The 8 Best Rome Tours of 2021

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The Rundown

Best Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour – Buy Tickets at Viator "This is your “fast pass” to a special entrance to see some of Rome’s most amazing art and architecture."
Best Cooking Class: Small Group Pasta Making Class With a Local Chef – Buy Tickets at Viator "A chef explains Italian cooking in all its glory, while prosecco and appetizers are served to travelers."
Best Food Tour: Roman Food Tour – Buy Tickets at Viator "The three-hour tour includes a whopping 10 tastings in 10 stops."
Best Day Trip: Tuscany Countryside Day Trip From Rome – Buy Tickets at Viator "Take a break from the city and get out and explore famous rural regions near Rome."
Best Behind the Scenes: Ancient Rome and Colosseum Underground Tour – Buy Tickets at Viator "Visits parts of the Colosseum that are off limits to the public, like the chambers were wild animals were caged."
Best for Teens: Roman Gladiator School: Learn How to Become a Gladiator – Buy Tickets at Viator "After learning the techniques of the gladiator, travelers can join in an optional gladiator tournament."
Best Night Tour: Rome by Night With Pizza and Gelato Tour – Buy Tickets at Viator "In addition to the Pantheon, travelers will stroll through the lovely Piazza Navona."
Best Sightseeing: Rome Segway Tour – Buy Tickets at Viator "A fun twist on a classic sightseeing tour that doesn’t require a bus."

Best Skip the Line: Vatican Museums Walking Tour

Rome is full of iconic tours that many travelers want to experience, and as a result, many people end up spending most of their time waiting to get in. The two and a half-hour “Skip the Line Tour” of the Vatican, which includes St. Peter’s Basilica and the Sistine Chapel, is your “fast pass” to a special entrance to see some of Rome’s most amazing art and architecture. The guided tour explores the hall of tapestries, Gallery of the Maps and Raphael’s Rooms, as well as the Sistine Chapel to admire The Creation of Adam by Michelangelo. Explore St. Peter’s Basilica on a fully-guided Vatican walking tour (with headsets to clearly hear the guide) and see the famous La Pieta sculpture.

Best Cooking Class: Small Group Pasta Making Class With a Local Chef

Italy is famous for its fabulous cuisine and travelers can get a hands-on experience with the Small Group Pasta Making Class with a Local Chef. The intimate, 3.5-hour cooking class takes place in an airy loft in Rome and covers the basics of different types of pasta. While the chef explains Italian cooking, prosecco and appetizers are served to travelers. They’ll teach students how to make pasta from scratch and after the pasta is ready you can enjoy it on the outdoor terrace for wine and conversation as the chef answers questions about Italian cuisine. Viator members said that the small group size and casual atmosphere made it easy to get to know other travelers.

Best Food Tour: Roman Food Tour

If you’d like to mix sightseeing with plenty of dining, the Private Roman Food Tour is a great option. The three-hour tour includes a whopping 10 tastings in 10 stops—including classic Roman foods like suppli, a favorite street snack consisting of fried rice and tomato sauce. Foodies can try fresh fruits at the local market, an original Jewish ricotta pie in the Jewish district, Italian coffee at the most authentic coffee maker in Rome, chocolate, a Roman meat and cheese platter, and Sicilian pastries.

Best Day Trip: Tuscany Countryside Day Trip From Rome

If you’d like to take a break from the city and get out and explore famous regions near Rome, the Tuscany Countryside Day Trip is an excellent way to do so. The 12-hour tour begins with transportation from Rome in an air-conditioned coach through the dazzling Italian countryside to the Val d’Orcia region. From there, you'll take a walking tour around the medieval hill-town of Montepulciano where you'll visit Sant'Antimo Abbey and soak in views over the vineyards of Montalcino. Then, a three-course lunch is served at a Tuscan farm with regional wines, including the famous Brunello di Montalcino. After lunch, there's leisure time in Pienza, a UNESCO World Heritage Site before returning to Rome.

Best Behind the Scenes: Ancient Rome and Colosseum Underground Tour

If you’re the type of traveler who wants to explore in more depth, the Ancient Rome and Colosseum Underground Tour with VIP third tier access can help you do just that. The three-hour guided tour visits parts of the Colosseum that are off limits to the general public, like the underground chambers where wild animals were caged, passages used by gladiators before the games and even the arena floor—as the knowledgeable guides tell all about past battles that took place. From there, the tour heads to the Roman Forum to see the temples and learn about daily life in ancient times, politics and the religion of Imperial Rome.

Best for Teens: Roman Gladiator School: Learn How to Become a Gladiator

For a truly unique tour that’s especially good for teens and tweens, consider spending two hours at Gladiator School. This one-of-a-kind experience includes a hands-on lesson with instructors from the Historic Group of Rome. Participants will learn how to fight with authentic-style weapons while wearing traditional gladiator tunics and belts. After learning the techniques of the gladiator, travelers can join in an optional gladiator tournament and compete for a prize. All participants receive a certificate of accomplishment at the end of the experience. The gladiator instruction also includes entrance to the Gladiator School of Rome Museum to learn even more about life in Roman times.

Best Night Tour: Rome by Night With Pizza and Gelato Tour

Night owls looking for a casual and entertaining evening tour should consider the Rome by Night With Pizza and Gelato Tour. The four-hour, small-group tour is a great way to mingle and begins with a stop at a classic Roman restaurant for pizza, drinks and gelato, followed by a chance to see the ancient sites and monuments. In addition to the Pantheon, travelers will stroll through the lovely Piazza Navona, home to three fountains, including Bernini's famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers). During the day, the Trevi Fountain is crowded with people, but in the evening the crowds thin out and it becomes a pleasant place to unwind. The tour includes round-trip transportation in an eight-passenger minibus.

Best Sightseeing: Rome Segway Tour

For a fun twist on a classic sightseeing tour that doesn’t require a bus, consider the Rome Segway Tour. The guided, three-hour tour explores ancient Roman sites such as the Roman Forum and Circus Maximus—where chariot races were once held—and the Colosseum for photos and tales of gladiator battles. The small group experience (just eight people) begins near Piazza Venezia, where you’ll get a brief introduction to Segways before zipping off around the area— covering more ground than a walking tour. Groups also stop at the Church of Santa Maria to check out Bocca della Verità (the Mouth of Truth), a carved piece of marble made famous in the film, Roman Holiday.

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