Italy tours
 

What is the most reliable site for reviews of tours of Italy? My sister and a friend (both seniors) want to visit Italy and this will probably be her only trip there and she wants to see the major sights. There is a Perillo tour that uses first class train between cities that seems best for them.

(I know that 98% of the people here are independent travelers and eschew tours.)

Thank you in advance.

I wouldn't base the tour decision on whether they are using 1st class on the fast trains in Italy since there isn't much difference between 1st and 2nd on those trains. Seats are three across instead of two with a nicer fabric and you get a free snack/drink. Do they want to take trains? There are lots of tours that use buses and load the luggage for you. The ones that use trains usually are more package deals than tours.

What do they want to see? What kind of budget? How mobile are they? Some tours will have better located hotels than others (some can be 45 minutes or more from the actual city they claim to be visiting).

To answer your question, TripAdvisor has reviews about Perillo Tours, but I'm not sure how useful the reviews are. You'll get the typical "Oh, the tour was wonderful" and the "The tour was terrible."

If I were taking a tour, I would research:

The hotels listed in the tour. Operators often will tout them as "5 star," a meaningless designation. Use TripAdvisor or other sources to gauge the hotels.

The itinerary. Does it match what you're looking for, in terms of stops and available time at each stop?

Transportation. Bus? Train? And how is baggage handled?

Cost. Simply divide the number of days into the total cost to get a per-day sum. Does it seem reasonable?

Agree that 1st class in the train may mean nothing. Who has to take care of the luggage? How far from the center are the hotels? What sights are included versus optional extras? What about meals?

And most important - what are the times of the trains. Getting on a bus leaving at 8 am is bad enough. But if they have to make 8 am trains (and who gets them from hotel to station?) it will mean being up even earlier.

If they have the money Tauck or similar is a cut above Perillo - which operates a variety of budget and moderate tours. I only know one couple who went with Perillo and they were very disappointed with the food - but I guess it depends on what you expect. (They are picky eaters and at some meals couldn't find anything they would eat.)

I would look at Road Scholar tours.

They need to determine their criteria and then choose a tour. What are they looking for? A particular number of days in each location, top notch hotels, good food, excellent guides would be some ideas to narrow down the search.

I would not choose a tour based on 1st class trains between cities.

I take tours sometimes when the tours go where I want to go. That is my first criterion.

I assumed the Perillo tours were all by bus. Do you have a link to the specific tour involving trains?

~Liz

For what its worth, we used Trafalgar on our first trip to Italy and they were very good. We got to see Rome, Venice, Florence, and Lake Garda on a seven day trip. While we were able to cover a lot we were also on the move quite a bit, and all of our trips since have been on our own so we could soak in the atmosphere of where we were staying.

These tours were with a very experienced tour guide who did a very good job of keeping us all informed and on schedule, as an example, we were dropped off right at the Vatican just before the Pope was to come out.

Be aware that they have several tour options, from a relaxed pace to fairly aggressive pace.

Hope this helps, and enjoy your trip!

Trafalgar, Insight (high end of Traflagar), Globus, Perillo, Collette are all reliable coach tours.
You can google Italy escorted tours and come up with many more.
Alot depends on budget and also physical shape of both and where they want to go.

Thank you for all your responses:

The criteria:

They want to see at least Rome, Florence, Venice
They wish to spend approx 2 weeks on the tour
The money will not be an object unless extravagant.
They do not wish to move that often.
Perillo specifically cites 1st class trains between Rome and Florence and Florence and Venice.
The more the tour handles their luggage, the happier they will be.
For lack of a a better criterion, 4 star hotels would be fine, 5 star unnecessary.
As far as food is concerned, I think for the most part, they would be content with most meals included. As noted they have never been to Italy and are only familiar with Italian-American cuisine but rarely go to an Olive Garden.
They would like guided tours most of the time.
They do not want If Its Tuesday type of tours.

I will tell her that the bus tours are comfortable and comparable to the trains.

We will look at Roads Scholar, Insight, and Tauck.
_____________________

We have been to Italy three times and have been traveling independently for over 40 years and I have no idea which tour companies are better overall or for specific aspects, since we have never been a tour that lasted more than a day. Although we have traveled extensively by train in other European countries, in Italy we have always rented once we leave a major city or used a inter-city bus for our own day trips.

Hi IMDONEHERE

"They want to see at least Rome, Florence, Venice." These cities will be visited in just about all major tours of Italy.

"The money will not be an object unless extravagant." Good, so any offering with "cost saver" or the like is to be avoided.

"We will look at Roads Scholar, Insight, and Tauck." Good choices.

"The more the tour handles their luggage, the happier they will be." That will be no problem. They will leave their luggage outside their door about 45 minutes before departure time each morning. Their bags will be delivered to their room usually within 15-20 minutes when they arrive at the next hotel. No tipping necessary.

Hope they have a great time....

Can you provide a link for the Perillo tour? I don't see any tours that are by train unless you click over to their independent tour section. The Perillo website rolls over to Italy Vacations. In these independent travel trips, they would be transferred to the train station, but it seems they would have to get their own luggage to their train (I really doubt they would go in the train station with them) and on/off the train. I think before they commit to a tour with trains, you need to make sure of exactly what's provided on luggage transport.

I think they need to look very carefully into the itinerary - although every trip would hit Rome, Florence and Venice - but how many other places will it go - and how many days will they have in the places they want to see most.

Might be better off with a package deal like Gate 1 that let's them pick their own hotels for as many nights as they want and provide transfers and allows them to buy what day by day tours that they want.

My parents are 79 and 81 and did this Trafalgar tour of Italy this past summer. https://www.trafalgar.com/usa/tours/...ly/summer-2014 This was their 4th Trafalgar tour and they really enjoy their tours and speak highly of the guides. They especially enjoy the interaction with the group. They also sign up for just about all the optional activities as they like to keep busy and don't really enjoy time on their own.

This trip was all by bus-- no trains.

Kathy

Thank you all for advice and experience, it has been extremely helpful. Will take a look at them.

Here is the Perillo tour that uses trains.

http://www.italyvacations.com/vacati...-italy-10-days

Awful lot of free time on that tour, doesn't sound much different than a Gate1.

You say senior, but that covers a lot of ground. How energetic are they? Can they pack light and handle their own luggage? I'm a senior and if I actually wanted a tour for Venice-Florence-Rome I'd take this one, but you need to be fit: http://www.ricksteves.com/tours/ital...-florence-rome

I do not know my sister's friend, but some days, my sister has trouble walking around for extended periods of time, other days she is fine.

After reading the basic requirements of the Rick Steves tour, it does not seem like a good fit for them.

A lot of seniors do go on those tours, but they are certainly not for everyone, which is why I asked. However, before they sign up for <i>any</i> tour, they might should read this cautionary tale:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ircle-tour.cfm

>>>Here is the Perillo tour that uses trains.<<<

While that mentions transport to and from hotels, it could mean they are dropped in front of the train stations and expected to get themselves to the tracks and their luggage up the narrow train steps. If they aren't providing service on and off the trains, I would look tours that use buses. A few stations in Italy have a porter service within the station available that must be booked in advance. Venice is not one of those stations and to book in Florence or Rome, they would need their train ticket info. I don't know if they would have this until last minute. I would think Perillo books some kind of group ticket.

>>>After reading the basic requirements of the Rick Steves tour<<<

As you look at various tours, you will discover many have a rating system for difficulty or include how much people are expected to walk each day.

Looking carefully at this tour - but I would call them and ask - it sounds like a driver drops the travelers at the door of the train station - and leaves them to find the train and get their luggage on in the first city and off in the second city.

You need to determine if this "private driver" is a bus driver taking a number of people and that someone will be in the station to guide them to the train and deal with luggage (doesn't look like it) or this is just a cab driver and travelers need to cope from the door of the station (not saying they can't - but if so - why do a package?).

Also - exactly how fit the travelers are is a big issue - since hauling groups around by bus usually requires more walking than independent travelers taking taxis.

Thank you again for your suggestions.

As noted I do not my sister's friend nor her level of fitness or energy. My sister's ability to walk long distances varies from day to day.

The tour model where the traveler places her luggage by the hotel door appeals to her.

I looked at Untours but I think she would like security of a guided tour. She will take a look at Insight, Tauck, Gate 1, and Roads Scholar and see which one she is most comfortable with.

I read some of the Grand Circle Saga as it unfolded. Although I have never been on a tour, I simply assumed, it was most a disagreeable situation that can happen with any service organization.

I would not assume they would have anything like the problems of the Grand circle saga. In that case the OP knew her energy levels and desires were NOT a match for the tour (she specifically wanted a slow pace to do masses of photos and tours just aren't set up that way) - and went ahead anyway, even after being advised not to.

The thing one must accept about any tour is that everything is predicated on the needs of the group - and individuals requiring a lot of extra attention or a different itinerary will not be able to get what they need.

IM-Have your "clients" consulted guide books?

IMD - I'm reading the Perillo itinerary and it doesn't look like the trip for your sister and friend. I'm almost certain that they get left at the train station to find their train car and get their luggage on board.

In Venice there's a further problem as the train station is Santa Lucia but their driver picks them up at Piazzale Roma, the bus station. They have to get themselves and luggage from the train station to where they meet the driver. It's not far but unless they have light luggage and it's a good walking day there will be problems.

Lots of leisure time. They will need to figure out how to get around by themselves and plan activities. They might as well be traveling on their own.

The time on this tour is so short they will hardly have time to see anything. They would be so much better off booking their own trip and using a guided company, such as Context, to take them around to certain spots. For some sightseeing they can use taxis in Rome, book a very central hotel in Florence and Venice.

The Perillo tour is not cheap - minimum $2,600 per person for 8 days. They could get private guides, book their own flights and hotels and probably come out ahead. And have a better time and more time in Italy.

My clients, from which I will paid in agita, just have general ideas of what they want to see. I have mentioned guide books to my sister in the past. My sister is more the shopper than the museum goer, more the people watcher than the antiquities tourist. Additionally she is a fussy eater and intimidated by the fact she doesn't speak Italian. That is why I think a tour might be right for her. A controlled environment would suit her well, now she must settle on which controlled environment.

<< I will paid in agita >>

LOL I haven't heard that word in many years.

What do you mean by fussy?

It sounds like the Perillo is not right for her but the Road Scholar would not be right either as it focuses on the more scholarly aspect of travel and has university lecturers. Not much focus on shopping.

How will your sister shop if she is intimidated by her lack of Italian.

My sister has placed well in the shopping Olympics over the years:

3rd in Credit cards
4th in Cash
5th in haggling

I suggested she get either a crib sheet or an app that has a calculator. She will some how overcome all her fears to shop.

Fussy eater means she is not adventurous and likes her food prepared exactly like she likes it. I explained to her that food tastes very different in Italy and in Italy there are regional dishes and rarely do you encounter dishes that resemble Italian-American food. Theoretically, I think she understands but she always compares places and food to what she knows and likes.

OK, I will eliminate Roads Scholars as well. Thanks.

This will be her only trip to Italy and something she has longed dreamed of, so I want to her to have the best trip possible.

I would be more specific in giving her info about Italian food and restaurants so she knows how much to order (ie the fish or meat course is just that - doensn't come with veggies, pasta, rice or potatoes and salad) and portions are a lot smaller than most places in the US. Also clue her in on areas with pasta or rice, olive oil or butter, sea food versus meat/chicken (and not to bother with beef except in a steak restaurant).

She really needs a detailed menu reader so she can understand not just that she is getting chicken or whatever - but how the dish is prepared. (She doesn't sound like one of those people intent on pizzaing her way across Italy.)

Good idea.

Sounds like she will just hit the biggies Venice-Florence-Rome where they are used to tourists and most of the tours offer some combination of meals. But still she needs to know the usual customs.

She should know that in Tuscany the bread doesn't have salt and is tasteless to me. The common noodle is pici which is a very thick spaghetti (think of the extreme other end of the scale from cappellini). Again, it's distasteful to me.

I sent her some basics of Italian eating.

There was a restaurant in our neighborhood that cooked Tuscan style and had a wood burning oven where they made their own bread without salt. I prefer salt as an ingredient but the texture was terrific. Their store made pasta was spectacular. Now if they just had paid their taxes.....

My sister is a soda drinker and I already explained that the price will be substantially higher.

We've been on 3 Grand Circle Tours and never had any problems. They usually are a group of 40 or so on a bus. Hotels have been fine and meals were good, when included. We enjoyed the home hosted meal included in each tour. Most travelers were seniors or thereabouts. We also had enough free time to explore on our own, but they usually had an optional tour you could take instead. Maybe we were lucky, but we would consider GCT again in the future.

I don't know what they offer in Italy, but we're going on our own in Oct and if it were up to me, we'd be on a tour!

Thanks Granny.