I dont know if every group gets along like ours did but we all seemed to have a blast when we were together. Easy access to the sites and the planned dinners were great. I had a wonderful trip. "The Colosseum. I enjoyed all of the tour activities as well as the extra activities that Lisa made for our group!! The Venice hotel was perfectly located. I'd been to Italy before, but in a rushed manner, so this tour was the perfect deeper dive. was great. We could not have asked for better people on our tour and our tour guide was amazing!! "The whole trip was a wow moment for me.!". Anja kept us on track and informed in such an easy manner on a daily basis and always had a smile and an answer for whatever was happening. We had an incredible time on the best of Italy tour. "In Italy we went to a family run winery. ", 10 days went fast! Our guides were very knowledgeable, accommodating and informative. Loved the tour guide and her responsible, informative, honest and fun insight. "One of several was rounding the corner in St. Peter's Basilica and seeing the Pieta. All in all, we saw and did everything I had hoped for. The setting and winery itself were so beautiful. Light walking: 24 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. No bus. Our tour leader was so enthusiastic and extremely helpful when any assistance was needed. The winery tour was great, "All of it. We loved that we hit the highlights as a group, but had a lot of free time to explore on our own. It was more than I expected. I was very interested in seeing the art and architecture in these three cities and was not disappointed. ", Well organized, action packed. We definitely chose correctly and will do a RS tour again! Stephanie was amazing and truly a pleasure . We believe studying Ricks guide book and watching his videos well prepared us for our trip. It all worked out splendidly. The group consisted of mostly people in my peer group, everyone was friendly, well behaved and cooperative. I got a 'feel' for the area we were in and am excited to return. Lisa was so in tune with the group and was a fantastic and caring tour director. More than once, I had to ask simple confirming questions of Francis after meticulous explanations. In spite of our delay to meet the group we had a fantastic time with our fellow travelers and our wonderful tour guide. We felt that the guide did an exceptional job of including everyone and spontaneously reacting very well to situations we think may be atypical for a tour. What we didn't expect was how much we would learn about the places we would see. The local guides were very knowledgeable, too. Can't say enough great things about this trip. Each guide brought the locality alive: Venezia was simply a magical place to get lost; Firenze delivered cultural and art; and Roma was layered with history. We will definitely take another Rick Steves' tour. My tour of Italy was exceptional from beginning to end. This was my first tour and my first Rick Steves tour. Marco was such a great host. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying while on tour in the Documents section of your tour account. Not really sure how to address our guide. "Stepping out of the train station in Venice and seeing the Grand Canal for the first time. So fun! From the leadership and attention of our tour manager to the local guides enthusiastic walks through neighborhoods and museums - I loved it! The tour wa extremely well organized, our tour guide Anja was fantastic-very organized, efficient and made thing fun. Donald and Matti were great as were all of the local guides. We wouldn't change a thing. As a first-time traveler to Europe, I was so happy I went on the tour and learned so much about the history, art and culture of Italy! They are professional, prepared, knowledgeable, caring, and a pleasure just to sit and talk to. "It was our first trip to Italy so there were many wow moments. Could not be more pleased with our first Rick Steves tour! Rick Steves Italy Audio Tours provide humorous and insightful commentary on the art and history of many of Italy's most notable museums and historic sites in Assisi, Florence, Pompeii, Milan, Naples, Rome, Siena, and Venice. "There were several, but the two that stood out were (1) the Colosseum and Roman Forum tour where the guide was fantastic and the sights and history unbelievable, and (2) the Vatican tour, especially St Peter's Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.". "I wish I could identify a stellar moment, but its like pointing out a specific star in the galaxy of wonderful experiences! We enjoyed getting a taste of each city on the tour. Loved the small group size and opportunities to get to know one another while traveling. This tour was Easter week and so our tour group included an extended family of 9, including children ages 9-14 plus two young adults. Wonderful memories!". It was a wonderful experience going on a group tour. From the beginning until the last day I felt that our trip was top priority for our guide. They paid such great attention to the details of our personalities that even in a large group it felt personal. "There wasnt just one wow moment. Along the way we'll wander through. I felt like I was traveling with a friend. I had this stereotype that package tours would be boring and overbearing, but not Rick Steves! I loved the bronze horses at st. Marks not part of the tour but the directions led me to get tickets". The hotels were very nice, clean and the locations were convenient to the places we went to see. Being in oldest church (Assunta) on Torcello, View from the Campanile Tower in Venice, St. Mark's, Sunset in Florence, Flash painting demo, Boboli Gardens, Duomo Tour, Touching a wall from Etruscan times at winery in Orvieto, Seeing DAVID, the Sistine Chapel, Borghese Gallery Sculptures, Standing in middle of Pantheon and looking up, Seeing how big the Trevi fountain is, Being inside of Colosseum, and Eating Gelato, of course!! She made sure every last detail of our trip went smoothly and was always there for questions or advice. Perhaps add Orvieto as an overnight stay? The special things that make us return time and again were mostly present, though there were a few small things that gave us the sense that perhaps some cost-cutting was at play in terms of meals and site visits. You do need to be able to walk great distances and stay with the group. While I fibbed and said all was good, Sarah fibbed and believed me. "I got engaged in Venice on the last night!! "Every aspect. Hotel locations in Venice and Florence were outstanding. The gondolas were really fun, especially with the musician on board.". We appreciated that we had both scheduled time and free time to explore on our own. This morning we'll drive into the rolling hills of Umbria, stopping for a wine tasting lunch at a family-run winery. As on our previous RS tours we enjoyed the camaraderie of sharing the whole experience with our fellow tour members. Venice is so worth it. We had a great group of tour members and enjoyed the group dinners! "Being in the Pantheon was fabulous- incredible historic building, 2,000 years old and still incredibly intact. Cooking Class as well so much fun". Perhaps Venice, just first sight At night and at dawn Special". The others in our group got along well. We cant wait to go on our next Rick Steves tour. Even so, I loved the trip and the eye opening art and architecture. I brought good shoes and prepared. we stopped at for lunch and wine tasting in Umbria. However, the months of April, May, September, and October are best for combining the convenience of peak season with the most pleasant weather. What a great way to experience Venice, Florence and Rome. Second moment was the pantheon! The tour was extremely educational and interesting. Bea is so personable, caring, and just plain delightful. The singer really loved to entertain and hearing him belt out some classic tunes as we floated down the scenic waterways was certainly a memorable moment". Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Guide, Tina, excellent with more than 20 years of experience. The tour was such an efficient use of our time. Timed entry and setup were good, although the Vatican museums were extremely crowded; very uncomfortable due to the amount of people and made it very difficult to enjoy the collection. The choices of which venues to tour was great. The RS videos and blogs prepared me to really see and feel all our destinations as well as having a grasp of what was to come. Rick Steves' really understands how to organize a great trip for interested and interesting adults! What a fabulous tour! "Did not have a wow moment. Well planned and the guide Lisa was wonderful. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. Loved the people! Heart of Italy in 9 Days Tour - 2023 Our Tours Tight on time? It was an experience of a lifetime! "Turning a corner and seeing the coliseum for the first time!". "I have a very hard time choosing just one "WOW" moment from our Best of Italy tour. "There is not one, but many. "There were several. ", Brilliant itinerary - nice mix of free time and touring time, "Gondola ride in Venice complete with live Italian music from one of our gondolas". Standing before the David, in St. Peter's Basilica, and the Colosseum. Also all of Venice! Not only were we able to see tangible images in front of us, but we also learned about the Italian culture (language dialects, music, art, how WWII effected Italy) and traditions. I could barely see the Pieta. Will return to Italy with any tour led by Beatrice! It was a nice way to learn about the Italian culture in a safe and entertaining wsy. Going into the ancient wine cellar and then learning about how to pair wine and food while in such a beautiful setting - absolutely awesome. Instructions were perfect. This is my first tour experience in my life. Just have to decide which ones and date. "A simple thing, but standing in St. Mark's Square in Venice on my first night in Italy with a full moon to highlight the basilica and bell tower was truly magical. I even walked more on my own than when guided. It was aggressive, but that is fine by me. "Floating down the Grand Canal of exquisite Venice.". The cooking class was also a lot of fun, and not surprisingly, brought the group even closer together.". It was wonderfully planned and executed. Our tour guide in Rome, Paulo, was an outstanding guide. "It would be difficult to choose just one wow moment, but we both liked the trip to the olive grove and the cooking school experience. Our group boarded about six gondolas and we were just settling in to the peaceful sway of the waters and the romantic view when, to our surprise, a singer stood up in the lead gondola and privately serenaded our group with romantic Italian songs. I appreciated the balance between scheduled group activities and the opportunities to explore on our own. Eating our way through the cicchetti bars in Venice and taking in the view of Orvieto from Tenuta Le Velette.". Tour was everything I expected and more. ", "We were able to see the Pantheon with almost no one else around. I absolutely loved this tour. Part of what I liked about the tour was that there were experiences that I would not have had if I had been on my own. For all the years I had dreamed of visiting Europe, I knew that Florence was the must-have experience, and it did not disappoint.". I have a few and the first one was when we got our documents and saw that David was our guide. We'll visit your guide's favorite island, where you'll have free time to explore and enjoy lunch on your own. I greatly appreciated the planning that gave us easy entrance into the sites, which was nearly worth the price of the tour for convenience! Accommodations were safe and clean and in great locations (although Rome hotel was more out of the way than the others). "Winery tour in Orvieto. Sampling wine, cheese and other goodies and learning about olive oil production in Umbria.". I would not have been without the local guides enthusiasm and knowledge.". Also being able to spend several days in each city was a huge plus. "Our most enjoyable, fun moments were every shared meal with our group. I would seriously consider future trips based on whether or not he was slated to guide. 2023 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | See our FAQ | Email tour@ricksteves.com. My wife and I have travelled considerably over the past two decades setting our own itineraries as we go, anywhere from 2 weeks up to 4 months, this was our first experience with any guided tour. I couldn't imagine a city with waterways and without cars. She went out of her way to assist my husband and i when my husband got Covid 19 on the tour unfortunately. The wine experience at Tenuta Le Velette was outstanding -- gorgeous countryside, a 2-plus centuries old winery, a proprietor with a deep and passionate respect for her history. The guide was a master speaker, truly. What a fun group activity. Both my wife and I were more than impressed with everything about this tour. The content focused on history, art, and culture. Another WOW moment though not part of the tour was my boyfriend asked me to marry him by the canals, and I said YES!!!!!!!!!". I would highly recommend Rick Steves tours and will be planning my next trip soon! The hotel locations were great. The overall experience was great. They were not only extremely knowledgeable about the subject matter but the love and interest they had for sharing their passion for the subject was evident in their presentations.". I could not have asked for a better experience. I would recommend this tour to others. Lisa even changed the schedule for our gondola ride as rain was forecast for original night, several of us worried about it before we knew of the change. Just enough food, friends, group activities and solo experiences to make it a perfect trip. Loved the tour leader's enthusiasm about Italy. The food was wonderful. It was mostly the best of times, but it also had a few difficult moments. What really made the trip great was our Rick Steves guide, Beatrice R. She modeled the Rick Steves attitude of being open and excited about travel along with something new, elastico, being adaptable to changes in plans and places. In Florence, I did not expect to be so starstruck by David - but when we rounded the corner into the museum I quietly gasped. The streets were free of crowds. Everything was so well organized. Loved Burano! Last but not least our tour group was wonderful; everyone was respectful, considerate and interested in all aspects of our journey. Focus on artisans and local goods of each city along special visits to vineyard, and cooking class made the tour! Wonderful! I absolutely loved our guide Tina - she absolutely made the experience what it was. this was my first Rick Steves tour. Got to visit so many wonderful museums and sites! I think the only change I'd ask RSE to consider would be a rest day or slow day in Umbria as part of the tour. The tour exceeded my expectations. Our guide, Tina, added experiences thru her contacts with friends and artisans that really enhanced and personalized our trip!! He kept us informed of the site seeing events, places to visit during our free time and recommend restaurants to eat. This was my second time touring with RS and I wanted to spend more time in the places on the tour. "There were three: The tour of the Grand Canal in Venice by boat; the winery in Orvieto and the cooking class in Florence.". Colleen was a spectacular guide and made us all feel like we were apart of the community. The tour delivered exactly what it described. The big "wow" for me was the cumulative amount of art, architecture and culture that mankind has created over thousands of years and how so much of it remains. A local scholar will join us this morning as we take a walking tour of the backstreets of Florence, with some fascinating peeks into Roman, medieval, and 19th-century Florentine life along the way. They were so crowded that getting off the beaten track was a real eye opener. The experience was amazing. I do wish we had been told not to convert money from ATM (unnecessary charge) prior to arriving. Rick Steves European Travel Talk | We'll visit the must-see sights of Italy's most famous cities and learn about their roles in shaping the Western World. Rick is admitted to practice law in all courts in the State of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. The three cities were all so diverse and enjoyable to see". She was obviously knowledgeable about the area, made sure we were prepared on a daily basis, and handled any items that arose with ease. "The first afternoon in Florence at the Santa Croce Church, seeing the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli. She had dreamed of going there since she was a girl and thoroughly enjoyed it. The vineyard, first moments in front of St. Marks, Florence sculpture, Roman ancient temples. "It took us almost 24 hours to reach Venice where our Rick Steves tour began. "The Coliseum coming into view for the first time. "Venice was new to me and exceeded my expectations. The local tour guides were top-notch and added so much insight to the experience. Jaimie was also excellent. the specific site guides were knowledgeable. The tour accomplished the advertised goal of seeing the best of Italy. I would highly recommend your company and this particular tour to anyone interested in seeing Italy!! We'll meet at 4 p.m. at our Venice hotel, deeply nestled amidst the canals, bridges, and alleyways of this magical, preserved-in-amber city. Accommodations were lovely and well positioned in each city we visited. "One in each city-Gondola ride in Venice, David in Florence and the Colosseum in Rome.". Knew the answer to every question plus our main guide Donald also fun and funny. The sun was low and light just perfect, I will never forget that moment. There is so much to see, and so much information to absorb, this tour did a great job of balancing that with time on our own. I greatly appreciate that each day had a chunk of time to explore on our own or just take a break. I think of all the fantastic things I saw, seeing Michelangelo's David was the most emotional.". It was wonderful to be in the city at each hotel so you could always go outside and explore. We felt we were in good hands on the Rick Steve's tour and we were very satisfied. The trip exceeded our expectations. There are no words to explain this magical experience. The Rome hotel was in a great location with a great breakfast. "All of Venice and the floor of the Coliseum in Rome", Overall, the tour was great. It was a treat to hear from local guides! Our trip was amazing! So lovely!". He has summoned the amount from his earnings from the book, television shows, radio programs, and other projects. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and polite. Everything we saw was spectacular and our guide and group was equally amazing. After introductions, we'll set off on an orientation walk and then enjoy getting acquainted over a traditional Venetian dinner together. The gondola ride, complete with a guitarist and a singer in our boat, was just over the top!". Your afternoon will be free to see more of the city's museums. Seeing Michelangelo's top works. Both Bea and the local guides. The music just added to the great experience. "Of all the fun things the gondola ride in Venice was a blast with the singers and great weather. I have visited all 3 of these cities in the past but this time. Well organized. It was an amazing experience. Who can chose, it like trying to pick a favorite child.". Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. She spoke fluent Italian and was very knowledgeable about Italy. Her theme was "making connections - past to present" and it was breathtaking and moving, bringing these ancient sites to life and connecting to the present. to us. Really enjoyed learning about their winery and olive oil farm. We enjoyed the passion of our local guides in the three locations- Venice, Florence and Rome. "I had many wow moments however a few that stand out were the duomo, St. Peters basilica, st. Marcs square, the coliseum, and our wine tasting tour in Florence. Seeing Etruscan wine caves was amazing. For point of reference, this is my 6th Rick Steves tour. Our guide, Anja, was so welcoming and did an amazing job bringing our group together and making us all feel very comfortable with one another. Our tour guide Anya was outstanding in every way and the local guides were all very informative.! We hiked up to the top, Lisa brought wine and snacky poos, and the sunset over Florence did not disappoint. The activities and dining were of top quality. I honestly cannot say anything needed any improvement. Everything from Venice to Florence to Rome went so smoothly. The local guides were absolutely the best; and provided interesting commentary about art and history and Italian ways along our walks. Buy tickets to the Borghese Museum in Rome- a must see. "All of Italy. I enjoyed being part of a group of strangers more than I thought I would. ", The tour surpassed my expectations! The history. I don't know how anyone can choose just one "WOW" moment on this tour. ", "Discovering the contemporary art contrasted with the works in the Venice museums". She was so knowledgeable, friendly and patient with all of us. It was amazing to learn about Italy from the locals. It all was overwhelming and breathtaking at the same time. All of Rome was exceptional, from the sights to the food! All three cities were very walkable from the major sites back to our hotel. Highly recommend paying the extra to go to the Museum. She was on top of all arrangements. The agenda was great. Overall a first rate experience. I appreciated learning so much art history and seeing three magnificent cities. The little things - Michelangelo's self-portrait on back of Prisoner stone. The professionalism of tour guides being local and fluent in English was exceptional. I am looking forward to joining another RSE Tour soon. We had a great time. Cooking class and wine tasting pretty darn WOW!!". It was very hard for our travel-weary brains to actually grasp that this was not Disney World or Las Vegas this was the absolute real thing and it was simply breathtaking! Michelangelo, Galileo, Cosimo de Medici I, Florence Nightingale, Leonardo da Vinci, Dante, Chiberti, Machiavelli, Buonarroti,Napolean's wife & daughter, and more, plus oddly enough Mussolini. "Our wow moments from the tour has to be the ruins of ancient Rome (the Coliseum) and the sculptures of Michaelangelo, specifically the Pieta and David.". Bus: 4 hours. The Italian singers at the farewell dinner put a cherry on the top of an amazing 10 days. I enjoyed every single activity, specifically the wine tasting, cooking class and group dinner in each city. I am still processing the thought of the great potential of humankind to create and do good works. I have waited for years to go to Italy and I loved every minute of it! "Just seeing St. Mark's Basilica that first night, the size and beauty, along with the ambience of St. Mark's Square with the people, the outdoor restaurants, the music. I loved the ease of skipping all the lines since we were with a tour. Perfect for young female travelers wanting a chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy. You could feel the history standing in that place ??". I especially enjoyed the information on the artwork. I'm so glad I did not try to do this trip myself, having most things taken care of really helped my stress level. We will try to take another one of her tours! I was not expecting it.". Everything was extremely well organized. Ferdy was the best and always prepared us for what was to come. This time I could get close and look as long as I wanted. are amazing.". Local guides were very knowledgeable. ", The tour was comprehensive and the guides very well informed, "Rome. It was a great first time experience. The scenery in Umbria is gorgeous, and after being in cities, it was so nice to be out in the countryside. I also really enjoyed the wine tasting in Orvieto; Alessandro was fantastic. The tour hit all the high spots in the three cities! I will definitely travel with Rick Steves again!". Our tour guide Lisa was so knowledgeable and made sure everyone was comfortable. People complained about the crowds, but I didnt find them off- putting; rather the same as Disneyland ( and it was Easter).". You'll also enjoy guided neighborhood walks, memorable meals, and full-bodied Italian wines. The quietness of Venice with no vehicles. He shared an unending wealth of stories (historical and contemporary) along with practical information to help navigate the basics of everything foreign to us. All of this, along with the careful thought to identify the essential things to witness so as not to become so completely overwhelmed that you couldn't process, i.e., every gallery/museum we set foot in.". The hotel, food and restaurant choices were excellent. "The Venice gondola ride was a special and memorable event as we had the singer and accordion player ride along in our gondola. The tour was well organized and very informative! The tour exceeded my expectations. I could not imagined how wonderful Italy and this trip was. The itinerary was as we expected. As my first solo international trip, I felt supported and welcomed by the company before and during the tour. It is a very busy tour! "It's really hard to pick, there were so many and I've been to all of these places before. loved all the tiny streets and alleyways of venice. The contrast in regions. The music was echoing off of the walls, it was beautiful. Terms of Service | Privacy, Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days Tour 2024, Florence's Accademia Gallery (Michelangelo's, Evening walk through Rome including Trevi Fountain. The itinerary was just right - the museums, art galleries and group activities were balanced well with our free time. Here's what you'll see and do on our Best of Venice, Florence & Rome tour: Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. They clearly love the country and its people and that was infectious. Restaurant choices were also excellent. Such a thrill!". The tour was incredible and so well structured. Our hotels were conveniently located and varied in style, making each location all the more interesting. This being our first professionally guided tour, we discovered how much more we learned from our Rick Steves guides and the local guides versus all of our previous self-guided vacations. N, "Night rides on the Grand Canal, seeing the David in person, walking the streets that I read about in high school Latin class.". Just imagining how many years and lives went into the building of this city's treasures is overwhelming.". Sir Francis, Pope Francis, Saint Francis all I know is that the man deserves a title of one type of another. is having a "Festival of Europe" with one hour free on-line presentations on destinations in Europe. "I was overwhelmed with the massiveness of the St. Peter's Basilica.". Sleep in Florence. Our travel guides, Sarah and Thomas were top notch - keeping our group together and ready to help at any moment. Ive traveled to Europe many times and these guides were some the best Ive ever had. "My wow moment came in Rome. The most Wow moment that I had, but not part of the tour, was that i asked my girl friend to marry me by the canals of Venice and she said, YES!!!!!". Also cooking class in Florence was a great experience. ", "Vaporetti ride at sunset was amazing as was the winery.". "The entire trip was a wow moment for me. Group sightseeing events subject to change. Another amazing experience was with the local guide in Venice, who walked us through the Accademia. View at the wynyard in Umbria. The hotel rooms were small but doable since we packed light as was suggested. Side note, my appreciation of the sculpture, its location and the Prisoners was enhanced by the information given on the Rick Steves Audio Europe app. Having watched midnight masses for so many years and then to be there to see the balcony spot where the Pope speaks to the people was amazing. Everything went so smoothly, from hotel check-ins to entrance into museums and basilicas. I cannot say enough good things about her, she was tremendous. Also, a lovely group of active people to tour Italy with. Local guides were very good for the most part but the guide in Florence was not as well versed in the locality as the guides in Venice and Rome. Our guide, ( Ferdi M. Andiamo Ferdi!!!) Another: the cooking lesson at Tavola in Florence -- a hands-on experience which was not only instructive but another great way to enjoy the company of our traveling colleagues.". Lisa, was an excellent tour guide. We had enough group time and time on our own to explore. "There were too many wow moments to limit it to one, but a few that stand out include: the impromptu Vivaldi concert in Venice that Stephanie arranged for us to go to; the wine tasting/lunch at the beautiful family-owned winery in Orvieto, and the private boat tour to the islands of Burano and Torchello in Venice. Our tour guide Lisa was excellent.