ITALY - Best of Europe 2014 - page 911

€15/day, discount with this topic, best to reserve in advance via email; bike tours: start at
€35, reservations required; daily 10:00-19:00, leave ID for deposit, from Santa Maria Mag-
gioregoupViadell'Olmata andturnleftattheendoftheblock,ViadeiQuattroCantoni40,
tel. [phone], www.topbikerental.com , [e-mail] ) .
Cool Rent, near the Colosseo Metro stop, is cheaper but less helpful (€3/hour, €10/day,
3-person bike cart €10/hour, daily 9:30-20:00, driver's license or other ID for deposit, 10
yards to the right as you exit the Metro). A second outlet is just off Via del Corso (on Largo
di Lombardi, near corner of Via del Corso and Via della Croce, mobile [phone], Sas-
in).
Tours in Rome
To sightsee on your own, download my series of free audio tours that illuminate some of
Rome's top sights and neighborhoods: the Colosseum, Roman Forum, St. Peter's Basilica,
Sistine Chapel, Trastevere, Jewish Ghetto, andOstia Antica (seesidebar on here fordetails).
Walking Tours
FindingthebestguidedtoursinRomeischallenging.Localguidesaregoodbutpricey.Tour
companies are cheaper, but quality and organization are unreliable.
If you do hire a private Italian guide, consider organizing a group of four to six people
from your hotel to split the cost (€180 for a half-day tour); this ends up costing about the
same per person as going on a scheduled tour from one of the walking-tour companies listed
below (about €25, generally expat guides).
Local Guides
I've worked with each of these licensed independent local guides. They're worth every
euro. They speak excellent English and enjoy tailoring tours to your interests. Their prices
(roughly €50/hour) flex with the day, season, and demand. Arrange your date and price by
email.
Francesca Caruso loves to teach and share her appreciation of her city, and has con-
tributed generously to this chapter ( [e-mail] ). Popular with my readers,
Francesca understandably books up quickly; if she's busy, she'll recommend one of her
colleagues. Carla Zaia is an engaging expert on all things Roman (mobile [phone],
[e-mail] ). Cristina Giannicchi has an archaeology background (mobile
338-111-4573, www.crisacross.com , [e-mail] ). Sara Magister is a Ro-
man with a doctorate in art history and author of a book on Renaissance Rome (mobile
339-379-3813, [e-mail] ). Giovanna Terzulli is a personable, knowledgeable art
historian ( [e-mail] ). Alessandra Mazzoccoli is experienced, easygoing, and good