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Tour of Rome from the
port port of Civitavecchia, or on the way to it. 4 hours plus
transfer time |
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Mainly an
orientation tour. It covers the major highlights of the city, St.
Peter's, the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum. These sites are
pretty far from one another, so you end up driving through the whole
historical centre and consequently get acquainted with its layout.
The tour can also be extended if 4 hours are not enough and you want
to be taken somewhere nice for lunch, for example. Here's an idea of where this
tour goes: |
The
Colosseum |
The
Trevi Fountain |
St. Peter's |
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| Short
description of the itinerary: |
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You'll find the car, or minivan, right on the pier
where the ship docks, parked as close as possible to the footbridge,
with your name posted on its windshield. If parking close to the
footbridge shouldn't be possible, I'll be standing there posting
your name. You'll be driven to
your hotel to drop your
luggage and freshen up. Anytime within an hour after you arrive at
the hotel the tour will start.
Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini (drive), Quirinale
Palace (drive), Trevi Fountain (visit),
Via del Corso (drive), Piazza Venezia (stop),
Capitol Hill (stop),
Roman Forum, Colosseum (visit),
Circus Maximus (stop), St. Peter’s Basilica (optional visit),
Spanish Steps (stop)
More sites and curiosities,
less known than the places listed above, will be brought to
your attention while driving.
Remember: you'll
always see more than you'll be expecting to see! |
|
More about
the itinerary: |
|
|
Depending on the
location of your hotel, we could start from either one of the three
sites and than continue with the others. Here follows a brief
description of the sites.
St. Peter’s
in Vatican.
Largest Catholic Church in the world, but also casket for numberless
art treasures. The legend says that the first Christian emperor,
Constantine, initiated the construction of the original basilica
carrying personally twelve chests full of stones, one for each
Apostle. The church was entirely rebuilt between the 15th
the 16th Century under the supervision of Michelangelo.
Inaugurated in 1624, it is the celebration of the Baroque Style,
housing some of the most beautiful masterpieces by Bernini, the
second greatest architect and sculptor that ever worked in Rome,
second only to Michelangelo.
The
Colosseum
parallels in
fame
St. Peter’s Basilica
and the
Fountain of Trevi,
but while
St. Peter’s represents Christian Rome and the Trevi Fountain
represents the most frivolous and carefree aspect of the city, the
Colosseum witnesses the grandeur of the Roman Empire, standing there
sturdy and austere, receiving the multitudes that go pay their
respect to it daily. Built nearly two thousand
years ago stills stands there in spite of the fact that for hundreds
of years the nobles have been subtracting marble from it to build
their churches and their palaces and the people have been stealing
the metal that was keeping the blocks of marble linked together,
making us think that sometimes men create things that last longer
and leave a bigger mark in history than they would have ever
thought.
"As long as the Colosseum will stand, Rome shall stand. But when the
Colosseum will fall, Rome shall fall and with it shall fall the
world " Byron
The Fountain of Trevi,
we'll get there before of after a stop in
Piazza Venezia
to take a picture at the Monument to the first King of Italy, Victor
Emmanuel II,
and
the balcony from which Mussolini used to harangue the crowds. Yes,
the world known
Trevi Fountain,
Nicola Salvi, one of Bernini's disciples, designed it, but everybody
goes there for
the legend that says
that if one throws a
coin in it, he will surely return to Rome! By the way, should you be
short of coins, it’ll be my pleasure to provide them… it’s my best
investment!
But this is not all
you'll see! Going from
St. Peter’s
to the
Colosseum
for example you drive though half of Rome and you sure see a lot of
things! I can’t really promise it, because you may not be so lucky
and take this tour in a day with a lot of traffic and/or with long
waits to get into
St. Peter’s Basilica,
but normally in four hours you fit in some more places like
the
Capitol Hill
or
Michelangelo’s Moses.
Please remember that
basically you hire a driver/guide for 4 or 8 hours and you're free
to change anything, |
|
Rates per vehicle for this
half-day tour:
Rates per vehicle for this tour:
sedan (1/3 persons) 400 €;
minivan (4 persons) 420 €.
minivan (5/6 persons) 480 €;
minivan (7/8 persons) 550 €.
Extension charge 60 Euros per
hour. |
These rates include:
Transfer from the port of
Civitavecchia
4 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off at the hotel)
plus transfer time, in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
|
|
|
Short description of the
itinerary:
|
|
You'll find the car, or minivan, right on the pier
where the ship docks, parked as close as possible to the footbridge,
with your name posted on its windshield. If parking close to the
footbridge shouldn't be possible, I'll be standing there posting
your name. You'll be driven to
your hotel to drop your
luggage and freshen up. Anytime within an hour after you arrive at
the hotel the tour will start.
Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini (drive),
Spanish Steps (stop), Pincio Terrace (stop),
Piazza del Popolo
(stop), Tomb of Augustus (drive), Piazza Navona (stop),
Pantheon and St. Mary' above
Minerva (visit),
Via del
Corso (drive),
Trevi Fountain (stop),
Four fountains crossing
(drive),
Quirinale Palace (drive),
Piazza Venezia (stop),
Capitol Hill and Roman Forum,
(stop),
Colosseum (visit), Catacombs (visit),
Key Hole (curiousity),
Aventine Hill and Circus Maximus
(stop),
More sites and
curiosities, less known than the places listed above, will be
brought to your attention while driving.
Remember: you'll
always see more than you'll be expecting to see! |
|
More about
the itinerary: |
|
|
If we don't need to go
to St. Peter's, which requires more than one hour to visit, not
counting the eventual line to get in, we can use the time to see
other places in the city and the
Catacombs.
This itinerary evolves just like the one described
"Full
day tour of Rome, including St. Peter's"
and what we do is replace St. Peter's with the
Catacombs
and other places of your choice, time permitting. Starting the tour
from the city center we drive down the
Via Sistina
and stop to look at the famous
Spanish Steps.
We stop than at the
Pincio Terrace
and enjoy the beautiful
panorama of Rome and the
Vatican City.
Driving down the hill, we arrive at
Piazza del Popolo.
Driving past the ruins of the
Mausoleum of Augustus,
we arrive in Piazza
Navona. Next we
visit the
Pantheon and the
Capitol Hill (Campidoglio)
where, from the top of the hill you also see the ruins of the
Roman Forum,
the ancient centre of the city of Rome. After a stop in
Piazza Venezia
to take a picture at the
Monument to the first
King of Italy and Mussolini's balcony,
finally arrive the
Trevi Fountain,
where you throw a coin in to make sure you return to Rome! Next we
arrive at the
Colosseum,
certainly one of the must-see highlights of Rome. At this point we
could take a brake and stop for lunch in a typical restaurant on the
Appian Way
or at a sidewalk cafeteria in the city. After lunch we visit the
Catacombs
and walk a little on the old cobblestones of the Appian Way.
Returning to the city we'll stop to look at the
Circus Maximus and the
Palatine Hill from the Aventine.
If there will still be time left we can stop at to see the
Moses by Michelangelo,
or some of the sites mentioned above in case there will not be time
to see the in the morning.
Naturally this is just a
suggested itinerary, sites will not necessarily be visited in this
order, a lot depends on where you'll be staying, we'll start from
your hotel, and how you move around. In case you'll have already
seen some of these sites, we could go to other places instead. We
could go and see the view from the Janicolum Hill instead of the
Pincio, the Moses instead of the Capitol and so on. I'll never be
short of places to show you, we say here that it takes more than a
life’s time to see Rome.
Please remember that
basically you hire a driver/guide for 4 or 8 hours and you're free
to change anything, |
|
Rates per vehicle for this
full-day tour:
sedan (1/4 persons) 580 €;
minivan (4 persons) 620 €;
minivan (5/6 persons)
650 €;
minivan (7/8 persons)
700 €
Extension charge 60 Euros per
hour. |
These rates include:
Transfer from the port of
Civitavecchia
8 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off at the hotel)
plus transfer time, in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
|
Transfer from the port of
Civitavecchia and
full-day tour of Rome,
including
St. Peter's |
|
If you only have one day
to see Rome, this is your tour! In addition to the must-see
highlights, St. Peter's, the Trevi Fountain and the Colosseum we
will be able to include in the full-day tour places like the Forum,
the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and even stop for an authentic Italian
lunch.
Depending on how the day
evolves, we may even be able to include the Catacombs or the statue
of Moses by Michelangelo and more. |
Pantheon
|
Roman
Forum |
Piazza
Navona |
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Short description of the
itinerary: |
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Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini (drive),
Spanish Steps (stop), Pincio Terrace (stop),
Piazza del Popolo
(stop), Tomb of Augustus (drive), Piazza Navona (stop),
Pantheon (visit),
Via del Corso (drive),
Trevi Fountain (stop),
Four fountains crossing (drive),
Quirinale Palace (drive),
Piazza Venezia (stop),
Capitol Hill and Roman Forum, (stop),
Colosseum (visit),
Circus Maximus (stop),
St. Peter’s
Basilica (visit),
More sites and curiosities,
less known than the places listed above, will be brought to
your attention while driving.
Remember: you'll
always see more than you'll be expecting to see! |
|
More about
the itinerary: |
|
|
Supposing we start from
the Via Veneto
area, we drive down the
Via Sistina
and stop to look at the famous
Spanish Steps.
We continue than to the
Pincio Terrace
and enjoy the beautiful
panorama of Rome and the
Vatican City.
Driving down the hill, we arrive at
Piazza del Popolo.
Driving past the ruins of the
Mausoleum of Augustus,
we arrive in
Piazza Navona.
Finally we arrive at
St. Peter’s Basilica.
After visiting St. Peter’s Basilica most people like to stop for
lunch and I take them to a nice, typical, little restaurant nearby
or, if they prefer, to a cafeteria for some pizza or sandwich. The
afternoon is almost entirely dedicated to Ancient Rome. One can’t miss the Pantheon, the best preserved of the
Ancient Roman
buildings. The Capitol Hill (Campidoglio)
is normally the next stop. From the top of the hill you also see the
incredible scenario of the
Roman Forum,
the ruins of the ancient centre of the city of Rome. Next we arrive
at the Colosseum,
certainly one of the must-see highlights of Rome. After a stop
in Piazza Venezia
to take a picture at the
Monument to the first
King of Italy and
Mussolini's
balcony. Finally
we arrive at the
Trevi Fountain,
where you throw a coin in to make sure you return to Rome! By the
way, should you be short of coins, it’ll be my pleasure to provide
them… it’s a great investment for me! Naturally this is just a
suggested itinerary, it would be planned differently if you stayed
in a hotel that’s in a different location rather than in Via Veneto
or if you had been to some of these places already on your own or
even simply for traffic reasons. There are hundreds of sites to see
in Rome. We could go and see the view from the
Janicolum Hill
instead of the Pincio
and the Moses
instead of the Capitol. I'll never be short of places to show you,
as we say here, it takes more than a life’s time to see Rome.
Please remember that
basically you hire a driver/guide for 4 or 8 hours and you're free
to change anything, |
Rates per vehicle for this
full-day tour:
sedan (1/4 persons) 485 €;
minivan (4 persons) 505 €;
minivan (6/7 persons) 530 €.
minivan (7/8 persons) 600 €. |
These rates include:
Transfer from the port of
Civitavecchia
8 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off at the hotel)
plus transfer time, in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
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Full-day tour of
Rome and the Vatican from the port |
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Transfer from the port of
Civitavecchia and full day tour of Rome and
Vatican |
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Many people think the
Sistine Chapel is the most important site to see in Rome and they
have to visit it first, then visit everything else if there's time.
I don't fully agree with that, I recommend to dedicate a separate
half day to the visit of the Vatican to have one full day for Rome
and enjoy it thoroughly. But if you only have one day and you really
want to see the Sistine, here's the tour for you. |
The
Creation |
The
Judgment |
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Short description of the
itinerary:
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Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini (drive),
Via del
Corso (drive),
Trevi Fountain (stop),
Four fountains crossing
(drive),
Quirinale Palace (drive),
Piazza Venezia (stop),
Colosseum (visit), Key Hole (curiosity),
Aventine Hill and Circus Maximus
(stop),
Vatican (visit).
Possible inclusions:
Spanish Steps (stop), Piazza Navona (stop),
Pantheon and St. Mary' above
Minerva (visit),
More sites and
curiosities, less known than the places listed above, will be
brought to your attention while driving.
Remember: you'll
always see more than you'll be expecting to see! |
|
More about
the itinerary: |
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|
This tour is obviously
centered on the Vatican and, be prepared, that's a tough one. The
tour, which includes obviously St. Peter's Basilica, takes about
three hours. During this time you'll not have the chance to take a
brake and sit down. There's no air-conditioning, except when you're
in the Sistine and in the Gallery of Tapestries, and so it's hot.
And it's crowded, which makes it even more hot. Do I sound like I
don't want to take you there? Wrong! I do, but I would love you not
to go it within a tour of Rome. I'm used to all this, but I know
you'll be exhausted. Anyway, if you decide to pay the 30 Euros to
book your entrance, we can go first thing in the morning and that's
a little better. It's better because it's cooler, but also because
at the end we can go and sit down and have some lunch, so you rest
before you start touring again. I said the tour of the Vatican takes
about three hours, but between getting there, getting in and getting
out, almost four hours easily pass. Then you go for lunch which
takes at least another hour. At this point there will not be much
time left to see other sites. I said from the beginning that
including the Vatican in a full day tour of Rome forces you to leave
out of the tour other sites, but I can guarantee we can include at
least the Colosseum and the Trevi Fountain. For the rest, it depends
mostly on how you move around and how traffic moves around the day
we'll do this tour.
Please remember that
basically you hire a driver/guide for 4 or 8 hours and you're free
to change anything, |
Rates per vehicle for this
full-day tour:
sedan (1/4 persons) 620 €;
minivan (4 persons) 640 €;
minivan (6/7 persons) 670 €.
minivan (7/8 persons) 720 €. |
These rates include:
Transfer from the port of
Civitavecchia
8 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off at the hotel)
plus transfer time, in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
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The
Colosseum |
The
Trevi Fountain |
Castel Sant'Angelo |
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|
|
| Short
description of the itinerary: |
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|
You'll be met at the
Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini (drive), Quirinale
Palace (drive), Trevi Fountain (visit),
Via del Corso (drive), Piazza Venezia (stop),
Capitol Hill (stop),
Roman Forum, Colosseum (visit),
Circus Maximus (stop), St. Peter’s Basilica (optional visit),
Spanish Steps (stop)
More sites and curiosities,
less known than the places listed above, will be brought to
your attention while driving.
Remember: you'll
always see more than you'll be expecting to see! |
|
More about
the itinerary: |
|
|
Rates per vehicle for this
half-day tour:
sedan (1/4 persons) 320 €;
minivan (4 persons) 340 €;
minivan (5/6 persons)
360 €;
minivan (7/8 persons)
380 € |
These rates include:
Transfer from the airport
4 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off at the hotel)
in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
The
Colosseum |
The
Trevi Fountain |
Castel Sant'Angelo |
|
|
|
|
| Short
description of the itinerary: |
|
|
|
You'll be met at the
Via Veneto and Piazza Barberini (drive), Quirinale
Palace (drive), Trevi Fountain (visit),
Via del Corso (drive), Piazza Venezia (stop),
Capitol Hill (stop),
Roman Forum, Colosseum (visit),
Circus Maximus (stop), St. Peter’s Basilica (optional visit),
Spanish Steps (stop)
More sites and curiosities,
less known than the places listed above, will be brought to
your attention while driving.
Remember: you'll
always see more than you'll be expecting to see! |
|
More about
the itinerary: |
|
|
Rates per vehicle for this
half-day tour:
sedan (1/4 persons) 320 €;
minivan (4 persons) 340 €;
minivan (5/6 persons)
360 €;
minivan (7/8 persons)
380 € |
These rates include:
Transfer from the airport
4 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off at the hotel)
in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
|
|
This is also a very good way for a
tourist to make the best use his time, always very
limited! I actually recommend going on a tour the
day you arrive, but the tour should not be too
exacting or it could have devastating effects! I am
against a tour of a tour of the Vatican Museums
right after landing in Rome (do you know of
Stendhal's syndrome) and I am instead in favor of a
light introductory tour, which would also help the
tourist a lot for the rest of his stay. Another
consideration to make is that, arriving early in the
morning, the room might not be ready yet and one
would have to wait in the lobby getting bored. |
| Certainly
not the best way to start a vacation! Many of my clients
start their ship cruise from Rome, I meet them at the
airport and take them on an orientation tour of the city
before I transfer them to the port. Others arrive to
Rome the day before their cruise starts and spend one
night in a hotel. In this case, they ask for a transfer
from the airport and a half-day tour the first day plus
a half-day tour and transfer to the port the following
day. Amongst those who hire me, numerous people are
already familiar with the city of Rome, so instead of
the usual introductory tour, I take them to areas
unfortunately neglected by most tourists, like Ostia
Antica and the Etruscan area north of Rome, or
better-known places like Tivoli and the Roman Castles. A
transfer can also turn to be a great tour. The
countryside between Rome and Florence is one of the most
beautiful in the world and you can surely enjoy it doing
the trip by private car. Tourists often forget they come
all the way here to enjoy this place and for many people
“fast is best”, they say - It only takes a couple of
hour to go to Florence from Rome by train. – Not
considering that they have be at the train station at
least half an hour prior to train’s departure and that,
once arrived they have to find a taxi to take them to
their hotel.
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| By car,
we cover that distance in three hours but a common
objection is that I charge more than the train. I agree,
for two or three people it would be a lot more
expensive, but how about a larger group of people? It is
very common for me to have a group of six people:
families with the grandparents, three couples etcetera,
and I do not think the trip by train would be any
cheaper for them. Considering the taxis in both cities
(often you can't find a taxi big enough for six and you
have to use two taxis) and first-class train tickets
(you don’t want to travel second class) I think I’m
pretty competitive. This could be a point, but it is not
the point. The point is that you could make of a
transfer day a tour day! You travel to Florence by
train, but during your stay you'll certainly want to
spend one of the days of your stay to see the famous
countryside, say visiting Sienna and San Gimignano. You
can venture on your own in a rented car, take a bus
tour, or hire a local driving guide, right? ! |
| Well, you
can save a day of your time and the money of the
excursion by driving to Florence and sightseeing the
countryside on the way there: for example visiting
Sienna and San Gimignano! There are many beautiful
places you could stop to see on the way to Florence: you
could make just a short stop in Orvieto, which is just
off the motorway, visit its incredible Cathedral, walk
its quaint narrow streets and eventually have lunch in a
typical restaurant or you could extend the trip to
include the equally interesting Todi and Assisi. If you
end your cruise in Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, you
can add to your transfer a half or full day sightseeing
tour in the countryside visiting places that are way off
the usual route of the common tourist and enjoy the day
as a Roman would in one of his "gite fuori porta"
literally that translates into "a day outside the city
gates" a day trip in the country which obviously
includes a great lunch in a country "trattoria" (family
style restaurant) or picnic. And naturally the local
wines add taste to the day |
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I don't sell bus tour
tickets, I take people on private tours. This means that
he who hires me can design his own tour. What counts for
me is the number of hours and the mileage. My prices are
in fact based on an hourly rate. Most of the people who
hire me though, are first time visitors and therefore I
design these itineraries to give them an idea of what
there is to see here and the time it takes to see the
sites.
I like to be friends
with my clients, and friends all have advice to give. So
if you ask me to take you on a tours of the Vatican just
as you step off the plane, I will say to you that it's
not a good idea. Those who've never been there before
don't know how tiring, physically and mentally, that
tour is.
I am in favor of a
light introductory tour, which would also help the
tourist a lot for the rest of his stay. Not only you'll
see the attractions of Rome, but you'll get acquainted
with the city. I'll tell you where you can find a good
restaurant near your hotel and things like that.
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"Welcome to
Rome" orientation tour |
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"Welcome to Rome"
orientation tour. 4 hours |
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Short description of the itinerary for
the excursion to
Tivoli,
4 hours:
We meet
at your hotel in Rome at the time you like and drive to Tivoli. In
Tivoli we'll visit Hadrian's Villa first (optional) and then we
drive up the town and visit Villa D'Este. At the end of the tour
you'll be driven back to your hotel. |
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More about this tour: |
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We will be driving on the motorway towards Tivoli and
reach it within 45 minutes. Before driving up to the city,
we'll visit the ruins of the famous residence of the Emperor
Hadrian: Hadrian's Villa. The villa was the Emperor's "ideal city",
a retreat from the chaos of Rome and the classical buildings in it
reproduced the best elements of the material cultures of Egypt,
Greece, and Rome. Tivoli is in fact the place where the ancient
Romans quarried the Travertine marble which was used in the
construction of the famous buildings like the Colosseum. Between the
visits to the two Villas it will be possible to make a stop at local
restaurant for a typical lunch. After visiting Villa D'Este we will
visit Villa D'Este, built in the 16th Century for the Cardinal
Ippolito D'Este (son of the famous Lucrezia Borgia) who had it built
for himself when he became the governor of Tivoli. became the
governor of Tivoli. The beautiful building is world known for its
astounding garden which is decorated by hundreds of artistic water
fountains. Time permitting we will stop to look at the marble
quarries at the foot of the hill on the way back to the hotel.
You may want to skip Hadrian's Villa,
it's not an easy place to visit, you have to walk a lot, an instead
stroll down the streets of medieval Tivoli. |
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Rates per vehicle for this shore
excursion:
sedan (1/4 persons) 290 €;
minivan (4 persons) 310 €;
minivan (5/6 persons) 350 €;
minivan (7/8 persons) 370 €. |
Driving time:
Rome to Tivoli: 45'
Tivoli/Rome: 45' |
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These rates include:
4 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off)
in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
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Excursion to Castelgandolfo
and Nemi. Wine tasting tour. 4 hours |
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This excursion takes you to a beautiful area south
east of Rome known for the wine, the food and the good air. The area
is so beautiful that one of the towns, Castelgandolfo, has been the
Pope's Summer Residence since the sixteen hundreds. You go to visit
charming little medieval hilltop towns and enjoy them as well as
you'll enjoy the scenery driving from one to another, You can also
stop for lunch at some nice restaurant with outstanding view, food
and wine. Wine tasting at one of the local wineries can be arranged. |
Castelgandolfo |
Nemi |
Papal Palace |
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Short description of the itinerary for
the excursion to the Roman Castles, 4 hours:
We meet
at your hotel in Rome at the time you like and drive to the hilltop
towns south east of Rome. We will visit the towns of: Grottaferrata,
Frascati, Marino, Castelgandolfo and Nemi and then return to your
hotel. |
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More about this tour: |
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They call this area the Roman Castles since these
towns originated from the castles the Roman nobles built on the most
suitable hill in their property. Over the years the people built
their homes outside the castles so to be protected by it and finally
they built walls around the city for more protection. When better
times came, in the Renaissance, those castles were made into villas
and the nobles spent their summers there in better climate than
Rome. The location and the climate were ideal for cultivating grape
vines and the area has always been known for producing wonderful
white wines. The wines are usually named after the town where they
are produced and, to my advice, the most famous is the wine produced
in the town of Frascati. The area has beautiful hills and lakes and
the little towns have a special quaint atmosphere. The first one of
the towns we reach is Grottaferrata, there we can visit the Abbey
founded in the 10th Century by St. Nilo. Later we proceed driving on
the beautiful "Via dei Laghi" (the road of the lakes) to Nemi. The
road climbs the hills between the woods of the Alban Hills and
offers breath taking panoramas of the towns and the lakes. Nemi is a
lovely little town overlooking the homonymous lake and known for
producing special strawberries. Finally we'll reach Castelgandolfo
which is the most charming of the small towns in the area. It will
be possible to make a stop at local restaurant for a typical lunch.
Castelgandolfo was chosen in the 17th Century by Pope Urban VIII
Barberini to be the Summer Residence of the Popes, so that's where
still today the Pope spends there the months of July and August. The
Papal Residence cannot be visited, but the Palace can be seen from
the outside. In Castelgandolfo are also shops that represent the
local wineries, so you can go wine tasting. The area is also well
known for its food and willingly you could have a nice lunch in one
of the restaurants in the area. Wine tasting can also be arranged at
one of the local wineries. |
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Rates per vehicle for this shore
excursion:
sedan (1/4 persons) 290 €;
minivan (4 persons) 310 €;
minivan (5/6 persons) 350 €;
minivan (7/8 persons) 370 €. |
Driving time:
Rome/Grottaferrata: 30'
Grottaferrata to Nemi: 30'
Nemi to Castelgandolfo: 30'
Castelgandolfo/Rome: 30' |
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These rates include:
4 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off)
in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
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Excursion to Ostia Antica. 4 hours |
Not on Mondays ! |
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This is a tour that will take you to one of the most
interesting places outside of Rome: the excavations of Ostia. You'll
go back in history to the days of the splendor of the Roman Empire
in Ostia. Very similar to Pompeii, Ostia is yet different. In Ostia
you can really see how the Romans lived and worked, in Pompeii you
can see how they vacationed! Ostia is not nearly as well known as
Pompeii and you can stroll through it almost alone, away from the
masses of loud tourists. |
Ostia, the public
latrine |
Ostia, fish shops |
Ostia, village gate |
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Short description of the itinerary for
the shore excursion to Roman Castles and Ostia, 9 hours:
We meet at your hotel in Rome at the time you like
and drive to Ostia via the
oldest motorway in Italy. We'll be there in half an hour and tour
the excavations. If time allows it we can stroll around the old
walled in village or stop to visit St. Paul's Outside the Walls, or
do both. Finally we'll return to your hotel. |
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More about this tour: |
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Located at the mouth of the Tiber river, only a
half-hour drive from Rome, the visit of Ostia is like the visit of
Tivoli and the Roman Castles: a relaxing trip. Ostia Antica (Ancient
Ostia) was founded Ostia in the seventh century B.C., as a military
fort, called Castrum, that guarded the river mouth against sea borne
invasions. Ostia later gained prominence as the domestic landing for
cargo boats. According to ancient sources it was the oldest Roman
colony. Ostia is easily comparable to Pompeii: you walk through the
ruins of a city that was abandoned in the fifth century A.D.. It is
in fact a magical alternative to the crowded, and far from Rome,
Pompeii as well as it is complementary to it.
Ostia was for one thousand and five
hundred years a ghost town, covered by marshy swamp and infested
with malaria. In the early nineteen hundreds, the Italian Government
ordered the first systematic archaeological excavations, and to this
day, with every unearthed stone, they add to our knowledge and
understanding of a city that once stood next to Rome in grandeur. |
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Rates per vehicle for this shore
excursion:
sedan (1/4 persons) 290 €;
minivan (4 persons) 310 €;
minivan (5/6 persons) 350 €;
minivan (7/8 persons) 370 €. |
Driving time:
Rome/Ostia: 30'
Ostia/Rome: 30'
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These rates include:
9 hours of touring (including
pick up and drop off)
in the requested vehicle conducted by experienced driving guide and
VAT (value added tax).
Rates do not include
entrance fees or meals and drinks. |
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