I thought I'd share some tips having recently returned from a tour with a group of 7 (ages 56 to 25). Relax, you're gonna a great time. When you factor in transport times, you mostly get less free time than you think. The time doesn't allow many for activities. Think grabbing a bite or seeing something without an admission.
--Shoes. The amount of walking is 'as advertised.' I recommend getting in good walking shape prior to your trip. Your feet and legs will thank you. There will also be stairs. Lots of them. Bring a pair of waterproof shoes. Even after the rain stops, the cobblestone streets in many place catch and keep big puddles. Yes, they are heavy to pack. And, yes, I wished I'd done it.
--Eating out on your own - expect a service charge of about 10% per person for getting a table. Tip a few euros or up to 10%. Your bill won't come until you ask for it. Ask early if you don't have endless time. Waitstaff are not attentive by US standards, so ask early if you want things like salt or ketchup, etc.
--There are almost no public bathrooms and the few there are may charge a Euro. You might get lucky and pop in someplace to use for free (cafe) but most often you'll have to buy something cheap like a 1 euro cup of coffee. Usually more than one person can use the bathroom is one buys something. Crowded tourist spots will be worse about this.
--Italian cops can stop you and ask for ID (for no reason) & you must comply. They want an actual passport or other photo ID. This did happen to us while in Rome at the Termini station. The cops weren't happy about our lack of passports, US drivers licenses were all we had with us, and they burned about 15 minutes of our time, making us almost missed our train. Plan accordingly.
--Learn to say 'good day,' 'good evening,' 'goodbye', and 'thank you'. Use these everywhere as appropriate. It makes a difference in how you're treated.
--The tour uses 'whisperers' and cheapo earbuds. Bring a corded, over-ear set if you prefer those. They help a lot, especially if you wear glasses too. Most of us ended up with sore ears.
--I wore a mask indoor public places (while not eating) as I didn't want to Covid on vacation (been there done that). Nobody blinked an eye. Wear your mask, if you like.
--Eat gelato every day. Life is short. Cones/cups are 3 or 4 euro for a medium (sometimes called 'normal') size, which equals between 1 and 2 scoops in the US.
--Pack less than you think. You can rewear things. If going in the bumper seasons you'll have a jacket on almost all the time anyway. Nobody cares what you are wearing (except for some common sense church rules). Be comfortable.
--Wine (about 1/3 of a bottle per person) was provided at no additional cost for every single group tour meal (this will be different on different tours) and bottled water was also included for free at the tables for all meals.
--This tour had some early starts (e.g. breakfast at 630am or 7). If you don't want to get going early - this isn't the one for you. Consider this if you have younger tour members who act like an early day equals death.
--The hotel breakfasts were all excellent and plentiful. The hotels were all really nice. All had shampoo and soap. Some had more.
--Arrive at least the day before your trip - many folks had missed flights and delays. If you can swing it at all, arrive two days before to get on the time zone and start your trip right.
--Lady Taxi Roma was a reliable car service (call or email ahead) to get into Rome. 55 euros for 3 people was easily worth it to have door to door transport after a long night of travel. They speak English. Regular cab from Florence to their airport is 30 Euros. Some lie and try to say there is an additional airport tax. They may add on a per bag charge. Confirm the TOTAL price before getting in the cab.
ENJOY. The tour is great.