<p>Son and GF are planning a graduation (theirs) trip to Europe. </p>
<p>I think it would be best and safest to be part of a tour group with hotels, transportation and sites all scheduled. Paris, London, Germany, Austria, Italy Switzerland, etc… any or all. </p>
<p>Anyone been on a reputable, organized tour? (Other than Parillo, I’m stumped.)</p>
<p>Thanks for your help.</p>
<p>Most group tours tend to appeal to an older crowd. They might want to look into a company like [Intrepid</a> Travel - small group tours - Asia Africa Europe Americas Antarctica](<a href=“http://www.intrepidtravel.com%5DIntrepid”>http://www.intrepidtravel.com)
Some of there more adventurous “intrepid Basix” trips tend to attract younger travelers.</p>
<p>BTW, independent European travel is relatively easy and safe.</p>
<p>We did a CIE tour of Ireland in 2000. musicamusica is right: old people. You can advise your son to bypass this tour company…wonderful though it is.</p>
<p>I think an organized tour would take most of the adventure and a good bit of the fun out of a trip to Europe for a college grad.</p>
<p>Contiki is an option, if you like that kind of tour. I’d suggest a railpass and an adventurous spirit.</p>
<p>I suggest they get some Rough Guides, a membership in Hosteling International, and possibly a Eurailpass, then go for it. </p>
<p>I cannot imagine taking a tour in Western Europe.</p>
<p>Topdeck and Contiki. Both are for this age group. Two of my college age kids did one of each and both had great experiences. They were able to see lots of things without worrying about the details of transportation and lodging and had free time in almost all the locations they visited, lots of fun and enjoyed the fellow travelers, most of whom were in their 20s. They did the high end category of each company’s tours. Both have good websites.</p>
<p>Hostels, rail and discount airlines in Europe are easy and safe. My son is on his grad trip in Europe now and I think he would say planning/mapping it out is part of the fun.</p>
<p>Maybe should have mentioned that my two that did the organized trips also did part of their time in Europe on their own…rail, plane, hostels, hotels before and/or after the organized trips. The part time on their own/part time on a tour worked for them.</p>
<p>Happykid and two pals (rising college juniors) are headed to Europe for three weeks of independent travel in August. They started their info. search by picking up materials at the local AAA office. The package tours gave them a general notion of how long it might take to get from one place to another, and what the cost could come to. However, they’ve done all their own planning using internet resources, travel guides from the library, etc. They are planning to keep their entire trip under $4,000 per traveler thanks to cheap flights on Condor, triple rooms in economical hotels, Eurail passes, and scrounging up most of their meals at local bakeries and supermarkets.</p>
<p>If your travellers don’t like making arrangements, and aren’t heading to obscure villages in pursuit of X, Y, or Z, then a package tour could work for them. It could also make sense if they don’t want to share a room and the tour company gives them the option of being matched with roomies of their own gender.</p>
<p>Thanks all.
IB5- I will chick out those tour companies you posted and sent the info to my son.</p>