Best of Italy Tour in Sept. 2020

I'm so sorry for your loss, Deborah.

I started taking RS tours after my husband died 6 yrs. ago, and I go as a single. You will be fine, people on the tour will be welcoming, and just a bit of effort on your part to join in will pay off big.

Unfortunately, very few people who do the tours seem to participate in this forum, so you might not connect with anybody until the tour. Hopefully I'll be proven wrong!

BTW, there is a section for tour participants, you might want to post there in addition to the Italy section:
https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/tours

My experience on RS tours is that the solo travelers quickly get absorbed into the larger group of couples. Just introduce yourself to people and talk with them on the guided tours, during breaks, etc. You might ask people what they plan to do in their free time. I'm sure you'll find someone or someones who will be doing what you are interested in doing. Enjoy!

Deborah I’m so sorry for your loss.

You will have a wonderful time on this trip. My first RS Tour was Heart of Italy. I loved every minute of it!

I’m going to answer your other questions on your other post.

Hi Deborah,
I am so sorry to hear about your husband. My husband and I are taking the best of Italy tour on September25 th through Oct. 11th 2020. Is that the one you are going on? If so, I will look for you. It is our first time taking a Rick Steves tour and our first time in Italy.
Let me know.
Lisa

Hi Deb. I posted a few travel tips on your concurrent post, from an inexperienced traveler’s perspective. I have taken one RS tour, South of Italy, and a lot has changed in the past 27 years since I went to Ireland. You will love any RS tour you take. The people are wonderful.
Keep asking questions to the forum. Everyone here is very nice and helpful. I learned a lot from their help and advice. Kathy

Deb, I am so sorry for your loss. I am also a widow. I am so pleased that you are taking this trip and glad you are moving forward with your life. It will be bittersweet as you will enjoy the trip but find yourself wishing your husband could be there sharing it with you too.

I have gone on two Rick Steves Tours as a solo. They were both wonderful experiences. The people in the groups were friendly and inclusive. I did learn that I needed to speak up. If I wanted to go to dinner with someone else, I just needed to ask, “ what are you doing for dinner?” If I had an idea for sightseeing during free time, “ I’m interested in seeing ........, is anyone else interested?”

You also need to be prepared and confident to do some things on your own. It sounds you are headed the right direction in having ideas for the free time sightseeing.

I wish the very best for you on this new journey that you are on. The pain never goes away, but somehow you find a way to live with that pain as part of your life and you move forward one step at a time into the adventure that still awaits.

Deborah - sympathies on your loss. The Best of Italy was my first RS tour and it remains my favorite. You will have no trouble finding friendly fellow tourmates. I've taken four tours solo and always found people to do things with. Research things you are interested in doing and invite others to join you. If they aren't interested, go anyway!

One piece of humble advice. I'd suggest you pay the single supplement for the tour (if you have not, see if you can). On one RS tour I was paired with another solo traveler who had recently lost her husband. She found it quite difficult to share space with a stranger, especially since she was used to traveling with her husband. It was her first trip alone without him, and she found herself grieving him in unexpected ways, and had no privacy to process through her feelings. Having your own room does not isolate you from the group (you spend tons of time together), it just offers you a safe, private space.

Have a wonderful trip.

CL has given a piece of good advice on the single supplement. I had the supplement for both of my trips and was glad that I did.