One option is the Best of Basque Country Spain and France tour. We are traveling with two teenagers, is this tour interesting enough for them? We are big foodies!
The other option is to string together two seven day tours of say Ireland/London? Has anyone done the second option? Pitfalls? How is the food in these countries?
In 2009 we took the Best of Europe 21 day tour and loved every place and every minute of it! Now we are looking for trip two.
Thanks for the help!
In 2011, DW and I did the 7-day Paris and London city tours back-to-back. We started in Paris, then took the Eurostar to ondon and did that tour. Doing it that way actually works pretty well because you can leave Paris in the morning and, in a couple of hours, you're in London. There were teenagers on both of the tours and there is plenty to keep people of that age interested.
I went to Ireland for the first time in August and loved it. I adore London and would go back in a heartbeat. In both places, pub food is usually good, but completely unremarkable. The really good meals I've had in London were in Indian restaurants. That said, you can find many good ethnic restaurants in that city.
My first RS tours backed to back Paris and Rome connected by over-night rail. These were seven day tours in the spring of 2002. I'd used his books as guides through Germany, Great Britain, Italy and The Netherlands on independent europe trips beginning in 1995. Now I wanted to see how Rick really toured small groups after doing travel on my own. Needless to say this traveler was hooked a day into Paris. The walks in neighborhoods, through museums, the cafe food, the people and sights of Paris became intense events watched over and directed by guide William. I couldn't wait for Rome and more of the same in that history dense, traffic crazed, hand-gesturing Italian delight of a place. The new guide was completely another sort of character from William, yet seemed exactly right for Rome. The local guides of Paris, if anything, were surpassed by those of Rome. Particularly memorable as I recall, was a certain Ms Francesca, who captured the walks through the Vatican and the Forum perfectly. Well. many tours later nothing of my enthusiasm has decreased, and the desire for the next tour is no less. My ease of walking miles, and standing enraptured by words and views is a bit less comfortable now. Nothing like a little joint pain to gain focus I suppose, so the next RS tour may have a less large footstep count but no less joy in travel. Any RS tour is a great tour. No exceptions. Well your question on pitfalls, food and specific tours to take is hard for me to answer. Remember each tour is refined to seeing and touching and experiencing the essential place visited, as Rick has learned so well over many year's experience. So chose your fancy, and enjoy travel as it should be done.
cheryl,
Do you have 14 days for touring, or only 12 days once your flight days are included? Any of the RS tours would be good (IMO). Have your teenagers indicated any preference for one area over the other?
You certainly could take the London tour and the Heart of Ireland tour back-to-back, however that could be challenging with the time frame you have. You'd have to allow for flight times, one day for travel between England and Ireland and also find tours where the ending date of one coincided closely with the starting date of another. The Basque & France tour would also be good, and may be an easier fit with your time frame.
In my experience, the food in all the countries you mentioned is great.
Hi Cheryl! I work in the Tour Department at RSE and I would recommend our Best of Ireland Tour. I have lived in Ireland as well as assisted guides on this tour 3 times and I have never been disappointed. I think that your kids would love the coast as well as the city of Dublin, the witty Irish humor that never disappoints, the Pub Music and the food is excellent!!! Summer we do get a lot of families on this tour. I know that most have this idea that it is meat and potatoes but it is a wonderful variety of traditional food with a spin on it - salads, seafood, cottage pie to name a few. The two most popular responses that I have heard while on this tour and read in our Tour Member Evaluations is that it was SUNNY and the food was/is FABULOUS!!!
Thank you all for your help. To answer a couple of questions people had in response to my posting;
I always plan to have at least a couple of days in the front and back end of a trip, just in case of unforeseen travel issues.
My kids are pretty well traveled. I have to say that they have loved every vacation I have planned from camping in Yellowstone, skiing at Lake Tahoe, to the Caribbean, to Europe, etc... They never complain. It kind of amazes me because they are now 21 and 18 and still get excited about any trip I plan, even if it's just to Disneyland or a nice dinner out. But that's why this decision is easy and hard at the same time.
Anywhere will be great, because we all appreciate the opportunity to travel and vacation.
I appreciate all the information and help that people have given me on the forum. Thank you!
