Can I join someone else's tour?Our tours are small, private tours. A tour you book with us is for you and yours only. We think that small, private tours are the way to really see Rome, at your pace, to your taste. Why spend your precious time shuffling along with a group tour of 20+ people wearing headphones following a guide speaking through a headset?
Will I have to wait in line to get into the Vatican museums?As noted on our Vatican tours page, if you want to be guaranteed that you will not have to wait in line, we recommend you have us pre-book your entrance tickets. We provide you with VIP tickets, with a pre-arranged entrance time for the museums. There is no standing in line anywhere, at all. We just walk in. We also like to time our tours for the least busy time of day so you can enjoy the museums in a state of relative peace.
Having said that, there are some times of the year and days of the week in which lines are not usually a problem and if you don't mind a line of 5-30 minutes then regular entry fees will be just fine for you. In the event there is a line, your guide uses the time to give you a background on the history of Rome, the Vatican, the museums and the Papacy that is very valuable in gaining perspective on the museums and their transformation from a private papal collection to a world-class repository of Ancient and Renaissance art.
Are my kids going to get anything out of this?Absolutely! Our experienced guides enjoy bringing your children into the tour, aiming many stories directly at younger audiences. Certainly the history of Rome provides ample excitement to captivate the mind of even the most jaded youngsters. And since it's a private tour, if your kids want to stop for a gelato, we stop for a gelato! |
Caravaggio - Deposition of Christ
St. Peter's Square
What is your cancellation policy?
For our normal walking tours the tour price (tickets excluded) are 80% refundable with at least one month's notice, and 50% refundable with at least one week's notice (minus bank service charges if any). If you have pre-booked tickets with us we cannot refund that part of the cost in case of cancellation. If booking a chauffeured tour, please read our chauffeured tours cancellation policy. |
How is our service different from other companies who claim to skip the Vatican museums line?If you tour with us and use our pre-booked ticket service you are guaranteed to skip the line. You pre-pay with Visa or Mastercard via Paypal and we procure the tickets for you. Your guide will have them when she meets you at your hotel. You will sail past the line and enter the museums with zero hassles.
The extra costs - taxis and meals
Taxis: Accompanied by your guide you will take a taxi from your hotel to the start of the tour. The distances are generally short and the fare will average 6 to 12 Euros per taxi (5 passengers per taxi is generally the maximum). If your hotel is on the outskirts of the city you can ask your hotel to arrange for a taxi to bring you into the city to meet your guide at a pre-designated location. Tipping the driver one Euro is customary.
Meals: During longer tours, lunch will be at one of the various charming restaurants we habitually visit for their high quality and reasonable (by Roman standards) prices. We've lived here for years, and we're crazy about Italian cuisine. Have a look at our
Maps
page for a sneak preview of some of our favorites. Unlike the States, waiters don't live off of their tips, they have salaries and full benefits. For that reason, Italians tip their waiters about a Euro a person, but you may wish to leave a little extra if the service was good and the food excellent.
These are private tours done at your pace. Whenever you like you can request your guide to fit in a stop for a drink, a gelato or an espresso. Every part of Rome has its gems, and your guide knows where they are.
Tipping your guide: Tipping is at your discretion based on your satisfaction with your tour. Our guides receive on average of 10%-20% from our satisfied customers.
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