Day 1 (4 hours) The tour continues with a visit to the Trevi Fountain, scene of many a famous movie including Fellini’s La Dolce Vita. Follow legend by throwing a coin in the fountain and making a wish that some day you will return to Rome! Next on the tour you will see the Parliament Building, the Palace of the Council of Ministers and the Column of Marcus Aurelius. These magnificent buildings are located in the Government District. Close by is the historic Temple of Hadrian, built by the Emperor Antonius Pius in honour of his predecessor.
Day 1 (4 hours) The tour starts with a visit to Ancient Rome’s largest amphitheatre, the Colosseum. You meet your guide outside and then explore this magnificent arena. You then go outside once more to see the Arch of Constantine and the Roman Forum. The Forum was the Empire’s political, religious and social hub and had many wonderful buildings and monuments.
Day 1 (4 hours) You then go outside once more to see the Arch of Constantine and the Roman Forum. The Forum was the Empire’s political, religious and social hub and had many wonderful buildings and monuments.
Day 1 (4 hours) A walk down a narrow avenue brings you to the Pantheon where you can see the tomb of the architect and painter, Raphael. A little further, by way of the Ancient Baths of Nero we arrive at Piazza Navona to see Bernini’s wonderful Fountain of the Four Rivers.
Day 1 (4 hours) A little further, by way of the Ancient Baths of Nero we arrive at Piazza Navona to see Bernini’s wonderful Fountain of the Four Rivers.
The tour starts with a visit to the Belvedere Courtyard, the Pio-Clementino Museum and the large collection of Ancient Roman and Greek statues.We then continue to the Gallery of Tapestries and Gallery of Geographic Maps which houses some of the world’s most important Renaissance maps. We then see and learn something of the largest canvas painting in the Vatican displayed in the Sobiesky Room and also visit the frescoes in the Immaculate Conception Room.You will visit the rooms painted by Raphael for Pope Julius II and learn a little about the painter and some of his greatest works, especially the Parnassus and the School of Athens.
Your guide is very knowledgeable and will tell you of the history and some interesting and curious facts about the Sistine Chapel before you enter – speaking is forbidden in the chapel. Once inside you will marvel at Michelangelo’s famous frescoes and also see work by Botticelli and other famous artists. Your guide will also tell you about the unique use of the Sistine Chapel today; the place where the conclave takes place to elect a new Pope.
It is then time for a tour of St. Peter’s Basilica where you will explore the numerous side chapels with their hidden crypts. You will see Michelangelo’s Pietà and your guide will explain why this is the only work that he signed. You will gain an appreciation of the mastery that went into the creation of Bernini’s altarpiece and learn how Michelangelo triumphed over his contemporaries for the honour to paint St. Peter’s magnificent dome.
The tour will end in the Magnificent St Peter's Square.
Wonderful experience both days! Paola was our guide the first day - so knowledgeable, articulate, and engaged our 3 kids. Claudia was our guide through vatican city and gave the perfect balance of history, religion and anecdotes. She also was warm and engaging with our kids and gave them ‘tasks’ to look for things inside the Basilica and sistine chapel. A must-do!!
Fantastic experience! I believe this is the only way to do tours in rome. Better than compacting it all into one day
Tomasso was AWESOME! Family of 7 ranging in age from 6 to 60 took this 2 day tour and it was PERFECT for us. Our guide, Tomasso, was engaging and gave a great tour that was perfect for everyone in our group. Being able to hit some of the big highlights in Rome with a guide was amazing. First day meet up at the Colloseum metro stop was easy as was the second day outside the Vatican museums. We never waited in any line for more than maybe 2-3 minutes at any of the places we visited. Tomasso was terrific explaining all the things and also giving us some options of different things to do during the tour. Overall the half day nature of the tours was perfect for our group because it allowed us time to go and do some things on our own as well as go back to the hotel to recharge and rest for a bit before going out in the evening for dinner and other activities. I would recommend bringing a refillable water bottle with you, especially during the warmer months.
Excellent tour. It was worth every every penny. Between the excellent guide, Tomasso or Tomas and the convenience of skipping lines and maximizing your time in Rome this is definitely a great tour. My appreciation for Tomasso. He was really knowledgeable, friendly and truly enjoys what he is doing. We learned and thoroughly enjoyed the tour. There is a lot of walking but every step was more interesting than the previous one. The convenience of going at your own pace is something to considered. Specially if not all the members of your party have the same interests or the same endurance. Also, having your personal photographer and interpreter does not hurt either!
Our guide was very informative and knowledgeable. Couldn't have asked for a more personable individual. She even offered suggestions of places to visit after our scheduled tour was over
Thomas was very friendly, professional and patient. He answered all questions asked and was a delight to the 2 days trip.
Claudia was fantastic!! Two of our people have mobility issues, and Claudia was so patient with them. Slowed it up a bit, but still showed us all we could ever dream of. And the 'skip the line' was a blessing, to say the least. I would definitely take advantage of the tours if I ever visit your beautiful city again!
Claudia was excellent! She gave us time at each spot and took pictures for us. She was extremely knowledgeable about every single piece of history behind the main attractions and even those outside of the tour that we inquired about. She adapted quickly to our pace, but kept us moving at a good rate. She made the tour so enjoyable and informational. Also very good at knowing where to go and how to navigate the monuments, lines, and crowds which was so helpful. We saw so much in the 2 days. But fair warning - it is a LOT of walking and stairs. Good for those who have a short amount of time in Rome and want to see a lot. Recomend!
Absolutely worth every penny....both tour guides were highly educated with advanced degrees in archeology. Both know their subject matter and was able to keep it interesting and fun! It was just us and we had their undivided attention and they took their time answering every question and showing us everything we wanted to see and more. The first day we had Tommaso Bergamo who not only gave an amazing touring of the coliseum but the city center and made recommendations for food and other things. Having grown up in Rome he could answer any question we had and he helped us to see the layers of history connecting the dots. I couldn't imagine it any better but the second day we had Tommaso Bertoldi who also taught at the local university and was unbelievable knowledgable about the Vatican and the art and all of the treasures of the Vatican. Both of these men were brilliant and kind and took their time to make sure we understood what we were seeing. They both had supplement material to show us information so we could understand what we were seeing. I couldn't recommend this tour company enough and when we return to Rome with our family I will be sure to book again.
Love this company! Carmen was a joy to work with. She coordinated a change to our tours when our original trip was canceled and kept in touch with us throughout. The arranged drivers were prompt, professional and pleasant. Tomasso was one of the best tour guides we have ever had. We loved his passion for all the sites and he pointed out small details we would have never noticed. We loved how he would show us pictures of how it originally looked compared to what we were seeing and how he spoke to the construction, integrity, and history of the sites. His knowledge was amazing. He created a fantastic experience for us, one we will always remember.
Our private guides, Paola (day 1) and Thomas (day 2), are both archaeologists and tour guides. They were very knowledgeable and informative about all that we saw and excellent at answering our questions. There was some confusion as to the meeting time to start the tour on day 1. The e-ticket said one time and the email said another time one hour later.
Wow, what a great time! So much to see with excellent tour guides. Very knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the history of Rome. I wouldn’t do it any other way, highly recommended. At your pace, keep up and you can see it all!
We took the Colosseum/ Forum tour one day and the Vatican/ Sistene Chapel tour the next day with our three boys. Our guide, Anna, was excellent. She knew how to pace the tours, the level of information, and the short breaks, to get the most from the boys for the experience. Anna really brought Rome to life for us and the experience will live long in the memory! Email communication to organise the tour was fast and accurate. Thanks to the team at Private Tours of Rome. One top tip from Anna - treat yourself (and the kids) to a gelato at Flor after the Colosseum tour!
Awesome all round. Our driver, Marco Accettola, was punctual and VERY knowledgeable. Driving us around, stopping when we wanted for photo ops. Very professional and accomodating and his Mercedes people carrier was smoothe and luxurious. Our guides? I can’t say enough about Massimo and Lucia. They were both fun and informative. Wonderful personalities in their own right. Both very patient and open to the questions we offered. This was a 10/10 experience for me and my family and I have no hesitation in recommending this service.
This was a great tour, and both guides were very knowledgeable and informative. The first day we toured the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon. 4 hours is insufficient time for all of these stops. Although we walked briskly and didn’t stop for long at any place, we still had to take a taxi to make it to the Pantheon before it closed. We spent too much time at the Roman Forum, and too little time at all the other places. 3 hours on Day 2 for Vatican City was perfect, and Irene’s English was impeccable. Since this was a private tour, Irene catered it to our interests, stopping when and where we chose, and allowing us ample time at each location. She also provided us with other locations in which she thought we’d be interested, for exploring on our own. I’d recommend at least 6 hours to tour the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, and the Pantheon, and wear sturdy walking shoes, as the ground is uneven in many parts. Skipping the lines is absolutely the way to go, unless you want to spend a full day waiting to enter the attractions!
We loved this tour. Agata was out guide and she was amazing! So knowledgeable, kind, and punctual. We loved skipping the lines and going around large groups. She personalized the tour taking us to places that were on the way to the major sites and pointing out the history of each place. We loved spending the morning and early afternoon on the tour but then having the rest of the day to explore on our own! We highly recommend this tour! And we recommend Agata as a guide !
One the best decision we made was to book a private tour with this company, our guide Francesco was fantastic, very knowledgeable, friendly, personable and funny, he made our day. He was pointing out details that you would never get from a tour with a large group.
A very well organised tour. The first day was a visit to the Coloseum and it was very easy to find our guide and we were taken straight in. Our guide was very knowledgable, it was then over to the Forum, we would of liked to see Palantine Hill but this was not part of our tour and time passed all too quickly at the Coloseum and I feel we would of liked longer here. It was then time to visit various squares our particular favourite was Piazza Navona. and the Pantheon. A very enjoyable day. Day 2 was the Vatican Myseums and the Bascillica. This was absolutely fascinating and again our guide was easy to find and on time, her knowledge was incredible. This was my favourite day. The organisation behind this tour was very good with clear instructions sent to me and my messages to the company answered quickly. It was lovely to have our own private guide with us at all times and I would highly recommend this tour, it was a very relaxing way to see the major sites and to have one to one time with such knowledgable interesting locals and to able to ask whatever questions you liked and go at your own pace both guides were keen to tailor the tour to your requirements.
We travelled to Rome with 2 teenagers who were not interested in touring "old buildings". After the first part of our tour, both teenagers were really excited to learn more! Our guide was very friendly, took his time to show us around and answer any question we had. He made it fun and really took us all back in time. It felt like history came alive!!! With so much to see I can only recommend the tour. Not standing in long lines was a life (and nerve) saver! All of us enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend. Booking and scheduling was easy as well.
Our guide did an excellent job navigating us through the sites of Rome. There is so much to see and learn in Rome and our guide did an outstanding job of showing us the highlights and more interesting aspects of the ancient City.
Agatha was our guide on day 1 and Francesco was our guide on day 2. Both guides were EXTREMELY knowledgeable, friendly, personable and patient. They both took the time to explain things to us in a way we would understand. They both thoroughly enjoyed their jobs. English was not their first language, however, they spoke it VERY well. Their were NO language barriers. Day 1 there was ALOT of walking involved, as you are seeing the colesseum, Roman forum, Trevi fountain, piazza navona, panthenon, and capital hill. I feel like I’m leaving out some attractions....because Agatha IS so knowledgeable, she was pointing out things along our walk! Day 2 you are seeing the Vatican, Sistine chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Francesco had us sit down and explain Michelangelo and the Sistine chapel in extreme detail, had he not done that, we would not know what to look for or the significance of the art. This was a fantastic start to our trip! Highly recommended!
Visita al Vaticano. El 1er día nuestra guía Romina, aunque sabía mucho, quizás por el excesivo calor, pasó muy rápido por los monumentos y se dejó muchos por ver y explicar. Había 37°C y era muy duro pasear. Pero se le noto mucho que no le apetecía.
By two highly experienced and ethicist guides who are both well-educated and taken through Rome. They both had an extensive knowledge of business and the tours really add value. With this you really appreciate your visit to the Pantheon or Sistine Chapel, because you get so much more backgrounds. Some prior knowledge of history is a plus, but not really necessary. You will also have the space to make your own accents, if you want to focus on certain topics. Of course, two 4.5 hours is too short to treat everything. But as far as we're concerned, it was fine. You also walk quite some distances (bring some shoes!). For the Dutch the costs may be high, but we did this tour for about 600 euros and if you count on being accompanied twice by very good guides, you can walk straight through your overalls instead of waiting in line and all tickets are included, then it is actually not that expensive.
Tour very well organized and with content. The very professional and friendly guide respecting meeting places and times. Fluent in French. Recommend
Monday through Friday 9 am to 7 pm EST
Reach us by phone
Reach us by email