Civitatis is the Spanish-founded leader in online guided tours and excursions, with a service available in French, English and Spanish. 50,000 activities across 2,500 destinations, a 4.6/5 Trustpilot rating from 97,606 reviews. I tested it on a rafting trip in Reunion Island: here's my detailed review.
Founded in 2008 in Madrid, Civitatis has become a European reference for online guided tours and excursions serving Spanish- and French-speaking travellers. The platform sits between Manawa (pure outdoor) and Viator or GetYourGuide (English-speaking generalists), with detailed listings and free cancellation.
Three things make Civitatis worth knowing. First, the editorial quality: detailed listings, precise descriptions for every activity, clear meeting points. Second, free cancellation by default on most of the catalogue, reassuring for trips planned well in advance. Third, the focus on cultural guided tours: the Colosseum, the Vatican, the Baths of Caracalla, the Capitoline Museums, where Civitatis often beats direct competitors on price.
In Reunion Island, Civitatis's offering stays narrower than Manawa's (the local outdoor specialist), but a few classics are available: rafting on the Marsouins river, guided cirque excursions, transfers. Together, Civitatis and Manawa cover about 95% of what travellers look for during a Reunion Island trip.
Explore the Civitatis catalogue
Civitatis structures its offering around three pillars: cultural guided tours, day excursions and themed activities. A clear way to navigate depending on the type of trip.
The Colosseum at €46, the Vatican at €52, the Capitoline Museums at €50, the Baths of Caracalla at €41. Civitatis's historical core, often with French- or Spanish-speaking guides and skip-the-line access. The category where it stands out most from English-speaking competitors.
Hadrian's Villa excursion, a Dubai dinner cruise at €65.40, airport transfers, boat trips. A practical way to round out a city break without organising the logistics yourself. In Reunion Island: cirque excursions, airport transfers.
Rafting, diving, hiking, cooking classes, shows, event tickets. A thinner catalogue than Manawa on outdoor activities, but with a few well-chosen atypical finds. In Reunion Island: rafting on the Marsouins river at €40.
To put the platform to a real test, I booked a rafting descent on the Marsouins river in Saint-Benoît, one of the standout activities on the island's wild east coast. Here's the full story.
Searching « Reunion Island » on the homepage. The Marsouins rafting listing comes up near the top of the results, priced at €40 with a « Free cancellation » tag. Full description, two action photos, an availability calendar. Card payment, instant email confirmation.
A punctual welcome at the meeting point in Saint-Benoît, a professional and well-organised team. Quality gear provided (wetsuit, helmet, life jacket), a clear safety briefing. No delays, nothing missing.
A mix of calm sections to take in the tropical scenery and more demanding rapids. Good pacing over 2h30, competent guiding. A memorable day that matched the listing.
From the search to the river, no friction anywhere. The price matched, the operator was reliable, no hidden fees. Civitatis kept its promise of a platform « without surcharges ». I'm giving it 4.5/5, with the missing 0.5 point down to the thinner Reunion Island catalogue (compared to Manawa).
Six things that make the difference compared to English-speaking platforms (GetYourGuide, Viator) and specialists (Manawa, Funbooker).
Civitatis was built for Spanish- and French-speaking travellers, and its French-speaking guides and detailed French listings are its trademark. Content and customer support are also available in English, so check the tour language on each listing before you book.
50,000+ activities across 2,500 destinations worldwide. From visiting the Colosseum in Rome to swimming in Josephine Bay in Martinique, via rafting on the Marsouins river in Reunion Island, the range rarely misses the classic tourist spots.
4.6/5 from 97,606 Trustpilot reviews, with 78% five-star ratings. Civitatis holds Trustpilot's Verified Company status and responds to over 99% of negative reviews within 24 hours.
Most excursions can be cancelled free of charge up to 24 or 48 hours before departure. Reassuring when a trip is booked three months out and a weather-dependent activity might need to change.
A hotline in French, English and Spanish, available around the clock. Responsiveness confirmed by Trustpilot reviews, with 99% of negative reviews handled within a day according to Civitatis's transparency report.
The site's slogan is explicit: no surcharges. The price shown on the homepage is the price you pay. No service fees added at checkout, no forced insurance, no forced add-ons. An honest claim in practice.
No platform is perfect. Three downsides worth factoring into the decision.
The classics fill up fast: the Colosseum in Rome in summer, the Vatican year-round, the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. Booking two to four weeks ahead remains the norm for these European staples.
For emerging destinations or activities booked less often through the platform, the number of user reviews can be limited. The listing stays detailed, but there's less of a benchmark for comparing two similar offers.
Unlike GetYourGuide (with its Insider programme) or some specialist platforms, Civitatis doesn't offer cashback or discounts on repeat bookings. Special offers stay occasional and seasonal.
The official platform, eKomi and Trustpilot all show high, consistent ratings. An honest summary of each source.
91.2% of travellers satisfied, 5.6% neutral, 3.2% dissatisfied. Reviews collected exclusively after an actual booking. The eKomi Excellent badge is also displayed on the page.
An Excellent rating on Trustpilot. Verified company status, with a response rate above 99% to negative reviews in under 24 hours. A significant enough review volume to make the rating reliable.
Rating given after an actual test of the Marsouins rafting trip in Reunion Island and more than two years of partnership. The missing 0.5 point comes down to the thinner Reunion Island catalogue (compared to Manawa) and the lack of a loyalty programme.
If you're planning a Vatican, Colosseum or Caracalla visit, or a guided excursion (especially in French or Spanish) in Europe or elsewhere in the world, Civitatis is my first choice. For outdoor activities in Reunion Island, I switch to Manawa. Rating: 4.5/5, given after an actual test.
Civitatis covers cultural guided tours. For outdoor activities in Reunion Island, campervan rental or other specialties, six other affiliate platforms fill the gaps.
Page updated 10 October 2026.