This tour was an amazing experience and a great way to see A LOT of Europe in a short amount of time. The trip was fast paced but very well planned out with the itinerary and mix of activities that you see and do. Jemma, our tour guide was absolutely amazing! We couldn't have asked for better! She was charismatic, funny, knowledgeable, organized, and guided us in a positive way where we got the very most out of the travel experience learning the local history, foods, culture and best site seeing spots. She went above and beyond to make sure we were getting the most out of our tour experience. Gabriel, our driver was also phenomenal. We always felt very safe and he was always perfectly punctual and helped us load/ unload and kept us very comfortable on the coach.
Good introductory cross-section in major cities. Good balance of scheduled vs. free time. Would like a little more emphasis on art--especially Uffizi Gallery and Pisan Camposanto--plus entry into St. Mark's/Doge's Palace and Duomo church (rather than some of the shopping stuff). A little too much commercial, too little history/art. (Some of guides under-informed, including one who said Galileo discovered the "two planets" around Jupiter!).
Great itinerary and tour director. Suggest: a slightly slower pace - limiting yourself to 1 optional experience/ day to avoid too/ long days -exhaustion, provide more suggestions for authentic food / restaurants on ‘free’ days.
Three of us girlfriends decided it was time for an Italian cultural recharge, and we picked the rail tour to hit the highlights with ease.
We explored Rome and saw the Coloseum as we opted for an optional tour. Florence was also beautiful.
Venice was pure magic. Our shared gondola ride under the Bridge of Sighs (with just six in the gondola) felt cozy and unforgettable . We spent afternoons discovering boutique shops and colorful squares.
For us, this tour struck the perfect balance. Relaxed evenings with wine and laughter. The train travel was a breeze, everything was well-coordinated.
The Hotel were ok but did not cater to the tourist. The rooms did not have the use of the fans and found the air stagnant. A little air moving would helped.
The Hotel in Sicily in Jiardini Naxos, Caeser palace, found the hotel desk determinitly unhelpful.
Our trip was absolutely wonderful! I would like to thank our tour guide, for taking great care of everything. We had something planned every day and the group that travelled with us was so friendly. Everything worked out beautifully. We made memories that will last a lifetime!
Best bang for your buck. The only way to see as much of Europe as we did in 18 days. Often times you do not have very much time in certain cities/towns, but the travel directors do their best to make sure you hit the highlights and have a good experience. You just have to know going in that this is an introductory trip to all the wonders of Europe. That being said, we had a fantastic time. No real complaints other than feeling short on time in some locations,, as expected. Would highly recommend for someone’s first experience in Europe and I even enjoyed it as a repeat traveler as this tour went to some unique places such as Saint Paul de Vence and Colmar. Optional excursions were also all excellent and included meals at hotels were surprisingly good.
This tour was a wonderful experience. A nice size at 28 happy people, luxurious coach, amazing driver & guide extraordinaire . Accommodations were very good & often pleasantly out of the ordinary. The optional activities are worth the extra expense. Highly recommend this tour.
It was a great experience with many highlights throughout our tour. We particularly enjoyed the many immersive stops (i.e. wine tasting, weaving, truffle hunting, pasta making, etc.) in addition to our guided tours. Our tour guide, was very well versed, knowledgeable, and helpful and provided good insights and tips throughout our trip. I can't imagine someone else doing a better job than she did! The local experts were also on top of their games.