Julie_Hurst

Hi again, everyone - my 2nd post tonite! I'm trying to get our siteseeing organized.

We've seen both on our own, but are thinking about a guided tour for this trip. Don't really want a pre-scheduled tour though. I think I read somewhere that there is one English guided tour per day, purchased onsite? Is that for both sites, or was that just the Forum? Can we purchase on the day or must be prescheduled?

If available, anyone know when, where, how much, & if any good? Also, we will be there 1st 2 weeks of November. Are the tours given then or is that off season for these tours?

I guess it is not that big a deal; can probably find out once get there. But would be nice to preplan on the day & time so we wouldn't miss out by minutes!

Thanks a bunch, Julie

jabez

If one area of Rome begs for a guide,it might be the Forum.
We took the "official" tour offered by the Forum (you reserve it at the ticket booth near Palatine Hill).
It was only okay. The guide's English was marginal.
This year ,I think we'll go try for a better guide and really want to add Palatine Hill.
When we went to the Palatine before, we noticed that their were tours that were starting from the museum there, but I don't know much about it.
I'm not sure of the time of the Forum tours for November.
The tour company thst does the inexpensive Colloseum tour (the one that recruits people as they walk up) offer a free Forum tour,if you take their Colosseum tour.
We will be there the first week of Nov. and expect will make a final decision about who we will tour with soon.

Julie_Hurst

Thanks jabez. My hubby has difficulty hearing, so don't think marginal English would work. Guess I'll email our lodging staff & see who they recommend. Don't want to take a Colosseum tour - already done that.

Thanks again, Julie

NeoPatrick

I loved the self audio tour of the Forum (I'm not sure if there is one for the Palantine of not.

I like being able to stay longer to observe or look around after you've listened to commentary, or repeat it if you missed something, and simply going at your own pace. I far prefer those to guided tours which I may or may not hear well, and may feel rushed at some places and get bored by lengthy explanations for some places I don't care about.

kybourbon

In case you've missed ParadiseLost's walking tour of the forum.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...amp;dirtyBit=1

Julie_Hurst

NeoPatrick, if the audio tour is that good, I'm sure we would much prefer it. Think I'll search around & see if there is one for Palatine.

kybourbon, I clicked on your link several times, but I just kept getting this post back???? Thanks though. I'll see if I can find it.

Julie

travelgirl2

Husband and son (13 years old) did a walking tour with Rome Context that included Palatine Hill and the Forum in summer of 2006. It was led by an architecture/history professor and there were 6 people in total. They raved about it. We scheduled it a few days in advance, by email.

kybourbon

Sorry. I don't know what happened with the link. This should work.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34713215

Julie_Hurst

Thanks ky, great thread.

NeoPatrick

Note to self:
Write Palatine 50 times leaving out the extra n:

Palatine
Palatine
Palatine. . .

Julie_Hurst

NeoPatrick, IMO, you contribute so much to everyone on this formum that 3 times is enough!

Julie

NeoPatrick

Phew, thanks, Julie. In that case I'm done.

In all honesty I always thought there was an n in there, and that's how I've always pronounced it.

rmeyer

I highly recommend Francesca Caruso....there is no other, she is the BEST! [email protected] She will tailor your day anyway you'd like, great English, very knowledgeable. We wouldn't do it any other way again.