Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days Tour

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I joined this tour because I had never been to Europe. My children and close friends who are long time travelers insisted that I travel with a Rick Steve’s Tour. Honestly, it exceeded all my expectations. Our over all hostess was above and beyond special as she made our trip safe and special and FUN every day

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have to sum it up with the individual city tour specialist that made each of their cities come alive. Everything was “wow” through their eyes. And at the end of our 10 days together I felt especially thankful for our tour hostess, Beatrice. I can only express it best by saying that she really took good care of us, marking sure that we were safe, knowledgeable, had what we needed AND wanted, gave great advice and took us to the best restaurants where she seemed to know everyone."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first time to travel with a tour group and we were apprehensive, but we are very, very, happy with our experience. We loved everything about the tour, from the lodging and food, to the transportation and itinerary, and especially our tour guides. Both Bea and the local guides. We knew we would get to see many things we've been wanting to see for a long time. What we didn't expect was how much we would learn about the places we would see.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our local Rome guide Francesca's deep dive into what really was the story of the Coloseum and the Forum. Or the first time we saw the Pantheon. There are so many, I can't name one. This particular tour had wow moments daily."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was very impressed with the level of organization.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the David in Florence."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was our fifth Rick Steves’ tour. It was mostly the best of times, but it also had a few difficult moments. 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. Per usual, our guides and fellow travelers were wonderful, as were the special events.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a trip of a lifetime.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to count...but the gondola ride in Venice, the cooking class in Florence, the wine tasting in Umbria, seeing the David, the Sistine Chapel and the Pantheon..."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a fantastic exploration of all of the key sites in Venice, Florence and Rome. All of the guides were great, and we had a fun group of people. 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.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"An impossible question. Hiking up to the Piazzale Michelangelo to see all of Florence on a gorgeous, sunny day. Likewise finding the cafe at the top of the Bardini Gardens and having an aperol spritz with a view of the city from the terrace. Standing before the David, in St. Peter's Basilica, and the Colosseum. Eating our way through the cicchetti bars in Venice and taking in the view of Orvieto from Tenuta Le Velette."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

In spite of our delay to meet the group we had a fantastic time with our fellow travelers and our wonderful tour guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Of all the fun things the gondola ride in Venice was a blast with the singers and great weather. But we had many other wow moments to share."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely loved it! With this being my first time to Europe I felt like I was able to see all the major and important parts of history, art, and best parts of each city we visited. I really enjoyed there being time to go out and explore on our own and having time as a group to adventure and eat together. I was truly amazing with all the things I experienced on this trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had many wow moments however a few that stand out were the duomo, St. Peter’s basilica, st. Marc’s square, the coliseum, and our wine tasting tour in Florence. All of these places were very awe striking and really enlarged my perspective of the world and the regions during the times."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour focusing on the three major Italian destinations-Venice, Florence and Rome. Really enjoyed learning about and experiencing all three while also getting a glimpse of the countryside between the three.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One in each city-Gondola ride in Venice, David in Florence and the Colosseum in Rome."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was the ideal introduction for my first trip to Europe. I needed someone to "hold my hand" by selecting the right hotels, arranging transportation, and providing expert guides to interpret the sights and history along the way. I had considered doing it myself but experienced sensory overload every time I sat down to the computer... too many choices!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"What, just one?!?!? It must be strolling along Venice's streets, turning a corner and having the Duomo suddenly smack you in the brain. The last time I felt awed by the presence of something so massive and breath-taking was my first view of El Capitan in Yosemite. For all the years I had dreamed of visiting Europe, I knew that Florence was the must-have experience, and it did not disappoint."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Lisa was an outstanding tour guide, she did a great job in getting us to see all the highlights on the tour and then some. We felt we were in good hands on the Rick Steve's tour and we were very satisfied.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many wow moments, it is hard to pick one, but if had to pick one, it would be the gondola ride with musical accompaniment. The music was echoing off of the walls, it was beautiful. 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!!!!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Lisa, was an excellent tour guide. We got all we expected and more from the Rick Steves tour. We experienced a tour of a lifetime.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The gondola ride in Venice with the serenade by a local musician. Another WOW moment though not part of the tour was my boyfriend asked me to marry him by the canals, and I said YES!!!!!!!!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have dreamed about going to Italy since I was 20 years old and heard about the renaissance. I could not imagined how wonderful Italy and this trip was. I am 65 years old.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sistine chapel"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent! The tour was very well organized, and the published itinerary was on target and executed. The itinerary which included the major attractions to see in each city, would have been sufficient for on its own. However, the windows of free time within the tour provided the flexibility to explore other attractions on our own while in each city. Our RS Tour Guide, Lisa also made for an excellent trip. She was the glue that made sure everything ran smoothly and a great tour resource.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Colosseum. We've all seen it many times on tv and in pictures but to actually step foot in such an iconic symbol of ancient Rome that was constructed and began hosting games almost 2,000 years ago was my wow moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time. The local guides were tremendous. They knew so much and were fun too.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think I was prepared to be disappointed in the colosseum and was actually very taken with it and the forum. I would not have been without the local guides enthusiasm and knowledge."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Lisa, our tour guide was wonderful. Planning and details were excellent. As on our previous RS tours we enjoyed the camaraderie of sharing the whole experience with our fellow tour members.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have two favorites: 1. Riding through the canals of Venice in the gondolas with the musicians. 2. Sampling wine, cheese and other goodies and learning about olive oil production in Umbria."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Effortless and very well planned tour. Our guide Lisa was terrific and the local guides were equally great. Very knowledgeable and friendly too. Easy access to the sites and the planned dinners were great. Overall a first rate experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many! But our first "Wow" moment was arriving in Venice and seeing the canal and beautiful historic buildings."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Vaporetti ride at sunset was amazing as was the winery."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The whole tour was outstanding, from the sites to dining to hotels and our guide, Dmitry...along with local guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Toss up between the ancient sites in Rome and lunch/wine pairing in Umbria"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was very well organized and I felt the itinerary was just right

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cooking class in Florence"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

our guide Dimitri was outstanding. We did things and went places that I would not have done if I wasn't with this tour group. this was my first Rick Steves tour. I will definitely do it again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many "wow" moments but I think my favorite was the wine tasting at a very old local winery in the countryside outside of Rome."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Dimitri was a wonderful tour guide, he made the whole experience even better. Hotels were nice, only compliant was no elevator in Venice. Restaurant choices were also excellent.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved Donald’s knowledge of the places and his humor added charm to the cities we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was amazed at the at the places we went to. The tour guides and the historical references to the sites, paintings, etc. are amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Could not be more pleased with our first Rick Steve’s tour! My husband and I were delighted with the tour guides who were flexible humorous and very knowledgeable. We were extremely happy with the agenda plus the side trips that the guides were able to arrange. The food was wonderful. The hotels were very very nice. We particularly liked having time to ourselves to explore as well as partake in the tour activities. Overall, it was a wonderful tour, and I hope to do it again soon.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"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. Obviously, these are in addition to the amazing sites that were on the tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every aspect of the tour exceeded our expectations. Donald and Chiara, our tour guides, were friendly, professional, knowledgable, and fun to "vacation" with. The boutique hotel accommodations, at our three destinations, were comfortable, beautifully decorated, and charming. The staff at each location provided excellent service, a comfortable and helpful environment and were always professional, courteous and responsive to our requests.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Venice gondola ride was a special and memorable event as we had the singer and accordion player ride along in our gondola. We enjoyed the passion of our local guides in the three locations- Venice, Florence and Rome. 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."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From the beginning until the last day I felt that our trip was top priority for our guide. He was amazing!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting up early and going to St Peters Basillica by 7:00am. The line was short and it was a WOW moment for me. It was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour surpassed my expectations! We were able to see the main highlights in each city, with a little down time to rest or explore further. It included 2 wonderful experiences with a cooking class, and wine tasting, and our lovely guide added in a rooftop view of Venice and a sunset experience in Florence

Favorite "WOW" moment

"If I had to pick one experience I would pick the gondola ride in Venice. I loved the beauty of Venice, and as a special added touch we had musicians on one of our gondolas. 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"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

V, F, R is a very well thought out tour. We see the highlights, but don't stuff in absolutely everything. I especially liked the backroads walking tours of each city. They were so crowded that getting off the beaten track was a real eye opener.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite moment with the group was our happy hour up on Piazalle Michelangelo in Florence. We hiked up to the top, Lisa brought wine and snacky poos, and the sunset over Florence did not disappoint."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful trip through Italy! My people in my group were amazing and our guide Lisa was outstanding!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our lunch in Tuscany was so nice and the hosts were so welcoming. Really enjoyed learning about their winery and olive oil farm. It was such a beautiful area!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steve’s tour and I was so impressed with the program. Our tour director, Lisa, was fantastic and created many unique and memorable group moments. The itinerary had the perfect balance of group activities and time to adventure on your own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The magnificent architecture, the beauty of the Venice canals, the galleries in Florence, as well as the Coliseum and St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. So many “WOW” moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide was nothing short of exceptional! She made sure every last detail of our trip went smoothly and was always there for questions or advice. The local guides were very knowledgeable, too. We enjoyed being taken care of and not having to wonder if we could get tickets for places or where we were going- it was all taken care of. The “extras” like going to a quiet island, cooking class, sunset get together, and the trip to a vineyard for lunch we’re truly special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our most enjoyable, fun moments were every shared meal with our group. The food and drink were fantastic and it was fun to get to know everyone in our group. I don’t know if every group gets along like ours did but we all seemed to have a blast when we were together. We also loved the afternoon listening to Marco tell about his vineyards and olive oil production. His wife cooked us a delicious meal and we were all so relaxed that several tour members said they didn’t want to leave. Lots of wow,"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Just absolutely the most magical and meaningful experience I've ever had! Definitely the trip of a lifetime!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That's very hard to pick one, but if I had to I guess it would be seeing St. Peter's basilica. Also, a wonderful evening with our new friends over dinner the last night in Venice. Also, too, our 28th wedding anniversary dinner in Florence which our tour guide, Lisa, arranged for us. It was all magical."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It is a very busy tour! Even though we had a good amount of time on our own a LOT was packed into the half days with the group. I am still processing all we saw in such a short period but it was wonderful. Lisa was so in tune with the group and was a fantastic and caring tour director.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was stunned by the Michelangelo Christ on the Cross sculpture in the sacristy of the church in Florence. It was one of those moments where the perfection of the art and the placement of the piece all came together to create this moment where you were just speechless."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized tour, wonderful guide Lisa, and a congenial group of 28 made this tour so much fun. Outstanding weather and not many crowds until Rome, when the 4-day weekend caused by a national holiday brought out the crowds. But all was still quite manageable and enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"One of several was rounding the corner in St. Peter's Basilica and seeing the Pieta. Last time I visited was on another RS tour in 2014, and the crowds were unbelievable due to the canonization of two popes. I could barely see the Pieta. It is smaller than I thought. This time I could get close and look as long as I wanted. Such a thrill!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride in Venice, with singer in one of the boats"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful time in Italy! We had a good group of people on our tour and we all got along very well which made our trip so much fun! Our tour guide Lisa, made our trip memorable. She was very knowledgable and the little extras she did for us made our trip so much more enjoyable. The description of the tour was exactly as was stated...lots of walking and spending our own time exploring in addition to the organized tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My Wow moment was when Lisa, organized our Gondola ride with a live musician and a singer! Hearing the music echoing in the canals of Venice was priceless!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful! From the leadership and attention of our tour manager to the local guides enthusiastic walks through neighborhoods and museums - I loved it! The pace was just right for me and I appreciated the balance of free time with structured touring. Also being able to spend several days in each city was a huge plus. I got a 'feel' for the area we were in and am excited to return. The RS audio guide was also a BIG plus - thanks Rick!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I took an early morning walk through Rome from our Hotel Smeraldo (great location!). The streets were free of crowds. Walking past the Pantheon, stopping for pictures at the Trevi Fountain, and eventually climbing the Spanish Steps was very special "wow" memory. Oh, and who could forget the attending the Pope's audience in St. Mark's Square - thanks to our tour manager, Lisa, for picking up tickets for us!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My tour of Italy was exceptional from beginning to end. Our tour guide, Lisa, was experienced, knowledgeable, friendly, and helped to make this a memorable experience for my husband and myself. I would highly recommend your company and this particular tour to anyone interested in seeing Italy!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There wasn’t just one wow moment. There were several in each city we visited. In Venice, I loved the gondola ride, visiting Burano, and all the delicious food and drink. In Florence, I fell in love with the city. I enjoyed all of the tour activities as well as the extra activities that Lisa made for our group!! My personal favorite, was the cooking class! Our stop at an olive and vineyard farm in Umbria was also a highlight of the tour!! All of Rome was exceptional, from the sights to the food!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was so well organized. Our tour guide was fantastic - and went above and beyond to make our experience incredible. The professional guides for each private tour was outstanding and passionate about their areas of expertise.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too hard to pick just one! Love the musicians Lisa hired for our gondola ride - especially when we entered the Grand Canal! So fun! Loved the sights and food in each city. Loved our special lunch/wine tasting day and thoroughly enjoyed everything we saw/experienced on this tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything promised, and more!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Opera singer on gondola tour of Venice"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Friendly group of participants, exposure to unbelievable art and architecture, very good meals. Very good tour guide Anja, and local tour guides in each city.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Arriving in Venice and view from water taxi at all palaces and surroundings. View at the wynyard in Umbria."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Since this was the first time I had been on a tour I was hoping that it would be unique and informative. It more than filled the expectations! 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. The guides were so informative and knowledgeable about the history and culture of our tour cities, museums and churches that I wanted to read more about them once I returned home. I’m sold on tours!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The interior of Doge meeting rooms, the gold mosaic tiles in St Marks basilica, the top of the Duomo dome cathedral, and the Forum site in Rome. Oh, and the first sight of the Colosseum and Michelangelo’s David!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

beyond my expectation, worth every cent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"looking at the colosseum for the first time"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastico

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Serenaded gondola ride in Venice at sunset"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was such an efficient use of our time. It was so well organized and our guide was simply the best!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The stop in Umbria for wine tasting and a light lunch. It was a beautiful setting, tranquil and awe inspiring!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first tour with Rick Steves and I can honestly say each day exceeded our expectations. There was plenty of free time mixed into the schedule each day which allowed for additional sightseeing or time to rest, group size was very comfortable, our local guides were best of class, and our tour facilitator (Anja) was phenomenal. She went the extra mile to make sure our experience included lots of “wow” moments.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite “wow” moment was the gondola ride in Venice. 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. As we moved through the canals, people on the sidewalks would stop to listen as we were passing by, often applauding the moment…truly magical. This surprise was one of many arranged by Anja."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Brilliant itinerary - nice mix of free time and touring time

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride in Venice complete with live Italian music from one of our gondolas"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was above and beyond my expectations! 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! Our tour guide Anya was outstanding in every way and the local guides were all very informative.! We had so much fun!!! I would highly recommend Rick Steves tours and will be planning my next trip soon!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The whole trip was a wow moment for me.!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We felt the tour was very well organized with Anja as a great tour guide. She was fun, informative and very insightful of the steps of the tour. The itinerary was as we expected. Our fellow tour members were all good people to have met and spent time with. The hotels were good and well located to main attractions. The local guides were an unexpected plus.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The vineyard stop between Florence and Rome. As soon as I stepped off the bus I felt that I had stepped into paradise."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every day was something new. All the local guides added so much to the experience that was way beyond my expectations. 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.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"How could there be just one? In Venice our gondola ride was so much more than just a ride in a boat, In Florence turning the comer and seeing David and in Rome experiencing St Peter's were just lifetime memories..And how could I forget the visit to the agriturismo."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

our tour guide Anja was incredible....she made the itinerary smooth as silk and was extremely knowledgable about everything....she is the best....weather was perfect....sites crowded with tourists from all countries...appreciated the many italians who knew a lot of english.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"wow moments were seeing when we turned a corner ~ David, Colosseum, Grand Canal vista, the winery vistas...lots of delicious food, wine and gelato everywhere we went."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

In all aspects, the tour exceeded expectations. It was extremely well organized and our tour guide Anja was fantastic; a professional who kept us informed, on-schedule, and smiling every day. The hotel locations were great. The local guides so deeply enhanced my experience that I, as not much of a museum-goer, have a new appreciation for such visits.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice is magical in so many ways. The gondola ride, complete with a guitarist and a singer in our boat, was just over the top!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was fabulous! Everything went so smoothly, from hotel check-ins to entrance into museums and basilicas.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When we walked in St. Peter's Basilica. The scale and beauty was breaktaking!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was loaded with engaging activities that we would not have known were available if we had taken this trip on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Etruscan caves at the vineyard in Orvieto were incredible."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Guides so knowledgeable about everything we were seeing. Knew the answer to every question plus our main guide Donald also fun and funny. Outstanding restaurant recommendations. Good tour choices - we can't see everything so what should we see on that our visit. I always write up our vacations to relive and remember. So far I've got nine pages, and I'm not done.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Not fair ! Everything was wow ! Riding the Venetian canals. The Venice gondola ride with singer. Seeing Michelangelo's top works. The little things - Michelangelo's self-portrait on back of Prisoner stone. Under torture, I would say St. Mark's Basilica. Highly recommend paying the extra to go to the Museum. Have to add Sistine Chapel. Sitting at Florian's eating an over-the-top gelato. The Venice glass-blowing shop. Watching the artist, then purchasing his jewelry."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour and local guides did an excellent job explaining the history and culture of the places we saw and telling us about what else we could find in an area to do on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The gondola ride and visit to the winery were great additions to the museum visits (which I like but which one could expect from other tours as well)."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Expertly coordinated, logistics and all

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing St Mark's square for the first time in Venice... Simply breathtaking!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guides were great, and we had a wonderful group of travelers who all seemed to have a thirst for information.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Duomo in Florence. It's just so immense and in- your- face!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We wouldn't change a thing. This was an amazing experience from beginning to end. Donald and Matti were great as were all of the local guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So hard to choose one! The gondola ride would have to be right up there. And in Rome, the view from the Victor Emmanuel monument. And of course the whole city of Florence!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded my expectations. Our guides were very knowledgeable, accommodating and informative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was our first trip to Italy so there were many “wow” moments. We were able to see almost all of the sites we were hoping to visit. The free time was great so that we were able to visit sites not on the tour with excellent opportunities for fantastic restaurants and coffee bars."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First of all, the tour guide Francis I was tremendous and I don’t know if I would’ve had joyed the tour quite as much had he not been our guide. I would seriously consider future trips based on whether or not he was slated to guide. That said, it’s difficult to say enough about how well organized and delightful the entire trip was, with the exception of a couple incidences which could happen no matter what the circumstances were(slipping and falling into a Venice canal being one of them!)

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many such moments, it’s hard to pick but I would say definitely the gondola ride with the singer included was magical. The cooking class was also a lot of fun, and not surprisingly, brought the group even closer together."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Not really sure how to address our guide. Sir Francis, Pope Francis, Saint Francis... all I know is that the man deserves a title of one type of another. Francis was truly erudite and an enjoyable part of the trip. His patience was much appreciated as I was traveling with a non-native English speaker, which required I share my interpretations of what our guides had just explained. More than once, I had to ask simple confirming questions of Francis after meticulous explanations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The serenade on the gondola was a great "wow" moment for us. The cynic in me would have thought it a cheesy moment. But the pipes on the singer while on a gondola in Venice... magical! Not sure if y'all orchestrated the woman falling in to the canal to get a good look at the singer. If you did, make sure you add it to future tours!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful! Exceeded my expectations! Excellent balance between structured tours and free time. Hotel locations in Venice and Florence were outstanding. It was so easy to walk to the popular tourist sites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I wasn’t keen to see Venice as I had heard negative things like the smell of the canals. Wow! Venice is so worth it. People complained about the crowds, but I didn’t find them off- putting; rather the same as Disneyland ( and it was Easter)."

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

It was a different experience for me

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our 2nd Rick Steves Tour and it did not disappoint. Cecilia was outstanding. She navigated the needs of the tour with professionalism and charisma. The Italian singers at the farewell dinner put a cherry on the top of an amazing 10 days.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our favorite "wow" moment was the Italian Cooking Lesson by in Tavola in Florence. What a fun group activity. A welcome break from Museums, castles, ruins, cathedrals and churches."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Perfect for young female travelers wanting a chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy. I had this stereotype that package tours would be boring and overbearing, but not Rick Steves! I was transported into an authentic adventure. My mind was free to focus on learning and exploring rather than the semantics of restruants, hotels, directions, etc. all handled by our outstanding guide Cecilia.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In our last hotel stay, our guide Cecilia introduced us to the hotel owner, we got to meet her family, and there was a surprise live musical performance! I feel so much more immersed in Italian culture with the tour than I would have been travelling by myself."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an amazing experience. We hit the highlights of each city and of course we can't see everything so we'll just have to find a way to come back! I do wish there was a little more detail in terms of timing on the first couple days in order to make reservations for places not included on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Turning the corner in the Academia and seeing Michelangelo's David."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a great first time experience. This trip was meant to be all about learning how to travel as a solo traveler and RS tours facilitated my journey.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I enjoyed hearing about the history of Italy but the wine tour and hearing the history of it was the best experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was so organized, the local guides were so full of valuable information that it was mind boggling! They were just excellent! We would have liked a couple extra days in rome as there are a few things aside from the tour we would have liked to have seen!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the cooking class in Florence was pretty special"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

So well organized and efficient. It was nonstop learning and nonstop fun! Plenty of free time to explore on your own but your guide makes sure you know just how to get where you want to go.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our guide had a surprise for us at the wine tasting. It was breathtaking and I will never forget it."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

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. 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. Our guide also handled a situation with COVID with exceptional care and judgement. I cannot say enough about our guide, Cecelia, what an excellent leader she was for our group that week.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We have visited these three cities about 20 years ago, but we learned and saw so much that was new and local on this tour. Thank you! And our "wow" was the winery experience at Cecelia's family winery near Orvieto. Seeing Etruscan wine caves was amazing. The setting and winery itself were so beautiful. Another amazing experience was with the local guide in Venice, who walked us through the Accademia. Her knowledge of the art history and the way that she explained it: fantastic"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

This was the 18th tour for my wife and I; we generally love the tours and this was no exception. We saw things we wanted to see and had a good experience. The only downside to the tour was the covid policy, which we think is very weak and fails to adequately protect tour members. I will elaborate more when the opportunity comes.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"No specific wow moment; we have been in each of the three cities several times in the past on our own and selected this tour to learn more from the experts. We think the city guides are usually good and they were, although occasionally with much more detail than I needed. It was overall a good experience and education."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This my first Rick Steves tour but it definitely won’t be my last! The tour was absolutely great. I really liked how much free time it gave you in conjunction with the included tours. I loved that they utilize local tour guides in the individual cities. I’ve traveled to Europe many times and these guides were some the best I’ve ever had. Our tour leader, Dimitri, was terrific. He did a great job of wrangling 28 people in a kind and gentle way and always with a great sense of humor.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visit to Burano and the wine tasting stop in Umbrian countryside"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was a wonderful experience for me. As my first solo international trip, I felt supported and welcomed by the company before and during the tour. The guides were ALL excellent, the balance of scheduled- and free- time felt just right, and the tour experiences chosen were all excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The first afternoon in Florence at the Santa Croce Church, seeing the tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, and Machiavelli. I was struck by the history contained within the walls and the beauty and intellectual power that Italy, and Florence particularly, passed on to western civilization."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The trip exceeded our expectations. Dimitri was fantastic host and each of the local guides were top notch! They are not exaggerating about the number steps you will climb, or the miles you will walk... but the amazing sights that you see make it all worth it. It was truly an educational and eye opening experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The first trip down the Grand Canal of Venice left us in awe, so beautiful and almost hard to believe that what you are seeing is real. The Roman Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, and the statue of David were all also wow highlights!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

More than a week after we made our departure from Rome. The sights, sounds & tastes of Italy are still with us. All who were a part of the tour contributed to its success.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"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."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

There are no words to explain this magical experience. Everything we saw was spectacular and our guide and group was equally amazing. Already saving for next year’s trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were too many to be able to pick just one. Every day there were several “wow” moments and the appreciation of having the opportunity to be there. But, having my guide track me down while giving him wrong information about my whereabouts was a moment of “Wow!” he found me even though I was making no sense. For new travelers - there’s a difference between a Hard Rock Cafe and a Hard Rock Cafe Merchandise store."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great time! Our tour guide Lisa was so knowledgeable and made sure everyone was comfortable. She told wonderful stories that really helped us get a feel for what it is like to live in Italy. Our local guides were wonderful and Lisa made sure we had great meals and activities. Italy is so beautiful and we really felt like we had a great intro to it. It was so nice to have all of the logistics taken care of.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is hard to choose one thing out of so many amazing experiences, but the winery Tenuta le Valette in Umbria is a definite stand out. The scenery, the winery, the lunch and wine tasting, the wine cellars, the whole experience was wonderful!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the range of activities from taking in the highlights to visiting a working vineyard with caves to store wine that dated back to the Etruscans. So much was packed into 10 days! My wife and I are deeply interested in Renaissance and Roman history and this tour with its many expert guides helped bring these past eras to life. They took us to many sites and explained so many details we would not have discovered on our own. Also, a lovely group of active people to tour Italy with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Floating down the Grand Canal of exquisite Venice."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have done many rick steves tour and I had visited these three cities before, but this trip was great! great group of people and great tour leader!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Did not have a wow moment. loved all the tiny streets and alleyways of venice. and no cars or bikes!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was comprehensive and the guides very well informed

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rome. The Sistine chapel and the colosseum"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first Rick Steves tour and it was more than I could even imagine. Everything was so well planned. Our tour guide, Lisa made everything fun and educational. 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. Since there were 2 birthdays we learned to sing Happy Birthday in Italian. The age range in our group from 22 to 88 made it more memorable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many statues and artwork from talented people that I'd only just heard about. My WOW moments were seeing Michelangelo's Pieta and the statue of David. Being so close to these magnificent pieces were breathtaking."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an excellent experience! Lisa, our tour leader, was very likeable, knowledgeable, organized, and very empathetic to everyone's needs and capabilities. The local guides were excellent, often infusing humor, and even some philosophy, in with the history. The other tour members were friendly, interesting, and enjoyable. We had a wide variety of ages and experiences among the group. The itinerary was wonderful and had a nice balance of organized activities and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were lots of wow moments, but three favorites from Rome were (1) Sistine Chapel, (2) St. Peter's Basilica, and (3) The Colosseum."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded my expectations. Our tour guide Lisa was excellent. Good humored, resourceful, knowledgable and efficient. She cared about our experience. The activities and dining were of top quality. The hotels were modest as expected but clean and in good locations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking in Venice in the morning and having early access to the Academia was very special. The gondola ride was outstanding. My goal was to see the Italian masters and the tour did not disappoint!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The whole daily agenda was covered and enjoyed the experience

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The city of Venice"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic trip. Well planned and the guide Lisa was wonderful. The local guides were also outstanding & very knowledgeable and passionate about their cities. The winery tour was great

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of it. The three cities were all so diverse and enjoyable to see"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was very well paced with activities and independent time. Our guide was clear and efficiently directed our group (29 people). Was pleased overall and would consider Rick Steves for future tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Best moment was the sunset gondola ride with serenade in Venice. Other highlights include the winery in Umbria and the Vatican tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guides Sara and Thomas were so very personable, attentive, friendly and knowledgeable. They clearly love the country and its people and that was infectious. We appreciated that we had both scheduled time and free time to explore on our own. The group dinners at the small restaurants were a high point, both for getting to know our fellow tour participants and appreciating authentic Italy. Among the highlights were the group activities that didn't take us to museums or basilicas

Favorite "WOW" moment

"How can we choose just one? 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. We learned so much. 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."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

What a great introduction to Italy and travel to Europe. Beautiful cities, great guides and group members. Had a fantastic and memorable trip/

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Italy was a "wow" for me with each city presenting something new and exciting. Trying to absorb all of the history and beauty was amazing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Unbelievable and well done!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice and Ancient Rome"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my 6th RS tour, and the quality and value remain outstanding. I thought the tour was paced well, the local guides were insightful and well-prepared. Sarah and Tom (our RS guides) were organized, fun, and down-to-earth. The overall experience was great. 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. Perhaps add Orvieto as an overnight stay?

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Venice for the first time and the stop at Tenuta Le Velette winery. The scenery in Umbria is gorgeous, and after being in cities, it was so nice to be out in the countryside. The estate tour was informative, and the wine experience was delightful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour through Venice, Florence and Rome was outstanding and explored many great sights and areas. Our travel guides, Sarah and Thomas were top notch - keeping our group together and ready to help at any moment. The local guides were absolutely the best; and provided interesting commentary about art and history and Italian ways along our walks. Last but not least our tour group was wonderful; everyone was respectful, considerate and interested in all aspects of our journey.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's difficult to pin down one special moment as there were so many wonderful experiences, each unique and special - a few of these were seeing the sun bath jewel-box like churches as we walked along canals and neighborhoods to St. Marks Cathedral and Piazza; cooking together and sharing a meal with the chefs at a restaurant in Florence, and standing in amazement and wonder in the Sistine Chapel."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the tour guide and her responsible, informative, honest and fun insight. Half way into our trip I was hit with a cold ( tested negative for Covid x 2 ). Sarah was kind and helpful. While I fibbed and said all was good, Sarah fibbed and believed me. Even so, I loved the trip and the eye opening art and architecture.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many moments. Perhaps Venice, just first sight... At night and at dawn... Special"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an outstanding experience. The Rick Steve tour guides, Sarah and Thomas, were an absolute pleasure, -- full of energy, knowledge, and lots of fun. The local guides were were very knowledgeable and nicely paced. The hotel, food and restaurant choices were excellent. There was good balance of tour time and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going to the top of the terrace in Venice to overlook the city."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had never done a tour before and was somewhat apprehensive about the process. That is no longer the case. We had two guides and 26 fellow travelers. It was thoroughly enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think seeing David was the highlight. The Roman Colosseum is a close second."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

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. The Rick Steves and the local guides anecdotes and historical facts brought everything to life in a way we hadn't experienced before. 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.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have a very hard time choosing just one "WOW" moment from our Best of Italy tour. However, my favorite of the many "Fantastico" sites is our last morning of the tour at the Colosseum and Roman Forum. I would be sorely remiss if I did not mention the Church of Santa Croce, the statue of David, St. Peter's Basilica, and Michelangelo's Pieta."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the tour leader's enthusiasm about Italy. I felt they truly loved showing off some of the tastier sites and foods available. Everyone we encountered was friendly and helpful. the specific site guides were knowledgeable. Going into a museum or church and seeing so much amazing art, I would not know a specific artist or detail to look for and would have been overwhelmed and passed by treasure. Such variety of people and locations from and still our group felt more like a trip with family .

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to pick from so many. Loved visiting the vineyard cellar in Umbria. The quietness of Venice with no vehicles. The food ! The company! The guides and one of our group pulling out guitars and singing at dinner. Seeing the Colosseum in Rome. The history. The contrast in regions. Our tour leader explained differences and was fun to notice changes in accents and food styles. The art!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This being my first time out of the US and first time on a professional tour, I don't have anything to compare. However, anything after this will have a lot to compete with. I could not have asked for a better experience. From the initial booking, to the final day it was beyond outstanding. I look forward to planning future tours with Rick Steves Europe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Honestly, this isn't a fair question. I don't know how anyone can choose just one "WOW" moment on this tour. I have a few and the first one was when we got our documents and saw that David was our guide. It was like hitting the jackpot! The next was just the shear enormity of the things I was seeing, things I had only heard or read about. It all was overwhelming and breathtaking at the same time. I think of all the fantastic things I saw, seeing Michelangelo's David was the most emotional."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Rick Steves tours never disappoint. My VFR tour in March was no exception. For point of reference, this is my 6th Rick Steves tour. Good balance of scheduled itineraries and free time. Tour days felt unrushed and well organized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There is not one, but many. A few top moments include: 1) Gondola ride in the evening gliding along the quiet waterways, 2) Walking through the Sistine Chapel and actually knew what I was looking at (because the local guide gave an amazing crash course about the paintings in advance) 3) Exploring and enjoying all the regional culinary specialties"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Donaldson this was my second Rick Steves trip to Italy. It was superior to my first experience, which was very good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Roman tour, particularly the Colosseum and the Forum, was a particular highlight."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Busy! Lots of walking.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had wanted to go to Venice for many years. I don’t know if I had 1 moment. If I had to pick one, I think it was seeing St. Mark’s tomb."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

David and Andrea were outstanding; great personal touch and understood how to handle a large group of people. 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. 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.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Winery tour in Orvieto. Also cooking class in Florence was a great experience. These kinds of interactions with Italians were worth every moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guides were terrific. I especially loved the combination of guided tours and free time. Rick Steves' really understands how to organize a great trip for interested and interesting adults!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the 2500 year-old wine cellar that was a former Etruscan cave And the three Davids: Michelangelo, Bernini, and Donatello"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was very well organized and the tour guide was excellent and very well prepared. Our trip was amazing! We saw so many places and things that we had only seen in pictures. It was thoroughly enjoyable. We can't wait until our next Rick Steves tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several. Walking the streets of Venice, seeing David and the Pieta in person, seeing St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican. But the top for me was walking through the streets of Rome and then suddenly seeing the Colleseum off to the left. It was so close to the city and it was so big. I was not expecting it."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic!!! The agenda was great. We visited so many wonderful historical sights in Venice, Florence, and Rome, and we loved the cooking class and the visit to the winery. Tina, our tour guide, was wonderful! She spoke fluent Italian and was very knowledgeable about Italy. This was the tour of a lifetime. We will definitely take another Rick Steves' tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It was exciting to see the Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo's David & Pieta, but I think my wow moment was the first sight of the colisieum."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful tour – the advice to arrive early allowed for delays, travel, and rest. We really appreciated the three nights in each location, which gave us time to feel familiar and to appreciate the wonderful architecture, art, history, and local life. The tour was well balanced with time to explore and wonderful guided tours and hands-on experiences. Our guide, Tina, added experiences thru her contacts with friends and artisans that really enhanced and personalized our trip!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I wish I could identify a stellar moment, but it’s like pointing out a specific star in the galaxy of wonderful experiences! I did adore seeing Michelangelo’s sculptures and painting directly; the Colosseum, the actual physical phenomenon that is, was another high point - each city held its own wonders! The group meals and times shared with the group, as well as our own times exploring together were also highlights"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an amazing experience. We saw and experienced all the important well known artwork and historic sites in the three cities of Venice, Florence and Rome. We had tour guides in each city to point out historical fact about the area. Our tour guide was amazing, very knowledgeable, friendly and well organized.. She made the trip very memorable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The entire trip was a “wow” moment for me. It was a wonderful learning experience starting with Venice and taking boat rides and walking to our destinations. Experiencing architecture and artwork that was dated 500 to 800 plus years ago took my breath away. Florence was an amazing city with its beautiful churches, sculptures, and architecture. We visited all the important sites in the city. Rome is such a historic city with ancient architecture, churches, statues, and artwork. There was see."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Donald, was outstanding! The entire trip was very well organized and everything flowed smoothly which allowed us to see and experience everything included in the tour as well as those things we planned outside of the tour. This was the best vacation experience I have ever had.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wine tasting in Umbria"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Donald White, was everything you could hope for in a personality to get us through this fantastic journey. He was patient, kind, and full of wonderful humor. He shared an unending wealth of stories (historical and contemporary) along with practical information to help navigate the basics of everything foreign to us. Nothing would be sweeter to my ears today than the call for a "buddy check" and the "all-clear" from Donald, as that would mean the journey continues. He was superb!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every aspect. The sights, sounds, tastes, and people. The noise, the quiet, the warming sun, the cold rain. 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."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful time. It was so interesting to see Italy and have a guide give you a perspective on what you are seeing. The amount of free time and planned activities was perfect.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many to choose from: the Venice canals and walkways, the David statue, cooking class, and winery experience. But the colosseum and forum were spectacular!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very enjoyable and loved our guide Stephanie

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the statue of David in Florence"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Both my wife and I were more than impressed with everything about this tour. Especially with our tour guides Stephanie and Francis. They are professional, prepared, knowledgeable, caring, and a pleasure just to sit and talk to. 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. We definitely chose correctly and will do a RS tour again!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For my wife it was definitely everything in Venice. She had dreamed of going there since she was a girl and thoroughly enjoyed it. Mine was Florence. The incredible art and architecture was awe inspiring. Just imagining how many years and lives went into the building of this city's treasures is overwhelming."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

More thorough and delightful than expected!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Orientation walk through Rome"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a wonderful experience! It was sooo fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rome, Florence and Venice!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The professionalism of tour guides being local and fluent in English was exceptional. The organized time for museums balanced well with free time to explore further what we saw. Focus on artisans and local goods of each city along special visits to vineyard, and cooking class made the tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everything about Venice is Wow! The vineyard, first moments in front of St. Marks, Florence sculpture, Roman ancient temples."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Pieta"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very much enjoyed the whole trip. Appreciated the structure of itinerary including some great activities and also having free time to explore. Our guide Dmitri, did an excellent job managing the minutiae, keeping group dynamics running smoothly and educating us about what we were seeing

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I would say my favorite wow moment was each of the local guides. We most definitely would not have had the same takeaway of knowledge about all we saw without the clear and engaging storytelling by the local guides"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Dimitri was organized, personable, and very knowledgeable. The events we did like wine tasting and a cooking class were things we really enjoyed and would not done if we had been on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Stepping out of the train station in Venice and seeing the Grand Canal for the first time. And the gondola ride when we were serenaded."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a great way to experience Venice, Florence and Rome. We were able to see all of the important sites and museums AND beat the crowds. That's one of the best value adds of a RS tour. Great group of travelers too! And our tour guide Dimitri was fabulous. This is my third RS tour, and they just keep getting better!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many, but seeing the Sistine Chapel, St. Peter's Basilica and Michelangelo's David without the crowds were my favorite WOW moments."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderfully planned and executed. The hotel rooms were small but doable since we packed light as was suggested. You do need to be able to walk great distances and stay with the group. Be ready for early mornings and dinners late at night. It was wonderful to be in the city at each hotel so you could always go outside and explore. Thank you to Tina our wonderful guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vatican was a "Wow" moment. 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. There was a great sense of being in a remarkable place which cannot be duplicated in the United States."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved ever moment of it. My wife and I had the time of our lives. Our tour guild was amazing. She gave us the confidence to go out on our own to see sights. Being with a group made it such a more fun and enjoyable experience. We can’t wait to go on our next Rick Steves tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Meeting the artist in Florence"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an amazing experience! I think a lot of that is due to having Tina as a tour guide. She kept things running so smoothly, answered most of our questions before we even thought to ask them, prepared us for experiences/crowds/etc. ahead of time and empowered us to feel brave and explore each city on our own with little to no fear. We loved that we hit the highlights as a group, but had a lot of free time to explore on our own. We would 100% recommend the tour to others!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The entire city of Venice was incredible. The walking tour with our local guide was fascinating - especially when we learned about how Venice was built. In Florence, I did not expect to be so starstruck by David - but when we rounded the corner into the museum I quietly gasped. Seeing him up close was an incredible experience. In Rome, I felt overwhelmed (in the best way) by the amount of ancient history, art and culture there was to see. Everything in Rome was so inspiring!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour delivered exactly what it described. I was impressed by how well the guides explained all the history, art, and architecture in each city, how they were all interwoven and how the cultures have developed , all in digestible, easy-to-understand ways- especially when so much art and architecture could be overwhelming at times! I came away with new methods of understanding and appreciation and an eagerness to continue to learn more!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The "wow" moments were too plentiful to choose just one. 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."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized, action packed. Everyone got on very well. N

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Night rides on the Grand Canal, seeing the David in person, walking the streets that I read about in high school Latin class."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I absolutely loved our guide Tina - she absolutely made the experience what it was. The tour accomplished the advertised goal of seeing the “best of” Italy. It made for a great first time in Italy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had two wow moments! The first was the wine tasting on our way to Rome from Florence. Going into the ancient wine cellar and then learning about how to pair wine and food while in such a beautiful setting - absolutely awesome. Second moment was the pantheon! It was great to do it on my own with the Rick Steves podcast in my headphones. Such a memorable experience looking up at the dome in awe."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our leader, Tina, and our group were all caring team members, helping and sharing with eachother. Personally, I would have preferred to move a bit slower, but the parts were well planned, very interesting, and presented at a high level, as promised.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Though wine is not a hobby of mine, the family wine farm in the Umbrian hills was great for historic and tasting reasons. The cellar was first dug by Etruscan wine makers. We learned to match wines and foods."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well planned. Good balance of rest and touring. We’ll organized. Great accommodations!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Viewing Venice from a store balcony!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All in all, we saw and did everything I had hoped for.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The gondola ride was a wonderful surprise; some travel authors had downplayed the experience so I wasn't expecting it to be so wonderful."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful! Our guide, the other tour members, and the hotels and restaraunts went above and beyond to ensure our comfort. It was a nice way to learn about the Italian culture in a safe and entertaining wsy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The visit to the winery in Ovietto."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I absolutely loved this tour. The Tour Guide, Tina, had years of experience, was very knowledgeable and her passion for Italy shone through. I particularly loved the personal aspects of side field trips that Tina knew about: Flash painting, Murano Glass bead making, Tenuta Le Velette Winery in Orvieto. I loved the ease of skipping all the lines since we were with a tour. It was a perfect combination of tours with tour guides and free time to explore in the afternoons. Loved the people!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many I can't say! 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!! SoZu Gelato in Venice was the best!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I have visited all 3 of these cities in the past but this time. WOW! The guides were fabulous and we got to see so much more. Truly enjoyed discovering more of Venice, Florence & Rome.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's really hard to pick, there were so many and I've been to all of these places before. But I would have to say the guided tour of the Forum. Francesca was unbelievable! She didn't inundate us with dates and figures, rather she made me feel like a Roman. I felt like I had gone back 2,000 years in time."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I enjoyed myself. This was my second time touring with RS and I wanted to spend more time in the places on the tour. I was able to skip some things I saw previously and take a closer look at my favorites.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice, Florence, and Rome! Who can chose, it like trying to pick a favorite child."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Outstanding is the right word for it - everything was wonderful, the walking tours, the museum tours, our guide Anya, the local guides, the gondola ride, the cooking class, the wine tasting, the group meals, the camaraderie that built between members of the group. I loved every minute!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Difficult to choose from so many, but Michelangelo’s David is a stunning site. 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. Thanks!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was incredible and so well structured. There was a great balance of planned group activities with personal free time to explore. The local tour guides were top-notch and added so much insight to the experience. I loved the special activities like the gondola ride, the cooking class, the art demo, the winery - things that gave the tour a more personal feel. Our tour guide was awesome and the group size was perfect. All good things, all good things!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"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. It felt like the epitome of a European experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

as expected for my 9th pic Steves tour, it was a great experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"never can have just one wow, but certainly popping into Venice st marks square at dusk, even after several visits, is a WOW!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour wa extremely well organized, our tour guide Anja was fantastic-very organized, efficient and made thing fun. Plus she was extremely knowledgeable about the cities we were in and Italy in general. Our local tour guides were very good-particularly Francesca in Rome. The friendly family-like atmosphere created among the people on the tour made the entire tour more fun and special.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"learning about and viewing The Coloseum and Forum from a humanistic perspective rather than a recitation of dates and facts."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an incredible time on the best of Italy 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.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our local guide in Rome, Francesca, was an incredible scholar and guide. She was very informative and reflective on our tour."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Beatrice was an amazing tour leader. We will try to take another one of her tours! Very well organized, great guides who you could tell were passionate about their subject. Can't say enough great things about this trip

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Sistine Chapel"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I'd been to Italy before, but in a rushed manner, so this tour was the perfect deeper dive. It offered a great balance of guided and free time - never feeling rushed out of a museum or venue. 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. Our ‘elastico/a’ tour-mates developed a lovely collegial spirit. Some delightful surprises were peppered in, like the Caffè Florian in Saint Mark's.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into a near-empty Pantheon at dusk was definitely a "Mamma Mia!" moment."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved our guide Bea! It wasn’t just because she was born Italian and lived in Rome - it was that she did a great job of touring us around but also was good at having us go out on our own to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many from seeing the Coleseum, the Pantheon as the sun was setting and even standing on the highest viewpoint in Venice looking over the city - also at sunset."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was an outstanding tour. Bea was the tour director, she was energetic, informative and humorous. The group consisted of mostly people in my peer group, everyone was friendly, well behaved and cooperative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Michelangelo’s David was incredible."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was very well organized. All meeting places meals and events were perfect. We could not have asked for better people on our tour and our tour guide was amazing!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I got engaged in Venice on the last night!! I think besides that all of the meals we had together, the food, the tours were magnificent. Everything was so well organized. It might have been our tour guide Bea!! She was so knowledgeable and was always there to answer any questions."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was well organized and very informative! Our accommodations and group meals were wonderful and truly reflected the areas we were visiting. Our tour leader was so enthusiastic and extremely helpful when any assistance was needed. It was great to have someone who has grown up in Italy and so willing to share her culture with us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had many wow moments, but one that stands out is the evening we had a gondola ride because one of the couples in our group was celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary and Bea arranged to have a singer and accordion player in their gondola. All of us benefited from this treat because the other gondoliers kept us as close as possible so we could be a part of the celebration. It was definitely an evening to remember!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Friendly tour guides

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cooking school and the wine sampling with food"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful travel experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We were able to see the Pantheon with almost no one else around. Even our guide was surprised. It is amazing that the Romans were able to build that dome so long ago."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was extremely well organized. Hotels in all three cities were in a great location. Our tour director, Bea, was an absolute delight. She was obviously knowledgeable about the area, made sure we were prepared on a daily basis, and handled any items that arose with ease. She made herself available to answer any questions and provide suggestions for times when we were exploring on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"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 hadn't really been that excited about seeing Venice, but that moment changed my mind. Another was on our first night in Rome. Bea had managed to get us a reservation for the Pantheon. Being in this amazing place with our group and just a handful of others was so amazing!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved every part of our tour in Italy. We especially appreciated the balance of tour time to see the highlights and free time to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many! The first time seeing Michelangelo's David, The view of Venice from the Tedeschi terrace at sunset, and seeing the Pantheon on a Sunday late afternoon when there were very few other tourists - the quiet and space amplified the magnificence of this landmark."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A dream come true.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My guide created an environment where we found the WOW in all moments good and not so good. Cooking class and wine tasting pretty darn WOW!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a fabulous tour! Our tour director, Beatrice, was organized, fun, professional, and eager to share her country with us. I will be looking into more tours with her, for sure! Hotels were well located and very nice, and our activities and tour visits gave us a balanced experience. The tour guides used were excellent and brought the culture and history to life.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"This is hard, as the experiences were varied and there were special moments within each. If I have to choose just one, it would be our guided tour through the colosseum and forum. The guide was a master speaker, truly. 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. Our group was moved to tears at the close. It was an unforgettable experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My tours guide Stephanie attention to detail was excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride and seeing and hearing explanations of all the art"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Stephanie was amazing and truly a pleasure . She was on top of all arrangements. She made us feel comfortable and took care of all our needs. She shared her love of Italy with us!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Italy. I will definitely travel with Rick Steves again!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The amount of time with the group and free time was apportioned just right. The choices of which venues to tour was great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Touring the Vatican and seeing Venice"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First time to Europe. Guide was superb; as were trip venues and meals. Loved the small group size and opportunities to get to know one another while traveling. Local guides were very knowledgeable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The gondola ride with music as the sun was setting in Venice"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My “Best of Venice, Florence and Rome” tour was amazing! Our guide Stephanie, gave each of us her personal attention while making us all feel like family. The itinerary was just right - the museums, art galleries and group activities were balanced well with our free time. Since the tour handled all of the logistical challenges of ticket buying, scheduling and getting around, I was able to experience so much more than on my own. Our local guides were impressive with their knowledge of history!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"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. Wonderful memories!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I can’t put into words how much our tour guide was. She was so knowledgeable helpful and caring. She went out of her way to assist my husband and i when my husband got Covid 19 on the tour unfortunately. She was very patient to all on the tour. Stephanie went out of her way to help all who was on the tour. She is an asset to your company

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was everything we expected. We had a fantastic guide, Stephanie, who made the experience memorable; and provided opportunities to participate in additional events. We believe studying Rick’s guide book and watching his videos well prepared us for our trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Attending Vivaldi’s Four Season concert in Venice was an additional highlight for us. Touring St Mark’s was something to experience in person. Rome was also one of our favorites: The Vatican Museum ending with the Sistine Chapel"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my “trip of a lifetime“ (my first Rick Steves Tour) and it exceeded my expectations by far! We did it all, saw it all and loved every moment. Our tour guide, Stephanie, was organized and prepared…she would go out of her way to find us other interesting and fun things to do in our free time. The local guides were top-notch, they were so knowledgeable & interesting and just the right touch of humor. We truly enjoyed everyone in our group & absolutely loved our noisy dinners with friends!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Everyday was a “WOW” for me! While in Venezia, Stephanie found an evening concert for us of the finest Venetian Virtuosos…still in awe & still smiling; also loved our evening gondola ride surrounded by the lights of Venice, St. Mark’s Basilica & Square & our first group dinner. Loved the art, sculptures & architecture of Firenza, but people watching in the Piazza with a cappuccino & crepe was a favorite. Roma was spectacular, as is the beauty of the Sistine Chapel & history of the Colosseum."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I appreciated learning so much art history and seeing three magnificent cities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Michelangelo’s David."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyed the the trip very much. This was my 2020 trip that was canceled due to Covid 19 cancellation. Looking at booking another or one or two Rick Steves trips in 2023. Just have to decide which ones and date.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the "David statue" in person after reading and seeing photos of the statue.."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a great tour! Colleen was our guide, very personable, caring and careful with us and what we needed!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably the tour of the winery and the Olive Trees. Beautiful country and wonderful host!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was fabulous! Colleen and the Italian guides were outstanding! We are ready to sign up for more in 2023!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I cannot pinpoint one item. I have waited for years to go to Italy and I loved every minute of it! One evening while eating outside in Florence, a gentleman came out and sang opera in the piazzo. So lovely!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

It was very good. Colleen was so great, so knowledgeable and pleasant. I really enjoyed all of our guides. It was a treat to hear from local guides! I had a great trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Venice was wow, Having been to Rome and Florence before, I knew what to expect. But they were wows all over again. The gondolas were really fun, especially with the musician on board."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour guides were knowledgeable, helpful, with great ideas for other sites to see on our own. The other travelers, were like minded and a joy to be with.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the statue David in Florence and the Vatican."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour and my first trip to Italy. Everything about it was very well organized. I honestly cannot say anything needed any improvement. Everything from Venice to Florence to Rome went so smoothly. Our guides were magnificent. If there is another trip to Europe, it will certainly be with Rick Steves tours.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"A few airline issues aside, I would say the entire trip was a WOW."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"David"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

10 days went fast! Our main guide, Colleen, was really knowledgeable, great fun, and got us into places before the crowds got overwhelming. Every choice of hotel and restaurant was great, with a special nod to the agri-tourismo farm and its charming owner (plus his pup Leo!) we stopped at for lunch and wine tasting in Umbria. Local guides were exceptional. I greatly appreciate that each day had a chunk of time to explore on our own or just take a break. Love that tips are included! We'll be back

Favorite "WOW" moment

"How can I even choose?Perhaps the Vatican tour, which our local guide took us through and got us in close to see everything."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour group and guide! Got to visit so many wonderful museums and sites! Enjoyed our group meals and our guide was so informative and a great resource of information.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Colleen (our tour guide) arranged for an opera singer and accordion musician to accompany our group on our Gondola ride at sunset. This was such a special moment for all of us.. I also enjoyed the vineyard we visited and our lunch there. Such a beautiful place and our host was so welcoming and interesting. And of course the Colosseum In Rome - absolutely spectacular!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I am so glad we joined this wonderful busy tour. Reading about and seeing pictures of the treasures in the cities is one thing, but nothing like standing in front of them and having them described to us. I am so impressed with how the local guides brought art to life and placed it in a historical context. It is one thing to stand in front of a piece of art and admire it’s beauty, but totally another to have someone describe the context of how it was made, when it was made and all of

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is hard to chose, but seeing Michelangelo's David was special."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I must say that this tour coming on the heels of the Village’s of Italy tour proved to be physically exhausting. I was surprised to find that many of the venues we visited were very crowded, a lot of pent up demand I guess. The tour was everything I had hoped for and our group got along very well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Probably the sculpture of David which surprised me as I am not an art conisur."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had interesting group experiences every day, with plenty of time to wander by ourselves. I loved dining at outdoor restaurants watching the people go by. All three cities were very walkable from the major sites back to our hotel. We had a great group of tour members and enjoyed the group dinners!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The spectacular view of Venice at sunset from the top of the dept store building, gliding through the canals serenaded by local musicians, the view of Florence from the Piazzale Michelangelo while we sipped aperol spritzes in the afternoon."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was so great in many aspects. Lisa, the tour guide, was absolutely fabulous. I cannot say enough good things about her, she was tremendous. I loved each of our hotels (Guerrato, Silla and Ludovisi). They were different and special in their own ways. I thought 3 days in each city was about the right amount of time. The cooking class was lots of fun and we will definitely try the recipes at home. I also really enjoyed the wine tasting in Orvieto; Alessandro was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Peters Basilica in Rome"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Italy"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was a wonderful experience going on a group tour. No hiccups with our tour guide. It was a great group of 26. Lisa, our tour guide was always very attentive and making sure we were having a great time. Very knowledgeable and resourceful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Dinner together as a group was wonderful. My wow moment was confirming I did not have to worry about anything. Tour very well planned out in regards to activities and timing."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I'm so glad I did not try to do this trip myself, having most things taken care of really helped my stress level. Our guide was so valuable, I will remember all of their extra tidbits about each place forever. We have always been solo budget travelers, but now this tour really changed my mind. I think we will be doing more tours in the future to hard to navigate places.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our local guides' talk inside the Collesium gave me goosebumps multiple times. Her passion and knowledge about Rome were the best part of visiting Rome. Also seeing Tuscany for the first time, I thought it would look just like California where I'm from, but it enchanted me with it's light and beauty."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

High quality guides, friendly people and comfortable hotels.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing new things - in this case, the islands of Burano and Torcello."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Appreciated getting to now these big cities in Itialy. However the tour group size was a bit large for me. I would preferr the low 20s.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Listening to Francesca guide us at the Coliseum and Forum"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Just incredible, I tell everyone that has asked me about the trip and say that you really should put a trip like this on your list. Rhianne was an amazing tour guide, keeping the group together and organized. She was so knowledgeable, friendly and patient with all of us.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That’s a good question, so many. I guess seeing the ruins of ancient Rome and the Colosseum, simply because of the history of the place. It gives my the chills when I’m telling friends and family about it."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great trip. Went by so quickly. Rhianne did a great job of explaining things like the Rome subway and bus, things that aren’t obvious until you’ve done it once.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice was new to me and exceeded my expectations. I loved the bronze horses at st. Marks— not part of the tour but the directions led me to get tickets"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized, centrally located hotels, and great group of people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"A special treat to go atop the German warehouse in Venice to overlook the city. The gondola ride, and walking into the colosseum."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall great experience. Guide, Tina, excellent with more than 20 years of experience. She was a wealth of information and gave great advice regarding restaurants, things to do on free days, and schedule for each day (posted at hotel reception area). Hotels, provided meals and local guides in each city excellent. Daily breakfast was excellent in each city with multiple choices. Each city with unique experience and logical progression from Venice to Florence to Rome.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Amazing history of churches, art, sculptures in each city. Wow moments included visual impact of Michelangelo’s David and Pieta, Bernini’s Apollo and Daphne, Rape of Proserpina and David."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guides were very knowledgeable, helpful and over all delightful

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We enjoyed the entire tour , difficult to pick a wow moment, the entire tour was a wow experience"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We enjoyed getting a taste of each city on the tour. Our guide, Tina, was wonderful! She shared her love of Italy with us. Each of the local tour guides were excellent. I especially enjoyed the information on the artwork. It helped a novice like me appreciate each work. 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. Things like the cooking class and the lunch at a vineyard in Umbria. Overall, a wonderful time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had friends recommend your tours and we were not disappointed. The website gave excellent information and described the activity level to a T. The accommodations were in great locations and comfortable. The experience was amazing. We had enough group time and time on our own to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment came in Rome. Standing at the Vatican City wall waiting to enter I had to pinch myself to believe I was actually standing in the place I had seen on television and in the movies. The entire Vatican experience was breathtaking."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I really enjoy this RS tour, our tour director was outstanding and very knowledgeable being a resident of Rome and Florence. The city guides showed their knowledge and love of the art. I really the cooking lunch class and wine tour plus the format where there were a lot of half days on your own..

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice, Florence and Rome each had it wow moments, from art, architecture to food"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful trip. I feel like I really got a feel for how to maneuver in Florence and Rome.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"perhaps the cooking lesson or the wine tasting not sure"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My experience was wonderful! The best part was our tour guide, Beatrice. She is surely the gold standard for all others. I would do another tour with her any time. Bea is so personable, caring, and just plain delightful. She struck the perfect balance between watching over us and turning us loose on our own. Her recommendations for our free time significantly enhanced out tour experience. She is truly an asset to the Rick Steves organization. I hope to travel with her again!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think it was Venice. Such a unique and romantic place. We did indeed get lost on our first night there, so had the quintessential experience. I couldn't imagine a city with waterways and without cars. It's an incredible experience."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From the moment we arrived in Venice I knew that the tour would be a success. We were the last to arrive due to the water taxi strike that started the moment we had placed our luggage unto the boat, it was all smooth sailing from that moment on. Bea, our leader was full of energy, knowledgeable and what I loved was, that she shared her life story. Every bus ride, every hotel, every sightseeing tour was selected well and executed very smoothly. The people, the wine, the beauty, we loved it all.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The private viewing of Venice from a department store rooftop. The sun was low and light just perfect, I will never forget that moment. David, the masterpiece of the Renaissance, captivated and overwhelmed me, it’s symbol of strength and beauty one can’t forget. Every dinner alone, or with the group were wow moments, experiencing new dishes, finding common ground with total strangers were all wow moments."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour was everything I expected and more. Accommodations were lovely and well positioned in each city we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were three: The tour of the Grand Canal in Venice by boat; the winery in Orvieto and the cooking class in Florence."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fabulous tour of Venice,Florence, and Rome. What really made the trip great was our Rick Steves guide, Beatrice R. She modeled the Rick Steve’s attitude of being open and excited about travel along with something new, “elastico”, being adaptable to changes in plans and places. I was very interested in seeing the art and architecture in these three cities and was not disappointed. Buy tickets to the Borghese Museum in Rome- a must see. Will return to Italy with any tour led by Beatrice!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being in the Pantheon was fabulous- incredible historic building, 2,000 years old and still incredibly intact. I was impressed with the Roman engineering as well as the architecture. Wow Romans!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"David"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was very good. We saw all of the most famous sights with very little waiting in line. The other group members were friendly and happy to be on the tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I enjoyed the winery, cooking class and St Peter’s Basilica most of all. The group dinners were also one of my favorites."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As the tour progressed we became more and more impressed with the value of the “product.” For instance the value of the knowledgeable local guides was a surprise. The accommodations were an important part of the experience and we thought they were excellent choices.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The first glimpse of the canals of Venice and watching it function as a city. Seeing Michelangelo’s work."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour guides were wonderful. It was a very active tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Michelangelo’s David! Also all of Venice! The nighttime gondola ride was so peaceful and lovely."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything went smoothly… from finding our first hotel when we were on our own in Venice. Instructions were perfect. Every dinner, gathering and tours were on time every time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Turning a corner and seeing the coliseum for the first time!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

A fun tour, and the guide was great. Nice pace and balance of scheduled vs free time. Venice, Florence and Rome were all awesome. Travel on the bus was easy and pleasant. Great for learning about art and art history across the three cities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"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."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It definitely exceeded my expectations. This was our first trip to Italy and I could not have asked for a better experience. I would highly recommend a Rick Steves tour. No stress, well organized and a good balance of group activities amd time on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Celebrating my 60th birthday on a gondola ride!!!!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour hit all the high spots in the three cities! The choices that the Rick Steves tour made of sites to see gave us an experience of many best known places. I greatly appreciated the planning that gave us easy entrance into the sites, which was nearly worth the price of the tour for convenience! The tour was advertised appropriately in terms of challenge; it was physically challenging, but just what I expected. The tour guide was caring, attentive, and informative. Great tour!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I don’t know how to choose just one “wow” moment out of so many! I guess I would say my first glimpse of the inside of St. Peter’s Basilica was a major “wow!” I had grown up hearing about the Basilica, never imagining that I would one day stand within it. Powerful moment! David, The Pieta, Moses and the Sistine Chapel all compete for top “wow” moment, as well."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic! Details were planned VERY well. Tour guide knew JUST what to do & who to call when the train kicked ALL passengers off, including our Tour Group, because the Train Employees decided to go out on strike, abandoning all their passengers plus the Tour Group far away from our destination! The Tour Guide was outstanding! The "events" were great! The meals were great! Our Tour Guides company was great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the Santa Croce Basilicain Florence; the amazing families who are either buried, entombed or have cenotaphs, monuments, alters, plaques &/or memorials there. 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. Then there's the art and scupltures done by all the well knowns as well. Wow!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was well organized and was a great way to sample Italy's great cities. We enjoyed the balance of activities: it was nice to mix the visits to museums and historical sites with the cooking class, farm visit, and gondola ride.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were multiple "expected" breathtaking moments: seeing David, the Uffizi, the Sistine Chapel, the Colosseum and the Forum in person was as awe-inspiring as I'd hoped. What I didn't anticipate was the magic of the gondola ride (with accompanying musicians, no less) or how much we'd enjoy our visit to the Umbrian farm, where we had a delightful lunch and wine tasting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely and completely Fantastic!! Every aspect, host, accommodations, guides and food...nothing lacked.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Venice and the floor of the Coliseum in Rome"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall, the tour was great. Great guide, great people, great experiences. Having someone to work out the logistics for your trip and having local guides give you perspective and history was fantastic

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The wine tasting in Umbria. The farm is fantastic. Great views, great hosts and some lovable pups to boot."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guides were amazing at each stop. Jaimie was also excellent. I am celiac and the tour went above and beyond to accommodate my dietary requirements.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved everything about Venice. Florence was an amazing art experience an Rome left me wanting to explore more."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

wonderful guide Jamie, and the museum guides were fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The guided tours of the museums"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jamie was an excellent guide overall - on tour and off.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the Colloseum"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded my expectations. We had a wonderful experience and will absolutely be booking another Rick Steves' tour in the future!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The wine tasting event"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceeded all expectations

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved Venice. No cars"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was a good combination of activity and free time. The others in our group got along well. The highlights were the nighttime gondola ride with music and the cooking class.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The night gondola ride with music and spending time as the last group in to see David enabling us to spend extra time without crowds."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We have always been deeply-researched and tightly-scheduled independent travelers, but the unpredictability of covid cancellations made us consider joining a tour to handle the logistics. When we discovered that Rick has a no grumpy policy, we knew we had found our provider! The balance between group and individual tour time was perfect for us. We simply could not have joined a better group of enthusiastic, interesting and adaptable tour members and guides, courtesy of RS, with whom to travel.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It took us almost 24 hours to reach Venice where our Rick Steves tour began. The morning that we floated up on our alilaguna boat from the airport, we were greeted with absolute silence (no vehicular traffic allowed) and magical shimmering scenery unfolding before us along the Grand Canal. 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! THIS is why we travel!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Had a great time on the journey. It was much more physically demanding that I expected, but I was able to survive.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sistine Chapel"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It's my first time to join the RSE Tour and it exceeded my expectations. It was an experience of a lifetime! The tour was well-organized. I enjoyed every single activity, specifically the wine tasting, cooking class and group dinner in each city. I gained a lot of information from the Tour Team and the local guides. The Tour Team (Helen, Fotios, Mariella) was amazing! Throughout the tour, I felt that I was in good hands. I am looking forward to joining another RSE Tour soon.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was overwhelmed with the massiveness of the St. Peter's Basilica."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were blessed with wonderful guides who helped bring meaning to the spectacular sights in the three cities our tour covered. Our hotels were conveniently located and varied in style, making each location all the more interesting. The mix of scheduled and free time seemed perfect for us as we were able to spend extra time in some places of particular interest to us. We came away with fond memories of a beautiful country with intriguing histories, a country that beckons return.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I don’t know how to narrow down to one. Could it be the view of the Grand Canal from the Rialto Bridge in Venice, the David in Florence, or the Sistine Chapel in Rome? I am still processing the thought of the great potential of humankind to create and do good works. Perhaps my “Wow” is remembering this during today’s uncertain times."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Helen was an impressive guide and our sites were well chosen.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Pasta making in Florence"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My sister and I did this tour together because neither of us wanted to have to plan anything. The tour was a great combination of planned activities with the group as well as free time to explore on your own. Definitely recommend and would do again!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting to experience 3 very different cities and seeing the uniqueness and beauty of each of them."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was wonderful! Exceeded our expectations

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Loved getting "lost" in the alleyways of Venice. It was so nice to have time to wander - we learned so much on our walking tours about the history, art & culture that we didn't feel the need to spend our free scheduling an additional activity, We wandered, explored, ate cicchetti and just soaked up Venice!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great tour director, excellent informative guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The coliseum in Rome. You could feel the history standing in that place ??"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great overall. Great guide, tour guides, food, hotels and our travel companions were terrific. I was warned about the walking many times and that also was just fine. I brought good shoes and prepared. I even walked more on my own than when guided. Ferdy was the best and always prepared us for what was to come. Cannot say enough about the great experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I had two. First was our cooking class. Prepared an Italian meal from scratch. How many can say they made their own pasta meal in italy? We cut, measured, chopped, kneaded, rolled and fried, fried, am talking the entire process from kneading the dough, flattening to cutting into strips. Tiramisu was great when I make it :) the second was the side trip to a farm. Marco was such a great host. He told us all about his grape and olive operations. It was very memorable."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was amazing and organized. We saw things we wouldn’t have seen on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Italy we went to a family run winery. It was so amazing and the people were so welcoming. The food and wine were amazing too, I loved it."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved the tour guides attention to details. Loved all the sites visited. The tour guides were very knowledgeable and polite.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Colliseum ."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic tour experience. Our guide, ( Ferdi M. Andiamo Ferdi!!!) was great. Can’t say enough about everything he did to make this tour a memorable experience. We had a great group of people and our local guides were so knowledgeable about each site we visited. I have to mention our local guide in Florence, Antonia Macartney, a great intellectual with a sense of humor. Our host at the winery, Marco, who welcomed us like family. The hotels, bus driver, sites and the food were great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting three great cities makes this a tough choice but my wife and I agreed that it was sitting in the Piazza of San Marco in Venice. We had dessert at Caffe Lavena after dinner and had a wonderful time. The live music, the view of the Basilica of San Marco and all the people enjoying the evening was really cool. Also, arriving on the boat to the Rialto bridge was special. Couldn’t believe we arrived!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fabulous tour guide, Cecelia, who made everyone feel included, from preteen to post retirement ages

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Winery tour"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was very good. Our tour guide in Rome, Paulo, was an outstanding guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The ancient ruins in Rome and Vatican City were the highlights of the tour."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour itself was fantastic, unfortunately the heat zapped our energy and we were not as active as we would have liked to be

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When CiCi our guide revealed the "secret owner " of the winery we visited"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall, this was a fantastic tour experience. The content focused on history, art, and culture. This is exactly what we wanted and expected from a Rick Steves tour. All logistical aspects were worry free and well managed. As with any travel experience, not everything went according to script, but our guide quickly and efficiently handled all changes.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Getting "lost" in the streets of Venice. What a wonderful adventure that brought us to a number of unexpected delights."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour was a perfect introduction to Italy, I loved all our reservations, tickets and tour guides lined up and ready to go. Guides were extremely knowledgeable. Accommodations were safe and clean and in great locations (although Rome hotel was more out of the way than the others). I do wish we had been told not to convert money from ATM (unnecessary charge) prior to arriving.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Climbing the Duomo in Florence, seeing the Sistine Chapel in Rome."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We’re very satisfied with the tour. The hotels were very nice, clean and the locations were convenient to the places we went to see. Our tour guide is outstanding. He communicated very well with our group. He kept us informed of the site seeing events, places to visit during our free time and recommend restaurants to eat. The local guides were very good and we were given excellent information on the sites, museums we visited. The transportation from one city to the next was excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Sistine Chapel and St Peter’s Basillica."

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall, this was a great tour. It was aggressive, but that is fine by me. We saw and did so many things in the short two weeks. Our guide, Brad, was wonderful. He stepped in at that last minute because our scheduled guide was sick. Nothing seemed to fluster him. He encouraged us to ask questions and help get reservations or tickets, for our free time. I would highly recommend a Rick Steve's tour to anyone who likes to hit the ground running to see and do as much as you can.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The wine experience. It was more than I expected. It said wine tasting on the agenda, but it was much more than a tasting. We got to tour the grounds, the wine cellar was beyond words! Then, she talked to us about the wine and told us what it would pair best with and why. There were so many wow moments but this is at the top."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride in Venice"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Exceptional tour guides, just the right amount of scheduled vs. free time, wonderful hotel rooms/locations... a wonderful experience!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Marco's olive farm visit, with wine tasting paired with food prepared by his wife, and a view of Tuscany... felt like it was such a privilege to be invited in to this intimate setting."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I enjoyed being part of a group of strangers more than I thought I would. I thought the local guides from each city were engaging, well informed, and I felt they helped narrow down the most important things to see. The amount of time in each of the 3 cities was just right, and having all the travel arrangements between locations was amazing and stress free. I am looking forward to my next Rick Steves Tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I thought I was prepared to see Ancient Rome, but there was so much MORE and so spread out, I had no idea how vast the archeological diggings really were - so much more than just the coliseum"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I met great people, I learned alot and I loved our tour guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the patheon."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful!! It was a family trip with our two teenagers and it was absolutely amazing !!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Marcos in Florence ! Cooking Class as well so much fun"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Absolutely amazing !!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wine tasting at Marco's !"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized tour. Excellent local guides, in addition to the superb work by "Sarah" who led the team from the beginning. We will participate in more Rick Steve's trips in the future.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"A couple. My youngest son arriving after midnight in Venice by private water taxi after missing a flight, and sunset over the Arno river/ponte Vecchio as I walked back to the hotel from downtown Florence."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Italy was wonderful and our guide, Ferdi, really helped make the trip excellent. All the other tour members were very nice and great company.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking in and seeing Michelangelo's David!"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All the places and tour guides were amazing

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Florence"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Discovering the contemporary art contrasted with the works in the Venice museums"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Colleen was a spectacular guide and made us all feel like we were apart of the community.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our long meal in Florence I had such a great time in!"

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was extremely educational and interesting. It was amazing to learn about Italy from the locals.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment from the tour was the cooking class we took in Florence. It was amazing to have the interactions with the Italian cooks and with my other tour members."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful … weather was extremely hot but tour leader made lots of adjustments to make it work with the heat .

Favorite "WOW" moment

"David"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Amazing! Minus the heat, it was a perfect trip. Patricia has a keen knowledge of the areas we visited and her delivery and attention to detail were fantastic. I felt like I was traveling with a friend.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many... but the first day of the tour was special because I turned 60 and I was in Venice for the first time and celebrating my birthday. Patricia had the group sing to me at dinner and I felt like it was a dream come."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved this tour for the same reasons I loved my first Rick Steve's Tour, the perfect balance of structure and free time, the skip-the-line access, and the amazing tour guides and local guides. Just in case there may not be a specific question about guides later in this survey, I want to say that our tour guide, Patricia, was such a joy. She was so funny and helpful. She really went above and beyond the call of duty to help us and make sure we had a great time on the trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are two "wow" moments that stand out for me, our evening stroll on our first night in Rome and our tour through the Roman Forum and Coliseum. I'll never forget turning a corner and seeing the Trevi Fountain and then the Pantheon come into view, all lit up at night. It was breathtaking. I'll never forget standing on the "floor" of the Coliseum, feeling united to the glory of a gladiator and the suffering of Christians killed their for their faith."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour was a good mix of getting our bearings, learning about art, culture and history, and simply fun (often delicious) experiences.

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

our tour guide Patricia's ability to foresee any potential problems and her attention to detail made this an unbelievable trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Florence was amazing!"

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Our guide Patricia was very helpful & tried hard to make our experience the best possible. It was unseasonably hot in Italy while we were there, so the tour needed to be better revised to reflect that reality & take care of the tour. The Venice hotel was perfectly located. The winery visited was very run down, and needs to be changed. The Florence hotel was too far away from the center of town and this caused many to skip tour days. The Rome hotel was in a great location with a great breakfast.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our gondola ride was so fun and so special. The music just added to the great experience. Loved Burano! Wish we could have spent more time there."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first tour with RS and I could not have been more impressed. I appreciated the balance between scheduled group activities and the opportunities to explore on our own. Patricia and Bea provided a variety of options during our free time. They paid such great attention to the details of our personalities that even in a large group it felt personal.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are too many WOW moments to pick just one, but walking into the Sistine Chapel and walking out into the Coliseum were 2 moments that left me speechless."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Had the best tour director (Helen) and guides that anybody could ask for.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to say my wife and I have been to Italy five times and enjoyed the winery tour and cookies class"

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The experience was very positive and is one I would do again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have so many moments I felt were “wow” moments. One that stands out is our cooking class in Florence."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Realizing that I actually enjoyed being on a tour!! But in all seriousness, seeing the Grand Canal in Venice for the first time was a highlight. Seeing the coliseum later in the evening, without crowds. And that wine tasting outside orvieto was pretty "wow" as well."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Both Ann, our guide, and this tour were nothing short of amazing. Every detail was carefully curated to deliver an authentic, informative, heart-connected, unique experience. This is the way to experience another culture with genuine passion. Our guide and the local guides, who were astonishing, were able to distill the essence of these amazing, overwhelming cities into an experience that made me fall in love with each city, with Italy. This was much more than a vacation. It was transformative.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many. Honestly, each local guide provided a wow experience. Their passion and knowledge was contagious in a wonderful way:) The art was revealed with expert delight. The gondola ride in Venice with musicians was beyond, beyond. The wine tasting in Tuscany was beautiful and authentic, just delightful. We had so much fun cooking together! I will never forget the first moment in the Colosseum as our expert guide brought us back in time, effectively multiplying the magnitude of Rome."

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had high expectations for the tour, but the tour honestly exceeded them. I was blown away by the whole experience from beginning to end. Every aspect of the tour was so thoughtfully considered and planned with terrific guides who were so incredibly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the museum or sights they were sharing with us. Their insights and perspective zeroed in on the key history, ideas or aspects so that we could truly appreciate what we were experiencing. Loved every moment!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There was not one "wow", but many! The gondola rides with music and singing, the winery visit in Tuscany, the cooking class in Florence, were over the top spectacular. Walking through the Sistine Chapel and the entries into the Coliseum that the gladiators once walked gave me goose bumps and still does. Ann Long was absolutely, positively amazing-- she thought of everything, had a great sense of humor, kept us on time and on schedule, and went the extra mile over and over."