Great tour and guide
Our tour of the Coliseum and Forum with Francesca was amazing! We were literally first in line (8AM, before opening) and while we listened to her describe the history of the Coliseum and ancient Rome among other things the lines behind us grew out of sight around the Coliseum. Her knowledge of the history of Rome and Italy spanned the millenniums, far beyond just what was lying before us, giving us the context needed to truly appreciate the ruins. She even filled us in on history relating to other sites we had visited before coming to Rome! Francesca impressed with her knowledge of names and dates, and shared many stories relating to the construction, use, maintenance, and destruction of the sites. She was adept in pausing at the coolest shady spots on a day of oppressive heat (it was 38C by 11am) and though our tour was amidst the summer throngs of tourists we often found ourselves alone in a space. Highly recommend a guided tour for these sights. The only downside is the need to keep moving as I could have easily spent twice as much time poking around on my own time, however having an expert at hand to answer all your questions is worth it!
- Brad