myrometourguide.com

Compare Private Rome Tours

Steve Fowler — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 20:21:45 +0000

My own family is planning a “Spring Break” trip and you would think, as a tour planner myself, that family vacations would be a breeze for us. Nope. We want to continue our education of Rome and Italy with one of our own private tours of Rome. Even though I am in Rome often and know the city well, there are always new things to learn and experience. So I was thinking , why should anyone else book a private Rome tour with us rather than other private tour of Rome. Here are some reasons that English speakers, especially in the U.S.A. , Canada and the U.K. should consider booking their ultimate private Rome tour with us.

We compare Holland America Rome Shore Excursions.

Steve Fowler — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 08:17:12 +0000

Holland America Cruise Lines Tours Compared to MyRomeTourGuide

Private Tours

With the crash of the Costa Concordia,(which your author saw on its side in late January,2012) the cruise lines fear a further “softening” of demand. That will put more pressure on cruise line management to rally the sales force to tell you anything to secure your excursion booking.

Take the time to compare any cruise line’s Rome shore excursions to the Rome guided tours offered by a private tour operator. Let’s get started on our comparison of popular Holland America shore excursions in Rome !

First – Private Tours of Rome – Aren’t private shore excursions too expensive? Not necessarily! Sometimes a private excursion can be just as inexpensive as a group tour of Rome. How?

If you have 4 or more persons,a private tour may be the same or less than a group tour.

Don’t give up on a Rome Private tour until you contact us.

Why would I want a private tour?

You control the itinerary.
The group is only as large as your party.
If you want to make changes as you go along, to some extent, you can.
With a small number of people you can actually interact with the guide and some of the local people.
- Large groups create a “bubble” around them. Local people will not come in and you can’t break out.
- Small groups in a private guided tour of Rome actually get the “feel” of the surroundings.
No waiting for “Aunt Susie” to return from the rest room!

Let’s compare popular private tours from both companies on:

Convenience
Price
Customer Service
Value

For comparison purposes we will use similar programs from:

Holland America Cruise Lines
MyRomeTourGuide.com

1. Convenience: Navigating Holland America’s Shore Excursions is a Frustrating Nightmare!!!

No Pricing – Why wouldn’t you publish your prices?
Poor descriptions
Inconvenient pairings of visits

In the many years which I have engaged in helping tourists visit Rome, I have never seen a more confusing presentation of shore excursion options than those offered by Holland America except those offered by NCL!!

Now to the specifics: Let’s look at some of Holland America Cruise Lines private tours vs The private 1 day tour provided by MyRomeTourGuide.com On private tours of Rome we can create itineraries to compare which are equal. So, “itinerary” when comparing cruise line excursions and private shore excursions in Rome is not an issue. The issues are :

Price
Customer Service
Ease of communication with your tour company to make changes and ask questions

Holland America includes admissions to NO venues in their full day car. At $1,700 per day , no admission tickets are proviced !

We will compare using the concept of 2 persons on the tour.

Note: The admission tickets to the major sites in Rome must be pre purchased. Otherwise valuable time is wasted. In some cases, like the Borghese Gallery, it is common for tickets to be unavailable on the same day.

Do you want to discuss your itinerary “on the spot” when you have paid Holland America $1,704 for one day ?

You “plan your visit” with Holland America on the morning you arrive when you should be on your way to a pre – planned tour of Rome.

If we compare one full day tour which includes:

Holland America Tours	MyRomeTourGuide Vatican City & Piazza Navona Tour
	Vatican Museum
	Sistine Chapel
Arranged on Arrival	St. Peter’s Basilica
	Piazza Navona
	Pantheon
9 hours	11 hours
852 per person[1] No tickets pre purchased or included	$650 per person Admission tickets pre purchased

Note with us you have a private tour planner in advance of your visit. You know before you pay exactly what you will be seeing and doing.

1. Price

MyRomeTourGuide $650 USD Per Person.

Holland America Cruise Lines $852 USD Per Person

The savings are $200 per person or $400 dollars per couple per day.

2. Customer Service Group Size – in this comparison they are the same – 2 persons.

3. Prior Planning Holland America states that you discuss your itinerary with your guide on the morning you meet. That suggests that your guide has not pre purchased admission tickets. We always work with you well in advance to develop the itinerary you want. Following that agreement, we pre purchase all tickets to avoid waiting in lines.

4. Inflexible Itinerary MyRomeTourGuide can and will listen and honor your requests for a tour which are specific to your interests. With Holland America Cruise Lines you must choose from an inflexible menu. Predicated on the language on the Holland America website, you don’t speak to your guide until you meet.

Many major venues in Rome close one day each week. If you desire to visit a site which is closed on that day of the week, you must choose something else as you cannot cancel their car and driver with such notice.

We plan your itinerary around the closures.

5. No Expert Advice Tours of Rome are all we do. When you speak with a tour planner at MyRomeTourGuide.com (or our sister company RussianTourGuide.com) you are speaking with someone who KNOWS first hand the area under discussion. We have been to our tour cities dozens of times. We know what is important and what is not. We are not salesmen who are selling from a fact sheet. We know our destinations.

6. No Guide Continuity Each day you tour with a Holland America private tour, you will probably have a different guide. 99% of the time we provide the same guide for all days of your tour so you develop a rapport with your guide.

7. Evening Activities Require a Return to the Ship The port of Rome is quite a distance from the city. We recommend for clients who wish to attend an evening performance, stay in the city, enjoy a relaxing meal and attend their activity. We make that available to parties on our private tours and our group tours. While it may seem desirable to return to the ship to eat and change clothes, it is completely impractical and can create “time anxiety” which is avoided if you stay in the city. Read our practical guide to attending a ballet while on a shore excursion in our blog.

8. Inflexible Payments Plans MyRomeTourGuide has offices in the USA and Rome. This results in the ability of our clients to pay by credit cards, checks and or cash on arrival in Rome. You do not have all of those choices with Holland America.

How do I make Private Shore Excursions to Rome affordable if I am on a budget?

Contact a reputable tour operator that specializes in Rome shore excursions and ask for their help to create a small group of people who are compatible.
- By doing this you have control over the group size and the cost of your Rome guided tour.
  - Usually with about 6-8 people a private tour will cost no more, per person, than many of the group tours.

For the itinerary above, here is a table of costs, per person, for the private tour.

if you book the itinerary above as a private tour from MyRomeTourGuide the per person cost goes down rapidly as the number of participants goes up.

As you can see, if 4 persons or more, a private shore excursion becomes competitive with a good "group tour".

MyRomeTourGuide costs for a private version of the above itinerary
Price per person		Private Tour using Itinerary above
2 persons		$650 pp

4		$386 pp

6		$305 pp

8		$260 pp

How do I know what itinerary to request?

Call us. We will give you a detailed set of options based on your interests.

Click this button and give us details about your visit to Rome. We will prepare a tour just for you. We will give you a price. All with no obligation. Create a Custom Rome Tour

[1] Based on 2 persons, no admissions, no pre planning. $1700 published price for car and guide for 9 hours.

Rome Shore Excursions

Steve Fowler — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 03:55:49 +0000

View from Victor Emmanuel Monument

Rome Tours From Cruise Ships – How to Tour Rome Italy in 1 Day ! Most cruise ships which make a port call at Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, remain in port for one day only. Passengers on ships must make decisions. Should you:

Take the cruise line shore excursion of Rome
- Which cruise line tour itinerary?
- How much for a group shore excursion in Rome?
Engage a private shore excursion of Rome
- Which private Rome tour company?
- How much will I pay for a Private shore excursion of Rome?

Sunset in Rome

Before you make any decisions you should know the following:

Civitavecchia is 1+ hour by auto, from Rome. (depending on traffic)
Private tours with 12 persons+ may be cheaper than group tours
- Will cruise line group tours of Rome definitely be cheaper?
  - No.

How much can I realistically see in on a 1 day Rome shore excursion?

You can get a broad overview of Ancient Rome and the Vatican or
- You can see one theme of Rome thoroughly. Examples:Ancient Rome – Your 1 day shore excursion could include:
  - Roman Forum
  - Colosseum
  - Pantheon
  - Piazza Navona
- Vatican City
  - Vatican City
  - Vatican Museums
  - St. Peter’s Basillica
  - Pantheon
  - Piazza Navona
- Art Tour of Rome
  - Borghese Gallery
  - Santa Maria Del Popolo
    - 2 paintings by Caravaggio
  - Drive by of the Colosseum & Fourm (OR)
  - Palazzo Barbarini
    - Home to 2 Caravaggio paintings
    - Hans Holbein of Henry VIII
    - La Fornarina – Raphael
    - Bernini’s – “David”

If you want a private shore excursion of Rome, how much? There are 3 costs:

Guide
Vehicle
Entrance fees

A full day private tour of Rome will cost approximately $1,100+ for 2 persons or about $100 per person for groups of 12+. Will I be able to select my itinerary if I engage a private tour of Rome?

Absolutely

Steve at Santa Maria della Vittoria

MyRomeTourGuide.com is a USA company. Call or email to speak to a Rome tour planner who knows Rome and has been there many times. We listen to you and create an itinerary which is perfect for your interests and budget. Enjoy your day in Rome the way you want. You will have a much better experience if you decide on your goals and choose the path which will best achieve them. We can help and are at your service. You can also see some of our articles on Rome here.

A “Not So” ancient sight in your guided tour of Rome

Steve Fowler — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 00:58:43 +0000

Victor Emmanuel Monument

CONTROVERSIAL MONUMENT WITH A STUNNING VIEW

Victor Emmanuel Monument in Piazza Venezia

We all know that humans are attracted to action and controversy by nature. So why wouldnt you want to go to one of the most controversial and beautiful sites in Rome?

The Victor Emmanuel Monument in Piazza Venezia has a reputation of stunning crowds, but also has many arguments built into its beauty.

When built in 1911 in honor of the first king of unified Italy, the citizens of Rome were horrified by its size and shape. Not to mention the color of the snow white Botticino marble did not blend at all with the ochre or Terra di Siena hue with which so many historic buildings are plastered. But, over time, many people learned to love it and now it has turned into an outstanding sight for tourists.

Thanks to the former Italian President, Mr. Ciampi, the Victor Emmanuel Monument was recently opened to the larger public. Tourists can now:

Enjoy art exhibitions around and inside the monument
Learn about the history of Italy starting with the year of its unification in 1861
Obtain breath-taking views of Rome
See the Tomb of the Italian Unknown Soldier

Inside the monument, after scrambling through a maze of rooms and climbing many marble stairs, an upper terrace shows a nice view of the city. Using a glass elevator (close you eyes if youre afraid of heights!), whether you enjoyed your visit to monument or not, the ascent to the very top level is an absolute must. Words cannot even begin describe the jaw dropping beauty of the spectacular view. Be ready to embrace the effects of Stendhal Syndrome, though, for a panoramic view can be obtained simply by rotating 360 degrees!

While the visit of the memorial is free of charge, a fee is applied for the use of the elevator. Senior citizens are granted a reduced fee.

So make your mental note: as part of your Classical Rome Tour plan a visit to the Victor Emmanuel Monument. Dont worry, the controversy is over, but the Victor Emmanuel Monument – Part of a Tour of Rome in English

Your Rome Tour Supervisor and Guide, Gabriella – Private guided tours of Rome in English are our specialty!

Steve and Vicki at the Vittorio Emmanuel Monument

We can assist with tour planning for a Rome vacation. Classical Rome tours (Ancient Rome Tour) are some of the most popular walking tours of Rome.

We suggest that you might want to include a walking tour of Rome, which includes the Victor Emmanuel Monument in Piazza Venezia and Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, to precede or follow your Classical Rome walking tour.

We are happy to make your tour planning for a Rome vacation easy. Just tell us your interests and we will create a tour of Rome just for you.

Rome Site Seeing – Don’t Forget the Bridges

Steve Fowler — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 04:27:27 +0000

Milivian Bridge in Ancient Times

Touring Rome –Rome Site Seeing to Include the Ancient Bridges

Tours of Rome are only successful if you can remember them. Visits which are the most memorable are the ones which you can see AND touch. Bridges, in addition to being vital can also tell a story.

Only four ancient bridges that cross the Tiber River have survived the centuries in Rome- three of which can be easily admired during normal Rome shore excursions. However, the fourth is more out of sight and requires a specific ride to see it. This bridge is the Ponte Milvio or Milvian Bridge in the northern part of the city, not too far from the Vatican area. All four bridges can be crossed on foot and it is a unique experience not to be missed during your classical Rome tour.

The Milvian Bridge is usually connected with the famous battle of Constantine against his rival Maxentius, which is so superbly illustrated by Raphael in the Stanze at the Vatican. Constantine is the emperor who gave the Christians freedom of religious expression. This battle was a turning point in Roman history when Constantine, in his fight to gain leadership, had the vision of the flaming cross in the sky on the eve of the battle. This cross is said to have helped him come out of the fight victorious and firmly rooted in his well deserved stand.

Astrologists have indicated that the day of the alleged vision, the stars were positioned in a manner that may have connected larger stars so “Chi-ro” (the first two letters of the word Christ in the Greek language) could have been clearly read.

Milvian Bridge

On a more romantic note, the bridge has recently been chosen by lovers as a favorite place to declare their love by locking their names and the date into a locket. Many citizens, though, did not like the idea and these lockets have been sadly removed by the city authorities.

In ancient Rome, it was the duty of the highest religious authority to supervise the building of a bridge. The supervision was so highly thought of, the title of this authority was Pontifex Maximus literally meaning the highest bridge builder. This “pagan title” has been adopted by Christianity and now the Pope is referred to as the Pontifex Maximus, often abbreviated as P.M.- clearly readable after the pope’s name!

During Rome site seeing If you walked over this bridge on a “go it alone” visit to Rome you would miss this rich history. We suggest that a visit to Rome is an investment in life. Let your private tour of Rome help your investment yield a higher return.

Enjoy your Rome shore excursions! Gabriella- your Classical Rome Tour supervisor and guide

We compare Royal Caribbean Rome Shore Excursions.

Steve Fowler — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 06:57:40 +0000

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines Tours Compared to MyRomeTourGuide

Private Tours

Now more than ever, cruise lines desperately want you to pay them for your shore excursions in Rome . It is an important source of revenue for them. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to be as concerned about the quality of your Rome guided tour as they do about intimidating you into paying them for it. With the crash of the Costa Concordia,(which your author saw on its side in late January,2012) the cruise lines fear a further “softening” of demand. That will put more pressure on cruise line management to rally the sales force to tell you anything to secure your excursion booking. You should take the time to compare any cruise line’s Rome shore excursions to the Rome guided tours offered by a private tour operator. Let’s get started on our comparison of popular RCL shore excursions in Rome ! First – Rome Guided Private Tours Aren’t private shore excursions too expensive? Not necessarily! Sometimes a private excursion can be similarly priced to a group tour. If you have 4 or more persons, a private tour may be the same or less than a group tour. Why would I want a private tour?

You control the itinerary.
The group is only as large as your party.
If you want to make changes as you go along, to some extent, you can.
With a small number of people you can actually interact with the guide and some of the local people.

Large groups create a “bubble” around them. Local people will not come in and you can’t break out.
Small groups in a private guided tour of Rome actually get the “feel” of the surroundings.

No waiting for “Aunt Susie” to return from the rest room!

Let’s compare popular private tours from both companies on:

Convenience
Price
Customer Service
Value

For comparison purposes we will use similar programs from:

Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
MyRomeTourGuide.com

1. Convenience: Navigating Royal Caribbean’s Shore Excursions is a Frustrating Nightmare!!!

Poor descriptions
Confusing pricing
Inconvenient pairings of visits

In the many years which I have engaged in helping tourists visit St. Petersburg, I have never seen a more confusing presentation of shore excursion options than those offered by Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines!! I could not even locate group tour options at all. So a comparison of our group tours will also be made to the Private Car and Private Van options offered by RCL. Now to the specifics: Let’s look at some of Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines private tours vs The private 1 day tour provided by MyRomeTourGuide.com On private tours of Rome we can create itineraries to compare which are equal. So, “itinerary” when comparing cruise line excursions and private shore excursions in Rome is not an issue. The issues are :

Price
Customer Service
Ease of communication with your tour company to make changes and ask questions

Royal Caribbean includes admissions NO venues in their full day car. We will compare using the concept of 2 persons on the tour.

Note: The admission tickets to the major sites in Rome must be pre purchased. Otherwise valuable time is wasted. In some cases, like the Borghese Gallery, it is common for tickets to be unavailable on the same day. Royal Caribbean states the following in their listing for a private car and guide for the day.

“No deviations can be made to tour length or advised departure time. The tour order; however, can be discussed on the spot with your guide.”

Do you want to discuss your itinerary “on the spot” when you have paid Royal Caribbean $1,700 for one day ?

If we compare 1 full day tour which include:

Royal Caribbean Tours CV43	MyRomeTourGuide Vatican City & Piazza Navona Tour
Day 1 CV43- Itinerary	Vatican Museum
	Sistine Chapel
Arranged on Arrival	St. Peter’s Basilica
	Piazza Navona
	Pantheon
9 hours	11 hours
850 per person[1] No tickets pre purchased or included	$650 per person Admission tickets pre purchased

Price

MyRomeTourGuide $650 USD Per Person Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines $850 USD Per Person The savings are $200 per person or $400 dollars per couple per day. 2. Customer Service Group Size – in this comparison they are the same – 2 persons. Prior Planning Royal Caribbean states that you discuss your itinerary with your guide on the morning you meet. That suggests that your guide has not pre purchased admission tickets. We always work with you well in advance to develop the itinerary you want. Following that agreement, we pre purchase all tickets to avoid waiting in lines. Inflexible Itinerary MyRomeTourGuide can and will listen and honor your requests for a tour which are specific to your interests. With Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines you must choose from an inflexible menu. Predicated on the language on the Royal Caribbean website, you don’t speak to your guide until you meet. Many major venues in Rome close one day each week. If you desire to visit a site which is closed on that day of the week, you must choose something else as you cannot cancel their car and driver with such notice. We plan your itinerary around the closures. No Expert Advice Tours of Rome are all we do. When you speak with a tour planner at MyRomeTourGuide.com (or our sister company RussianTourGuide.com) you are speaking with someone who KNOWS first hand the area under discussion. We have been to our tour cities dozens of times. We know what is important and what is not. We are not salesmen who are selling from a fact sheet. We know our destinations. No Guide Continuity Each day you tour with a Royal Caribbean private tour, you will probably have a different guide. 99% of the time we provide the same guide for all days of your tour so you develop a rapport with your guide. Evening Activities Require a Return to the Ship The port of Rome is quite a distance from the city. We recommend for clients who wish to attend an evening performance, stay in the city, enjoy a relaxing meal and attend their activity. We make that available to parties on our private tours and our group tours. While it may seem desirable to return to the ship to eat and change clothes, it is completely impractical and can create “time anxiety” which is avoided if you stay in the city. Read our practical guide to attending a ballet while on a shore excursion in our blog. Inflexible Payments Plans MyRomeTourGuide has offices in the USA and Rome. This results in the ability of our clients to pay by credit cards, checks and or cash on arrival in Rome. You do not have all of those choices with Royal Caribbean. How do I make Private Shore Excursions to Rome affordable if I am on a budget?

Contact a reputable tour operator that specializes in Rome shore excursions and ask for their help to create a small group of people who are compatible.

By doing this you have control over the group size and the cost of your Rome guided tour.

Usually with about 6-8 people a private tour will cost no more, per person, than many of the group tours.

For the itinerary above, here is a table of costs, per person, for the private tour if you book the itinerary above as a private tour from MyRomeTourGuide The per person cost goes down rapidly as the number of participants goes up.

MyRomeTourGuide costs for a private version of the above itinerary
Price per person		Private Tour using RCL Itinerary above
2 persons		$650 pp

4		$386 pp

6		$305 pp

8		$260 pp

How do I know what itinerary to request?

Call us. We will give you a detailed set of options based on your interests.

Click this button and give us details about your visit to Rome. We will prepare a tour just for you. We will give you a price. All with no obligation. Create a Custom Rome Tour

[1] Based on 2 persons, no admissions, no pre planning. $1700 published price for car and guide for 9 hours.

All Roads Lead to Rome

Steve Fowler — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:30:07 +0000

ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME.

The infrastructure of Roman roads was an exquisite network of ways that connected the capital to cities, towns and even the most remote areas and provinces of the Roman empire. These roads were of utmost importance to the military and were surprisingly built by the engineers and architects of the Roman army.

The most famous of the roads is the Via Appia (or Via Appia Antica) that connected Rome to the southern port of Brindisi. As a part of your classical Rome tour, visiting this site couldn’t be any more “classic”. The 450 mile long road, constructed in two different phases, was the only ”quick” way to get to the port and sail to Greece and Middle East.

In ancient times, roads were flanked by rich families’ tombs- the majority of which are now lost or dilapidated. The Via Appia was the burial place usually chosen by wealthy families; a sort of “status symbol” if entombed in this area. Later, Christians started to develop their cemeteries or catacombs close to the road creating miles and miles of underground tunnels. These were excavated by devout workers wanting to provide a dignified burial place to thousands of followers of the “new” religion, who were interred with the hope of a final resurrection. Some of these tunnels can be viewed,and is very interesting. I suggest a jacket for travelers during warm weather, for the underground is a bit chilly!

A few steps away from the entrance to the Catacombs, you can view the remainsof the Tomb of Romulus, son of emperor Maxentius, who buried his son close to the family villa and private circus, the latter for the delight his royal guests.

Visitors can better enjoy the Via Appia on Sundays when the traffic entering the tombs is less severe. Renting a bike would be a healthy way to spend an afternoon roaming around, or for the less active- buying a pass on the Archeological bus starting at Piazza Venezia it is certainly an easier way to reach yourclassical rome tour destination.

Gabriella- your Classic Rome Tour supervisor and guide

Rome Airport Code – FCO – Before Your Favorite Rome Sites

Steve Fowler — Sun, 15 Jan 2012 22:56:30 +0000

The airport which serves Rome is 16 miles from the Rome city center.

The 3 letter Rome airport code is FCO. Why is “Leonardo di Vinci” airport identified with an airport code of FCO? The answer is that the old name is Fiumicino, the name of the nearby town.

Rome airport is a modern facility and ,unlike some larger airports, very well designed for expeditious arrivals and departures. Once you leave the airplane, it is quite a distance to luggage claim but you will find clearing Customs to be a breeze!

Now once you have your bags and you are in the crowded lobby, how do you intend to travel from the Rome airport (FCO) to the city?

Here are some of the most likely choices for making the journey from Rome airport to the city:

The Train
- Rome airport (FCO) to Rome runs frequently.
- Cost about $15 dollars per peson.
- You must “lug” your bags
- Once you arrive at the station "Roma Termini" you are still not at your hotel.
  - The cab from the "Roma Termini" may destroy any savings you enjoyed.

Taxi cab from Rome airport (FCO) to Rome
- Quite a bit more expensive but it takes you to your door.
  - $55-$80 Remember that the price is not fixed and traffic can run the meter way up
  - If there are multiple people in your party, this is beginning to look pretty good.

Private transfer or “pick up service” from Rome airport (FCO) to Rome
- In this case a private driver is waiting with a sign which has your name.
- The price is negotiated in advance so there are no surprises
  - Sedan – 55 Euro
  - S Class Mercedes 90 Euro
  - 6-8 passenger minivan 80 Euro
  - 9-16 passenger mini bus 135 Euro

The private transfer from the Rome airport seems the most lavish but I can tell you from personal experience that sometimes it is the least expensive option. For example,

4 people
Rome Hotel not near the Rome railway station
Lots of baggage
- Train – 60 dollars + cab to hotel $20 to $25 about $85 and a huge hassle
- Taxicab from Rome airport (FCO) to hotel. Let us say $50 dollars PLUS
  - waiting time in traffic $25 dollars
  - for 4 people there is no way all of the bags are going to fit in one cab

If you are engaging a proper tour, like those provided by www.MyRomeTourGuide.com, we can arrange a private transfer from Rome airport or the Rome port at Civitevecchia if you desire it. With regret, we do not arrange transfers unless we are providing tour and hotel services. That is true with most tour companies.

So for a proper Private tour of Rome in English, or Rome shore excursion, we have the transport in place.

Travel Tip for Rome Visits: In addition to having made your plans regarding the Rome sites you want to visit, do a bit of planning on how to get to your hotel from the airport or port at Civitevecchia. Remember when you arrive at Rome:

You have been on a long journey and can be quite tired
You are in unfamiliar territory
The combination can often cause you to make some bad decisions.

Best Private Tours of Rome – Gabriella’s Favorite

Steve Fowler — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 19:22:12 +0000

Over the many years of my guiding in the Eternal City, whether the tours are shore excursions from Civitavecchia or private tours of Rome in English, visitors tend to ask the same question: which is my favorite tour site in Rome? Which area do I most enjoy illustrating to my customers? This is, indeed, a very difficult question to answer. It has been said, “there is no place like Rome,” declared a “world site” by UNESCO. However if I had to pinpoint one place, it would most likely be the Basilica of St. Peter. Some people might argue that technically speaking the Basilica is not a site in Rome, as it is located in the Vatican City, which is a sovereign state of its own, politically separated from Rome. This was true as of 1929, when the Vatican was recognized by the Italian Government as an independent sovereign state, Citta’ del Vaticano, and the Basilica of St Peter was part of it!
To me, the Basilica is a fully Roman site since its history (which spans over 2000 years) is strictly interwoven with the events that took place in both ancient and papal Rome when the Vatican territory was part of the city- a district across the river Tiber, in the Trans-tiberim or the Trastevere area of today. Allegedly, the basilica rests above the tomb of the Apostle Peter, interred there after his martyrdom in the pre-existing necropolis. Part of this necropolis is open to the public, pending a proper booking often obtainable after placing one’s name on a long waiting list.
St Peter’s is the largest church in the world and its scale is only fully appreciated when visitors realize that the Bernini’s Bronze Baldacchino is about 100 feet tall, the equivalent of an 8-9 story building. The Basilica is best approached from Via della Conciliazione- you shouldn’t miss the spectacular sight of the dome and the grandiose and “inviting arms” of Bernini’s colonnades!
As any other church in Rome, St Peter’s houses an incredible amount of art, the most famous being Michelangelo’s La Pieta’. The artist hired a family of Roman port workers trained in the transportation of marble blocks to have the Pieta’ installed in the French chapel without incurring any damage to the statue. A generous fee was negotiated to carry out the job, but the workers refused the payment after the safe installation as they were so moved by the beauty of the Virgin Mother’s face that they actually fell on their knees, transfixed in silent adoration.
An extraordinary person buried in the Basilica is Christina, Queen of Sweden- a ruling queen of a Lutheran country, who renounced her throne and all the privileges of her royal status in order to embrace the Catholic faith! Her choices were so memorable that after her death, she received a burial among the Popes in the Vatican Grottoes. Her funeral monument is close to the Pieta’, but her sarcophagus is actually empty. A peculiarity of the church is that every altarpiece, except the one in the Blessed Sacrament chapel flanked by Bernini’s two kneeling angels, are mosaics and not oil paintings. The side domes and Michelangelo’s cupola are also decorated in glass mosaics made by the Vatican mosaicists during the course of several centuries. The Mosaic Studio is still active and can be visited on request.
And now a practical note: Access to the Basilica is free of charge, but at times during the day and according to the season, there are long lines as visitors are required to enter through metal detectors.
My tip is to go to the church as early as possible to avoid long lines. The doors are open as early as 7.00 a.m., and until 9.00 a.m., it is not over subscribed.
Consequently, the self-guided visit is indeed more enjoyable in the silence without crowds.
Masses are also celebrated that early for those interested. There is a fee, however, if you want to climb the dome. Again, you have free access to the grottoes where no photography is permitted.
We think the very best way to see the wonders of this city is to take one of out best private tours of Rome, “The Vatican City Day Tour“. Visitors by cruise ship can book the shore excursion from Civitavecchia. Either way a proper tour of Rome is best in the long run.
I hope that if you decide to tour Rome, you will stop to marvel at one of Rome’s (or the Vatican City’s!) most marvellous sights. Thank you, Gabriella- Your Rome Tour Supervisor and Guide

Best Rome Walking Tour – Ecstasy of St. Teresa

Steve Fowler — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 01:10:24 +0000

Rome is a spectacular city full of famous churches and museums But sometimes its the small things that are the truly amazing features; a diamond in the rough, if you will. During my visit to Rome with my wife and daughter, we were fortunate enough to have some of the best Rome walking tours possible.

One of the many churches that is not considered a “big stop” is St. Mary of the Victory. The church was built in the early 1600′s and was named for the victory won by the Catholic League army in 1620.

The jewel of this church is a masterpiece sculpture, designed by the famous Gian Lorenzo Bernini, portraying the Ecstasy of St. Teresa. The faces of the angel and the saint are extremely beautiful. Even though this is not on the list of top 10 sites to see in Rome, it is one of the most marvelous sites in Rome.

Ecstasy of St. Teresa

Bernini’s tomb can be found nearby at the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore. In comparison to his fabulous work, his family tomb is very simple. Bernini died at an abnormally old age for his time- about 82 years old. Engraved on his tomb is, “The Noble Bernini Family here awaits the Resurrection.”

Not withstanding the amazing Bernini sculpture, the Ecstasy of St. Teresa, St. Mary of the Victory houses many other fantastic works of art including a sculpture of the Dream of St. Joseph, a spectacular high altar, and a gorgeous organ.

Advantages to visiting small churches like St. Mary of the Victory in the context of a Rome walking tour -No crowds -Little or no admission charge -Our guide gave us the “behind the scenes” stories of each site

I consider St. Mary of the Victory one of the secrets of Rome, and you can see this as part of your Rome Shore Excursions. I have discovered that Rome is a bottomless cup; the more you drink, the more there is to drink!