Tour groups in Europe

Kristen, Rick's books usually contain listings for excellent local guides. Although some of them are a bit on the "pricey" side, they do provide great local tours.

If you'll be in Rome, I'd highly recommend Francesca (listed in Rick's books). She's an incredible guide!

Cheers!

what is it that you want to see?

In 2002 we did a day tour with Tours Around Tuscany... absolutely fantastic and well-worth the money. We appreciated that they had a basic tour planned out but since it was just the two of us could deviate from it.
Had a great walking tour in Amsterdam with Ab Walet. Rick's books usually have excellent suggestions.

I second Tim--what kind of tour are you interested in? Wine tours? Tuscan villages? Underground tours? Tours of Rome? Private tours of museums? Pompeii?

There are lots of good tours we can recommend, but it won't help you out if we don't know what you want the tour for. :-)

The tours that we are mainly looking for is in Italy. We would like to go see Pompei, Sorrento, and the Amalfi coast. I was trying to look for a tour that included all three, but only one day. Most of the ones I found were for two days. We're open to taking the train to Naples and doing a tour from there, but we're not familiar with any. It seems like it might take longer to do a tour from Rome our to the Amalfi coast area because they go by bus so we thought the train would be better and faster. We also want to see the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel, but we might just book with one of their tour groups. A wine tour would be cool to. We're not too familiar with what to do so we're open to any tours.

Pompei, Sorrento, and the Amalfi coast are all easily doable by yourself on your own schedule and your own whims. I usually stay away from tour groups if the destination is easy and all of the above are easy.

Base yourself in Sorrento for 1 or 2 nights. To get to Pompeii from Sorrento just jump on the cheap Circumvesuviana train for a short 15-20 minute ride to Pompeii Scavi stop. The train will drop you right at the entrance to the ruins.

You can either take Rick's book as your tour guide, pick up an audioguide at the ticket counter, or hook up with a tour guide at the gate...there will be PLENTY of them around.

To see the Amalfi Coast jump on a bus to Positano or any other seaside town...such as Amalfi.

It will be cheaper and on your own schedule.

I agree with the above post. Do it own your own. Why be restricted on where, with whom, and at what time you will be sightseeing. It's like sheep to the slaughter. The places you memtion can easily be reached via trains. Do a little homework. Purchase a few guide books. I use: Frommers, Steves, DK, and Lonely planet. Each will give you a different persepective on the same locations.

I have already booked a hotel in Rome for about 4 nights. Do you think Sorrento, Pompei, and the Amalfi coast are doable in one day from Rome? I've looked at certain guide books and most are for 2 day trips. I didn't know if I would have enough time to do it in one day. Thanks for everyone's suggestions.

Kristen...Pompeii, yes. Sorrento and the Amalfi coast, no. Plus, there's lots to see and do in Rome itself.

With only 4 nights in Rome - definitely not! You'll barely be able to scratch the surface of Rome in 4 nights. The Amalfi Coast, Pompeii and Sorrento are best done NOT as daytrips from Rome.