layanluvstotravel

Hi Everyone,

Hoping to get some more great advice from you all! Background- family of 5 with 3 teens (14, 14, 15) visiting Italy in July on a modest budget. Since Italy is filled with history (and I'd like to take a break here and there from looking in my guide book), I am considering booking guided tours--- 1 in each city we are visiting (Venice, Rome, Florence-- we will day trip to Siena, Pisa/Lucca (love the idea about biking the walls), but I'll use my guide book and just enjoy those). I don't think we need a guide for Sorrento/Amalfi (we'll use the SITA bus and figure it out on our own).

So- what's the 1 guided tour you'd recommend we take in these cities (and are there others that are free?)?

Rome- Vatican?? (or the Colossium)? I need to choose one.
Venice- I've read about the Secret tour in the Doges Palace?
Florence- someone mentioned a "free" walk of Florence tour. "Free" (with tip at the end) sounds divine Would love to give my kids a quick history of the Renaissance (my girls will probably study it next year).
If our budget allows-- should we also consider a tour of Pompeii? (or would our guide book suffice?).

Many thanks in advance!

jamikins

I would highly recommend tours for the Coloseum and the Vatican Museums/St Peters! These are the two places I think guides can really add to - I found the Coloseum/Forum to come alive in a way the books just couldnt do justice to. And the museums are just so overwhelming I thought the guides really focused us so it wasnt a blur.

We used www.enjoyrome.com and would recommend them.

rncheryl

Context Tour of the Vatican museum: I highly recommend. Our docent was exceptionally well informed.

suec1

Do you know Rick Steves? you might want to check out his guide books and see if you like his style - there are folks on this board who HATE him but IMO he gives decent (tho not in great depth) information on historical sights and museums. I beleive he has free podcasts that you can download that I think your kids would like. I'm sure you can find out which sights these are available for.

MickeyChase

Brave enough for iphone apps? there are some great ones for italy that you can use to guide yourself.

macanimals

I might have suggested the walking tours in Florence but did not say they were free. I've done several over the years from different outfits--Artviva does a good primer and it costs 20 euros for a 3 hour walking tour. Good basic stuff that brings to life all of the architecture, history and art of the centro.

There are many options shown in a quick google search. The city will come alive for you and your teens once you get some background and bearings--enjoy.

kybourbon

The cheapest tours are always the venues own tours. Booking a tour directly with the Vatican or Colosseum will be much cheaper than booking with an outside tour company.

Rick Steves tours are available on ITunes and are free. You can also just buy entrance tickets to many sites and just rent their audio guide.

nytraveler

I think you need to decide what level/type of tour you want.

We generally don't do them - except for guided walking tours led by true experts. We have found that the basic tours are just that - not really any more than reading a couple of pages in a guide book. If you have limited interest that's fine - if you want in-depth then you need to spring for a quality tour - preferably led by a true expert.

We have encountered a couple of these - one tour guide in San Clemente was especially erudite, informative and truly interesting. (But the others we caught a little of there were just boring - never really explained the role of the gods in Roman life, or provided any more about Mithras then the "patron saint" - saint - I ask you) of the army.