I’m normally not a big tour person. I’ve been on some good ones, but I’ve also been on a lot of so-so ones and in the end I usually lean toward doing an activity on my own rather than paying for something that may end up being disappointing. That said, certain tours and programs can be fantastic showing you a side of the place you’re visiting that you wouldn’t have access to otherwise.
For some reason, while I was in Rome I lucked out with not one, but three amazing tours in Rome that I’ve since been recommending to friends and readers heading to the Eternal City. Though each tour cost around €60 on up, and required a bit of budget scheduling, they were definitely worth it and helped make my few days in Rome some of the best during my month in Italy.
More about Rome: Food Tours in Rome | WanderTips on Europe | R is for Rome
Scooteroma
Ever dream of zipping through the cobbled streets of Rome on the back of a classic Vespa just like they do in the movies? Well here’s your chance – Scooteroma‘s scooter tours through the city and beyond help you get a feel for the city from a local’s point of view. My personalized tour was one of the best I’ve ever taken and the perfect combination of history, tourist hot spots, local hidden gems and simply a good ride. Contact them for more information here.
Eating Italy Food Tours
Like Italian food? Then you need to check out the different walking food tours from Eating Italy. Period. Lots of food, lots of history and lots of local treats.
Walks of Italy
Walks of Italy offers tours and classes throughout the country ranging from general city walking tours to specialized day trips, classes and behind the scenes or after hours access to some of the country’s most popular spots. The pasta-making class with a local chef in Rome was all you’d expect from a cooking class and more, including a gorgeous view from the rooftop studio, delicious snacks to taste throughout the evening and plenty of prosecco. The evening lasted about five hours, but flew by so quickly I felt like I had just arrived when I was actually leaving at 11:00 p.m.
Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to do these last two tours on the list but would definitely check them out my next time in Rome…
Rome Free Walking Tour
There’s no better way to get to know a city than to walk it and with the Rome Free Walking Tour you can simply show up at the meeting place and join the group to explore Rome – for FREE. The tours, offered twice daily in both English and Spanish, cover a couple different areas throughout town and are run by a group of licensed tours guides who work off of tips.
City Sightseeing Rome Bus Tours
For not really liking big group tours, I’ve always appreciated doing these hop-on, hop-off bus tours in different cities around Europe. They tend to be a little pricey (though the Rome tour starts at 20 for adults), and often have a cheesy guide, but they’re a good way to cover a large area and see how everything connects together. For these I like doing them the first day or two in a new place to help orient myself and get a better idea of where I want to go and spend more time later.
Note: I was a guest of Scooteroma, Eating Italy and Walks of Italy but all opinions and recommendations are my own.