Hi, We have signed up for the Village Italy Tour that starts on Saturday May 18th. Anyone else signed up? Two other couple friends of ours are going as well. Also, for past attendees of the Village Italy Tour just wanted to ask for any suggestions on packing, preparing, etc. Really excited about this trip. We have traveled in Europe extensively - mostly on our own - including visiting the big cities of Italy and some of Tuscany but have only been to one of the villages on this tour previously (Siena). Also, It is our first Rick Steves tour too! Thanks for any ideas, feedback, etc. Linda
Posted by
Central Connecticut, USA
1103 posts
We are on the 4/22 departure of this tour. Note that there is a RS tour section of the forum where you might get more responses. In any case, you may not get any responses from people who have signed up for your tour departure, as many are not aware of this forum.
We have also travelled independently, but also enjoy the Rick Steves' tour experience. The upcoming Village Italy tour will be number six for us. We will be staying in Padua for four nights prior to the start of the tour, and one night in Milan after the tour is over. Given that the tour involves a lot of moving around, we thought it would be nice to settle in to Padua for a while before the tour. We also prefer to linger on a bit after the tour.
The Village Italy tour gets excellent reviews, and we we are also looking forward to it.
On the first day of the tour, you will be asked to pick a buddy who is not a friend or family member. The buddy system allows for a quick determination of who is missing when the group gathers. A side benefit of the buddy system is that it encourages members to get to know others on the tour.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14944 posts
This is a fun trip! It is a fairly strenuous trip - lots of up and down so add some stair-work or hills if you've got them where you live.
Do you have your airline tickets yet? If you can arrive in Padua a couple of nights before, do so. I didn't plan well and had us going from Venice to Padua on the day the tour started so I didn't get to see everything that there was to see there.
I hope you don't mind but I do have a suggestion for the 6 of you and that is to split up some and engage with the other tour members even though you are a group.
Definitely pack light - one 21 or 22" suitcase. I use a roller now but when I took this trip in 2014 I was using Rick's 22" convertible back pack. Use packing cubes to keep yourself organized. I always do sink wash for all my trips altho I know others don't like this method. I take a 2gal ziplock bag to use as my "washing machine" and make sure everything I take will dry overnight.
I'd take 3 pr bottoms (I don't wear skirts so for me this would be pants and capris), 5 SS tops (I use Lands End cotton modal tee shirts which dry overnight). This time of year I'd also take a sunshirt and sun hat altho you can easily pick up a sunhat at a vendor along the way! I'd have 2 pr shoes with good soles and which you can do 5 or 6 miles in. I'd take a waterproof rain jacket - got drenched in a downpour in Florence on my first RS tour toward the end of one May and will ~never~ travel without a waterproof layer!
On your exit from Orta San Giulio, your guide will start early in the trip finding out who is flying out at what time or heading in to Milan and will group you by departure times if you choose. If the 6 of you are, say, returning to the airport together, the guide can arrange a van transfer for you from the hotel to the airport.
Have a terrific time!
Posted by
Central Connecticut, USA
1103 posts
Following up on Pam's suggestion of getting to know your tour mates: the purpose of the tour is to experience another country, but you also learn about America from your fellow travelers.
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Great info everyone. Yes, the 3 couples are very social and are looking forward to meeting others on the trip. We are not all leaving at the same time at the end of the tour. Me and my husband fly out the morning of the last day of the tour while I believe one of the others is staying in Milan for a few days and not sure about the third. Was hoping the tour person would help us with the best transportation on the last morning as you mentioned. Great feedback on packing advice. Also, I found the forum for tours and will post there as well.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14944 posts
Yes, don't worry about airport transportation from Orta San Giulio. There will doubtless be other tour members flying out of Malpensa that morning as well. It's about an hour by car.
If the 3rd couple happens to be heading somewhere else in Italy other than Milan the guide will coach them on railway tickets if needed. The rail stop for Orta does not have a ticket kiosk so the guide will help them purchase in Levanto (Cinque Terre) which is the stop prior to Orta San Giulio.
Probably no need for the other thread as I think most of us just come in to the forums via the "All Topics" view and answer whatever/wherever, lol.
I forgot to mention in my mind I think of this as the "Relics" tour. There are body parts of various saints in churches all along the way starting with the Jawbone, vocal cords and something else of St Anthony in the basilica there in Padua. I found that fascinating.
PS The gelato/sorbetto in Orta is excellent, lol!