Francesca R.

Highly recommend a personal guide. She was fantastic. Francesca (guide) was the very best. She was knowledgeable and helpful, Reminding us near every restroom. She excited me about Roman history and I was astounded by the beauty of it all. It can get warm due to crowds and time of year. It also takes a little longer and doesn’t often have seating which could be difficult for the aged or infirm.

After a few "hiccups" (on my part before our meet-!) up at our hotel, a very pleasant tour guide and private car was waiting for us without any "worries". Francesca was / is very knowledgeable with the Vatican, very conversational (without being over-whelming to spend time), attentive, courteous, and pointed out all the places of interest. She knows how to follow the "priority" lines into Vatican City, and when our family wanted to take a little bit more time at a specific area of interest during our tour, it was never a problem. Her professional background working as an archeologist during Roman excavation is an asset to "tourists". We thank you! The Coates Family - Florida - USA

This tour was spectacular! Words cannot describe the sights you will see throughout this tour. But the sights are just one part. Having a guide that is so passionate and knowledgeable about it all makes it an experience that stays with you. Francesca, our guide, was absolutely amazing. She made this tour very special for us with her deep knowledge of the history here and in the details and stories she shared to make this tour come to life! Highly recommend this to anyone who wants to not only see the sights, but also connect with the stories behind them!

We had a fabulous tour of the Vatican led by a true historian and expert, Francesca. She was super knowledgeable and professional. 5 stars!

What a wonderful experience with our guide Francesca! She was so informative and knowledgeable! Thank you!

Anything that gets you in the Vatican faster is the way to go, and this tour does. On top of that, Francesca was a fantastic guide. The Sistine Chapel was still closed after the conclave, but everything else was open. Highly recommend.

Francesca was absolutely my favorite. She was more than a guy that day. She was my friend. She was also my photographer over and over again without me even asking. A very catering experience and a very intimate extremely educational experience.

Francesca R. was wonderful! Her knowledge of Michelangelo and the Renaissance era was captivating. I could listen to her speak for many more hours. Worth the money for the extra attention to detail.

We had a Private Walking Tour but it did not include the Accademia. Francesca R met us at our hotel precisely at the planned time and shared she was a native Florentine. This gives her an advantage which we always appreciate in our selection of private guides. Her knowledge about the architecture, art, history and culture of the city is impressive. But what's even more impressive is her ability to "weave the story." She explains the sights not as discrete elements but as part of a larger, richer story of the city. She even allowed my constant interruptions to ask her to expound on specific elements and how they fit. In our experience with private guides, this is unusual and highly appreciated. We enjoyed our stop for coffee and pastries at her favorite cafe and she even extended the time of our tour to ensure we saw elements about which she was Florentine-proud (my words). When you consider a private guide in Florence, request Francesca.

Francesca was absolutely amazing. She was extremely knowledgeable of the Vatican and Roman history. Everything about our experience was first class. From the moment we were picked up at our hotel until the tour ended, everything was perfect. We highly recommend this private Vatican tour. It exceeded our expectations.

Francesca!!! Our tour guide was one in a million. I don’t even like history and she made this whole experience interesting from start to finish. She was so very kind and I felt like I have known her my whole life. Your tour guide could definitely make this experience bad if they are not very good! We are SO happy we got Francesca! What a trip to see the Vatican!

Francesca was amazing and very knowledgeable about everything we asked and more. She was also very nice and professional!!

What an amazing time today. Thank you to our wonderful tour guide Francesca who made the day unforgettable! Highly recommend this your with the private guide.

We had an amazing tour with Francesca. I would recommend her and this tour to anyone. Her knowledge of the Vatican sites and the pace of the tour was great. We would have never gotten this much out of it without her. Thank you

Francesca was the most wonderful guide for our multigenerational family! She kept my kids engaged and interested the entire time.

Excellent private tour of the Vatican with our guide Francesca!! The Vatican now restricts total visitor numbers so it is absolutely essential to book your visit ahead of time, especially during peak season where people without tickets are seen queuing for hours. This private early bird tour was a perfect way to guarantee entry without having to organise your own tickets, as well as be guided through the very confusing entrance and security lines, and then the museums themselves. We booked the hotel pickup option where the driver dropped us directly in front of the main entrance with our guide - I would highly recommend this optional paid extra as the streets and footpaths outside the Vatican are very chaotic with confused tourists! Francesca was extremely knowledgable and informative, spoke excellent English, and tailored the tour well to suit the interests of everyone in our family of four. She guided us seamlessly through the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica - we didn't actually appreciate just how well she did this until afterwards when we compared our visit with others who'd booked their own entry tickets online who explained to us that they had been unable to find certain exhibits due to the confusing museum layout, queued for an hour to get into the Sistine Chapel, and then ran out of time to climb the stairs of the Dome of St Peter's. The sheer scale, enormity and layout of the Vatican combined with the crowds is overwhelming, but Francesca made the experience extremely enjoyable and stress free, providing insight and background into all the amazing artworks we viewed, as well as the history behind the Vatican itself. This tour is hands-down the best way to get the most out of your visit and ensure you don't miss things you want to see! (Helpful hint - ensure your ticket name is exactly the same as that on your photo ID - some of the security police are sticklers for details and won't accept your ticket if it isn't an exact match!).

Excellent private tour of the Vatican with our guide Francesca!! The Vatican now restricts total visitor numbers so it is absolutely essential to book your visit ahead of time, especially during peak season where people without tickets are seen queuing for hours. This private early bird tour was a perfect way to guarantee entry without having to organise your own tickets, as well as be guided through the very confusing entrance and security lines, and then the museums themselves. We booked the hotel pickup option where the driver dropped us directly in front of the main entrance with our guide - I would highly recommend this optional paid extra as the streets and footpaths outside the Vatican are very chaotic with confused tourists! Francesca was extremely knowledgable and informative, spoke excellent English, and tailored the tour well to suit the interests of everyone in our family of four. She guided us seamlessly through the Vatican museums, the Sistine Chapel and St Peter's Basilica - we didn't actually appreciate just how well she did this until afterwards when we compared our visit with others who'd booked their own entry tickets online who explained to us that they had been unable to find certain exhibits due to the confusing museum layout, queued for an hour to get into the Sistine Chapel, and then ran out of time to climb the stairs of the Dome of St Peter's. The sheer scale, enormity and layout of the Vatican combined with the crowds is overwhelming, but Francesca made the experience extremely enjoyable and stress free, providing insight and background into all the amazing artworks we viewed, as well as the history behind the Vatican itself. This tour is hands-down the best way to get the most out of your visit and ensure you don't miss things you want to see! (Helpful hint - ensure your ticket name is exactly the same as that on your photo ID -some of the security police are sticklers for details and won't accept your ticket if it isn't an exact match!).

Francesca was terrific. Great sense of the complex history and brought meaning to the morning. She made it very easy to navigate the crowds. Thank you.

I highly recommend this tour. We selected the VIP Luxury tour with car pick up and drop off. Totally worth it! Our private guide, Francesca met us at the hotel and she is amazing. She is so knowledgeable and made the experience wonderful. Thing to know, it is still very crowded at the Vatican with many large groups touring. However, having your own guide created a VIP experience, as Francesca is able to navigate the lines with ease due to a smaller party. Book this experience !

Francesca gave deep knowledge of the local history, architecture, and provided insightful commentary. Her explanations were engaging and illuminating. Overall, Francesca's expertise, flexibility, and personal touch combined to make our private tour a truly outstanding and memorable experience. It was undoubtedly a highlight of our trip, and we left with a deep appreciation for the region's rich history and culture that we simply could not have gained on our own.

Everything about this tour was memorable. Highly recommend our guide Francesca Calvani ! She was a wealth of knowledge, passionate about what she does and extremely knowledgeable! I would’ve loved to tour other museums with her.

Francesca did an exceptional job of explaining the history and context and meaning of the Vatican and the surrounding museums.

Francesca was amazing! She made it fun and interactive for my 2 children which went a long way after all the pictures and walking. Would recommend doing an even longer tour as there is a lot to see.

Francesca was fantastic! She knew the Vatican inside and out and was extremely passionate and conveyed it

We had the most amazing guide Francesca who is passionate about art history and very knowledgeable about the various aspects of the Vatican tour, the history, and interesting stories related to the various museums and areas of the Vatican. She was friendly, helpful, and patient, making the whole tour experience more enjoyable. The tour itself was amazing and well worth it especially being able to get in ahead of the major crowds and bypassing some of the lines.

The tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum was excellent and definitely worth braving the crowds and heat. It's an amazing place steeped in history and awe-inspiring. The tour was made that much more memorable by our tour guide Francesca who was truly passionate about providing a very enjoyable tour with her knowledge of art history, archeology, and Rome She was friendly and patiently took the time to make sure we got the best out of the tor. We would highly recommend the tour and Francesca.

Francesca was absolutely amazing! A fountain of knowledge about all things Rome, she expertly guided us through the throngs of people, sharing fascinating facts about the Colosseum and Forum. It was a particularly hot day, so she skillfully maneuvered us to shady spots and places where we could rehydrate. 10 out of 10, and we won’t hesitate to book her again on a future visit!

Your guide was excellent! Highly recommend Francesca!! The people on site to answer questions were very helpful as well.

This was an amazing tour with Francesca! She was so knowledgeable and kind. You could really tell she loved the rich history of her city. I would recommend this tour to others to see the beauty of these basilicas in Rome and to understand their importance.

We had an amazing tour with Francesca! When you see the length of the regular Vatican entry line (in the hot summer sun), that alone is reason to pay for early entry! It also helps that you have your own private guide to really help explain the art/history and point things out that otherwise we would have completely missed. We compared our photos of the museum hallways to a friend who was there with a group just 2 hours later and the difference was stark! We had total freedom to move around, get close to the art, take photos, etc. I highly recommend this tour if you can swing it for an amazing experience.

We did the Rome's highlights in a golf card tour with Francesca. With two kids and a senior in our group of five this was the perfect format. Francesca showed us all the gems and must sees of Rome including Capitol Hill, Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Circus Maximus, Piazza Navona and many more. The tour was fantastic and Francesca was not only very knowledgeable but also entertaining and a very nice person to spend time with. We had great fun and can highly recommend both the golf card tour as well as Francesca as a perfect guide.

If you are going to Rome, I definitely recommend you to book a tour from "Eyes of Rome". We booked the "Private Early Bird Vatican and St Peter's Basilica Tour". We are a family of seven, in ages from 14 to 80 years. Communication before booking was very comfortable. Beatrice patiently answered all our questions. Tosca is the same too. Our guide Stefania was really friendly, knowledgeable and zealous. Also, she helped us at the end of the tour. At the end of the tour we saw the crowd, so definitely worth the money of the "Early Morning Vatican Tour". The private transfer we requested was timely and comfortable. There was an unpleasant event in the museum. "Eyes of Roma" had no fault. However, the phone was called and apologized to us. Very kind behaviour. Thank you for everything.

We had an amazing tour of the Castel Gandolfo thanks to our amazing tour guide Francesca D'Orazio! We were in awe and in shock of how beautiful this site is. The gardens are truly amazing!! We booked a private family tour (4 adults and my daughter of 16 months) and Francesca was so amazing with all of us! She was very knowledgeable about the history of the site and gave great background information about everything we saw. She made the experience so memorable by working with the security guards to show us secret rooms in the palace and we had the chance to go out to the terrace to view Lake Albano! (Which not all tour groups get to do) we finished the day by having lunch with her at Ristorante Pagnanelli which was delicious and also had great views of the lake. This was included as part of the tour which was great! If you are looking for a beautiful, easy, and quick day trip outside of Rome, book the private tour of Castel Gandolfo with Francesca! Pick-up at our hotel was prompt (start the day at 8:30 am) and we were back to Rome by 3:30 pm and there was decent traffic coming out of the city. So it’s a perfect day trip if traveling with elderly family members or young children. Highly recommend this tour and company!

I did this private tour with a companion two years ago and did nothing but brag about what a fantastic opportunity I found in it. So much so, that two MORE friends were enthusiastic enough to ask to go along. Four of us signed up and were wowed by our terrific guide, Francesca Dorazio. Francesca is passionate about her Vatican job and it was infectious. We already knew that what we were about to experience was unique, and could discontinue at any time, but it was Francesca who made each room in the palace come alive. She was able to answer any question with ease, and was completely at home, as if she lived in the Palace. The gardens were mesmerizing and our driver excellent. Afterwards, a wonderful meal that just did not end, with delightful and imaginative courses. Francesca was alerted to some allergies and made sure all went smoothly for our group of four. I can't say enough: this trip is so worth the money! I would not have done it a second time if it wasn't, so, don't hesitate!

Francesca is the best private tour guide I have ever hired. She is bright( with a master’s degree in art history), engaging, flexible, fun to be with. My adult daughter and I had only 2 1/2 days to tour Rome. She knew many shortcuts for lines and crowds. I would recommend her without reservation!