suggestions on guided tour in europe?
 

does anybody have suggestions on guided tours in eruope? i would like to travel for a full month...to all places...austria, germany, france, italy, spain, so much more! i am on a budget but open to any suggestions! thanks!!

Have you checked Cosmos, Globus, Trafaglar? Cosmos has a plan for singles. They will room you with another person (same sex) and you won't have to pay the single supplement. If there is no one to room with, you get the room to yourself at no extra charge.

I would recommend a two week tour, spend a few days by yourself and then go on another two week tour.

Consider a tour where you start in London and end up in Athens or Rome. Avoid a tour that backtracks. You will spend all of your time on the bus.

Most people on this board are not "tour" people.

If you are really on a budget and young minded, look into www.busabout.com.

Here are the companies I have traveled with.

Tauck - excellent, expensive
Trafalgar - good, moderate pricing, large groups
Goahead tours - excellent, great value, medium size tours
OAT - excellent, expensive, small groups
Globus - excellent, medium sized groups, medium to expensive

I like GoAhead and OAT because they include air and right now euro air is abominal...so it is something to consider.

Hi

Like anything it depends on your budget. We are budget travellers and so we have used Cosmos twice and Trafalgar once. They are both good but we prefer Cosmos - Trafalgar seem to include more optional extras. The Cosmos hotels are 3* or better and the coach is luxurious. My only complaint for both companies is that the included dinners stink! I guess you get what you pay for. One trap you need to be careful of is booking a tour date which the company has the right to cancel (read the fine print). However there are dates that are guaranteed irrespective of numbers. Check with your travel agent that you are booked for a guaranteed departure date.

The tour alternative gets alot of flak at times in this forum. Contrary to popular myths, you do get sufficient time time to do your own thing and you don't get dragged from one merchant to another peddling overpriced tourist goods. The main stuff is organized for you - I actually feel I'm on holiday. If there is a screw up it's not my problem!

Have fun.

Contiki (for the young, budget, and party minded)?

Elderhostel (for the over 55 slow travel minded)?

Also Grand circle Tours for the 40+ age range.

what age groups go on cosmos? thanks for the help!!

Gate1----moderate pricing, mixed ages nice hotels although not always the most central but in walking distance to everything, nice array of tours and options, meals, free time. Went to Italy in 04 and returning in 07 with them. Ask for Christine http://www.gate1travel.com/

Hi

We are in our 40s and the age group varies from a few young people to mainly "empty nesters" in their late fifties. Don't worry - you will have trouble keeping up!