Solo female, extra day in Paris or in Rome?

Holly, I find that it's a good idea to arrive at least one day prior to the start of a tour, as that provides some time to get "acclimatized" and over jet lag. Therefore perhaps Paris would be the best choice in this case? Keep in mind that you'll lose the first and last days of your trip (you'll arrive in Europe the day AFTER you depart the U.S.). The last day will be spent on the flight home. I assume you're taking the 14-day Best of Europe tour? You're in for a treat! Be sure to take lots of Memory Cards for your Camera! You might find that spending a day in Rome at the end of the tour is not the same "experience" without the group. I often travel for a while both before and after tours, and find the first few days after a tour is a bit "lonely". When is the tour taking place? Happy travels!

Hi Holly,. having done both places,, I would choose Paris,, two reasons. I would recommend two days at least. This gives you a chance to get over jet lag a bit, so you can start the tour fresh, and not all out of sorts. Secondly I like Paris as a solo woman traveller, never feel odd eating out alone there etc, the waiters don't hit on you as much as they do in Rome( hey my experience, some could have different) . Personally, I would also add a day or two at end of tour to Rome. Both Rome and Paris deserve more time then the tour can allow.
You are spending alot on the tour and airfare,, its smart to add time to it, and really be able to see some more of the wonderful sites.

I would 2nd the fine advice given by both of the above posters. Arriving a day or two early to adjust to the time changes etc would allow you to hit the tour at full speed. (You can never have enough time in Rome so by all means add a day or two there if possible. The nice thing is that you will have a feel for the lay of land and will be able to use a couple days after the tour even a bit more efficiently)

Thank you everyone, very much for the great advice! I think I will probably go with the pre-tour Paris idea. It didn't occur to me to add 2 days in Paris at the beginning (instead of one day) but it's a good plan. Then I can probably fit in one of those half day cooking classes in the Montmartre area. If I can find it. I think Ken has me figured out, because his warning resonated with me. If I stick around Rome alone after all my new friends and tourmates depart, I'll probably be gloomy! May as well enjoy the afterglow while on my long flight home, and plan to do a nice long tour of Italy next time! Will the tour people at Rick Steves tell me which hotel the tour will likely be staying at? It might be nice to get settled there early. Or not, I dunno! Maybe it would be nice to spend 2 nights somewhere else. I just don't want to get too LOST! I'm pretty worried about getting lost. I have no sense of direction whatsoever :( Thank you all again!
PS I'm planning a 2012 tour, yes the 14 day Best of Europe !!!

Holly, "Will the tour people at Rick Steves tell me which hotel the tour will likely be staying at?" Absolutely! Shortly after you register for the tour, you'll receive a notice listing your first and last Hotels. About a month prior to the start of your tour, you'll receive a full list of all the Hotels, along with a list of your fellow tour members and your Guide. As soon as you receive the name of your first Hotel, contact them and reserve a room. As I mentioned earlier, you'll be arriving in Europe the day after you depart from the U.S. so be sure to account for that when you book. Note that once the tour starts, you may have to change to the room assigned by the tour (that was the case on my last tour there). As a solo traveller, one decision you'll have to make is whether or not to pay the Single Supplement. If you don't pay the supplement, you may be rooming with other solo travellers of the same gender. As you'll be starting your tour in Paris, you may want to have a look at This Excellent Website for information on getting from the airport to your Hotel. I prefer using the RER "B" and Metro. Your Hotel will likely be in the Rue Cler area, and it's very acessible via Metro. Cheers!

Yes Holly, they do let you know which hotel you will be staying in pre and post tour,, they also let you know all the other hotels, but at a later date( closer to departure). They tell you the pre /post hotel about 2 months before and the others a bit later( can't rremember exactly when, but just phone them and ask, they are very helpful)
Many people choose to stay at the tour hotels,, just saves the move and hassle. I stayed at the pre hotel in Rome, but we finished in Paris and I moved to another hotel that I had stayed in previously, and was cheaper as I stayed another week. For one or two nights the convenience is worth staying put.

Holly - when you e-mail or call the hotel be sure to tell them that you're on a RS tour and would like to arrive a few days earlier (or stay later). They will be expecting this because a lot of people extend their stay. They may offer you a better rate or other "extra". Once I got breakfast included and another time a free ticket for the Bateau Mouches. RS tours are great - you made a good choice!

Hi Holly - I second getting to Paris a day early - you lose a day on the way - so really you only gain a night's sleep and 2/3 of a sightseeing day. But may I also humbly suggest adding one extra day at the end in Rome too. There is so much to see in Rome and one night and one full day is NOT enough. I ended a RS Italy tour there and yes, I was pretty bummed the morning I woke up and realized I wouldn't have my guide or buddies. BUT, I had one of the best days there - Borghese Gallery (not covered in tour, reserved ahead of time) was amazing and I don't regret spending a few hours there. I also went to a couple churches, the National Museum of Rome, mailed postcards from the Vatican post office, and had two extra big helpings of gelato before heading home. By the time you get to Rome, you'll be a temporary European - won't be nearly as jarring as Paris may be at the beginning. Plus, your guide will have given you the ins and outs of metro, etc. in the city so you'll be set. As for hotels, the RS people can give you ideas, but not firm commitments until a maybe two months or so before the tour - depending on when you go, that's likely too late to book. I have never gone wrong with RS book suggestions combined with Trip Advisor. I stayed in Hotel Sonya in Rome - close to train station and lovely staff (but check TA, I stayed in 2006 things may have changed). It is usually quite easy to transfer hotels (Many RS hotels are close to each other), and most hotels will let you stash your bag if your check out time is early. PM me if you want more info - I've been on 3 RS tours solo and would be happy to share.

Also, instead of being sad that you won't have your new tour friends and guides, be happy you can go wherever the urge strikes. Being in Rome with the tour will give you a good primer of what you might want to see more of. (For both cities but esp Rome a good map is worth its weight in gold) I travel solo and it can be a bit lonely but it can also let you do exactly what you want. I would look at it as a golden opportunity as opposed to being sad you don't have the group.

You're probably less likely to be the centre of attention as a solo female in Paris. Can get a bit tiring in Italy where public bottom pinching seems to be encouraged. Never felt threatened, just a bit of a cultural shock.

Everyone is so great on this board, I can't get over it! Mike is right, I have to be grateful for the "solo" part and keep my attitude on straight. Once I went on a big family vacation and everyone was bickering about what to do and when. "Are you kidding me right now?" I was thinking! I was dying to be solo at the time! Too funny! CL, I wish I could download your courage. You went all over Rome by yourself seeing things you couldn't miss. Wow! Ken, thank you for the fantastic website about Paris train systems. Donna thank you for your tip. I had to look up "Bateau Mouches" - OH! The Seine tour, LETS GO! Thank you everybody so much. Bottom pinching, LOL oh my goodness. Everyone's tips are so welcome, so great. You are a group that is hooked on travel. I can't wait to be like all of you! I'm ready to embrace my fear of "getting lost" and go for it! I wish I could go right this minute.

Hi Holly, I agree with what the other posters have told you so far. Arriving earlier, before the tour, works great and allows you time to get over jet lag. The cooking class sounds fun! In terms though of being 'lonely' after the tour, I agree with Ken. On my first RS Tour, my flight didn't leave until one day later, but I was quite sad and quickly missed my 'new friends,' as there were only 2 other people left from my group. Another thing to think about; I believe you mentioned in a different post about being nervous dealing with transportaton issues? If you leave Rome the morning the tour finishes, often you can arrange rides to the airport with other tour participants so you have one less transport issue to deal with. (Of course, the hope is, you'll be SO EXPERIENCED traveling through Europe by that point, you won't be worried anymore). Enjoy!
:)

Being on your own for a day or two after the tour allows you an opportunity to go back to a sight you didnt have enough time at with the group, or something you wanted to see that wasnt on the tour. There are advantages and disadvantages

I did that same tour - it's a great tour to experience some of the highlights of Europe. I definitely agree with the suggestion to arrive a few days early in Paris, just to get accustomed to the time change. Due to other issues, on our Paris in 7 days RS tour, we arrived on the day of the beginning of the tour. Many of my tour companions, including my DH, fell asleep on the bus tour of Paris. After the tour ended in Rome, I arranged for a bus trip to Naples and Pompeii. I still had a schedule for my day, but I could also wander around and look at the ancient structures of Pompeii. I ended up sitting on the bus with an Italian woman my age and between her poor English and my poor Italian, we still managed to have an interesting conversation and a nice lunch together as part of the tour. I can't remember which bus company I used, but you could check online. This was a good compromise for me - I didn't feel up to navigating the train system on my own to visit Pompeii, which had been a life-long dream of mine to visit. I was so glad I had taken the time for the experience, plus I was dropped off at my hotel at the end of the day.