I need to arrange a half day or less overview bus tour of Rome. My group will be visiting Rome for the first time and I want their 1st impression to be great! Help with names and costs, please.

Carrani is one company which does 1/2 day bus tours of Rome. I think they have a website. You should also check Rome websites for the names and contact information on other companies. Hope this helps.

Hello Kathy, <BR> <BR>Two companies which do tours are:- <BR>-Vastours <BR>-Appian Line <BR> <BR>See:- <BR> <BR>www.enjoyrome.com (link for Vastours), and <BR>www.appianline.it

We were very pleased with the four-hour American Express tours--we took one which included the Forum, Colosseum, etc. just to get an overview of the city and were so impressed with the (English-speaking) guide that we took the Vatican tour the nex day. The retired art history professor who was our Vatican guide was excellent. I think the cost in 1997 was about $35 a person.

Good afternoon, Kathy Rome tours are <BR>done by the many operators such as <BR>Appian, Carrani and American Express and <BR>others. Go into www.travelvantage.com/tours_rom_detail.htm. Lists the tours and etc for most of <BR>Rome, also realsize that some of these <BR>tours can be combined with operators if <BR>the number of people is small. Also it <BR>is very easy to get on a tour, see the <BR>concierge at your hotel, he will make <BR>arrangements and you will make payment <BR>to him. Pickups can be at the hotel or <BR>at a meeting place close by. Also can <BR>be booked from the American Express off <BR>ice at the bottom of the Spanish Steps. <BR>Have used a couple of them in the past <BR>just to make it easier to get to specific sites. Richard of LaGrange Park, Il...

We took the American Express Tour in 1999 and it was excellent. They have one in the moring and another one in the afternoon, price was around $40.00 per person. We were there only two days, diffently not long enough. Have a great trip.

Do you know of any private tour operators who will pick up at the cruise ship terminal in Civitevecchia (sp!). Group of 9. Is it worth itto pay for the ships tours, (expensive) or to try to find a legitimate operator and guide?

Thanks for all the great suggestions and websites to check. Sounds like I won't have trouble finding what I need. Grazie.<BR>

Lisa, I don't know what the cruise line wants to charge, but the private service I know of is also very expensive.<BR><BR>For a car/minibus with driver and guide the cost was quoted at about USD750 for the day for three people and about USD25 for each person over three.<BR><BR>How much does your cruise line want?