|
|
 |
Tourist Trap: Free Tours - Not a Tourist Trap!
|
Tip Rating:  |
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Many tourists in Rome are approached by someone offering them a free tour. The vast majority think it must be a scam and quickly run the other way. I know because I was a guide in Rome for 4 years and got rejected by many people. Here's the truth -these tours really are totally free. The reason they do it is that at the end they will give you a short spiel about the other (not free) tours that their company also offers. If you go then they will receive a commission. Many people also tip at the end of the free tour, but this is not compulsory.
There are two kind of tour guides in Rome, official and unofficial. In 95% of cases the unofficial guides give better tours. Why? 1. They speak English well; most of the official guides do not. 2. They have to make it interesting and entertaining if they want to sell the other tours, whereas the offical guides have no such incentive. 3. They are young and energetic, as opposed to many of the official guides who have been doing it for years and are totally burned out, repeating the same thing every day in a horrible monotone voice. I have come across a few official guides who were excellent, and I also know of a couple unofficial guides who have no business giving tours (never go on a tour with a South African named Grant), but by and large I believe my above statement holds true.
Leave a Comment
At Least Do This: I can't vouch for all the unofficial guides in Rome, but I can tell you that some of the best guides in Rome are unofficial, only because the system forces them to stay that way. The licence exam is supposed to be held once a year, but in the 4 years I was there it was never given. The official guides control the committee, and they don't want any more competition, so the exam just isn't offered. The guides I worked with have a company called Eternal City Tours, and I can guarantee they all give great tours. Paul, Mike, Gabriel - they are all students living in Rome who know what they're talking about and are passionate about the city.*
Now, who's who: The ones holding up antennas with hankerchiefs tied to them, leading groups of people around like cattle, are the official guides. The ones who offer you free tours are unofficial, while the ones who approach you while you're in line for the Colosseum are not guides at all. They are attractive English speakers, usually female, who work for boring Italian guides, telling you that if you pay 10 euro or whatever it is for their tour then you can skip the line and go straight in. But the pretty Swedish girl who sold you on the tour is not the guide; the guide is an Italian with a microphone who is bored to tears because he gives the same spiel six times a day then goes home. The only reason people go on these tours is to skip the queue, but what the Swedish girl won't tell you is that you can skip it on your own without the tour. The ticket to the Colosseum costs 10 euro and is a joint ticket that also gets you into the Palatine Hill - the ruins right next to the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. There's never a line at the Palatine, so just go there, buy your ticket, then go back down to the Colosseum, skip the queue and go directly to the turnstiles.
And if you get offered a free tour anywhere in Rome I recommend you go. It won't cost you anything and you're bound to learn something.
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Visiting Rome? Read reviews about Rome Hotels Real Reviews from Real VirtualTourist Members.
|
Join a Discussion 10 year old girl in Rome in August...What side trips? What to do in Rome?
(5 replies, Sunday, Jul 5, 2009, 9:59 PM UTC) gate in the Aurelian Wall?
(10 replies, Friday, Jul 3, 2009, 10:33 PM UTC) I have photos of places in Italy from 1968
(5 replies, Friday, Jul 3, 2009, 11:50 AM UTC) Be the first to reply to these questions Rome for a day with disabled person...
(no replies yet, Monday, Jul 6, 2009, 12:40 PM UTC) Roman Candle Tour company in Rome
(no replies yet, Friday, Jun 5, 2009, 11:26 PM UTC) Rome during Champions league final
(no replies yet, Saturday, May 23, 2009, 1:57 PM UTC) » All Rome Posts
» Ask about Rome
- 207 Comfort Inn Hotel Rome
Viale Giulio Cesare 207, Rome
- Montecarlo
Via Palestro 17A, Rome
- Hotel Sweet Home
Via Principe Amedeo 47, Rome
- Betania
Via Giuseppe Rosso 5, Rome
- Accomodation Bed in Rome
Via Prati della Farnesina 57, Rome
- Sunrise Hotel
Via Cilento 3 Montesacro, Rome
- Ferrari
Via Giovanni Amendola 95, Rome
- Intercontinental Rome
Via Sistina 67 - 69, Rome
- Hotel Prati
Via Crescenzio, 89 New Management, Rome
- A Roman Holiday
Via Filippo Nicolai 90, Rome
- Sant'Anselmo
Piazza S Anselmo 2, Rome
- Castello Orsini Hotel
Via Aldo Bigelli Nerola, Rome
- Virginia Hotel
Via Montebello 94, Rome
- Freestyle Hostel
Via Del Tritone 132, Rome
- Corona
Via Napoli 3, Rome
|
 Comments for jungles about Rome | | | | |
jkl1111 Thu May 7, 2009 18:33 UTC
I went in 2005 after attending a wedding in Siena. I also loved the Risotto alla Pescatora! As my friend & I were enjoying our limoncello, the bride's parents walked up the street! They were on their way to their "favorite restaurant in Rome," Tony's. | cpiers47 Tue Jan 15, 2008 16:39 UTC
Fantastic Tips on the Forum - thanks so much for the clear explanations. I'm going to take them when me when I head back to Rome in the spring and look forward to finally "understanding" that part of the city! Grazie Mille. | marielexoteria Mon Oct 8, 2007 11:42 UTC
Thank you for these tips. | Pabro Fri Mar 9, 2007 10:06 UTC
These are excellent pages on Rome, accompanied by superb historical details. The photos here brought fond memories of my visit there a year ago. |
|
|
email me
add as friend
on May 28, 2006
