Best Websites to Book Tours in Italy in 2025: GetYourGuide, Viator & More
- vitantoniosantoro
- 4 days ago
- 10 min read
GetYourGuide, Viator & More: Honest Reviews of Tour-Booking Platforms
Which are the best websites to book tours in Italy in 2025 is the key question. Italy offers everything from skip-the-line museum tickets to private pizza classes. The hard part is choosing where to book. Below you’ll find a data-driven breakdown of the major platforms - what they’re good at, where they fall short, and how reliable they are.
🔍 See today’s top-rated tours: Browse Italy’s top tours on GetYourGuide
Best Websites to Book Tours in Italy in 2025 Online
Brutally honest comparison:
Website | Trustpilot score* | Typical cancellation window | Biggest strength | Watch-outs |
3.8 / 5 (44 k reviews) (Trustpilot) | Free up to 24 h before activity | Huge inventory (>75 k global tours) | Last-minute operator cancellations do occur | |
Viator (Tripadvisor) | 4.4 / 5 (274 k) | Free up to 24 h on ~85 % of listings | Deepest global catalogue, bundles with Tripadvisor reviews | Quality varies; smaller “.co” sub-site scores only 1.4/5 |
Tiqets | 4.3 / 5 (52 k) | “Flexible” on most tickets, but some are non-refundable | Mobile QR tickets for museums & attractions | Support can be slow when refunds are needed |
Musement | 4.1 / 5 (32 k) | Free up to 24 h on many tours | Milan-based; good local partnerships & multi-language support | Site can glitch during checkout |
Withlocals | 4.5 / 5 (1 k) | Full refund within 24 h of booking, partial up to 7 days | 100 % private, customizable experiences | Higher prices; inventory smaller outside big cities |
Airbnb Experiences | 1.3 / 5 (15 k) | Most hosts offer free cancel up to 24 h; some stricter 3-day plans | Unique peer-to-peer activities | Support & refund process poorly rated |
TourScanner (aggregator) | N/A (meta-search) | Mirrors the provider’s rules | Compares 30+ sites to surface the lowest price | You book on a third-party site, not on TourScanner |
*Scores for August 4 2025
GetYourGuide Review 2025: Best Site to Book Skip-the-Line Tours & Experiences Across Italy

GetYourGuide, founded in Berlin in 2009, has grown into the leading marketplace for Italian tours, having clocked 120 million tickets sold worldwide by late 2023 and now listing 100 000-plus bookable activities across 170 countries. Its app-based checkout shows a clear meeting point, issues instant QR tickets, lets you “reserve now & pay later,” and keeps most listings refundable up to 24 hours before start. Options span skip-the-line attraction entry, day trips to Capri or Pompeii, wine and Vespa tours, hop-on-hop-off passes, pasta or pizza cooking classes, and small-group walks in Rome and every major Italian city. For signature experiences, the company curates “Originals” - early-access events such as opening the Sistine Chapel before public hours—that score higher than its marketplace average. A 2024 ChatGPT plugin even drafts custom itineraries using the same inventory. On Trustpilot the platform holds a 3.8/5 from ≈44 000 reviews, with 69 % five-star ratings; the main gripe is slow re-booking help when a local operator cancels, but for breadth of choice and flexible cancellation it remains the go-to place to lock in Italian experiences fast.
Viator Review 2025: Best Site to Book Day-Trips and Tours in Rome and other Italian Cities

Viator, founded in San Francisco in 1995 and acquired by Tripadvisor in 2014 for roughly $200 million, now advertises 300 000-plus experiences in more than 2 000 destinations from Rome to remote Arctic towns. Tripadvisor’s review feed pipes straight into every listing, and the company replies to 98 % of negative Trustpilot posts within 24 hours, giving travelers a familiar layer of social proof. Core perks are clear: free cancellation up to 24 hours before most tours, “Reserve Now and Pay Later,” round-the-clock phone support, and a Viator Rewards program that turns each booking into credits for the next one. The catalogue ranges from skip-the-line museum tickets and Amalfi Coast day-trips to Vespa rides, wine tastings, cooking classes, shore excursions, and multi-day packages, so most travel styles are covered. On Trustpilot, the main domain holds a solid 4.4 / 5 from ~274 000 reviews, yet a secondary viator.co profile sits at 1.4, underlining mixed supplier quality and the need to scan recent comments before you pay. Overall, Viator’s scale, Tripadvisor review layer, and flexible policies make it a strong first stop for booking Italian experiences - just remember it’s a marketplace, so operator reliability can still vary.
Tiqets Review 2025: Perfect App for Skip-the-Line Museum Tickets in Italy

Tiqets, launched in Amsterdam in 2014, built its model around instant QR tickets for museums and attractions. By February 2025 it had served 50 million visitors and now lists entry options in 1 000+ cities across 60 countries, available in 17 languages. Travelers book it for timed access to heavy-hitters such as the Colosseum, Vatican Museums, and Uffizi, securing “skip-the-line” barcodes that scan right at the gate, often below on-site prices. The mobile app has cleared 5 million downloads and holds a 4.7/5 store score, keeping tickets on your phone rather than on paper. Trustpilot shows a 4.3 / 5 from ≈52 000 reviews, with the company replying to 97 % of negative posts within 24 hours. The one watch-out: some listings carry a clear “non-refundable” label - read the policy or select the refundable toggle before you pay.
Musement Review 2025: Great Site for Ticket Bundles in Italy

Musement, launched in Milan in 2013 and folded into TUI Group in 2018, now lists 170 000-plus tours, tickets and passes in more than 140 countries - from Duomo skip-the-line entry to full Rome passes that bundle museums and bus-metro-tram travel in one code. A 24/7 help desk in Milan answers in eight languages, and most products stay refundable up to 24 hours before start, giving the platform flexibility close to its bigger rivals. On Trustpilot it holds a 4.1 / 5 from ~32 000 reviews, replying to 97 % of negative posts within two days; the main gripe is a checkout glitch that can try to add the same booking twice, so watch the cart before you pay. If you want an Italy-born site with TUI’s backing, broad inventory, easy bundles and day-before refunds, Musement is a solid pick - provided you double-check the final screen.
Withlocals Review 2025: Great Site for Custom Tours in Italy

Withlocals, founded in Eindhoven in 2013 and now B-Corp certified, positions itself as a marketplace for fully private, tailor-made tours that link travelers straight to vetted local hosts. The platform lists about 2 000 experiences in 50-plus cities - food walks in Rome, Vespa sidecar rides in Florence, family scavenger hunts, even home-cooked dinners - reaching more than one million guests so far. Every listing lets you message the guide before or after booking, tweak the route on the spot, and pay through the app. Trustpilot shows a solid 4.5 / 5 from roughly 1 500 reviews, with the company replying to nearly every negative post within a week. The refund rules are clear: cancel within 24 hours of purchase (and at least seven days before the tour) for a full refund; cancel later and you get your money back minus a 10 % fee. Prices climb faster than group tours and the catalog thins outside big hubs, yet for families, couples, or special-interest travelers who need direct chat, route control, and a fair refund window, Withlocals remains a reliable private-tour option.
Airbnb Experiences Review 2025: Good App for Unique Local Activities in Italy

Airbnb Experiences launched in 2016 with 500 listings; the catalogue now tops 30 000 activities worldwide, from olive harvests in Puglia to backstage opera rehearsals in Verona. You book and pay in-app, and most listings refund in full if you cancel within 24 hours of booking or more than seven days before the start. A 2025 redesign put Experiences on a main tab and rolled out “Icons,” limited-slot events led by celebrities or offering dawn access to major sights, making activities one tap from your stay and new in-app services. The roster leans toward food walks, craft classes, social-impact projects and small-group hikes rather than big bus tours. Trustpilot shows 1.3 / 5 from roughly 15 000 reviews, 79 % one-star, with refund delays and slow support the loudest complaints. If a host cancels, you face that same support queue. Prices start around €15 but climb fast for private or niche sessions, and supply thins outside major hubs - use it for quirky, peer-to-peer moments only if you’re comfortable with the risk.
TourScanner Review 2025: Great Site to Compare Tour Prices in Italian Cities
TourScanner, founded in 2018, positions itself as the first meta-search engine dedicated to tours and activities. The platform compares prices from 30-plus online travel agencies - including GetYourGuide, Viator, Tiqets and Musement - on a single results page. Its index now surfaces about 1.5 million bookable offers worldwide, letting you see at a glance which seller has the lowest rate on the same Colosseum ticket or Amalfi Coast day trip. Remember that TourScanner is only an aggregator: once you click “Book,” you finish the purchase on the provider’s site, so your payment terms, refund rules and customer support all come from that provider, not TourScanner. Trust signals are mixed; ScamAdviser shows a high-trust domain and references a 3.6 / 5 Trustpilot score drawn from a small pool of nine reviews, so treat user feedback as early rather than definitive. Bottom line: TourScanner is useful when you need a fast price check across many OTAs or want coupon alerts; if you prefer a single point of contact for booking and refunds, book direct with the operator instead.
How to Choose the Right Booking Site
Refund Rule First: Look for “Free cancel up to 24 h.” If you see it, you can change plans without losing money.Good bets: GetYourGuide and Viator.
Read Fresh Reviews: Sort by 2024-2025 on Trustpilot or Tripadvisor. Skip anything older.
Pick the Best Fit
Skip-the-line tickets → Tiqets, Musement, GetYourGuide
Group day trips → GetYourGuide, Viator
Private tours → Withlocals
One-off local moments → Airbnb Experiences
Compare Prices Fast: Paste the exact tour name into TourScanner. Many times you’ll save €5–€15 or find a coupon.
Check Customer Support: Scroll to the footer. If the site lists a 24/7 phone or chat, you’ll get help when things go wrong. No hotline? Think twice.

Handy Reminders
Screenshot your voucher and meeting point map. Wi-Fi can drop on travel day.
Pay in euros when possible. Avoid surprise currency fees from your card.
Read the fine print on “non-refundable” labels. Tiqets and Airbnb Experiences list some tickets that can’t be moved or refunded.
Use the same email for every booking. It keeps all confirmations in one search folder.
🤌Stick to these five checks and you’ll book the right Italian tour, skip the lines, and keep your wallet happy.
Best Apps to book tours in Italy in 2025
There also full-featured mobile apps that rank among the top “book tours in Italy” downloads. The GetYourGuide app (Android & iOS) shows 10 million+ installs and a 4.9-star Google Play rating from 200 k reviews; it stores QR tickets offline, pushes meeting-point maps, and lets you “Reserve Now & Pay Later,” with app-only deals shown on a dedicated offers screen. The Viator app (Android & iOS) holds a 4.9-star Play rating from 60 k reviews, 1 million+ downloads, and a matching 4.9 on the App Store; inside you can browse Tripadvisor reviews, earn Viator Rewards credits, edit bookings, and grab exclusive promo codes that appear only in-app. Both apps keep tickets available offline and support free 24-hour cancellation on most listings, so you can buy, change, or cancel Italian tours from a phone instead of hunting for printouts or desktop log-ins.
FAQs about the Best Websites to Book Tours in Italy in 2025
Is GetYourGuide reliable in Italy?
Yes. 69 % of its 44 k Trustpilot reviewers give 5 stars, and most products carry free 24-h cancellation.
Which site is cheapest?
Prices fluctuate. Use TourScanner or sort by price inside GetYourGuide/Viator, then factor in coupon codes.
Can I book last-minute?
Tiqets excels for same-day museum entry; many tickets arrive instantly in your email.
Are Airbnb Experiences safe? They’re peer-to-peer; quality depends on the host. Support scores low (1.3/5), so read reviews carefully and message the host before paying.
Do all platforms offer Italian-language support?
GetYourGuide, Viator, Musement, and Tiqets do. Withlocals support is English-first but many guides speak Italian. Airbnb varies by host.
Is GetYourGuide legit? I’m planning a trip to Italy and not sure if it’s safe to use. A. Yes. GetYourGuide is a broker, not the tour operator itself.
Money-back rule: most listings refund in full up to 24 hours before the start.
Payment: you can pay later on many tours, so your card is not charged right away.
Tip: after you book, find the operator’s name in the voucher and Google them; meet the guide 10–15 minutes early to avoid last-minute stress.
Viator vs GetYourGuide - which one give the better experience for Italy tours? A. Both list the same local operators and pull from the same ticket pools.
Pick Viator if you need 24/7 phone help and want to earn Viator Rewards credits.
Pick GetYourGuide if you like the “Reserve now, pay later” feature and cleaner app maps.Price and quality depend on the operator, not the platform, so read the latest reviews before paying.
For the Colosseum, should I book through the official site or go with a GetYourGuide tour that also covers the Forum and Palatine Hill? A.
Official site is cheapest and gives you freedom to wander, but slots sell out fast.
Third-party combo tours cost more but bundle the Forum and Palatine Hill with a guide and headsets.
If you only want entry, book the official channel. If you want history explained and line-skipping at three sites, the combo tour is worth the extra cost.
I’m nervous about my Tiqets Colosseum booking - is Tiqets reliable and how do I pick up my ticket? A. Tiqets emails a QR code you show at a kiosk or meeting desk near the entrance (the pickup spot appears in the voucher).
Most users report smooth entry; some complain about slow support when things go wrong.
Watch for “non-refundable” labels. If your voucher says that, you can’t change the time.
Arrive early - late arrivals may be denied entry even if the guide was late for others.
Q5. Where in Italy is a guided tour actually worth the money? A.
Worth it: Vatican Museums (crowds, complex layout), Colosseum + Forum (history context), Pompeii/Herculaneum day trips (big site, limited signs).
Skip the guide: city walking in Florence or Rome if you use free audio apps, small churches, public squares.Budget idea: mix both - book guides for the dense sites above, go self-guided elsewhere.
🍕 Ready to book your adventure? Browse Viator’s skip-the-line tickets, day trips, food tours and private guides in Rome and all over Italy.
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