Calling all fodorites.... I would really appreciate any input here. I have been putting in several hours reading the post for recommendations for sightseeing in Rome. Having never been, I relay on the advise from people who have been there. I was thinking of spending the extra money for a small group/private guide(still trying to decide which is best). Select Italy offers a 2 hr. walking tour of the Vatican Museum which ends at the Sistine Chapel for 30 people. It cost $50.00 for a reservation plus enterance fee, the good thing is you don't have to wait in any lines (I will be there the first week of September - busy time). Is 30 people to many to really appreciate the tour? I am thinking of hooking up with Scavi for St. Peters Basilica. Scavi has a small group and also a private available. Anyone out there have any input as to which is better, private or small group. I realize there is a big cost difference so I guess my question is, is it worth the extra money for a private? I don't want to have to spend the extra money if the small group is almost as good as a private. I saw a post about Eternal Tours with Johny and the people raved about him. I was told that most signtseeing in Rome is good to do on your own, but a guide is good for the Forum,the Vatican and St. Peters Basilica. What to you think? I was also going to hook up with a tour for Tivoli and Villa D'este any recommendations there? Thank you all for your time in energy. Oh one more question, when you have a guide is it pretty standard that you don't have to wait in lines? I want to try to avoid as many lines as possible.

You may have read about Johnny in my travel report (Familiar Sites-Fresh Reviews). He is with Through Eternity (www.througheternity.com), not Eternal Tours. I do recommend a private tour because there is so much to see, even if you just go to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's with a guide. We saw lots of other people with guides and those that had private guides were always engaged and actively listening and asking questions. With large groups it seemed that the 6-8 people around the guide got a lot out of it, but the other 20 were only half-listening, fanning themselves, or drifting off to look at something else. There is a huge difference in cost obviously. If you do go with a larger group, make sure you stick close to the guide! I know that Johnny does group tours as well and I would try to get him. Keep in mind that no guides are allowed to talk in the Sistine Chapel. Yes, there is a separate entrance for groups.

Thank you Lina for your reply. It is very helpful to get imput. If I hire a private guide what other sights would you recommend to see other than what I mentioned. How long does the Vatican & St. Peters Basilica take. I assume that tour is together. While we are very interested in the art & history we don't want to stay at the Vatican all day. What do you recommend. We have 4 1/2 days in Rome. Thanks for your help.

A "fact" of touring the Vatican: it is crowded! Yes, with a smaller group you will hear more of what your guide is saying, but no matter the size of your group, you will feel encroached upon. It takes approximately 2 hours to see the museum; if on a tour, 15 minutes allowed for the Sistine Chapel, and then St. Peter's. You could spend hours in St. Peter's! We took the Enjoy Rome Walking Tour. Our guide was excellent but the whole experience (3 hours) was somewhat disappointing because of the crowds and the heat. Remember, none of this is airconditioned! Good luck!

Sunnie: You are so lucky to have 4 1/2 days in Rome. We only had 2 days. Our tour of the Vatican, including St. Peter's, probably took 5 hours and we felt like we hardly scratched the surface. Johnny took us to St. Peter's first, then the Pinocoteca (picture gallery), briefly through the museums, and last to the Sistine chapel. I can't imagine spending LESS time there!

I'm probably not the best person to advise you on what else to see since my experience in Rome is limited, but you might want to browse on some of the tour websites (througheternity.com, scalareale.com, enjoyrome.com) to get ideas. We saw the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, and the Spanish steps on our own, which was sufficient. We definitely liked having a guide for the Forum & Colloseum. After the Vatican, we took a cab right to the Colloseum and spent a couple of hours there. Remember that you pay the guide for "walking time" too, so if you criss-cross the city, you will get less narrative. Good luck!

I forgot to mention that the crowds were not a problem for us in mid-July. St. Peter's was probably the most crowded but it wasn't uncomfortable by any means. There were hardly any people in some of the statuary halls and tapestry room. We were there on a Monday but I don't know if that mattered. It was 100 degrees when we were in Rome, which is why Johnny took us to the Vatican first (much cooler inside) and to the Colloseum/Forum in late afternoon.

sunnie,

Have visited Rome most recently last fall,with 4 visits to Italy to date, and feel that most of the tours / guides are a waste (except a Vatican Museum one sure helps beat the lines). There are walking maps on the web available for free, like one of those Rick Steves (or you can just print out a tour listing and use it yourself). Not big on his recommendations for eateries, but the man gets you the "sites" info! Getting around is very easy, but the crowds at The Vatican and Sistine Chapel are always huge. Vatican Museum has limited hours and Sunday mass at the Vatican will hopefully bring tears to your eyes. Plan those visits for half a day at least and start VERY early. You can easily see Trevi Fountains (best at dusk so you can see it in daylight and lit at night), the Forum ruins, Colosseum, Monumento Emanuelle, Spanish Steps in a day. BUT ... if this is your first time, save some precious time to just relax with some wine at a cafe on Via Veneto and absorb Rome. We are here to help.