We plan to take our grandson (age 13-1/2) on a trip to Italy. He is interested specifically in Rome, Pisa, Pompeii, Venice.
Both Perillo and Tauck offer tours that cover the itinerary we like. The Tauck tour is designed to 'bridge the generations', so we could be sure there would be other youngsters traveling. Perillo has a very comprehensive tour, but we can't be sure that there will be other young people on the trip. Any suggestions?

I'm not a tour person but i hear Tauck is very good. The big thing with these tours in general is hotel location and meals. Sometimes the hotels aren't in the best of locations, and when the tour includes meals, they generally aren't nearly as good as what you would find in a local restaurant. You may want to research the offered hotels.

Perillo is a moderate type company that has been known to fairly often substitute lesser and inconvenient hotels and for serving mediocre food at best. Tauck costs considerably more - but you get what you pay for.

Nevertheless - I would be sure there are going to be other teens on the tour - Tauck is very often seniors only - as is Perillo.

(Caveat: I don't do tours and have neer traveled with either company. This input is from friends of my parents - 70's and up -who do tours all the time.)

I would ask if you have ever taken a tour? If so then you know what to expect. If not most of us would suggest avoiding a tour and scheduling your own trip. You gain flexibility and frankly save money.

I have never travelled with Perillo but I took a Tauck tour a couple of years ago and loved it. It wasn't one of their "bridge" tours so there were only adults. The hotels were very well located and the meals were often ordered from the menu and all of the meals were at nice restaurants. I'm not a "tour-type" but can really recommend Tauck.
Have a great time with your grandson. What a treat!!
Judy

Took a Perillo tour when my mother-in -law asked me to substitite for her. I had traveled to Italy in the past but not on a tour


My advice...do not use Perillo. It was not very good. I think Tauk would be better.

I just returned from a Tauck tour to Italy and loved it (it was not a Tauck Bridges tour though). I had never been on an escorted tour before, so was not sure how I would find it. It was well organized, the tour director was very knowledgeable and we got to see alot. I wrote up a trip report on this board a few weeks ago. Click on my username and it should come up. I recommend Tauck and am planning to use them again next year.

No contest - go with Tauck. They are far superior and their new bridges concept has been very successful. They are a top drawer organization.

gtd children on tauck bridges tours. definately your best bet. plus much more deluxe tour.

We are not the adepts of organized tours in Europe, and we never took one.

However, we took two tours, one in Canadian Rockies (with Tauck) and another in Japan (with General Tours). We loved both of them. Tauck Tours (it was not Bridge tour) had the best hotels in Canadian Rockies and the best rooms in these hotels. The guide and the driver were very good. We could go to any restaurants (from a list), at any hour, with anybody from group or alone and to order from the menu. Every thing was included in tour. The tourists in the group were in general between their 50 and 60, but there were also three or four families 25 -35. No children. However, for sure bridge tour will have very young people also.

I think that all of you (young and less young) will enjoy Tauck.