Well, we are still thinking about what we are doing. i have contacted a private tour company mainly to get us to Florence and Pisa. Well in the talks with them, I went ahead and asked about Rome and Naples, and Barcelona and Monte Carlo. I am actually leaning towards the private tour company for all the ports. It ends up being about 50 - 80 euros per person depending on the port, but they pick us up at port and drop us back there, there is no hassle with trying to catch busses, trains, etc. Anyway, if anyone is interested, let me know, the more the cheaper it is for all. They have a bus that can hold 50 people!!! I was adding up the costs and yes, this is more than doing it on your own in Rome, but for the other ports it is a wash. I am really excited because in Naples we are doing the Amalfie coast, going to pompeii, and the kids (all hundred of them, hahahaha, are climbing Mt.Vestivius as part of our deal.) That tour for 23 of us is going to cost 65 euros a piece. On Rome we are wanting to do the Vatican and the older sites, and for a 10 - 12 hour tour with a guide taking us all around Rome, it is looking like it will be about 60 euros a piece. In Florence, we are wanting to do the Uffizi and the Academy - then on to Pisa to see the leaning tour of Pisa. That one is also about 70 - 80 euros including museum entrance fees and leaning tower fee. In Monte Carlo, we are looking at about 30 - 40 euros to go to the casino at night, leaving the boat around 7ish and returning around 11:15ish. anyway, I was excited thinking about catching the trains, but when i realized that it does not work in florence - the train gets you in to late to really enjoy Florence, I went to looking at the tour company. You can check them out at travels with friends dot com
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