Should I book guided tours for Italy in advance?
 

My family (husband & 2 teen boys) is planning a trip to Italy in July. I would like to take a guided, English speaking tour of the Vatican Museum, Colosseum/Forum/Palantine and Pompeii. Should I book these before our trip or are there options once we arrive? I have found 2.5 hour tours for the Vatican and Ancient Rome for about $250 USD each (for 4 adults, entry fees & guide). I found a half day Pompeii tour for for $340 USD, again 4 adults, entry fees & guide. Is this too pricey and should I book in advance?

The Vatican and Forum tours sound a bit pricey to me.

Have you tried the Vatican's website? I think you can reserve there for a less expensive guided tour.

We are going in June and booking certain tours in advance. We wanted to see the dungeons and third tier of the colosseum, which I've heard fills up fast, so we booked that. We are also doing a tour in Bologna that we wanted to book in advance in case there was limited availability and I'm in the process of trying to book the Vatican Necropolis, which definitely needs to be booked in advance. In general, I want to have all of our tours booked so that we don't have to worry about finding them there. It's much easier to research and book at home for me.

I think the price for the Vatican and Ancient Rome seem reasonable, but you might be able to find them cheaper if you were concerned. I think the Pompeii tour sounds expensive, but if it's a tour that departs from Rome, then it might not be.

Where did you book the colosseum tour? I have read on this forum and in some guidebooks that folks have enjoyed being off the beaten track in Pompeii. i.e. No guide.

The tours that I am looking at for both the Vatican and Ancient Rome is through Via Tours. The Pompeii tour is not from Rome, we will be in Sorrento. No transportation is included.

I have gone through Pompeii both with a guide and without and truly enjoyed the experience more with a guide. This will be my husband's and sons' first time to Pompeii and they are history buffs. I think they would really appreciate a guided tour more. I have heard that there are guides available in the entrance area of Pompeii. I just wasn't sure if that was true and how great the tour would be.

I appreciate your thoughts and comments.

Thanks Liz. I'll look at Via Tours.

WindsurfingGail, I am sorry I had the wrong tour site. The tour info came from viator.com.