Just back from Italy/a few words about Context Rome
 

Hi, fellow Fodorites! I just returned last
night from five weeks in Italy,and feel like
I have a hangover today. I'll post soon with
a full trip report,but wanted to say a few
words about Context Rome, formerly known as Scala Reale.
I have always spoken highly of them,having used them for the past three trips to Rome,but they went above and beyond the call of duty for me this time.
Their whole staff really did everything they could to make my trip really special. I took several of their walks this time around, including the Naples/Pompeii daytrip. At this point,I've taken almost all of the walks offered,so if anyone has any questions,I'm the one to ask!
I got to know Paul and Lani,the couple that started CR and they're really the nicest people who care very much about offering an excellent service,which they do.More to come...

I hate it when Fodor's gets creative with my indentations and spacing!

Hi Massagediva and welcome back,
I have a question re CR: myself and a friend are going to be in Rome for about 4 days in early July and are interested in a few walking tours. I looked on the website and all sounded so good, so which do you think would be best given the following: I have been to Rome several times and have toured Colisseum and Vatican but not with professional tours, my friend has never been to Rome. We are very interested in art, history etc. Thanks for any advice. JenV

Massagediva: Thank you so much for the quick note. We leave in 9 days (yea!) for our first trip to Italy. We have booked the Vatican and Colosseum tours with Context Rome as well as an Orientation Chat. We are doing private tours as we will be with our kids (age 9 and 12) and I just want to be able to go at their pace so they really enjoy it.

Glad to hear from someone with VERY recent experience and to know our decision is still a good one!

Hi Jen. I took the Classical Rome walk this time,and saw so many things I hadn't seen on my previous trips. Tom Rankin , the architect who founded Scala Reala,led the tour,so it was terrific. Have you ever wandered around Rome,seen a few pillars or an unidentified ruin without any clue as to what it is? That's what you'll see on this one,as well as a couple of churches thrown in for good measure. The Galleria Borghese tour is wonderful,too,I don't know if you've been there, but I went and just loved it.It really is a completely different experience seeing important art with an art historian. You and your friend may also enjoy the Quirinale Ramble,which gives you a great taste of several layers of Roman history and culture.

jgg- Have a wonderful trip! Hopefully before you leave,I'll post some more information about restaurants and such!

Massagediva:

Do you recommend any of their walks or tours for a family that includes two teenage (16 and 14) boys whose interest in art and architecture may be somewhat more limited than ours? Thanks.

Yes,the Underground Rome tour!It's wonderfully exciting and a little creepy. You get to tour churches that were found beneath churches,crypts,early Roman apartments,lots of fun! The Orientation walks might be good two,they're two hours long and cover a variety of topics,but more briefly.

We wnet to Rome last summer and used Scala reale for the Forum and Vatican tour. The Vatican tour was excellent with a younr American art student.

However, the Forum tour was with an architect, do not remmebr his name, it was terrible. He only spoke about the architecture of the area. Not one mention of the history, what happended there, who lived there or any other inforamtion. I had to tell the other members of our small group the history of each place.

I belive that your enjoyment depends solely upon who is the leader of your group. I know better now.

David J

this is the first criticism I have ever read of an SR guide.
I really hope you provided feedback to the organization; from my dealings with them in the past, they would sincerely want to know

I went on this companies web site and it looks as if a typical 4 hour tour costs 60 Euro or $78.60 per person! I would love to take the tour, but I can't see paying $157.20 for the two of us. The three tours we would like to take would amount to almost $500.00! Seems like there should be a more economical way to take a tour in Rome...any suggestions?

Thanks for the recos massagediva, those sound like good choices. I went to the Borghese last trip and absolutely loved this museum, however, for the cost of the CR tours I think I would pass for the museum and use the tours elsewhere. Is the underground tour the same as the Scavi tour that everyone always mention? Thanks again, Jen

The Scavi tour is a tour held beneath ST. Peter's conducted by the Vatican. The Underground Rome Tour takes you to three or four places around Rome where they have found fascinating sites underground and you get to creep around!

Sounds pricey -- how much per hour does that cost out to, and is there anything but a tourguide involved? Any break for more than 2 people?

Also, how much walking are we talking here -- 4 hrs. of solid tramping around or a break here and there for someone with, perhaps, a bad back or knee?

Thanks for your info on Context Rome. I'm looking into their Vatican tour the Friday before Palm Sunday, but the cost seems like quite a bit. I don't mind spending the money, as long as it's money well spent! Would fellow fodorites highly recommend their Vatican tour? Or, would we be better off on our own? Thanks for your advice!

ttt

We took the Vatican tour with Scala Reale, and found it fascinating. In our view, well worth the cost. One of us had training in art history, but the other had none. We both enjoyed the guide and level of detail given in his tour. Alas, you do pay for that quality, but as it was a highlight of our time in Rome, why not just budget for it?

I've tried almost every guide service available in Rome, even a few priests from the Vatican (which cost dearly in donations and dinners). I happen to be an Ancient Rome/Renaissance history buff. I may have been a Goddess or a Medici (of sorts) in another life. (Note: consult Shirley) I can say with supreme confidence that Context Rome/Scala Reale compares to no one in Rome. They are at the top of their game and my first choice for custom tours.

Some comments:

Summer is not the best time in Rome to get the best of the best. Many people leave for vacation and those in service businesses have to deal with the second or third tier shuffle. It's simply the nature of the beast. Not all docents specialize in every tour but tours go on nonetheless. Research may provide a name and if that docent isn't available, you can adjust your itinerary accordingly.

If cost is a concern, look elsewhere. If you choose to dine in any top-five restaurant around the world, there isn't a soul anywhere who could tell you whether it will be "money well spent." Only you can decide that for yourself.

Rome is notorious for unauthorized guides who memorize pre-written history scripts. If you don't know your history or you don't care about accurate information, than another tour might work better for you.

The best teachers (especially in the arena of continuing education) often command the highest salaries and I can assure you, nobody in this organization is laughing to the bank once you surrender your tour fee. Context Rome seeks the best in each field of interest (be sure to check the docent's credentials) and everyone who runs a business knows quality costs. Not to mention, this is one, highly organized, well-greased machine with names like Rankin, Bennett, Lev, Boyden, Dabell, and Fant under its roof. Good luck topping that.

Custom tours are always available and those can accommodate any special need. Obviously, you wouldn't want someone with bad knees to hold up a group of six, especially if four are complete strangers.

Personally, I find the Vatican Museum a nightmare to navigate on my own. I also think it's one of their finest tours. Spending the day with Elizabeth Lev is just as joyful as viewing Raphael (well, almost O:) ).

Thanks again for all the great advice! I've booked our tour of the Vatican with CR.