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Past travelers on Classic Italy Small Group tour?
We are looking forward to May 26th trip -- our first with Tauck. We're familiar with literature provided and generally what to expect but here's my question for anybody who has already taken this trip: What, if anything, were you unprepared for that you wish you had known before the trip? Thanks!
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We took this tour in May, 2010 and it was wonderful. There were no negative surprises that I can remember. Our Guide took care of everything. We were glad that we were on a small group tour as this made the city tours more manageable. We are taking our 11th Tauck Tour on May 30 (a River Cruise on the Blue Danube), so you can see that we are very satisfied with Tauck.
One thing that I appreciate on Tauck Tours, is that they seem to alternate between the large cities and the more rural ones and give you ample free time to follow your interests or to just rest.
I know that you will have a marvelous experience I and wish you well.
Bev
It will be hard for you to find anything disappointing with this tour! I had to think very hard to remember things that we were not prepared for as I had read multiple books and blogs on Italy before our trip including all the traveler warnings, best places to shop, money exhanges, etc. Our Classic Italy tour was in late September and I have to admit that we did not anticipate Italy being so HOT at that time of the year. We are from Florida and used to a warm climate, so the heat didn't limit our activities too much, but there were certainly people in our group who were affected to the point of taking a taxi back to the hotel instead of continuing with certain outdoor excurions. Short sleeve shirts and long shorts are great for places like Rome as long as you remember to carry a scarf in your bag to put around your shoulders for entry into churches.
The only other "surprise" was the limited number of restaurants that offered cuisine that was not Italian based. The pizza, pasta and Italian desserts are really yummy, but by the end of the tour, my husband and I were really craving chicken, red meat and our favorite hometown Chinese, Mexican and Indian dishes. We are so fortunate in the States to have so many different cuisines to meet our diverse palettes. The pastas and sauces will vary from region to region in Italy and we loved the subtle changes ..... just needed a good burger near the end!
Enjoy your trip!
Beth
My husband and I are also in your tour group on May 26! Our first Tauck tour as well.
My husband and I just returned from the May 1st Classic Italy tour(not a small group tour.) It was absolutely magnificent! The weather was wonderful; we had rain only two days, and the temperatures were mild. The hotels were first class and in great locations. Our tour director was so knowledgable, professional, and truly the very best!
In case you decide you want American- style food, there is a Hard Rock Cafe in Venice, Florence, and Rome not far from the hotels in each city. Take your AAA card, if you are a member, and you get a discount.
My husband said that he would bring more jeans and only only pair of khaki pants. Everyone dressed very casually in our group. The women wore capris or either long pants.
Do you plan to go to Capri? We took a boat trip around the island with a fabulous company called Capri Whales. If you have questions, let me know and also check out Capri Whales on tripadvisor.com.
The only thing I wasn't prepared for on this tour was how beautiful, magnificent, and awesome Italy truly is. As we visited each city or small village, I thought this one is the best, the most beautiful, only to go to another the next day or two and think this one is the most beautiful! Taking the tour with Tauck only served to magnify the splendor of Italy. This was our first Tauck tour, and we are already planning our next one!
Have a great time in Italy!
Ciao!
I have not visit this travel trip yet, I am going to plan my next travel trip in June 2013. I appreciate for providing such wonderful information about your Tauck tour. I hope you have an unforgettable experience with fun.
We love to dress for dinner sport jacket for husband, long skirt or dressy pants for me. Looking forward to hearing about all the upcoming tours. We have taken several Riverboat tours and love them all. Pat & Ray