Village Italy Tour 5/2/22

If you can add any time, I'd also add at least one night to Padua ahead of this tour. I spent 3 nights in Venice going out to Padua on the day the tour started...and regretted it! There was so much to see there I wished I'd had a full day or more. Lesson learned....the tour start cities, even if smaller, are usually worth extra time!

I also added a night in Orta San Giulio at the end. That was not worthwhile. It was pouring rain but we pretty much finished things up by noon and could have headed out. I would plan to spend the AM there if you don't have to catch a flight that day, then head for Milan (or elsewhere.). The guide will assist with exit plans for everyone - either helping you get train tickets ahead of time if you are going elsewhere or arranging taxis/shared shuttles to either the airport or downtown Milan.

Venice is one of the worlds great cities and it is unique. If you’ve not been certainly worth a few days. I agree Padua worth more time as well if you have it. Don’t count on connecting with fellow tour members on this forum. I suppose it happens but it’s unusual. Also, RSE does not arrange accommodations outside of their tours. That is up to you. If you don’t feel comfortable doing that they can direct you to a travel agent.

We spent three days before the tour in Padua, and loved every minute of it. We also spent about 4 days after the tour in Milan, and wished we could have stayed longer.

As Alan said, RSE won't help with your personal hotel arrangements, but you can count on lots of suggestions from folks here on the Forum! Be specific about what kind of time you have, how many people (and what age range) in your group, what your interests are. i.e., sitting in the piazza having a spritz or 3; going to every museum you can find; or climbing the bell tower and/or the local mountain.

This is a wonderful tour, by the way. Definitely one of my favorites, and one I would cheerfully take again "had we but world enough, and time."

I believe that as a tour member the RS planning office is available to you at 50% off the normal rate. They set up a one on one call with you and help you plan transportation, hotels, etc.

Thanks everyone. Appreciate the comments.

I spent four nights in Venice before my tour, at the tour hotel, Pensione Guerrato. It's well located near the Rialto market, but there's no elevator and the lobby is on the (US) second floor. The RS and other guidebooks have recommendations. Folks on this board will also have suggestions. Booking.com is a good search tool, but book directly with the hotel you choose.

It's an easy train ride to Padua and I suggest getting there the day before the tour starts if you can, or at least the morning before your late-afternoon tour kickoff. That will give you time to enjoy more of the city and see some of the sights the tour doesn't cover.

There really are quite a lot of sights in Padua. Rick's Venice guidebook has chapters on several surrounding towns, including Verona, Ravenna and Vicenza, and the "Padua" chapter is by far the longest.