| 1.The most important thing is to do it well in advance. | | | | work by their region. Each region has its own guiding |
| Or let's say as soon as you realize you need one. It is | | | | certificate and their own authority that issues those |
| sometimes possible to find decent guides at the last | | | | certificates. |
| minute. Sometimes we get last minute cancellations, | | | | For example, Rome has Rome guides, Florence has |
| and a slot is freed up. But it's a lottery, and this does | | | | Florence guides, Venice, Naples, and so on. A guide |
| not happen very, very often, so try to book well in | | | | from Rome is not licensed by law to guide, for |
| advance. | | | | example, in Florence and vice versa. |
| 2. Give lots of information. | | | | This region, as I said to you before, the Campania |
| Second, give as much information as possible about | | | | region, the sites are all spread over a large area and |
| what you want out of the experience. The more | | | | not in a single place or city. This is the only one in Italy |
| information your give, the easier it gets to personalize | | | | where the license covers many places like Pompeii, |
| the tour to you. | | | | Capri, Amalfi, Naples, Sorrento. Let's say the whole |
| We need information like: | | | | region. This is the significance of the title "Licensed |
| - How many people are in the group? | | | | Guide." |
| - Where is your hotel, or where are you arriving from? | | | | So actually, even Tour Escorts or Tour Managers are |
| - How long are you going to stay, and where you are | | | | not the same as Tour Guides even if, like me, it is |
| going next? | | | | possible to hold both licenses. |
| - Especially, what have you already seen? | | | | A Tour Manager works taking groups all over Italy, for |
| - What are your specific interests about Pompeii, if you | | | | example, or Europe. Then when they arrive in each |
| do have any? | | | | place, the group is handed to a local expert or licensed |
| - Are all the members of your group able to walk? | | | | local guide. |
| - Or do some have walking impediments can how far | | | | In the Campania region, authorized guides are qualified |
| can they walk? | | | | by law to guide for not only Pompeii, but also Sorrento, |
| It's okay to walk slow, but even better if you tell us in | | | | Capri, the City of Naples, and some of the other |
| advance for better pre-planning as it changes the | | | | smaller localitiesthat belong to this region. |
| itinerary options because I told you there are several | | | | So be sure that you have a licensed guide by the |
| entrances and gates and different options for you. | | | | region. |
| - How much time do you have available for your | | | | 4. Personal Treatment |
| Pompeii visit? | | | | Just because your guide has a license, there is no |
| - Or if you do have a regular own means of | | | | guarantee they will treat your personally. Seek out |
| transportation? | | | | some sense of personal treatment or a sense that the |
| That is all good information for us. If the guide you are | | | | tour will be personalized to you and your interests. |
| looking to book does not seem very interested or | | | | An expert local guide should have more than |
| concerned in your information, this is a red flag and | | | | competence in your language. Many times what |
| look for someone else. | | | | passes for speaking a foreign language is more |
| 3. Are they licensed? | | | | speaking a few words of a foreign language. |
| Let's ensure yourselves that the guide you are going | | | | That's very different than communicating meaning and |
| to use is licensed by the region. You know, Italy is | | | | to give a sense of the place. |
| divided in regions, 20 regions. The region we are talking | | | | Many times, guides believe that the same information |
| about where Pompeii, Capri and the Amalfi Coast are | | | | repeated like a broken record will do. In my experience, |
| location is the one called Campania. | | | | your enjoyment on a tour of Pompeii, Capri, Naples or |
| So in Italy tourism is run by the government. By law | | | | the Amalfi Coast is enhanced by a personalized |
| local guides must be recognized and authoized to | | | | experience. |