The hotels were comfortable, the food was tasty and authentic, our tour guide Pascal was great, and it seemed like everyone in our group got along famously! Also art in museums of Florence. I'm a musician and was invited to take part in the "jam". Loved it.". Another great RS Tour! We covered lots of ground in 8 days and were hustling, but did not feel overwhelmed. In addition to being a fabulous guide, she helped me arrange an additional private tour of Tuscany. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. There was a good balance of tour and free time. Thank you. Excellent experience. Anna was amazing and knowledgeable. Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you. The way she spoke brought the history alive and helped us connect to the past in a real way. "Hearing the Trevi Fountain from a block away and then coming around the corner to suddenly see it all lit up our first evening on the tour!". The churches were so beautiful and the Bernini sculpture at the Villa Borghese was so lifelike! It was fast-paced and energetic. ", Enjoyed the group, the Guide and the places we visited. The places we went (not the Algarve thank you) especially the smaller centres made the tour enjoyable and pace easier to take on. "The Colosseum and Roman Forum was my bigger than life "Wow" moment. I don't think we could have arranged such an intimate experience with any other tour group and certainly not on our own.". The lunch was also delicious, served in a lovely room overlooking the beautiful Duoro Valley.". Our tours are physically active! Our main guide and local guides were all amazing. A small, friendly group of 2428 people half the size of most tour groups; Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art, and culture of Belgium and Holland come alive for you; All group transportation from Ghent to Amsterdam; 10 nights' accommodations in memorable, centrally "Rome is full of wow. This was my 5th Rick Steves tour and I have been happy with all the tours I have gone on. Quality all around. The tour group was so much fun and all easy to get along with. "My favorite was our wonderful tour mates. She made everyday a new and exciting experience and I learned much more with this trip than I did in the past. It was also fun learning to use public transit. While these were beautiful, after awhile they all blended together. Our first tour with Rick Steve's but it won't be our last. Enjoyed the different areas and convenient transportation. That is so hard to pinpoint! This was our 2nd RS tour and it was just as excellent as our 1st in 2016. It all went pretty well. I had so much fun and learned an incredible amount about the history of Roma. I was nervous about group travel - I tend to prefer independent travel, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It showed us a side of Italy we were not expecting and we loved it.". Hotels were top notch with the exception of Dublin where I had a few complaints, but it was probably due to staff shortages. "I have been to Italy before but St Peter's Basilica is always overwhelmingly breathtaking. ", "The Douro Valley countryside - stunning!". However, Portugal and its people proved to be far better than I could imagine. I'm introverted and shy, but the website led me to believe that I should try to connect. Joe made sure they received the help they needed and followed up with them. "There wasn't a single WOW moment, everyday was memorable.". My first time seeing the Mediterranean! "The cork farm visit was astounding, as was tour of the Douro valley vineyard.". Appreciated having their help riding the Rome Metro and Amalfi Coast trains. The tour provided a great value for the money and I would not have seen and experienced all the places and locations that were visited on our trip. Lizzie McGuire is an American comedy television series created by Terri Minsky that premiered on Disney Channel on January 12, 2001. The weather was not so good, but that didn't keep us from enjoying everything. Francesca opened our eyes and minds to the amazing history of the Roman Empire.". "Arriving in Dingle and hiking to the lighthouse on my own or the stop at Glendalough and seeing the lakes and mountains.". Quintessential Tuscan town. Beautiful sights, comfortable bus, wonderful guides, great rooms. As in past tours, our primary guide, Claudia De Costa, was excellent, as were the guides in the cities and towns that we visited. We enjoyed eating with both Dara and Olive. Great tour since we hadnt been out of the country in 6 years. And those beautiful stone walls that have stood there for so many years, symbols of strength in adversity and a calm consistency.". I learned a lot about history and culture and enjoyed the beauty of the places we visited. We also had a great group of people. what's not to like. "We had an unexpected opportunity to stomp grapes at a winery in Quinta Santa Eufemia in the Douro Valley and it was an incredible experience. The tour was phenomenal. The itinerary was perfect - we hit all the highlights and then some. ", "I enjoyed our day in the Douro Valley. The knowledge of our guides (main and local) is exceptional! This is a great way to just relax and enjoy our time together. In short the best vacation EVER!! The tour guide, Rafael, was especially good - he was personable, knowledgeable, well organized, and a good teacher. "My favorite moment was a collective, last minute decision to write a "thank you" card to our guide Andrea. He was well organized and really knew his country well. Such a good historian and story teller.". But, it was perhaps viewing a Leonardo DaVinci painting in the Uffuzi museum in Florence and seeing how the perspective changed from different angles. The Heart of Ireland tour was everything that I was hoping for in my first trip to the Emerald Isle. The group was congenial. Our trip was wonderful. The group was fun. Sleep in Ennis. I really enjoyed their Portuguese wines and the views along the Douro River .". That was a lot of fun and the pork we had was FANTASTIC. We were in Italy. Seeing the ruins that are 2000 years old, walking in the same ancient footsteps and hearing the stories that accompany the site bring the full picture to mind. The dome and architecture going back 2000 years was amazing.". Our tour guide, Jaimie, planned extravagant meal experiences and kept us on track. I did not come with any expectations or actually a lot of pre knowledge but I left adding a new country and culture to my world. We got to bond a little more with folks while enjoying fruit & wine.". I will definitely plan to use Rick Steve's tours again. "Cliffs of Mohr/Slea Head Drive/Falconry Exhibition in Dingle/Bru Na Boinne Gave great perspective". Not the flash of the big cities or the natural allure of the seaside, but it had a real authentic and warm feel, and although there were tourists there (our group included), it didn't feel as if the town was there because of tourists. "Volterra was a very special town. The Italian tour guides were very knowledgeable and helpful. My family and I had an AMAZING time in Rome with our FANTASTIC guides, Sarah and Francesca! The rock art is absolutely amazing, especially considering the artists had nothing but stone to work with.". ", "Rock of Cashel is located at a beautiful site and the guide brought it to life.". Wonderful scenery. "Dingle! A small, friendly group of 2428 people half the size of most tour groups; Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art, and culture of Italy come alive for you; All group transportation from Rome to Florence; 8 nights' accommodations in memorable, centrally located hotels Overall great as usual, was our 6th RS trip. Finally, they spend a tremendous amount of effort making sure youre fully prepared for your trip. Excellent knowledge of history and dates Our RS guide Cecilia was absolutely wonderful and all the local guides as well. "No real WOW moments. Another situation that stood out in my mind was when we had two member of our tour group get separated and she ensured that they were safe and they were able to meet up with us at our next stop!". Our guide Nina was amazing! Also the most active/strenuous with LOTS of up and down- hills, steps, eat and repeat. Our guide Pascal kept us well informed, he was funny and a delight to spend time with. my overall experience was great. She was friendly, knowledgeable and made herself available for guidance and questions. Our guide Stephanie treated us like family and went out of her way to show us not only the sites but the cultural nuances of this historic city. It was a wonderful tour. The whole trip was well planned and organized. Reply. But I loved the Douro Valley, with the rolling green hills covered in vineyards, and particularly enjoyed our fabulous lunch at a winery. She brought history to life. The Coliseum in Rome, the views of the countryside in Tuscany, the terraced hills in Cinque Terra, the David and the Uffizi gallery in Florence.". Food was excellent. It was a great experience hotels, restaurants, museums and tours were great. And my last "wow" moment was seeing the Colosseum at night from above the Colosseo Metro Station on the last night. Having a balance of scheduled & reserved tours with free time to see other things we were interested in. Good exposure to local culture and variety of areas. Travel with Rick Steves. "My son was amazed by the vastness of the Vatican,our guide was passionate & clearly loved sharing her knowledge of the intricacies of that site. This morning we'll take a walking tour through Dublin including a stop at Trinity College for an illuminating look at the remarkable Book of Kells, a creative jolt that helped pull Europe out of the Dark Ages. I had a great sense of accomplishment--- from the hike and seeing Cinque Terre!". The tour was fantastic! Just so European! We had an amazing tour! My favorite activity was the Trastavere food tour: great guide, great food, and a special treat to interact with several of the business owners.". Well organized and informative. Portugal is an amazing country. This is our 5th Rick Steves' tour and again you do not disappoint! My travel companions and I made new friends at every stop, every cafe, every Uber. Today we'll bid goodbye to Dingle as our bus transports us across the Emerald Isle to Kilkenny. He explained very clearly how cork was harvested from the trees. "This is a hard question, as there were so many wow moments. "The Borghese Gallery and the food tour.". (2018) The Heart of England (2018) London: Historic and Dynamic (2012) Rick Steves' Rome: Eternally Engaging (2012) Rome: Ancient Glory (2012) very nice photos~! Tour was well paced, with excellent guide Maria and a pleasant variety of nice hotels. Dara was amazing. Plus you'll get all this, too. Art, History, Architecture, Culture, Religion, Food, and Community. This was our first experience with a guided tour so I was a little unsure about what the benefit would be as opposed to doing it on our own. Exceeded expectations; to include an absolutely expert tour guide, compelling destinations with superior room accommodations, extremely informative (rivaling a full-semester college course), with continuous surprises in the form of activities, diving deep into another culture, food, scenery, and history! A nice variety of experiences from the raptors to small village life, the tombs to Dublin. Camino de Santiago "For me, nothing compares to the magnificence of St. They really made the experience at each site come to life and much more memorable. This is one of the many perks of traveling with the Rick Steves company!". We had delicious food and wine, including 2 group dinners that weren't even on the itinerary. Cork farm was fascinating. I was particularly happy that all the sights were fairly close to each other, or just a short trip by bus or tram. This was my first trip outside of US. She always did! Here's what you'll see and do on our Heart of Ireland tour: Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. First time to Ireland and found Dublin very walkable and the countryside beautiful and peaceful. "It is a tie. It was marvelous, really exceeded our expectations. The group size of only 17 was also a plus. She made the trip so enjoyable. This was a return to visit to Rome--and the able guides Stacy and Anna helped us to make the most of it!They were fabulous, and took into account our interests and needs. "The little flowered back alleyways in Cinque Terra". So beautiful and the local guide was very good.". I highly recommend this tour, and hope to return for another of Rick Steve's tour. The hotels and the meals provided were exceptional. "Douro Valley views were fantastic - spring trip so everything was just starting to green up. I loved everything about the tour. A truly memorable experience. Her grasp of history, art and culture is staggering. Stephen's outstanding skills in handling the coach were greatly appreciated. Secrets of the Dead: Hannibal in the Alps Premiered Tuesday, April 10 at 8-9 p.m. on PBS. "One thing I did this visit that I wasn't able to do before was walk on the old Appian Way. I have no complaints and am so very thankful we were able to take this perfect trip. "The cork forest was my wow. I can't wait to go again! I was happy with all of the hotel choices; Clonmara B&B in Dingle was exceptional. Each day was planned well and was full of excitement. Get the most from your limited vacation time on a My Way vacation from Rick Steves. ", This was my 3rd RS tour and as expected, it was exceptional. The right blend of activities and free time. "Seeing my grandson awed by the colosseum.". I loved visiting and learning about the cork farm, and enjoying the excellent lunch there. It exceeding my expectations, Stephanie was outstanding and I cannot say enough about her abilities as a tour director. "My favorite wow moment was in Volterra. "Francesca and her knowledge and way to look at Architecture, sculpture and paintings. Group sightseeing events subject to change. We saw and experienced peoples' lives in their markets, their churches, their work, and their art. I enjoyed sharing with all the tour group. Fully equipped and fun to be with. Food was outstanding We'll start our day with a crystal cutting demonstration from a master craftsman, then hop aboard our bus with our local expert to follow the famous Slea Head Drive, our vote for the most beautiful road in Ireland. I enjoy these cities but now realize the difficulty of traveling in Early September (heat and crowds! Pacing was very good. Overall, the food was very good, with one exception. The show is produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting and distributed by American Public Television.It premiered on September 3, 2000; since then a total of 11 seasons and 137 The variety of activities was balanced & well planned. Tour activities varied and were fun and interestin, "Many WOW moments. Our local tour guide's knowledge of local history and personal reminisces made the Etruscan civilization and the local WW2 events come alive.". My stamina was fine, but I ached each night. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. We had a seamless transition with four guides - Cecilia, Stephanie, Lisa, and Susanna. Its hard to pick! and we got some wonderful pictures there. It was my first time in Italy and the tour was the perfect combination of art/history/cuisine/scenery. Great way to experience Ireland from the coastal towns to the city of Dublin. The things I saw, the people I toured with, and our guide made this trip great. Our tour guide, Ferdi, always made sure that I was served gluten-free food at our wonderful group meals (I am gluten intolerant); I am very grateful for that! We so enjoyed our Rick Steve's adventure! Good to start daily events early to avoid crowds and heat. Thanks so much. The pace of the tour was brisk but not overwhelming. Loved the tours, the meals together and the adventures of trying new things. "Holy Week time had some Churches closed for events (ie. What a great group! Joe was OUTSTANDING! Each of our specialized guides were also phenomenal, and Joe had clearly worked with many of them before. "There are many to choose from, but #1 was probably seeing and hearing the Pope speak on Wednesday morning. The view from Volterra was also breathtaking.". Great people on the tour and great tour guides who were very informative. (sorry kids) We lucked out and had two tour guides, Stephen and Paul. It was warm to hot and crowded in Rome when we arrived in early June and Nina helped us navigate the city quickly and efficiently. You'll have the rest of your afternoon free to visit any of Lisbon's "niche" museums (tile, fado, port wine, and other Portuguese specialties). Music that evening by a local couple. For most of this tour, we had to find our own way back to the hotel or to the metro - it would have been nice if our guide offered the option to walk anyone who was interested over to the metro. Our guide was informative, and fun. 5:00 PM. A huge worry of mine removed. Loved all the history and Art. We enjoyed the wonderful Italian art, food, and scenery. ". Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions. What a great decision I made selecting this Best of Rome Tour. Next Trip ICELAND!! We'll see and learn about Brunelleschi's magnificent cathedral dome, Ghiberti's Baptistery doors, and other creations that helped define this world-changing era. The 4th occurred in Trastevere as my fellow tour members and I were headed to our hotel from the Church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. The tour was excellent. Sleep in Lisbon. First time to Italy and I certainly felt that this tour did indeed provide a great overview to the heart of Italian history and culture. Amazing tour. I really enjoyed how our primary tour guide (Nina) was punctual, knowledgeable and interested in how much we enjoyed each day of the tour. Patricia, our tour guide was super helpful and worked above and beyond for group collectively and each traveler individually, "#1. Sleep in Coimbra. First time on a Steves tour and I must say it was well worth it in terms of the content, tour planning, sights and the guide. As has been my previous experience, the group members were so compatible--flexible, friendly, having a team spirit, great senses of humor, and just generally delightful. "There were many WOW moments! The tour bus was a brand new Mercedes coach, with an experienced driver. It worked out well for us to spend a few days on our own pre- and post-tour for museums and sights not included in the tour. This was our first RSE tour and Im very sure now not our last! My wife and I were absolutely THRILLED with our group tour of Rome! "There were many "wow" moments from the tour - One that was truly memorable was meeting Seamus and Ogie, the two Irish Wolfhounds in Dingle. Great atmosphere with huge variety of food and drinks. Love the connection our guide has with local vendors and the appreciation they have for RS tour groups is unique and touching. Our guide Cristina and driver, Helder were such fun and really made the trip that much more enjoyable. We suggest arriving a day or two before your tour begins to allow ample time to get over jet lag and be well-rested for the first few days of your tour. That didn't happen. "I would say the trip to the cork estate, winery and lunch at his family's home. We were amazed at the marine wildlife we encountered. Bus: 5 hours. There are even books specific to Med cruises, ie Rick Steves has Med Cruise Ports and Ann Vipond has Med by Cruiseship. The itinerary was great! There was no one who I didnt enjoy hanging with. This is so valuable for less experienced travelers. The pacing of the tour was great, leaving blocs of time for me to see sites of particular interest to me. Cliffs of Moher, Dingle and Slea Head Drive, Irish Dancer, falconry experience, whiskey tasting.". The winery was fantastic and the hotel on the Duoro was amazing! He made the trip fun, educational, and personable. I felt it was a good mix of big cities and smaller towns. Stephan was a font of knowledge and very entertaining! "The Colosseum and Roman Forum, history and sheer age. Our second tour with RS in Italy. And, sad to say, making history at being in Edinburgh at the Queens death. museums, and neighborhoods in Florence, Venice, Assisi, and Rome. I really enjoyed learning about Portugal in so many ways! Lisa nailed it. You may choose to hike the famous cliffside paths, taking in lots of fresh air and panoramic views between Cinque Terre villages. Cab from airport charged extra for luggage. Good variety of activities. Especially since we had a beloved tour guide leading us through as the museum opened, we were able to have the place to ourselves for those moments before the crowds arrived, allowing us to just take it all in. Our guide, Fatima Bugarin, did an excellent job navigating us through the current Covid rules and dealing with a positive case early on. Amazing to learn that so much of the marble was taken from the Forum.". My wife, Deborah, and I just LOVED the Heart of Italy tour!! We were very pleased with the tour group and especially our tour guide Maria, who was beyond outstanding. See our FAQ | Email tour@ricksteves.com. After meeting Nena she assured me it would be a great tour as she laid out the days events that came about. "I loved the food tour of the Trastevere neighborhood. The whole tour experience was wonderful. "Loved the down home Irish humor of Billy Keane at the Listowel pub where he entertained us.". Very enjoyable tour. Only disappointment- I was not happy with hotel near Cinque de Terre. The second was the Borghese Museum. Watching the skills required to hand paint the ceramics to seeing it all on display in the showroom.".