Guided Group Tour of Italy--opinions please
Dec 18th, 2016, 08:40 AM
#1
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Guided Group Tour of Italy--opinions please
My husband and I want to see the highlights of Italy. In countries where we can speak the language, we always rent a car and go on our own. As seniors, we don't want to do this in Italy. We have checked out tours with Gate 1, which are quite reasonable, and Tauck, which are out of our price range. Does anyone on the forum have experience with Gate 1? We are thinking of their 14-day trip from Venice through Tuscany, then to Sorrento or Naples and winding up in Rome. Any other tour company recommendations? Many thanks.
Dec 18th, 2016, 09:18 AM
#2
Hi Katherine,
as I suspect you know, most people here tend to organise their own trips so there probably won't be too many with direct experience of these tours, though I have read good things here about Rick Steves tours. As I understand it, the reason for avoiding most of the others is that typically you stay in hotels which are some way from the centre of a town [which makes it difficult to go out and explore by yourself], they get you up very early in the morning, you spend a long time in the bus and the food tends not to be very good or typical of the place you're visiting.
I don't know if that applies to the tours you are looking at, but if they are doing Venice, Tuscany, Sorrento and Rome in one trip, you're going to be moving quite a lot, though not as fast as some I've seen. Could you post a link to the tour you're interested in?
IMO not knowing the language in Italy shouldn't deter you from travelling independently there, especially as you are experienced travellers. Many Italians especially those involved in the tourist industry speak english and you can book car hire, accommodation, even tours ahead so really all you need to do is to be able to order your food which is easy enough with a smart phone to do your translating for you.
if you want help organising your own trip, you'll find loads of help here!
as I suspect you know, most people here tend to organise their own trips so there probably won't be too many with direct experience of these tours, though I have read good things here about Rick Steves tours. As I understand it, the reason for avoiding most of the others is that typically you stay in hotels which are some way from the centre of a town [which makes it difficult to go out and explore by yourself], they get you up very early in the morning, you spend a long time in the bus and the food tends not to be very good or typical of the place you're visiting.
I don't know if that applies to the tours you are looking at, but if they are doing Venice, Tuscany, Sorrento and Rome in one trip, you're going to be moving quite a lot, though not as fast as some I've seen. Could you post a link to the tour you're interested in?
IMO not knowing the language in Italy shouldn't deter you from travelling independently there, especially as you are experienced travellers. Many Italians especially those involved in the tourist industry speak english and you can book car hire, accommodation, even tours ahead so really all you need to do is to be able to order your food which is easy enough with a smart phone to do your translating for you.
if you want help organising your own trip, you'll find loads of help here!
Dec 18th, 2016, 09:38 AM
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Here is the link: https://www.gate1travel.com/europe/i...tcamfvr17.aspx
I will consider organizing it myself. Actually I've been there already on a small group tour and had quite a bit of free time to explore. I especially appreciated not having to wait, though, at places like the Vatican. I guess we would do just as well with an independent tour guide once we get to Rome?
I will consider organizing it myself. Actually I've been there already on a small group tour and had quite a bit of free time to explore. I especially appreciated not having to wait, though, at places like the Vatican. I guess we would do just as well with an independent tour guide once we get to Rome?
Dec 18th, 2016, 11:10 AM
#5
Actually -- for a mass market tour that one isn't bad at all. Not a great deal is included (basically Pompeii, the Vatican a a couple of general sightseeing tours and several meals) but it isn't too fast paced. Several nights in each location so not too much packing/unpacking.
Not enough time in Venice IMO and Rome is cut short . . . but you could remedy both by flying into Venice a day early and out of Rome a day or two after the tour.
If you want ease - then it isn't nearly as bad as a lot of group tours.
Not enough time in Venice IMO and Rome is cut short . . . but you could remedy both by flying into Venice a day early and out of Rome a day or two after the tour.
If you want ease - then it isn't nearly as bad as a lot of group tours.
Dec 18th, 2016, 11:31 AM
#6
thanks for the link, Katherine.
it certainly seems to be a slower tour than lots of the ones I've seen. My concern would be possibly the hotels - for example the one in Rome is right next to Termini station which whilst central, isn't exactly where lots of people would choose to be. I would want to read the reviews of those hotels including those on TA and booking.com very carefully.
it is possible to pre-book individual tickets directly with the major sights in Rome - you can book for example a tour of the lower and upper floors of the Colosseum, which people here speak very highly of, [and isn't included in Gate 1's tour] as well standard tickets to get you into the Forum, Colosseum and Palatine Hill [one ticket is valid for 2 days] you can prebook the Vatican museum [includes the Sistine chapel] and even an out of hours tour so you aren't overwhelmed with other people, and a tour of the excavations under St Peter's [the Scavi tour] which again isn't mentioned by Gate 1.
in Venice you can book the Secret Itineraries' Tour of the Doge's Palace which takes you to some interesting places which the usual tour doesn't get to, [you get to see those too!] and a timed slot for the Basilica di San Marco, which costs nothing.
or you can use one of the tour companies to book individual or group tours of these places. That way you can tailor the trip to your interests.
it certainly seems to be a slower tour than lots of the ones I've seen. My concern would be possibly the hotels - for example the one in Rome is right next to Termini station which whilst central, isn't exactly where lots of people would choose to be. I would want to read the reviews of those hotels including those on TA and booking.com very carefully.
it is possible to pre-book individual tickets directly with the major sights in Rome - you can book for example a tour of the lower and upper floors of the Colosseum, which people here speak very highly of, [and isn't included in Gate 1's tour] as well standard tickets to get you into the Forum, Colosseum and Palatine Hill [one ticket is valid for 2 days] you can prebook the Vatican museum [includes the Sistine chapel] and even an out of hours tour so you aren't overwhelmed with other people, and a tour of the excavations under St Peter's [the Scavi tour] which again isn't mentioned by Gate 1.
in Venice you can book the Secret Itineraries' Tour of the Doge's Palace which takes you to some interesting places which the usual tour doesn't get to, [you get to see those too!] and a timed slot for the Basilica di San Marco, which costs nothing.
or you can use one of the tour companies to book individual or group tours of these places. That way you can tailor the trip to your interests.
Dec 18th, 2016, 12:52 PM
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echoing annhig -it is easy to go on your own -book all your own hotels and all your inter-city trains too and trains are comfy and fast and modern on main lines you would be taking.
I do not however say taking a group trip is a bad idea - especially for folks who just do not want to plan anything and just show up at the airport- English is widely spoken in the tourist industry and all - you can even book your own museum visits, etc.
but it does take time that some do not want to be bothered with and group tours are great if you want the company of other Americans you can easily socialize with and with most tours you do see more than you would on your own even if some of those places you may not care for or would not go on your own.
But if used to traveling independently do so with confidence -I would not drive if going to cities where cars are useless and even now in Italy not even allowed into the city centers.
Anyway for loads on planning your own train trip check www.ricksteves.com (and yes his tours get good reviews usually too); www.seat61.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
On your own I would not try to cover all those places in your OP in just two weeks (even with a bus tour it is rushed - probably a lot of very early departures and not enough time yes in certain places).
A 14 day tour on your own with train and car:
Fly into Venice
2 full days
Train to Florence
2 full days
Rent car to putz thru rural Tuscany's iconic hill towns for 4-5 days -drive to Orvieto - ditch the car and take a train to Rome for for the last days.
Do not be afraid of driving either in Tuscany - all signs are in international symbols - if not wanting to drive you can take buses from Florence to say Siena and other hill towns.
I do not however say taking a group trip is a bad idea - especially for folks who just do not want to plan anything and just show up at the airport- English is widely spoken in the tourist industry and all - you can even book your own museum visits, etc.
but it does take time that some do not want to be bothered with and group tours are great if you want the company of other Americans you can easily socialize with and with most tours you do see more than you would on your own even if some of those places you may not care for or would not go on your own.
But if used to traveling independently do so with confidence -I would not drive if going to cities where cars are useless and even now in Italy not even allowed into the city centers.
Anyway for loads on planning your own train trip check www.ricksteves.com (and yes his tours get good reviews usually too); www.seat61.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.
On your own I would not try to cover all those places in your OP in just two weeks (even with a bus tour it is rushed - probably a lot of very early departures and not enough time yes in certain places).
A 14 day tour on your own with train and car:
Fly into Venice
2 full days
Train to Florence
2 full days
Rent car to putz thru rural Tuscany's iconic hill towns for 4-5 days -drive to Orvieto - ditch the car and take a train to Rome for for the last days.
Do not be afraid of driving either in Tuscany - all signs are in international symbols - if not wanting to drive you can take buses from Florence to say Siena and other hill towns.
Dec 18th, 2016, 02:57 PM
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Friends of ours recently took a similar Gate 1 tour of Italy. They enjoyed the trip and saw the basics. Beyond seeing the 3 larger cities of Venice, Florence and Rome, they also stopped at Pisa and also a Tuscan town. I thought Pompei and Sorrento was a nice bonus.
Personally, I didn't think they had much time in Venice and especially Florence.
For us, we have found Italy very easy to navigate on our own, and I prefer controlling my own schedule.
After seeing their pictures, I do think they saw the highlights....
Personally, I didn't think they had much time in Venice and especially Florence.
For us, we have found Italy very easy to navigate on our own, and I prefer controlling my own schedule.
After seeing their pictures, I do think they saw the highlights....
Dec 18th, 2016, 03:21 PM
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I don't want to disappoint you, but Italy is a country where you can speak your language = English at kind of places mentioned in the itinerary.
Just in case you have not realized if you are only used to renting cars, all the destinations mentioned are trivially reachable by low cost trains or frequent boats in case of Capri.
Did you notice that key destinations, such as Florence, Siena, and Capri are OPTIONAL tours? I see why the price looked quite low for this type of tours.
If you have not taken an escorted tour, make sure you have a realistic expectation of what they mean by "visits." The time allocation at destinations can be vastly different from what you would like to spend. Often too little time at monuments and way too much time at shops where the guide pockets commissions. I take escorted trip every few years as a member of a special interest group. I don't like their choice of restaurants, hotels, and time at each destinations. Adding to the insult, when I added ALL the cost, it costed more than if I did them myself staying at better hotels and eating at better restaurants using better flights using better seats.
Just in case you have not realized if you are only used to renting cars, all the destinations mentioned are trivially reachable by low cost trains or frequent boats in case of Capri.
Did you notice that key destinations, such as Florence, Siena, and Capri are OPTIONAL tours? I see why the price looked quite low for this type of tours.
If you have not taken an escorted tour, make sure you have a realistic expectation of what they mean by "visits." The time allocation at destinations can be vastly different from what you would like to spend. Often too little time at monuments and way too much time at shops where the guide pockets commissions. I take escorted trip every few years as a member of a special interest group. I don't like their choice of restaurants, hotels, and time at each destinations. Adding to the insult, when I added ALL the cost, it costed more than if I did them myself staying at better hotels and eating at better restaurants using better flights using better seats.
Dec 18th, 2016, 03:42 PM
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Do you want to be a tourist or a traveller?
Group tours only hit major sights and you get an ephemeral interaction with any Italians or places outside of tour guides and bus drivers- tips expected for the latter often - check the tour brochure-some highly suggest high gratuities for the tour's guides.
Group tours only hit major sights and you get an ephemeral interaction with any Italians or places outside of tour guides and bus drivers- tips expected for the latter often - check the tour brochure-some highly suggest high gratuities for the tour's guides.
Dec 18th, 2016, 03:58 PM
#11
>>Do you want to be a tourist or a traveller?
Group tours only hit major sights and you get an ephemeral interaction with any Italians or places outside of tour guides and bus drivers-<<
That really doesn't apply to this tour - a great deal of the time is 'at your leisure', so they can do a fair amount of wandering on their own and kicking back <i>unless</i> they opt for the extra/optional excursions -- which I wouldn't.
katherinebw: If you stick to the basic itinerary this in not a terrible plan. You have 2 nights Venice, 4 nights Montecatini, 3 nights Sorrento or Naples and 3 nights Rome. And by adding a night in Venice and 1 or 2 nights in Rome on your own you could have a pretty restful trip and still see a lot (though you would miss Florence). I'd think of it as hotels/transport/luggage handling/and basic sightseeing with time to do your own thing.
Perfect -- nope. But if you don't want to rent a car and want others to handle the details . . . believe me, you could do a LOT worse.
Group tours only hit major sights and you get an ephemeral interaction with any Italians or places outside of tour guides and bus drivers-<<
That really doesn't apply to this tour - a great deal of the time is 'at your leisure', so they can do a fair amount of wandering on their own and kicking back <i>unless</i> they opt for the extra/optional excursions -- which I wouldn't.
katherinebw: If you stick to the basic itinerary this in not a terrible plan. You have 2 nights Venice, 4 nights Montecatini, 3 nights Sorrento or Naples and 3 nights Rome. And by adding a night in Venice and 1 or 2 nights in Rome on your own you could have a pretty restful trip and still see a lot (though you would miss Florence). I'd think of it as hotels/transport/luggage handling/and basic sightseeing with time to do your own thing.
Perfect -- nope. But if you don't want to rent a car and want others to handle the details . . . believe me, you could do a LOT worse.
Dec 19th, 2016, 05:23 AM
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For starters, I think that is very overpriced. If you haven't booked by today the price (I picked a random spring date) is $3000 a person, even if you say the second person is half price (and this is land only I'm talking about) that works out to $375 a day for hotel & breakfast plus a few dinners. You can stay in VERY nice hotels (with breakfast) for half that, leaving quite a generous amount for local tours, meals, trains between towns. So in other words, you can do it for a lot less. They claim it's "14" days but it's not, it's 12 nights, 12 days.
The hotels are NOT well located. One of the Venice ones is on Murano! You cannot simply walk out of your hotel and explore Venice from there. The one in Sorrento is not walking distance from the town center.
You can do a very similar itinerary on your own without a car. You can easily arrange local tours for things like the Doges Palace in Venice and the Vatican Museums in Rome (and Coloseum) and you can get day tours to Tuscan sites such as hill towns and vineyards.
People on this board will be very generous with helping you with the specifics of doing it on your own - eg the train websites, hotel booking sites, etc.
An ideal first trip to Italy (for a 'taste of' kind of experience, which is certainly all you'll get with a group tour) would be
Fly into Venice - 3 nights
Train to Florence - 5 nights (day trip to hill towns/vineyard with a group one day, another day take the train to Lucca (or the bus to Siena).
Train to Sorrento - 3 nights (day trip to Positano/Amalfi one day, another could be day trip to Capri)
Train to Rome - 4 or 5 nights.
This way you would also have a bit of flexibility as to which day you did day trips (best weather days) - or even the option not to do them if you were tired, or there was more you wanted to see in the base town for example. On the tour for example, you are going to the Cinque Terre - it's a specific day. If it's raining that will be miserable.
There are certain circumstances where organized tours can be useful - for example a country that speaks very little English or has poor public transportation. But Italy is not that. Or if you want to see a lot of places that really need a car (or in case of the group, a bus). But MOST of this tour is cities where you don't need or want that. For this itinerary doing it on your own with public transportation (filled in with a bit of local tours) works great.
The hotels are NOT well located. One of the Venice ones is on Murano! You cannot simply walk out of your hotel and explore Venice from there. The one in Sorrento is not walking distance from the town center.
You can do a very similar itinerary on your own without a car. You can easily arrange local tours for things like the Doges Palace in Venice and the Vatican Museums in Rome (and Coloseum) and you can get day tours to Tuscan sites such as hill towns and vineyards.
People on this board will be very generous with helping you with the specifics of doing it on your own - eg the train websites, hotel booking sites, etc.
An ideal first trip to Italy (for a 'taste of' kind of experience, which is certainly all you'll get with a group tour) would be
Fly into Venice - 3 nights
Train to Florence - 5 nights (day trip to hill towns/vineyard with a group one day, another day take the train to Lucca (or the bus to Siena).
Train to Sorrento - 3 nights (day trip to Positano/Amalfi one day, another could be day trip to Capri)
Train to Rome - 4 or 5 nights.
This way you would also have a bit of flexibility as to which day you did day trips (best weather days) - or even the option not to do them if you were tired, or there was more you wanted to see in the base town for example. On the tour for example, you are going to the Cinque Terre - it's a specific day. If it's raining that will be miserable.
There are certain circumstances where organized tours can be useful - for example a country that speaks very little English or has poor public transportation. But Italy is not that. Or if you want to see a lot of places that really need a car (or in case of the group, a bus). But MOST of this tour is cities where you don't need or want that. For this itinerary doing it on your own with public transportation (filled in with a bit of local tours) works great.
Dec 19th, 2016, 05:54 AM
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Didn't check the link.
Just wanted to say that Italy is a developed country. Proof is that we don't have immigrants from there since we closed our coal mines.
Italians in the tourism area all speak English. At least they do towards me. Hotels restaurants rental cars etc.
when they don't speak English they will understand gestures ;-) or French which is a very easy language.
Driving is easy if you pay attention to ZTL. However as several said trains are convenient if you visit cities.
So my rec into do it by toursel. Easy to organize nice people food food why do you need a tour for ?
Beautiful women and men dress in a classy way - but you are the two of you aren't you ?
Now I hate tours ....
Just wanted to say that Italy is a developed country. Proof is that we don't have immigrants from there since we closed our coal mines.
Italians in the tourism area all speak English. At least they do towards me. Hotels restaurants rental cars etc.
when they don't speak English they will understand gestures ;-) or French which is a very easy language.
Driving is easy if you pay attention to ZTL. However as several said trains are convenient if you visit cities.
So my rec into do it by toursel. Easy to organize nice people food food why do you need a tour for ?
Beautiful women and men dress in a classy way - but you are the two of you aren't you ?
Now I hate tours ....
Dec 19th, 2016, 10:02 AM
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Perfect -- nope. But if you don't want to rent a car and want others to handle the details . . . believe me, you could do a LOT worse.>
Yes - if you want all that go for it -but if your original fear was a language problem then go on your own - for much cheaper - tours are great for folks who want what janisj says and the vast % of Americans who go to Europe go on such tours - I understand that- but if fear of going on own for language problem then go on your own.
Yes - if you want all that go for it -but if your original fear was a language problem then go on your own - for much cheaper - tours are great for folks who want what janisj says and the vast % of Americans who go to Europe go on such tours - I understand that- but if fear of going on own for language problem then go on your own.
Jan 15th, 2017, 03:39 AM
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Thanks very much, everyone. I was in Italy myself, about 15 years ago, with a small group tour and spent two weeks covering Venice, Florence and Rome. It felt leisurely, and the cost at that time was $2400 pp. My DH has never been there. We've decided to do the tour (actually $2800 pp including airfare because of a discount). As I said originally, I usually do plan everything and we travel on our own, but this time I just don't want to do it all, but we're adding two days on to Venice and three more in Rome on our own. I've seen Florence and enjoyed it but don't need to see it again, and I'm very happy about Montecatini, and Sorrento. Next year it will be Scotland and I'll plan that one myself, so will be asking for advice on that board soon. Again, thanks so much. I appreciate your time, your knowledge and your advice.
Jan 15th, 2017, 04:32 AM
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No need to apologize for doing what works for you!
I traveled independently with my husband until his death, but now I often find joining a tour works best for me. I know I COULD do it myself, but I don't like to be alone for days on end. I usually add days on either end of a tour to see things the tour doesn't cover.
Have a great trip!
I traveled independently with my husband until his death, but now I often find joining a tour works best for me. I know I COULD do it myself, but I don't like to be alone for days on end. I usually add days on either end of a tour to see things the tour doesn't cover.
Have a great trip!
Jan 15th, 2017, 09:23 AM
#18
Katherine - I too hope that you have a great trip.
As you can tell we don't get too many people here who go on those sorts of trips so you'd be doing us a big favour by coming back and telling us how you got on.
Have a wonderful time.
As you can tell we don't get too many people here who go on those sorts of trips so you'd be doing us a big favour by coming back and telling us how you got on.
Have a wonderful time.
Jan 15th, 2017, 09:58 AM
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No need to apologize for doing what works for you!>
ditto to that! This board is skewed to independent travelers but the vast majority of Americans going to Europe do I'd say go on guided tours -for good reasons -it may even be cheaper than going on your own and for good or bad you usually will see more than if on your own.
ditto to that! This board is skewed to independent travelers but the vast majority of Americans going to Europe do I'd say go on guided tours -for good reasons -it may even be cheaper than going on your own and for good or bad you usually will see more than if on your own.
Jan 15th, 2017, 08:14 PM
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I've been to Italy many times and have never had a language problem and traveled alone and with friends independently, once renting a car and touring Tuscany. However, as a senior woman traveling alone over the past few years I started going on tours. I didn't think I'd like it, but I did. Are they perfect? No, but it's nice to have someone else handle my luggage, make all the ground travel arrangements, etc. I traveled with Grand Circle Tours twice -- once in Spain/Portugal and last spring to Croatia/Slovenia. Each time I added days to wander as I pleased. Sometimes I went on the tour's optional excursions and sometimes I didn't. I met lovely people on the tours and have planned a Grand Circle trip for 2018 with someone I met on the Croatia/Slovenia tour.
This year I will be traveling with Grand Circle in Italy -- Rome to Venice. If you are interested, here is the website. They offer other tours in Italy, too.
https://www.gct.com/trips/land-tours...dtours:nit2017
I like that we spend three and four nights in one hotel and I have found their hotels to be well located. I would not be happy staying in Murano if they are advertising Venice. Read the literature of any tour company.
One of the nice things on my tours, we were broken in small groups and dined at local homes. In Croatia, this was a highlight and I learned a lot about how the family coped before, during and after the war.
If you click on my name you should find my trips reports from those two trips.
Should you decide you like Grand Circle, they have a referral program where you could save $100 off your first trip and I would also receive $100. That's not a sales pitch, just to let you know.
That being said, if you chart your trip carefully and rely on trains you could plan a great trip on your own. For example, there is a fast train between Florence and Venice. It's just a question of knowing it exists. While in Rome, you could take a one-hour train ride north to Orvietto, a hill town in Umbria, since it is not so easy to see Tuscany/Umbria without a car. Italy is beautiful and there are so many wonderful things to do.
It was a bit pricey, but one time my friends and I hired a car and driver for a day to drive us from Amalfi to Rome with a two-hour stop at Pompeii. Since we had luggage to deal with and we would have needed to take a bus, then a train, and then a taxi to our hotel, it was worth it to have someone take us door-to-door.
People on this board will be very helpful. Have a wonderful trip regardless of how you travel.
Diane
This year I will be traveling with Grand Circle in Italy -- Rome to Venice. If you are interested, here is the website. They offer other tours in Italy, too.
https://www.gct.com/trips/land-tours...dtours:nit2017
I like that we spend three and four nights in one hotel and I have found their hotels to be well located. I would not be happy staying in Murano if they are advertising Venice. Read the literature of any tour company.
One of the nice things on my tours, we were broken in small groups and dined at local homes. In Croatia, this was a highlight and I learned a lot about how the family coped before, during and after the war.
If you click on my name you should find my trips reports from those two trips.
Should you decide you like Grand Circle, they have a referral program where you could save $100 off your first trip and I would also receive $100. That's not a sales pitch, just to let you know.
That being said, if you chart your trip carefully and rely on trains you could plan a great trip on your own. For example, there is a fast train between Florence and Venice. It's just a question of knowing it exists. While in Rome, you could take a one-hour train ride north to Orvietto, a hill town in Umbria, since it is not so easy to see Tuscany/Umbria without a car. Italy is beautiful and there are so many wonderful things to do.
It was a bit pricey, but one time my friends and I hired a car and driver for a day to drive us from Amalfi to Rome with a two-hour stop at Pompeii. Since we had luggage to deal with and we would have needed to take a bus, then a train, and then a taxi to our hotel, it was worth it to have someone take us door-to-door.
People on this board will be very helpful. Have a wonderful trip regardless of how you travel.
Diane
