A breeze was blowing, the sun was shining and a guitarist was plying his trade. We, Janet and I, both were excited to see things that we had read about our entire lives. "The unexpected visit to the Cimitero dei protestanti, or non-Catholic Cemetary of Rome, took my breath away. Rick Steves Rome 2017 [Steves, Rick, Openshaw, Gene] on Amazon.com. Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. And I had my doubts about it, since we are supposed to spend time with people we have never met. We have been to Europe before, but not for a while and never on a tour. (I was the same way when I was in the Louvre last summer)". We also thought there was a good balance of tour time and free time. and we got some wonderful pictures there. Didn't care much for the potatoe pizza......". The side by side existence of goodness and evil as part of everyday life in ancient Rome. While traveling in Rome and once our trip was finished, my wife and I Especially liked the owners of Hotel Lancelot. Provided a new dimension on the experience.". Felt like we took in all Rome can offer in a jam packed week. ▲ Arch of Constantine Honors the emperor who legalized Christianity. Thank you so much!! Agenda did a very thorough job of seeing all parts of Rome. And it was powerful. My husband Eric, adult son Max, and I thoroughly enjoyed our 7 days in Rome. Most days are moderately paced with 2–8 miles of walking, including some hills and stairs. He was knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and kind to all members of our tour. Another situation that stood out in my mind was when we had two member of our tour group get separated and she ensured that they were safe and they were able to meet up with us at our next stop!". The food tour was a great experience. There were so many! Rainer was knowledgeable, personable, and communicative. The hotel was like living with the owners, they took such good care of us. My WOW moment was walking the amazing city of Rome. Mixed feelings about our tour guide. Not only did Rick Steves guides lead us past the hours long lines throughout Rome. This is a moderately active tour! "That's really a hard thing to answer because it was all great. ▲▲▲ Capitoline Museums Ancient statues, mosaics, and expansive view of Forum. One wow moment after another.". Ben did a good job in guiding us and the other specialized guides provided a lot of knowledge. The information provided made it easy to go out on our own. I booked this tour with Rick Steves because it would cover all we wanted to see in Rome. Francesca is a treasure trove of fabulous information. The hotel was very nice and in a convenient location. "The Roman Colosseum and the Baroque Art". We visited all the major sites and the pace was brisk but there was also plenty of free time to explore on our own, do some shopping and try restaurants hidden in back alleys. Couldn't have asked for a better introduction to Europe and the RS way of traveling for my parents. IT was a first experience on a Rick Steves' tour. They did so expertly. Ben, our guide, was great. We started with a Rick Steves 7 day tour of Rome then spent 20 more days touring Italy on our own with a Rick Steves Italy book. It was immersive and that is just what I had hoped for. Loved hotel and service. We saw everything described in tour material and more. Your afternoon is free to relax in the surrounding park, ramble through more of Rome, or do some last-minute shopping. If you're looking for a guided tour to see the sights, I would recommend looking elsewhere. And overall it was a total "wow" moment to find myself back in Rome after 50 years - the Trevi Fountain worked - it just took a while! Our goal was to see the "big" sites with a tour, and then stay another week on our own. Plenty of free time to do other sites not included on the tour. With Rick's knowledgeable, humorous writing in hand, you'll also learn some interesting historical facts about the museum along the way. Hotel and staff were outstanding and went out of their ay to make our visit exceptional. What can I say but It was a life time adventure, and thanks to Ben and everyone associate with Rick Steves tour. That was a lot of fun and the pork we had was FANTASTIC. What an excellent adventure I had on my tour with your company from the minute I arrived until the minute I departed. She had great rapport with all the local guides, people at the venues, and the hotel and ensured we got the most out of our time in Rome. We had just enough time to explore on our own. Great experience, Nina was also great. Great command of Italy's history and has a great sense of humor. The Rome tour was phenomenal from start to finish! Well organized, good communication from Karin, excellent local guides, comfortable hotel, and good food! It brought years of schooling and study to vibrant life and was simply a wonderful time. "The colosseum and Forum / Palestine Hill experience were outstanding. The two dinners and two lunches, in addition to the breakfasts provided by the hotel, were wonderful. This church has such a unique view of how the city of Rome has stood the test of time--one layer built on the next. "The Borghese gallery was amazing and had I understood that it was only two hours and out, I would have purchased additional tickets prior to the tour for later in the day. Our guide Stephanie treated us like family and went out of her way to show us not only the sites but the cultural nuances of this historic city. But, because I had hurt my Achilles tendon a month before the trip, every step I took hurt, taking away from the enjoyment of the experience. "I enjoyed the tour of the Borghese Gallery & gardens. Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. The tour encompassed all I wanted to see & learn about! "Deep dives into the art at the Vatican museum and the Borghese. There were many wow moments and Nina plus her colleagues, allowed us to visit and enjoy an almost overwhelming number of them. Rick Steves Classroom Europe® is a free online video library for teachers, students, and parents. You'll have the rest of the afternoon and evening free to wander through the nearby Palatine ruins, see Michelangelo's Moses at St. Peter-in-Chains Church, or climb to the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument to enjoy the city view (don't forget to savor a foamy cappuccino in between). Rome is a vibrant city to visit nearly year-round. We walked all over town and I feel that I know the layout of Rome as well as my home town. Francesca had such a unique and approachable style that made the art and architecture so accessible. We had time to rest and go out each night after the adventures on the tour. His choice of additional guides to better educate us as we toured was the icing on the cake. Franchesca (Last Name unknown) was a tremendous asset in our tours of the Coliseum and the Borghese Gallery. We particularly liked the pacing of the tour, i.e., museums one day with the nxt day being more experiential. I especially liked when we went to her neighborhood and she shared her life as an expat. "might have been the Borghese gallery; again tour guide was very good". When we found the 7 day best of Rome tour, it sounded perfect. This was my first visit to Rome and it gave me a good overview and working knowledge of the city, its sites, customs and procedures (ie how to cross streets without being rude or being struck.) But, it was the trip of a lifetime. This was my 2ed RS tour and it was fantastic! He was probably 8 feet away when he made the rounds through the crowd. Traveling during the Christmas season made for a truly unique trip. Our tour Guide Nina helped create an experience my daughter and I will never forget. We had an outstanding week in Rome. There was enough free time to explore areas of personal interest (i.e. Our day will end with a chance to get acquainted during a "Welcome to Rome" dinner together. Not an included part of the tour, but we had the AM to ourselves and this was available to us. "The first "wow" factor was the Sistine Chapel with Michelangelo's drawings along with seeing the Pope on screen. We met wonderful people in our group And I liked how they paired us up with somebody we didn't know to be responsible to make sure they were always there.My husband and I have never taken a tour and usually do things on our own but we would have never seen and learned as much as we did being with Nina and the other tour guides. The tour was fantastic and no waiting time to get in. We liked staying in one place and each day was a good balance of structured and free time. She was an outstanding guide, knowledgeable, friendly, and very well organized. She made us feel like family as we toured through the city. ", Our first Rick Steves Tour and our first planned tour except cruising. "The Borghese Galleria and our guide Franchesca. It took a long time to realize such a dream so my expectations were high. The combination of "must see" sites along with "off the beaten path" sites really made the difference. Our guide had me on pins and needles with excitement and anticipation as she told the story of these people.". It was our first Rick Steve's Tour and yes, we would do it again. The group tour, the guides, hotel, food. 4. That and their indecision about whether they would stay.". "San Clemente Basilica. It was enjoyable to see others have that same experience as I passed the station during the week.". This was my 7th R.S. Our Rome "family" was great. I am in good physical shape but was pushed more physically than what I expected. I felt the tour guide was excellent and added much to seeing the museum.". For me, touring wi My "wow" moment for art was The Calling of St. Matthew by Caravaggio in San Luigi dei Francesi, which we saw in our free time. "The visit to the Vatican, it's museums, church art, St Peter's Basilica were all amazing. Our guide Francesca was amazing. Rainer was a wonderful guide, patient, kind, thoughtful. (36:16), Rome II: Beneath the Surface Nina and Francesca were great guides. Our hotel was a perfect location. I was so excited to be going to Rome- my first trip abroad. I honestly enjoyed everything with the tour!!! "My favorite "wow' moment was viewing the vastness of the Forum from high above on Capitoline Hill and imagining what it must have been like to stroll through it in its glory all those years ago.". I was pleased with the quality and knowledge of the guides. Excellent instruction on use of public transportation. We had an absolutely delightful week in Rome with this tour! Therefore the very good rating vs outstanding. We saw all the major site as well as a few things that were a little off the beaten path. "Loved the Borghese, in large part because of our local guide, Francesca. From the Colosseum to St Peter's (a personal highlight) to Borghese Museum, it was all good. Highly educated and passionate tour guides enthusiastically shared their knowledge and opened our eyes to the many many layers of the Eternal City. In October, it was dark by 6:30 and I was happy to not have to walk to restaurants for dinner by myself. I really cannot say that I would wish any part of the trip had gone differently. "Found the San Clemente church to be fascinating - the 4th century church underneath and the pagan temple were amazing!". There were multiple people in our group who have been on tours with your group, "Going to Vatican City was my favorite if I had to choose just one event. Free stuff including Rick Steves Rome guidebook, Italian phrase book, map, moneybelt and earplugs Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit Optional single supplements — this tour has a limited number of private rooms for solo travelers for an additional fee agreed we made the correct decision t, "Every day was a 'wow moment". My wife and I knew nothing, and had the best trip of our life. Please support local businesses in your community by picking up a copy from your favorite bookstore, or you can find it at my online Travel Store . Each day had it's own incredible experiences.". "The fact that Karin took time out of her day to get our entire tour group tickets to the Papal Audience on September 11th. It felt so good to get out in nature on Thursday and see this phenomenal place. The Vatican I would def. See our FAQ | Call Fransesca made it so interesting that I enjoyed art for two hours--a record for me. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | The visit to old Rome was an incredible and rewarding experience. We met food shop purveyors with delicious food and wonderful family run business stories, so important to neighborhoods.". Especially surprising was to find ourselves in the Sistine Chapel with just a few other visitors!". Our guide took interest in each person in our group, took time to make sure we knew how to get around on our own, what to do and how to do it.". The guides informed and deepened our experience in ways we could never have achieved on our own. ", "San Clemente was the best because of the layered history But we had a great group and made the best of it. All the guides were knowledgeable and warm and friendly. It was at times overwhelming but in a most positive way. ▲▲▲ Borghese Gallery Bernini sculptures and paintings by Caravaggio, Raphael, and Titian in a Baroque palazzo. Using public transportaion was very helpful in learning how to get around on our own for free time. A testament to your trip descriptions and expectations. Even the weather cooperated. All of the people were great including the Italians we met while there. I also loved the city of Rome and how the everyday life is lived within and around such unbelievably ancient, striking and significant monuments. I did not think I would see and hear from the Pope while visiting the Vatican, but I was wrong. "Seeing the Pope in his Wednesday AM 'audience'. Your guide will help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road ahead. Visit St. Peter's, the greatest church on earth, learn something about eternity by touring the huge Vatican Museums, ramble among the rabble and rubble through ancient Rome's Colosseum and Forum, savor the sumptuous Borghese Gallery, and take an early evening stroll with Rome's beautiful people. The first of two back-to back Rick Steves' Tours (and first ever guided tour) and our first visit to Rome, we loved every minute of this adventure! It encapsulated the layers of civilization that is Rome and was right around the corner from our hotel. "I love how peaceful Ostia Antica is- both the ruins we visited and the modern-day town where we stopped for gelato and I saw the indoor natatorium with the green roof. I wanted to gripe about taking a cab to the Vatican, but then we would have been deprived the experience of getting into an argument with the cabbie overcharging us and the cabbie police getting on his ass. From start to finish this tour was absolutely amazing. She brought ancient Rome alive, opened my eyes to details, and made our visit to the ancient sites so meaningful. Although other locations may have offered a more 'wow' experience, the timing of San Clemente Church (first full day) set the stage for all other sites. Well informed local guides. I enjoyed the other folks in the group, too. I also really enjoyed the variety of activities offered, the free time that was allotted each day to explore on our own, the amazing location of our hotel, and the group dinners. Like the guidebooks, all of her tips/suggestions were spot on. Well planned and thought out. "I have to say seeing the Pope and able to get a nice picture was great but the truth is the whole seven days with everyone and the locals, food sites with guides was a WOW! Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. Follow Rick Steves Audio Europe and others on SoundCloud. I would recommend her to anyone. Today we'll focus on Renaissance Rome. Got goosebumps when Francesca brought us in to the Colloseo the way the Gladiators came in! But the way it was set up allowed me to get to know people on the tour at a good pace. On the way, we'll continue down the ancient "Queen of Roads," the Appian Way, stopping to tour the eerie Catacombs of San Sebastiano. I especially enjoyed the Sistine Chapel, our day trip to Ostia Antica, and seeing the Pope.". Tour was fabulous. I loved getting to know the history of Rome . "My favorite "wow" moment was learning from both Lisa and Francesca (our tour guides) about making a "personal" connection with the history, people and art of ancient Rome. Today we'll venture outside the city, touring the ruins of Rome's first colony, Ostia Antica, the ancient seaport which connected Rome to its ever-expanding Mediterranean empire. I was skeptical about whether we "needed" a tour group, as we've traveled elsewhere in Europe just fine on our own. ▲ Victor Emmanuel Monument Gigantic edifice celebrating Italian unity, with Rome from the Sky elevator ride up to 360-degree city view. The itinerary was well planned out with lots to see and do but with ample free time to explore on our own. As with our two previous RS tours the last two years, I learned and experienced more that I expected. Truly my favorite day of the tour.". As well, Francesca and Paulo were excellent guides. Nina is a rockstar. The tour was great. Perfect of attractions mixed with visits to neighborhoods. However, the months of April, May, September, October, and early November are the best for combining the convenience of peak season with the most pleasant weather. "The Capitoline Museum had a surprising variety of painting masterworks, including Rubens, Caravagio, and Raphael, as well as the suckling she wolf, Dying Gaul and the ancient bronze equestrian statute or Marcus Aurelius.". The best thing is that he is spot on about the prices of getting into the Vatican museum and the Colosseum. Our guide seemed so experienced with a group our size, twenty-four of us. Bernini is my new favorite artist. There were so many wow moments, everyday brought a new one. "Walking into the Colosseum and into the Forum.". ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | You should be able to climb stairs with your suitcase and get around town walking on tours for several hours. In addition to Nina, we had several local guides that added insight to many historic sites. The guide was exceptional in explaining the building of Rome through the ages. I can't wait to plan the next one! The days were full, but not overwhelming. 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