Heading to Italy with my family for 3 weeks in June 2020. Will be visiting Rome, Florence, Venice, and Lake Como. Is it better to book tours on my own, or go through the hotels we’ll be staying? I have relatives telling me hotels offer better tours but the quotes I’ve received are more than (for example) “Pristine Sistine”.
Willing to pay a little more if it’s worth it.
better tours
I guess it depends on what you mean by "better" -- different people want different things. I prioritize small groups and interesting tour guides; others don't care as much about group size, or want particular timing.
I've read many good reviews of Walks of Italy; my tour company of choice in Context Travel (which I've used in Italy and Japan). It had never occurred to me to book tours through my hotel.
What if the tours to places you want to visit are all booked up by the time you get to your hotels? Hotels often use the same tours as every other hotel uses, and you can book these on your own.
I wouldn’t travel to Italy without having my must see sites booked before I left home. Some require booking a few months in advance.
How many people in your family group? If several, sometimes it is more economical, and more personal and flexible, to arrange for a private tour with a good guide, than to pay for several people to participate in a small group tour. Also, if your family includes younger children, a good private guide can probably adapt the tour for the kid(s), likely better than a group tour can adapt. That said, Walks of Italy, Context Tours and various other companies offer excellent tours of major sites and neighborhoods in Rome, Florence and Venice. You should check out their web sites, which are usually excellent. I believe Walks of Italy offers a discount to RS readers, if you mention that, and may also offer a discount for multiple tours or family groups booking for several people. Many major sites offer their own guided tours in English, and/or good audio tours. Do you have the most current RS Italy guidebook? It includes a huge amount of helpful information, including about tour companies and recommended private guides, and about offerings at major sites. RS also has many free audio tours that you can download to your phones or tablets. Often hotels or even B & B’s can book tours for their guests, but not always the best, and as mentioned the most popular tours and sites can sell out well in advance, thus not be available once you reach your lodging.
www.toursbylocals.com offer hundreds of local guides along with their reviews from past customers.
PS-beware advice from well-intentioned relatives!
In my trip last year to Italy, I booked my own tours for a group of 6. My favorite tours were those by Walks of Italy and Eating Europe (Florence & Rome). I have in the past used hotels to help book a private tour when I am visiting only for work and want to take a specialized tour to maximize the time I have in a country/city. They were definitely more expensive then booking on my own, but it was worth the convenience. In most cases, if I have the time, will book on my own.
Thank you everyone for taking the time to offer feedback. My family consists of just myself, wife, and adult daughter. From the feedback I’ve received here I think I will book the tours on my own (now) and bypass going through our hotels.
