Italy Adventure

[Elitravelor]

Our family--my self, husband,son 21 and daughter 11 are planning a trip to Italy for this summer. We are celebrating our 25th anniversary and our son's college graduation. We thought we would try to plan our trip ourselves but after our summer trip to Disney, ABD is looking very interesting. I just can't wrap my mind around a tour group. Did you feel like you never had family time? Did you feel like a big crowd? Was it too much in nine days? I would love to hear your thoughts.

 

[Pakey]

Does anyone in your group speak Italian or Spanish? Are you adventurous? Where in Italy are you planning to go? My DH and I went to Italy two years ago on our own. We didn't know one word of the language but I had my translation dictionary. We were going to stay in Milan, Venice, Florence and then Rome. We flew into Milan, could not find one person there who could speak English. We couldn't even figure out how to get out of the airport terminal to catch a cab. We got a taxi driver who spoke not one word of English but thank goodness he could read so that I could point to the name of our hotel!!! In fact, during our stay in both Milan and Venice, we never came across anyone who spoke English, including our waiters, hotel staff, etc. Florence and Rome were much better or maybe it was just that after Milan and Venice, we were used to having to figure things out on our own!!!!

Since DH and I also do not speak a word of French, we decided that we'd do ABD to France next year and see how that goes!!!!!

 

[haddenuff]

Our group (8 in total) did the Viva Italy tour in late July into August. The total size of our group was like 38. We were able to meet and get to know everyone in the group. You still have as much time as you want for family time. There is plenty of free time to do what you wish. The group was great and we met many nice people and friends. In fact, we are going to England and Paris next summer with two of the families we met (and rumor has it another maybe joining us).

I was skeptical on a tour group as well as had done one years ago and I knew it was not going to work with our group and destination. I am now convinced that to certain locations ABD is the only way to go to make everyone happy and keep the vacation planner sane! It may cost more but you certainly get more than you money can buy.

 

[Elitravelor]

Thanks for responding! I know--I just have to get over my skeptical self! I just keep thinking of a huge tour bus with people being pulled from one place to another--but after reading more on these boards, ABD sounds terrific. We do not speak Italian and I know the guides would be wonderful. Plus, I am overwhelmed looking at all the hotel choices alone without the sites! I am sure the accomodations with Disney choosing would be the best.

We are thinking of adding some time at the end or the beginning. It looks like people have enjoyed doing that.

 

[Royster83]

Please don't let a simple thing like a language barrier deter you from going to Italy. I travel there every year! The idea that nobody speaks english especially in the cities and poular tourist places, is proposterous and laughable. You should get yourself a small phrase book, and learn some simple words and make an EFFORT! Italians are very proud people like most countries and welcome visitors. You will find that they will welcolme you in THEIR language, but if you try to speak a bit of italian they will 95% of the time respond in english. I know it is scary and very embarrassing but you WILL find, they will help you more for it. It should also make you feel better for trying.

Ciao! = Hello/Goodbye
Grazie = Thankyou
Per Favore = Please

Also all menus come in English in most restaurants!

And I know we all LOVE the DIS but it's ok to break the mold once in a while

 

[Beth]

We just got back from the Roma & La Costa Bella trip this past weekend.

If you're looking for a phrasebook, I would highly recommend the Rick Steve's phrasebook. It's very small - easy to carry - and has just about everything you would need.

Though we could have made it through the entire trip without it, I found myself referring to it frequently - just for fun.

We had never been abroad, before, and had also never been on a trip with a tour group. We had a fabulous time!

 

[bekkiz]

I've done Italy both with a tour group and on our own. (I also went to Greece w/ a tour group)

Pros for a tour group: If it's your first time to the country, I think a group is a good way to go. You generally have free time to explore on your own--but you're never going to be sitting around in the hotel room trying to figure out what to do next. Transportation is taken care of--a HUGE plus if you don't really know where you're going. You usually get to skip long lines for major attractions. I think the main thing w/ a group is that it is pretty much worry free. You have someone looking out for you and your best interests, and helping you have a great vacation.

I've not been on a Disney tour, but looking at the hotel choices, and the itenerary, I think it's a fantastic way to go.

Now, Pro- On your own: Vacation can be an exhausting thing. You may wake up and really not want to go to such and such museum. You may want to simply go to a market, sit at a cafe and people watch. You may have off the wall interests that most tour groups don't address (for example, there was a very strange torture museum in a tiny town in Tuscany. My guess is ABD didn't stop there ) You may have your heart set on a particular hotel that you saw on the Travel Channel. You may hate art museums but love aquariums. Groups don't always have that kind of flexibility.

Like I said--tour groups, esp. high quality ones can be a fantastic and maybe even more importantly, EASY, way to see a new country. Visiting on your own takes a ton of work and planning, but you can tailor it to your own interests. I think ABD puts out a great product, even though it's expensive.