[b]Hello, I was wanting to get some feedback from anyone who has been on the best of italy and greece tour. I am booked for Sept and have also included the cruise. I have read some reviews on some of the hotels which people have stayed in and the reviews are not very good. I am under the impression that this is a first class tour, at least it should be for the price I am paying. The reviews came from the hotels websites. I am a little concerned for the hotels do not seem to be very central to the city in which we stay. Is this true? I am trying to meet up with people I know on another tour and their hotels seem to be right in the cities in which they stay? Also, what to bring. This is my very first holiday in another country. If shopping for clothes, are there good buys? Or should I just buy some clothes to take with me. I will shop for leather goods while I am there. Is taking one suitcase advisable or should I pack more. I just don't want to pack about of luggage around when I get there. Do I need to buy adapters for my hairdryer, curling iron, etc? Any advice will be helpful. I am excited about going but concerned about the hotels and bad reviews I have read. Maggie[/b]

I have done this very tour and it is wonderful. All the hotels although not very central were great and always had access to transportation to get where you wanted to go. Pack light, always pack your carry on with some toiletries and underclothing in case you don't get your suitcase, but that most likely won't be a problem. Alot depends on your tour guide and the other travellers which are on the tour. It is very individual, but I think that you will have a great time even on your own. Happy travelling!

my wife and i (ages 60 and 57) plan to take the same trafalgar tour in may 2006 and we have similar concerns and questions. we would like to have some free time to explore some cities/areas/attractions on foot and on our own but are very concerned about hotel locations - are they so inconviently located that it will discourage one from going into the cities? For example, I notice that the "venice" hotel is actually in someplace called Mestre. How big a deal is it to travel between mestre and central venice? also, we've never done an escorted tour before but we hated the one carnival cruise we took two years ago because we felt crowded and confined (i.e., confined on a ship with 3000 people or on a land excursion with 500 people with almost no free time on land to explore on our own). . if you (or anyone else) can possibly give us some feedback we would appreciate it very much. Thanks.

I have taken this tour. Although it is not my favorite way to travel, I found it well organized, the tour directer was very informative. The pace may grind you a bit, you are up very early. Most of the hotels were not in the central cities, and I found trasportation a bit hard. Rome has taxi stations, they do not pull over and pick you up anywhere. I was willing to walk and then sort out the taxi situation. I love a good adventure. Serento is amazing and most likely you will be able to walk quite a bit. Florence is quite the same, I remained in town after the tour part was over. Europe on a budget as most of the tours dictate are not renouned for the best hotels, do not get excited tho, it's the same all over europe; on a budget. I have always been grateful if I can get into the shower or tub without becoming maimed. You might wish you had a bit more time for shopping and exploring on your own, but feel free to ask your director. They will try to be helpful. I had enough time to purchase wonderful things. I did leave my tour in Rome for an extra day, much to the horror of my director, then took a train to the next destination. I do not advise this for first time travelers. Venice; unless you are booked into the central water area of venice you will stay on the main land, then ferry over for the day. You cannot walk. Tours take a bit of getting used to if your like me. I travel alone most of the time and dislike crowds, but I had a wonderful time. Cloths should be comfortable but stylish, Italians are very well dressed. You wont have time to shop for alot of cloths. Leather in Florence is great. I pack a smaller suit case inside the larger one, as I shop for art everywhere I go. I have had to pay addition charge for the plane back but it is worth the cost. If you can get away with a slightly larger carry-on for the bus, do it! The bags provided by the companies are dismally small and you look like a tourist. One thing I dont ever wish to do. Most tours offer many added excursions, they are pretty good, the dinner shows are cool. The opera was fabulous. Island of capri is amazing. Go into the colossem, dont just walk around it. I did'nt like the rotation on the bus each day, so stayed in the back seat for the entire trip. I simply said this is where I was staying due to car sickness. Not to much grumbling from the others. They were a good bunch of people. If you are adventurous and are going out on your own at night, be careful. Be polite, do not complain about service..It is not like what some of us are used to. Before you go out on your own, grap a map, cirlce where your hotel is, if the taxi driver does not speak your language, just show him the map. Remember we travel to experiece the new.. ..All in all, it was a good tour. Enjoy!