Bus Tours
 

Has anyone traveled around Italy on a bus tour?Would you recommend it or is it best to go on your own? We are 35 years old.
Thanks

At your age I think you would enjoy the freedom of independent travel. If it is your first trip to Italy, your interests might be in more major cities (Rome, Florence, Venice) which are easy to plan on your own, both transport and hotels.

A bus tour would mean all your arrangement were made for you which might be pleasant for a first trip, but you would have to move on to the next place when told. Usually many cities are covered in one tour, so you would get an overview of many places instead of a concentration on fewer. Check with specific tours to see how much actual time will be spent on the bus each day before you make your decision.

lash, I almost booked a bus tour thinking it would be more time efficient (hotels and transport already planned for me) for my first trip to Italy, however, with the help of great advice from this site, I was convinced that planning a trip independently would be far more satisfying. Since then, I have discovered (largley on this site) details about each city ranging from great hotels all the way to where to find the best gelato. These Fodorites have great info and will steer you in the right direction.
By the way, during my research on bus tours, I found that many of the hot spots were "drive bys" and many of the tours often stop at 4:30pm, at a hotel not centrally located. Your night is on your own, and you often would have to make your way back in the city's center. In the long run, I actually saved money booking things myself, even tho the tour companies get discount rates on their bookings.

hi lash
there's plenty of help to be had here.
Save the bus tour for 50 years from now when you might need more help with the luggage or getting from place to place.

Here's a start:
Figure out what your budget is, for example, for hotels per night. Are you a couple? Then figure out how many days you have, and including or excluding arrival and departure days.
Then think about what you've always dreamed of doing/seeing in Italy?

Are you art museum goers? Have you always wanted to see the Vatican or Michelangelo's "David"? Do you want to do any driving on your own, or stick to trains and buses? (easy and extensive routes.) Do you like the hustle and bustle of cities or prefer small towns?
Are you interested in fine food, or gardens, or wineries, or shopping?
Are you interested in ancient ruins?

Also, what time of year do you want to go? There are pros and cons for every season. In summer in the south you will want air conditioning and some cities, like Venice and Florence, are small and will be quite crowded. So will the resort areas.
In fall and winter rates drop a bit, you won't need a hotel that has a/c, but it's not beach season obviously, nor as good for gardens.

It can also depend on the type of bus tour you're talking about. I wouldn't consider one that plans every day to the minute and you are herded about by a whistle-blowing, flag-waving guide. However, some companies do have packages that include air, hotel, bus between cities, and an escort host or hostess to help you out if needed, BUT in each city you are on your own to do whatever you want. This can be a good compromise for a new traveller, and they get group discounts on the air and hotels--you couldn't come near to getting the same hotels for the price they do.

Of course, you lose some flexibility compared to independent travel, and if the people in your group turn out to be real bozos, the bus trips could be tedious. Also, you could travel less expensively on your own if you select lower rated hotels than those included in any tour.

If you do decide on a tour, be certain to check the location of the hotels that are included--sometimes they'll put you wayyyyyyyyyyy out of the center of things.

As with everything, you'll be less disappointed if you understand the jargon. "On our way to Rome we'll see the famous leaning tower of Pisa" may mean only that you'll literally see it out of the bus window, but you probably won't be stopping there.

Also, if you take a tour, remember that you're not a prisoner. If the group is visiting a shop and you want to see the church instead, feel free. If the group stops for lunch and you want to shop, go ahead. Just be sure you know where the bus is, and when it's leaving.