Stops along the long bus rides?

I haven't been on this tour, but I have on 9 others. The bus stops about every 2 hours. It may just be to gas up, but you have time to use the facility and grab a coffee. Lunch stops may be in a small village to have the mayor take you on tour & eat lunch provided by ladies in the local church (this happened in France.) Or there may be an area of outstanding beauty and you stop somewhere nearby for a picnic. On longer bus days there is usually a place where the bus stops to see or experience something wonderful. On the bus the guide may have language lessons or tell you about the education or health care system or talk about what you are going to see in the next few days. There is also quiet time to listen to your headphones or write in your journal or read your Rick Steves, guide to learn about what is coming up in the next few days. I've never found long travel days to be boring. If nothing else the view outside is sometimes fabulous.

Marcia, you may want to look at tour alum scrapbooks for this tour. The scrapbooks are created by people who took the Rick Steves tours and provide a great summarization of what happens on the tour.

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks/tour-alum-scrapbooks

Here are two scrapbook for the 21 day Best of Europe tour from 2024:

https://5297712.wixsite.com/postcards

https://sites.google.com/view/boe2124/home

Marcia, you benefit from the European law which requires the driver to stop every 2 hours for a break, or to switch out drivers. I don't think that RS tours usually have two drivers, so they have to stop for a break. They get a break, you get a break.

They often stop somewhere interesting.

I took the 21 day Best of Europe tour in 2009. I remember the rest stops (gas station, etc.) were large and very nice compared to American ones. There was plenty of time to use the restroom and shop for a snack, like chocolates in Germany and Switzerland. One had a large buffet, and our group ate lunch there. The long bus rides go by quickly, as the guide gives a history lesson, talks about culture, and answers questions. You have time to enjoy the scenery, rest, or read your guidebook. The tours are so active that it is nice to have some downtime on the bus.

Just don't chug a bottle of water upon getting on the bus, like I did. That was a long last 30 minutes until we stopped. Whoo doggies!

I should also add that I had a few cups of coffee, too.

I agree with Katarina. I did this tour in 2014 and LOVED it! Wow what an experience. Before the tour I was sure I would not nap on the bus...too busy looking out the window but wowser, especially the long ride from Cinque Terre to Lauterbrunnen Valley I was pooped and ready for a rest before I hit the trail in the Alps!

There was often an interesting lunch stop plus a morning and afternoon stops.

To me there were no negatives on this tour. This remains one of my favorite tours after 12 Rick tours and 13 Road Scholar tours. I learned SO much from the places we visited, things we did, from the guide (yea Dimitri!), the local guides and my fellow tour members.

Make sure you've got super comfortable shoes, pack lightly so it's not so hard to repack after a 1 or 2 night stay and you can keep track of your stuff.

you benefit from the European law which requires the driver to stop every 2 hours for a break

Not sure the details of the law and applicability, but been on numerous commercial buses in Germany, Czechia, Croatia, and Spain; well over two hours, and no stops.

Not doubting it, just not seen it.

do they have co-drivers?

I've never been on a tour that had one, but I dont see why not.

do they have co-drivers?

I've been on 5 RS tours and have never had a co-driver, though I do know there is at least one regular driver that brings a spouse along (they don't drive). And even if they had a driver to switch off with, there's no way they would press through a long drive with a bus full of people with bladders of a certain age (I count myself in that group). Though some busses have emergency-use bathrooms, they're not easy to use (and the driver would much prefer not to clean up after you).

Marcia as has been noted, you're not going to be on the bus 6 hours straight. I suggest you follow the adage "go when you can, not when you have to." If the bus stops for a break, take advantage. Sometimes the stop is super interesting - just make sure not to get too distracted :)