Raphael Tours & Events

What Raphael Tours & Events does

Raphael Tours & Events is a privately held, licensed Italian tour operator headquartered in Rome (Via Boezio 4/c) that has been in continuous operation since its founding in 2008. The company designs and delivers private and small-group guided tours across 9 European countries — Italy (covering 16+ regions), Spain, the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Switzerland — with a catalog of more than 250 tour SKUs and an inventory concentration in Rome (94 activities). Its service mix spans core sightseeing and cultural-heritage tours, kids and family experiences, food and wine tours and cooking classes, shore excursions from cruise ports (e.g., Civitavecchia), corporate team-building events, and structured school and university group programs, supplemented by private transfers and gift cards.

Name

Raphael Tours & Events

Legal name

Raphael Tours and Events

Website

https://raphaeltours.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Raphael Tours & Events is a licensed Italian tour operator founded in 2008 that delivers private and small-group guided tours across 9 European countries, serving individual leisure travelers, families, food and wine enthusiasts, corporate groups, cruise passengers, and school groups via direct website bookings and TripAdvisor/GetYourGuide marketplace listings.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Tour and Travel Services

NAICS

Tour Operators (561520), Tour Operators (56152)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Guided Tours & Personal Tour Guides (THAJALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Museum & Landmark Guided Tours (Skip-the-line/Docent-led) (THAJAAAC), Private/Customized Multi-Day Tour Operators (THAKADAC)

Keywords

• Guided tour services
• Private tour operator
• Small group tours
• Cultural tour experiences
• Food and wine tours

Headquarters

HQ city

Itala

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Guided Tour Experiences: Per-person pricing for private and small-group guided tours across European destinations. Tours include licensed local guides, skip-the-line access where specified, and customizable itineraries. Revenue is transaction-based per booking.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Raphael Tours & Events is a licensed Italian tour operator that sells private and small-group guided tours and experiences across Italy and eight additional European countries. Offerings include sightseeing, museum and archaeological tours, food tours and cooking classes, shore excursions from cruise ports, family-friendly tours, corporate team-building events, and student/school group tours, with bookings handled via website, phone, and WhatsApp and payments processed through Stripe.

Product overview

Raphael Tours & Events is a licensed tour operator offering a portfolio of guided tour experiences across Italy and Europe. The core offering consists of private and small-group tours and experiences (sightseeing, museum, archaeology, food tours), complemented by specialized services including Kids and Family Tours, Shore Excursions, Team Building and Company Events, and Students and School Group Tours. Additional offerings include Private Transfers and Gift Cards. The company operates primarily as a booking platform where customers contact operators via WhatsApp or website forms, with secure payments processed through Stripe.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private and Small-group Tours and Experiences Top-rated private and small-group guided tours led by local expert guides covering historical sites, museums, and cultural attractions across Italy and Europe. Tours are customizable and include skip-the-line access options.
• Kids and Family Tours Family-friendly tours and experiences designed for children and families, featuring kid-focused formats, interactive activities, and playful educational adventures led by expert guides.
• Food Tours and Cooking Classes Culinary experiences including private and small-group food tours, market visits, street food explorations, and cooking classes that combine gastronomy with sightseeing.
• Shore Excursions Private excursions from cruise ports such as Civitavecchia, combining history and culture with transportation, featuring punctual, reliable drivers and top-rated local guides.
• Team Building and Company Events Corporate team building activities including treasure hunts, food tours, cooking classes, transfers, and event planning services designed to strengthen business team bonds.
• Students and School Groups Tours Fun, educational tours for students and school groups offering immersive experiences, expert guides, logistics coordination, and curriculum-aligned learning outcomes.
• Private Transfers Transportation services including professional drivers with licensed vehicles for airport transfers, point-to-point transfers, and inter-city travel.
• Gift Cards Gift cards available for purchase that can be redeemed for Raphael Tours experiences and tours.

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationStripe provides secure payment processing for all online bookings. Raphael Tours sends secure Stripe payment links to customers after availability confirmation.
• TripAdvisorcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party booking platform listing with 1,833 reviews at 4.9 rating. Provides inbound traffic and booking referrals from TripAdvisor's travel marketplace.
• GetYourGuidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorThird-party booking platform listing with 3,383 reviews at 4.8 rating. Supplier ID 3301, providing additional distribution channel for tour bookings.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• GetYourGuide: Global tours and activities marketplace and Raphael's distribution partner (Supplier ID 3301). Functions as both a booking channel and an indirect competitor listing hundreds of similar guided experiences across Europe.
• Viator: Tripadvisor-owned global tour and activity marketplace. Competes indirectly as a distribution channel and aggregator, hosting many of the same Rome, Florence, and Venice tours as Raphael while serving a broader category.

Direct peers

• Context Travel: Premium small-group and private tour operator employing PhD and master's-level guides across European cities. Closest analog to Raphael's credentialed-guide, expert-narration model and pricing tier.
• Through Eternity: Italy-focused small-group and private tour operator with archaeologist and art historian guides. Closely mirrors Raphael's expert-narration positioning in Rome, Vatican, Pompeii, and Florence.
• City Wonders: Tour operator specializing in skip-the-line Vatican, Colosseum, and Pompeii experiences with licensed guides. Direct competitor in Raphael's strongest destination markets and primary product categories.
• Devour Tours: Food tour operator with strong presence in Rome, Florence, Venice, and other European cities. Direct competitor within Raphael's Food & Wine Enthusiasts primary segment using similar local expert guides.
• Walks: Italy and Europe-focused tour operator offering skip-the-line Vatican, Colosseum, and Pompeii tours with licensed guides. Direct overlap with Raphael's core product set and city coverage.
• Withlocals: Marketplace connecting travelers with independent local guides for private tours across European cities. Competes for the same private-guide traveler segment with similar food, culture, and heritage tour categories.
• ToursByLocals: Marketplace for private, custom tours with vetted local guides across Europe and globally. Competes for the same private-guide traveler with similar customizable itineraries and per-tour pricing model.
• The Tour Guy (formerly Walks of Italy): Direct competitor offering private and small-group guided tours across Italy and Europe with similar expert-guide positioning and premium pricing. Operates in overlapping destinations including Rome, Florence, and Venice.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/raphaeltoursandevents

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Raphael Tours & Events