"Free" walking tours in Rome

[cruzgryphon]

I did a search and couldn't find anything about this so my apologies ahead of time if it has already been addressed.

I've seen references to "Free" walking tours in Rome. Does anyone have any experience with any? Are there particular websites to go to to find them? If anyone has been on one - how big was it?

I'd appreciate any information on this topic.

TIA

[wheezedr]

I did a search and couldn't find anything about this so my apologies ahead of time if it has already been addressed.

I've seen references to "Free" walking tours in Rome. Does anyone have any experience with any? Are there particular websites to go to to find them? If anyone has been on one - how big was it?

I'd appreciate any information on this topic.

TIA

Have never done this in Rome but have done them in variety of other European cities . Generally pretty good, worst actually in London where guide tried to cover to much. Have used Sandemans in multiple cities but they do not offer Rome so cannot comment on the Rome company

[euro cruiser]

Very few things in life are free.

 

In general a tour without a set fee is either an opportunity to sell you something (a tour that isn't free, blown glass trinkets in Venice, etc.) or it's an "if I build it they will come" expectation of a tip.

 

I don't know about the regulations elsewhere but in Italy a licensed guide cannot give their services away free, if they do they risk their license. Therefore, if a licensed guide is offering a free tour they are being paid by someone for something (to sell you another tour, for example) and therefore do not need a tip.

[roothy123]

I've been researching Rome. I read (somewhere, forget where - maybe Rick Steves, in his online "Updates" section?) that free walking tours are no longer offered. Perhaps an alternative would be to get a book like the "DK Eyewitness" guide on Rome. The Rome book has walking tours plotted out, each with a map, plus a little bit of narrative on each sight covered in the tour. I've copied a couple pages for myself. Of course, there may also be a Kindle version of the book if you prefer electronic guides & maps. While I love Rick Steves' books, I also love DK books - comprehensive city maps, street finder, lots of pictures, book organized mostly by area of city, etc.

[Host Bonjour]

I've been researching Rome. I read (somewhere, forget where - maybe Rick Steves, in his online "Updates" section?) that free walking tours are no longer offered. Perhaps an alternative would be to get a book like the "DK Eyewitness" guide on Rome. The Rome book has walking tours plotted out, each with a map, plus a little bit of narrative on each sight covered in the tour. I've copied a couple pages for myself. Of course, there may also be a Kindle version of the book if you prefer electronic guides & maps. While I love Rick Steves' books, I also love DK books - comprehensive city maps, street finder, lots of pictures, book organized mostly by area of city, etc.

 

I’ve used the DK guides, they’re spectacular because they’re in color, magazine-like pages (thus a bit heavy for carrying along on the trip) with great photos, diagrams etc and cover more of the past/present detail. They’re very organized and so they make it quite possible to plan out your own DIY tour based on your own time and interests.

 

You can always patch together a list of places here for a possible walking tour, whether it’s 1-2 or 3 days and get feedback on whether or not it’s too ambitious or doable based on the pace you’d like to take etc.

 

I did my own walking this way by spiltting Rome into sections and then essentially covering each area on foot each day which worked quite well except for the Vatican - I didn’t get past the style committee (Austrians in lederhosen were turned away too :eek:) and refused to return another day as it would have been off my itinerary. It was enough to be in St Peters Square.

 

Best part of going it on your own is being able to stop and go anytime you like for food/drink, photos, read about what’s in front of you or skip something or go back to something, linger....flexibility! I dilly-dallied in The Forum, never expected to be so captivated by it; likewise the Pantheon - think I freeloaded or eavesdropped on some descriptions whilst inside and then just sort of marveled for however long it was, made pictures.

 

Even Palazzo Venezia is am imposing structure- it’s not so easy to photograph really because there’s not really a great, safe place to stand but it’s so recognizable from films and so I unexpectedly lingered there a bit. All of these places grabbed me more than the Coliseum - neat but I was....”oh - it’s smaller than I thought” and I felt wrong to think that because, wow, quite a feat to build it!

 

Anyway, I guess what I’m saying is, sometimes we get surprised by what excites us and what’s less exciting (?) so it’s often great to have the freedom to do it yourself and be open to whatever happens, the wonderful surprises.

 

Have a lovely time in Rome...whatever you decide, it will absolutely be lovely!! :cool:

[Divi]

Thanks Host Bonjour/Colleen. Very helpful and a thoughtful.

[cruzgryphon]

Thanks for all the feedback everyone - appreciate it.