I am Francesca Maria Casertano — an archaeologist, a licensed tour guide in Rome and the Vatican, and a Roman by birth.
I grew up in this city, surrounded by its layers of history long before I chose to study them. Over time, Rome stopped being just the place where I lived and became something I wanted to understand deeply. That curiosity led me to a degree in Conservation of Cultural Heritage, a postgraduate Master in Cultural Heritage, and years of work on archaeological excavation sites across the city.
Archaeology taught me something essential: history is not only made of monuments and dates, but of people — their fears, ambitions, beliefs, and everyday lives. This is the perspective I bring into my work as a guide.
When I walk through Rome with my guests, I am not simply explaining what we see. I am sharing how this city thinks, remembers, and transforms itself over time. I pay attention to details, to quieter places, to stories that don’t always appear in guidebooks, and to the emotional weight that certain locations still carry.
I specialize in private, tailor-made experiences for couples, families, and small groups who value depth, conversation, and a slower pace. Each tour is shaped around your interests, leaving room for questions, reflection, and genuine connection with the city.
Choose only Qualified Tour Guides:to ensure high quality standards, in Italy the tour guide profession is regulated by law. When you book Rome private tours is your right to verify that the guide is a qualified guide. Qualified Tour Guides must always display their license while working. Beware of the tours offered on the web where it is not specified that the guides are qualified tour guides.