South Italy Tour

I took the Southern Italy tour a couple years ago and I'm in my 60s. I had no problems....you can do as much or as little as you want. If you've been on a RS tour, you know that you have to carry your own luggage off from the bus to your room and back. I have found that lately RS tours are booked into much nicer hotels and most have elevators and other ammenities. Matera was my favorite stop on the Southern Italy tour - other than all of Sicily.
Happy Travels

Don, I also took the South Italy tour a few years ago, and had no problems at all with the "activity levels". You will of course have to haul your own gear back and forth to Hotels, etc. However, as the previous reply mentioned, RS tours are using much nicer Hotels these days and the greater majority have Elevators. The greatest "activity" will be walking from the Bus to your Hotel, and in some cases a short walk is required. If you're using a "wheelie bag", it will just be like a stroll. Two examples... > In Vieste you'll have to walk from a car park to your Hotel as the Bus can't get into the narrow streets. The larger luggage items will be taken to the Hotel via locally hired Van. You'll have to haul your carry-on items. It's not a long or difficult walk. > In Matera you'll again have to walk from the Bus location to your Hotel, but in this case there was no luggage service (as I recall). I use a Backpack and didn't find the walk "strenuous" at all. However, there are some stairs to get down to the Hotel, so you'll have to "bump" your wheelie bags down the stairs or carry them for that portion. There will of course be walking, but the tour outline provides an accurate description on whether that's strenuous. One of our group members chose not to hike to the top of Vesuvius, but I didn't find that overly difficult (but of course had to pace it to my fitness level). Lots of free time is provided, including a free day. I chose to go to Capri that day, but others went to Ravello. If there's a particular activity you don't want to take part in, just tell the Guide and sit in the Hotel with a glass of Prosecco and a good book. I would highly recommend the South Italy tour! It was incredible!!! Happy travels!

Thanks for your comments. It looks like we will be taking the tour. We usually pack light so carrying luggage will not be a problem. This will be our first RS tour.

Don, Your first RS tour - you made a great choice on which one to start with! You're in for a treat! When are you planning to travel on the tour?

We are looking at sometime in May.....any suggestions?

Hi Don,
I can't comment on the level of activity on the South Italy tour but have done the RS Best of Italy tour in our 60's. Very managable for most without health issues. I'm sure that any RS tour would be great, ours was. But I really wanted to mention that we just got back from our own tour of southern Italy. Went to Aberobello, Matera, Tropea, Monopoli, Ostuni, Lecce and many places in Sicily, all in late April snd May. The weather was sunny, sometimes very hot, sometimes very breezy and warm. We didn't find any of the areas too difficult to climb/walk and my husband is 71. I'm sure that you'll love all of the places on the RS tour. Buon vacanza, Sherry

Don, Sometime in May would be a great time to take the South Italy tour (keeping in mind there are never any guarantees with the weather). I'd have to check my notes, but I believe the tour I took started in late April and finished in May. It was a great time of year to travel, and somewhat warmer than I had anticipated for that time of year. One other thing I was going to mention is that if you're able to get to Seattle in mid-January, you could attend the annual Tour Reunions and "Test Drive A Tour Guide" sessions. The presentations are all free, but of course you have to get to Seattle "on your own nickel". Rick flies about 60 of his Guides in from Europe for the occasion, so you'd get a chance to speak with some of the Guides that lead those tours. The Tour department is also open, should you have any questions, and much of the gear in the shop is discounted 20%. Cheers!

Pretty much ready to put down the deposit, but RS does not seem to like to answer their emails. Had questions about what would be the pre/post hotels so as to make reservations. Any suggestions as to what would be better for an extension on this tour??? Rome or Naples or their environs. We have been to Rome before for 4 days and loved it (but there is so much more to see), but doubling back to the Amalfi and just hanging out might be another way to go. Definitly concerned about their lack of response to emails......on the other hand this blog is GREAT!

Don, Are you going in 2013? In the past, I usually have not received the info on the first and last hotels until sometime in December.

Laura, We are planning our trip for May 2013, but what really concerns me is their lack of response to my quesions. I would expect that a tour company would have all arrangements set when they announce their tours. Don

You can always call them. My experience has been it can take a few days with email. Rick Steves does these tours year after year. My understanding is that they don't have every arrangement made at the time that they announce the tours. While they send the first and last hotel info out early, you don't get the complete list until about a month before your tour. I took my first Rick Steves tour in 1991. I have been on a total of 7 tours. On one tour, the last hotel changed between the time they first notified me and shortly before my tour started. All the tours have been well planned.

You would thing that a tour company would have everything pretty much in line before they advertise the tour. Especially if they are doing it multiple times every year. Granted, things can change, but not having an idea of where the tour will be starting, or ending, seems to be a lack of planning. RS tours really do not provide much for the money thay are asking as compared to other tour companies (hopefully their guides make up for that, which is why we are considering them). I am hoping that they are not just relying of Rick's TV persona.

Don, I'm surprised that you are having trouble withgetting a response to your emails. I wouldpickup the phone and make the call. Hubby and I have taken 4 Rs tours and planning #5 for 2013. Whe we took the South Italy tour, the last hotel changed shortly before the tour started.
there was a problem going on at the originally scheduled hotel,hence the change. I can't remember if the problem was an A/C problem or what. they notified us right away and we were able to makea reservation for our extra day. It was a fun tour with a lot of variety. I loved Matera and Vieste, and we are in our 60's and had no problem keeping up ang enjoying it!

forgot to say that I disagree with your statement about not getting a lot for your money. with the guides, drivers hotel and restaurant staff not taking tips, and all of the local tours included, it's a good value!

They use a lot of smaller hotels. They don't use the same hotel for every departure. If they have a problem with a hotel, they switch to a different hotel. I don't think it indicates a lack of planning not to have every detail worked out 9 months in advance. Because the company does this year after year, they know the timeframe that they need to follow in order to have everything in place prior to departure. They also adjust their tours based on what they learn during the course of the year.

I would like to thank you one and all for the information that you have shared with me. I finally did get a response via email from RS tours but your comments and experiences have given me the info necessary for me to make some decisions. Thanks Again! Don

I agree that Rick's tours are the cheapest but I think that they are a good value. (I've been on five). All the guides have been different degrees of 'excellent'. Travel was comfortable, drivers amazing and generally a hoot too. You're not tipping, nor are you shelling out additional money for tours every time you turn around. The group meals are consistently excellent and always feature local specialities (which in Italy almost vary block-to-block). The hotels are well-located in the best/most interesting parts of town. I have worked and traveled with other tour companies in the past, and have found them wanting. Glad you got a response to your email -- I generally have not had problems getting a response back, but then, I usually call the tour line with questions. I think their tour department is quite well organized but they need to stay flexible. I have already received my first and last hotels for my Sicily Tour in Feb, 2013, but don't always receive this info so early. You might call the tour line if you are wanting to extend before or after the tour in the same hotel. Some of Rick's tours do involve quite a bit of walking -- aka walking city tours. I advise folks who aren't walkers to start before they get to Europe (but that doesn't sound like it applies to y'all. I think you've made a good choice. And I hope you have a fantastic time!

Don, Hopefully your "decisions" include signing up for the tour. As Ross mentioned, I also think you've made a good choice! I'm sure it will be an incredible and memorable experience.

Thank you all again, one in all! Just put my deposit down for the tour, now all we have to do is the airline and pre/post tour arrangements for hotels. Wish they were able to help with those, but alas you can't have everything. Don

Don, All of us that take RS tours have to deal with the hotels and flight issues, so it kind of "comes with the territory". You may find it helpful to speak with a Travel Agent regarding the flights, as they may be able to offer some good tips. Cheers!

Don, For $75.00 you can talk with a RS consultant for an hour. I emailed in advance of the session a proposed itinary with a list of questions, and the $75.00 was well worth it. The guidance provided received allowed us to tweak our trip accordingly.