Many of our guests like to arrive a day or two before a tour, stay on afterwards, or add a personal touch to their journey — a private guide in Rome, a transfer to a remote site, an extra night in a favourite hotel. We are happy to arrange all of this on your behalf, drawing on our network of trusted suppliers across the Mediterranean.
Because arranging these services properly takes real time and expertise, we make a modest arrangement fee for each booking, in addition to passing on the cost of the service with a small service addition. All charges are confirmed to you in advance — there are no surprises.
Our Arrangement Fees
| Service | Arrangement Fee | Service Addition |
|---|---|---|
|
Hotel Bookings
Extra nights before or after your tour, at your tour hotel or elsewhere. We research availability, handle all correspondence and send you a confirmed voucher. ⚠ All hotel prices are exclusive of local city tax (tassa di soggiorno in Italy; city tax in Greece and elsewhere), which varies by destination, hotel category and guest age. City tax is collected directly by the hotel on arrival — usually in cash. We will advise you of the applicable rate when confirming your booking. |
£35per booking | + 10% on room cost |
|
Private Guides
A specialist guide for a morning in Rome, a private tour of the Vatican, an expert in Byzantine art in Palermo. We work only with guides we know personally and trust completely. |
£25per booking | + 10% on guide fee |
|
Private Drivers & Transfers
Airport transfers, private car hire between cities, day trips to sites not on the main itinerary. We arrange, confirm and provide you with a fixed price in advance. |
£25per booking | + 10% on driver fee |
|
Flight Bookings
We can search and book flights on your behalf, selecting the best options for your routing and timings — particularly useful for complex journeys or where we need to coordinate with group arrivals. |
£50per booking | + cost of flights |
|
Entrance Tickets
Pre-booking timed entry for major sites — the Colosseum, Pompeii, the Uffizi, Palatine Hill. We know which sites require advance booking and will manage it for you. |
£15per booking | + 10% on ticket cost |
A note on our charges: All services are invoiced at cost plus a 10% service addition, which covers our supplier relationships, currency handling and card processing costs. The arrangement fee covers our time in researching, confirming and coordinating each booking. All charges are shown clearly on your invoice before you commit.
City tax: In Italy, Greece and many other destinations, hotels charge a local city tax (tassa di soggiorno) set by the municipality. The amount varies by city, hotel star rating and guest age, and is paid directly to the hotel on arrival — almost always in cash. This tax is not included in our quoted prices. We will always advise you of the applicable rate when confirming your booking.
Pre-Trip Planning Consultation
Make the most of your time in the region
If you are planning independent travel alongside an Esplora tour — or building an itinerary around one of our destinations — we offer a personal consultation service.
In a one-to-one conversation by phone or video call, we’ll help you plan your days, suggest hotels, identify the sites that matter, and share the kind of inside knowledge that only comes from many years of travelling these regions. This is the same expertise we bring to our tours, available to you individually.
To arrange a consultation, please contact us with a brief outline of your plans. Additional time beyond 90 minutes is charged at £75 per hour.
(up to 90 minutes)
How It Works
Get in touch
Email us with your request — what you need, when, and any preferences. The more detail the better.
We confirm & quote
We’ll come back with availability, a fixed price including all fees, and any relevant details. No commitment until you approve.
We handle everything
Once confirmed, we take care of the booking and send you a voucher or joining instructions. We’re on hand if anything needs adjusting.
