bbullock

Hello

My wife and I are planning a 18 day trip to Italy in October. We are considering picking up a Rick Steves tour of Rome for 7 of those days. Have any of you used his tours and were you satisfied? The cost $1,995 each including hotel, some limited meals and entrance to the attractions. Any help or alternative suggestions would be very much appreciated.

Thanks

Brian

Sassafrass

I like RS's books and tapes, so am not anti RS, but my own opinion is that nearly $4,000 for two people for seven days is astronomical, unless he is taking you to some very unusual places, providing some really great meals and placing you in pretty special hotels. That being said, we are low budget travelers and I generally don't take guided tours of archeological sites or museums. Those can be expensive, so if he is providing great guided tours of many places, and you enjoy guided tours, then it might be worth it.

Ann1

I say save the 4K and do a lot of research. Rome isn't that big. Get the hand held tour guides at whatever site you want. It's more fun to do it yourself. You can wander and find little out of the way places. You can go out of the touristy part and find delish restaurants, etc. Save the 4K and spend it on your next trip.

People I know who have taken tours say, "Oh, you get so much information." I ask them to repeat it and they can only remember a little. If you do it yourself you will remember.

Rome has a hop on hop off bus and you can walk, walk, walk. I have spent a lot of time in Rome and know it very well. Believe me....save the money.

bobthenavigator

I agree---you can do the same thing for 30% less--it will take some homework---most of it right here.

Sher

Judging from his books and tv shows, most of the hotels he uses are budget. Rome's budget hotels could run a little more than the norm but that seems like a lot of money to me.
It may be because his groups are small?
Anyway. You could do a lot for yourself and even splurge on a private tour guide a time or two and not spend that kind of money in my humble opinion.

joannyc

Agree that you don't need to do his tour. Does that $4k include the roundtrip air for the two of you?

But, you can download his free audio tours here...

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/r...rs/id272230438

joannyc

You can also download the free mp3 version of his tours here...

http://www.ricksteves.com/news/trave..._downloads.htm

adrienne

Have you really looked at the RS Rome tour? I'm thinking you haven't. Days 1 and 7 are hello and good-bye. That leaves 5 days.

Day 2 - 1/2 day tour, lunch and dinner are not included.
Day 3 - 1/2 day lunch not included; seems to be lots of time on your own.
Day 4 - 1/2 day including cooking class.
Day 5 - first full day - dinner not included.
Day 6 - 1/2 day tour - lunch not included.

So your $4,000 will buy 3 days of tours and about half your meals.

You can book hotels and local tours for much less money. Take a look at some of Rome's walking tours. You can also book private tours.

http://www.romanodyssey.com/
http://www.contexttravel.com/city/Rome
http://www.romewalks.com/
http://www.icontours.com/HOME.html
http://enjoyrome.com/

julia1

Twenty-plus years ago, Rick Steves promoted his tours as low-to-the-ground on arrangements ('travel as an average European travels') and low-end on cost. Well, those days are long gone. Not many average Europeans travel on $600-$800 per day per couple.

Only you know if the tour would be best for you or how comfortable you would be on your own. However, many people find that Rome is an easy city to visit independently. I suggest you pick up a R/S Rome book and spend some time with it before you decide. You may find within the book the confidence you need to go it on your own. Think of all the money you will save which you can spend on great meals and wine! (Well, that's what I'd do, anyway - have done, actually.)

But to answer your question: yes, I've been on R/S tours, several of them. (Not Rome, however.) My husband really likes them, all the socializing and camaraderie, and with him taken care of, I can go off and concentrate on my photography without worrying he'll get bored.

They are good tours, well-thought-out, the guides have all been uniformly excellent and are committed to seeing that you have the best time possible. Yes, there is free-time included (which I greatly appreciate) but the guide will be a helpful resource pointing you toward how to make the most of it. And the guide will often organize an optional activity which you are free to join or not, as you choose. Guides are fully paid so there's no trailing you around to 'shopping experiences' where the guide receives a kick-back on sales, and there is no tipping of guides.

The hotels R/S uses are no longer budget, rather they are good tourist-class or solid 3-stars, once in awhile not-so-solid 4-stars. That's one reason costs have risen. And they are generally well-located.

kybourbon

You can also hire the guides he uses for your own private tour. One that used to be in Rome wasn't charging much compared to other site tours in Rome.

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...rome-tours.cfm

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...aster-list.cfm

Ann1

When you pick a hotel, go to tripadvisor.com to see the reviews. You can also come back here and ask opinions of hotels. Again....research.

Sher

I have to say that I hired one of the guides he suggests for a tour in Poland.
She was excellent. So if the guide I had in Krakow is any indication of the quality of the guides he employes for his tours they are top notch.

bbullock

Thank you so much for all of your advice. We are reconfiguring our trip as we speak and will be asking about personal tour guides in a separate post.

Thanks Again

Brian