louisianamom

My husband and I are heading to Italy in May and are looking at Small Group Tours for the Almafi Coat and then spending another week exploring the rest of Italy on our own. We are close to booking the small group Almafi Coast trip with Tauck, but I really would like to hear from Tauck guests from recent trips before committing. I've also looked at Nada's trip and Story's Land and Sea if anyone wants to comment on those companies.

Thank you!

Sassafrass

I have not been on a Tauck Tour, but have been to the AC several times, twice on tours and the rest on my own. Personally, the AC is one place where you do not need a tour group, but a smaller, locally owned tour or hiring a driver on my own would be my choice over a bigger company.
How long do you have on the AC?
Where do you wish to go on or near the AC? Positano, Capri, Amalfi, Paestum, Herculaneum, Pompeii, Naples?
Which of the tours go to those places in which you are interested?
Where are you staying on the AC?

louisianamom

This tour covers Rome, and AC. The hotels in the AC are top hotels in Positano for 2 nights, Capri for two, and Rome for 3. The tour hits all of the sights such as Pompei, Ravello, AC Coast, boat ride to grottos, and some special entertainment not available to public such as a lecture and lunch at a villa in Capri and an after hours visit to the Sistine Chapel in Rome. They handle the luggage and details so since our jobs are very stressful, we thought we might enjoy not having to deal with transportation, meals, etc. After the tour, we plan to take the fast train to Florence for 4 nights and then on to Venice for 2 and sightsee on our own on this second half of the trip.

Thoughts?

Sassafrass

Sometimes, especially when you need a break from stress, it is wonderful to relax and let everything be taken care of for you. It is more and faster moving around than I like, but since all the logistics (and luggage) are being handled, moving so much would not be as stressful as doing it on your own.

I find the constraints of tours and being with other people very stressful. I dislike schedules, tend to be a wanderer and like making decisions.
DH, OTOH, loves the freedom from dealing with travel logistics, tickets, luggage, etc. He enjoys meeting other travelers and likes being along for the ride, so for him, tours are less stressful and he loves cruises. In spite of my personal preferences, we do a mix for DH, and I have often advised my DD and friends to do a tour, cruise or trip with everything planned because their lives and jobs are stressful and their vacations should not be.

So, those are factors to consider, but part Tour, part on your own might be perfect.
It sounds like a wonderful, comprehensive tour overall, and you will enjoy some gorgeous places.

louisianamom

Thank you for your comments. I will share your insight with my husband. We have gone back and forth and I have yet to book, mainly because I just can't decide if being with a group might be too much. I too am a wanderer at heart.

travelchat

Can't recommend Tauck enough. They offer a high quality product with exclusive perks not offered by other companies. Their personnel are exemplary. I've traveled with Tauck on a Paris/Provence River cruise and a Week in Spain land tour both of which were beyond marvelous. I've used other land tour and River cruise companies and none so far have compared to Tauck.

As a former meeting group/event planner and a senior female solo traveler I'm now at the stage where I prefer to leave to leave the heavy lifting to others and coast along with a built in group.

The tour you describe will cover much and then you will have that free time to wander. Sounds like a win-win to me.

Weadles

Hmmm... I understand how stressful jobs can be (!), but one of my favorite things in many trips to the Amalfi Coast is how easy it is to plan. With help from many of us on this board, I think you could probably arrange a more customized trip that might suit you better than a packaged tour.

Full disclosure: I'm not a fan of tour groups anyway, but the Amalfi Coast really lends itself to taking it slow and not having to be anywhere at a particular time. Some of our best finds with restaurants, off-the beaten path places, etc., have taken place purely by chance or through other friends' recommendations, like
the amazing lunch we had one day at a small town down the coast.

These are things that many tour groups would miss, and for me, that would be a shame. But of course it's your trip, and whatever you decide, you'll be so enthralled with the beauty of the area, that it may not matter?

MFNYC

My son and his girlfriend, who are both fairly inexperienced travelers, took a trip in June to the AC (Positano and Sorrento) and Rome. Other than splurging on a private driver to get from Rome to Positano on the day of arrival, they used trains and a ferry for all the rest. Did Pompeii on their own by train from Sorrento, did day tours (AC hike and food tour with private guide, Capri tour with a group). They had no problems.