Daniella Hunt, Your Intrepid Private Guide
Daniella Hunt has been a private guide in Rome, Italy for over 20 years. But what about her background? She graduated magna cum laude in Classics from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1995. During her senior year abroad in Rome, she specialized in classical archaeology and ancient history at the Intercollegiate Center for Classical Studies. She then continued her studies, completing a three-year program in ancient Greek at the Gregorian University in Rome.
For years, she flitted in and out of Reginald Foster’s Latin classes, work permitting. In the summer of 2002, she completed her M.A. at the Vatican School of Paleography, Diplomatics, and Archivism. In 2013 and 2015 she participated in Roma Sotterranea’s courses to learn more about urban speleology. (Lessons included field-trips and excursions to ancient Roman quarries, aqueducts, and other spaces that are dangerous to navigate and off-limits to the general public.)
In Her Spare Time…
What spare time? Besides making silly jokes about her schedule, Daniella loves stretching out on her yoga mat. And when she’s not working as a private guide, she’s conducting research at the American Academy and the Vatican Library. In 2016, she became a Supporting Partner of LoveItaly, a non-profit association that promotes the restoration and conservation of Italian heritage sites. She has also been working on several of her own projects. And she recently wrapped up one of them: an informative and user-friendly guidebook called The Roman Forum: From Outpost to Empire in Ten Easy Centuries, which is available on Amazon.
Daniella Hunt’s Approach to Private Tours
Daniella Hunt thinks her visits are a success with kids and adults thanks to her use of the Socratic technique, visual aids, and story-telling. (She confides with a twinkle in her eye, “I’ve had a lot of bad teachers. So I know what not to do!”) She also believes that her passion for learning and teaching makes her a great private guide. She often says that “Rome specifically and Italy in general are endless sources of discovery: art, history, literature, food, and culture… I’m constantly studying and I love sharing what I’ve learned.”
She initially taught ancient Roman history for a cultural association. Then, in 1997, she worked as a guide for the Archeological Superintendence of Rome at the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, and the Palatine Hill. After these experiences, Daniella decided to set out on her own. She began offering visits to curious travelers who preferred savoring art, architecture, and culture rather than frenetically consuming the attractions that Rome had to offer.
Thanks to her on-going research, she is knowledgeable about a wide variety of topics: ancient Roman cuisine, art and liturgy in the Middle Ages, Renaissance history, and the glories of the Baroque era – to name a few! “My visits are organized to be educational and fun. I want my visitors to experience Rome and fall head-over-heels in love with it.”
Customers’ Comments
Click here to read about Daniella Hunt and Mirabilia Urbis Tours on TripAdvisor!
Daniella,
The hearty laugh Michele and I had ystdy recalling your helpful hint about who won the battle btwn Romulus and Remus for control of Rome (“It’s not called Reme”) reminds me to tell you how completely I enjoyed our tour of the Palatine Hill and the Roman houses on the Celian.
You are a wonderful guide, as expert as any history professor, but more enthusiastic and engaging, and as an added bonus, funny!
It was a memorable several hours, truly a highlight of our trip.
Gratefully,
Maria
Daniella-
As we adjust to being back from the most magical city that we have ever visited, I wanted to drop you a note and say thank you! You opened our eyes to an ancient world and the Renaissance that left us craving more. As you know, none of the “kids” were history buffs but you engaged them to the point that my son worked in some of your lessons to an anthropology paper.
You have spoiled us to the point where other guides will never measure up so we will have to plan early to make sure you are available for our next visit. In the meantime, we will immerse ourselves in reading more about the history of Ancient Rome – we found your book on amazon!
A million thanks and see you again!! Best,
Lisa
I did the Forum/Colosseum visit with Daniella in March 2022 with my 20 year old granddaughter. It wasn’t our only tour, but when anyone asks her what she liked best, she immediately says “The tour of the Forum!”. Daniella was a great guide, knowledgeable and always listening for what we were interested in. We had a lot of laughs, too. After our pre-trip emails, it felt like we were old friends. If you book her, please tell her the “rocket scientist” sent you. :)
Hi Daniella. Thank you again for the wonderful tour this morning! Maria and I are sitting here talking about how much we learned about Ancient Rome today. Your descriptions really brought it to life for us. We can see how passionate you are about your subject and that made the tour even better. Hope to see you again on a future trip!
Ciao Daniella!
Greg and I would like to thank you ever so much for the absolutely amazing tour of the Forum that you provided to us. Your knowledge, expertise and presentation made for an incredible experience that we will never forget. You started our vacation on a high note and it kept going from there. We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Rome! Many thanks!! Take care.
Best regards,
Greg and Kathy Slomka
Daniella, thank you again for running around with us this week. We had a great time and as always, your stories are both enchanting and hilarious. We wish you all the best and will certainly look you up the next time we’re in Rome.
Ciao,
Donna Z
Dear Daniella,
Now that David and I have returned from Italy, I wanted to let you know how much we enjoyed touring with you. This was my 7th trip to Italy (and at least my 5th time in Rome), but you gave me new appreciation not only for the antiquities we visited, but for their historical setting. The tour of the Pantheon alone was amazing. I had been there before, but your explanation of the engineering required enhanced my enjoyment of it multifold. Your tour of the Coliseum really brought it to life, and the same was true of the tours of the Forum and Palatine.
Also, thank you for your referral of Emiliano for our tour of St. Peter’s and the Vatican. He did a fine job. Again, thank you for everything. Taking your beautifully-organized tours and spending time in your company was a pleasure!
With my warmest regards (and David’s),
Ellen
Hello my friend!‚
I can’t believe I’ve been home for a week already! To start off, I wanted to thank you again for the wonderful time we spent touring with you at the Colosseum. Laura and Melanie were SO impressed with you and kept saying that they wished we could have just had you with us the whole time we were in Rome. As always, you made history really come alive and it was absolutely our favourite day of the trip!
Regards, Amanda
Daniella-
Thank you so much for the amazingly informative tour of the Forum and Palatine Hill. Our two teens were engaged and learned so much. The four hours passed incredibly quickly.
When we make it back to Rome, we will definitely engage your services again.
Grazie Mille,
Paul, Kendra, Riley and Alex Thompson
Daniella, I wanted to write to you to say another big thank you for making our recent trip to Rome so special and memorable. We all loved learning from you, and Ivy and I certainly appreciate how you curated and selected what you spoke about. We all know that you can’t possibly talk about everything, so choosing a compelling storyline like you did with Michelangelo really captured and held our attention. The foundation you laid for our kids’ future trips to Rome really felt like a good “investment”. I also appreciate you being so patient with the kids’ many questions. In other words, you were really great!
All the best and take care,
Sam B.
Hi Daniella,
I just wanted to write a quick note to extend our family’s gratitude for the unbelievable tour of the Forum and Octavian and Livia’s houses. It was the last day of a vacation filled with unbelievable sights… yet reflecting over dinner last night, we all agreed that your tour was the unquestioned highlight. You managed to combine an understanding of the Forum itself with the broader story of Rome and it brought perspective to what can seem an overwhelming volume of history.
I would also like to say a separate thanks for being so great at engaging our son. Just like most 13-year-olds, his mind has a tendency to wander when asked to focus for longer stretches. Instead he was totally mesmerized by the experience and later said he finally started to really understand the meaning of those old rocks!
Anyway, enough gushing, but suffice it to say you have given us the best possible reason to return to the Eternal City, and we can’t wait to meet again for more. Perhaps the summer solstice at the Pantheon?
With gratitude,
Graham, Sarah and Jake
Hi Daniella, just a quick note to tell you how much we loved our time with you in Rome! The rest of our visit was great but there were countless occasions when we wished you were around to answer our questions! You’ll be first on our list for our next visit. Thanks again, Marlene
Buongiorno Daniella,
We had an marvelous time with you. Your knowledge made all the difference between having a wonderful time and an “hey, that was pretty cool, but wish I knew more” time. I am looking forward to writing a glowing review of your tour on TripAdvisor so that others can benefit as we did. I really can’t say enough good things about you and your tour.
Take care,
Marla
Hello there Beautiful Daniella! I just wanted to thank you again for the tour of your unforgettable city! You were brilliant, funny, flexible, and one of my favorite Roman gems! Thank you! I’ll be back to storm more of Rome at your side!
Tonya
Daniella!
We had another wonderful, eye popping, brain-exploding, experience with you this March. Our time gawking at Marcus Aurelius’ Column right there on via del Corso with you was one of the highlights of our trip. But the aqueduct was so good to see and the baths of Caracalla, too… You managed to tie our various requests and components in a wonderful tour!
Can’t wait for the next time! (I’ve already got a bucket list and it includes a day of Latin inscriptions with you.)
John and Lidia
Dear Daniella,
James and I want to tell you how much we enjoyed your tour of San Clemente. Since it came at the beginning of our trip, it answered questions we didn’t know how to ask and shaped our understanding about everything we saw afterwards.
Every detail of your talk and presence remains with me. I did like the sad story of the boy under the stairs, and the terrifying dripping of bull’s blood in the cellar. But the most potent was the metaphor of ancient Rome’s apartment buildings, collapsed like ruined parking garages, covered with layers of Tiber mud… producing startling rise in ground level!
All the best,
Alvyn Austin & James Bracken
Hi Daniella,
We are finally back in the States, and we wanted to write and thank you again for the fabulous tours — they definitely helped to make this our best Rome experience yet.
We really enjoyed our time in Naples and spent our “day off” in the Archaeological Museum (wow). Now we want to go back there too. Pompeii and Herculaneum were both fascinating, and our guides were good — but they didn’t hold a candle to you.
We will definitely be in touch when we start planning our next trip to Rome!
Fond regards,
Bob and Wendy
Daniella,
I want to thank you for the fabulous service you provided as our guide for a “trip through time” as we visited ancient Rome and the Vatican. Our Italy trip was definitely our best family vacation ever, and you were a large contribution to that.
James, Domenic and Alex are still talking about what a fabulous experience it was. We appreciate your efforts in helping make it so special.
Thanks again,
Dobbie Luppino
Daniella!
Thank you SO much for two incredible tours! We learned so much, and really appreciated you keeping such a tight focus on the big ideas. Even more impressive, our brains are actually still retaining much (we think!) of the information we learned, and we don’t remember retaining much from our first Roman holiday. For us, presenting the big idea and emphasizing and fleshing it out really gave us a great understanding of ancient and Renaissance Rome.
Again, many thanks for a truly memorable and exceptional experience.
Hanita et al.
p.s. Chris can’t stop thinking about that crema di café –he became an instant addict!
Hi Daniella – we are now in Umbria and we’re still talking about the wonderful tour of the Roman Forum we took with you yesterday. Thank you so much for making it memorable and a fantastic birthday adventure! It was a real treat to experience the Forum through your expert eyes. Our very best, N&M
Hi Daniella –
I wanted to reach out and thank you for your wonderful tours of both the Vatican and Ancient Rome. Our family has had many discussions about life in Ancient Rome since your tours and all agree that your way of presenting information made for an incredibly comprehensive learning experience. We chuckle at our different “A-ha!” moments…
Anyways, I hope you enjoy the rest of your summer and it would be wonderful if we can return to Rome and enjoy your tutelage again.
Until next time!
Kim
Dear Daniella,
My wife and I enjoyed both of the tours you led us on during our visit to Rome. We thought you were a fantastic tour guide and really appreciated the insights you provided, which helped put everything into perspective. (We loved the humor of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel – we had no idea he could get away with that!) Again, thank you so much for making our Rome trip so special.
I also wrote a 5-star review in Tripadvisor (I just wish they allowed us to give more than 5-stars!).
Best wishes,
Michael
Hi Daniella,
This is a late thank you and picture from our visit the summer before last. I’ve been dreaming of it today and longing to come back. The two days of touring with you were the highlight of our European vacation! You were able to take us on a journey into history and have it unfold around us. My daughter Julia and her friend Ryan still talk about you and the extraordinary experience that you created for us. It brings back the fondest memories. The finest souvenirs could never have given us the great joy and friendship that we will always cherish. We’ve given your name out to several people. Sure hope you can fit us in again next time we come visit!
Kind Regards,
Christie Hodgman
Thank you, Daniella, for the fabulous 5-hour tour of the Vatican Museum, the in-depth discussions, and all your commentary wrapped up with your great sense of humour and enthusiasm. We especially appreciated you prepping us for the Sistine Chapel.
Laura and Sam
Thank you so much for a wonderful tour last week. Susan and I thought it was the highlight of our trip!
David
Hi Daniella:
We just got back from the cruise portion of our trip and we wanted to thank you again for the great tours of the Colosseum, Forum and Palatine Hill you gave us in Rome on October 7th. You really brought the history of those areas to life!
If we know people going to Rome, we will definitely send them your way, and please feel free to use us as a reference.
Thanks again,
Bob & Marylee Long
Daniella,
We are back in Ireland again and back at work; our brief but wonderful interlude in Rome now a happy memory. Many thanks for such an informative and stimulating tour. We all enjoyed it hugely. My mother felt that she came away with a much deeper overview of the city, which was just what I wanted for her on her first and possibly only trip to Rome.
Best wishes from,
Jane, Laszlo and Doreen
Dear Daniella,
I just wanted to write a quick hello and thank you for such fantastic tours of Rome. We had lots going on, but you were certainly a highlight for us and I look forward to visiting Rome again with more knowledge than I previously had! In all honesty, when I look back at my three weeks away, the visit to the Colosseum (and hypogeum/3rd level) and Sistine Chapel in the evening rank amongst my fondest memories. And after the beauty of the Amalfi coast from a boat, that’s saying a lot!!! You made it fun, challenging, and exciting, so thank you for making it so worthwhile for my family.
Alyssa Maple-Brown
Ciao Daniella,
I want to take a minute to thank you so much for the “greatest tour ever”. My family hasn’t stopped raving about it. The Forum and Colosseum are amazing in themselves… but the way you presented them truly made a difference in the experience. We went on two previous tours, one in Paris and one in Rome. They were both really good but they were basically a one way factual tutorial. Your interactive approach is far more engaging and stimulating and even solicits interesting responses such as Theresa’s suggesting that dinosaurs might have been paraded around the Colosseum. LOL!
Thanks so much and hope to get back to Italy soon!
Rich Scarola
Ciao Daniella —
Many thanks for making our Rome trip so memorable. We had a fantastic time in your wonderful city, and we thank you so much for the tours of the historic city center and Vatican museums. We all learned so much and loved every minute being with you.
Please use us as a reference (especially for families with teens) if you’d like. We hope to see you again –our best wishes for a healthy and happy new year.
Julia, Eric, and Ethan
Hi Daniella —
I wanted to drop you a quick line and let you know that we all arrived home last night around 10 pm. No worse for wear, but missing our new-found city and friend already. Hopefully you’ve recovered from four straight days of the Walshes — we can be a handful at times – lol. Here’s the good news — we saw that we missed about 8 to 10 of your tours, so we’ll have to come back someday :-).
I know we said this before, but we can’t thank you enough for making our vacation a fun and memorable one, and we know it’s all because of you, because while we did visit some of the sites you took us to on Sunday and Monday when we first got there — we didn’t have any appreciation of their significance in history until you put all of it into context for us. One of the kids on the way home said spending time with you was like going to school each day, but where you couldn’t wait to get to the next lesson — I think that’s a testament to how great a teacher and guide you are.
Thank you again. Hopefully we’ll see you again someday soon —
Neil and Beth
Daniella,
Now that we are home, I want to put together a more articulate thank you for our time with you in Rome.
From the beginning, we immediately felt like we knew you, like we were old friends putting together a plan to get together over the Christmas holiday in Rome. That instinct was immediately validated when we finally met on that drizzly Friday morning in front of the Flavian Ampitheater. (How about that reference??)
Your level of energy and love for what you do, coupled with your gift for teaching, and ease with everyone you come in contact with… ARE AMAZING!!
Our sons’ experience in Rome was exponentially enhanced because of our time with you, and we were truly sad to leave you on our final day together. (I truly did not want that day to end!!)
And what can I say about your driver, Emilio? Maybe just that we wanted to adopt him!! He is adorable…and such a wonderful example of an Italian gentleman. Please give him our regards!
If we ever get back to Rome, we will definitely call you! Likewise, if you are ever in Boston let us know, we would be happy to show you around!!
With admiration,
Lisa
Cara Daniella,
Can’t tell you enough how much we loved our time with you. You really brought Rome alive for us. We will never forget this trip!
Hope you have a fabulous 2016. Let us know when we can buy that book of yours!
Cheers, Annette
Dear Daniella,
Once more, I want to hug you with praise. My family, from the 19 year old to the 75 year old, sang your virtues.
After we left Rome and went to Tuscany and Venice, I hired other guides. The response of the group was, “She (he) was good….but not as good as Daniella”.
I wrote a review on TripAdvisor, and will continue sending people to you. However, these old bones will probably not visit Rome again.
Just wanted to thank you again for adding to my life.
Pat Andreotti
Dear Daniella,
I wanted to write the moment we got back to our hotel to say what a wonderful time we all spent with you last Saturday morning.Thank you for your enthusiasm and energy which resulted in such a enriching and eye-opening tour. All day Sunday we kept saying ‘wish Daniella was here!’ We are already looking forward to our next trip to Rome and discovering some more the city’s secrets with you.
With more thanks and best wishes from the whole family,
Mary Anne Malleret
Hi there, Daniella. I can’t begin to describe how much we both enjoyed, indeed cherished, your wonderful tour on Tuesday. I must tell you that we were and remain thrilled by the way you conducted the tour, gave such a warm and personal touch and of course, importantly, taught us both so much. Thank you.
Willard and Marjie Gowdy
Hi Daniella-
Thank you so much for our fabulous day at Hadrian’s Villa and Villa d’Este. Chaz and I enjoyed our time with you tremendously. We learned so much and we know that we would not have gotten as much out of both sites without your expertise.
We appreciate your fun sense of humor and the “quiz” questions. It’s great that you really encourage your clients to fully participate and think about what they are seeing.
We hope to get back to Rome again and look forward to spending another day with you then.
Denise & Chaz Adamson
Buona sera Daniella,
Grazie for the wonderful day we spent with you. It was the perfect introduction to Roma! You really made learning about the city so much fun, that we will never forget the day.
We were sad to go but will be back and sure hope we can spend more time with you. There is just so much more to learn about in this beautiful and fascinating city.
We are still finding the information you gave us so relative where ever we are!
Ciao,
Sally
Hi Daniella,
Thank you for making our time in Rome so magical– you were just wonderful and brought the history, drama and architecture to life for all of us. We couldn’t have asked for more. It was just a perfect time and I’m amazed at how much we fit into just a couple days. Hopefully we will be back again in the future!
Best, Maria
Ciao Daniella!
Dave and I had a marvelous time in Rome, one of the highlights being our day with you! You were a fantastic guide and we enjoyed our tour immensely. We want to take the kids next year and if we do, I will be sure to call and reserve a day with you.
All our best!
Bobbi & Dave
Daniella,
Taylor and I want to thank you for your wonderful tour during our visit to Rome. If I could bottle your energy and passion for Rome I would be a millionaire!! We learned so much yet didn’t realize we were because you made it so fun. Can’t wait to get back again someday. Take care and I will pass your name on to whoever I know coming your way!! Thanks again!
Liz Firebaugh
Hi Daniella.
Ben, Fran, and I enjoyed every minute of our time in Italy.
Together we decided that touring with you was the absolute highlight of the week.
You led us on informative and entertaining tours of some of the most historic sites
in the world and we enjoyed your company very much. We will have those wonderful
memories for the rest of our lives. Thank you for everything.
Lorri Fitzsimmons
Thank you, thank you, thank you for our wonderful time in Roma! You are an amazing tour guide and we all enjoyed every minute. Yesterday was Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento and the gorgeous Amalfi Coast… Wish you were here with us.
Cindy McBride
Daniella,
Thank you so much for being our intrepid guide. You made every bit of history important and interesting. You are a brilliant teacher the way you include each person in the experience. When I came home to the States, I couldn’t stop reading about Rome. Thank you!
I hope we meet again, Ciao, Bella!
Ann and Milt Butzke
Daniella,
Now that we are finally back in our old states-side routines and the glow of our Italian trip is fading, I wanted to thank you on behalf of our group for the incredible experience we had in Rome exploring the Forum and Palatine Hill.
Your knowledge, enthusiasm, energy and engaging manner really brought the majesty and mystery of ancient Rome to life for all of us. You clearly love what you do and I will certainly recommend your tours to my associates.
Grazie mille!
William Brennan MD, Ph.D.
Daniella,
Thank you for a wonderful tour of Ancient Rome — one of the highlights of our visit! Amazing how a full day just flew by and not a single complaint (at least not related to the tour!) from two teens. When we got back to the hotel I asked the boys what they thought of the day and the response was “fantastic!” We loved your tour style, with quizzes along the way to keep us all focused on the context of what we were viewing. We would have missed so many of the nuances of the Forum, Palatine Hill and Colosseum without your stories and insights. Also, it was a special treat to view the hypogeum and third tier with no other tourists in view; so glad we made time for that at the end of our day. Thank you for making those arrangements.
Ciao!
Kathy Bray (and John, Charlie and Henry)
Daniella,
Thank you so much for taking Alex and I around Rome. We had a great time and learned so much. It was a pleasure to get to know you and to be with you…
You made ancient Rome come alive. So when I come back to Rome for a month, to really explore and absorb, we will contact you again. Thank you so much!
All the best,
Dana
Daniella,
I just wanted you to know that we returned home a few days ago and we can’t stop thinking about our incredible trip. If it’s possible for a vacation to exceed one’s expectations – this one did just that!
We are SO PLEASED that the Kaufman’s recommended you to us! We feel as though we got everything we wanted out of our day in Rome. I am also very pleased that we opted to see the Forum, the Colosseum and San Clemente. The way you presented each was outstanding. I was particularly moved by San Clemente! When you asked us to imagine ourselves sitting in a 1st century A.D. home – it was just a mind-blower! And seeing Mithras’ sanctuary was incredible.
THANK YOU for making our day in Rome so memorable and so informative. You made the ancient sites “come alive” for us. We will never forget it! Oh, and your choice of restaurants was GREAT!
Renee (and Jim!)
Hi, Daniella!
Just a quick note to thank you for a wonderful afternoon at the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel + Saint Peter’s Basilica!
We found your lively, interactive approach most engaging! We knew right from the start that we needed to pay attention because you were going to ask us questions – LOL!!! And your stories brought it all to life for us! Thank you, too, for the walk through Saint Peter’s Basilica: we had visions of Bernini + Baroque for days! Ah, Mirabilia Urbis – we experienced a lot of that during our stay!
Well, Daniella, the ‘season’ is just beginning for you… Lucky folks who will be spending time with you!
We wish you well! Ciao!
Joy & Tom
Daniella,
Thanks do much for all you did for the girls! They had a wonderful time and could not have said enough great things about the time they spent with you. The history lesson they received and all that they took in while in Rome during their 3 days with you was wonderful and certainly would not have been possible without you. As I wanted this to be a special “mother-daughter” trip, your services certainly lived up to everyone’s expectations and provided the memories of a lifetime for Leslie, Nicole, and Taylor.
Again, thank you for making all of this so easy and know that I will recommend you to all of my friends headed to Rome.
Best regards,
Steve
Ciao Daniella!
Just thought I would drop you a quick note to thank you so very much for such a terrific tour with you while we were in Rome. Amy and Tom are still
talking about it.
Also we took your recommendations for the two restaurants and they were superb. It was truly a wonderful way to end our holiday.
We hope to return to Rome – my favourite destination — next year and catch up with you again, if you are available!
Take care,
Kate, Peter, Amy and Tom
Hi Daniella,
Jay and I and Peter and Ann enjoyed your marathon tour of the Roman Forum, Colosseum, and Palatine Hill. We learned so much! You made the history come alive. So thank you for making Ancient Roman history so meaningful and fun!
Best regards,
Sue and Jay Kasofsky,
Ann and Peter Macy
Hi Daniella,
With a few minutes to spare I thought I should email our thanks for the wonderful experience you provided us in Rome.
The kids have entertained everyone with the story of Bernini’s elephant and the Sistine Chapel’s little white dog. They have even managed to recall many of the other entertaining elements of the tours you provided us.
Needless to say, the time spent with you made our time in Rome all the more memorable and we greatly appreciate the effort you made to accommodate all weather conditions and the litany of children’s questions. We can’t wait to get back and discover all the other parts of Rome we never had the time to explore.
All the best to you and Andrea,
Marina (Bowshall), Richard, Tom and Eilis Noone
Hello Daniella!!
Thank you again for the absolutely fantastic tour of the Pantheon, St. Clement’s, and the Colosseum. We talked about your tour for the rest of our trip, and it was the highlight. You have a true gift for teaching, and for making these wonderful buildings come alive. AND, your most amazing accomplishment was that you managed to keep two teenage boys completely enthralled for 6 hours — no easy task I can assure you!! We will be sure to tell all our friends about you, and if you ever need a reference I would be most happy to give one.
Thank you again for an afternoon in Rome that we will always remember.
Best regards,
Laurie Kesaris
Dear Daniella,
We will always remember your enthusiasm and knowledge as you toured us through the Forum, the Colosseum, and later at San Clemente. Your teaching method is engaging and effective. On our last night in Rome, we went back to the same restaurant where we had lunch together. It was yet another lovely meal! The owner remembered us and pointed to where we sat at our lunch.
Thanks for making our trip so special: it was a great day and one we will always remember. Greeting also from David and Stuart.
Sincerely, Mary Louise Hopson
Dear Daniella,
We are home now and finally I am back into my normal life…however I miss Roma. Our trip was wonderful. The month went by very fast and I was not really ready to leave. Our two days with you were definitely highlights. I loved your tours. The interactive way you had us look so closely at the churches and see so very much, and learn so very much.
Thanks again for making our month in Roma especially special,
Mary Ann and Philip Essig
Dear Daniella,
Take it from the bottoms of all four of our hearts: You are simply splendid. Your patience with us older folks was phenomenal and we appreciated your pace with which we could keep up. We all learned so much!
The “evening lights” tour of Rome was exceptional, and your choice of restaurants was superb. What a splendid time of day it was to take a drive through your wonderful city! We were spellbound by your educated guidance through St. Peter’s Basilica. And what fun we had checking out the Colosseum, again with your prodding us to remember the people and centuries that made it all happen in the first place!
While our visit to the Sistine Chapel was a true highlight of our time in Rome, John most enjoyed the visit to the Borghese Gallery. He was indeed enthralled with the six Caravaggio paintings and by your depth of knowledge — not only of his art — but also that of many other painters and sculptors.
We are delighted to recommend your service without reservation to anyone who wants to discover Rome. We thank you for the time you spent preparing for our visit and for being so flexible with our individual and group needs.
Ciao! Ruthanna Jeter
Dear Daniella,
We wanted to say thank you for making our trip so memorable and enjoyable. If you would ever like to use us for a reference for potential clients, please do not hesitate to let us know. You were a delightful guide, and we learned a great deal from you during our visit..
Caio,
Susan and Rob Walker
Hi Daniella,
We took a tour with you of the Forum a few weeks ago with Ron and Irene Lowenberg.
Just a quick note to say how much we enjoyed your tour. Really fun and informative, and you have a great way of bringing history to life. I know that if we had gone to the Forum on our own, with even a guidebook with us, we would have missed 90% of what we learned from your tour. I wish that we could have gone on more learning adventures with you, but alas, our time was short and we had to return to the real world!
Melissa and John
Hi Daniella:
On behalf of the Fort Langley Dental Office team we would all like to thank you for the wonderful two days spent with us in Rome. Your passion for history and art, your obvious love for what you do, and your concern for our enjoyment made our time in Rome truly memorable. I am recommending you to all our friends who may be travelling to Rome in the future. Thank you once again.
You’re a gem.
Regards,
Dr. Punnett
Hello Daniella!
I have been meaning to write to you and thank you for the absolutely wonderful tour of the Colosseum as well as the Capuchin crypts! Honestly our time spent with you was the highlight of our trip. You have such a wonderful gift for bringing history to life – not an easy task particularly when there’s a 16 year old boy in tow. Christopher said the Colosseum was his favorite part of our trip.
When I return to Rome (and I would love to come back soon – such a magnificent city) I would really like to see more of Rome thru your eyes. I hope you’re doing well and having a fantastic summer. Take best care and hopefully we’ll meet again very soon.
With warmest regards,
Cynthia
Dear Daniella,
Bill & I want to thank you again for such a wonderful experience in Ostia Antica. It was everything we had hoped for and more! You set the stage for the rest of our holiday in Rome.
Bill particularly appreciated your willingness to listen, your corrects and additions. I personally enjoyed the little known facts and tidbits that one would never find in a guide book…
Please feel free to use us as references. We would love the chance to sing your praises!
Hugs!
Daniella,
Gary and I just wanted to add our praises to the millions you’ve already received from satisfied clients over the years. Afterwards, of course, I thought of hundreds of questions I should have asked when we had you captive. Your tour was wonderful; we learned so much; with your keen knowledge, wit and unbridled enthusiasm, you made ancient Rome come alive for us. We had a blast sharing lunch with you. And the picture you took of us at the Colosseum turned out to be one of my favorites. I hope we can return some day. Until then, ciao.
Thanks, again, for some terrific memories.
Lili and Gary Salzman
Daniella,
We’re home and still talking about our wonderful trip to Italy and the fascinating tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum with you. Thanks so much for enlightening us and keeping the tour so very entertaining and interesting. It was time and money well spent and I would be happy to recommend your tour services to anyone!
Best regards,
Jennifer Wham
Hi Daniella,
Peggy and I wanted to thank you once again for the time you spent with us in Rome. Since returning to our home, work has kept us hopping but we have persevered through work by dwelling on our memories of Rome. Our memories include the special time we spent with you. Your knowledge and enthusiasm of Rome’s history and archeological sites is exceptional. I am sorry we did not book more of your time because you really brought the past alive and we enjoyed your company.
Tom Lopez and Peggy Jordan, Idaho, USA
Hi Daniella:
I wanted to write you as soon as we got off our cruise and thank you for the wonderful time we had touring Rome with you. As a matter of fact; we have already recommended you to several people who were on our cruise. My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed both tours we took with you and felt your knowledge and interpretations of the various periods of Rome was excellent. In addition, we now know the stories and history that go with all those great pictures we took. So we can share what we learned from you with our friends and family as we show them all our pictures! We also appreciated you working with us on some of our last minute changes we made to our plans and making it possible for us to see a lot more of Rome then we ever thought would be possible in the time we had. We could not have asked for a better guide. Finally; please feel free to post this email as our personal recommendation to anyone who is looking for a private guide. Your personality, friendliness and vast knowledge make’s you a super guide that everyone will enjoy touring with. I can’t recommend you enough. Best regards and thanks again for a wonderful experience.
Jeff and Sandy Lacey, Charlotte, NC
Daniella,
Wow! What can I say? Amazing! Fascinating! Incredible! Breathtaking! Educational! Fabulous! All words to describe the absolutely phenomenal day we had with you. Gary and I were in awe the entire time! We learned so much. You truly are a wealth of knowledge. We definitely feel that our trip to Rome would not have been complete without you. We found ourselves wanting to meet with you again to learn as much as we could. We truly enjoyed how you made things come to life. You created pictures of the past that made us long to have lived back then. It was absolutely fascinating! We loved the roman lunch. It was great getting to know you better while learning about the past. We have found ourselves searching to find the wine we shared. We loved learning about and trying the different foods that were eaten hundreds of years ago. I can not thank you enough for making our trip to Rome outstanding! We hope to return soon and will definitely be giving you a call. Thank you again! You truly have a gift! Thank you for sharing it with us. Sincerely,
Lisa and Gary Dickison, Charlotte, NC
Daniella,
Betsy and I thoroughly enjoyed our day and a half with you. We learned more than any tour book, audio guide or tour guide could have possibly taught us. You not only gave us the “what and where” of the sights but an in-depth “why” of what we experienced with you.
Your tours were not only a great vision into the past but also in insight into the personalities that created history.
Nick and Betsy White
Dear Daniella,
Your tour was a major highlight of our action-packed trip, and I don’t think a week goes by that we don’t extol your virtues to someone who asks about what to do in Rome. You really brought the Colosseum and San Clemente to life for us, and increased our enjoyment of those sites tremendously. In fact, I would say that an afternoon with you enriched our whole experience of the city: you taught us enough about the “language” of ancient Rome in one afternoon that we were able to visit other churches and historical sites later in the week and see them with new eyes.
With very best regards,
Cary Goodell & Michael Cuiccio (and young Michael Hecimovich, who says the tour with you was the best birthday present ever!)
Dear Daniella,
Wow. That’s the first, second and fiftieth word that comes to mind when I try to describe what it’s like to experience Rome with you. And experience is very much the operative word. Through you I experienced the passion, joy, and intrigue that was ancient Rome.
Week after week, you opened my eyes and my heart to the most incredible story I had ever heard. We covered all the usual places, of course, like the Colosseum and the Forum and the Imperial Fora; our pursuit of historical breadth then took us to ancient aqueducts and rarely-visited temples. It was extraordinary.
Truth be told, I fell totally and helplessly in love. As a result of my time with you — your enthusiasm, your clarity, your mastery of the art of storytelling — I am now enrolled in a Master of Arts degree programme in Classical Civilisations at the University of London! I am hooked. Truly, nothing will ever be the same!
Amy Selwyn
Daniella:
This note is long overdue but I want to thank you again for your wonderful services in Rome. Your knowledge of Roman history, art and culture enriched our experience in the city immensely. Chris tells everybody Rome was his favorite part of the trip, in no small measure because we had you to inform and entertain us! Hope all is well. We look forward to seeing you on our next visit!
Carol Giacomo, Washington, D.C.
Dear Daniella,
I want to thank you again for the wonderful tours that you provided for my Trinity Western University student group. You have such a gift for bringing ancient Rome to life. This is the second time that I have worked with you, and, as before, the students loved you! And, as before, you got the highest ratings of all the speakers on our itinerary.
What I think really makes your guided tours unique is not just your knowledge but the way that you share it. As we walked around the Forum, I listened to other guides rattling off a bunch of dates and historical facts. It didn’t much sound as though they cared about either the history or the group they were with. You, on the other hand, reach out to every person in the group and make him or her feel important to you, then you pull each person into ancient history through your stories. As one student remarked this last time, ‘Even when we were exhausted by weeks of touring, Daniella’s enthusiasm kept us interested and wanting to know more.’
You even cared about the small things: sunscreen, restaurant tips, remembering names, helping a lost coordinator find her way home… My students from 2002 still talk about you and ask me to say hello to you when I see you next. That says a lot!
Thank you so much,
Christina Battermann
Coordinator of Academic Administration and Travel Studies, Trinity Western University, Langley, BC, Canada
Hello Daniella,
You gave my wife and I a walking tour of the forum a few years ago. We just stumbled across the original web page I had printed when we were planning our tip to Italy and were reminded of you and your wonderful tours. We hope all is well with you and you are still walking Rome’s wonders with the likes of us. Take care and we hope the next time we are in Rome we can take advantage of your knowledge!
Don & Marlyn Fowler, Seminole, Florida
The only way to see Rome’s great attractions is with Daniella. For first timers or those who have visited before, nothing can get you “inside” the history and intrigue of daily life in Ancient Rome like Daniella. Her opening word? “Imagine…” It was the start of the most memorable 2 days of our Italian holiday . Do yourself a favour, discover Rome with Daniella.
Alan Guignon, Sydney, Australia
Everyone who comes to Rome should tour with Daniella Hunt. Our three days
of tours, or better yet, walking history lessons, were one of the highlights of our trip this May. Daniella is professional, yet personable, enthusiastic, and genuinely friendly. Her extensive knowledge of ancient Rome, its people, its culture, its society, its architecture, seems inexhaustible. …In addition to our three days of tours, Daniella supplied us with suggestions about restaurants, transportation, museums, and day-trip. Mirabilia Urbis Tours is the way to know Rome!
Lynn Mason, Bath, NC USA
The best investment we made during our trip to Rome was our time spent with Daniella. We learned so much from her about Rome and enjoyed every second of our private tour. We were amazed with her knowledge! Our first day in Rome we spent about 4 hours with Daniella and visited the Ancient Forum and The Coliseum. Both were fascinating. We spent the entire next day with Daniella touring Vatican City, The Spanish Steps, The Pantheon, The Trevi Fountain, etc… It was a fabulous day! We asked her tons of questions and she never seemed to get tired of us. Since I threw my coins in the Trevi Fountain, I am ensured a return to Rome and will most definitely tour with Daniella again. She was great!
Angela Hester and family, Charlotte, NC USA
We absolutely loved our tours with Daniella! We learned so much about Rome, and in a fun, interesting and exciting way. We would highly recommend her!
Dan Silvestri, Chicago, USA
We were part of that “Group of Seven” travelers (see Ellen Detlefsen’s posting below) who benefited from Daniella’s knowledge, experience, wit and humor in March this year. As she sat us down on the stones in the Forum, her tour began with “Now imagine….” and from that point on, Roman history came alive! We knew we would be both learning and laughing when her sentences began with, “Now the guide books may tell you this, but….” With knowledge steeped in the Classics, Daniella helped us come to know a culture and those who formed it. … She always hit the mark on recommendations — be it a great place to eat or a museum.
We’ll be back! Mary & David
Drs. Mary Cerreto & David Coulter, Boston, MA USA
Daniella spent four days in mid-March 2001 with a group of seven of us, ranging in age from 16 to 54. She was a wonderful guide, and made what was really only a long weekend most memorable! We really appreciated her in-depth knowledge, her wit and enthusiasm, and her unflagging good humor. Her suggestions for itineraries, museums, and restaurants were outstanding. We walked and talked and laughed and learned, and we *all* loved being able to go out without a guidebook (or even a map), secure in the knowledge that Daniella would be taking us to interesting and zany spots.
We asked her to take us through “Latin” or classical Rome this time; next time we’ll do another aspect of that great city with Daniella. She made all of us, including two teenage boys, feel at home in Rome, and enlightened about the past! Grazie!
Ellen Detlefsen, Pittsburgh, PA USA
We had 3 wonderful tours with Daniella in Rome from Nov. 18th to Nov. 23, 2000. Her service greatly enhanced our week in rome. She was well informed and yet capable of drawing her own conclusions. Very professional, yet warm and accepting of our family, our visits with her were an extremely positive experience.
Richard G. Collie, Harbor Springs, MI USA
Daniella is the best! Her visits are a very fun and educational way to see Rome. She is a visitor to the 20th century — she really lives in antiquity and she’ll take you back to ancient Rome when you visit the city with her.
Roger Salzman + Katherine Shear, Pittsbrugh, PA USA
Dear Daniella,
Jack and I are in Ireland. It is gorgeous here, but Rome was the best.
We really enjoyed our tour of the Vatican. It was definitely the highlight of our trip. We ended up going to Ostia Antica like you had suggested. It was lovely! And we had dinner at the place you recommended. The food was fabulous. Thank you again for all your suggestions and help.
We had a wonderful time and it was great to meet you. Hopefully, we will see you again in Rome soon.
Take Care,
Emily Harrington and Jack Kemp
Daniella, thanks so much for showing us around — it was more like a personal tour from a friend than a impersonal tour from a guide! Thanks again — and I hope to do it again sometime!
Hank Mishkoff, Dallas, TX USA
I found Mirabilia Urbis randomly just wandering through the internet, and it was just one of those things that was meant to be. My daughter (16) and I were visiting Rome and Daniella made its history come alive for both of us. Rome is a walking city, and her tours (we took two of them) really left us feeling like we got a real feel for the city, both ancient and modern. I would recommend her tours to anyone!
Mandy Falk, Annapolis, MD US
I got Daniella Hunt’s name through a very reliable tour company… I was nervous, because I was responsible for setting up our Rome trip for a group of 8 people. Well, we couldn’t have had a better start to our Rome trip. Daniella showed us the sights, answered ALL of our questions, and gave us a great history lesson. We went to the Coloseum, Palatine Hill and the Forum. Our favorite restaurant in Rome was the one she recommended. I would refer Daniella to anyone. I believe she can relate to just about any age group. (Ours was 18-40something).
Vivian R. Wood, Anchorage, AL USA