Sam

Anyone aware of a 3-hour or so orientation tour of Rome that runs on Saturday afternoons and/or Sunday mornings? We're looking for a quick way to get familiar with the general layout of the city, on the weekend. Thanks in advance for your insight.

Beth

I may be starting to sound like a broken record, so I might stop replying to these questions Scala Reale offers a two hour orientation walking tour which comes with the registration fee. They go every morning. Not sure whether it would be worth it if you are not going to take any of their other tours. But check out www.scalareale.org if you are interested.

Richard

American Express offers good orientation tours via bus, ours started at the Spanish Steps.

Walter

IMO these orientation tours seem like a waste of time/money. Why just walk-by/drive-by sites you will visit later? If it's a walking tour are you going to return to say Trevi Fountain via the *exact* route the guide took or just use your map? And a bus tour will only take streets it can negotiate on. So in the end you'll still have to find the sites on your own with a street map. I've never gotten lost in Rome the streets are well marked. I would use my time/money to take a specfic tour (Colosseum/Forum/Palatine or Vatican etc). And to do my "broken record" advice, I would use a "Streetwise Rome" map and a "Blue Guide Rome" guidebook for the historical sites and museums. HTH Regards, Walter <BR> <BR> <BR>

Ed

I concur with Walter. The city bus tours only cover a portion of the city in each half day, are very expensive, and riding in a bus is not a good way to get oriented. Strongly supportive of Scala Reale's offerings, but the two hour tour is interesting and perhaps worthwhile, but won't 'orient' you. <BR> <BR>Why not do your own orientation? <BR> <BR>Take a look at the walking tours sketched out beginning at www.twenj.com/romesights.htm Do two or three or more of them and you'll know the city well, and you won't get lost in the process. <BR> <BR>Rome.Switzerland.Bavaria <BR>www.twenj.com