I was unhappy that we cut short our visit to the Villa d'Este in order to have a long lunch. I would have rather spent more time seeing the Villa d'Este or Hadrian's Villa. I don't feel that this tour was a good value and would not recommend it.

Livia is an excellent guide, but I do think that she is probably at her best with adults. She knows so much that it is difficult for her to pare down her information for children. Rather than a long lecture at each spot along the way, I think children would appreciate a short highlight of what they are seeing followed by some interactive conversation relating what they are seeing--e.g., the baths, or the theater, or the forum in Ostia and Hadrian's villa--to something in their lives. Charlotte, I know, was somewhat overwhelmed by the download of facts and Latin names from Livia. She didn't care if it was omnium in the singular, omnia in the plural, for example. As I say, Livia is extremely well-versed in the subjects she is explaining, but perhaps another guide could give a simpler and more humorous explanation.

The restaurant at the villa is closed, however it is still on the web site.

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