By Santorini Dave
See Also
Best Tours
- Duration: 7.5 hours
- Fantastic way to get your bearings, learn about Rome, and visit the most popular sights. Highly recommended for travelers short on time, or at the beginning of a longer stay.
- Meeting Point: Oppio Caffè, directly north of the Colosseum.
- Tour Highlights: Roman Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, Vatican Museums & Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Included: Private, air-conditioned transport between stops, skip-the-line tickets to Colosseum, Vatican Museums, and St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Not Included: Tickets to the Dome in St. Peter’s.
- Food included? No. There is a one-hour break for lunch, and your tour guide will recommend local restaurants, but the cost of food is not included.
- Good for kids? It’s a long day and even with the provided transportation it’s a lot of walking, so probably best for older kids.
- Tour Operator: Walks Tours
- Duration: 4 hours
- See the Sistine Chapel before it opens to the general public, then enjoy a breakfast buffet in the Vatican’s Pinecone Courtyard and an expert-guided tour of the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica.
- Meeting Point: The Green Bar (called l’Ottagono) in Piazza del Risorgimento.
- Tour Highlights: Breakfast on a terrace inside the Vatican Museums (for 2021 tours), Works by Michelangelo (including the Sistine Chapel before the crowds, and his Pietá), rooms painted by Raphael.
- Included: Early entry to the Vatican, skip-the-line access into the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s Basilica, buffet breakfast.
- Food included? Yes, a buffet breakfast in the Vatican’s Pinecone Courtyard is included.
- Good for kids? Yes.
- Tour Operator: Walks Tours
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 2.5 hours
- History comes alive for kids as they explore the Colosseum and Roman Forum with hands-on, interactive activities in this private tour. Great for Adults, too.
- Meeting Point: Oppio Caffè, directly north of the Colosseum.
- Tour Highlights: Colosseum, Roman Forum.
- Included: Expert scholar guide, specially trained to teach children; skip-the-line tickets to the Colosseum.
- Food included? No.
- Good for kids? The best.
- Tour Operator: Context Travel
- Duration: 4 hours
- Visit four locally loved venues for over 20 delicious tastings in Rome’s picturesque Trastevere district at sunset.
- Meeting Point: Piazza Trilussa 46 (outside the venue Trapizzino)
- Tour Highlights: 30 year aged balsamic vinegar, truffles, fine cheeses and artisanal hams, D.O.C.G wine, incredible pizza, homemade pasta, authentic gelato.
- Included: All food and wine, friendly local guide.
- Food included? Yes, so much food.
- Good for kids? Yes
- Tour Operator: The Roman Food Tour
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 3 hours
- Super fun way to orient yourself to the city, learn some history, and explore the Historic City Center.
- Meeting Point: Via dei Delfini 35/36, near Piazza Venezia.
- Tour Highlights: Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, Imperial Forum, Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, Circus Maximus, Theatre of Marcellus, Roman Ghetto, Campo de Fiore, Piazza Navona
- Included: Fun and knowledgeable guide, bike and helmet (helmet provided but not required).
- Food included? No.
- Good for kids? Yes, for kids that are comfortable riding a bike. 20″ and 24″ bikes are available for children, but must be booked in advance. No tricycles, tandems, or training wheels are available.
- Tour Operator: Fat Tire Tours
- Duration: 2 hours
- Why stop at just learning about history? This cool experience also lets you don a tunic and fight like a warrior of Ancient Rome. Great for kids and adults alike.
- Meeting Point: Gruppo Storico Romano, Via Appia Antica
- Tour Highlights: Introduction to Roman history, 2 hours of Roman gladiator lessons in historical costumes and weaponry, Gladiator School of Rome Museum.
- Included: Museum admission fee, training with individual wooden sword, Roman citizenship’s certificate, rental of the “Roman military tunic” that the customer will wear during the class, free drink.
- Food included? No. A free drink is included.
- Good for kids? Totally.
- Tour Operator: Gruppo Storico Romano
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 4 to 5 hours
- Shop for fresh produce at Campo de Fiore with a trained chef, then prepare and enjoy a seasonal four-course lunch inside an airy 17th-century palazzo. An excellent class for those looking for more than just pizza-making.
- Meeting Point: Campo de Fiore
- Tour Highlights: Guided farmers’ market visit, cooking class, four-course meal.
- Included: Farmers’ market shopping, hands-on cooking class, English-speaking chef, prosecco and snacks reception, all ingredients and equipment, homemade meal with wine and soft drinks, recipes emailed as PDF.
- Food included? Yes, lots.
- Good for kids? Yes.
- Tour Operator: InRome Cooking Classes
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 5.5 hours, including transport
- Get out of town and experience the Ancient Roman roads and striking Renaissance villas of Castelli Romani astride a Vespa scooter.
- Meeting Point: Hotel pick-up is offered, or guests can take the train and meet the group at Castel Gandolfo.
- Tour Highlights: Villages of Frascati and Castel Gandolfo (home to the Papal summer residence), guided visit at a beautiful Byzantine abbey, authentic Roman countryside lunch.
- Included: Hotel pick-up, Vespa scooter and helmet, guided abbey and village tours, countryside lunch.
- Not included: Transport back to central Rome from Frascati.
- Food included? Yes. An authentic countryside lunch of ‘porchetta’ seasoned pork, locally baked bread, and regional cheeses and red wine is provided.
- Good for kids? No.
- Tour Operator: Scooteroma Tours
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 3 to 3.5 hours
- Sample pizzas, homemade pastas and Supplí (risotto balls), fine cheeses and wines, and artisanal gelato amid the monuments, markets, and restaurants in the heart of Rome.
- Meeting Point: Piazza Navona
- Tour Highlights: Historic café visit for espresso or cappuccino; authentic pizza and supplí, gourmet shop for tastings of artisanal cured meats, cheeses, and wine; authentic Sicilian cannoli, regional pasta in a beloved local restaurant, handmade gelato.
- Included: All food and drinks, knowledgeable guide. Upgraded drinks packages are available.
- Food included? So much food.
- Good for kids? Definitely.
- Tour Operator: Secret Food Tours
- Duration: 4 hours
- In-depth guided tour of the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill led by a PhD or MA-level archaeologist or classical historian guide.
- Meeting Point: Oppio Caffè, directly north of the Colosseum.
- Tour Highlights: Palatine Hill & Museum, Via Sacra and Forum Square, Colosseum.
- Included: Knowledgeable academic guide, skip-the-line tickets
- Food included? No
- Good for kids? Yes for older kids, but kids under 12 would do better with this company’s Ancient Rome for Kids tour.
- Tour Operator: Context Travel
- Duration: 4.5 hours
- Learn the secrets to making incredible pizza and homemade pasta from a true licensed master in a beautiful countryside setting. Great for families.
- Meeting Point: Laurentina metro station (the last stop on line B).
- Tour Highlights: Excellent instruction by charismatic master chefs, charming setting.
- Included: Pasta and pizza-making cooking class; homemade wine, limoncello, and tiramisù; bottled water; transfer from the metro station to the cooking school.
- Food included? Yes, plenty.
- Good for kids? Nope, great for kids.
- Tour Operator: Once in Rome Authentic Experiences
- Duration: 3 hours (a private 4-hour option is also available)
- Hop on and be inspired by Instagram-worthy street art in the off-the-beaten-path neighborhoods of Ostiense, Quadraro Vecchio, and Pigneto.
- Meeting Point: This tour offers hotel pick-up.
- Tour Highlights: Vibrant murals, fun scooter ride!
- Included: Vespa scooter and helmet, knowledgeable guide, coffee or gelato.
- Food included? There is one stop for coffee or gelato.
- Good for kids? No.
- Tour Operator: Scooteroma Tours
- Duration: 13 Hours
- Experience an archaeologist-guided tour of Pompeii, then a scenic drive along the Amalfi Coast to beautiful Positano, where you’re free to eat, shop, swim, and explore.
- Meeting Point: Piazzale Flaminio
- Tour Highlights: Guided tour of the death-casts, shops, temples, private houses, and public baths of Pompeii (and a brothel, if age-appropriate), scenic panoramic drive, free time in a charming Italian beach town.
- Included: Private round-trip transportation by air-conditioned minibus, skip-the-line Pompeii tickets and guided tour.
- Food included? No. Your guide will recommend lunch spots, but the cost is extra.
- Good for kids? Yes.
- In low season (November – March) most businesses in Positano close; during this time, the tour visits Amalfi or Sorrento instead.
- Tour Operator: Walks Tours
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 4 to 5 hours
- A fun and easy way to explore Rome’s ancient main road and experience the countryside’s monuments, aqueducts, and ruins.
- Meeting Point: Starbike Roma Offices, just east of the Colosseum.
- Tour Highlights: Porta San Sebastiano, Parco della Caffarella, Ninfeo di Egeria, Parco degli Acquedotti, Villa dei Quintili, Mausoleo di Cecilia Metella, Circo di Massenzio, Catacombs of San Callisto, Terme di Caracalla.
- Included: High-quality electric-assisted mountain bike and helmet, child bike seats by request, mobile phone and object holder, friendly and knowledgeable guide.
- Food included? No.
- Good for kids? Yes. Child bike seats, children’s bikes, and tag-along bikes can be reserved in advance.
- Tour Operator: Starbike Roma
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 13 Hours
- Guided tour of Montepulciano and Pienza, with a three-course vineyard lunch and wine pairing.
- Meeting Point: Piazza del Popolo
- Tour Highlights: Guided Montepulciano tour, Renaissance Church of St. Biagio, Vineyard lunch, free time in the medieval Tuscan town of Pienza.
- Included: Private round-trip air-conditioned transportation; Guided Montepulciano tour, 3-course gourmet lunch and wine tasting, Visit to St. Biagio Church and hill town of Pienza.
- Food included? Yes, lunch.
- Good for kids? No.
- Tour Operator: City Wonders
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 4 hours
- Eat your way through Rome’s original foodie neighborhood, exploring the local markets and learning about the area’s history and culture along the way.
- Meeting Point: Piazza Testaccio
- Tour Highlights: Family-owned Italian bakery; cured meat, cheese, and wine tasting; bruschetta and buffalo mozzarella at Testaccio Market; 3 classic Roman pastas at a beloved neighborhood restaurant, and the best gelato in Testaccio.
- Included: All food and drinks.
- Food included? Yes, lots.
- Good for kids? Yes, very. Children are booked at a reduced fare.
- Tour Operator: Eating Europe
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration: 1.5 hours
- A fun way to see the sights at night (when they’re cooler and less crowded), and learn some spine-tingling tales of Rome’s past that you won’t read in history books.
- Meeting Point: Piazza Venezia
- Tour Highlights: Palazzo Venezia, Capitoline Hill, Romulus and Remus, Fori Imperiali, Monti, Palace of Pope Borgia, Colosseum.
- Included: Expert story-teller guide.
- Food included? No.
- Good for kids? For older kids, yes. Some younger kids might like it too, if they can handle some dark material; it’s more grisly than it is scary.
- Tour Operator: More of Rome
- Alternative booking through Get Your Guide
- Duration:2.5 hours
- Go underground on this guided tour to two amazing archeological sites: the Basilica of San Clemente and the Catacombs of Santa Domitilla.
- Meeting Point: San Clemente
- Tour Highlights: Subterranean artistic masterpieces from the 2nd century to the 15th century AD, mysterious ancient Christian burial crypt.
- Included: Expert guide, private taxi service between sites, private taxi service back to central Rome at the end of the tour.
- Food included? No.
- Good for kids? For older kids, maybe. The surroundings and subject matter may be too scary for smaller kids.
- Tour Operator: Livitaly Tours
- Duration: 2.5 to 3 hours
- Twice-daily tip-based walking tour that’s a fun introduction to Roman history, local sightseeing, and the city’s best restaurants and nightlife.
- Meeting Point: Underneath the Porta Flaminia at Piazza del Popolo.
- Tour Highlights: Piazza del Popolo, Mausoleum of Augustus, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Ponte Sant’Angelo, Castel Sant’Angelo, intro to the Vatican and view of St. Peter’s Square.
- Included: Friendly, fun, and knowledgeable guide with a background in history or architecture.
- Small groups of 4 to 15 guests.
- Food included? No.
- Good for kids? Yes.
- Tour Operator: Rome’s Ultimate
Read More
About Santorini Dave