RubyTwins

I am looking for a tour for Italy. Many of you helped me plan my "mom memorial tour" back in March. But now my stepdad would like to go back to Italy. He has been many many times (From the Lake Country and through Sicily) but this would be the first time without my mom, so he would like a tour (about two weeks).
1. He was going to go with his alumni group at Brown University but the trip is three weeks--too long.
2. He loves art history and HATES shopping. Just enjoys looking at art and eating. So a tour group that may be geared toward that. Trying to force him to try a cooking class for a day or two because he doesn't know how to cook for himself now.
3. It would be great if it is not a super big group but also where he may meet others travelling alone and maybe other widows or widowers.
4. For this fall: Rome and Florence and? (he says Venice and I am talking him out of it.... it was way more crowded and touristy than he remembers but OK maybe Venice).

Any ideas for tour that might fit that group? Leave from NYC?

Thanks for any ideas.....

Reading54

Rick Steves has a 10-day tour of Rome, Florence, and Venice.
He also has a 17-day Best Of Italy tour.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/italy

As far as I know, his groups are small (about 26?) and minimum shopping. Also, it may be easier for solo travelers to fit in with liked minded travelers.

jubilada

Check out Italy with Pleasure, very small groups, very good reviews.

Mimar

Tell him to look into RoadScholar (formerly Elderhostel) tours: roadscholar.org. They're for an older crowd and have a large number of possibilities. Some of their tours are for small groups. Generally their tours emphasize the local culture with lectures and classes. Here's just the first possibility I stumbled upon: https://www.roadscholar.org/find-an-...t-their-Finest.

Jean

Look at the Tauck "small group" tours. I think they are limited to 20-25 people and tend to attract older adults. My mother has been on a few of their tours, travelling with a friend who is also a widow. However, you may be too late for getting him into a tour this fall.

Unless he really wants to learn how to cook (not clear from your comment), I'm not sure a cooking class in Italy would be as helpful as a series of classes geared for seniors near his home.

elissabi

You might take a look at Martin Randall tours. They specialize in cultural tours focusing on art history, music, or architecture.

RubyTwins

Great thank you.... he is interested in the Road Scholar one. Perfect.