Travel Independent or Via Tour to Rome,Venice,Florence
Feb 16th, 2005, 09:41 AM
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Travel Independent or Via Tour to Rome,Venice,Florence
Hi,
I'm a fairly seasoned traveler and have never done the "planned tour" way of traveling. The friend I'm going to come to Italy with feels more comfortable with a "tour". Do you think it's necessary or are we better off just booking our fare, hotels and navigating our own way around. We won't be getting a car, just taking the train to Venice etc. Any and all help, recommendations etc. would be most welcome. We will be going in May for 12-14 days. Thank you!!
I'm a fairly seasoned traveler and have never done the "planned tour" way of traveling. The friend I'm going to come to Italy with feels more comfortable with a "tour". Do you think it's necessary or are we better off just booking our fare, hotels and navigating our own way around. We won't be getting a car, just taking the train to Venice etc. Any and all help, recommendations etc. would be most welcome. We will be going in May for 12-14 days. Thank you!!
Feb 16th, 2005, 09:50 AM
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I would think that 99% of the posters on this board would suggest independent travel rather than a tour.
As a seasoned traveller, surely you can convince your friend that you are more than capable of making suitable arrangements.
As for recommendations, there are thousands of threads about hotels and restaurants in Italian cities and towns as well as masses of useful information about using the Italian trains. The search box is not always perfectly reliable, but it will bring up a lot of information.
You might start with the Helpful Information: Italy thread that comes in two parts since this morning:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443340
is the first part; the last message gives a link to the second part.
As a seasoned traveller, surely you can convince your friend that you are more than capable of making suitable arrangements.
As for recommendations, there are thousands of threads about hotels and restaurants in Italian cities and towns as well as masses of useful information about using the Italian trains. The search box is not always perfectly reliable, but it will bring up a lot of information.
You might start with the Helpful Information: Italy thread that comes in two parts since this morning:
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34443340
is the first part; the last message gives a link to the second part.
Feb 16th, 2005, 11:07 AM
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Tours eliminate the need to worry about schedules, picking hotels, transportation issues, etc.
I would suggest a bit of a compromise. Instead of the traditional fully escorted tour in which most of your time is planned for the duration, find one of the "tours" that includes hotel, a few meals (usually while in transit from town to town), transport between towns (with maybe a sightseeing stop along the way), and a host, BUT mostly leaves you alone to do whatever you want to do in each place the tour visits.
That way your friend would feel more secure, but you'd still be able to do what you want in each town/city at your own pace.
I would suggest a bit of a compromise. Instead of the traditional fully escorted tour in which most of your time is planned for the duration, find one of the "tours" that includes hotel, a few meals (usually while in transit from town to town), transport between towns (with maybe a sightseeing stop along the way), and a host, BUT mostly leaves you alone to do whatever you want to do in each place the tour visits.
That way your friend would feel more secure, but you'd still be able to do what you want in each town/city at your own pace.
Feb 16th, 2005, 11:24 AM
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Have you pointed out to your friend that if you do your own planning, you'll have more flexibility and will save $$? Rome, Florence and Venice are really not that hard to navigate but you might want to make your reservations soon. Good luck!
Feb 16th, 2005, 01:23 PM
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Hi Ar,
When you say 'tour', do you mean that youw ill be picked up escorted from point to point and then dropped off to go home, or an 'independent tour' where your hotels are booked, your tickets are delivered to you, your transfers are arranged?
If the latter, you can do it better yourself.
If the former, you might find that better.
When you say 'tour', do you mean that youw ill be picked up escorted from point to point and then dropped off to go home, or an 'independent tour' where your hotels are booked, your tickets are delivered to you, your transfers are arranged?
If the latter, you can do it better yourself.
If the former, you might find that better.
Feb 16th, 2005, 01:40 PM
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given the choice i would always choose independent because i like the doing the reasearch involved and the fact we have to deal with any problems ourselves adds to the adventure aspect.
but i have been on many package group tours, at the insistence of my wife, who is less optimistic when we get lost or run out of money or end up walking miles or waiting for hours at a disused bus stop.
package tours take you from point to point via coach (incl to/from airport). your guide will know about local scene and if anything is closed or if there are strikes beforehand.
in my experience package tours are always cheaper, hotelwise,airfare wise and excursion (coach) wise.it is also nicer to travel between cities by coach than by train.
finally and may i say most importantly package tours the itinary is predetermined so there is no element of arguing over what to visit and how long to stay which can be a major friction point.
C
but i have been on many package group tours, at the insistence of my wife, who is less optimistic when we get lost or run out of money or end up walking miles or waiting for hours at a disused bus stop.
package tours take you from point to point via coach (incl to/from airport). your guide will know about local scene and if anything is closed or if there are strikes beforehand.
in my experience package tours are always cheaper, hotelwise,airfare wise and excursion (coach) wise.it is also nicer to travel between cities by coach than by train.
finally and may i say most importantly package tours the itinary is predetermined so there is no element of arguing over what to visit and how long to stay which can be a major friction point.
C
Feb 16th, 2005, 06:58 PM
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Hello Arooni, perhaps I should not say this but I read your post earlier today and am reading it again now.
Traveling with friends can sometimes be a problem unless everyone has more or less the same idea as to how and where they want to travel.
You state that you are a fairly seasoned traveler and have never done the "planned tour" way of traveling.
I sure understand that, as I am like you.
You state your friend feels more comfortable with a "tour".
Arooni, I quite frankly already see problems with this trip.
You are an independent traveler. Your friend is not.
You asked for help and recommendations.
Here is mine.
I would tell your friend that you are a seasoned traveler. I would tell your friend that if he (or she) wanted to join you for this two week vacation they would be more then welcomed. But I would not sign up for a tour that you do not obviously want to accomodate your friend unless a tour is what you truly want.
Why should you pay more money, and travel in a mode that does not suit you to please someone else?
You asked for help and recommendations. This is mine. I hope that you accept it in the spirit that it is given.
Traveling with friends can sometimes be a problem unless everyone has more or less the same idea as to how and where they want to travel.
You state that you are a fairly seasoned traveler and have never done the "planned tour" way of traveling.
I sure understand that, as I am like you.
You state your friend feels more comfortable with a "tour".
Arooni, I quite frankly already see problems with this trip.
You are an independent traveler. Your friend is not.
You asked for help and recommendations.
Here is mine.
I would tell your friend that you are a seasoned traveler. I would tell your friend that if he (or she) wanted to join you for this two week vacation they would be more then welcomed. But I would not sign up for a tour that you do not obviously want to accomodate your friend unless a tour is what you truly want.
Why should you pay more money, and travel in a mode that does not suit you to please someone else?
You asked for help and recommendations. This is mine. I hope that you accept it in the spirit that it is given.
Feb 16th, 2005, 11:10 PM
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I am a well seasoned traveler. I have done tours(land only) and independent travel for about the same cost. I agree with LoveItaly. You need to evaluate your friend's personality before you make serious arrangements or ruin a friendship. I have one friend that I will only do tours with because our one independent trip was a disaster. Lightening would have to strike to have them up and ready by noon if they weren't on a tour. I have another friend that I love traveling independently with. Both means of travel have good and bad points to them. You and your friend need to discuss these points and prioritize them.
Are you hesitant on trying something different? If so, why? Just remember this famous and often repeated quote "Why is it that the people who say the French are rude are the ones who have never been to France!" Now replace French/France with tour.
Are you hesitant on trying something different? If so, why? Just remember this famous and often repeated quote "Why is it that the people who say the French are rude are the ones who have never been to France!" Now replace French/France with tour.
Feb 17th, 2005, 03:08 AM
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Although we almost always travel independently, over the past 30 years, we did have two occasions in which we found tours that saved us so much money that we couldn't resist. They were the type of "tour" that I described above.
One thing I will say for them: When traveling from town to town, the company hostesses on both trips were extremely knowledgeable and related historical, cultural, and other information about the areas we were passing through that I would never have known about traveling on my own.
We still prefer independent travel, but a tour is not a terrible thing--at least if it's not one of those 'follow the guied with the red flag and whistle' sorts.
One thing I will say for them: When traveling from town to town, the company hostesses on both trips were extremely knowledgeable and related historical, cultural, and other information about the areas we were passing through that I would never have known about traveling on my own.
We still prefer independent travel, but a tour is not a terrible thing--at least if it's not one of those 'follow the guied with the red flag and whistle' sorts.
Feb 20th, 2005, 02:18 PM
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Nice to hear a few people can see the value of tour traveling. As I agree most tour companies are expensive, look into www.travelworlddiscovery.com
Hopefully, this will be acceptable for both of you
Hopefully, this will be acceptable for both of you
