I want to take the tours in Sept. or Oct. of 2018.
Older female traveling alone.
Has anyone done both these tours, especially back to back?
I have already seen Rome, Milan, Florence & Venice. Now I want to see these smaller areas.
The northern Italy tour is 14 days, starting in Padua, ending in Lago d’Orta (near Milan)
The southern Italy tour is 13 days, starting in Rome and ending in Naples.
I was thinking I could take a train to Rome to meet the southern tour.
Recommendations?
I think it's a great idea! And a wonderful way to amortize the airfare over more time! And a terrific way to practice Italian!
I did Village Italy some years ago but not Southern Italy, although I have spent time there on my own.
Last year we (meaning the Forum) had a man who did 5 (five!) back to back tours. He admitted it was a bit much but I don't think he had any regrets.
A couple in my travel group (SF Bay Area) are doing Portugal and Basque Spain back to back this fall with a few days off in between.
If it were me, I'd try to schedule at least a few days in between to relax and do a good launderia visit!
I hope you let us know what you decide.
Recommendations?
DO IT !
Wish I could
I would do it!
I did 21 day Best of Europe combined with Village Italy and some other time in between (2 weeks in Paris) and it was wonderful. I travel solo and was in my mid-60s that year. I would do some training for these tours. I usually try to be able to do a walk of 7 miles but that is just me. You've got a year so you can work on that and get some hill walking in. I didn't think VI was that strenuous but that was because I had just done the Best Of Europe which IS strenuous.
One thing I do recommend if the dates work out is to have a few days off in the middle. You need some time to not have a schedule, not have to be up and out at a certain time and some days to have fewer miles walked! The VI guide will work out an exit strategy so you can take a taxi or shuttle with others from the group to Milan and get the train to Rome.
I have never taken a tour but I travel in Italy a lot. I say do it, but take a few days in between, if you can. As others have said, you will probably want some unscheduled down time.
Just chiming in to emphasize the importance of a bit of a break between the two tours. It is always nice to have some down time to charge your batteries before shifting gears. I have not done the VI tour as many of the previous posters have, but I have done the Southern Italy tour. I can vouch for what a wonderful itinerary it has. Pre tour I was very excited about visiting one town in particular, which I did thoroughly enjoy, but found that another was unexpectedly my all time favorite. I guess that is not uncommon. Anyway, go for it! If the VI tour is half as enjoyable as the SI tour (and from what I have read on this forum, it is equally so), you will be more than thrilled.
I have done both of these tours. And I have done two sets of back to back tours. I just have not done these two tours back to back.
But as stated by others a great way to get value out of that plane ticket.
In reviewing the tour dates for both I have found several possibilities.
If you take the South Italy on 10/8/18 you have two good choices for the Village Italy tour.
The 9/22/18 Village Italy ends on a Friday and South Italy begins on the following Monday. Also the
9/24/18 Village Italy ends on Sunday AM with South Italy beginning on Monday 10/8/18. So it will depend on how much time you want between tours. The 9/22 Village Italy would allow travel to Rome on Friday. Then you would have Saturday, Sunday and most of Monday for Rome or other stops along the way. The 9/24/18 Village Italy would allow Sunday for Travel to Rome and most of Monday for rest before the 4 PM Monday meet the group gathering. The other Village Italy tours in Sept end on Sunday and the South Italy begin on Monday. So it depends on how much time you would like between the tours..
Oh yes, both are great tours for seeing the other side of Italy.
These two tours sound great. If you have more than one day between tours, consider stopping to recharge in Parma, Modena, Bologna or another town of interest along the Milan to Rome rail line. That seems more consistent with the theme of your trip than going straight to Rome, where you've already been and will visit again at the beginning of the southern Italy tour.
I did Village Italy earlier this year and then did another two week RS tour (not South Italy) with only a weekend in between.
I was exhausted by the end of the second tour.
My suggestion is to take a few days of R & R between the two (and that doesn't mean lots of sightseeing) and start training now for the walks. Lots of hills in Italy.
I am planning another two tours for next Spring but I will give myself more time in between the tours and do better training.
