Has anyone taken Oceania Rome Tour "Italian Countryside & Catacombs"?

[OBX Cruisers]

We will be on the October 6, 2006 Regatta sailing from Barcelona to Venice. When docked at Civitavecchia, we are looking for a tour that will spend the day outside Rome. (We were in Rome recently for 5 days.) Has anyone taken the ship's tour to the Catacombs and countryside with lunch at a vineyard/farmhouse overlooking the beaches at Anzio? This appeals to us as my Dad landed at Anzio in World War II. Any other suggestions for that day? Thanks!

[peggyann]

Yes, we did this tour when on the Fall 2003 Barcelona to Venice. I have to say that we loved this tour. We had a very clever, funny and a bit irreverent Italian lady as a guide, I wish I could remember her name. The villa overlooking Anzio was really beautiful, the lunch enjoyable and the owner was on hand to talk to us about the WW 11 experience. We also had a wine reception. Also, we went to Castel Gondolfo, which was lovely with its lakeside location.

 

We stopped at the catacombs which was a first for us and very interesting. Also, we stopped in Rome and she pointed out various landmarks, and the bus actually stopped near the Trevi Fountain and we had about 20 minutes to get off and roam. We had not expected this bonus. We liked the day.

[OBX Cruisers]

Peggyann - Thanks so very much for your reply to our post! You've "sold "us and we're definitely signing up for this one!

[ClaudiaF]

We took that tour many years ago.. so it seems that the ship is still doing it. A very good thing.

It was a great tour that wound up at the Counts home, it's not palacial.. more of a Tuscan farm house ( working farm).

You get a tour of the home and grounds, cocktails in the garden area.. and a lovely ( delicious!!) luncheon with wine including salad, chicken, bruchetta etc. and THE BEST pasta ..

many of us who took that tour, to this day wish we could get the spaghetti sauce recipe from them, one of my friends had her daughter ( who spoke Italian) write a letter to the count to ask his staff if they would send it.. I am not sure if they ever got the letter.. maybe you can get them to give it to you;) then please share it here..:D That is assuming they haven't "changed" the menu ..

The count is a lovely man who is very approachable and you will enjoy his tales..

The catacomb tour is very interesting and worth seeing.

[OBX Cruisers]

We'd better book this tour quickly - your description was wonderful! Thanks so much and we'll see what we can do about the spagetti recipe:)

[schooltchr]

the catacombs are unique and most interesting............lovely ride there too, do it. you can easily get a cab to take you though.

[barbarag]

Just wanted to add that we just did this tour in November,2005 and it was our favorite tour of the whole cruise. Everything is still as described (the count very welcoming, the ambience wonderful and the food and wine delicious). We also had spent 6 days in Rome a few years ago but had not seen the catacombs so the whole day was a marvelous experience. Our guide was Umberto and he was great and very much an Italian gentleman!

BarbaraG