Tours Other Than Rick Steves': 2000
There are lots of European tours available: one-day tours of a city or on a side trip...factory tours...two- or three-week bus, biking, or hiking tours. Here are some you recommend:
I do not ordinarily recommend tour guides, mostly because, like Rick, I avoid them like the plague. Their information is usually incorrect and their purpose mostly is to steer you toward the stores where they get a kickback.
But occasionally there are exceptions and I found one in Agrigento, Sicily. One of the best sites for Greek temples, Agrigento is not close to Palermo or Syracuse so you have to make a special trip. Consequently, your time may be shorter than otherwise. If so, I can heartedly recommend a guide we found with the help of our hotel. Giovanna Lombardo (0922-401003 or 0330-363308 or at Giovanna_Lombardo@hotmail.com) was just perfect for us. She had all the information but her presentation was excellent — not like the usual guides we hear in passing when we travel. For one thing, she presented each story as if it were her own — e.g., she told the Greek story as if she were Greek, the Roman story as if she were Roman, etc. Her fee was 90,000L per person or about $80 total. Well worth it.
Charles M. Luther <email>
Katy, TX USA 12/22/00
I took a tour of England's Pottery District and surrounding areas with a family-owned business called Around-n-About Travel (around-n-about.co.uk). The owner, Henry Drag, was the most informative driver we've ever had. He took us to places that you would never see on your own. Mr. Drag has lived in Stroke on Trent most of his life and was able to provide us with the history of the area and answer all our questions. His tour bus can hold up to 8 people and his prices are very affordable. I would recommend this tour to anyone who is interested in antiques, pottery or just a fantastic view of this wonderful area of England.
Jody & Steven Whitney <email>
Worcester, MA USA 12/12/00
I go to Spain a lot, and recently had a great experience in Seville taking an English tour with a new company run by an American in Seville. It combines history, culture, anthropology, and lots, lots more. This guy also has bike tours and longer hikes. (I took a half-day hike with him and it was just the guy, Mr. O'Bierne [sp?], and the city of Seville.) I was amazed at the depth of the tour and the difference from a typical tour, and by this guy's knowledge and helpfulness. His tour was not too expensive and SO GOOD. You will learn a lot and feel like you know Spain/Seville better than if you just wandered around by yourself. See http://www.magicalspain.com/. And enjoy!
paula
USA 12/08/00
Four of us (my wife and I, her mom and a friend, ages 50 to 75) toured Great Britain in early September with Trafalgar Tours (Best Of Britain — 15 days). We thoroughly enjoyed the tour and would highly recommend it. However, it was a bus tour with all of the attendant pros and cons.
First of all, we could not possibly get away for any longer than two weeks, and secondly we are old enough, lazy enough, and spoiled enough to want the relative luxury of this kind of tour. This seemed to be the best way to see as much as we could in the time we had, and with minimal "roughing it." We never felt pressured into buying any optional extras and spent no more time at "shopping stops" then we expected. The options are there, but you are always free to decline.
However, on a tour with 40 other people, you will spend less time at some places and more at others than you would probably choose on your own. But for every place you don't like, somebody in the group does, and vice-versa. After all, the tours are filled by offering a variety that will appeal to a wide cross section of people.
I very highly recommend reading as many of Rick's tips as you can and following as many as you can apply to your own situation — most especially the ETBD Travel Philosophy and packing as light as you possibly can while still fitting your own comfort level. There are literally hundreds of good tips on this web site, both from ETBD and fellow travellers (e.g., if you are considering a bus tour, check out Rick's Bus Tour Self Defense under Tour Tips.)
Finally, the flight over and the connection to our first hotel were grueling (although the return was not too bad), and the trip itself was exhausting, but we expected both.
These are small prices to pay for the experiences and memories of the trip. If you have the chance to travel, take it. And choose the methods that will best fit your own likes and needs.
Joe Goehler <email>
Akron, Oh USA 11/14/00
My husband & I took the Imperial Capitals tour with Cosmos. We certainly would not recommend Cosmos. We ended up calling the tour "The In Between Imperial Capitals" tour because we spent most of our time on the bus and at truck stops. Although, in fairness, the distance in between the cities was great, but we stopped at the truck stops every two hours.
The "optional" (our tour guide gave us the hard sell, so optional is loosely used) tours ranged from fair (guided walks through Salzburg, Prague & Budapest) to downright awful ("Berlin by Night"). We wrote a letter of comlaint to Cosmos about the latter but didn't receive a reply.
The bus was supposedly air conditioned, but it either worked poorly or was not used at full strength. Temperatures in the 30C range made for some very irritable passengers.
The included meals were extremely basic and those people on the tour who, for religous reasons, do not eat certain foods, had a very difficult time.
However, on a more positive note, we did get to sample a number of beautiful cities within a limited time frame.
Another positive note for Cosmos, if one is settled on taking a bus tour: I compared our tour with a friend who took a comparative one with Trafalgar, and found that the itineraries and options were nearly identical. Hotels on both tours ranged from so-so to fairly nice, with Cosmos' being very inconveniently located. Cosmos is certainly less expensive than Trafalgar for pretty much the same thing.
This is a great site for people to do their homework before settling on, or eliminating completely, travelling by bus tour. I wish I had found it before our trip.
Marg
Halifax, NS Ca 11/12/00
I agree (with Amy, below) that the Sound of Music tour is one of the best we have ever taken. We went with the company that handled the transportation of cast & crews for the movie. Peter must have been our tour guide also as he was terrific! Saw other small towns, too. Watch the movie before you go and what Peter points out to you on the tour you will remember from the movie.
Salzburg is a beautiful city, with great tours, great food — a real experience.
Marlynn O'Keefe <email>
Fort Towson, OK USA 11/10/00
Two weeks ago my husband, daughter and I visited the Cave at Le Pileta. Had a Fodor's 1998 book on Spain which was really outdated. The road to this cave is up from Fuengirola on the Costa del Sol. Tours are 3 times a day at 10, at 2 and another at 4.
The great grandson of the discoverer lives in the tiny community just below the cave. There were 5 on our tour and this young man spent over two hours with us in this cave. The walking in the cave is difficult but then I am 77 years old. The paintings are very interesting. The guide is quite informative.
Prior to taking the tour we went to a little village beyond it and had a wonderful lunch in the old train depot there (can't remember the village name but it starts with a Q).
We also visited the cave at Nerja which is a little east of Malaga. No guide and not much written interpretation but beautifully arranged for a self-tour. Nothing in English to explain it. Very beautiful though.
Marlynn O'Keefe <email>
Fort Towson, OK USA 11/10/00
Wow! I have certainly learned a lot from this page. I am a tour director for Globus & Cosmos and it is interesting to see what our passengers think [whether Globus or otherwise]. I am celebrating my eleventh year with the company and consider this my profession, not just a job. And as a professional, I make every effort to ensure that my commentary is correct and my advice is genuine, and I am also happy to say that although we do sell optionals, my employment, thankfully, is not based on sales.
I know that there are guides out there who "invent" so-called facts, make up fancy stories, and whose selling tactics are unscrupulous. These are the "guides" who give us all a bad name and who the professionals, like myself, also dislike.
I find that Rick Steves' travel tips about coach touring good advice and are very down-to-earth. On my vacations, I travel independently and find it enriches my career. Getting fellow travelers' feedback is also a plus!
sherry guy <email>
st.petersburg, fl USA 10/27/00
My husband and I took the Contiki tour for 18-35-year-olds to Italy this summer. The good part about it was that we got to be around people our own age. All in all it was a great group of people. It was also nice to have a tour manager around for emergencies, like getting your bag stolen or getting shortchanged by a cashier.
The bad part was, as Rick says, the hotels were far from the city center and the tour company tries to sell you high-priced options. But skipping the options and learning the public transportation system allowed us a lot more freedom when we wanted it, and still let us enjoy the perks of the tour (group rates on hotels, getting door-to-door transportation). The hotel meals were disappointing at times, some of the bus rides were long, but overall it was fun.
R. Pritchard
Tampa, FL USA 10/17/00
If you plan to visit Rome and the Vatican Museum, save yourself $$$ by taking the Metro to the stop near St. Peter's and do the museum on your own with a rented headset. We paid $75 for a guided tour for 2, and were rushed through without even stopping at St. Peter's!
Susan Mack <email>
Sherrill, NY USA 10/13/00
For Sound of Music sightseeing in Salzburg, we went on one of the Salzburg Panorama Tours. It was absolutely wonderful, and well worth the money — the highlight of our trip. It was 4 hours long, and it included going to Mondsee and Lake Wolfgang. We wouldn't have gone to these places otherwise, and it was beautiful. Be sure and ask for the tour guide Peter. He is very funny, and made the tour a great time. You won't regret taking this tour.
Amy <email>
Oklahoma City, OK USA 10/10/00
I took a really great bicycle tour this summer was in Friesland, a province in the north of Holland. See www.cycletours.com.
They have rides all over Holland and elsewhere. But book directly through them, not through a third party. You pay less that way.
There were 26 of us — 6 from the US and the others from Switzerland, Germany and England. Hybrid bikes with rear panniers were provided. We slept on a converted barge and had our meals there. The boat was docked during the night and would meet us late afternoon at the new place we biked to.
Our guide spoke excellent English and German. We visited farms, mills, and a pottery factory. We were mostly in the countryside on bike paths and one-lane country roads and in small country towns. This is not a trip for those into luxury, but for those who like the outdoors and bicycling.
harvey <email>
USA 10/06/00
We took the free tour that Rick recomended outside of the Forum in Rome. It was wonderful and we highly recommend it. We then signed up for the all-day Vatican Tour and it was also wonderful. The tours made Rome even more eventful. I can't wait to return.
Kris <email>
Rapid City, SD USA 10/02/00
Take the "ice caves and castles" tour that runs out of Salzburg, Austria. You really have a chance of contributing on this adventure. The combination of great historical info and the scenery of the Austrian Alps is great. It's run by an Aussie guy called Mitch who really knows his stuff. Best tour I've taken in Europe so far.
heidi bammer
seattle, wa USA 09/26/00
In Rome, catch one of the Roman Adventures tours. Jasper, our guide, spent 2 hours answering questions at a nearby cafe — after a 6-hour tour of the Vatican and St. Peter's! We took Ben's night tour of the city the next night and saw absolutely everything: the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, then we went to dinner in a little place off of some alley where only Italian were eating. I can't recommend these folks highly enough! I think they can be reached at romanadventures@yahoo.com Buon Viaggio!
S T McFiggen <email>
los angeles, ca USA 09/21/00
We strongly recommend a tour of Assisi from Anne Robichaud (arobichaud@tecnonet.it). An American author and teacher who has lived in Italy for the past 25 years, she has an intimate knowledge of Assisi's history and, as a local, her people as well. Especially helpful is her introduction (without promotion) of local artisans, from cooking materials to pottery. We took advantage of an optional element of the tour, a meal in her restored farmhouse. Outstanding Umbrian cuisine and wonderful company. Anne also offers cooking lessons, which start with shopping at the open market and continues in her kitchen, and tours of Cortona and Tuscany.
Having led tours to Israel and Greece myself, I know how hard it is to make an area come alive for a wide-ranging audience. But Anne's enthusiasm, teaching skills and local knowledge truly made the trip to Assisi the highlight of our month in Italy. I would recommend her highly.
Tom Hogan <hogcom@hotmail.com>
Los Gatos , CA USA 09/04/00
I just got back from a 29-day "Europe in Depth" tour with Brendan/Globus. Everything was top-notch. I was traveling with my 18-year-old son and 16-year-old daughter and my parents (in their 60's). We had a WONDERFUL time. I had warned the kids that they might be the only ones on the tour and we were pleasantly surprised to have 6 others on the trip under 20. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and we did not feel pressure to take any optional tours. But we did take every optional tour they offered and are very glad we did. Our hotels were all located in the center of the cities and exceeded my expectations. I will definitely take another tour with this company.
Alana Favero <Alana924@aol.com>
Longwood, Fl USA 08/10/00
In June I went on an EF Tour (Educational Tour) designed for high school students but alsoo open to adults. The tour visited cities in Italy as well as Lucerne, Paris and Madrid.
The free tour at the Colloseum which was NOT provided by EF was ten times better than any tourist information we received from the guides in each of our cities. For an educational tour, I felt students and adults alike were deprived of information which could have made the experience of each country come alive.
In addition, our hotel in Rome was 45 minutes from the city and our hotel in Paris was 1 1/2 hours from Paris. We had no bus in Paris so we all walked several miles to the metro and then took a long trip into the city. We wasted valuable time which could have been used to enjoy the sights and culture of the cities we were visting. We were rushed and frazzled.
Part of the "cultural experience" — sampling local food — was absent. Chicken every night but one.
When we landed in New York, returning home, EF had only scheduled one hour to get our luggage and go through customs. Needless to say we missed our flight. There were 8 adults and 30 students stranded. My friend called every number EF had provided in case of emergencies but the numbers were either daytime numbers or the people said they didn't have the authority to do anything. My friend, one of the teachers who accompanied the students, put over $2,000 of hotel rooms on her personal credit card...after finding a hotel to accommodate all of us ON HER OWN.
The next day our group departed JFK in three groups, some of us not leaving until the next evening. To EF's benefit, they did put those who left on the last flight in Business class.
We all tried to be pleasant and upbeat on the trip despite the problems. MANY of these kids had saved for two years, paying their own way, to have this experience. When I returned from the trip I wrote a letter explaining the fiasco. They left a message on my voice mail they would get back to me within a week. Guess what? It's been six weeks and not a word.
Shame on EF. There must be other tour companies which are economical, provide more than superficial information on the sites you visit, and are courteous, efficent and professional. Keep looking!
Gloria Jensen <gjensen@youthvillage.org>
Salt Lake City, UT USA 08/07/00
My 14-year-old son and I took 2 guided tours this year. One was with Rick to Scandinavia, which was outstandng, and another was with Cosmos on their Alpine Adventure Tour. Although Cosmos is a budget tour company, we were not disappointed! We have been on Globus, Brendan and Trafalagar, which have also been excellent, but for the money value Cosmos was very good. We had 40 people on the tour, which gave us 10 extra seats on the bus, and we made friends with people from around the world.
Kathleen McGillick <kmcgillick@aol.com>
Atlanta, Ga USA 08/06/00
Strongly recommend tour by Celtic Transition Tours — Dublin, Ireland — Damian O'Reilly tour director. — very informative, very well planned and very enjoyable. Phone: 353 1 8340941
Tom Anthony <Anthoand@aol.com>
West Chester, OH USA 08/01/00
I recently returned from a trip to Prague and would like to pass on a tidbit. I have the name of a wonderful man, Slavek Kriz, who wants work as a guide to the city. While he is not a professional, he has lived in Prague all his life, speaks beautiful English, and has a vast knowledge of his city. He is a very active and energetic 70-year-old who can relate the experiences of both German and Russian occupation, as well as the wonders and stresses of becoming a democratic, capitalistic country. During our time in the city, he spent an entire day with us, giving a delightful view of the Hradcany area (Strahov Monastery, the Loreto, and Prague Castle and environs), the Lesser Quarter, Charles Bridge, and the Old Town. Because he is not a professional, his prices are negotiable and certainly below what other guides in the city charge. (But don't take advantage of him!) He will meet you at your hotel and personally and sensitively tailor a day to your desires. Slavek does not have a telephone, so arrangements must be made in advance by mail. If you are planning a trip to Prague and are willing to do a little advance homework, Slavek can add to the enjoyment of your visit immensely. If interested, contact me and I will provide his address. If you are seriously interested in the culture and history of this fascinating city, Slavek will provide you with a good experience for a great value.
Laura Claunch <lnclaunc@earthlink.net>
Glendale, AZ USA 07/29/00
I highly recommend TRAFALGAR TOURS. We've been on their motorcoach tours thru Scandinavia (twice),Great Britain,Italy, Spain, Portugal & Morocco as well as Austria & Switzerland. Americans are in the minority; you will travel with Canadians,Aussies & New Zealanders (they're a hoot) but always English is spoken. We can't wait for our next Trafalgar trip, wherever it may be!
Dana C. Thayer <dthayer7@cs.com>
Lynchburg, VA USA 07/20/00
I saw that a further client from me suggest my tours, thank you!! For people who are travelling here to Florence and want to share an afternoon with family or friends in the Chianti area, I'm the best address! I'm operating from Florence into the Chianti area, what's very different to the tours from Siena into the Chianti area. I will show you our Italian dolce far niente and I'm sure you'll love it, like Americans who visit my tour before you! Here's my new web address: www.christinastour.com
Christina <c.wespi@tin.it>
USA 07/15/00
Rick tells readers to be careful when taking local tours (like Grayline here is the U.S.) to make sure the tour is in English. We took a city tour in Munich and I asked if the tour was in English. I was assured that it was. What I was not told was that the tour was also in French, Spanish, and Italian in addition to English. Basically that meant that 75% of the time the guide was not speaking English. Next time I will ask if the tour is in English only.
Tony Harris <candt@redshift.com>
Salinas, CA USA 07/11/00
My wife and I just returned from a guided 21 day tour of Europe. We traveled with an EF Tour which is a company that caters mostly to students, but adults can also join. We chose a "kaleidoscope" tour, which began in Germany and ended in London. The tour is all inclusive, even round trip airfare. They also arranged for my wife and I to fly ahead of the group and spend four days on our own. On previous trips we simply bought a eurail pass and did our own thing. We enjoyed the experience and feel we got our money's worth on the trip. However, this is a student oriented tour company. To keep prices down EF cuts corners on meals and the location of hotels. The meals were ample, but pomme frites at every evening meal got a bit old by the end of the tour. In Venice, Rome, Florence, and London the hotels we stayed in were a long way outside of the respective cities. Other than that the hotels we stayed in were great.
Keith Altazin <kalta@home.com>
Baton Rouge, LA USA 07/10/00
If you're going in Tuscany, try to book a tour with Toursaroundtuscany.com, we did it, and we had really good time. The guide was very nice and friendly; He said they work only with couples or small groups (less than 5 pax: they don't have a mini-bus either, just small private cars).
David <david_kallin@email.com>
LA, ca USA 07/08/00
For those seeking the best in private tours of Rome, we have found a great option: Through Eternity Tours. In particular, see if you can get Rob Allyn, a young American actor, who will entertain and delight you while you are learning more than you thought you would ever know about the art and history of Rome. He is an incredibly talented and well-informed person, who is sincerely committed to presenting the wonders of Rome to his guests. His company made our trip to Rome a great experience that will never be forgotten. Also, we found the cost to be a great value for a private tour.
Mike Curreri <mike@curreri.net>
Richmond, VA USA 07/03/00
In Seville, if you are looking for a special personalized day tour in any surrounding area contact Maria at Excursiones. They will take you anywhere you want to go in a private luxury auto. English/Spanish/French speaking guides available. We had a wonderful day tour to Gibraltar and Maria was so knowledgeable about all areas in Spain. Contact thru concierge at hotel or Tel. 95-479 09 45 608-54 20 15 608-65 53 12 or Fax: 95-479 09 45 or e-mail maria.jesus@fortel.org
Priscilla Escobar <cilesco@aol.com>
Westminster, CA USA 06/29/00
When you are in Forence, Italy and need a tour to the surrounding very beautiful countryside, get in touch with Filippo Randelli. On Tuesday and Fridays he drives a 9 passenger van from the Youth Hostel to Siena with excellent stops to and fro for a very reasonable sum. Excellent English, good driver, a patient and kind man who lives in the area. You can telephone him at 0039 05502321831 or FAX 0039 055 716666 for your own custom tour of the area.
louaine Elke <louaine@msn.com>
Asheville, NC USA 06/28/00
Just coming back from Italy. If you're going in Tuscany don't miss Siena and its countryside. We had an incredible day with a local guide who showed us beautiful places in the countryside and brought us out for dinner in Pienza, a very nice small mediaeval town. He's on internet, it should be www.toursaroundtuscany.com; I suggest the Red Itinerary, it was fantastic, one of the best experience of all my life... John Reddle <redjohn@usa.net>
NYC, NY USA 06/27/00
I just returned from Italy, where I had one great tour experience and one I regret. On the plus side — a wonderful week walking in the area surrounding Lake Lugano and Lake Como — highly recommend Tre Laghi tours — couldn't have been better. Contrast with Girosole "walking" tour in Chianti — they decided to find me a "substitute" guide and didn't tell me till they'd gotten me out to the agritourismo (it was very nice but not what Ii'd expected). They did not stay at the same place I did, did not have dinner (imposed on the agritoursimo woman to serve me dinner), and showed little interest in ever ordering wine at lunch, not much walking and no demonstrable depth in the area. Real disappointment. Live and learn. Tre Laghi on the other hand, was a complete joy.
HRARterian
USA 06/27/00
If you're looking for a relaxing week of scenic travel, consider a Danube cruise. While not exactly in the budget category, the KD River cruise we were on wasn't too bad. Our cruise was definitely a mature group (mostly 50's & up)and unsuitable for children. We cruised from Regensburg, in Bavaria, to Budapest, Hungary. The boat (The Heinrich Heine)is small (100 passengers) and personal. The food was good, service was great. We spent about 1/2 of each day cruising (watching the beautiful scenery) and the other 1/2 in a new town. Of course shore excursions were available, but we just did our own thing in most cases. The boat provided some tourist information, but I had requested information from the National Tourist Offices in advance. It was really nice to have the luxury of being settled in (no packing & unpacking) while visiting so many different places.
Marcia <maddog@omnicast.net>
Spokane, WA USA 06/25/00
Two days ago i found someone who couldn't find a tour in Rome so I thought it would be good idea to make some publicity for ours. We are European and American art, archeology and history students and teachers who give summer tours all over the city of Rome; If you want to know more you can e-mail us (we are also mentioned in Rick Steves' Italy 99-2000) on this address: odysee_2001@yahoo.com
Jasper van Damme <odysee_2001>
Rome, Italy 06/22/00
Just returned from a Globus 21 day tour of the UK and Ireland. Food was ok, hotels, with the exception of a few, were not centraly located. 5 minutes at Loch Ness but 3 hours at a woolen mill so the the guides could get their commissions. One tourist trap after another.......some days were spent totally on the bus, 10 hours or more. Waste of money!!!! Never Again!!!!!! I plan on going back to Scotland and would like to find a reputable tour company that allows you to actually get out of the bus and explore.
amy jillson <gallery@pdq.net>
Houston, tx USA 06/15/00
Seems that people want to visit Egypt/Israel. Apparently Rick has an Egypt/Israel VIDEO, but no specific guide book. CAMERON HEWITT mentions Adventures Abroad, and that Globus/Trafalgar do bus tours. Our Winnipeg, Manitoba Middle East specialist travel agent takes a SMALL group on an intensive trip (for a good penny though....roughly $7000CDN) Check your locals, and order Steve's video, Rough Guides and other tour books.
Dennis & Sherry Gamble <laurel@escape.ca>
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA 06/14/00
If you are going to Norway — I highly recommend Bennett Tours — they are wonderful. Great tours and the size is small — we had about 15 people in our group. http://www.bennett-tours.com
Nancy
USA 06/13/00
I've visited the country-side of Florence with Christina's Tour. She's driving you around with her private car and show you the Italian way of life. My husband and I enjoyed it and as other Americans we met — we loved it. Her Website: www.christinatour.3000.it
Kathy Smith <krasche@bluewin.ch>
Bern, CH 06/02/00
We've done Europe (with Rick's books) 5 times now, doing our own driving and accomodation, etc.......now we're boldly going where (apparently) not even Rick has gone...ie:...Israel and Egypt. Rick has no info on these areas, but we're sure that there must be some ETBD travellers with some info.......Anyone?
Dennis & Sherry Gamble <laurel@escape.ca>
Winnipeg, Manitoba, CANADA 05/28/00
I went to Amsterdam the last of April and discovered a great company that leads bikes tours through the surrounding countryside. The name of the company is Let's Go (not associated with the travel guide). Most of the tours are lead by the companies owner Frederick who is extremely well informed and friendly. The tours meet at 9:00am in front on the Tourist Info. office across from Centraal Station. A reservation is recommeneded. To take a look at the tours offered go to www.Letsgo2000.com.
Michael <tegora@hotmail.com>
Greenville, SC USA 05/28/00
Check www.goaheadvacations.com for a Rome, Venice and Florence tour.
jeanie
San Jose, CA USA 05/23/00
English Lakeland Ramblers (ramblers.com) provides walking tours of the Lake District, the Cotswolds, and Scotland. My husband and I traveled with them twice, in the Lake District and the Cotswolds. The Lake District tour was our long-awaited first-time trip to England. We were not disappointed. We stayed in a wonderful 17th-century hotel in Troutbeck. Each day we would discover a different area — walking over the fells, across the pastures right by the grazing sheep. Then in the evening after a relaxing break we would gather with our group of about 11 for a 4- or 5-course meal and discuss our adventures of the day. We covered about 4 to 7 miles per day. Our guide, Alan, lived in the area and knew lots of history and interesting stories.
Another tour company we recommend is Lord Addison (lordaddison.com). We toured the Orkneys and the Shetlands with them. They are not walking tours, but do include a small group, interesting hotels, and lots of historical, unique sights. We really enjoyed this trip, too.
Dixie <browningav@aol.com>
Salem, OR USA 05/09/00
In Florence, Italy, there is a company called Walking Tours of Florence. Our guide, Laura Johnson, was excellent! She taught us a tremendous amount of Florentine and Italian history by telling us the stories behind the buildings and sights we were seeing as we walked. She was entertaining and knowledgable. This was my favorite day tour in Italy.
Unfortunately, EnjoyRome (mentioned in Rick's Italy book) turned out to be unreliable. 6 of us were left waiting for a guide for our evening walking tour of Rome, and the guide never showed! At least the company refunded our money the next morning without a hassle.
Sandy Koopman <skoop@hotbot.com>
Seattle, WA USA 05/05/00
Look into tours offered through colleges and universities. You usually don't have to be a student or graduate to sign up. Many are very reasonably priced for what they offer and some include some kind of "educational" experience.
Sue
Washington, DC USA 05/03/00
For adventurous backpacker-types touring the UK, Stray is a great way to see everything. The guides are really great and the tour route includes Wales, Liverpool, Lake District, Glasgow, Edinburgh, York and more. Considering how incredibly expensive trains and even buses are in the UK, it's a great hop-on, hop-off service. But if you get carsick or don't like loud music, these types of tours are probably not the most pleasant way to travel! Also, if you're interested in touring the Highlands, your Stray coordinates nicely around a Haggis or MacBackpackers tour. In Ireland, I would try Blarney Bus or Tir Na Nog. The Stray drivers are not Irish and for some reason, the accent makes all the difference!
Kate <katerl28@hotmail.com>
Seattle, WA USA 05/01/00
My sister and I went on an EF tour of Madrid and Paris. As a schoolteacher she received a free trip. There were many good things about it. I was apprehensive about taking a trip with 21 teenagers, but they ended up adding a lot to the trip's enjoyment. They were so enthusiastic about some things. The best parts were when we took the Metro and wandered around. The food and accommodations were surprisingly good. I had come prepared with Rick's travel info, but did not need it. The side trips to Toledo and Segovia were high points.
My major complaints were the same as with any planned tour. Although it was fun in many ways, the scheduling at the museums was very rushed. We spent only 30 minutes at the Prado; I left so frustrated! My sister had to drag reluctant whining teens through the Louvre (she had 45 minutes) so she felt like she didn't really see anything.
This tour included an overnight train trip from Madrid to Paris. Now that is an adventure.
Anne Bianchi <anne.bianchi@att.net>
Houston, TX USA 04/26/00
I did the free Forum and Colosseum tours by Walks of Rome and they both totally convinced me to take their paid Vatican tour which was fantastic. Walks of Rome tours are really informative, but entertaining at the same time. Oh, to those parents taking their drinking-age children with them, drop them off at the company's pub crawl and have a nice relaxing evening! The number for Walks of Rome is (in Rome) 06484853.
Meryl Siddens <Msiddens@yahoo.com>
Princeton, NJ USA 04/25/00
I went with Tir Na Nog, a company similar to Blarney Bus. I thought it was great. The itinerary was good — we got to see the out-of-the-way places other tours might not get to, like the Dingle Peninsula. The group was small, under 20 people, and the price couldn't be beat. It was 179 pounds (just under $200), and it included hostel costs, breakfast, and admission fees to various sights. One advantage Blarney Bus might have over Tir Na Nog, however, is that they offer a cheaper hop-on-hop-off pass, which might attract more people.
Mary
New York, NY USA 03/28/00
I've just done a Blarney Bus tour of Ireland. This is a new company and doesn't seem to be in any of the guidebooks. They have brilliant local guides who know everything about everything, and have great voices too.
I read a posting on Stray and have heard some criticism; we met their tour and the passengers seemed to be a little upset that their guide was a Kiwi who was reading from guidebooks as he went along.
Daria <dagsbags@excite.com>
Boston, MA USA 03/22/00
I agree with others on this discussion page that "Walks of Rome," which is the company that provides the free tours of the Colosseum (used as a promotion for their paid tours), is really great. After reluctantly taking one of their free tours (afraid of ANOTHER Roman scam), I was pleasantly surprised to find that the tour was informative but at the same time really entertaining. After doing this tour, I then did the company's paid Vatican and Forum tours which were again fantastic, both in terms of the quality information by the English-speaking guides, as well as great value for money (Vatican $25, Forum $12). For anyone going to Rome, I recommend Walks of Rome. I believe their number is 03477955175.
Maria Salaris <MSalaris12@hotmail.com>
New York, NY USA 03/20/00
We highly recommend Tragalgar tours. We have taken two, and are planning a third. They give you a 5% discount when you return, and another discount for a room with three people. Guides are very knowledgeable and personable. Prices are very competitive too.
Matt Dixon <matted96@aol.cpm>
Bellevue, wa USA 03/06/00
Just returned from Rome, a quick 5-night visit for 7 of us. Scala Reale is a wonderful non-profit group which provides inexpensive tours with knowledgeable guides (and is recommended by Rick Steves). We saw the Vatican/Sistine Chapel with an art historian, along with another tour of churches, fountains, plazas, etc. Our guide, Liz, was interesting and informative. Richard took us to the Colloseum and Forum and made it come alive for us. Scala Reale was started by an American architect, Tom Rankin, who loves Rome and wants to share its wonders. You "join" his group for a $20 fee. Tours average $30 for a 1/2 day. He will put together all sorts of interesting trips. It was wonderful. I highly recommend him. Can be contacted at scalareale@corelli.nexus.it.
Jackie MacNeil <jmacsmx@aol.com>
Santa Maria, CA USA 02/25/00
While in Rome recently, I learned about a group called "Walks of Rome," which is run by students of history and art. They offered free one-hour tours of the Colosseum as advertising for their other tours. They were fantastic! We ended up going on their ancient city tour, evening Renaissance, and Vatican city. The tours cost approx. $13, which is very reasonable, and the guides really make the monuments come alive. I highly recommend this organization to anyone visiting Rome.
They also offer a "Pub Crawl" every evening at 8pm at the Spanish Steps, which attracts a younger crowd looking to see the nightlife of Rome. I read about it in the 2000 edition of "Rick Steves' Italy," and agree with him completely: "I've never seen 75 young kids having such a good time visiting the pubs of Rome" — it was a blast!
Their number in Rome is (39)06-484-853 or (39)0347-795-5175, and e-mail is walkingtours@yahoo.com
Sara Prette <prette5@yahoo.com>
Chicago, IL USA 02/18/00
I don't know much about Stray's new European route but they seem to do a lot of business on their England and Scotland circuits. I've heard lots of fellow travellers mention Stray and haven't heard anything bad. Their ads are always in the backpacker magazines here in London so you might be able to find some comments about them in one of the up-to-date Britain guide books or maybe they have some comments on their website.
Kristen <kclarkin@hotmail.com>
London, UK 02/02/00
After 8 trips on our own to Europe, we took our first coach tour. The firm was Odysseys Unlimited and it was an excellent tour of Italy. Great tour guide and very adequate accommodations. When one hotel gave us slightly inferior rooms, the company made it up to us by adding a wonderful dinner. No extra money was asked for, for anything, and, except for a glassblower in Venice, they took us to no stores. Tour group limit was, 24 too.
Jerry Tremaine <loujer@seanet.com>
Seattle, WA USA 01/28/00
In Rome, we went to the Forum and Colosseum with only Rick's book in hand. As helpful as the book was in laying out what the ruins were, we felt fortunate to time our arrival with the beginning of a free tour. At the gates of the Colosseum and entrance to the Forum, Roman Adventures Tours recruit people for a free tour. Take it! The guides are very knowledgable and very enthusiastic. They are students of history or archeology with a giant passion for the subject matter. It helps so much to have someone paint a picture for you of what went on and what the buildings might have looked like ages ago. There was no gimmick, they are just hoping you'll be so impressed that you'll take one of their "for-money" tours of other parts of the city. Tipping the guides is common and they worked so hard it was hard not to tip them. The free tour at the Forum concluded with the guide (Mark) giving Shakespere's version of Mark Anthony's speach about Ceasar. Very impressive.
Dawn <prairievb@aol.com>
San Diego, CA USA 01/06/00
I have traveled the "back door" way for many years and really believe in Rick's philosophy of travel. Last June I led a tour of France through Pierce College Continuing Education in Tacoma, Washington (253-964-6601). This was the best-organized and -priced tour ever. Aysin Clay at the college really does an excellent job. They offer many good tours each year. In June 2000 I am going to Italy.
Gene Fosheim <genefosheim@earthlink.net>
everett, wa USA 01/05/00