Hello, first time Rick Steves travelers and first time international travelers (had to wait until we retired, but we're ready now!). Wondering if there's anyone else in the Seattle/Tacoma region going on this trip that would like to share plans and ideas. Let me know.
Posted by
Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
14826 posts
What a fun time you will have!
I am not on your tour but have done 12 RS tours including the longer 21 day Best of Europe. I have some suggestions:
If you have the time and budget, plan to arrive to Rome a day or 2 (or more) ahead of your tour. There is plenty to do in Rome and you'll have added some flex time in case any of your flights go sideways. If you can add time in Paris after that is awesome too! Paris is always a good idea, lol!
Practice packing light. Make a packing list, do some test packs. I like packing cubes to keep myself organized especially when you are moving frequently. Then you don't have to unpack at each stop, you can just grab stuff out of the cubes.
Plan to do some laundry in the sink using a 2 gallon ziplock bag for your "washing machine". At least you can do your underwear this way. I have all my travel clothes curated so they are sink washable and dry overnight (usually - although jeans may take 36 hours).
Look ahead at your destinations to see what you can do in your free time.
Walk lots this summer. Prepare for 8 miles a day in Rome and add in stairs if you can. Rome and Paris are particularly heavy with stairs!
Get comfortable shoes that you can walk the aforementioned 8 miles in. Comfort over style.
Keep a journal either on paper or an online program. I've started just doing daily jottings in a GoogleDocs document but when I started I took a Moleskine notebook every time.
This will be an awesome experience!
Posted by
Sidney, BC, Canada
996 posts
I second Pam’s suggestion of arriving in Rome a couple of days before the tour starts. As you are coming from the PNW you will be coping with a nine hour time difference, as well as an overnight flight where you might not get too much sleep. If you decide to do this, try and get a room at the tour hotel for those days. You will already be settled in and will not lose any time to packing and moving hotels when you could be wandering around enjoying Rome! Once you have booked your tour you will receive info on the hotel. All you need to do is email the hotel saying you are on the Rick Steves tour and will be arriving early. You need to get on this quickly as Rome is going to be busier than usual due to the Jubilee.
Also, book a driver to pick you up at the airport and take you to the hotel. Cost is slightly more than the regular taxi but well worth it not to have to cope with jet lag, taxis, and the general confusion at the airport. I have used Rome Taxi. It’s confusing as it is a driver/hire car company not the regular taxi service from the airport. Another firm I have used, but not in Rome, is Welcome Pickups. Both provide excellent service, will meet you at the arrivals meeting area with a sign and deliver you to your hotel. On my first trip to Italy, the driver, when he found I was a newbie made a point of taking me past some of the sights - never got over that first glimpse of the Circus Maximus and the Palantine Hill! As the fare is set it did not cost anything extra for the trip, apart from a tip…..normally you don’t tip for taxi or cars - unless you receive extra service. In fact be sure and read Rick’s advice in tipping in Italy; very different from what we are used to in North America.
Read Rick’s Italy or Rome guidebooks for lots of useful information on everyday things in Italy.