Escorted tour

A very big question not knowing your budget, commitment or physical endurance. Why not split half your trip for a escorted tour? If you arrive in Rome do that yourself then pick up a tour for Tuscany and Florence from Rome. Italy can be overwelming for some. Look into a rick steves tour the big operators like Globus and Cosmos can be cheaper but include lots of down time shopping.

Susie,

You might have a look at Rick's tours, as they're incredible! I've just completed my fourth RS tour, and already planning the next one. Click the "Tours" link at the top of this page for all the details and prices.

While you could certainly do the trip on your own (using the ETBD Guidebooks), a tour would be an excellent introduction to Europe since this is your first trip. It would also give you the skills for independent travel in future.

If you're leaning towards travelling on your own, I'd highly recommend pre-reading Europe Through The Back Door before you get too far in your planning.

Cheers!

If you give us more information, we can give more help. We need to know things like age, travel experience outside the U.S., have you planned tours before, do you want to do all the work, approximate budget, How long you want to travel? How much of Italy you want to see......then we can give more specific answers.

In the meantime, besides Rick's tours, check out itineraries from Globas/Cosmos (as mentioned before), Trafalgar and Insight. These are the largest English language tour companies and some of the most reputable. You can get an idea of what's available and the prices.

In preparation for my first trip to Europe, I did lots of research regarding locations, logistics of getting around, and very importantly, cost comparisons.
When all was considered, I decided to go on a RS tour as it provided for me the best features of what I was looking for and when comparing costs, it seemed like a good buy. That was 9 RS tours ago. I am certainly glad I went on that first tour with his company as I would never have done as well as I did that first year. Now, I incorporate time before and after one of his tours as I have become more confident about my time in Europe. Hope you have as good a time as I did on my first trip to Europe, tour or not.

It really depends on your travel style. If you like to spend as much time as you wish at sites, wander at your own pace and see the things that interest you, then you should do the trip on your own.

If you like someone to do all the planning, escort you to sites, tell you when it's time to leave, pick the sites you see, then an escorted trip is for you.

I have always done all the planning on my own and have always had wonderful trips. There is so much information out there that you can easily plan your own trip and not have to worry about someone else's schedule. This and sites like tripadvisor.com are great places to get information and ask seasoned travelers for their opinions and help.

Make sure to include the relevant information like when you're traveling, how long, what cities you want to see, what interests you in that city, what your budget is, your physical health, your transportation preferences and such. This will help people help you plan the perfect trip.

Donna

Hi Susie. I'd suggest doing a tour given it's your first time in Europe. Tours have their pros and cons but I think for a first-timer to Europe, a tour makes sense. I would recommend adding a few extra days to the beginning and/or end of the tour so you'll have some opportunity to be on your own and get to see another town or two. I have personally taken escorted tours in addition to going on our own and while I love going on our own, it is A LOT of work & if you've never been to Europe before, it might be very daunting. Enjoy Italy!