cambee

I am looking for a luxury small group tour company for trips from the U.S. to Spain and Sicily. I have looked at Tauck's tours and they look great. They don't have openings on dates I am looking at. Does anyone have experience with Insight , Perillo or other companies. We have done mostly independent travel, but would like to try a small group tour that stays at luxury hotels. I read some of the threads for what I am looking for , but not getting to much information I need.
I also thought of selecting cites to stay in ,and then ask hotel about tours within their city.
Thanks for any sugguestions

Robert2533

There are specialist offering luxury small group tours, but, as you've noticed, the dates are generally fixed, so you would have to adjust your travel dates to fit their schedule. The other option would be to work with a travel planner/agent specializing in luxury travel to set up your own custom tour to fit your dates and destinations. The cost of the tour will depend on your buget, and is not a fixed rate. Have you checked Maribel's Guides regarding travel planning?

bon_voyage

Check the Tripadvisor Sicily Forum for recommendations for a local company that would customize a tour of Sicily for you.

ekc

For our trips to Italy (and Spain this year), we hire a "guide" who plans and arranges our entire trip and then accompanies us to do all of the translating, driving, etc. Since we always go with my in-laws, we essentially have a small group tour (only 5 of us - me, my husband, my in-laws and our guide) that is totally customized to our schedule and our interests. Depending on your budget I would highly recommend it - it makes for a truly wonderful experience.

nytraveler

Elderly friends o f my mom have used Tauck several times and found everything acceptable (still did many of their own meals but they are foodies). They did one Perillo tour with other family members and said it was definitely sub par - with hotels at the end of hell and gone and food barely edible. Have no info on Insight - but I would look at hotels/locations and ask very specific questions about meals.

Agree you might be happier with a tour designed just for you i fyou are used to independent travel.

CathyM

I did an Insight tour of Italy - it was my last tour ever.....
Very typical - group of 50, hotels in far out locations, food barely edible and pace extremely rushed. If you're looking for a luxery small group tour I'd recommend finding a company that specializes in the area. The larger tour companies will generally have large groups and not geated to the luxery market.

latedaytraveler

Hi Cambee,

Too bad that you were unable to go with Tauck. They are excellent. If cost is no matter, you might look into ABERCROMBIE and KENT – more upscale than Tauck, I believe, but out of my price range.


You might also check into LINBLAD EXPEDITIONS and SMITHSONIAN JOURNEYS for higher end tours. Another company is GOHAGEN TOURS which cater to Ivy League alumni travel – again out of my range but excellent, according to my cousin (retired MD) and his wife who told me about Linblad also.


In my circumstances, I am happy on the INSIGHT and PERILLO level, but enjoy checking out more up-market offerings.

Good luck and please let us know what you decide…

Robert2533

"They don't have openings on dates I am looking at", thus, a custom package seems the most logical way to go...

tuscanlifeedit

The driver/guide thing is available just about everywhere, but you would be on your own. I think finding a small tour company might be worth the effort if you would like a little company.

cambee

Thank you all for all the great information. I will look into what has been suggested.