This art moment — a sampling of how we share our love of art in our tours — is an excerpt from the full-color coffee-table book Europe’s Top 100 Masterpieces by Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy, http://www.ricksteves.com/news/tournews/guides/francesca_08.htm, http://www.justgirlsjustitaly.com/rome.htm. Note: This busy plan is possible only if you reserve entry times for the Vatican Museums and the Colosseum in advance. It was a great tour and I would have hated to try to see the Vatican without a guide. I highly recommend this tour and Rick Steve's. Rick Steves Pocket Rome works best for people taking a short trip, or perhaps a return trip, to Rome. Like our other Pocket guides, Pocket Rome is smaller than the complete guidebook and in full color (but still offers our best sightseeing advice and a handful of self-guided city walks and museum tours, plus a … Ditto the recommendation for Francesca Caruso. Rick Steves' 100 favorite European works of art; Unique insights and vivid, full-color photos ; Inspire future travels — read it before you go! Visit the Borghese Gallery (reservation required) and the churches I group as the key elements of "Pilgrims' Rome": San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore, and San Clemente. Unfortunately, we were half-way thru the tour before she lightened up, but was still never very friendly. Spend the early evening shopping and enjoying the local passeggiata by doing what I call the "Dolce Vita Stroll" along Via del Corso (start at Piazza del Popolo and end up at Piazza Venezia for great sunset views). Another couple on the tour had taken previous Steves tours and said they'd never had such a negative experience. Of course, we bypassed all the lines, and she had a running commentary of historical facts and explanations that helped make sense out of what we saw. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. In the afternoon do my Jewish Ghetto Walk, followed immediately by my Trastevere Walk (both walks are outlined in my Rome guidebooks and available as a free audio tour). Many have also appeared as guests on Rick's radio show, Travel with Rick Steves. In the morning, visit the National Museum of Rome and the nearby Baths of Diocletian. After a quick lunch, taxi to the Vatican Museums, then head to St. Peter's Basilica (open until 19:00 April–Sept). The tour groups were small (never more than 10 people in any group we were in). Edited: 5 years ago She was there on time looking for us and guided us wonderfully for about 4 hours. On my recent trip to Paris, I added another hotel to my list of all-stars. Each winter, we celebrate Rick Steves’ Europe Tours with tour alum reunion parties, a tour guide summit, and a series of travel talks called “Test Drive a Tour Guide.” It’s all-hands-on-deck during this weeklong series of overlapping events, and I was just too busy to post — but I’m still thinking about all the fun we had, and I’d like to share some of it with you now. Rick Steves' group tours use her as the local Rome guide, which is how we met her. Then explore the Forum, hike over Capitoline Hill, and cap your "Caesar Shuffle" with a Pantheon visit. Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. She's the "rock star" among Rome tour guides. Local expert guides are frequently used as well. For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, Even other tour guides hold her in the highest regard. Taxi back to Campo de' Fiori for dinner, then finish your day lacing together all the famous floodlit spots (following my guidebooks' Heart of Rome Walk — also available as a free audio tour). Like our other Pocket guides, Pocket Rome is smaller than the complete guidebook (and in full color), but still offers our best sightseeing advice, a handful of self-guided city walks and museum tours, and a foldout map. She is not only knowledgeable about her work but she obviously enjoys her job. Each does have one or two walks and museum tours that aren't included in the related chapters of Rick Steves Italy , but otherwise they offer far more limited coverage of each city's sights, hotels, and restaurants. My husband & i had less than 3 days in Rome as part of a two week trip to Italy to celebrate our 35th wedding anniversary. Side-trip to Ostia Antica (closed Mon). Be sure to enable Notifications for this app to get the latest updates. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and organizes small-group tours that take over 30,000 travelers to Europe annually. In October, when we used her, she was charging 50 euro per hour, figured by 15 minute increments. Roman Odyssey worked for us. Request a CD from them on their tour experience. She's the "rock star" among Rome tour guides. For travelers who want to delve deep into Rome, the full-size Rick Steves Rome guidebook is a … Stephano kept us moving, but would not hesitate to stop and answer any questions. My group of 4 would love to return to Rome just to see Francesca again and use her skills at another site or two. We're thinking about using them as well. Communication was timely and perfect English. : No, I focus on Rome and the surrounding area (Ostia Antica, Hadrian’s Villa) exclusively. With smart planning you can pack a lot of sightseeing into your Roman visit, but there's no point in overloading your trip — with any luck, you'll keep coming back to Rome. Best tour I have ever had. Has anyone used the tour company recommended by Rick called Roman Odyssey for the Vatican tour. New audio tracks will be added and existing tracks updated as necessary. We reserved her online and she told us the time and the place to meet. After several dozen visits, I still have a healthy list of excuses to return. You'll learn how to navigate the Rome Metro and which sights are worth your time and money. He (Stephano) met us where we had been instructed to meet at the time appointed. I contacted the highly rated Francesca, and since she was busy she gave me the names of some of her recommended tour guides. She is knowlegeable with an art history background, had a lovely personality, and made our trip so much more memorable. They have 50 different walking tours and the group size is limited to 6. She was worth every penny we spent. What’s New. With that in mind, here are my recommended priorities: Some people actually "do" Rome in a day. In the evening you might enjoy a sound-and-light show at the Forum and/or a colorful evening in Trastevere or the Monti district. The hotel raves below are all 100% unsolicited…I just geek out on awesome accommodations.) We downloaded ones for Paris, Florence, and Rome. The Rick Steves Best of Venice, Florence & Rome tour begins with Venice's timeless St. Mark's Square and Basilica, continues on to Michelangelo's stunning David and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and ends with Rome's ancient Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican Museums, and Sistine Chapel. Unless you mean that TA doesn't allow those sorts of tours (day/few hours, etc) to have a review page - but, I'm talking about a forum, not review pages. (one carry on size bag and a back pack). Self-guided tours are excerpted from Rick Steves country and city guidebooks. This topic has been automatically closed due to a period of inactivity. Where I’m going with this is, I’m available. Do the "Caesar Shuffle" from the Colosseum to the Forum, Capitoline Museums, Victor Emmanuel Monument viewpoint, and Pantheon. Will use them again if we go back. And, she has a cute sense of humor, with … Version History. Rick Steves' European tours are led by dozens of energetic, hand-picked guides — all of whom share Rick's passion for Europe, travel and teaching. Emory. Answer 1 of 141: I know that escorted tours are frowned upon here, but the stress of a DIY vacation is starting to wear on us. Buy your Europe's Top 100 Masterpieces: Art for the Traveler Book: Quantity: Add To Cart What's Included. Take a chronological tour of Europe's greatest paintings, sculptures, and historic buildings. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series, and a public radio show, and organizes small-group tours that take over 30,000 travelers to Europe annually. We used Marta Marsili for two private tours, one of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel and the next day the Colliseum and Roman Forum. In every tour, there has been plenty of time allocated for exploring on one's own, so you are not tethered to the group all day every day. For me, touring wi On the second day, see Vatican City (St. Peter's, dome climb, tour the Vatican Museums). More than just reviews and directions, a Rick Steves guidebook is a tour guide in your pocket. We did 3 tours and I cannot imagine doing this any other way. With Rick's tours you carry your own bag and must travel light. 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 . For other cities in Italy, I suggest the guides recommended in the Rick Steves… Marta can be reached at martamarsili@hotmail.com. Rick produces a best-selling guidebook series, a public television series and a public radio show and organises small-group tours that take over 30,000 travellers to Europe annually. Also, Context Travel gets great reviews here. see our FAQ. Ditto the recommendation for Francesca Caruso. Rome is a great one-week getaway. His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. She was a wonderful guide: very knowledge in the arts and history and very personable, a joy to be around. I have been on two Rick Steves tours, and I both admired and envied the guides on each (Ben in Rome, Rolinka in Paris). Mar 2, 2020. It would make less sense to supplement Rick Steves Italy with one of the smaller Pocket guides for Rome, Venice, or Florence. After several dozen visits, I still have a healthy list of excuses to return. We did private tours in Rome and then group tours in Florence and we got much more out of the private tour than the group tour, even though the group guides were good. She did it in 3.5 hours for 180 euros. On the first day, do the "Caesar Shuffle" from the Colosseum (book ahead) to the Forum, then over Capitoline Hill (visiting the Capitoline Museums), and on to the Pantheon. Someone recommended Jason and Walks of Italy to us and we are so glad!! Since 1973, Rick Steves has spent about four months a year exploring Europe. Additionally, Rick, I have organized three of my own European adventures. Start at 8:30 at the Colosseum. She makes all the ancient ruins come alive in a very engaging and interesting way. She gets amazing reviews here. They have their own digital communication portal and are constantly rendezvousing, sharing ideas, lessons, and having fun. No but the tour guide Francesca is fabulous. But, book early, as she fills up quickly. Here's an interview with her: http://www.ricksteves.com/news/tournews/guides/francesca_08.htm See http://www.justgirlsjustitaly.com/rome.htm for a video clip of her in action. With more than 600 Rick Steves tours a year, we have guides working all over Europe all the time. 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. Loved the old ancient sites of Rome & the tour guides' expert opinions, knowledge, & insights of the ancient sites, art, buildings, areas. Gene Openshaw is the co-author of the Rick Steves Rome guidebook. We're planning to use Francesca Caruso. She has a master's in art history, perfect English and great personality. Yes, I’ve appeared on several of Rick Steves’ public television and radio shows. The tour was very professional and interesting. Its sights can keep even the most fidgety traveler well entertained for a week. I cannot tell you how pleased we were with Francesca P. She is a Art major which was great at the Vatican but her knowledge of the Roman ruins was excellent. But, book early, as she fills up quickly. With a third day, add the Borghese Gallery (reservations required) and more sights. After a siesta, add some sightseeing to suit your interest. Answer 1 of 5: Is there anyone in their 50's who has taken a tour with Rick Steves Tours to Italy (Florence, Rome, and Venice) in the past two years--want to know if it was really strenuous as advertized? Best part of the tour for me was Rome. And, she has a cute sense of humor, with perfect English. We've interviewed a number of Rick's guides for our monthly Tour News. It took an emergency phone call back to Steves Tours offices in the U.S. to get the tour leader to improve her attitude. Compared to the corresponding chapters of the Rick Steves Best of Italy guidebook, our full-size guidebooks for Rome, Venice, and Florence & Tuscany offer much more in-depth sightseeing information, several additional self-guided city walks and museum/sight tours, more detail on day-trip options, and more specifics on shopping and nightlife, plus suggestions for kids. In Vatican City, visit St. Peter's Basilica, dome climb, and tour the Vatican Museums. Just returned from a 24 day tour around Rome, the Italian and French Revieras, Barcelona and Seville,Spain and ending in Paris. I just wanted to give my thoughts on the Rick Stevens walking tours podcasts. Note: Not all of our guides are listed here. With that in mind, here are my recommended priorities: Rome in a Day. Happy travels. The Pantheon, Colosseum, and the forum. We hired Francesca Pagliaro and her email address is (francesca.pagliaro@gmail.com). We hope you enjoy getting to know them! Rome we downloaded 4 podcasts.. the Trastevere. Have dinner near the atmospheric Campo de' Fiori, and then walk to the Trevi Fountain and Spanish Steps (following my guidebooks' Heart of Rome Walk — also available as a free audio tour). Our guide was Francesca Pagliaro (francesca.pagliaro@gmail.com). We had a tour with her of the Colliseum, Forum and Palatine Hill His mission: to empower Americans to have European trips that are fun, affordable, and culturally broadening. The “Rick Steves way” is something really special. All in all, I would highly recommend Rick Steves tours for European travel for those who prefer group travel to independent travel. With smart planning you can pack a lot of sightseeing into your Roman visit, but there's no point in overloading your trip — with any luck, you'll keep coming back to Rome. Italy's three … It’s an amazing pool of talent, passion, and travel savvy. Reserved a day and time online; paid for half the cost via credit card and paid the rest when we met the guide at the appointed place. Even other tour guides hold her in the highest regard. Rome Travel Guide by Rick Steves For coronavirus (COVID-19) travel information, see our FAQ . It all worked out great. Get inspired with Rick Steves’ recommended places to go and things to do, with tips, photos, videos, and travel information on Rome. Rick Steves Rome 2020 (Rick Steves Travel Guide): Amazon.de: Steves, Rick, Openshaw, Gene: Fremdsprachige Bücher Wählen Sie Ihre Cookie-Einstellungen Wir verwenden Cookies und ähnliche Tools, um Ihr Einkaufserlebnis zu verbessern, um unsere Dienste anzubieten, um zu verstehen, wie die Kunden unsere Dienste nutzen, damit wir Verbesserungen vornehmen können, und um Werbung anzuzeigen. By Rick Steves and Gene Openshaw. You should be able to climb stairs with your suitcase and get around town walking on tours for several hours. Rick Steves Pocket guidebooks truly are a "tour guide in your pocket." We contacted Francesca Pagliago and made arrangements. Stephano passed the lines and purchased our tickets without a wait. We just got back & had a wonderful time with Federica D'Orazio info@touristinrome.com It was just the four of us. Spend the late afternoon doing my guidebooks' Heart of Rome Walk (also available as a free audio tour). Crazy as that sounds, if all you have is a day, it's one of the most exciting days Europe has to offer. Rick Steves' group tours use her as the local Rome guide, which is how we met her. Rick's candid, humorous advice will guide you to good-value hotels and restaurants. You can find more info here. You'll also enjoy guided neighborhood walks, memorable meals, and full-bodied Italian wines. (Full disclosure: While many travel bloggers do “sponsored posts,” we at Rick Steves’ Europe are never paid for our endorsements. She was punctual, pleasant, patience, and just fun to be with. We did use The Roman Odyssey Tour for the Vatican. This colorful, compact 220-page book includes Rick's advice for prioritizing your time, whether you're spending 1 or 7 days in a city. She seemed burned out on leading tours. You choose — Hadrian's Villa near Tivoli, Appian Way with catacombs, E.U.R., Testaccio sights, a food tour, shopping, Galleria Doria Pamphilj, Castel Sant'Angelo, or more time at the Vatican. We found the Italians very willing and capable in carrying out their businesses in English as well as many other languages. Enjoy dinner in Trastevere. Terms of Service | Privacy. • Rick Steves Audio Europe is a work in progress. Do you do tours in cities other than Rome? Try her at francescainroma@gmail.com. A great highligt of Rome was our guided tour through the Colloseum, Forum, Palatine Hill and the Pantheon. I would highly recommend Marta. In the evening, you could repeat my guidebooks' "Heart of Rome" walk from Campo de' Fiori to the Spanish Steps to enjoy the after-dark scene. If someone can post this thread about the Rick Steves tour, why not have a forum in which different tours in different countries are discussed. ©2021 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | They all went off without a hitch, incidentially. My boyfriend downloaded the podcasts and I downloaded the Rick Stevens Europe. audio app for my iPhone. She makes all the ancient ruins come alive in a very engaging and interesting way. Rick Steves Pocket Rome works best for people taking a short trip, or perhaps a return trip, to Rome.