More bang for your buck on our tours
Our website says: “We believe you can do, see and experience more on a group tour than if you tried to pull it all together yourself. Think about the time, money, stress and effort you’d invest in pulling off a two-week tour to Europe. Then consider that we do it all the time and have had years of practice to refine our skills. In the end, I believe you’ll find that a tour with me will cost about the same as if you planned it yourself.”
So, we decided to put that claim to the test! Here is a breakdown of the Best of Italy tour, a 15-day tour that costs $4589, or $305/day.
Hotel:
- The cost of stays for 14 nights in centrally located hotels with private en-suite bathrooms and breakfast included.
- Total: $2360
Dinner:
- This tour covers 7 dinners, at $40-$50 per dinner (some include wine)
- Total: $315
Tips and gratuities:
- On David’s tours, all tips and gratuities to guides, drivers, restaurant and hotel staff are included. If you were traveling on your own and renting a car, you wouldn’t have to pay a tour guide or driver, but you would still pay local guides, restaurant and hotel staff. That would be $1-2 per local guide (approximately $10 for this tour). The tip is generally included in your restaurant bill. As for hotel staff, it depends on who provides service (porter, doorman, concierge, housekeeping, etc.)
- Total: $30
Tours and admissions:
- This tour includes a guided tour of Colosseum and Forum; a guided tour of the Vatican, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica; walking and transportation passes in the Cinque Terre; a guided wine tasting in Volterra; a guided tour of the Galleria Accademia; entrance to the Basilica San Marco; and a two-day Vaporetto water bus pass in Venice
- Total: $370
- It also includes 4 walking/orientation tours provided by your Exploring Europe guide. If you were to do a similar tour on your own, it would be approximately 10 euros to join a group tour or 30+ euros for a private tour. So, we’ll say four tours at 10 euros.
- Total: $45
Transportation:
- Renting a car for 15 days would cost $400-$600, depending on whether you can (or want to) drive a manual or prefer an automatic. You’ll also need an international driver’s license ($20 + $12 for passport photos). Parking is 20 euros per night (~$315). If you want to drive to any destination within a city, plan for an additional 3-4 euros each time you park.
- Total: $950
Travel guides:
- David’s tours provide printed tour handouts detailing each day’s historical and cultural experiences, so there’s no need to buy a travel guidebook and lug it around.
- Total: $20
That comes to a grand total of $4090.
This means that for $500, or just $33/day, you can take this same tour stress-free.
No need to search for hotels, check the reviews, verify their availability and book online. You won’t have to worry about finding a good restaurant, deciphering the menu or pondering whether to leave a tip. You can forget about wondering whether you need a reservation to the sights you want to see or making sure they’re open. Say goodbye to searching for local guides, checking Trip Advisor reviews, worrying about their availability or planning your schedule around their tour times. No need to panic at the thought of driving on unfamiliar roads lined with foreign street signs, relying on your phone’s GPS.
If you’re ready to sit back, relax and let David show you around Europe, head over to our website to sign up for The Best of Italy tour.
Your Adventure Starts Here!
