Multi-day (non-Rick Steves) Big Bus Tours: 2008
There are endless options of multi-day European tours available. Which ones are the best value and why? Please Note: Excessive postings about the same company will be deleted.
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Tours sold on the street
Just wondering what is so bad about companies who sell tours on the street? We took wonderful tours in Rome that got us past the lines, spot-on just as the group was forming. The young lady who sold us one tour said we could pay at the end, and if we didn't like the tour, we didn't have to pay for it. I don't understand what all the paranoia is about.
Meghan
Manchester, NH USA Tue 12/09/2008
Selling Tours on the Street
We are a couple who had a visit in Rome in June, we met some guides outside the Vatican who took us on a tour. They met us on the street asking if we spoke english, let me say that the tour cost a lot and was not a high standard, the agency was the When in Rome tours mentioned here. So they are tour street sellers.
The guide was a native speaker but had problems with official guides which did cast a bad atmosphere on our very large group tour. 22 pax
We booked through our hotel an offical tour of the old Rome area including the Coliseum. This guide knew what she was talking about but was too factual and long winded.
We did see the street tour sellers outside the Coliseum but we kept a good distance as Rick mentions you should do.
I had Ricks book which was a giid help and btter guide all round.
Mag Stevens
USA Fri 11/28/2008
Sorrento/Naples and Vicinity
I also want to add that on a recent trip to Sorrento and the surrounding regions, we utilized the secrvies of Angelo Stinca as a driver/translator and guide. He was terrific. Very personable, knowledgeable and punctual. He took us to my family's home village where we met relatives for the first time. His presence made that portion of the trip so much more enjoyable. We liked him so much, we made arrangements to have him take us to the Amalfi Coast two days later for an extraordinary day. His confident driving skills were very welcome and his knowledge of the area's history was most impressive. And he gave us plenty of opportunities to take pictures! I certainly would recommend him to anyone considering travelling to that area. He has his own website.
Pat
Rochester, NY USA Fri 11/07/2008
Rome touring
Recently, end of Sept., used When in Rome tours for an excellent visit to the Vatican. Guide was extremely knowledgeable, but in a down-to-earth but enthusiastic manner. Would definitely recommend this company.
Lorraine Cerar
Bellmore, NY USA Thu 10/16/2008
Rome Walks
My husband and I recently returned from a trip to Italy and we followed your recommendation and used Rome Walks for three different tours during our Rome stay. We had the same guide for all three walks we chose. Our guide Julia was simply delightful. She was very informed and knowledgable and her manner of sharing her extensive information was very engaging, animated and interesting. Thanks for the recommendation. We would use them again.
Nancy Neff
Grosse Pointe Park, MI USA Wed 10/15/2008
Rome and Icon tours
Just returned from a wonderful vacation in Rome. Icon Tours and their guides were great. We walked thru history and lived it just like we were there 2000 years ago. We loved the "personal touch" feeling from the guides.
kevin farris
rutherford college, nc USA Wed 09/24/2008
Tangier Private Tour Guide
Rachid Habibi: Tour Guide Extraordinaire! E.mail: [rhprivatetours@gmail.com] When engaging a Private-tour guide, especially In Morocco, one hopes to explore New Territory with a kindred spirit, one who has the knowledge, the eye of an art historian, and the Sensitivity of a Psychologist who has respect for your Space, while enhancing your appreciation of everything new you experience during your travels. Rachid Habibi fulfills all these requirements: he makes you Comfortable in his presence, sharing his in-depth knowledge of the Casbah, the Old Medinas, the Berber Souks, and the winding streets of Tangier-Morocco, never intruding on your enjoyment of the Sites, always adding to your appreciation.
We loved our tour of Old Tangier with Habibi. We did it in the morning, and it was a terrific introduction to Morocco, We found him to be interesting, fun, helpful, and personable. he definitely cares about his Clients and has the knowledge of a true Guide. We highly recommend the tour.
After one of his tours, you feel that you have not only Come to a greater understanding of the history, the Culture and People of Tangier, but you have also had the pleasure of getting to know at least one of them well enough to Call him a friend, and hope you will be lucky enough to travel in his Company again.
William James BARTON <email>
Portland Oregon, USA Thu 08/21/2008
Back Roads Touring Company
I just returned from a 4 day/3 night tour with Back Roads to the west of Ireland. I did not have the time to participate in the ETBD Ireland tour and I am a solo traveller. Our group consisted of 4 Australians, me, and the tour leader/driver. We had a small van and went many places in Connemara that large buses did not go. Lots of fun and a fine way to fit in a short guided tour.
Debra Schrammel
Narberth, PA USA Thu 07/31/2008
How to Pass Lines at the Vatican
We booked our tour in the Vatican sites through Sky Tours Rome, the meet point was really easy to find, they held up a blue umbrella, the guide was Irish we loved his brogue. He gave tones of factual and funny information which made the Vatican easy to digest. We didnt have to stand in any lines but the Vatican was quite anyhow, the length and time of the tour was perfect. I only which we could have found a guide like the Sky Tours one in Florence and Venice. All other guides and agencies did not match up I am sorry to say, even though we did use Ricks book.
Tour was 25$ and lasted 4 hours with breaks
Amanda Webb
London, USA Fri 07/25/2008
Amazed and Delighted by Tangiertoday (Services)
This write-up intends to tell about how tremendously Satisfied we are with the services of [tangiertoday@gmail.com]and so We've been very, very blessed with that.
We were so amazed and delighted by the wonderful care and accommodations we had at the Minzah hotel. The five of us - 75-year old mother, her three daughters, and 8 year old granddaughter -- stayed in 4 of the rooms for one night, and we Could not have been happier.
The Site Visit to Mediterrania-Malabata In Tangier was great and well worth going on, it also helped Confirm in our minds that with our Private English Speaking guide(joutei)we were Visiting the right type of Places and the best location(walking & driving). It was a well organised trip from the Private Tour to the lovely Moroccan lunch.
All questions have been answered to our total Satisfaction, and the recommendations made by Mme. Dina/TangierToday team regarding Berber Markets to Currency traders have turned out to be first Class
I think that good experiances Such as the one I had with Tangiertoday tour Company gives a Person no reason to look anywhere else!! Cheers
General Max <email>
Boston, USA Sat 07/12/2008
Rome - When In Rome
We used two WhenInRomeTours.com tours in Rome recently with our three kids (15, 9, 7), and they were excellent. The 9 and 7 year olds were free, so I only had to pay for the three adults, plus admission fees (kids aren't free at Vatican or Coliseum). Both the Vatican Tour and Coliseum tours were excellent. Guides were friendly and extremely knowledgeable. The tour groups were small (8-12 people), and they took the extra effort working the kids into the tour. The tour allowed us to get so much more from our visit than we would have otherwise, highly recommend them.
Louis Hendrich <email>
Denver, CO USA Sat 07/05/2008
Breaking Away bike tours
Although this is not a bus tour, I think this is the apropriate section. My husband and I just returned from three weeks in Italy. We were on our own until the last week of the trip, which we spent on a bicycle tour in Tuscany. This trip was incredible to say the least. There were 15 people plus the crew and it was the ideal size for this event. The routes were incredible and the accommodations were in great locations. This type of tour gave us a perspective of Tuscany that can only be experienced from a bike. Fresh smells of the countryside, riding over village cobblestone roads, interacting with local Italian cyclists. And at the end of a long, hard ride there is someone to take your bike for you so that all you have to do is eat. Then you can either ride more, or ride back to the hotel in vans. Every detail is considered here and the service was unmatched. If you are very active and enjoy cycling I highly recommend this tour. Be warned though, this is not the beginner's bike tour. It is intense and worth every penny. Check them out at http://www.breakingaway.com They also offer tours elsewhere in Italy, France and the US. We are considering the tour of Napa in April. :)
April <email>
Vancouver, WA USA Sun 06/29/2008
Cruel Horse Carraige Rides in Rome
Please travellers do not use the horse carraige rides in Rome!! During the summer the drivers so not give them water or food and they are left waiting in the hellish heat. It is cruel ad it is a rip-off. These horses are maltreated and any person with an ounce of feeling would not use this service. Make a difference and put these guys out of business!!
Sarah
Roma, RM Italy Wed 06/25/2008
Angel Tours in Rome
Pre-booked (and pre-paid) a 3.5 hour Vatican tour with Angel Tours in Rome and it worked out extremely well for our family of six. Small group of 11 total, and our guide was very knowledgeable and informative. Skipping the long lines was a bonus, as the Vatican, its Museums and Sistine Chapel were still very busy post-Easter. We did also tip at the conclusion of the tour, as I believe it is customary to do so after a good tour experience.
Claudia
Vancouver, BC Canada Sun 04/06/2008
Great trip with Amsterdam Trips, LLC
Thank you Amsterdam Trips, LLc. Our trip to Amsterdam was wonderful. It was our first trip abroad and we just returned. It was great, everything was smooth. Our tour guides were very cool and took us to places we would never have thought of on our own. I would refer everyone for their tour packages!
Guy <email>
Rockford, IL USA Thu 03/06/2008
Roman Candle Tours - Great Job
I had gone on a tour with Roman Candle Tours this winter and it was fantastic. Our guide met us at the meeting point and brought us through the Vatican stopping all along the way, he pointed out and explained many interesting things in a detailed way that we never lost interest.
John Armadeo
Toronto, Canada Wed 02/27/2008