Northern Italy Including Cinque Terre

We had never taken a tour before because we usually travel on our own, but this time we decided to try one with Trafalgar and we loved it. One of the best parts was already having visits and transportation organized. It saved so much time trying to figure out how to get to certain places, which made the trip much more relaxing. There were also optional experiences you could pay extra for. We chose three of them, and during the ones we skipped, we used the free time to explore more locally, eat at small restaurants, practice my Italian (I bought a little book before the trip to study a bit!), and do some shopping before heading home. The group had around 40 people mainly from the USA, a few from Australia, one from Singapour, one Colombian and ourselves. We are Mexican but live in Canada.. You are not expected to stay together all the time, which we liked, but it was also fun getting to know other travelers along the way. Most people were around 50+ years old, with some people being 80, but they were young at heart and kept up no problem! we enjoyed hearing their stories, experiences, and wisdom. There were also a few solo travelers, I think this type of tour works for people of all ages and situations. The included dinners were very good. The first included dinner was actually quite small, so before the next dinners I made the mistake of eating beforehand… and then regretted it because the following dinners were abundant and complete! The breakfast buffets were excellent too. Years ago when my husband and I traveled through Italy on our own, breakfast was usually just a cornetto and a coffee, so having full buffet breakfasts every morning felt amazing. The hotels were a little outside the city centers, but the rooms were extremely comfortable and the breakfast buffets made it worth it. The tour bus was also incredibly comfortable for longer rides. Our guide, Fabio, had everything very organized and made everyone feel comfortable and welcome throughout the trip. Our driver, Stefano, was clearly very experienced and made us feel safe the entire time. The tour included a local expert guide for each city we visited, which was also good. I didn’t find any hidden charges, everything is explained in the documents you receive before flying. The well earned tips for the tour director, driver and local experts are also explained beforehand. Overall, this trip exceeded our expectations, and I would definitely travel with Trafalgar again.