Italy Hotline - Rome specialty tours: Chauffeurs, Culinary, Fiumicino airport and Civitavecchia seaport pickup and delivery

A few tours that don't fit into neat categories

Culinary

This tour gives you the chance to do something impossible while staying at a hotel: go food shopping for fresh Italian delicacies and cook and eat a wonderful traditional and authentic Roman lunch. We take you to several small family-run gourmet Italian food shops in the historic Monti district near the Forum to buy the freshest, most delicious ingredients made in the traditional Roman way. These shops include a local vegetable market, wine store, bakery, fresh pasta shop, cheese shop and deli. You will learn about a wide variety of classic foods and wines and how to order them. You can shop to take ingredients back home with you as well!

Then we are off to our kitchen in a 17th-century palazzo where we will prepare a traditional lunch for you, speaking about traditional Italian cooking, the ingredients and how to prepare them. Then the grand finale: lunch! Weather permitting, this will be up on one of the rare-to-see private terraces in Rome, surrounded by lush plants and beautiful views never experienced by the normal tourist. Otherwise we eat inside in a lovely dining room with a view to the terrace beneath a historic Venetian Murano chandelier.

Menus change according to what is fresh and in season, and will be made to suit all dietary requirements, so please inform us ahead of time if necessary. If you are interested in specific culinary topics, let us know and we will see if we can provide you with what you are looking for!

This cooking tour and lunch experience is approximately five hours. Ingredients for the lunch and wine are included in the cost of the tour. You may desire to make your own purchases along the way!

Cost of this tour is 440 Euros for two people.
For each extra person add 50 Euros.

Rome by the Glass

Are you a follower of Bacchus? Let our certified sommelier Sarah May Grunwald take you on a tour of Rome's most interesting wine bars for an evening that is part wine-tasting, part history and one hundred percent pleasure.

Sarah combines a broad knowledge of Italian wines with an unpretentious attitude. As a committed locavore, she'll give you the chance to not only sample some of the historically great wines upon which Italy rests its reputation but also exciting newcomers based on long-forgotten vinaccia, heritage vines quietly begetting great wines below the radar of international critics.

You will visit 2 to 3 characteristic wine bars in the heart of Rome. In the course of the evening you will sample at least four different and characteristic Italian wines accompanied by appetizers. Sarah will explain the rich history behind the making of Italian wines and discuss a number of the professional terms and approaches used in tasting wine.

Come walk the streets of the Eternal City where wine has always been a part of daily life. Indulge yourself in the city's beautiful surroundings while sipping delicious wines, walking through the romantic streets of Rome, and learning about the most revered drink of history! This early evening tour is approximately three hours long.

Cost of this tour is 230 Euros. Cost of wine and appetizers are not included. This allows you to determine together with Sarah a range within which you would like to remain. Glass prices are in the 5 to 10 euro range and typical bottle prices range from 20 to 40 euros.

Roman produce from a local market

olive dolce

artichokes roman style

Cantina of Casa Bleve
©2009 Federico Guberti

Chauffeured VIP

A delightful way to see the city in all its glory while relaxing in your own personal space, is by chauffeured car with an English-speaking driver. Design a custom tour of the city to your taste! Some special sites to consider taking advantage of are the Knights of Malta secret keyhole on the Aventine Hill, the Baths of Caracalla, the Catacombs, the Circus Maximus, Piazza del Popolo, the Appia Antica, the Gianiculum Hill or Ostia Antica. You can even include a trip to the nearby Hills of the Castelli for a sumptuous country meal.

If you are thinking of touring outside of Rome, we offer custom chauffeured tours of Pompeii and the Amalfi coast, Tuscany and Umbria, Orvieto and Florence. Besides the many historical riches, you can visit wineries, designer outlet malls and country restaurants. Experience the gorgeous Italian countryside through the window of a luxury automobile without the stress of being behind the wheel.

We offer top-of-the-line S- and E-class Mercedes and Mercedes Viano (7 passengers). We can also arrange for larger chauffeured vans and buses. All drivers are licensed, insured and carry proper permits.

We can provide transport for up to eight people and accommodate any desired plan for the day. Just ask and we will provide you with further details.

Cost: Inquire for details

Chauffeured Airport/Civitavecchia seaport Pickup and Delivery

If you book at least one tour with us we will be happy to arrange your private chauffeur to and from the airport. This is the best way to arrive in Rome from the airport in full comfort without being robbed blind by the notorious Roman cabbies! Your chauffeur is friendly and knowledgeable and there to serve your needs.

Your driver will meet you with a sign, help you with your luggage and take you to your hotel so you can sit back, relax, and enjoy yourself!

Airport:
70 Euros one way (2 passengers)

80 Euros one way (3 or 4 passengers)

Civitavecchia:
180 Euros one way (2 passengers)

200 Euros one way (3 or 4 passengers)

Cruise Ship Special:
Round trip service with full day chauffeured tour of Rome (1-4 passengers): 600 Euros.

If your group is more than four persons please inquire for pricing.