Cant say enough. Trip was fantastic! went to the head of lines in the Vatican and Coleseum. Hotels were located where you could walk to the cities (except Venice). . I am recommending it to everyone. I would have no problem booking Globus again.

We are getting ready to book the Italian Mosaic and I was wondering if you would mind me asking a few questions. How many people were on your tour? Do you know what the minimum number of people must book for the trip to not be cancelled? Were your entrance fees included? What were the optionals like? How was the bus? Was it roomy enough for a 6 foot man? Thanks.

I'm looking at this tour. Where did you stay in Rome? In Tuscany, are there may restaurants near the hotel? (Monticianti Terme?) How close is the Assisi hotel to the bascillica? What optional dinners did you do and which ones would you recommend? I can't wait to hear!

I'm going on the Best of Italy tour-leaving July 15. I would love to hear from others who have taken this tour. Hotels?? What optionals? Any advice? Also, is it still true that females must have their shoulders and legs covered to go into the churches in Italy? (I'm trying to decide what to pack.)

I think that we still have to cover up. I've been reading up on this.

We were in Italy last summer.

I believe capris were OK - but short shorts weren't. One young girl in our group was told that her shorts were too short. She conveniently had something with her just in case.

Debbie

[quote="Elen"]I'm going on the Best of Italy tour-leaving July 15. quote]

I hope you have a great time, I'm going Best of Italy November 5th, so
please post about your experience when you return because I'd love to have the inside "dirt" before I go. thanks!

1. WOMEN DO COVER SHOULDERS/LEGS AT CHURCHES OUT OF RESPECT.. .. ..NOT REALLY ENFOCRED, HOWEVER.
2. ONE SHOULD DO ALL OF THE OPTIONAL DINNERS FOR THE FOLLOING REASONS:

(1) ALTHOUGH MEALS COST ABOUT 50 EUROS PER PERSON, ALL TRANSPORTATION IS INCLUDED, SERVICE IS PROMPT AND THEY ARE GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(2) SOME ADDITIONAL SIGHTSEEING IS INCLUDED ON THE WAY TO THE DINNERS.
(3) TOUR GROUPS HAVE THE POWER IN EUROPE. NO QUESTION ABOUT IT!!!!!!!!!
(4) EVERY PERSON WHO WAS CHEAP AND DID NOT GO ON THE DINNERS REALLY WAS SORRY.

LOL. We were some of those cheapskates that didn't go on all the optional dinners. We wanted the adventure of doing things on our own and were never sorry. However different people like different things.

In Lucerne, we considered going to the swiss folklore dinner/show on our own. It was in a regular restaurant and I'd emailed before we went to find out about it and that it was open to the public - not just tour groups. When we arrived, we discovered it was within walking distance of our hotel. However it was sold out. So that was one thing we might have done with the group if we'd known. However I didn't regret it.

On the other hand, one couple in our group went to it solely because they were afraid that they wouldn't be able to find a restaurant open in that town on a Sunday. That was never a problem for us. Another older woman said that if she'd known how late it would last, she would have skipped it.

Debbie

I agree halfway with the previous comment. My husband and I recently returned from "Italy's Great Cities" and 2 dinners were included in the tour (not optionals), we paid for 1 other optional dinner in Rome because we wanted to go on the "Walking Tour of Rome w/ Dinner" and we enjoyed both the tour and dinner parts of it. But, we chose not to go on the other optional dinners, not to be cheap (our dinners with our own transportation were about the same price), but because we were on our belated honeymoon and we didn't want to have dinner in a group of 46 other people every night. We enjoyed exploring a bit in the evenings on our own, finding a nice restaurant, and spending time on our own. A few other people didn't go on the optional dinners for whatever reason, cost, rest time, etc.. .. . But everyone who did go on the optional dinners said they really enjoyed it. Basically you have a couple of options for dinners. One thing to keep in mind, if you choose not to do the optional dinners due to cost, even a dinner of a slice of pizza, coke, and ice cream can be 25 euros. With most things over there, especially food, you get what you pay for.

We had a GREAT time!!! Globus managed everything so well and all details were taken care of. The most important thing is to go and relax, go with the flow, be flexible with the little cultural differences and enjoy the beauty!

Have a great time!

Lisa

If the restaurant meals are so expensive, where do the "locals" eat? What does 25 Es relate to in $$? About $32.00 in US dollars? Thanks. We are doing the Thames to the Tiber on June 2nd. Anyone else taking this tour?

If the restaurant meals are so expensive, where do the "locals" eat? What does 25 Es relate to in $$? About $32.00 in US dollars? Thanks. We are doing the Thames to the Tiber on June 2nd. Anyone else taking this tour?