I went on the Europe Jewel tour in May 2019 and it was awesome! Yes, there is a lot of driving involved, but it is so worth it. I got to see so much in such a short period of time. Some hotels were better than others, but they were all clean and good enough considering the low cost of this tour (compared to other companies and considering what you get). Our tour guide, Carly, was totally great! She was always organized and full of information for everyone on tour. Our driver, Zoltan, was also great! I would definitely recommend this tour to anyone researching Europe tour options on a budget. If I did everything included on this tour by myself without the group discounts that Expat gets, I would have paid at least 1-2k more for my trip.
I have been home a few days, and looking through my many photos am still amazed that I was able to experience all those countries on the EC Tour. It is because the itinerary is so well organized and planned to allow a taste of the most desirable locations possible. All of the included and optional offerings were wonderful and we enjoyed excellent meals and excursions. But in order to have such an abundance of experiences packed into two weeks, you must be in good physical shape and able to walk 4 to 6 miles daily, climb many stairs and inclines and carry your suitcases a distance and even up stairs. We ate fast meals, lined up for the toilets and bought snacks in record time at the comfort stops on the long drives, and had many late nights and early mornings. Build up your immune system and wear a mask as the inevitable bugs will spread through the coach. Most of the hotels were acceptable with the exception of Paris where the room was tiny and the bathroom deplorable. Some hotels were really nice, especially the AlpineRose in Switzerland. The trip to the Top of the World is an unforgettable experience. I can't imagine that we could have had a better tour guide than Matt. He kept us on time and the days ran smoothly because of his constant care. His knowledge of the history of each place was phenominal, and he has the gift of story telling. A bonus was he is tall and we could keep his red hat in sight as we navigated crowded, twisted streets. Our driver, Victor, was so friendly and cheerful and worked hard taking care of the coach and us. His driving skills are amazing. We were fortunate to travel with a fun group of Aussies who were cheerful and kind. My brain is on overload as I look back and appreciate this trip of a lifetime. I am so glad we discovered ExPat Travel.
I fully recommend this trip, it was a great experience and everything was well organised. The non electric bikes are not really designed to ride 70km a day, but was easy enough for myself. The electric bike for my wife made it really easy. We loved the smaller cities and sights that we would not have got too, if we didn’t ride. My only recommendation is take a garmin or similar navigation device with you, and expect some rain . Great trip, loved it.