The itinerary, tour guide, local guides, bus driver and bus were all excellent. We saw so much during just 5 days, with so many beautiful hilltop towns not visited on many tours. I found the pace of the tour and the amount of free time to be great. Each day begins very early, to be able to see so much. There are 3 optional tours that were offered to us on the 1st day, which were very reasonably priced payable in cash, so I would recommend to bring some Euros from your local bank at home to start. (Not everything can be put on a credit card.). Also be prepared to walk quite a bit as the buses cannot park in the city centers, which you will find on all tours. Comfy walking shoes are a must! (The interiors of museums are not included, so it would be necessary to buy tickets in advance online for the afternoons that there is free time in Florence and Venice if interested.) The tour guide was very helpful with information, tips and recommendations for our free time as well. Some things to note: I would just caution that the 2 hotels, especially the one in Venice were more basic than what we would consider a 4* hotel to be in the states. They were close to public transportation, which is why they were chosen. Also the tour starts on the first day by picking people up from different hotels in Rome. The Hotel St. Martin by Omnia is excellent and I would recommend booking your 1st and last nights before and after the tour there if need accommodations. The 2 included dinners at the hotels were a little basic in Florence and Venice, however the 1st course of eggplant parmigiana at the Venice hotel was very good! The lunch in Montepulciano was excellent, a highlight!
A fabulous trip, a dream come true for me! I did everything I dreamt of, and some extras were an unexpected surprise! The tour guides were very knowledgeable also. I was happy with accommodations and the overall experience made for a wonderful time in Italy.
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!
