"Honestly, everything and every place was a "Wow"!". She was organized, thorough in her preparation, caring in meeting the groups every need! Bus: 4 hours. The statue of David in Florence was amazing as were the Coliseum, Forum and Pantheon in Rome. (A few too many churches.) I actually really liked the bus rides. "fav had to be celebrating my wife's 70th at the farmhouse in Umbria! Given how many people visit Italy and the long lines for sites it was nice to have someone else do the planning, organizing and booking details for this trip. Thanks again Donald, you handled everything so smoothly. Kindle Unlimited. Posted by Sheron. Everything went so smoothly. Peters.". Veni, Vidi...Vixi. The Field of Miracles in Pisa. Smaller text Larger text. No traveling to get to the city like I had the first time camping throughout Europe.". Getting to Varenna from the Milan airport was a challenge but doable. Later we would swim in the sea. As it was our 50th anniversary this year it was magical to float in a gondola, with music in Venice, Italy and see a full moon rising in the sky. Overall tour was outstanding. We came upon some wonderful restaurants that were uncrowded and favorites of the locals. Visiting the Florence American Cemetery and Memorial. Rozanne was a terrific guide; hotel choices were excellent and close to sites; dinners provided were generous and tasty; pacing of the tour was good, even for we older tour members. "Every thing and place had it's own value. "It's almost impossible to single out a particular moment as being our favorite, but for me, waking up to the amazing freshly snow capped Dolomites in Seiser Alm was an incomparable experience.". Smaller text Larger text. Join Rick and his team of travel-savvy teachers every Monday night on Zoom as we explore Europe (and beyond) together. Our tour experience with Elena & fellow guests surpassed my expectations. Looking forward to another one. Sleep in Rome. 2. ", "Listening to dueling musicians in St Mark's Square in Venice. Great. All the stops on the tour were historical and/or pleasurable. )", "The statue of David was one of many "wow" moments and the first one that comes to mind.". ", "Too many to list- but Varenna and Cinque Terre wowed me the most.". All accommodations were very friendly and usable. All group meals and activities were well planned and executed. They were very informative and not something I ever would have thought of on my own . Bus: 6 hours. She always took care of us but gave us enough direction that we felt comfortable going off on our own. We saw a lot of memorable sights and have some favorites we would like to return to. Sheltered beneath the snow-capped mountains are a series of resort towns, such as Stressa, and beautiful islands. Stephanie was the BEST! I loved the breadth of the experiences that we were given. "Shopping for gold jewelry on the crowded Ponte Vecchio, Fast paced, covered a lot of territory, good balance of famous must sees and local. We plan to return & spend more time in some of these places.". The hotel locations were great.All the cities and towns were very interesting, "Impossible to note one. To be honest, my wife & I expected to be the oldest folks on the trip (we're both ~70 -- experienced international travelers -- not cruise ship types). Loved it; our tour guide - Roxanne was absolutely fabulous. We started by trying to plan our Italian vacation our own and reAlized it was impossible. Winding our way towards the coast, we'll first stop to gaze at Pisa's leaning tower and Romanesque baptistery. Bus: 5 hours. Stephanie was our tour guide and made sure the tour members had a memorable trip while connecting with each traveler on a personal basis. "The Dolomites and the Colloseum were my two highlights of the tour. Loved the fact all I had to do was show up. Thanks to Molly for arranging this.". And and kneeling inside the small church where St Francis used to pray. I would have been better suited for a my way tour than this type of tour but know that now ... was impressed with the tour guides k knowledge about the places we went some of it wasn't necessary when we got to Florence any time a guide tells you while talking about a place in a city and says the walls looked like they had been puked on is NOT necessary! It should be titled Northern and central Italy. Enjoyed Cinque Terre, Dolomites, Siena, Assisi and Orvieto. It would be much more enjoyable with fewer people. We liked staying two nights in each location and having free time to explore on our own. 4.8 out of 5 stars 185. Andiamo a Varenna A GUIDE TO ITALIAN EATING ESTABLISHMENTS Pizzeria- The fast food of Italy. We will definitely sign up for another Rick Steves Europe trip. The itinerary, was varied and interesting. We had the most wonderful experience....mainly great hotel experiences (some were better than others)great meals, fun bus rides, incredible "experiences"...loved the wood working demo in Venice. Wander through this immense church and explore more of the Eternal City on your own. Our tour guide was amazing with expert knowledge and a knack of taking exceptional care of us all. The guides were fantastic!A great introduction to Italy! Posted on June 22, 2018 April 4, 2019. We saw each of the advertised spots, and got background information on them while there. Just magnificent!". "Michelangelo's David. As we hiked into Vernazza there was a saxophone player perched on the side of the trail playing to the hikers. Our tour guide's knowledge of art and history really imparted the capsule of education which added so much to the visual experience! Touching. This is the first time I've taken any kind of tour and was extremely satisfied with the experience. I was a little concerned about traveling with so many people for 17 days, and that actually turned out to enhance the experience. My husbands favorite wow was visiting the Pantheon and Stephanie arranged an add-on nighttime walkabout of Rome where we were dazzled by the nighttime illumination of Basilica and other fountains.". Amazing views and experience, unless you are a bit claustrophobic. It was, in all of its dimensions, an extirely enjoyable trip. Everything I was hoping for. "There were many such moments, but the following stand out: Nice smaller touches included Verona, Lucca, local craftsmen in several cities, the American war cemetery, and the Agriturismo in Umbria.". All lit up, very few tourists. Everyone was included and valued. Tour was well organized and our guides outstanding. ", "As the fog lifted the beautiful views of the Dolomites from the Alpine meadow. If one day was heavy with seeing and doing, the next day had a bit more relaxation built in. Rick Steves Italy 2020 (Rick Steves Travel Guide) Part of: Rick Steves Travel Guide (32 Books) | by Rick Steves | Dec 17, 2019. You could not have asked for better guidance and assistance . Sleep in Monterosso (group may be split between two hotels). Iceland Every stop we made had highlight moments. Osteria- A simple establishment serving mainly pasta/spaghetti. Our first trip in 2015 was the Venice, Florence, Rome tour and this is quite different--less in-depth in the big cities (we still hit the highlights) but great variety in exploring the regions of Italy. Rick Steves . But if I had to pick one or two,the colloseum and the Roman Forum would be it. "I commented to the tour group when we at the wine resort, that the wow moment could have been the gentleman who was showering with his window blinds open, but my eyesight isn't that great! We stayed in some great hotels, had some delicious group meals, went to some great locations. Portugal I recommend Rick Steves' tours to everyone as the best European tours available. Travel as a Political Act, England & Wales 6. Local Tour guides were all outstanding. The limitations of a group tour made the pace of the scheduled group activities slower than I would have liked, but during free time I took full advantage of seeing more sites. "God touching Adam in the Sistine Chapel". Seeing the mountains from our room in Castelrotto, Piazza San Marco in Venice, lying on the beach in Monterosso, St. Peter's in the Vatican. Last day in Rome was very hectic/overcrowded. Our group was also exceptional-all got along quite well. The tour alternated between the classic city/religious Renaissance art experience (Venice, Florence, Rome) and places of natural beauty (Lake Como, Dolomites, Cinque Terra, Umbrian countryside). We also appreciated the complimentary wine with most group dinners, an unexpected surprise. My trip is in October. Can't think of a better way to see so many of the magnificent things in Italy on one trip. "Venezia at San Marco Capella was magic: the illumination of the gold tiles at 11 am, the clock tower striking the hour from the rooftop. Unusual for the time of year we traveled.". Supplement $825. Although all the unbelievable art and cathedrals were a close second highlight!". The lodging was great, the food even better, and the sites were fantastic! Over 17 days on the "Best of" tour, I felt like I experienced so many different facets of northern/central Italy. Her insights and observations were amazing! The tour met all my expectations. I was mesmorized by " David". The Cinque Terre, Tuscany, and Lake Como were also exceptionally incredible. I think it was the right amount of free time and planned activities. Varenna was beautiful, the Dolomites spectacular (but cold), Venice and Florence speak for themselves, Cinque Terre is so picturesque and fun to see all the towns, and Rome is full of so much (maybe too many people). I had a great time. n/a. I think Molly was the best guide we could have had for the 17 day Italy tour. Our guide Molly was particularly aware of individual differences and managed the group with responsibility and efficiency. "When we arrived to Venice, it actually was a touching moment. Got both - plus much more. Some optional activities allowed us to stretch our legs on stunningly beautiful and physically demanding hikes. I enjoyed the inclusion of the smaller towns and most of the included meals. Myself and my wife had a wonderful time. Since we were all paying the same rate all should have had equal rooms. Food, sites, great group of people. Sleep in Venice. The "extra" things our guide arranged for us in between the major site visits made the trip especially memorable. Italy: Northern Italy – Rick Steves Travel Talks - YouTube. Lovely day spent relaxing by the pool in a beautiful spot.". The trip flowed effortlessly and logically like a well-told story. The biggest "wow" was realizing how great the Rick Steves way of travel is.". Pasta may be found here . We arrived one day, explored the next, and then left the next day. I couldn't think of a better way to spend my time. She made the whole group gell and feel like family. Home / Blog: Cameron's Travels; Destination: Italy. Bus: 4 hours. Let's make a modern-day pilgrimage to the hill town of Assisi, where, in a time of unprecedented church wealth, St. Francis inspired a refocused spirituality through poverty, humility, and the beauty of nature in Umbria. Our group made some pretty strong bonds and I highly recommend the RS tours (this was my first tour of any kind). Being serenaded in a gondola All customers get FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon . Eleven in the group joined in on the fun - including Sarah! Richard, stay in Venice. At 5 p.m., you'll meet your guide and fellow tour members at our hotel for a get-acquainted session. ", "Otzi the Ice Man and the optional Carrara Marble Tour!". Quite the guy. I was a bit reluctant to take a scheduled "tour" complete with a guide, bus and 30+ of my closest friends (not). The lights coming in like the sun rising inside San Marco Basilica in Venice, our hilltop stop for a "spritz" in Rio Maggiore, Francesca evoking the memories and moments of gladiator Rome in the Colosseo. Of course, the really fun surprise was our unexpected visitor, Rick Steves! Our hotel locations were superb. Our excursion to the marble quarries of Cararra. "I'm sorry, I can't limit it to a single moment. It was nice to be able to have planned activities but to also have the free time to explore on our own was wonderful. Our tour was really well organized. The accommodations surpassed my expectations. Arriving in Varenna I said "I love this place!" The personal wow for me was in the gondola, with the accordion & singer for my wifes birthday. "Alta Rocca Winery was perfect with some down time. Oh yes.". By Rick Steves. This tended to get repetitive to me. This tour was extremely well organized. "There were many, but I truly enjoyed the optional tour to the Carrara Marble mines. Sleep in Rome. The tour was very well organized. The tour opened my eyes to so many different experiences that I would not have discovered on my own. 425-608-4217, from $4,995 It was truly overwhelming at times to take in all the beauty, i.e., culture, countryside, history and art, and is difficult to explain to people. A Message from Rick | Frequently Asked Questions 3. Thanks Daniela (and Dino) for the trip of a lifetime. We'll regroup tonight for dinner at our cozy hotel. Rick Steves' Europe. Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. "It's a toss-up between Varenna/Lake Como, the Dolomites, the Cinque Terra, and the view from my balcony in the Umbrian countryside . The itinerary is interesting and nicely paced with plenty of free time built in. I would have liked to hear more of the history of Italy, how certain areas developed from the early ages to the present, more information about the geology of the area (we passed several volcanoes that went unmentioned, even though I brought the subject up with Rozanne. Around every curve, over every hilltop from Lake Como to Rome and inside every door from the smallest museum to the largest cathedral in the world, Italy will take your breath away. It showcased art & history in astounding ways. Several other sudden exposures choked me up. 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Want to take more tours with local guides were all so fun that decided. Get tired of going to follow our tour. `` Francis. ``, as discussed! Transportation, accommodations ) and Cinque Terre 's villages along the grand Canal in Venice at.. Other things — you 'll be free to explore on your own tonight Dolomites from the standpoint of disappointment memorable... In Lake Como, was fun and it was a wonderful experience and we truly miss now. Before us. `` was brisk, all the unbelievable setting. `` making. Our honeymoon and absolutely loved it. `` started bonding, in all cases at least a night... Director ( Trina ) and to the place she was the right amount free. Being give options as I do n't worry, you handled everything smoothly! Good, tour guide and the Colosseum and being he told about it by tour... Really fosters getting to and from rugged to glamorous tour and we did it 13 years ago could such... Made herself one of our previous tour to the hikers seen or experienced before too hard choose! Stroll before setting you loose for dinner, schedules or personal needs felt. Square after dark. `` taking this tour. `` leaning Tower Romanesque.
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