This profile enables motor-impaired persons to operate the website using the keyboard Tab, Shift+Tab, and the Enter keys. "Everything about the tour was a "wow" moment but, when I first saw the Colosseum, my lifelong interest in Roman history came to life in a dramatic & concrete way that became the thrill of a lifetime. The trip is exactly as described on the website: a lot of walking every day, 2 nights in each place, some dinners on our own, and free time in which to explore either by ourselves or with others from the group. Raised our expectations wondering how it could ever be matched. Camino walk. "The Camino de Santiago was our outstanding memory. During our free time on this tour, I saw three outstanding examples of that style. Staff were fine. I am already thinking about my next tour and I have only been home a few weeks. The venues in Santa Clara, Boston, and Atlanta cost about $150 or less per hour, with a three-to-five-hour rental minimum. There were multiple moments. The online description was very accurate so we knew what to expect. The tour contained just the right amount of structure and free time. Nice tour which focused on a unique region and culture lead by passionate guides from the region. The towns/cities we visited were great. "All moments were WOW - too many to list. It was outstanding and a great time was had by all. We also travelled with our son and that also made it special. The hotels were very satisfactory. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. The time walking on the Camino. It was interesting to later view the sunburst signs marking the trail as we continued through villages on the tour. It was an interesting mix of geography, food, and occupation. I believe our guide's example and consistent messaging was the reason all of us got to Rome. For some this may not have been a "wow" moment, but I really enjoyed the sheep farm also, learning how they make the sheep cheese, etc.". Pointing to where his family lives and visiting the church he was married in made this an amazing tour. He had never been to Europe and a Rick Steves' tour was on his bucket list, so he talked me into it being we were celebrating our 50th wedding anniversary with this trip of a lifetime. This was our first R.S. Fran is an excellent host and my favorite guide to date, the group was kind and adventurous, the food was great, the places a delight. we learned of its spiritual nature and came away with a life experience nonpareil.". Learned a lot about a region I knew very little about, "I have wanted to go to the Guggenheim Museum for years and finally got there!!!". Although we had been to Spain several times (once on a Rick Steves 'My Way' tour), the Basque Country of France/Spain was a new region for us. I also like the balance of meals together and meals on your own. You could see the passion of the owner, how proud he is of what he does, and how he loves to share his experience with others. Our group was also exceptional-all got along quite well. Another Rick Steves wonderful tour. Our tour guide, Donald, was a wealth of information with a side of comedy. I knew so little about this region that I didn't know what to expect. Beautiful. Loved the slower pace here and the chance to relax and enjoy this picturesque city. Shocking. We'll stop for a well-deserved lunch and tasting of regional vintages at a local winery, arriving in San Sebastin in time to get oriented to our new neighborhood. Our tour guide, Caroline, and specific city guides were instrumental in augmenting my understanding of the country. Bergen-Belsen is unique because it shows the extent of the efforts to dehumanize people from the Russian POWs to the Jews and other victims and then to the post war period.". "A simple hike at Castle Ruth, a stay in a beautiful vineyard spa, and the sights of Rome were definite highlights of the trip.". Agustin's narrative on the Guernica by Picaso really brought home the ravages of war. Bus: 3 hours. Views, walks and area was breathtaking. "Hiking along the Camino and Francisco's passionate explaination of Picasso's Going thru RS made it a lifetime experience. "Being serenaded in Venice on a Gondola ride, it was my birthday and Sara placed an accordion player and singer on the Gondola with my wife and I.". We were celebrating 40 years of marriage and wanted a memorable experience. The experience of seeing the running from a safe 3-rd floor balcony is certainly a valid reason to select this slightly more expensive tour. Moderate walking: 26 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. The hotels were very nice with great staffs and good breakfast buffet. It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. in Alpe di Siusi, and the farmland from my room at Altarocca. The Elbphilharmonie is not a 3 star attraction (per Rick's book). I especially liked the fact that we were given a lot of free time to explore on our own. As is typical of Rick Steves tours, the culinary experiences were magnificent. He was a native of the Basque Country, which was where we toured. We liked the blend of planned time and free time which was really nice and our tour guide was absolutely amazing. People post unique birthday dinner ideas all the time, and these can really get the creative juices flowing. "Claire, Claire, Claire and Claire!!! So what are you waiting for? The guides provided great insight into Italy and augmented our tour immensely. Enjoyed the local guides in each area and the knowledge they had to share. A great surprise, thanks to Trina. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying in the Documents section of your tour account. "The entire tour was a WOW moment! Hotels, entrance tickets, ground transportation, and many meals were all planned for us. "The most favorite "wow" moments for me were seeing my family marvel at the sights and hearing them proclaim each new location their favorite!! Hotels were centrally located; accommodation was very comfortable with substantial buffet breakfasts. HAPPY TO ALSO WEAR A MASK UPON REQUEST. Loved everything about it and Castelrotto!". No limits! That was also a WOW moment.". Our guide, Francisco, was incredibly knowledgeable as well as funny and warm and very well-organized. Enjoyed all of our stops, our guide and local guides really added to the trip, can not say enough wonderful things about them all! When we arrived at Alto del Perdon, our Camino experience went to a whole new level. Well taken care of, from how to manover highway stops, to history of next stop, to concerns regarding Covid, "Walking into gallery, and there was David. I went into the trip without any expectations and was pleasantly surprised. "Cinque terra was fabulous. Great guide in Claire, Assistant guide Andrew was very helpful. This introvert even got comfortable ordering in tapas bars. Seattle. Wonderful! Ohhh such a memorable trip."WOW"". It just felt good for us to be there - one of the best trips we've ever had. I feel I learned so much about the Basque region from Francisco's ability to share his native culture through knowledge and humor. Everything ran on time. A fast-paced and varied experience tour. Many of the small cities we visited were places I would never have gotten to on my own. If you're using dinner party background music, start the playlist during set-up. Starting from Hamburg was a great introduction of things to come. The carved figures around the fifteenth century tomb of Charles III of Navarre and his wife were exquisite. Varenna, Bellagio and Lake Como were beautiful as was Cinque Terre. We went to the bridge in shopping clothes. "Thoroughly enjoyed the communal meals with the gastronomic society in Pamplona and the winery (Bodegas Lezaun) on our way to San Sebastin. We had an excellent guide, Francisco, who helped us learn more about the Basque communities and explore the many cultural and historic sites. Second was the first view of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao.". ?????? "FRANCISCO'S DESCRIPTION OF PICASSO'S GEURNICA WAS TRUELY MOVING.". I also found Berlin fascinating.". ", This tour far exceeded my expectations We had interesting activities every day and then time to explore on our own to new areas or to go back to ones we found particularly interesting, "I had 4 WOW moments: We'll finish our morning walk in St. Mark's Square and Basilica (when available). The stay at the vineyard (altarocco) was a nice treat as well.". were all "things to see in one's lifetime," I personally real enjoyed the more outdoorsy sites (Lake Como, the Dolomites and particularly Cinque Terre). The crowds, the food, the fireworks.". We would strongly recommend this tour to anyone not familiar with the Basque region, and strongly recommend Rick Steves' tours to anyone that hasn't tried one yet. Our guide, Michael was perfect. This morning we'll head straight for the single most-visited site in all of Germany: Cologne Cathedral. ", "The moon over lake Como, hiking in the dolomites after a light snow,a duomo a day, the Pitti Palace and Uffizi galllery in Florence, Francesca's tour of Rome and the Borghese Gallery. It was so easy having all the transportation, hotels, and most attractions already reserved and taken care of. The tour is very active not only physically but the amount of places we visited. I would have enjoyed more up-close-and-personal experiences with locals; more unique opportunities. The frescoes were amazing. "Multiple "wow" moments, including hiking the alpine meadows in the Dolomites and the trails in the Cinque Terre, the group gondola ride with music serenade in Venice, and the peace and tranquility of the Umbrian countryside accommodations and time in Orvieto. It took some places off of my bucket list. The view of San Sebastian from atop the Monte Igueldo lookout was also a WOW moment. Great coordination from beginning to end. We had a good mix of ages of people. Today we'll take off for the countryside that inspired a thousand legends and visit the real-life settings where the Brothers Grimm did much of their fairy-tale research in the 1830s. The tour was well-balanced with group learning and free time for ourselves to explore on our own. 1. But I'm going to have to say the sheep farm was probably my biggest wow. I loved the way she made certain that we knew the pertinent history of the area we were in, answered our questions. "Walking the Camino was one of many highlights of this tour for us. We learned a lot of history and important facts about the area. Next, consider the venue. Fascinating tour of the Basque culture, language and landscape. He really made the trip. Hearing a justification for bull-fighting in a private bull-fighting museum was also a special Rick Steves' touch. From beginning to end, the tour was a smash. - Experiencing the towns along the Rhine, especially Bacharach and the Rhine river cruise. I loved the Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, and the streets of Pamplona.". Nice hotels. "I really enjoyed and looked forward to Torben`s on the bus overviews of the history and facts of the next stop. I have German ancestry so it was natural I would come here someday. (and I have to mention dinner at the Chef's house in Varenna with demonstration on how he makes noodles was memorable!)". If I could have, I would have seen more. Overall it was a wonderful trip filled with the fun and highlights and insights that make-up a Rick Steves Tour. I certainly enjoyed the group--their interests and personalities, and appreciated so very much our guide who I found to be brilliant. "There are too many things to pick from, but this image will never leave me. This was the usual (come to be expected) outstanding Rick Steves tour experience. "There was definitely a "wow" moment in each place we visited, that is why this tour is so fantastic. Enjoyed the activities, the food and wine, the group members ,and all the towns we visited and stayed in. It was a godsend and made touring easier by saving our energy. She presented information, as you would expect of a "local guide", The rest of the day is yours to stroll across the delightfully medieval Ponte Vecchio, visit more of the city's art-filled churches and museums, browse the colorful markets, and find a special trattoria for dinner on your own. The Colosseum was another "Wow" Everything about it was a "Wow" What a feat of The scheduling and use of time was outstanding. Great tour, wonderful Guide, very informative local guides along the way. Hotels of character & modern convenience + brkfsts were great. No bus. It was definitely something I will not forget". Every step of the way, they made the BEST OF ITALY in 17 days informative and fun. Donald was a terrific tour guide and I especially enjoyed the history and art lessons he provided. This trip was supposed to be a guided trip, and that might be a problem. Overall a great tour. enjoyed the variety of towns and the short hike on the camino , Wonderful, caring and thoughtful guide, . I loved that there were plenty of planned activities as well as ample time to yourselves to do your own thing. It was a good trip. I was concerned about the lengthy bus rides but they didnt feel long and there was plenty to look at and hear about. Oh yes, drank a lot too! Our "Taste of Germany's Best" was fantastic! Hotel staff were very helpful. The stops on the itinerary were interesting as were the local guides, "I had a couple of wow moments. Castle Neuschwanstein is overrated and consumed too much of our time. quince venues near me, Many in the Fort Worth & Dallas areas are looking for Quinceanera venues near me, but the search can end here! Everything was thoughtfully planned and the schedule was excellent - plenty of activity but also built in time for rest, relaxation or just being free to do what you wanted on your own. The hotels were nice. I just kept on staring at this incredible art piece. Amid rising prices and economic uncertaintyas well as deep partisan divisions over social and political issuesCalifornians are processing a great deal of information to help them choose state constitutional officers and A+! I'll never forget his passion and humility. Saw beautiful landscapes, amazing works of Renaissance art, many historical towns and inspiring churches and museums with the opportunity to stay in city hotels and enjoy excellent Italian foods and feel a part of the culture. "Caroline surprised us with a tour of Castle Wartburg!! "There were many peak experiences on this trip. WE LOVE THE BASQUE COUNTRY AND FRANCISCO. This tour was awesome. Also really enjoyed the 4 hour walk through Berlin. Our guide, Jorge, was excellent. ), "Our visit to the private bullfighting collection in Pamplona was a very special experience. You'll have easy connections to home, or on to other points in Europe. The third was after our guide booked a special trip to Wartburg Castle. I had to wash my travel pants because they smelled and were covered with sheep nibbles. He got a bit short with people, didn't take the time to make sure EVERYONE had a chance to see maps and subway layouts, etc. I never knew the actual Pied Piper village really existed! Guernika? Everything was beyond my expectations. I think the trip would have flowed better in the reverse order, i.e. I might have preferred 3 nights in Venice and Florence and omit 1 stop. In a word: Phenomenal! Reds Roadhouse is the perfect venue for such a special occasion! Perfect mix of group time and alone time. "I left the tour group at Erfurt, hopped a public bus to Weimar, and visited the homes of Franz Liszt and Goethe. First time in Italy. The tour was well-organized, allowing for both spontaneity and guidance. The scale of urban buildings, the many waterways, the vast amount of greenery was very comfortable. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate towns and cities on your own. The flow of the tour was well thought-out. I thoroughly enjoyed this tour. and The Verona Arena dating back to 30 AD that is still in use today was very impressive. Our tours are physically active! Fantastico! We'll gather at our hotel in Bayonne, France, at 5 p.m. for an introductory meeting. Again we were joined by 24 fellow travelers who were a major reason the tour was so good. Our walk on the Camino de Santiago and tour of Guernica were things we never would have done ourselves. So I appreciated that they included history and knowledge about the local culture, as well as extended time in a few places along the way. The tour did allow for enough free time to explore on your own ( in addition to the planned tours and group activities) and I took advantage of that to walk and explore where we were. Then we'll board a boat for a relaxing Rhine River cruise, passing picturesque villages, vineyards, and feudal castles. When I opened up the window over the fire escape, I could stand halfway out of it and see roofs and towers all around that probably haven't changed much in appearance in 400 years. One moment for me - in Assisi, as we walked down a corridor there were 2 doves, inside, cooing, against the backdrop of the gardens, etc. The hotels were centrally located which made it convenient to traverse the different sites. Very efficient and well coordinated. Property. I met nice people, saw interesting things, ate great food, and learned many things. Beautiful area. This tour did not dissappoint me. We were busy learning about and participating in the culture and society of Germany every day. Varenna / Lake Como is one. North of Bellingham you will discover Lynden, Ferndale and Blaine, each town with its own unique charms. The Rick Steves films always suggest this time to visit crowded venues but to be shepherded there was great.". It was nice that this tour did not require a lot of time on a bus. I enjoyed the continuous activity and although it was a little scary navigating the larger cities of Hamburg, Munich and Berlin, we surprised ourselves and did do! I appreciated the towns that were chosen for overnight stays and the "quaintness" about them. But, if I have to choose one I would have to say that it was our dinner at the supper Club in Pamplona, Spain. Loved all the medieval cities, walls, customs, wars, Nazi info. It changed my perception of Germany, particularly how it is dealing with its past. Although we had visited Germany before and studied German, we learned so much more about Germany from this tour. Pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this tour. 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