Most of the packages that I have seen advertised to Europe are escorted. Does anyone know what companies offer packages where air/land transport/hotels are included and nothing else? I don't want to have to eat at particular restaurants or stay with a group. I am most interested in Italy. Thanks!

Ana,<BR>Just received their catalog in the mail yesterday. It looks like exactly what you want.<BR>Here's their website:<BR>www.untours.com<BR>Good Luck!

There are tons of fly/drive, city specials, i.e. go-today.com is quite popular on this forum, e-vacations.com, marcopolotravel.com, etc., tourcrafters.com is running a $600/pp independent special Alitalia NYC-Rome (no extra from Miami or Chicago), 5 nights @3-star hotel till March 15, 2003. Like I said, tons of offers, even the airlines thay all have independent packages, the travel agency at the mall is fast becoming a dinosaur.

Most major airlines offer those kind of packages--just find those that fly to Italy. Italiatours (which I think is owned by Alitalia) has some, although I believe some folks have found them difficult to deal with in communicating, although the packages may be okay. go-today.com has some, also Usually the big major tour operators (ie, Trafalgar, etc) have some of those independent packages, also.

I don't know where you are originating from, but I've have good luck with Northwest WorldVacations for unescorted arrangements to both Europe and Asia. There are times when I've picked up lower cost airfare via this method than would be available by purchasing tix by themselves, too.<BR><BR>It's a very easy booking tool to use. Check it out at:<BR><BR>http://www.nwaworldvacations.com/nw_hmIndex?aid=dsp<BR><BR>Before you leave THAT page, note that there is a 10 percent discount for booking at least 60 days out. Link through that URL on the home page to have it applied when you work through your arrangements.

Ana,<BR>You might try www.go-today.com. They have packages that include air/hotel/transport/breakfast, as well as other configurations. Have used them and would recommend them (no, I don't work for them). You might search this site for their name, for other comments.

Most of these sites have packages going to just one city or just one region. I would love a bare-bones package (air/land transport/hotels) to just London, Paris, and Rome. Does anyone do this?

There is a Paris-Rome on go-today.com<BR>They may have what you are looking for- to me it seems like they have many packages that go city to city, I actually was disappointed that their packages DON'T seem to focus on one region

Francevacations.org has the kind of packages you're seeking; italiatoursusa.com has good inexpensive unescorted packages (I've used them and never had a problem, although you do have to keep after them)to Rome, Florence, Venice et al.

Go-Today.com. Just used them for unescorted package deal to Brussels and they delivered on everything promised. I wouldn't hesitate to use them again.

Expedia.com allows you to put together packages of flight+hotel+car (or any combination of these). But you do have to pre-pay.