"There were so many I can't say! Your guide will help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road ahead. Absolutely and completely Fantastic!! No bus. The tour was incredible and so well structured. My Best of Venice, Florence and Rome tour was amazing! Along the way, we'll learn about the city's remarkable past and its challenging future. I did adore seeing Michelangelos sculptures and painting directly; the Colosseum, the actual physical phenomenon that is, was another high point - each city held its own wonders! We knew we would get to see many things we've been wanting to see for a long time. The local guides were were very knowledgeable and nicely paced. As on our previous RS tours we enjoyed the camaraderie of sharing the whole experience with our fellow tour members. 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. Loved the tour leader's enthusiasm about Italy. The boutique hotel accommodations, at our three destinations, were comfortable, beautifully decorated, and charming. She didn't inundate us with dates and figures, rather she made me feel like a Roman. "There wasnt just one wow moment. I enjoyed myself. All three cities were very walkable from the major sites back to our hotel. Cant say enough about everything he did to make this tour a memorable experience. 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. I feel like I really got a feel for how to maneuver in Florence and Rome. The guides were fabulous and we got to see so much more. Everything went smoothly from finding our first hotel when we were on our own in Venice. The RS audio guide was also a BIG plus - thanks Rick! "Our favorite "wow" moment was the Italian Cooking Lesson by in Tavola in Florence. Accommodations were lovely and well positioned in each city we visited. 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.". "My favorite moment with the group was our happy hour up on Piazalle Michelangelo in Florence. Our guide, Donald, was outstanding! See details on why, and how to visit inside on your free time. Our guide was clear and efficiently directed our group (29 people). Our hotels were conveniently located and varied in style, making each location all the more interesting. Our last two international flights had been significantly delayed, ( 24 hours and 6 hours) and this was before the recent Southwest meltdown. Or the first time we saw the Pantheon. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. "Best moment was the sunset gondola ride with serenade in Venice. "Rick Steves' Europe" Rome: Ancient Glory (TV Episode 2012) - IMDb "There were too many to be able to pick just one. Our stop at an olive and vineyard farm in Umbria was also a highlight of the tour!! The Rick Steves and the local guides anecdotes and historical facts brought everything to life in a way we hadn't experienced before. Lisa, the tour guide, was absolutely fabulous. She made sure every last detail of our trip went smoothly and was always there for questions or advice. ", All the places and tour guides were amazing. "Walking in and seeing Michelangelo's David! Our guide, Tina, was wonderful! And of course the whole city of Florence!". Our guide, Tina, added experiences thru her contacts with friends and artisans that really enhanced and personalized our trip!! The hotels were good and well located to main attractions. The walking tour with our local guide was fascinating - especially when we learned about how Venice was built. They were just excellent! Guides were extremely knowledgeable. David and Andrea were outstanding; great personal touch and understood how to handle a large group of people. I absolutely loved our guide Tina - she absolutely made the experience what it was. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. We visited all the important sites in the city. They paid such great attention to the details of our personalities that even in a large group it felt personal. I enjoyed every single activity, specifically the wine tasting, cooking class and group dinner in each city. No bus. Hotels, provided meals and local guides in each city excellent. "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.". My tours guide Stephanie attention to detail was excellent, "Gondola ride and seeing and hearing explanations of all the art". we stopped at for lunch and wine tasting in Umbria. It was mostly the best of times, but it also had a few difficult moments. There was a great sense of being in a remarkable place which cannot be duplicated in the United States.". And our "wow" was the winery experience at Cecelia's family winery near Orvieto. Rick Steves Bio, Girlfriend, Divorce, Net Worth, Ethnicity, Height I would do another tour with her any time. Cooking Class as well so much fun". We'll end our day as any good Roman would with a stroll through the historic heart of the city, lacing together the classy Piazza Navona, splashy Trevi Fountain, and in the remarkably preserved, 2,000-year-old Pantheon (when available). Every day was something new. The staff at each location provided excellent service, a comfortable and helpful environment and were always professional, courteous and responsive to our requests. "The gondola ride with music as the sun was setting in Venice". We had tour guides in each city to point out historical fact about the area. "I enjoyed the winery, cooking class and St Peters Basilica most of all. We did indeed get lost on our first night there, so had the quintessential experience. We saw things we wouldnt have seen on our own. Nina went out of her way to provide us with plenty of food to eat! Our guides were very knowledgeable, helpful and over all delightful, "We enjoyed the entire tour , difficult to pick a wow moment, the entire tour was a wow experience". Rick is admitted to practice law in all courts in the State of California, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal and the United States Supreme Court. moment.". Im not a super social or outgoing person and the tour was perfectly balanced with social and alone time, when needed. "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.". this was my first Rick Steves tour. I will definitely travel with Rick Steves again!". We had a good group of people on our tour and we all got along very well which made our trip so much fun! 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". ", Well organized, action packed. Restaurant choices were also excellent. The food and drink were fantastic and it was fun to get to know everyone in our group. "I have a very hard time choosing just one "WOW" moment from our Best of Italy tour. Touring St Marks was something to experience in person. The description of the tour was exactly as was statedlots of walking and spending our own time exploring in addition to the organized tour. ", The whole daily agenda was covered and enjoyed the experience. Join us for the Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days! The Tour Team (Helen, Fotios, Mariella) was amazing! "So many statues and artwork from talented people that I'd only just heard about. Perfect for young female travelers wanting a chance to sit back, relax, and enjoy. Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days Tour - Rick Steves Europe 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. Your . Second moment was the pantheon! I really enjoyed all of our guides. This was our first Rick Steves tour and my first trip to Italy. 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.". Exceeded our expectations, "Loved getting "lost" in the alleyways of Venice. I also think, based on posts I've read here, that you'll find less crowding and people-packing now, or next spring, than pre-Covid. She was so knowledgeable helpful and caring. This was the best vacation experience I have ever had. The history. I will definitely do it again. 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. "Thats a good question, so many. We had a great time! Sarah and Tom (our RS guides) were organized, fun, and down-to-earth. The food ! 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. Mine was Florence. She made us feel comfortable and took care of all our needs. Our guide was so valuable, I will remember all of their extra tidbits about each place forever. We loved every part of our tour in Italy. Rick Steves' Italy Map: Including Rome, Florence, Venice and Siena City "Turning a corner and seeing the coliseum for the first time!". "A few airline issues aside, I would say the entire trip was a WOW. This time I could get close and look as long as I wanted. I loved dining at outdoor restaurants watching the people go by. It was very memorable.". Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you. Everyone got on very well. The tour was a great combination of planned activities with the group as well as free time to explore on your own. It wasnt 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. Another amazing experience was with the local guide in Venice, who walked us through the Accademia. If you did, make sure you add it to future tours!". "Of all the fun things the gondola ride in Venice was a blast with the singers and great weather. The local guides were tremendous. How many can say they made their own pasta meal in italy? "Visiting the Santa Croce Basilicain Florence; the amazing families who are either buried, entombed or have cenotaphs, monuments, alters, plaques &/or memorials there. Patricia has a keen knowledge of the areas we visited and her delivery and attention to detail were fantastic. was great. "Seeing Michelangelos David was incredible.". The Venice gondola ride with singer. Really enjoyed learning about and experiencing all three while also getting a glimpse of the countryside between the three. Other highlights include the winery in Umbria and the Vatican tour. Were very satisfied with the tour. I don't know how anyone can choose just one "WOW" moment on this tour. We had enough group time and time on our own to explore. Both Bea and the local guides. "Too many to countbut the gondola ride in Venice, the cooking class in Florence, the wine tasting in Umbria, seeing the David, the Sistine Chapel and the Pantheon". ", "I had wanted to go to Venice for many years. With your emotions? 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 enjoyed hearing about the history of Italy but the wine tour and hearing the history of it was the best experience.". I was warned about the walking many times and that also was just fine. I think the only change I'd ask RSE to consider would be a rest day or slow day in Umbria as part of the tour. The tour was absolutely great. Great for learning about art and art history across the three cities. We were able to see all of the important sites and museums AND beat the crowds. Also, too, our 28th wedding anniversary dinner in Florence which our tour guide, Lisa, arranged for us. We had a wonderful tour the advice to arrive early allowed for delays, travel, and rest. She navigated the needs of the tour with professionalism and charisma. The streets were free of crowds. THIS is why we travel!". It was much more physically demanding that I expected, but I was able to survive. This was our first time to travel with a tour group and we were apprehensive, but we are very, very, happy with our experience. You'll be free this afternoon to visit the inside of the Colosseum on your own, wander through the nearby Palatine ruins, or climb to the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument to enjoy a panoramic city view. I also enjoyed the vineyard we visited and our lunch there. We'll meet at 4 p.m. at our Venice hotel, deeply nestled amidst the canals, bridges, and alleyways of this magical, preserved-in-amber city. "I wasnt keen to see Venice as I had heard negative things like the smell of the canals. The itinerary had the perfect balance of group activities and time to adventure on your own. Her passion and knowledge about Rome were the best part of visiting Rome. All of Rome was exceptional, from the sights to the food! "Dinner together as a group was wonderful. Walking past the Pantheon, stopping for pictures at the Trevi Fountain, and eventually climbing the Spanish Steps was very special "wow" memory. This was an outstanding tour. Tonight we'll feast together at our farewell dinner, sharing travel memories and toasting new friends. I was very interested in seeing the art and architecture in these three cities and was not disappointed. Had a fantastic and memorable trip/, "All of Italy was a "wow" for me with each city presenting something new and exciting. So lovely!". Nice pace and balance of scheduled vs free time. We particularly liked having time to ourselves to explore as well as partake in the tour activities. "My favorite wow moment from the tour was the cooking class we took in Florence. "Seeing the statue David in Florence and the Vatican.". "Arriving in Venice and view from water taxi at all palaces and surroundings. $25.19 24 Used from $18.79 26 New from $18.90. But they were wows all over again. But if the flights are booked, that's not an option. It's my first time to join the RSE Tour and it exceeded my expectations. Also all of Venice! "It was our first trip to Italy so there were many wow moments. However, anything after this will have a lot to compete with. The hotel rooms were small but doable since we packed light as was suggested. "Probably the sculpture of David which surprised me as I am not an art conisur.". Then we'll hear vivid tales as we take a walking tour around the outside of the larger-than-life Colosseum and through the the birthplace of ancient Rome: the Forum. As with any travel experience, not everything went according to script, but our guide quickly and efficiently handled all changes. He has summoned the amount from his earnings from the book, television shows, radio programs, and other projects. Loved the art, sculptures & architecture of Firenza, but people watching in the Piazza with a cappuccino & crepe was a favorite. 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.".
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