I have not been to Italy in over 50 years, and back then it was backpacking experiences so I am excited to see all of the main sites from a different perspective. That being said I need some suggestions on what to see/where to go before and after. The tour starts in Venice and ends in Rome, but I am open to any and all ideas. I will be flying in from Florida.
I will have about a week before the tour starts plus another two days to stay in the tour hotel before the tour starts. I can stay after the tour for another few weeks up to a month.
Some areas of Europe I am interested in are Belgium, Normandy in France, the northern Alsace region of France, Provence area, Tuscany area, etc. I do not want to go as far south as Sicily; I have been there before.
Probably just using public transportation.
Looking forward to hearing from all of you. Thanks so much. Regina
Posted by
San Diego, California
6707 posts
You could go to the Netherlands in prime tulip season. Try to avoid the weeks before and after Easter, because so many Europeans are on holiday then.
Enjoy!
Posted by
Atlanta
2649 posts
I took this amazing tour in 2016 and would spend 3 or 4 days in Venice pre tour and 5 or 6 days in Rome post tour. Then make your way to Provence, Paris, Normandy and onward to Bruges Belgium and to Amsterdam and Tulips at Keukenhof gardens. What an incredible experience to have this much time to see these beautiful places.
Posted by
4 posts
Just took this trip with my husband in September this year 2025. It was amazing. We covered an awful lot of ground and it was extremely active. Expect a lot of people and tourists especially in the big cities. Some people on our tour were going onto Amsterdam and Pompeii and the Amalfi coast. We came in two days ahead of our tour in Venice and went to Murano and Burano islands which were not on tour. We stayed three extra days in Rome after the trip and visit at the Vatican and Colosseum, which were not included because of it being jubilee year. I don’t know whether that will be the case in 2026 or not. Be prepared for a lot of stairs, and uneven ground.
Posted by
5 posts
We just finished this tour. It was amazing. I am still floating on air after our return last week.
We spent 3 days in Venice before it started which was good for us to get over jet lag and really see alot of the city, including some of the nearby islands. The people who did not come in early felt very rushed and stressed trying to see enough of Venice in the 1.5 days of the itinerary, so I highly encourage you to add that in. Similar story for Rome on the end. We did not extend there and were jealous of those that did. Would have liked 2 more full days at least, even though we were in Rome 15 years ago for a week. It never gets old and it was not terribly crowded if you ventured away from the primary sites. Many of the fountains and ancient ruins / sites have been cleaned and restored for the 2025 Jubilee and were even more stunning than I remembered.
Our favorite part of the trip was the Dolomites. Would have loved more time there as well. The most beautiful scenery I have witnessed. We were lucky with weather and did some easy valley hiking in the Alpi di Suisi and enjoyed a gorgeous lunch and local beer at one of the many huts. Our base was Bolzano but if you have time to circle back you could stay in another of the towns / villages and explore more of the Alps. Maybe venture into Switzerland or Austria to some of the places on the other tour Itineraries for those countries.
The tour does not go to Milan so if that interests you that might be a good option since easy access by train.
Some of the folks in our group were proceeding into Southern Italy for Amalfi Coast and Naples.
Whatever you decide you will have an amazing time. If you get Stephanie B as your guide ask her to take you to Spello for one of the optional side trips. It was beautiful!