Frequently Asked Questions
Where do you run your walking seminars?
We run walks in Rome, Paris, Florence, Venice, Naples, London, and New York. There are over 170 scholars and specialists in our network. We have physical offices in Philadelphia, Rome, and Paris.
What happens if I need to cancel my trip?
For most of our services we need at least 48 hours advance notice, at which time we refund 85% of the original purchase price. Some services, like car services have a 72-hour threshold. We’ve summarized these policies for each item and service that we sell on a page that is accessible throughout our site, or here.
I've signed up for some walks on your website. What now?
You will receive an email from us within two business days. More than likely this will be a “confirmation email” directing you to check your online itinerary for information (directions and maps of our walks’ meetings points, etc.) about your order. If we are unable to provide a service that you have requested or your request is taking longer to research than planned, we’ll correspond with you personally about your options.
Can I pay for these services when I arrive?
In order to reserve any of our services, we require that you pay in advance with a credit card, using our website.
Your prices are in euros, pounds, and dollars, but the final total in my shopping cart is in dollars. What's going on here?
We are an American company. Our credit card processor is located in the U.S., and hence all of our transactions are in dollars. We have designed our pricing structure based around the local currency where we're providing our service since the docents who lead our walks are local residents. Our conversion rate is the real-time, interbank rate, which is the rate that banks trade currency and is generally 1.3% higher than the central bank rate set by the EU Central Bank or Bank of England.
Am I being ripped off on conversion fees?
No. We actually offer our customers a way of saving money on transaction fees. Typically, most travelers pay for their travel in-country with a credit card or by withdrawing money from their bank with an ATM card. While convenient, this can be costly. Many credit card companies and banks tack on a service fee to the interbank rate. We’ve found that these are usually around 1-3% higher than the interbank rate, depending on the local bank initiating the transfer.
Is my credit card secure?
Absolutely. We use a 128-bit secure server and Paypal’s PayflowPro service to guarantee that your credit card number is secure. This is the same level of security employed by Amazon.com and other large e-commerce companies.
Why are you asking me about lodging and other personal information (like my age and occupation for signing up for itineraries)?
We need your lodging information on file in case there is some kind of problem on the day of a certain service, like a strike, or in case you don’t show up for an appointment. This is absolutely necessary information. You don’t have to give us your occupation and age in order to sign up for an itinerary, but it helps our docents to customize the itinerary.
Who leads your walks?
Our docents are scholars and specialists in a variety of fields including art history, archaeology, cuisine, architecture, history, and theology. Many of them hold Ph.D.s or other terminal degree in their field and teach in universities.
How big are your group walks?
Our group “walks” are limited to six people, which is why we call them small group walks. The one exception to this are our private walks, which we limit to eight people. We have found that it is very difficult to create the kind of conversational, seminar-like atmosphere that is so key to our activities with more than six people.
What is the difference between a private walk and small-group walks?
Our private walks are just that: a private seminar with a knowledgeable docent that is tailored to your individual needs and interests, and organized around your schedule. (You tell us your preferred date and time.) Small-group walks are seminars on which you will be joined by 2 or 3 other people (max 6), but they are extremely in-depth and hands-on and also led by one of our highly qualified experts. We published a calendar of these.
I’d like just a tour of the highlights. Can you do this?
Not really. The cities where we operate are too interesting and complex to simply whisk through at a breakneck pace. As well, “highlight tours” too often follow a very predictable and well-worn tourist path. Part of our mission at Context to avoid this path as best we can, both for the benefit of the cities where we operate and our clients. You may want to consider enlisting the services of a more traditional tour company for a highlights tour.
I am a single traveler. Will you run a small group walk if I’m the only one signed up?
We reserve the right to cancel an itinerary at any time for any variety of reasons, including lack of interest. However, in practice, this is very rare. If we do find that only one or two clients are signed up for a walk we will always consider the importance of the walk first and foremost, before cancelling. If it is a very interesting, unusual walk that only attracts a few clients we will often run it regardless, since our primary mission is to take travelers off the beaten path and give them a deeper experience of the place. Every season we run dozens of such unprofitable walks for exactly this reason. If we decide, however, to cancel a walk we will offer you one, two, or even three alternatives. In the event that none of these alternatives satisfy you, we’ll make a full refund.
Should we buy our tickets in advance of the tour?
No. For the Vatican and Colosseum (in Rome), you will buy the tickets as a group at the beginning of the walk. For the Louvre (Paris), and Uffizi and Accademia (Florence) we will provide pre-purchased tickets for the group at the beginning of the walk.
We’ve heard that the lines can be long at museums. Are we able to skip lines on the walk?
At the Vatican (Rome), it depends. The Vatican has a limited system for making advanced reservations which we are able to take advantage of, bearing in mind that there may still be quite a lengthy reservation line. We do our best to schedule our itineraries at a time when the lines are shortest. There may be a wait, but we will use that time to lay the context of the walk. At the D’Orsay and Louvre (Paris) and at the Uffizi and Accademia (Florence), we are able to make advance reservations and ticket purchases. There might be a minimal wait for security purposes. But we bypass the main lines. At the Metropolitan Museum in New York we pre-purchase group reservations.
How will I rendez-vous with my docent for a walk?
When your order is confirmed we will post complete information, including a map to the meeting point, in your online itinerary (which you create as you checkout). You will also receive a confirmation email with some of this information and instructions reminding you to check your online itinerary.
How will I recognize the docent leading my walk in a crowded city?
We have designed our meeting points to avoid large crowds. Don’t expect a guide with a flag. We are much more subtle. If you show up at the right spot our expert will greet you by name.
If I sign up for a small group walk with a specific docent is there a chance you will switch the docent?
Yes. Because our docents are professors, lecturers, and scholars they are sometimes called away at the last minute. In the rare event that this happens, we will have to make a substitution from within our network. All of our docents are master’s- and Ph.d-level scholars, and all are able to lead very high-level seminar discussion. If you would like to be sure of having a specific docent on an walk you need to sign up for a private walk.
Am I expected to tip my docent?
No. Tipping is appreciated but not obligatory. Context clients generally tip anywhere from 10-25% of the purchase price of a personal service such as this, depending on the quality of the experience and their tipping habits.
How will we rendez-vous with our driver when we arrive at the airport?
The actual instructions vary from airport to airport; and they are sent to you when we confirm the order. But in general s/he will be waiting for you as you exit customs with your name on a sign.
What is the difference between the Eurostar and Intercity trains in Italy?
The Eurostar is faster, more comfortable, and costs slightly more than the Intercity. However, depending on the trip, the time difference is negligible. Rome to Naples, for instance, takes only 1:57 on the Intercity and 1:45 on the Eurostar. With the Florence run, however, the difference is more notable. The Eurostar takes only 1:35 hr., as opposed to the Intercity which takes 2:29hr.
Are your cell phone rentals in Italy competitively priced?
Ours are actually cheaper than most rental phones because we use Italian phones with pre-paid accounts. Most cell phone rentals offered to travelers coming to Europe are actually UK phones, for which you call now, pay later. This means that you don’t actually know the rate for your calls until you arrive home and a bill comes in the mail. In Europe you have the option to pre-pay all of your calls by buying parcels of credit. Our phones actually tell you how much credit you have remaining. So, you can decide, for instance, that you only want to spend 20 Euros on actual calls during your trip and then stay on top of that expense with each call.
What do I do if I need to add credit to my phone?
You can easily purchase additional credit at any tobacconist shop. We include a set of detailed instructions for how to do this, including any stray Italian words that might come in handy. Or, you can simply call our Rome office, and we’ll add more credit to your phone remotely.
How do I get my phone and return it to you?
Our Italian phones are mailed to your home address via Priority Mail 10 day prior to your departure. You will receive an envelope with instructions on how to mail the phone back to our Philadelphia office once you return to the United States.
Do your cell phones work throughout Europe?
Yes, although there may be some variation from country to country, and within certain localities. In Italy we use Vodafone. These are generally good services that seem to work on all networks throughout Europe. The rates outside of the home country of the service vary widely.
Do you offer commissions to travel agents?
Yes. We offer a 5% commission to travel agents. Please inquire by email to info@contexttravel.com