OK I'm back from the Globus Italian Mosaic and will make shorter comments in several posts rather than one long thing - although this seems like it will be pretty long.

First our tour director was wonderful. Karlheinz (goes by Karl) was very much into history and did an amazing job. We gave him a standing ovation at the farewell dinner. The local guides were also good except for Pompeii where it was difficult to understand the guide (older gentleman) because of his accent.

The first meeting was at 5pm before the welcome dinner. Karl stated, "I will post when to have the luggage out and when breakfast will start and when you need to be on the bus. Please do not be late. This isn't a leisure vacation where you sit around doing nothing. This is a TOUR where you are paying to see things. It is fast paced and you may not have all the time you want at each location." And see things we did. There were a few places I wish we had visited longer but we knew going in that this was an "overview" trip to see the "once is enough" things like Pisa and then figure out where we would like to go back at another time on another trip to explore more like the Roman Forum.

Arrival - we sat at the airport collecting others on Globus tours for about 2 hours because we arrived just after a bus had left. Of course others who arrived after we did did not have to wait very long at all. But we knew the schedule and spent the time talking, rehydrating and reading the guidebooks again. Would we "waste" those 2 hours again? Yes - the transfers were worth it. No customs or hassle with luggage. We did drag it to the bus but after that we didn't have to do a thing. And we met others on our tour.

Note about the people on the tour. Karl stated we were "one of his best" (bet he says that to all the tours) but did mentioned that we all were kind to each other. There was alot of laughing on the bus and everybody got along and helped each other out with suggestions, camera problems, medical problems (we had a doctor with us), restaurant suggestions, etc. There was one lady traveling alone who attached herself to various groups and while she was bothersome everyone treated her respectfully even though she was strange. That said, given another week on the bus we all might have turned on her like rabid dogs but even she wasn't that bad.

The first night dinner was awesome. Tons of food, singers, wine bottles open on every table. Note: ask for beer if you want it. Our group had 3 people celebrating birthdays, one couple on their honeymoon and one celebrating an anniversary. Jet lag, free flowing booze and good food started off everything right. But early to bed because the next day we were on TOUR with a very early start to get to the Vatican at the head of the lines.

Hotels: All were very good room size and the only problems we had will be noted below. I had read what most people had to say about various hotels and expected Florence to be the worst at the Majestic. But we got switched to the Cosmopolitan at the last minute. Our tour director actually shuddered when we mentioned the Majestic. His comment was "nasty hotel in a great location". . But we were outside of town with not much around us. This hotel looks like Star Trek. All glass furniture (except for the bed) with a flat screen TV on the wall where you can program your wake up call. Not at all quaint. We had a duplicate Mosaic tour doing our route (it was the one that was added - we were the first signup) at the same time that we would run into at some of the optionals. They seemed to get to those dinners earlier than we did so the service was staggered. They weren't as impressed with their TD as we were (he had a tendency to treat them like children and wag a finger at them) and stayed in Florence at the Jolly Hotel. They said it was OK but we had the "wow" hotel.

In Mestre we did not stay at the hotel near the train station. We had the Ambasciatori which we all agreed was the "worst" for food although the rooms were fine in size. NOTE: everyone seemed to get a different room at most of the hotels. It all worked out because one time my husband and I got a grand room and the next time we got a smaller one than the others. They were all fine for what we needed. Another NOTE: While we all agreed that the hotel in Mestre was the "worst" it was located right next to a grocery store where there was cheap wine and goodies to buy. That Pam store really offset the hotel's problems so while we all said "worst" there was a big "but" after it. Another problem with that hotel - DANGEROUS staircase into the lobby. Three people at least in our tour tripped/fell on the last step. Karl said he was there when a lady hit her head and needed 9 stitches (ER right down the road). . My husband wrenched his knee and they had ice on it in about 30 seconds so you know they have had others with injuries. Last problem with the hotel - awfully small showers with low water pressure.

MAJOR PROBLEM: There was a heat wave in November when we were there. It is normally colder and rainy and we had great weather. No complaint there. But in Milan and Venice especially the rooms were HOT. The A/C is very regulated in Italy and was turned off. No screens on the windows so we got mosquitoes if we opened them. And you can't control the temp from the room. We learned the hard way to call down to the desk to have them turn OFF the heat. Some places did have where you could reset the thermostat but they also have a thing where you have to put your room key in a slot to have the lights work. And when you left the room the lights went out and the temp went back to where it was before. On the actual rooms - that was our biggest complaint. During the summer the A/C might not be great and you could have the same problem. Take lightweight sleepwear.

That said we did check the "going rate" for the rooms we were in. Except for Assisi (truly "quaint" and the best meals) they were all 4 star. One room was an "executive" and the rate on the door was 500 Euros a night. Most others were at least 200. There is no way we could have afforded the rooms we had on our own.

More postings on other things like optionals, provided dinners, breakfasts and packing in a couple of days. Let me know if there is anything else you want to know.

Donna

Donna
Thanks for the info you've posted so far. I'm really looking forward to our trip in June. So your comments/thoughts are very helpful
Your TD, was it Karlheinz Glock from Bolzano? If so, he was our TD on Trafalgar's Best of Italy in 1997.
Keep the info coming!
Ciao
Sue

I'm not sure where he is originally from - northeast Italy I believe. He owns a B&B with a partner on the border of Umbria and Tuscany.

My wife and I take Mosaic tour arrive ROME Tues 20 March return fr ROME on 1 Apr '07. Wondering what you did for [u][b]lunch[/b][/u] in ROME, FLORENCE, MILAN, VENICE, and SORRENTO when on your own. Any recommendations on non-touristy TRATTORIA's, RISTORANTE's? i.e do I need to plan ahead for LUNCH or just wing-it? I heard someone say to ask Hotel Concierge or employees where they eat lunch and dinner, i.e. where locals go. Also, any recommendations for non-touristy[b]dinner[/b] in those cities when dinner was not included (Rome, Sorrento) or where you didn't do the Optional Dinners (Flor, Milan, Venice, Sorrento). . Thanks, appreciate any info.

Pick up Rick Steves Italy guide book and I am sure you will get some ideas.
Also go to tripadvisor web site and than to the Italy section on restaurants and they actually rate the restaurants. If you check out their Italy forum I am sure you will be able to find some suggestions on good places to eat.
If you are going to wing it on your own get away from the touristy areas and eat where the locals go for lunch.Don't eat anywhere that has someone standing outside trying to get people to come in.
I always enjoy getting away from the crowds and enjoying the local culture.

Have a great time!!!

Thanks. I'll look into those sites.