VIP Best of Rome in 1 Day Guided Sightseeing Tour in English
Description
With a maximum of eight passengers, this shared shore excursion is a great way to see Rome like a VIP and save money at the same time. Pick-up and drop-off at the ship. Get the most out of your touring day with our professional and fun English-speaking drivers.
Tour Options
Itinerary
This VIP Shared Shore Excursion to Rome features an dockside pick-up and drop-off, a professional English-speaking driver, and a maximum of 8 passengers. After an 80-minute drive from the pier, you'll begin your tour of The Eternal City.
Two thousand years of fascinating history come alive at Colosseum, the Ancient Roman arena where the Gladiator fights took place. The Colosseum is an amazing feat of engineering and a testimony to the engineering brilliance of Ancient Rome.
The Arch of Constantine is one of several triumphal arches of Ancient Rome, sitting on the plaza just outside the Colosseum. Its location was significant in ancient times, linking the area of the Roman Forum to the major entertainment and public bathing complexes of central Rome.
The Circus Maximus was the largest stadium in ancient Rome, famous for chariot races (remember the movie "Ben Hur"?) An elongated, elliptical track with a central island, Circus Maximus could seat 250,000 people, one-quarter of Rome's population in ancient times.
Archaeological findings show that the Palatine Hill was inhabited as far back as the tenth century BC, but it's glory days were at the time of the Roman Empire, when this was basically the Beverly Hills of Rome. Roman nobility had their homes here, including the Emperor, who could watch the chariot races from his palace.
The Capitoline Hill is the smallest and most important of the seven hills of Ancient Rome. As the political and religious heart of Rome, the Capitoline Hill became a symbol of Rome's reign as Caput Mundi, capital of the world. Today, we can appreciate the elegant piazza designed by Michelangelo during the Renaissance. From the back side of the hill, you can enjoy an incredible view of the Roman Forum.
Officially known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II, the enormous white marble monument that dominates Piazza Venezia was built as a tribute to the first king of a united Italy, Victor Emmanuel II.
Built more than 1800 years ago, the magnificent Pantheon still stands as a reminder of the great Roman Empire. The name Pantheon refers to the building's original function as a temple to all the gods. The structure is famous for its handsome coffered dome, an amazing and mystifying work of architecture and engineering, with a gigantic oculus in the center. KINDLY NOTE: Viewing the Pantheon from the exterior is free. As of July 2023, a ticket is required to visit the interior. The ticket costs 10 euros per person. If you'd like to go inside the Pantheon, please request that we make a reservation for you.
Believe it or not, Trevi Fountain is still fed by an ancient aqueduct -- the Aqua Virgo, constructed in 19 BC. The elaborate Baroque fountain by Bernini, a masterpiece of mythical figures in travertine, is the most recognizable fountain in the world.
St. Peter's Basilica sits across the Tiber River from the historic centre of Rome. The location is highly symbolic; this was the site where Saint Peter died a martyr and where he was buried in 64 AD. The massive church, with its beautiful dome designed by Michelangelo, houses many works of art, including Michelangelo's most famous Pietà. At this stop, you will have time to view the church and piazza from the exterior; we will not enter the basilica.
The verdant Janiculum Hill is dotted by monuments to Garibaldi and his makeshift army, who fought fierce battles in the struggle for Italian unification on this spot in 1849. The Italian hero is commemorated with a massive monument in Piazzale Giuseppe Garibaldi, while his Brazilian-born wife, Anita, has her own monument about 200m away in Piazzale Anita Garibaldi. Anita died from malaria, together with their unborn child, shortly after the siege.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up is dockside. Do not take a shuttle. Your driver will be waiting for you on the pier, holding a sign with your name on it. Please be ready 10 minutes before departure time. Pickup time is usually between 7:30 AM and 8:00 AM, please contact the supplier for to confirm the exact time.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- As you're driving around, our drivers will share facts and history of the places and monuments to be visited. Note that drivers in Italy are not permitted to share information once you have exited the vehicle, nor can they accompany you on foot.
- This is a shared service with minimum participation required for the tour to run. There is the possibility of cancellation after confirmation if we don't have minimum numbers. In this case, you will be offered an alternative or full refund.
- This is a shared tour and you will be expected to maintain the pace of the group. If you have limited mobility, we suggest booking a private tour.
- The order of the sights may change due to traffic, road conditions, etc.
- Being a shared tour, it's important to respect the time allotted at each stop by your driver. We kindly ask that you return to the vehicle at the appointed time so that we can stay on schedule.
- Children 0-5 years old must seat properly inside the vehicle. Please specify this detail if you have a child in the group so we can provide for a car seat.
Reviews(50)
I can not speak highly enough about Luccio and this experience! We were met at the dockside beside our cruise ship and Luccio brought us to the most amazing viewpoints around Rome. He was able to park right beside all the main attractions that we wanted to visit (the Colosseum, the Forum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, the Vatican, the Pantheon and he also brought us to other places that we had never even heard of before) and gave us time to go and look around, meeting us at the car with iced water and air conditioning, which was worth it's weight in gold in 40 degree heat! He was extremely professional and knew every little side street around Rome. He also brought us to a lovely, family-run Italian restaurant for lunch, away from all the other tourists... delicious! I really, really appreciated everything you did for us Luccio, thank you so much! It was a pleasure and a privilege to be shown around your hometown with you.
Fabio was an exceptional tour guide whose passion for Rome and its history was unparalleled He made our trip so interesting and the whole family loved every moment- managing to see many of the historic places in Rome in only a few hours leaving from Civitavecchia from cruise ship Highly recommended Fabio and his company
Perfect with a small bus and we were only 4 people. Knew a lot about Rome
This was amazing! We got to see all of the things! Loretta our driver was incredible and very knowledgable! The pickup and drop off was very easy
Thank you for your wonderful review! We're delighted to hear that you had an amazing experience and were able to see all the highlights of your tour. It's especially rewarding to know that Loretta made your journey even more enjoyable with her knowledge and excellent service. We're also glad that the pickup and drop-off process was smooth and convenient. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we truly appreciate you taking the time to share your experience. We hope to welcome you again on your next visit to Italy!
With Rome’s distance from the port, this small group tour is the way to go! We really enjoyed our day with Federico! He was an excellent driver, showing us “alternate routes” (hee-hee) to many places. He was very knowledgeable about all the sites and Rome’s history without overwhelming us with too many facts and details. His recommendation for lunch was fabulous! We highly recommend taking this tour; we are definitely glad we did!
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable day exploring Rome with Federico. It's great to know that his knowledge, friendly approach, and recommendations—especially for lunch—helped make your experience so memorable. We'll be sure to share your kind words with Federico. We know he'll be thrilled to hear that his efforts made such a positive impact on your visit. Thank you for choosing DriverInRome and for recommending our tour. We hope to welcome you back on another adventure in Italy in the future!
Great personalize Rome visit with excellent service and guide, Matt. Our entire party had a great day and were able to see all the major sights. We also enjoyed the air-conditioned bus and lunch and gelato arrangements. We will use this company for any of our future trips to the area.
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are delighted to hear that you and your entire party had such an enjoyable day exploring Rome with Matt. It's great to know that the personalized service, comfortable transportation, and lunch and gelato arrangements all contributed to a memorable experience. Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we will be sure to share your compliments with Matt. We truly appreciate your trust in DriverInRome and look forward to welcoming you back for future trips to Italy.
Matt was knowledgeable, personal, and all around great tour driver. He made our visit to Rome memorable and we can’t wait to come back. Thank you Matt!!!
Thank you so much for your kind words and for sharing your experience with DriverInRome. We’re delighted to hear that Matt made your visit to Rome so memorable. His knowledge of the city and personal approach are exactly what we strive to deliver to every guest. It means a lot to know you enjoyed your tour and are already looking forward to coming back. We truly appreciate your recommendation and hope to welcome you again on your next trip to Rome!
Matt was our tour guide/driver and made this a truly memorable experience for us! Loved every minute of the day!
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re really glad to hear that Matt helped make your day such a memorable one and that you enjoyed every part of the tour. At DriverInRome, we always aim to provide smooth, enjoyable experiences, and it’s great to know we delivered that for you. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Matt—he’ll really appreciate it. We hope to welcome you again on another tour in the future!
Experience could have been better. Our driver/guide did not offer any history information and/or didn’t communicate about a location/site until we were practically past it. Didn’t realize we missed a few things around the coliseum until we had left because he wasn’t forthcoming with information. Where he took us for lunch was amazing. Then we were only supposed to be at St. Paul’s cathedral for an hour, he said 2 hours. We didn’t want to wait 2 hours as we just wanted a pic outside, had no interest in going in, but the other group with us did. So, we took and paid for a taxi to take us back to port. Next time we do a tour like this, we will do it with just our group. We spent more time today waiting for the other people in our van than we were at some sites. For what we paid, should have been more accommodating for both groups. This was supposed to be a highlights tour, not a detailed tour of sites.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We would like to clarify that the service you booked was a Shared Small Group Tour, which follows a fixed itinerary and schedule designed to accommodate all guests in the group. For this reason, the route, stops, and timing cannot be customized according to one individual traveler’s preferences. As described in the service details, our English-speaking driver provides live commentary onboard during transit between stops. While the driver is not a licensed walking guide and therefore cannot accompany guests on foot at each site, they do provide clear instructions and orientation before guests explore independently. Regarding the stop at St. Peter’s Basilica, the timing at each location may vary slightly depending on traffic, group pace, and operational conditions on the day. Since this was a shared experience, the schedule also needed to accommodate the interests of all participants in the vehicle. We understand that shared tours may not be ideal for travelers seeking a more personalized pace or the flexibility to skip certain stops. In that case, a private tour would indeed be the more suitable option, as it allows full customization of the itinerary and timing based solely on your group’s preferences. We appreciate your feedback and are glad to hear you enjoyed the lunch stop. Your comments are valuable and help us continue improving our service.
Great day with Ricardo. He made sure we got to see all of the highlights. Due to passenger van we could get so much closer than in a bus so less walking to the sites. He was knowledgeable and entertaining.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We’re glad to hear you had a great day with Ricardo and that he was able to make the tour both informative and entertaining while ensuring you saw all the highlights. It’s also great to know the passenger van made it more comfortable and allowed you to get closer to the sites with less walking. We truly appreciate your kind words and support for DriverInRome, and we hope to welcome you again on another journey in the future!
