Security on VFR tour Nov/19

I am sure they would.

No repeat customers if there are no survivors.

I have traveled all over the world and never have done this. You will be on a tour? No worries at all, We walked into a protest demonstration once in Paris and a policeman escorted us out of it. I would only sign up for those alerts if I were traveling in a dangerous area, Middke East, etc. not Europe. You will find many Europeans are afraid to travel to the US due to all the gun violence.

Hi,

I have not taken a tour. My first time to Rome, there was an outside demonstration. I was traveling on the city bus. There was a large crowd. I am not sure what the demo was for. There was a police and military presence for crowd control.

On my trips to Rome, I saw a good amount of police and military presence in key areas. I did not feel unsafe at any time I was walking around at different times of the day and night. With that, it does not mean that something somewhere could not happen.

I believe the guides at RS check for things like this and circumvent as best they can. I am sure they have communications set in place. They are pros; don't worry.

I am signed up for the same STEP and travel advisory for Italy. What you saw https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Italy.html should have already taken place. According to the 'warning,' there was to be police presence for crowd control.

"We are our own best defense too." Keep a big city awareness. Keep alert to your surroundings -- landmarks. Know the name and address of your hotel or B&B.

If you venture off on your own to explore, again, keep aware of the area. Since you will be on tour, tell a group member where you may be heading or maybe get their phone number if possible. Make sure your phone is fully charged. I also carry a pocket charger.

I take a purse-size, very lightweight, plastic LED flashlight. It helps during dark nights or unsure footing. Cobble streets can be protruding and maybe slippery; sidewalks can just "end," curbs can be jagged causing you to trip.

I am a believer in carrying my Passport; even if I am out and about in the city centre. I carry extra Euro, a credit card, some vital info (medical, etc.) written on an index card and put into my PP book. I carry my hotel's business card. (Of course, all those can be put into your money belt or neck wallet. I use a small security purse from Hedgren. It is cross-body and can be concealed under my coat or jacket in the colder months.)

I also carry a larger purse or tote that can be a cross-body for going out and about with daily things, carrying small packages, water, maybe a snack, incidentals, etc.

If there is some type of emergency and people need to evac quickly, it may be impossible to return to the hotel to get your Passport, money. I consider my PP my 'lifeline.'

Rome (city centre) is relatively safe. Outskirts of Rome may be a little different. Tons of people everywhere in the popular Piazzas -- even until 11:00 PM or even later. Some restaurants and bars close late so you will get the locals and other travelers out and about.

Take common sense precautions. Use your inner gut. If you feel uneasy, look for a late-night market or similar to duck into. Remain calm and look as if you are interested in checking out their limoncello. Don't feel silly if nothing comes of it -- all the better.

Seriously, you should be fine; especially as you will be with the tour most of the time.

• added thought

Thank you all for your remarks. I did not sign up for Rome specifically FYI. vkl

“I would only sign up for those alerts if I were traveling in a dangerous area, Middke East, etc. not Europe”.

Why? You would get notified if something happened. Why wouldn’t you want to know? Stuff happens and why not let the State Dept. know your whereabouts so you could get first hand knowledge and helpful info?

In The autumn of 2002 there were worldwide protests against the Iraq War.

On November 9, demonstrations were held against the war at the end of the first European Social Forum in Florence, Italy. According to the organizers, 1,000,000 people were in attendance. Local authorities put attendance at 500,000.

Back then Rick had a Best of Florence tour. I arrived in Florence late in the afternoon of November 9th and learned about the demonstration while having a gelato and watching TV near The Duomo. Didn’t see any protesters but noticed that the high end shops in the area had boarded up windows and doors and some like Gucci even removed their signage. I don’t know where a half million people were but they weren’t in the centro storico. Next day, boards were off windows, signs were reinstalled, life went on.

lever,

I've been in Rome during "protest demonstrations" which had riot-equipped police in attendance, and didn't have any problems at all. When I encountered the demonstration, I simply went to a nearby restaurant and enjoyed a fine hot meal and a glass of Vino. When lunch was over, the protest group had moved on to another part of Rome and I carried on with my activities as usual.

The RS guides are very professional and well trained, and will be able to deal with events of that type should they occur while you're there.

Absolutely will your guide be aware of anything that will affect your tour but will also explain what you should worry about and what you should not worry about.

This is what you are paying for!

I have 110% confidence in the RS guides!

Italian "protest demonstrations" tend to consist of fairly orderly marchers carrying signs and chanting protest slogans along a pre-set route, preceded by and followed by numerous police officers. They don't tend to be the violent protests you see on TV. I've witnessed several large and small protest demonstrations in Rome and Florence without incident, and I seriously doubt they'll be an issue on your tour. The likelihood that your tour group will even happen across one while in Rome is probably quite low, but because they follow a pre-set route your guide can plan around them if needed.

Hi again,

Thank you all for your remarks. I did not sign up for Rome specifically FYI. vkl

Adding to my post up-thread, yes, I know you are also visiting Venice and Florence besides Rome.

I was sharing some thoughts and experiences of my personal trips. Rome can get a bad rap at times. I found people to be friendly and helpful and made a few friends from my trips.

Rome is amazing, awe-inspiring, exciting, crazy busy, and an outdoor walking museum with a surprise around every corner or on every street.

Have a good trip.

Protest demonstrations are not always widespread, violent or threatening. They can be an interesting cultural event to witness. I think we walked right past one in Paris while on the RS tour, and didn't feel we needed security. Some of those alerts are not so much about physical threats, but about planning for traffic disruptions or large crowds in certain popular areas.

Just remember that on the State Dept website 'alerts' are not the same as 'warnings'. Alerts are just a heads up of something to be aware of and they can be anything, even some very insignificant happenings.

Thanks to all you ladies and gents; I feel much more confident about safety now after reading about your experiences. vkl

I sign up for STEP, just incase something really unusual happens, and out of curiosity. I had an alert when I was in Amsterdam once, for a protest a couple of blocks over, at the US Embassy. We couldn't even find the protest!

Protests are not particularly unusual, IMO, and seldom are violent. All the protests I've ever been involved in have been peaceful, so I would not expect most to be otherwise. So relax. If you come across one and it makes you nervous, just walk a block over to get to your destination. I'd find it interesting to watch for a bit, but that's me. Travel is not dangerous, but staying home could be. And the most dangerous time in travel is in a car to the airport, by far, per statistics. So once you've made it to the airport, you're golden! Have a great trip!

I lived in Italy for a few years and regularly got emails from the embassies notifying US citizens about protests. Other than staying out of those areas, it’s really nothing to worry about.

I only sign up for notifications for countries I will be visiting. Am currently signed up for Hong Kong and Thailand - recently had a notification of cancelled outdoor activities at one of the embassies because of mosquitos (transmitted disease - might serve as a reminder to use your insect repellant). :) The ones for Hong Kong are slightly less useful than TripAdvisor - but with an overnight there, I am watching for transportation issues. On a (not RS) tour in Paris a few years ago, I think our guide could have used a notification for a demonstration near Gare du Nord, since the group came near to missing our Eurostar. The notifications are just a tool - not cause for alarm, in almost all cases.

Demonstrations are the last thing you should worry about. In the rare occasion where they turn violent, just move away and go to some bar for drinks. The worse thing that can happen is having burning eyes from tear gas.

I work in DC, and we periodically receive alerts of upcoming planned protests. The office building may go into “lock down” mode where door access is only for those with key fobs. The alerts also signal street closures or the potential for larger than usual crowds. Sometimes these protests don’t happen or go by with a shrug. Last month’s climate change protest/march is one such example. Sooo...while I can’t speak to Rome, I can speak to years of working near the WH and Cap. Hill. As others have said, I would be aware but not get too stressed.