tim1953

Traveling to Italy in late sept. Need help selecting a reputable tour operator for private tours in Rome, Florence, Pompeii.

rex

Do you mean tours withIN each city (location)? There doesn't seem to be a nationwide franchise like GrayLine (but would that even be "private" tours?) operating in each of those cities.

There are walking tours in each city (not necessarily "private&quot, and some car/driver operators do overview tours in Rome, in particular. You may need to explain better what you mean.

Best wishes,

Rex

tim1953

Sorry for any confusion. Yes, I meant to say tours within each city. We have 2 1/2 days in Rome,1 1/2 in Sorrento area and 1 in Florence. Being first timers, we want to hit the highlights but leave some time for shopping etc.
I think there is a tour operator by the name of Context(?)but I don't have any input on them.

Eloise

You are probably thinking of ContextRome. It is very highly rated on this board:

http://rome.contexttravel.com/

They also offer tours in Naples and Florence.

eliztrav

ContextRome, formerly Scala Reale, is what you are looking for in Rome. Excellent choice.

Sorrento tours? Perhaps someone else can help you with that one.

You have only one day in Florence, and want a city tour plus have time to "shop, etc.?" Hmmmm..... Well, if you make a time reservation for the Accademia (where Michelangelo's David is) and the Uffizi Museums, assuming you are interested in art, you could do a "fly by" and then shop & wander the remainder of the day. But a city tour on top of that all in one day would be a little unrealistic.

eliztrav

Oops! Don't know where I dreamed up Sorrento! But, Pompeii shouldn't be difficult. Context/Rome coudl help you with that. There also are tour operators at Pompeii. If you do a search on Pompeii tours, i think you will bring up some threads that may give more specific help.

ira

Dear tim,

>We have 2 1/2 days in Rome,1 1/2 in Sorrento area and 1 in Florence. Being first timers, we want to hit the highlights but leave some time for shopping etc.<

May I suggest that you rethink this expedition.

You are making a very common mistake for first-time visitors - whirlwind tour in which you see everything and remember nothing.

It will take you the better part of a day to move from Rome to Sorrento and the better part of a day to move from Sorrento to Florence.

Almost 40% of your visit to Italy will be spent on trains.

With only 1 day in Florence, you will be able to start at the Accademia, walk down to the Duomo, walk down to the Uffizi , see the Ponte Vecchio and go back to your hotel.

You can get off at the Pompeii Scavi stop on the Circumvesuviana commuter train from Naples to Sorrento.

With 1 day in Sorrento you will, at best, be able to take the ferry to Amalfi and the bus back.

JLHood

Context Rome is very good. A little more expensive than others, but you get what you pay for.