Questions and answers

You tell us roughly when, who is coming and what you love, using the form on the Plan page. A person replies within one working day with dates and a firm quote. Nothing is booked until you pay the deposit from the quote, and you can ask us anything first.

No. An account lets you see every enquiry, quote, payment and message in one place, save trips to a shortlist, and keep an offline copy of a confirmed trip. Everything also works by email without one.

For a day experience, at least three days. For a journey of several days, at least four weeks, because hotels, trains and guides are booked for you. Earlier is better in spring and autumn.

Often, yes. Say what you have in mind in the notes of the enquiry, or ask a question first. We would rather tell you honestly that something does not work than sell you a version of it that does not.

A deposit when you accept the quote, and the balance on the date the quote sets. Both appear on one page with the dates, and you can also pay everything at once. The amounts come from the quote, never from the browser.

By card, or by bank transfer quoting your reference. A transfer counts once we see the money and mark it received, and you get a receipt either way.

When card payments go live, card details are entered into our payment provider's own fields. They go to the provider, never to us, and we never see or store a card number. On this demonstration site the payment step runs in test mode: real cards are refused, and no money moves.

Euros. Prices can be shown in US dollars, pounds or rupees for orientation, but those are approximations: you are always charged in euros, and your bank sets its own rate.

For a day experience you get a full refund more than 48 hours before, half between 24 and 48 hours, and nothing under 24. For a journey, the deposit is refunded in full more than 60 days before, half the trip price between 30 and 60 days, and nothing under 30. The cancellation page has the table.

Once, free of charge, up to 7 days before the trip starts, subject to availability. After that it counts as a cancellation and a new booking.

We run in rain, and the guides bring a spare umbrella. We only cancel or change a trip for severe weather, safety, a closure or too few people to run it properly. If we do, you choose a new date, an equal alternative or a full refund.

Small. Most day experiences take eight to ten people. Each page says the limit, and some trips can be booked as a private group.

Many are, with a little thought about pace and start time. Tell us the ages when you enquire and we will say which trips suit them and adjust the rest. A guide who is good with children is part of the plan, not an extra.

Tell us in the enquiry. Rome is old: cobbles, steps and hills are part of most routes, and the page for each trip says how active it is. We will say honestly, before you pay, what we can and cannot adapt.

Every trip page names the meeting point, shows it on a map and says how we recognise each other. Confirmed trips also get a note a week before with what to bring, and a reminder two days before.

Letters about a trip you have enquired about or booked: your enquiry, quote, receipt, reminders and a thank-you afterwards. If you say yes to letters, an occasional one about Rome, never more than once a month. You can unsubscribe in one click from any of those, and it takes effect immediately.

Only from guests who took the trip, only with their permission, and only after we have read them. We do not edit them, and the star rating shown in search results is built from the same published reviews.

No. Primo Lume is a fictional company, built to show what a finished tour-business website looks like. Its tours, prices and policies are samples, and the facts about Rome are real and dated where shown.