Best of Europe in 21 Days questions…

We are about to go on our 4th RS tour. (None of which are the 21 day tour.)
1. Late April/Early May is a nice time to travel; avoiding the larger summer crowds. Though crowds can be large in certain places no matter what season. Spring weather can bring spring showers. So the answer is who knows, but probably yes.
2. A lot of people, yes. Us, no. We did carry on for one of the tours, and it just doesn't work for us. There's plenty of room in the bus undercarriage. Bring anything you want; the key is that you must manage it. You aren't always dropped off right in front of your hotel. Can you manage on cobblestones; up/down hills. Up stairs if there is no elevator with your luggage?
3. The meals almost always involve a choice of entrees. (Breakfast is always buffet.) Before the trip, you need to mention your food allergies such as dairy free or gluten free or if you are vegan/vegetarian, so that is planned well in advance. Usually the guide passes a paper around a night or two in advance where you make your dinner meal choices for the next couple of upcoming meals. Sometimes we've had a lunch stop at a local place where it's family style, on the table to be passed around; take what you like in a farmhouse or winery scenario. We've also had lunches where everybody can get their own thing, like at a travel center stop, etc. But, your dinners usually have several options of main course, dessert, etc.
4. Nobody can answer the "best policy" question. What state you live in; your age; what your needs are has everything to do with it.
5. The buses are large and carry 50+ passengers, so it's only half full. Lots of room! Fantastic time to sit back and take in the view. Some people nap. The tour guide often shares travel info about what we are seeing/passing, etc. I actually find it very relaxing. It always works out just about right. And like your years with the band, you know the bus always seems to create a bonding experience.
Enjoy!!!

Obviously there is a lot of bus travel. I am a retired band director so I am used to spending a lot of time on buses but does the large amount of bus travel detract from the overall trip experience or does it work out about right?

I don't have a lot to offer since I'm taking the Best of Europe in 21 days tour later this year. However, as a former marching band kid, I sure hope these bus trips are at least half as fun as those day-long bus trips with the band!

I took this tour in 2022 during the same April/May time period. KD’s responses are spot on.
The crowds were generally pretty light, the only exceptions being at Neuschwanstein and the Vatican Museums (which have been taken off the itinerary) and in the Cinque Terra, where the day trippers start pouring out from the train stations mid-morning. If you get out early you almost have things to yourself.
A couple that was on my tour submitted the winning scrapbook that year -
https://www.fromappalachiatothealps.com/
It’s a great tour - enjoy!

Not BOE, but we did Village Italy last year with additional days which added up to over 21 days.

We, along with most of travel mates wore variations of the same clothes during the entire trip. Managed it with the RS roller carry on. There’s a lot of advice on this forum how to pack light. We only travel with a carry on and a personal item no matter where we go.

We took the 21 day tour many years ago starting the week of June. It was great. I agree with what everyone has said. The bus rides were not an issue because we stopped every two hours at interesting rest areas or in a neat town.
Yes, you need at the least Medical insurance. Look at Square mouth.com and compare policies.

Just a point about timing of the travel insurance. If you have any pre-existing condition and you want it covered you will want to understand what the policy requires as to when to buy it. Many policies require you purchase it within a certain number of days (like 10) of making your first trip payment.

We are signed up for this tour in April of 2027. This will be our 2nd tour with Rick Steves, and we are very excited about this one. This will be the first 3 weeks of our 8-week trip, and we will only be bringing a small carry-on and one small day pack.

After this tour we will be heading to Switzerland for 2wks and then cruise to Greece/Turkey for 3wks bringing only merino wool, linen and clothing that will dry overnight. The thought of lugging heavy bags up hills, stairs and on trains has made us determined to make it work.

We have purchased our trip/medical insurance through Faye. Their app is super simple to use and all the research I did makes me comfortable with this purchase. As said above be sure to read and understand the insurers pre-existing conditions policy. For Faye you must purchase your insurance policy withing 14 days of the first non-refundable purchase.

Since the downpayment for our Princess cruise (we did this back in July of 2025) and the down payment for the BOE tour were both refundable we didn't have to purchase our policy until I booked a non-refundable hotel in Zurich.

We had a lot of bus travel on our Best of Ireland tour but the scenery and the chance to rest was very nice. Food was outstanding as well.

I haven't done this tour but I have done 5 RS tours which all follow the same format. Many good answers already, here are a few other observations:

We are tentatively planning on doing a late April early May trip. Is
that a pretty decent timeline considering weather and not as large of
crowds?

There's really no "off" season any longer in the most popular places. Reserve tickets ahead of time for anything that is a must see for you that's not covered by the tour. That time of year can be iffy on weather but just prepare for it (layers, waterproof outerwear, good shoes) and pack your positive attitude.

Do most people really just bring a carry on piece of luggage and small
backpack for a 21 day trip?

For the most part yes, but the real requirement is that you handle and carry your own baggage for the trip as there are no porters. Sometimes the company will hire a luggage transport if the hotel is a very long distance from the bus - but that's the exception not the rule. I have been on tours where people had ENORMOUS bags - they toted them along but did not have much fun doing it. Also, on most tours you can put some excess baggage in "deep storage" on the bus - it stays there until the bus drops you off at the last city. That's useful for keeping souvenirs and such. Pack a foldable tote bag or duffle for this purpose.

For the dinners that are a part of the
tour is there any choice of entrees or is it one item this is set in
advance?

As noted, be sure to state any dietary restrictions when you sign up for the tour. They can usually accommodate but if you have unusually specific dietary issues or are a picky eater, you may need to pack a few snacks. I will note that you may not always get to pick your entree ahead of time, it really depends on the location, guide, and style of meal service. On my Turkey tour we rarely were offered choices ahead of time, but there were choices at the table.

I assume we should get trip insurance and possibly medical as well a
we are both on Medicare? Any recommendations on what policy is the
best and when we should purchase the insurance?

Use Squaremouth or InsuremyTrip websites to compare policies for your unique situation. Definitely read the preexisting conditions clauses and be sure to buy your insurance within the timeframe required to be covered (as noted it's a usually a certain number of days after you make your first payment toward the trip). Search this site for tips on Medicare as it does not cover you overseas, but some supplemental plans do offer limited international coverage.

Obviously there is a lot of bus travel. I am a retired band director
so I am used to spending a lot of time on buses but does the large
amount of bus travel detract from the overall trip experience or does
it work out about right?

The bus will stop every two hours at least, as the drivers are highly regulated and are mandated to stop for their own rest. Many times the stop may be an interesting location and there is always a bathroom (repeat this motto: go when you can, not when you have to). The guide will often give a lecture en route - something about culture, language, or your next stop. The bus time is also a nice way to get a bit of rest (you'll be VERY busy). I also used that time to catch up on my online blog/journal, sort through photos, or just watch the scenery. Truly not a hardship, especially since someone else is doing the driving.

Have a great time!

I am signed up for this tour next April 18 and I'm really excited! My first RS tour was last fall to Switzerland.

1. I signed up for the April tour specifically because I wanted to see the tulips at the Keukenhof Gardens.
2. When I first started to travel I was more of a "steamer trunk" packer. But for the trip to Switzerland, I decided to pick up the gauntlet and only took a carry-on and a backpack. I did check the carry-on because I loathe schlepping a suitcase through the airport and into the small bathroom stalls. It can be done but like others said, as long as you can carry your own luggage, you can pack as lightly or as much as you like. After we have a list of tour hotels, I plan on contacting RS tour peeps and ask which ones will do laundry on site for their guests. I did this in Lausanne. It worked great and I thought the cost was worth it.
3. Some of our dinners in Switzerland had a choice (the tour guide would ask us for our preference on the bus) and others were set in advance.
   
4. My credit card has travel insurance included so I only bought medical and evacuation insurance.
5. Others have commented on the bus rides. We were told the bus restroom was for emergencies only and as the bus stopped every two hours, it wasn't a problem. But as CL said, go when you have the opportunity at every stop.
6. Yes, buy tickets and make reservations asap. I've already booked a hotel in Haarlem for two days before the tour starts and in Paris for two extra days there. If you plan on going in early or staying later, make your hotel reservations soon. I am traveling solo and the single rooms in the hotel I booked in Haarlem are already sold out. I've also booked my Corrie Ten Boom museum reservation and am researching things to do during our free time in each city.

I did this as my first RS trip several years ago and it is a great overview of Europe. There is a lot of time on the bus some days; look at the detailed itinerary and it gives the hours. I wouldn't say it detracts from the trip, it's just the nature of covering a lot of ground in 3 weeks. On some of the longer bus days the start time in the morning can be early and for me that was the harder part, not the total hours.

For insurance my philosophy is to insure against large/ruinous expenses. That means medical coverage is a must because a hospital stay can add up quickly and Medicare has minimal coverage. I don't insure the cost of the trip. I would be sad to lose what I spent but that's something I already budgeted; a $50K+ medical expense is not. GeoBlue waives pre-existing conditions no matter when you buy the policy. If you want the people at https://tripinsurancestore.com/ get positive reviews so you can call and talk it over with them. Policies cost the same whether you buy thru an agent or direct. If you want to be flown home if hospitalized abroad then look into a separate MedJet policy; regular travel medical policies have wishy-washy clauses like "medically necessary" and my guess is they'll never find it so.

We just completed the Best of Germany tour (our 13th RS tour) which consisted of some long bus days between Munich and Berlin. Coach drivers in Europe are required to stop every so many hours so you do get some breaks, hopefully more than just the full service rest stops along the highway.I enjoy watching the scenery but others were not all together pleased with long hours on the bus. If you want to take a tour that includes long distances, you deal with it. People bring all different sizes of luggage but as KD explained, you need to be able to haul it up if there’s no elevator and in Europe, Floor 1 is not the bottom floor but one flight up. And even if there is an elevator it might be quite small and easier and faster to climb the stairs. As far as group dinners, all our tours have been different. Sometimes there’s been a choice for the entree, sometimes not. On this tour there were five group dinners, three of which were set with no choice. For instance, I see your tour also stays in Bacharach, we had a group dinner there cooked by the hotel owner and everyone was served the same breast of chicken, potatoes and vegetables. It sounds like you may do the same. As far as places being crowded, it’s really hard to predict any more, just like the weather. When we visited the Cologne Cathedral, it was packed with people in mid May.

I have not been on a RS tour, but you should know that the packing section of this website has lots of suggestions for packing light. I always travel carryon only and take clothes that can be washed in the sink when I have 2 nights in a place and will dry within two nights. Your tour guide will be able to tell you where to find a laundry for more extensive washing. Merino wool is a great multipurpose fabric that is comfortable in a variety of weather. Limit the number of shoes you take. I always buy GeoBlue health insurance for trips and fortunately haven't had to use it. You are going to have a wonderful trip!

We just did 2 short RS tours back to back (Ireland and Scotland). 19 days total. As mentioned, for most of our included dinners there was a choice of entrees, which we chose in advance. The exceptions were the welcome dinners, where everyone except the gluten-free/vegan/etc got the same thing. For lunches, we more often all got the same thing (again, except for the special diets).

Luggage: we did carry-on plus one medium checked bag, which was mostly for my husband's stuff but a few things for me. We did laundry halfway through. Keep in mind that unless you decide to go to a fancy restaurant for one of your non-included meals, you do not need any dressy clothes or shoes.

We took this tour in 2014 - it is a great tour! It has changed a little - your tour goes to Salzburg - we were in the countryside in Austria. I think Salzburg is a better option - although I have no complaints about our itinerary.

1) Our tour was during April - I prefer that as it is a bit cooler - but the weather can be less predictable. We had great weather during April. For sure, April/May are shoulder seasons - so not as crowded.

2) Yes - we brought one carry on suitcase and small backpack - very doable. The guide provides advice/plans for laundry stops - as I recall - Cinque Terre had a laundry at or near our hotel. I think there was one other option as well. We were fine with clothes.

3) As far as meals - I do not specifically recall. I know the big dinner we had in Cinque Terre was Amphore (variety of seafood/fish cooked in a clay pot). There were other side dishes but no other entree options. If folks notify the office in advance of food sensitivities or other dietary restrictions, they will accommodate.

4) Yes - get medical insurance. I have no recommendations as I am not yet on Medicare. My current healthcare covers me overseas.

5) The bus travel is fine. By EU law, the bus driver must have a break every two hours - the bus usually stops every 90 minutes - sometimes just bathroom breaks, other times for lunch, or stop in cute little town, etc. The guide will use some of the bus time to talk about history, culture, politics, language of the area you are about to visit.

Enjoy!

What do you have for Medicare insurance? Are you on traditional Medicare with a Medigap/supplement policy? Medicare will not provide any coverage on your trip but Medigap plans C, D, F, G, M and N will pay 80% of out of country emergency care up to plan limits. Medigap plans have a $50,000 lifetime limit.

If you have an Advantage plan you need to read your policy as there is no standard coverage on what is covered, it is up to the insurance provider to decide coverage.

One thing to look for is an “extension of coverage” option. The extension provides benefits after your scheduled date of return for a medical related delay.

We did this trip a few years back. Our tour started May 1. We went 3-4 days early hoping to do a bike ride. Timing did not work out. It was cold, windy and drizzly—so we visited several museums in Amsterdam. May 1 was sunny and warm and stayed lovely. We went to Amsterdam again last year April 21-25 and it was lovely. Drizzly at times but not bad. Th first time I brought a down vest and th second time a puffy jacket. I only used the vest but my SIL used my puffy jacket.
April to May I’d bring a couple long sleeve shirts and maybe a couple sleeveless. The weather can be so variable. We just returned from London. Mostly 60’s and 70’s but they also broke a record for heat—90!

The bus time goes by so fast. Bring a book if you’re worried.
Layers!

We finished this tour a few weeks ago and had a great time! Tour started Sunday April 26 in Haarlem, finished Saturday May 16 in Paris. We chose those dates because we wanted to see the tulips at Keukenhof Gardens. The gardens were gorgeous and one of my favorite stops. It included trees, ponds, fountains, & thousands of bulb flowers, azaleas and rhododendren in bloom. We had a couple of hours there before heading to Bacharach. Didn't know when we signed up that April 27 is King's Day in Netherlands. We ended up enjoying it, but just be aware that it's crazy busy & noisy (esp. in Amsterdam), like Mardis Gras & July 4th, so check your tour dates!

Take the optional gondola ride in Venice!

PRETOUR: We arrived a few days early, staying at the quiet Breathe Hotel in Leiden (no elevator). We visited the Rijksmuseum in Leiden, which has awesome exhibits of ancient Egyptian, Greek & Roman artifacts. We also toured the Molen DeValk windmill (climbing lots of narrow stairs & ladders). Also went to the enjoyable Escher Museum in Den Hague.

POSTTOUR: Stayed a few extra days in Paris, at the nice Hotel Muguet (larger room than final tour Hotel Beaugency). We visited the Rodin Museum & Asian Art Museum.

To answer your questions:
1. WEATHER: It was all over the place this time of year. Sun, rain, light dusting of mountain snow overnight in lovely Lauterbrunnen Switzerland. We got lucky until Florence where it rained heavily. Warm in Rome. Cold & drizzle in Paris (the week after we left Paris had heatwave). See what we packed in #2. CROWDS - Places were very busy (Venice, Rome, the Louvre) but they weren't as bad as high season. Crowd for Mona Lisa was shoulder to shoulder, barely moving. I bailed because it was ridiculous.
2. Yep, everyone had 1 carry-on rolling suitcase plus a medium backpack/totebag. Sink wash in hotels! Laundry service in Cinque Terre. We each had 3 shortsleeve technical Tshirts, 3 long-sleeved ones, 2 long-sleeved UPF50 sunshirts, merino wool base layer 'longjohns' and long-sleeved top, fleece zip jacket, raincoat, gloves, knit hat, neck gaiter & mini-travel umbrella. We wore waterproof low hiking boots on plane, and packed 1 pair of athletic shoes. We each had a Cotopaxi 35L Backpack as main luggage. Mine weighed 20 lbs & hubby's 23 lbs. Hubby had Eddie Bauer packable backpack as personal item. Mine was Adidas Me Too totebag. Also had packable slingbags for everyday use.
IMPORTANT: Some hotels did NOT have elevators! Our backpacks were great for stairs, especially our top floor room (5th floor in USA) in Lauterbrunnen. People with rolling suitcase developed technique of placing it two steps up in front of them, stepping up one step, repeat. Practice in advance with a packed suitcase! Be able to walk a mile or two at a 20-minute a mile pace (with a few 30 to 60 seconds at an 18-minute a mile pace). Lots of stairs on this trip, but two people with canes & knee replacements did it!
3. Sometimes there were a few options for entree & sides, others were preset, with an option for vegetarians. 1st night dinner was awesome with numerous Indonesian dishes. Cinque Terre's entree was mixed seafood in a clay pot (clams, mussels, fish, shrimp, lobster, octopus). Lunch stops at autoplazas were great. Try to find nontraditional foods for your non-tour meals to avoid burnout from sausage, potatoes and pasta.
4. See advice from other forum members regarding insurance. We bought TravelGuard trip insurance within a few days of signing up for the tour. We also bought MedJet thru AARP for emergency evacuation (1-yr policy).
5. We enjoyed the bus time because we loved looking out at the scenery. Our guide Jody talked about history of countries we were travelling thru, played a few songs from each country & shared snacks! She also had quiet time when some people napped, chatted or read books. Great time to go thru photos (we took about 2,800!) and delete bad ones.

Forgot to mention in my reply to question #2 that on the 21-day Best of Europe Tour we each had 3 pairs of hiking-type pants on the trip (wore one pair on plane and packed the others).

We learned that pants don't get as dirty as shirts do. And that rubbing stick deodorant/antiperspirant on the inside of shirts (underarm area) helps keep smells away, allowing shirts to be worn at least twice before sink-washing.