"We" of Fodor's fame may vote to tell these folks to do it on their own, but that really might not b

WMy husband and I were booked on a 21 day tour of Europe in July (our honeymoon after 35 years of marriage and five children later!) but it was recently cancelled due to lack of numbers. uk road travel directions The travel agent is searching for a similar tour - do we take it or tour on our own. It seems from other posts that the cost of a car with fuel is expensive
Sounds uk road travel directions like you probably dodged a bullet. Please do yourself a favor and tour on your own. And start by skipping Monaco unless you want to pop in for a half day just to see all the glitz. If this is your first trip to Europe, Monaco doesn't deserve a place on the list.
Renting a car in Europe uk road travel directions isn't all that expensive IME. But you also have a plethora of train options, particularly if you want to stick to major cities. There are also really cheap intra-country, intra-city flights.
I agree with StCirq. It is fun to go it alone and probably les expensive. I planned a 16 day Italy/Germany trip (first time trip) with the help of Fodors community. Everyone gave me detailed information and we knew what we were doing when we got there!
To offer another point of view. Traveling on your own is fun for a lot travelers, and Fodors is the perfect resource for them. Others frankly don't enjoy doing it all themselves, preferring the convenience and economy of an escorted tour with a group. uk road travel directions (Yes, economy, because the cost of transportation and tour guides is split among the entire group). Do you want to do the research, construct uk road travel directions your itinerary, figuring out transportation, evaluate a dozen different hotels in each city, determine what to see when there, and visit those attractions on your own without the expertise of an experienced guide?
Instead of just searching for another package tour (which you can frankly do just as easily for yourself - look at brendanvacations.com , for example), you can put together a "modular" tour, an "escorted" tour in each city you go to. All you have to do is get from Place A to Place B, Place B to Place C, etc., and your travel agent can figure out trains or flights for you.
I would agree that if your tour was cancelled, you likely dogdged a bullet. As for costs that depends a lot on the tour you were going to take. Tours have advantages, particularly for first time European travelers; someone else planning and arranging tours,hotels and transportation arranged as well. BUT! The experience you have depends totally uk road travel directions on the tour you take and how well you and your husband uk road travel directions get along with groups uk road travel directions on the whole. Do you like meeting new people? Comprimising? Will (often) waiting for others bother you? And finally what about kickbacks for the tour guide? On many tours you may find yourself at the "BEST CLOCK MAKTER EVER!" for an hour and half in the middle of nowhere uk road travel directions because the tour company has a deal with the shop. This is not true of all tours.
Traveling uk road travel directions on your own can be a wonderful trip of discovery and planned well it will give you and your husband a relaxing uk road travel directions tour based entirely on your wants and desires and this forum is one of the best places I know of to look for help! Give us your budget and places you want to go. Pay attention if many posts suggest uk road travel directions the same thing, particularly if that "thing" is to limit some of your stops. Many of us are fortunate to travel frequently and we can save you some headaches by sharing with you our experience. Oh and...if you don't want to drive (though it's loads of fun), the train and/or flights are easy to schedule.
Another vote for doing it on your own. Been to Europe 9 times and all planned uk road travel directions out with guide books and Fodors. Never a problem. Rented cars in France, Germany and Belgium and visited many little villages which were delightful.
Do it on your own. After 35 years and 5 kids you deserve being together and enjoying an adventure. Can't imagine being on a tour and having someone else in control. Decide where you want to go and as many before you, it will get planned. Planning trips on Fodors is almost as much fun as the travel. Almost
mee agree too... I have often travelled uk road travel directions - with a small child - with NO reservations! something really cool will pop up. Once in France - I am still shocked ten years later - a "B B" in a house with a family - they invited eight people and cooked a huge lunch for us that was not part of my payment plan, just because...? I am still really not sure why. Now don't go expecting uk road travel directions THAT - expect NOTHING and you will be rewarded infinitely. I once rode a bike to a taverna on Crete and put my hands together next to my head and tilted it, closed uk road travel directions my eyes to signify I needed a place to sleep. Being a woman, I guess I was quite strange, and the lady LOCKED me in a room for the night. I went back to visit her with my mom more than ten years later, and she remembered me! Things will work out, most people are really nice inside, although you absolutely do need to be aware of your surroundings, money and passport at all times. Don't bring too many clothes or expensive jewelry - a heavy valuable suitcase is an albatross... yes totally agree with returntoyourseat and others above. GO FOR IT!
"We" of Fodor's fame may vote to tell these folks to do it on their own, but that really might not be the best advice. I would be interested to know how much the tour was. And then I might look for a reliable tour company to fit their budget. Being able to travel on your own takes a certain amount of boldness. AND sometimes, just being "taken care of" and shepherded is a choice.
But not all people fit the same profile, and some travelers just prefer a formula uk road travel directions where someone else decides which sites to see, which hotels to stay at, which restaurants to eat at. In my experience running a small travel agency, many/most of the people who choose the tours would have been fish out of water traveling independently. Sure, they could have done it, but their idea of a vacation is often just sitting back and watching as things pass by.
You could do a wonderful Netherlands/Belgium/France trip by train and not have to drive at all. Fly into AMS and home from Paris. A creative Travel uk road travel directions Agent might even figure out how to incorporate a cool river cruise into the adventure that lets you finish up with a week in Paris at a lovely apartment where you can pretend you're expats.
It doesn't HAVE to be one size, and sometimes circumstances say "tour". It also locks in most of the financial obligations which can be very comforting, particularly to someone not familiar with all the possibilities. Getting "out of kilter" on your own can sometimes get to be an expensive thing.
Look at the Rick STeves tours, they are fun, not huge( they limit numbers to 24-26 people) and they stay in central small hotels ,, not chain hotels on outskirts like alot of tours do ( since they have up to 50 people on them!) . They stay minimum 2 nights in each city, you always get free time. And, they do not cater to lazy need luxury people, so that elimantes old farts .. there are people who are older, but they are fun and lively types. Go on the website, look at the tours, click on the tour scrapbooks( these are compiled by those who have been on the tours, so you will see actual photos of the groups , hotels etc) ..
Also, Rick Steves has a NEW tour called "On your Own" or something to that effect, its probaly a great idea for you as you are provided and escorted on the actual transport ,, and hotels are booked and breakie included, BUT you are not on an actual uk road travel directions tour,, you do all your own sightseeeing, but no worries about booking train tickets or hotels.
I was actually uk road travel directions going to mention Rick Steves tours myself but he's a polorizing topic here and I didn't want to go there, but!, here I am. I travel uk road travel directions solo on my own all the time. I have also taken 3 Rick Steves uk road travel directions tours, (Europe Through The Backdoor for the uninitiated). I must say I loved each of them. These are not tours where the guide is getting kickbacks or where you're stuck in some shop for 90 minutes. They are expensive; count on anywhere from 2,500 to 4,000 without airfare per person. BUT! all of your tours are included, a large portion of your dinners and lunches, (which by the way were never rushed) and all of your breakfasts. One of my fondest travel memories is being on one of these tours in Amboise uk road travel directions France. It was my 40th birthday, we were all having a wonderful dinner in a garden and when my birthday was metnioned champagne arrived for all. It was a wonderful way to celebrate and I'll never forget it.
I actually travel independently now, if for no other reason than I can keep costs down. Ultimately you need to decide what works best for you, and in either case, help is here if you choose the independent route!
WOW thanks guys for your thoughts. We have a lot to think about and discuss. uk road travel directions I must say one of the reasons we went for tour was because in our lives and our jobs we are both usually the ones organising things and just wanted a break from that, thought a tour would do the job!
I've done several tours and enjoyed all but one of them. However, I've gotten more out of the trips I've planned myself. I remember much more of what I saw and did the things uk road travel directions I wanted to do and avoided places I wasn't interested in that tours take you to.
I'm not sure why you were booking a tour through a travel agent when it's so easy to choose a tour and book on line. Some tour companies do not work with travel agents - you must book directly with them.
I'd pick one country: France or Italy. Public transportation is great. There's so much to see especially in Rome, you could give yourself a full week in that city alone with time to relax and not worry about rushing here or there. Then head to Pompeii, do the coast, go to Naples and Capri, take train up to Venice, then two days in Florence, and fly out of Rome.
With how you described your work situation-being a busy couple that you are- I agree with some posters uk road travel directions about the Rick Steve's tours. I have never been on one of his but like the "My Way" aspect- he does all the planning for hot