Hi!
My name’s Kaitlyn (23F) and I’m doing the Venice, Florence, and Rome tour on April 3rd-12th! Getting all my plans ready, and wondering if anyone else on the tour roster wanted to chat or create a group chat? Send me a DM, I’m looking forward to meeting everyone :-)
Also if anyone’s been on the tour before, how does the free time work and what have you booked or done on it? Still trying to get all my planning finalized so I’m looking for itinerary ideas!
Thank you!
I've not done that tour but I've done a couple other RS tours that were in Italy including Best of Italy last fall. I did book separate things during my time in Venice and Rome.
For Venice you might want to book a timed entry for St Mark's Cathedral. Do the combo ticket that gets you into the museum upstairs and the loggia (overlooks St Mark's Sq). The general itinerary does not indicate you'll go inside St Marks and your specific itinerary you'll get about a month out (well you should have it by now??) will tell you specifically. Usually they can't get the tour groups in there. You may also want to book into the Doges Palace. One thing that was of interest to me was a smaller museum which has 2 paintings by the artist Canaletto but unless you are interested, I'd probably skip for a first visit.
For Florence, I did a couple of extra things but they did not need booking. You're going to Santa Croce which is awesome and that's one of the things I did that was not covered on my specific tour. You're getting the big museums, the Uffizi and the Accademia. If you are a garden person you might consider the Boboli Gardens otherwise, nothing else probably needs booking ahead unless you want to go up in the bell tower (not a heights person, lol).
For Rome, if you are interested in seeing the Bernini sculptures in the Borghese Gallery you'll need to book ahead.
What a fun time you'll have! I will tell you that more often than not I find most people on tours do not know about the forum so do not be disappointed if no one from your tour dates respond!
Are you packed, hahaha!!!
I went on this tour a few years ago and loved it. The free time usually begins when you've finished something on the schedule, and the guide reminds you when and where the group will meet up again. Usually this is the following morning at the hotel, but it might be for a group dinner that evening. I found that it's a good idea to have a plan for my free time, either on my own or with others.
My tour group was able to get inside San Marco, through the interior, and up to the balcony where we were "released" for the rest of the day. I went from there to the Doge's Palace next door (where I had a combo ticket purchased the day before at the Correr Museum, which has shorter lines. In Florence, I skipped the cooking class to visit more museums, after notifying the guide and my "tour buddy" so I wouldn't be missed. Later that afternoon we all met at the Accademia. You can skip anything as long as you notify the guide and show up when you're supposed to later, i.e. don't hold up the group.
I hope you're planning a few days on your own in Venice before the tour, and in Rome afterwards. There's a lot more to see and do than the tour can cover. One of my pre-tour days in Venice included a visit to Padova. The day the tour ended in Rome, I had an afternoon time slot at the Borghese Gallery. I used the same hotels as the tour, but could have used others to save money or be better located for my own plans.
I hope you have a great trip. As Pam noted, most tour members don't see or use this forum, but you may connect with someone that way.
We are on that tour for the following week. In Venice the group does not g to St Mark’s Cathedral so they recommended booking tickets in the afternoon after the walking tour the second day which I did. In Rome if you are interested in the Borghese it is also not included. We will be seeing that ourselves after the tour is over before we fly out but tickets also must be booked in advance.
I haven’t made other firm plans outside the tour because we like to just walk around, linger over coffee or gelato and just absorb the atmosphere.
kaitlyn, part of the RS tour is teaching you how to get around on your own, walking or using public transportation. So the guided part might end somewhere away from the hotel, and you're expected to make your way back or to where a group dinner may be. We booked nothing for free time, and did a lot of wandering and some shopping and just plain nothing. Some people did laundry, had wine parties in their room, went to local concerts they spotted while walking, or took suggestions from the tour leader for specific things of interest. But one of the reasons they send you the relevant guidebooks in advance, is so you can read up and consider what sights interest you outside the guided tour. There're are plenty of things that the tour doesnt cover, so its up to your interests.
You've gotten some good advice. The Borghese is definitely a must see in my opinion and requires rebooking. You get a reservation for a particular time and you get 2 hours to see the museum. Then they usher everyone out and bring in the next group.
The one thing I suggest that no one else has addressed is the Rick Steves Italian language book. We used it a lot and studied it before our first trip to Italy. It is pocket size so you can carry it with you each day. It translates English to Italian and Italian to English with pronunciations. He has some fun things to say in it. My husband told a restaurant owner that his dinner was "Better than my Mama's kitchen" and he got a kiss on the top of his head from the little older woman. It is certainly worth the money.
Have a great trip!
Hello There,
I did this this exact tour in May of last year. Most start times were between 8-9 (every day is the same). You get your free Breakfast and meet the guide in the lobby between 8-9. Here what i remember each day of the free time.
Venice- I arrived a day early. Got to the hotel around 12 and after checking in and lunch i went to St. Mark's Basilica. I walked around inside and went to the second level to see the view of the square. So that is defiantly something you want to check out yourself. I would recommend pre purchasing the Basilica tickets. If you wait to in person the lines can be over an hour wait. (though they might be shorter for you in April then me end of may.
On the official Day 1 you don't meet till around 4pm with the group. So unless you are arriving you have most the day to yourself. I did this tour through Viator that was excellent. It went to places on the tour that Rick Steve's did not go to.
On Day 2 after the tour through Venice you get done around 11-12 and have the rest of the day to yourself. I went into the Doge Palace witch i bought tickets at the gate with minimal wait. Then i had pre-purchased tickets to the clock tower in St. Mark Square. I would recommend doing both. I then just wondered around Venice rest of the day.
Day 3 is when you go to the art gallery and the islands. You do have some free time on the islands, but its fun to just get a bite to eat and wonder around. You dont get back to the mainland till around 3pm. I then just wondered around.
Florence
Day 4 you drive to Florence have a tour of Florence and a tour dinner. No free time that day.
Day 5 you have another tour through the backstreets of Florence and the cooking class/lunch. After the cooking class/lunch ends around 1-2 you get free time. I Climbed the Dumo. I would highly recommend buying tickets for that ahead of time. They sell out weeks in advance. (not its a tough climb. you need to be in shape). Same with the bell tower. That night i went to sunset at the Piazzale Michelangelo. Something you need to do. Though note there a lot of people.
Day 6- After a guided tour through the Uffizi you have free time 11am to around 5pm. I went to the Medici Palace and House. Both you can buy tickets at the game with minimal wait or online to be extra safe. At 5pm you meet back up to go see the David.
Rome
Day 7- Drive to Rome and stop at the winery. Dinner in Rome with the group walking tour after dinner. No free time.
Day8- After tour of the Vatican Museums nd Sistine chapel your on your own at 11-12. You can walk around St Patrick's Basicala since it ends there. I ended up going to the top. but had to wait in line for about an hour. After that i went to buy tickets to castel sant angelo witch was worth it. Bought tickets at entrance and was fine.
Day 9- last full day. Tour the Colosseum and Ancient Rome- Afterwards you have free time. I walked around the palatine hill (witch i bought tickets at the gate) and some the other antient ruins that we did not go to. You then have to be back around 5pm for finale dinner.
I unfortunately had to fly back after the tour and had no extra time in Rome.
Hope this helps.
I took this tour in 2019 and loved it. All this advice is spot on. Enjoy every minute.
I stayed an extra couple of days afterward, so I went to the Vatican for the weekly papal audience. Our guide easily got a ticket for me during our visit to the Vatican and St. Peter's. Following the advice in Rick's book, I stood at the barricade and was rewarded with not one but two up-close looks at Pope Francis and his entourage as he made his rounds in the Popemobile. I'm not a Catholic, but it was a thrill to see such a world figure right in front of me. Best of all was observing my fellow attendees, including some young women from Mexico with whom I chatted in my very rusty Spanish. It's a cherished travel memory.
Hi Kaitlyn,
I'm Carrie and I'll be on this tour as well; I look forward to meeting you and everyone else on the roster. I've already sent my info in hopes of a group chat. : )
