Early to bed early to rise, how early?

I have been on 3 RS tours and I would say that the average time for "wheels up" was 8:30am....maybe 8:00am occasionally. You will definitely have time for breakfast and coffee.

I agree with the 8:30 average, with occasional earlier if a site is available earlier.
Hotel breakfasts usually start at 7, so things aren't generally too rushed.

Breakfast is included at the hotels for this tour - so yes. I can't remember the times, but we always ate the free hotel breakfast. This tour is fantastic - but be willing to possibly have to carry luggage up stairs in Venice, we were on the 5th floor with NO elevator.

Have been on 2 RST (3rd & 4th are in the works!) I’m an early riser & excited about the day so ready for COFFEE & breakfast when it’s ready for us & it’s always a delight! The time schedules are important & always clearly stated & posted - no worries - enjoy!

Thanks for the informative as well as quick replies. We can definately be ready to go by 8-8:30, charged with Italian coffee of course :)

Linda, no reason to charge for the coffee as it's included in the breakfast.

In my experience on 3 RS tours (all in Italy), most hotels start breakfast at 7:30 and there is generally plenty of time before the group gets going. Every once in a while the tour needs to get an earlier than usual start and when that happens, the tour leader arranges for breakfast to start a little earlier. You will always have time for breakfast! most days without rushing, and every once in while a little bit of a rush but still time to eat.

I like to get up early and I like my coffee asap, so I have sometimes found myself out wandering the neighborhood looking for a place to get a coffee at 6:30! Since an espresso in Italy is often just 1 euro, it's inexpensive - if there's a place open. But that's a different issue.

Charged as in fully awake and alert!

I agree 8:30 start time with breakfast available around 7:15 or 7:30 is a good average. Cappucino at b'fast helps me start the day. Also, if it is a bus day, you can always catch a snooze later in the morning. I've taken VFR and it was a totally wonderful experience. PS: in Italy there is ALWAYS time for a coffee. May I suggest when you arrive and are fighting jet lag a wonderful cure for me is a double espresso with sugar and grappa. In Italy it is called cafe correto or corrected coffee. Wakes me up almost instantly!

Lol, yes I need a charge from my coffee :)

Laurie Beth you’ve got a great solution to get the day off to a fun start, thanks for the tip!

I’ll doctor my coffee on the day I’m on the bus, that way I can sleep off any ill effects from my “special” blend, pretty sure I’ll need a nap after that cup full. Thanks to all!

Big Mike has been reading too much Amelia Bedilia 😀

Maybe Big Mike needs some of Laurie Beth’s coffee cure :) Just teasing, kinda wish I had some Grappa now.

Linda, I was part of the Venice, Florence, Rome tour this May and had a wonderful time!
Times varied for morning departure. The earliest were 7:55 to get to the Vatican Museum early, 8:00 for the Accademia in Venice and 8:10 for the Uffizi in Florence. The rest of times were 8:30, 8:45, 9:00, and 9:15.
I had plenty of time to have coffee and breakfast.
Your times could be different from these depending on where your hotel is and what times your group is scheduled with local guides and museums.
Happy Travels

For anyone reading who may be going on the Best of Turkey tour, we had a couple of 7:30am departures - so as to arrive at sites before the crowds and on one long bus day. On those early days, arrangements were made with the hotel for breakfast to be available beginning at 6:30am. Most days started between 8 and 9, and breakfast was always available at least an hour earlier, if not more.

And then there was the day of the hot air balloon ride, with pickup at 4:50am. But that's optional, and our guide actually got up (at 4:30am!) and made coffee for us. After the ride, the balloon company gave us mimosas, and the hotel breakfast was available after we got back. Not a bad way to start a day!

Average time is 8-8:30 am to get on the road. We were usually eating breakfast by 7. We liked to have a more leisurely breakfast and then a quick jaunt back up to our room for the bathroom and to grab our stuff. It was always ready to go before we headed down. That being said we were usually in bed about 11:30 pm, sometimes later, I don't think really any earlier. We slept on the bus (BOEE) but I don't know that you will have that option with your tour.