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The most amazing place I went, my one time in Italy, was the Etruscan Museum in Volterra (beautiful ancient walled city). I was bowled over, you can see the ancient precursor (Shadow of the Evening, II century B.C.) to Giacometti's figure sculpture. My study of art history meant nothing till I saw all this, not to mention the original Giotto frescoes in the Scrovegni chapel in Padua. I never saw anything like it and may never again. I prefer this to beaches, though those are fine too.
Agree with you both! And.... the problem with organized tours is that you can't stay in one place long enough to "feel" the place, sit and contemplate history, take adequate photos, etc. I think it's easy to drive in Italy and for sure, if I were going there again, I'd do the fly in, rent the car thing. Amazing, the inexpensive hotels and restaurants you can find off the beaten track. Another note: really pay attention to how you pack. I can go anywhere with no more than 35 lbs luggage. For a few bucks, a hotel will run your laundry thru the washer. Also, if your hotel has a included breakfast, you can eat ALOT in the morning, and then not eat again until night. And ifyou are really cheap, you can just get food at a grocery store and forego the restaurants. For some of us, traveling with no real plans, just wandering about, etc, is an adventure in itself. It's amazing the people you can meet and the sites you can see that never make it into the guide books.
Agree with you both! And.... the problem with organized tours is that you can't stay in one place long enough to "feel" the place, sit and contemplate history, take adequate photos, etc. I think it's easy to drive in Italy and for sure, if I were going there again, I'd do the fly in, rent the car thing. Amazing, the inexpensive hotels and restaurants you can find off the beaten track. Another note: really pay attention to how you pack. I can go anywhere with no more than 35 lbs luggage. For a few bucks, a hotel will run your laundry thru the washer. Also, if your hotel has a included breakfast, you can eat ALOT in the morning, and then not eat again until night. And ifyou are really cheap, you can just get food at a grocery store and forego the restaurants. For some of us, traveling with no real plans, just wandering about, etc, is an adventure in itself. It's amazing the people you can meet and the sites you can see that never make it into the guide books.
LDG - Just a couple of observations. I agree with you about organized tours usually not staying in particular places long enough for me to enjoy/savor them.
It is easy to drive in Italy as long as you understand that most Europeans do not drive like Americans. If you are doing 65 in a left lane on a multi-lane road where the speed limit is 60 - you are inviting destruction/disaster. In most of Europe - the left lane is strictly for passing - or drivers going very very fast.
I don't think 35 pounds is very light (I am usually at about 40 for 1-2 weeks unless I'm going to a place that's hot - and my husband always says I pack too much). We tend to stay at luxury hotels - where the cost of laundering an item is usually more than we paid for it. So we have a couple of strategies. First - I pack multiples where everything goes with everything. E.g., - if we're going to a place that's cool - I'll buy a bunch of the same Land's End turtlenecks - together with various kinds of bottoms that go with them (whether for sightseeing or dinner). My husband saves his ratty underwear (he has a lot more of it than I do). Packs it for a trip - and throws it away while we're traveling.
There are certain countries/hotels and hotel chains - where the price of the room includes various kinds of breakfasts. I book a lot through Four Seasons Preferred Partners/Virtuoso travel agents where a nice breakfast is almost always included in the price of the room. Works out great when I am traveling west (I am not much of a breakfast eater - but noon my time is 9 am - breakfast time - in California). OTOH - at least for me - this doesn't work so well when I am traveling east. Since noon my time is about 5-6 pm in Europe. On the third hand - we'll be in Sweden this fall - and the breakfasts there - like the Norwegian frokost - are huge. Enough to hold a normal person until dinner. Perhaps I will have to kick myself out of bed early .
I am not sure about buying food to eat in one's hotel (unless it's something special - like a particular cheese or chocolate - or some macaroons in Paris) - because I think eating locally is at least half of the fun when I'm traveling - but I think it always pays to check out prices for stuff like the drink you might want before dinner. E.g., - in Japan - bar drinks are very expensive - but imported gin at the markets is cheaper than here at Costco. In Sweden - I think we'll be doing some duty free shopping on the way over (which we don't usually do). Robyn
I said early in this thread that a tour company might be the right thing.
However, I agree that if I'm on land, I'd rather travel more slowly, perhaps basing myself in a town or city, and seeing the area in depth. I suspect there are tour companies that might fit this bill.
I also have experience with ocean cruises--and I don't believe it's the way to see Europe, however wonderful and supportive the environment is. Spending a day in a bunch of different ports doesn't really cut it. Other destinations, yes, but not Europe.
We're planning a river cruise (these are not barges, by the way), next year. They are slower, and you can see a particular area in depth if you like, and spend extra days before and after in cities that you want to concentrate on. Not for everyone, perhaps not even us, but worth a try.
But for a beginner, a tour might still be the way, depending on your acceptance of risk. If you're a risk taker (and Europe's low-risk), roll your own holiday, pick a couple of cities or areas, rent a car, take trains, whatever. And then just go.
the youth hostile system is great. much more interesting than club med and costs less.
private rooms available. i would not do the usual italy spain france circuit.
pick a better place.
my favorites are montreal, kyoto and kauai.
I signed up with a home exchange site and we're going for two weeks in Belgium this May and then a week to Asheville NC in August. We had lots of offers from Canadians, and we'll probably do that next year. I think it will be a way to take our time and live like the locals.
Look in to homeexchange dot com. We've used them for over 8 yrs. Many interesting places and frankly mostly retired people. We avoid exchanging with children involved as they are usually centered around school holidays.
We've spent weeks in Tuscany, Provence, Normandy, Spain, Languedoc, Perigord etc. and never had a negative experience. This summer we are visiting Luxembourg and exchanging cars.
Once you eliminate the cost of hotels, eating out and potentially cars, all you are left is airfare and daily expenses.
We put personal documents & jewelry in the safe deposit box, get ins. riders on the cars and voila'! Off we go! Consider that a person who is spending thousands to fly to the US is not going to steal your 32" TV or bath towels, nor pay to send your old crap back to the EU.
And, we have made lasting friendships with our exchange partners.
Great idea! How do you know how trustworthy your exchange partner is, and they you?
Really, that's the point of the exchange. Tit for tat. You are staying in their home and they in yours.
Honestly, you can judge by the photos and furnishing and personal info provided to determine the age and income levels. Most on this exchange group are older, upper income. Again, no one is going to fly from Europe and steal someones towels. The price of airfare rules out 99% of those types of travelers. Mostly retired professionals. You connect with via email and develop a relationship and if it feels right, you do an exchange.
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Home exchange
