<p>Has anyone used a tour group for travel to Italy? If so, could you please share your experience? We are a group of 5 couples looking to vacation in Italy next year for 10-12 days. Our travel agent has given us information on two companies, Globus and Brendan.
We have done used this agent before for a trip to Ireland and she hooked us up with CIE Tours, which turned out wonderful.
Any advise, experience or suggestions is greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>It has been years ago, but we used a company called Perillo. I believe it was started by a family from Italy. We were very happy with every aspect of the trip.</p>
<p>HA HA! This is so funny! After I posted this message, I happened to look at the top of the thread page and there was an ad for “Road to Italy” tour company. I never clicked on those ad links but did this one - looks interesting! You could Google them (and Perillo) and see if there are any reviews out there. Coincidence or karma??</p>
<p>We have also been researching this. I found this:</p>
<p>[One</a> Week in Italy: A Workable Itinerary](<a href=“http://www.reidsguides.com/destinations/europe/italy/italy_itin_1week.html]One”>http://www.reidsguides.com/destinations/europe/italy/italy_itin_1week.html)</p>
<p>Also, Tauk tours have been very highly highly recommended to us. </p>
<p>[Italy</a> Tours, including Mediterranean Cruise information, from Tauck](<a href=“Italy Tours & Italy Vacation Packages | Tauck”>Italy Tours & Italy Vacation Packages | Tauck)</p>
<p>We toured Italy last spring with a company called Trafalgar. We went by bus to various locales with a group ranging in age from teenagers to senior citizens, and were very pleased.</p>
<p>Rick Steves has one of the best tour companies out there. The groups are 1/2 the size of everyone else’s, which lets him put the groups (24-28 people) in smaller hotels in the heart of where you’re visiting instead of just somewhere in the region. They use standard-size buses, so 1/2 the seats are empty which gives you plenty of room on the bus. While his tours may seem a little more expensive than others, that’s because everything is included; the guide isn’t going to be trying to sell you excursions because all museum entrances, guided tours of the city, etc. are included in the package price. After a tour, every participant receives an email asking for feedback, which is posted uncensored on his website; you can read it here at [Rick</a> Steves’ Tour Feedback](<a href=“http://tours.ricksteves.com/evaluation/publicevals/]Rick”>http://tours.ricksteves.com/evaluation/publicevals/)</p>
<p>^^ We took a Rick Steves tour (the Best of Europe tour) last summer and highly recommend it.</p>
<p>We’ve taken Globus, and would never do one of those again. Half the time, they’re taking you to places to shop, where the tour guide gets a cut. </p>
<p>We took Rick Steves (to Scotland, though, not Italy), and would never use anyone else. No tipping, no hours at some store. Heavy on real information, and all hotels in the city, not a long taxi ride away. Can’t recommend them enough. As mikemac says, they appear much more expensive, but once you figure in the total costs, they’re not so much higher.</p>