Sassafrass

When you look at packages, ask about times of travel and layovers. A couple of tour packages I was on had really long layovers and terrible departure times from Europe. Once, a six hour layover in Frankfurt and a departure that required leaving the hotel at 4:00 am. I would never have booked those on my own.
Perhaps you could talk with a couple of travel agents and get some suggestions, and look at some offered by reputable companies on line.

Once you have looked at enough guide books to narrow down your choices, it will be easier to find the best package and to get recommendations

greg

>>> Where might I find a package that includes air and hotels?

What value do you think you are getting with a package? Before internet, it was tedious assembling various parts of a trip on your own.

That that was more than 20 years ago.

Now, it is just a few taps on keyboard at home to select flights and accommodations best meeting your needs. As mentioned above, packages I have looked out might offer just slighter cheaper prices, but alas the contents are often dead on arrival if you do a smidgen of fact checking. They often combine loser flights and loser accommodations: flights where informed travelers would never chose to book on their own.

Sassafrass

Greg, you are so right. In thinking back to the hotels booked on my package tours, there was not a one I would ever book for myself. Granted, they were cheap bus tours with pretty large groups, so that required inexpensive hotels large enough to accommodate the group, but I have always found nicer small hotels for the same cost.

mocha_dolce

Here's your "package," nicely located, very characteristic hotels in each location.

Fly to Rome; cab to center; if you haven't slept, the cab ride is easier than the train and will wake you up!

1. Rome : Residenza Cellini: http://www.residenzacellini.it
Walk to nearby Termini Stazione for train to Venice

Tour of the Vatican Museums with Context Rome
Tour of the Roman Forum
Get a map and wander
Eat gelato and pizza
Local train to Ostia Antica

2. Venice: Vaporetto to Zattere
La Calcina http://www.lacalcina.com (you'll see it along the canal front)
Hotel breakfast on the canal each morning
See San Marco, Doges Palace, go to Burano, wander, take a gondola ride if inclined

Ali laguna Boat to Venice Airport

3. Paris: cab to
Hotel Relais Bosquet https://hotel-paris-bosquet.com
Breakfast used to be free with a Rick Steves book (it's worth the cost of the book)
Eiffel Tower
Notre Dame
Louvre
Champs Elysses
Versailles (day trip by local train)
Wander


Cab back to airport (hotel will arrange the night before, ask)

(In a couple of years, get a SwissPass and see Switzerland on your own. Allow a minimum of two weeks.)

isabel

That 'tour' mocha just gave is spot on.

Almost everyone I know who has used a travel agent or gone on a package tour has ended up feeling Europe was 'over rated' and hasn't gone back. Most travel agents have never been to the places they are sending you, plus they get commissions from hotels and airlines and push inconvenient connections and out of the way hotels.

You say you are 60 and 65 and might not have the chance to get back to Europe. Well, unless there is something physically (medically) wrong with you, or you have some other personal obligations that would interfere - then this is the age when lots of people START their travel adventures. If this trip is wonderful there is every likelihood it will just be the first of many. If money is an issue then learn the 'art' of budget travel, it can be every bit as rewarding (or even more so) than higher end travel. You can usually do it for way less on your own than on a tour.

For first time European travelers Rick Steves is your best friend. Lots of people on this forum put him down because his books are not 'complete' (he leaves out lots of things) and he sort of 'talks down' to readers - as if they don't know the ins and outs of travel. Well, duh, that's the point. He narrows down what he puts in his books to the highlights plus a few 'lesser known' things to give a nice overview. And you don't know the ins and outs of European travel, that's why you need someone like him. But if you can get over his slight dorkiness, reading his books and watching his videos will make for a great trip. His videos are available free at his website and most of them are also on youtube.

annhig

Good for you, labbasmith. You've had some terrific advice here, but you may still be thinking "how do i book open jaw tickets?" or "how do I book hotels in Europe?"

well, we all have our favourites but sky scanner.com and kayak.com are good for flights [for open jaw look for multi-centre - you do not want two single flights which are much more expensive than a return, whereas an open jaw should be about the same price] and trip advisor/booking.com are good for hotels, or you can book direct. Most hotels now match the discounts given by the hotel booking websites, though there is sometimes a confusing variation in rates and cancellation terms.

Alternatively Expedia will let you put flights and hotels into your own package and claims that it can be cheeper to do that than to book them separately.

Finally, don't forget the travel insurance, taken out the day you book the first flight or hotel, to cover you in case you have to cancel due to illness etc.

annhig

cheeper? Now I know I didn't type that.

labbassmith

Thank you so much for your suggestions. It is true we should go back to Europe. We will look at mocha's itinerary. It looks great

bvlenci

Mocha's tour looks good to me, although I don't know the hotels. I use booking.com and pick the best rated lodging I can get at a decent price. I also specify the destination as "Rome (or Paris, etc.) city centre" to avoid places that are out in the boondocks.

Mocha suggests taking a taxi from the airport. I'd actually take a car service, which is even less stressful than a taxi, and (at least in Rome) costs about the same. www.romeshuttlelimousine.com and www.romecabs.com are both reliable services that will wait for you at the arrivals gate, help with your luggage, and stop at an ATM if you need money. You pay on arrival at your hotel, and the amount you pay is exactly what they told you it would be. The fixed taxi fare from the airport to central Rome is €48, but there are some dishonest drivers who will find any excuse to add supplemental costs (which are illegal).

kybourbon

>>>That 'tour' mocha just gave is spot on. <<<

I wouldn't suggest that Rome hotel for first time travelers (I didn't look at the rest of mocha's suggested hotels). I would book something more central, not by the train station. They can taxi to the train station when it's time to head to Venice.

There are packages that let you choose your hotel, transport between cities and a couple of tours in each city. These types of packages usually have an orientation tour in each city which can be helpful for first time travelers, but aren't cost effective for single travelers.

You didn't mention time of year you intend to travel. That would affect my start and end city choice.

dreamon

Personally I find the whole flying thing - getting to/from the airport, the journey - extremely unrelaxing (I love to travel but hate to fly) so if you intend going back to Europe another time, I would skip Paris and keep to somewhere within a train ride. Depending on where you choose, this could also save you time for doing more interesting things. Also, every country - every region - has it's own customs and so for a first time trip, I'd consider staying within Italy. I think this would be more relaxing and more rewarding. Next time, perhaps visit Paris and some other French destinations. Don't spread yourselves too thin.

Sue81

I really like the River cruises in Europe. I've done Tauck, an American river cruise line in Europe. Have done the London/chunnel/Normandy/Paris tour and the Rhine Moselle River cruise, about 2 weeks, both very nice. both Tauck Tauck is a bit more $, but is all inclusive such as tips, days trip extra costs, drinks etc, which can eat up a lot of extra $. Also done Viking. I do not like long bus rides, and prefer to dump my luggage, and settle in a nice room, and see the sights along the river and van/bus to nearby sites. Also done Holland American to Alaska 4 X. Definitely prefer river cruises over bus type tours. Sue

aliced

Glad to read in the latter posts that you've decided to go on your own. Two weeks is fine for first-timers with 4-5 days in each of Paris & Rome and few nights in Venice. On our third trip to Paris, we flew on to Rome via Ryanair; it was easy to arrange and we were there in a couple hours. A train to Venice will round out your trip once there. River cruises go along the rivers (duh!) thus one in France will include Paris but of course not Rome or Venice. I believe there is one that includes Venice. But there is way to much to see in Paris and Rome to consider this option. You've gotten great suggestions above. Trust yourselves to pick the best itinerary for yourselves.

AJPeabody

This company offers excellent day and half day tours in Italy and now has some tours in Paris.
https://www.walksofitaly.com/

labbassmith

My daughter has told me she didn't like France as much as Italy so we might go there this time. We thought about going in May to avoid the families traveling in the summer.

greg

>>> My daughter has told me she didn't like France as much as Italy so we might go there this time.

Do you make decisions based on face value rather than finding out the underlining reasons and evaluate if the reasons are relevant to you?

julies

May is perfect timing because it is shoulder season with better prices and fewer people than peak summer season.

My husband and I always travel on our own. Many of our friends take tours, and we are able to travel much more frequently than our friends simply because it is much less money to do it yourself rather than pay all the middlemen for a tour. So, now that you've decided to take this trip on your own and not spend the money on a tour, you can instead devote the money you will have saved for a future European trip.

As a first time traveler to Europe, as mentioned above, Rick Steves is your best friend. We have probably taken 20 or so trips to Europe, and if we are visiting a major city that has a Rick Steves book, I always get it because he goes into the nitty gritty about exactly where to find that bus stop or train station and how to buy that ticket and exactly how to make those excursions for day trips on your own using inexpensive pubic transportation.

If you have any flexibility on travel dates, you can save a ton on airfare. I use itasoftware.cm and play around with the flexible dates feature. You can't book on itasoftware, but you can find the dates that will work for you.

AJPeabody

Progress has been made! With a one country Italy trip, you could do the classic Venice Florence Rome itinerary, with emphasis on Venice and Rome, connecting by train. You could do what Mrs. P and I did, Rome and Sorrento (base for Pompeii, Naples, Capri) (trip report if you click my name), or other combos, but no more than 3 bases overall. Read up a bit, ask more questions, and have fun!