NANCY

We are planning a tour of Italy for our anniversary. Any thoughts on tour packages? we are looking at tours offered by Cosmos, anyone out there with any first hand experience with this company? Any feedback appreciated. thanks

Edith

Any info on tour to Pompaeii. The ruins near Napoli, Italy. Best time of year. Best tour guide company. Any help at all is very appreciated.

We will probably arrive in Rome first then hope to travel by train to Pompaeii. Anyone out there who has experience traveling by train from Rome?

Ann

Nancy, I would highly recommend Caravan Tours. We used them last year to visit Scandinavia and they are absolutely THE BEST! So good that we plan to take the tour of the Italian Cities this summer. They're not the cheapest out there but absolutely first class. The Italian tour provides 25 meals, 4 and 5 star hotels, outstanding, experienced Tour Directors, and excellent transportation. Also a good mix of planned activities/tours and time on your own. Airfare is not included but a good travel agent can help you find the best fares. Caravan Tours, Inc., 401 North Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60611, 1-800-227-2826, FAX 312-321-9800. Good Luck! Hope something good turns out. What anniversary will you be celebrating?

Cindy

it has been a number of years since we took a cosmos tour but i have to say i still say i will never go with them again. all we did was ride on a bus, the "zurich" stop was a truck stop on the outskirts of the city, had a drill sargent for a tour guide and we eventually all rebelled against her!!! I could go on-didn't stay at the hotel included in paris it was that bad... so if they've upgraded then you might take a chance-me, never again!!! good luck

Marni Parker

Cosmos is iffy. Had one good, one bad. Except in China and Egypt, where a guide is almost essential, my husband and I have gone to city or short tours. That way we don't get locked into a bad experience. They have 2,3,4 tours of Rome, etc. Suggest no tour in Florence or venice. The heart of both those cities are a walker's delight--small distances, compact areas and you will never get the real feeling of either with a group of 40 people and a bus. Go early to the Academia to see David if you go and avoid the tour-bus crush. (4 thousand people crowing into a relative small space and 4 thousand cameras flashing). Rome, a tour is good. Took train to Pompeii and lingered around guided tours until I got bored with their "theories," but I did learn a bit. It's an easy one day trip. We spent about 6 hours at the ruins. Tours spent about 2, 3 at the average and you don't begin to see all of it. You rush from item of interest to item of interest. If you are in the senior class (as we are) it is a bit rough trying to cover all those distances on rutted cobblestones. Better to take at your own pace.