Rome in Limo is booked for Messina who else can I try? Do I still boom for just Rome?

[DD99]

Was trying to get a deal for doing both Rome and Messina? However only Rome is available. Should I try booking both with another company? Who else can I try?

[phillygirl63]

I would highly recommend Your Tour In Italy. They were fantastic!

[Softball20]

We've used Sicily Life twice in Messina and had very good experiences with them both times. We're using them again in October for Palermo.

[wantocruisemore]

You don't have to use the same company for Rome and Messina. We didn't. We used Mario Astone for Messina/Taormina/Castelmola and the ones in our group going to Mt. Etna used Etna Experience.

 

For Rome, including transfers, used Rome in Limo. Could not have been more pleased.

[jenearly]

We were on a Rome In Limo tour with Vinnie last week. He did a great job! I would absolutely recommend that you use them.

[lalique]

You don't have to use the same company for Rome and Messina. We didn't. We used Mario Astone for Messina/Taormina/Castelmola and the ones in our group going to Mt. Etna used Etna Experience.

 

For Rome, including transfers, used Rome in Limo. Could not have been more pleased.

How was your tour with Mario ? Did your tour Taormina with him? Have contacted him and am trying to make a decision on who to use for this port. Thanks for your help with this.

[wantocruisemore]

How was your tour with Mario ? Did your tour Taormina with him? Have contacted him and am trying to make a decision on who to use for this port. Thanks for your help with this.

 

 

I was one of 5 family members on the tour with Mario. We could not have been more pleased. I had asked him to reverse the order of his tour so we could see the noon display at the clock tower in Messina and also see a little more around Messina. He did that, no problems. We had lunch at a great place he recommended in Castelmola and some time to look around. Then we headed on to Taormina and he walked us in, pointed where everything was and then set a time and place to meet us. Afterward he showed us some spectacular views. He provided cold drinks and pastries and was a perfect host. He was also very good with my disabled daughter and had even made her gluten-free pasta ahead of time (but the guy who cleaned the van on his way to pick us up had thrown it away since it looked off-color and bad).

 

I also saw first hand how he went out of his way to try to make sure all those who had booked through him were taken care of by either his brother or someone else.

 

We are playing with the idea of going back to Sicily for a land tour next summer. If we do, we're definitely contacting Mario.

[SuiteTraveler]

Was trying to get a deal for doing both Rome and Messina? However only Rome is available. Should I try booking both with another company? Who else can I try?

 

I've done several tours of Rome. IMO, the walking tour we did with througheternity.com was the absolute best. We saw more of Rome in that day than on any other tour we have taken - we took the train in from Civitavecchia (9 Euros) and were met at the station by our guide - and it was also much, much cheaper - about 50 Euros per person plus tip for a group of 8, plus 20 Euros for a sit down lunch with wine. We saw ALL of the major sites and our guide really helped us to maximize our time in Rome so that we got around the city quickly and efficiently and saw as much as possible in one day. AND our guide knew a ton about all the sights we visited and filled us in on the history and local stories about the locations. She was terrific!

 

I did romeinlimo the next year. They drove us around and dropped us at the various sights without any explanation. I also felt that we missed a lot by not walking between sights.

[hubofhockey]

I've done several tours of Rome. IMO, the walking tour we did with througheternity.com was the absolute best. We saw more of Rome in that day than on any other tour we have taken - we took the train in from Civitavecchia (9 Euros) and were met at the station by our guide - and it was also much, much cheaper - about 50 Euros per person plus tip for a group of 8, plus 20 Euros for a sit down lunch with wine. We saw ALL of the major sites and our guide really helped us to maximize our time in Rome so that we got around the city quickly and efficiently and saw as much as possible in one day. AND our guide knew a ton about all the sights we visited and filled us in on the history and local stories about the locations. She was terrific!

 

I did romeinlimo the next year. They drove us around and dropped us at the various sights without any explanation. I also felt that we missed a lot by not walking between sights.

 

I agree with you on walking tours. They are so much better than driver guide tours. Of course, the key reason is that you are dealing with professional licensed guides who walk with you as opposed to chauffeurs who drop you off. The driver guide / chauffeur companies do provide transportation services and that works for so many people. You just should be aware of what you are buying. For Mount Etna and Taormina, you really need transportation and the driver guide strategy works. Mario Astone provides a good service. It's a service more than a tour.

[lalique]

Has anyone used Roberto Mirabile from Taxi Taormina for pickup at port to go to Castemola and then to Taormina? Excellent reviews on trip advisor but have not found anything on him on cruise critic.

[DD99]

What other companies have people tried and liked or disliked? Rome in Limo is booked and appears to be very pricey in Messina.

 

Looking to go to Mt Etna and Taormina.

 

Leaving in a month, I am so behind!

[DD99]

Does one exist? All I can find on this boards RIL. Just curious if there are others available that people may have liked and possible cheaper. I just sent an mail to RIL to see if available?

[debra1234]

Here is a repeat of my Messina tour review. HOpe this helps.

 

 

In July, myself, husband and 12 year old son did a tour of TAORMINA & CASTELMOLA & Mt. Etna with Mario Astone tours : marioastone@tiscali.it. He picked us up right at the boat dock with a big sign with our names on it. We opted to have two other couples join us on the tour. It saved us a bit of money and let us meet a some other people from our boat.

 

We had a great time. We headed to Mt. Etna at the start of the day and we got to see some scenic views of the island along the way. Mt. Etna was huge. We went to the site of one of the latest eruptions and saw huge hills of volcanic rock that the kids climbed all around. It was very windy and cool up on the mountain so be sure to dress well.

 

Afterwards we went to the small village of Taormina. The greek theatre was breath-taking and well worth the admission price. We ate at some small restaurants that were recommended, with a great view of the city. We made it back to Messina with an hour to look around the city and see the clock, scenic look-outs and churches. It was a full day of fun and I would recommend it to anyone looking to discover sicily.

[agabbymama]

You should have found some on RomeCabs too. I think those are the two main ones I see a lot of info on.

 

We used RomeCabs for our transfer from Rome hotel to the pier in Civitavecchia. We shared with two other couples, so there were 6 of us for 180 EURO. Making the cost pp of 30 EURO. They picked us up at 3 different hotels, even called in the morning to confirm our pick-up time and actually arrived about 10 minutes early. Very nice Mercedes van, driver spoke English and handled all our luggage in the pouring rain, after seating us in the van out of the rain. Very pleased with the service.

 

I think you will find that most are in the same price range.

[maryann ns]

I have used driverinrome several times and others have occasionaly posted about them too. They are excellent - good vehicles, driver/guides spoke English, and Remo the owner, Daniele his son, and Roberto have great personalities.

[jimd909]

Have you tried wheninrometours.com ?

[Softball20]

We have used Romecabs.com a few times for airport transportation as well as their other company, stefanorometours.com for a post cruise tour. We've been very pleased with their services. We also used Tourofitaly.com last year for our day in Naples, and did Pompeii, Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast with them. Awesome day! The dad, Giancarlo, is a hoot - and really made for a fun day. In Sicily, we have used Sicilylife.com - again, both times they've been great to work with and we've really enjoyed the tours we did with them. We are using both Rome Cabs and Sicily Life again next month.

[Softball20]

We have used Sicily Life tours twice, and we've been very happy with them. Both times we went to Taormina. On the first trip we went first to Castlemola, which is beautiful, and on the second trip we did their "Godfather" tour of the villages in which the movie was filmed before going on to Taormina. We opted to skip Castlemola that time as we wanted to spend more time in Taormina. We have not done Mt. Etna.

 

They have been very easy to deal with and always responded promptly to my emails, etc. We are using them again next month in Palermo.

[powell]

We also used Mario. He was very helpful, bought pastries for us and was the best guide that we used. He took us around Castelmola and in Taormina, he explained where we should go and what we should see. Would highly recommend him

[Jeka3]

He's not a tour guide. This is the updated list of all the licensed tour guides based in Sicily. You are not in list you are not a licensed tour guide. http://pti.regione.sicilia.it/portal/page/portal/PIR_PORTALE/PIR_LaNuovaStrutturaRegionale/PIR_TurismoSportSpettacolo/PIR_Turismo/PIR_Provvedimenti/ALBO_GUIDE_TURISTICHE_AGGIORNATO_AL_3.2.2011.xls

[wantocruisemore]

He's not a tour guide. This is the updated list of all the licensed tour guides based in Sicily. You are not in list you are not a licensed tour guide. http://pti.regione.sicilia.it/portal/page/portal/PIR_PORTALE/PIR_LaNuovaStrutturaRegionale/PIR_TurismoSportSpettacolo/PIR_Turismo/PIR_Provvedimenti/ALBO_GUIDE_TURISTICHE_AGGIORNATO_AL_3.2.2011.xls

 

Mario has never said he was a licensed tour guide. He is licensed as a taxi driver and like all the other companies that just provide a driver.

 

I think a lot of people confuse a driver with a licensed guide.

[hubofhockey]

Mario has never said he was a licensed tour guide. He is licensed as a taxi driver and like all the other companies that just provide a driver.

 

I think a lot of people confuse a driver with a licensed guide.

 

Mario Astone will supply his chauffeur license number, his insurance certificate information and VAT certificate to any customer who asks. Jeka and another character on tripadvisor seem to be dogging Mr. Astone on the internet. Of course, none of these companies that do "tours" for four for €300 to €320 for a day at Mount Etna and Taormina are going to supply licensed guides. Neither will Rome in Limo or the others.

[DD99]

Anyone ever use his brother? Mario isnt available?