Overall, this was an amazing trip to be introduced to Europe and experience a little bit of everything there. If you are thinking about opting out of a tour service like this and figuring it all out on your own, I would advise against it. There are a lot of cultural and social differences between these countries that a cursory internet search will not make you aware of. The tour guide's guidance is really what allowed us to be safe and not clueless while exploring, and the tour also highlighted a lot of the activities and locations that were actually worth doing. I feel like I truly maximized my time in Europe and did not waste a moment. At this price point, I doubt you would be able to find anything as good. It was truly life-changing, and on the flight back I dreaded coming back home. Also, if you see Kevin Screene as an option for your tour guides, take him. Amazing person and an even better guide.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
10-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Rome, Florence, Venice, Bavaria
Rome, Florence, Venice, Bavaria, Rhine, Amsterdam, Paris, Swiss Alps, the Swiss Alps, Tuscany
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It was great for our first European trip. We weren’t impressed with the Ibis hotel chain that we stayed in as some had very small rooms to open our luggage in.
Wonderful trip! I strongly recommend several of the Optional Experiences to make the most of your time, including the sunset boat trip in Paris (you see the Eiffel Tower aglow!), walking tour of Hidden Venice, and walking tour of the Colosseum in Rome.
Be prepared to walk a lot (I hit 10-14k steps most days!) Be prepared for early mornings.
Favorite day was in Provence when we toured the goat farm and had a wine and cheese tasting experience with the chef. Then went to the chef's villa and had a gourmet lunch, and met Ricky the truffle hunting pig. Our tour group went a round the table and each told us about our life experiences. A nice bonding moment. Or maybe it was the drive along the beautiful French Riviera to the Rothschild Mansion where we had lunch. Oh, wait I forgot about the perfume making and the walking around the old French hilltop villages. Too many great experiences to get them all in. Also, a shoutout to our wonderful tour guide, Maya Pashpurova, who really made this an unforgettable trip for all of us.
City sightseeing
Tour Type
Group Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Villa, Resort
Age Range
1-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Provence
Paris, Nice, Bordeaux, Provence, Villa Ephrussi De Rothschild, Aix En Provence
I've been raving about this tour experience since I've come home. I can't say enough about Collette staff and our tour director Michael, everything was excellent! The only hotel I was disappointed with was the one in Brugge, but understand it's a historic building so can't fault them. Bed was very comfortable and rooms are large.