Eyes of Rome

A Guide Association Running Private Tours in Italy and Paris

Eyes of Rome is, in its own words, "an Italian association of tour guides operating in Italy," and it runs private tours only, led by its own guides. The team page sums up the model: "No huge groups, flags to follow, or inflexible itineraries. We only offer fully-customizable, high-quality, private tours." Rome and the Vatican are the core, but the destination menu also lists Cinque Terre, the Dolomites, Florence and Tuscany, Lake Como, the Langhe, Milan, Naples with Pompeii and the Amalfi Coast, Paris, Sardinia, Sicily, Turin and Venice. The contact block gives an address at Via Germanico 101 in Rome, two Italian phone numbers and info@eyesofrome.com, and the footer names the operating company as RomaSi s.r.l. One important note sits at the top of the homepage: "Eyes of Rome is now CityEyes! Go to CityEyes.com for a better experience and lower rates," and a pop-up repeats that the brand has rebranded as CityEyes with "same great experiences." Travelers may therefore end up booking on CityEyes.com, where, the banner says, guests can "select your guide for free and pay in installments with Klarna."

Where It Came From, and the Guides

The about page tells the origin story: "Back in 2005, three friends Emiliano, Denis and Francesco shared a deep passion for the city of Rome and the Vatican city." The group started as a "Frienpany" (a company of friends) where "There was no boss but instead, authority and duties were shared in turns," and it began with "3 classic tours: The Vatican Museums tour, The Colosseum tour and the City Walking tour." Today the homepage says "The team is made by professionals from the fields of Art History Archeology and Food & Wine." Guides can be filtered by specialty (archeology, architecture, art, craftsmanship, food and wine, history, nature, religion), and each profile lists birthplace, studies, the destination they work in and their languages. Azzurra, born in Rome and trained in art history, speaks Italian, English, Spanish and French and describes her tours as "Focused on the fun side of art and ancient history and can include an optional academic perspective"; Elisa T., also a Rome-born art historian, speaks Italian and English. The site says it is "only available in English, but we tour in and speak your language." The about page mentions a partnership with the Vatican Museums and "consistent referrals from Les Clefs d'Or international hotel concierge organization."

The Tours

The headline product is "Our #1 Tour," the Early Bird Vatican PRIME, which promises the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and Basilica "in VIP style: direct access, no line, no crowds!" The homepage explains the edge: entering "the Vatican Museums 1.5 hours prior to general opening hours and even 30 min prior to any early morning tour," which it calls "a Vatican VIP access granted to only a handful of tour operators." Other selected favorites include a Heart of Rome walk, a Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica "Express" tour, "The Art of Glass: Murano and the Glass Museum Guided Tour from Venice," a Tuscan Hills tour with Chianti Classico wine tasting and a Florence City Center Walking Tour. The tours page lists top sellers as Florence Highlights & Accademia, the Vatican Museums Early Morning Prime first-entrance tour and a Venice Highlights Walking Tour with Gondola Ride, and recommends a Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatine Hill Private Tour that promises to "Walk in the footsteps of emperors and gladiators." It also sorts tours by site, from the Grand Canal and the Tower of Pisa to the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps and the Duomo di Milano, and the footer adds collections for Pompeii, the Amalfi Coast, Michelangelo's David and the Uffizi. A "Search Wizard" helps guests who "Don't know where to start." Every tour can be reshaped: the about page invites guests to "Customize any of our tours, to see the sites you want," and to set the pace "customized to your interests and energy level."

How It Works and What It Costs

The team page lists what is included in the service: "Meet & greet your guide at your hotel," with the guide meeting guests "right in your hotel lobby," and "Tickets & transportation included," meaning entrance tickets are ready and transport to the tour site is arranged. It also says "We accept bookings in most of the world's major currencies." Under "Guiding Values," the team page promises availability "From booking questions, to last minute changes, or any other request, large or small," and says "punctuality is a must." It adds that the team "is specially trained to handle last-minute issues," a promise worth holding it to on a day with timed Vatican or Colosseum entries. Families get a notable offer: "Children under 18 years old tour for free on tours with at least one paying adult." For the Vatican, "children 5 and under need no entrance tickets," with reduced skip-the-line tickets for those 17 and under, and for the Colosseum the site recommends full-price tickets for "children old enough to walk." The homepage states "Full Refund Protection included with all bookings." Prices, tour lengths and the actual cancellation window do not appear on the homepage, about or team pages; they come up in the booking flow and the Terms and Conditions.

What Stays Open, and Who It Suits

The rebrand is the main open question: the site does not say whether bookings made on eyesofrome.com are handled differently from those on CityEyes.com, or whether prices differ, beyond the banner's promise of "lower rates" there. "Full Refund Protection" is a headline without a stated window. The site claims to be "among the highest ranked tour agencies on TripAdvisor in Rome," but shows no rating or review count on its homepage, about or team pages. Group size is not stated, although every tour is private. Eyes of Rome suits families and couples who want a private, art-historian-led day in Rome or the Vatican, especially with children, given that under-18s tour free, and travelers who like to pick a guide by specialty and language. Anyone needing firm refund terms or a price before committing should check the booking page, and possibly CityEyes.com, first.