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On our way back from dinner, we had seen young men sitting outside a tavern singing Basque songs in harmony. The sleepy Lake Como village of Varenna is a quick, easy train connection from Milan. All of our tour members were enjoyable company, "We saw a lamb being born on a sheep farm. I loved the mix of group activities and free time. To walk in the steps of people going back 45 generations, that is wow.". This tour provided an excellent introduction to Germany, its cities and smaller out of the way places. The sites were beautiful, full of new learning, history, good food, fun shopping options, easy to learn mapping. "Multiple "wow" moments, including hiking the alpine meadows in the Dolomites and the trails in the Cinque Terre, the group gondola ride with music serenade in Venice, and the peace and tranquility of the Umbrian countryside accommodations and time in Orvieto. "Visiting relatives birthplace. "At St Nikolai church, left a ruin as a monument to the destruction of WWII, I was at the top of the steeple looking over the city, when beneath me the carillon began playing Dona Nobis Pacem. Valid for new bookings only. Repeat. To get back to the hotel and hear even better singing was a serendipitous experience. Bus: 5 hours. "Hiking part of the Camino de Santiago (out of Pamplona) was wonderful. This was our 14 RS tour and it was excellent! It was a nice combination of information, guided walks, etc. The crowds, the food, the fireworks.". Learned how Bavaria aligned more with France and Italy. Munich is a blast. Friends have asked me what I liked best about the tour and I have to say "all of it"! Torben was an exceptional guide. "Maybe the Green vault in Dresden. I sent it to so many friends. "Spending time in Erfurt and walking in the steps of Martin Luther was amazing. i was impressed by the wealth of historical knowledge all the guides had. Where do you find these fantastic people? It enriched the trip for me!". tour. Just excellent! A close second was Munich. Our first Rick tour and it was amazing thanks to our fantastic guide Francisco! It was worth waiting the extra 2 years! Not "make fun" but "have fun". Every place we went had great, and interesting, food.". I believe the time in Rome and walking through the Ancient Rome are and the coliseum was most impactful. Sleep in Siena. We were really blown away by the Iceman in Bolzano. Hamburg was surprisingly really great. The local experiences were wonderful and a additional value, "So many Wow moments! The tour however was not as immersive as other Rick Steves tours I've taken. I think it was the right amount of free time and planned activities. Francisco did such a fantastic job of introducing the day while we were on the bus and recommended we walk alone to get as much out of the experience as possible. Every location that we visited was memorable, the local tour guides were excellent, the back door experiences made the trip unique, and the pace of the trip was perfect. Also loved the lamb birth, but I realize that doesn't happen every time!". "The extent to which the Stazi, with a relatively small ~2% of the population could control the remaining 98% of the people in Communist east Berlin. Just magnificent!". "Claire, Claire, Claire and Claire!!! The visit to Siena was exceptional that it tied more directly to the the local culture and people than the other stops. It was more just experiencing this area. All the hotels were well placed for us to venture out and explore the cities and towns, too. Sleep in San Sebastin. San Sebastin was wonderful with all the food history and lovely beaches.". The food was so different from our American fare, delicious and abundant. I was 'wowed' every day. Governor Newsom Signs Sweeping Climate Measures, Ushering in Our guide was friendly and knowledgeable and a pleasure to spend time with. Next, consider the venue. ", Francisco was a wonderful tour guide. I wanted to discover why the Nazis had committed the atrocities they did and I learned a great deal about that subject. I am an Art History grad, so my wow moments were many.". Thoroughly enjoyed it. Pamplona was very much as I expected (from reading) yet so much more, especially since we were there for the Little San Fermin festival. They were all wonderful as was this one. Tour stops really showed off the regional variety across the top half of the country. Two people in our group developed COVID, and we appreciated the communication and transparency from our tour guide James and the tour company. West Virginia. First, our overall guide, Augustin, was so knowledgeable about the area, history, culture and politics and he was willing to share his personal insights as well as the facts. I particularly enjoyed Orvieto to learn a bit about Etruscans.". Charleston. The scheduling and use of time was outstanding. Calm and peacful.". (Even the bus ride in between stops was interesting and fun!) I must caveat my evaluation in that this was our first RS tour, and I am not that much of a traveler. Then, of course, all of the cities with their fabulous art works.". rental comes with 8 RGB 2 x 1 LED panel lights. We had perfect weather and conditions the day we went. On our Best of Germany in 13 Days tour among other things you'll need to happily. Our travel group quickly became new friends and the pace of the tour was relaxed but incredibly interesting. Did have a "YOW" moment when my wife, trying to get a video of the Cinque Terre sunrise stepped barefoot on an Italian yellow jacket - glad we chose the boat tickets; not the hiking pass.". Hello, and welcome to Protocol Entertainment, your guide to the business of the gaming and media industries. we didn't feel too rushed but we were not bored. A whirlwind of an experience. And most importantly, he is a very nice person. We had a terrific group to travel with, and with very few exceptions, our tour guide was very effective and helpful. The first dinner we had together in Varenna was at the home of a retired chef. The intimacy and splendor of the outdoor, tropical, heated pool at TI is an essential element of any Las Vegas vacation. ???? This evening we'll tag along on the Night Watchman's tour. I would not have gone there on my own. "Francisco's talk in Guernika in front of a tile copy of Picasso's masterpiece. However, there were many wow moments and we enjoyed them all. "A private docent tour of the Guggenheim. The guides were outstanding and made the trip extra special. "My favorite moments were probably not the same as for others, since my two main reasons for taking this trip were to get to 1) St. Jean Pied de Port to walk in the place where the Camino starts for so many people and 2)to visit the place where Charlemagne crossed the Pyrenees and the tragic death of Roland occurred near Roncesvalles. The scenery, history, architecture, people and food, each so unique and awesome. "While the art, buildings, cathedrals, etc. The tour was everything we expected and more. A well oiled machine . I learned so much from them on this trip. The hotels were excellent, the food delicious,made better with the complimentary wine. "It's hard to pick just one "wow" moment because they were all meaningful to me, but if I had to choose I think it was my first glimpse of the Mediterranean Sea in Cinque Terre, and we were in Hotel Pasquale, right on the water so that I could open the window at night and hear the waves crashing.". Before 9/11 I had seen the painting in Madrid. Reds Roadhouse is the perfect venue for such a special occasion! The frank conversation about our different cultures, US and Germany, was pretty special. We met many new friends in the group and saw many interesting places. "Hiking Cinque Terre's coastal trail from Corniglia to Vernazza. "Finding a restaurant recommendation from the Rick Steves book and having an amazing multi-course meal.". The amount of free time left plenty of opportunities to explore on our own and all group activities were interesting and informative. "Cinque terra was fabulous. The Elbphilharmonie concert hall and the harbor cruise in addition to the walking tour may give Hamburg a slight edge. The food was outstanding except for the last meal in Bilbao as the monk fish was poorly prepared. We have never been on a tour before so we were not expecting anything special. One must see it all to believe it!". What a stunning symbol of Deutschland. We covered a lot in 13 days, maybe it should be 15 days and add a bit more free time in the larger cities. What a city! Such a beautiful and peaceful setting. Charleston. I had been waiting my whole life to see the Sistine Chapel and the Pieta'.". I also enjoyed the Tuscan countryside at AltoRocca.". "It was a simple thing. I know many Americans are very opposed to bull fighting but his presentation helped us to understand the history and tradition. I enjoyed the Bask region and would love to return some day. Our group meals were at great places and the hotels were nice. I loved our tour guide, Sarah! JPMorgan Chase has reached a milestone five years in the making the bank says it is now routing all inquiries from third-party apps and services to access customer data through its secure application programming interface instead of allowing these services to collect data through screen scraping. The range was excellent from the Guggenheim in Bilbao to the sheep farm and the partial walk of the Camino with checkpoints in small towns. Wonderful group. I liked learning about the "Stumbling Stones" too. This tour did not have many "blockbuster" sights like some of the others, but I enjoyed learning about the Basque culture, walking the Camino, seeing where the bulls run in Pamplona, visiting and learning about Guernica, and of course, the sheep farm in the Pyrenees was awesome. Wow.". Each day brought a new perspective from the visual beauty of the area to the vast historical and cultural aspects of the country. appreciated, "There were too many to be honest to name just one moment each day was better and better , the whole trip had me in a wow unbelievable moments.". The Guggenheim museum was also a Wow. "My "wow" moments include walking around the medieval towns of Rothenburg and Erfurt; and seeing the remains of the Nazi and Communist regimes, particularly in Berlin and Zeppelin Field. The flow of the tour was well thought-out. Agustin and all of our local guides shared their beautiful country with special knowledge and love of their home. This tour was my first Rick Steeves tour and it won't be the last! He had a great personality, wonderful sense of humor, was quite knowledgable, and was really good at "herding cats' (i.e. They all were unique and interesting. Make sure to take a stroll through Planten un Blomen. There was just the right amount of variety in terms of locations, food and time spent with the group as well as separately. "Two wow momentswalking part of the Camino and seeing the Guggenheim.". I was not expecting such beauty.". This trip was everything I hoped it would be and more. My wife and I are seasoned (read older) travelers and have done most of our own logistical work. The Best of Italy tour lived up to our expectations and beyond! ", Our tour guide Michael was fantastic. Maybe just the whole stay in Urfurt.". They even added a side trip that was on the initial itinerary but had been moved for something else. The itinerary told me of the expected experiences, and I was blown away with how much knowledge, walking and fun can be packed into just one day, and we had 17 days!!!!! Guernica raises some questions: very important place for Basque history and because of link to Picasso masterpiece. I must also say that the Guggenheim Museum was another major wow experience!". No traveling to get to the city like I had the first time camping throughout Europe.". Oh my. Venues; Services; List Your Service Book the perfect Animal For A Party. Perhaps the one moment that will stay with me always is Francisco's passionate description of Picasso's Gernika, relating it to other world events, during our stop in Gernika.". Great job to the RS team. This tour checked off almost all the must see destinations in Italy from Rome and North. - Rothenburg Our 17 day tour of Italy was amazingnot only in historical sites and art but also in our knowledgeable, congenial guide, Sarah (no request was too big or too small for her to assist us), and a great group of tour companions sharing and laughing as we made our way from Varenna to Rome. 2) The upbeat, happy atmosphere in Pamplona And Erfurt was a very picturesque and far less touristy than Rottenburg.". The Dolomites, Lake Como, and other beautiful scenery along the way were gorgeous as well.". Overall the whole trip was a WOW experience. Being on streets where the running of the bulls takes place, the Guggenheim museum, walking parts of the Camino were all highlights.". He made the tour stand out as well as his message. "When our tour director arranged music and singing for our group during our gondola rides and it still only cost 30/ person". We had a great group on this tour, easy going and fun. It's worth a discussion.". Most had to do with the Guides and their knowledge and caring for all the needs of the travel group.". Our guide, Michael, is a Renaissance man navigating our "travel family" through the challenges of Covid travel with genuine care, humor and sharing his deep knowledge of history, culture, art and architecture, "thoughtful way the German people have addressed the Nazi horrors, our nephew drumming with the musical re-enactors during Rothenburg's Imperial City Days; Cologne Cathedral, Dresden". It was our 3rd Rick Steves and second time to Italy. Overall it was a wonderful trip filled with the fun and highlights and insights that make-up a Rick Steves Tour. The experience was more pleasing and enjoyable than my expectations. On our Basque Country of Spain & France in 9 Days tour among other things you'll need to happily. Every day provided a fresh surprise. Having a knowledgeable guide also helped us better understand the history and culture of the areas we visited. I thought the tour was a very good mixture of urban and rural experiences. The pintxos at Donostia as well as the gastronomic society dinner were a close second.Put the Nervion River cruise on your tour, too (good architecture tour before an outstanding farewell dinner!).". The fellow travelers and Torben were outstanding partners in making this a deeply meaningful experience. ", My expectations were exceeded. Every place we visited was full of beauty, rich culture, and amazing tours. And then enjoy some cheese and wine while taking in the scenery. ie. For me personally, the, spacious. The hotels were always in a good location that made it convenient to walk to other places. The other wow moment was at Oktoberfest in Munich. No bus. 2nd: standing on the platform at the Nuremburg zeppelin field, and contrasting what I saw that day with the films I've seen from 80 years ago. A much more memorable approach is to search for local restaurants and bars that offer rental spaces for parties or to consider booking a unique and creative space and having the dinner cateredor even cooking yourself. Tours guides so knowledgeable and kind. It was my first Rick Steves Tour and it was OUTSTANDING! We were particularly impressed with the way in which the building's unique design respected and enhanced its surroundings.". Another Rick Steves wonderful tour. The visit to the town of Guernica which was very emotional". He taught us to to navigate the cities using trains, subways, taxis, and buses. There were many, including castles, cathedrals, vineyards, Luther sights, historical venues, etc. We had taken the Best of Europe tour several years ago and wanted to return to Italy. The best of Italy was terrific. "So many wow moments including the gondolas in Venice, Caffe Florian, seeing David in Florence (no words), the waves providing lullabies for sleep in Cinque Terre, the jovial group dinners, the Contrada dinner(!) Extremelly pleased with our first Rick Steves Tour. Lots to see and do. West Virginia. He was a native of the Basque Country, which was where we toured. Holy crappo!!!". I loved the cities that we saw. "Walking on the Camino, which was very peaceful and beautiful. Nicer hotels than expected. ", "The Dolomites, the views were fantastic". Also the demonstrations of stain glass making and gondola oar making.". Our guide, Jorge, was excellent. I have German ancestry so it was natural I would come here someday. I didn't realize how much I would enjoy Bacharach and Erfurt. Hotels, entrance tickets, ground transportation, and many meals were all planned for us. Todd was fantastic. I never knew the actual Pied Piper village really existed! (I've been on many RS tours before.) Francisco is such a great tour guide - weaving personal experience and history together in masterful storytelling. (And everything else!)". They were always timely. The walk on the Camino de Santiago, on and on. Wonder food, locations, history, tour members and Francisco! There was a lot of variety in the destinations, the food, the sights, and it totally met our expectations. The itinerary was well laid out with wow moments well dispersed and with crescendo near the end. North of Bellingham you will discover Lynden, Ferndale and Blaine, each town with its own unique charms. Bus: 6 hours. Our guide was exceptional. No bus. Sleep in Pamplona. Plan on many more tours with RS, "I thought it would be the Rhine River Cruise. I'm very thankful for that experience.". It was in the most idyllic setting, first of all, and then we had an enthusiastic (and quite adorable) workshop lead who taught us how they make their cheese. Every stop had a professional guide specific to that town". The trip was amazing in every aspect; our guide Daniela and bus driver, the group members, and all the sites, sounds and tastes we experienced. Sleep in Florence. Stephanie didn't take us anyplace that wasn't wonderful. This was the usual (come to be expected) outstanding Rick Steves tour experience. He was eloquent discussing both the painting and the troubled political history of Spain and the Basque countries in particular. Incredible! This introvert even got comfortable ordering in tapas bars. Barbara would pass out treats on the bus from certain areas of Germany we were in. I really enjoyed hearing from the artisans who have perfected their craft (Venice, Sienna).". We'll take a tour of the museum's best architectural and artistic attractions, then set you free for more museum meandering or to explore more of Bilbao's Old Town maze, its Fine Arts Museum, and other sights. Great cities, experiences, faces, places to stay, and group meals. Upon arrival, your guide will give you an introduction to the town, leaving you with plenty of free time this afternoon to explore on your own. We would have never got that experience if we would have been traveling on our own.". We were a compatible group of travelers from the get-go and having Francisco and Claire at the helm started us off on a great footing. Dino, our bus driver, was fun & one of the most skilled & safe drivers I've seen. Group sightseeing events subject to change. ?????? He had 8 children the youngest was my grandpa who Im named after. Honestly made my trip. "Rheinfels Castle - when our tour guide sang to us at the end of the tour. "So many! I just kept on staring at this incredible art piece. Each experience was made memorable because of their sincerity. Today, Guernica is considered the very heart of the Basque nation. "Probably staying at the winery near Orvieto. "Understanding the ramifications of the division of Germany into east and west and how some of those differences still persist.". Our spaces are priced to fit your budget. Strenuous walking: 28 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. Vanessa our guide was outstanding. After an orientation to town, the afternoon is yours to see the best woodcarving in Germany (Riemenschneider's altarpiece), walk the medieval wall, tour the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum, or hunt down the best apple strudel in town. His explanation of why people, religious and non religious, come from all over the world to walk as pilgrims was very moving, and his suggestion that we view the cairns that others have left as unshed tears really hit me and made the day very meaningful for me.". The Basque area has such a rich and complicated history. There was a good variety of cities and smaller towns. 28 people is way too many. "As with all of RS tours there is never one "wow" moment. "There was not just one WOW moment, there were many! I did really enjoy Oktoberfest in Munich but that's not always a part of the tour.". I really enjoyed the Basque tour in spite of some nasty wet windy days. "There were lots of WOW moments. I was in awe the entire trip.". I'm glad we waited for Rick Steves to add it as a destination. San Gimignano was a gem. 3. the tour of the Reichstag Building". David and the Sistine Chapel were awesome! ", "The tour oraganized Dinners were my favorite part of the trip!". Each stop, the tour guide was present and ready to "Rick and Roll". Peters.". Tell us about your shoot and we'll do what we can to accommodate your needs. "God touching Adam in the Sistine Chapel". for 25-50 people. We had a great collection of people in the tour group, too. All our city guides were excellent and it was a high bar with Francisco as our tour coordinator. Particularly when we learned that the master was only 5 feet tall and that he created this masterpiece while in his 20s.". To see buildings dating back to the 1100 & 1200 hundreds. Very nice mix of big cities and small towns in Germany. "The Basque Museum was full of "wow" information. And THAT it was!!! "All the soups we had on the tour-covered meals - asparagus (multiple locations), mushroom (Munich) and wild garlic (Rothenburg). That can only be accomplished with experience. The tour was well-planned and we were always informed of what was coming up and what to expect. I would have given an "outstanding" but have feedback on hotels, "i have to admit, everything was very impressive. (That was it, we didn't have much else to say--but it was special to me.)". We went to the bridge in shopping clothes. "A simple hike at Castle Ruth, a stay in a beautiful vineyard spa, and the sights of Rome were definite highlights of the trip.". Enjoyed the combination of large cities mixed in with small towns - Bacharach and Hamelin were nice additions. Loved walking over the bridge in Hann Mnden in the morning and seeing the mist on the river. I really like Bacharach and the cruise down the Rhine. September and October don't have long days. Now I see why she loves it there. We had a lot to see but the pace was pleasant, made human by our tour leader , driver and other travelers. From our tour guide to our tour members to even our wonderful bus driver Sauro, each day was fun and exciting and I looked forward to each new experience. Loved the format of group guided parts and on your own parts. However, the months of April, May, September, and October are best for offering good weather, lighter crowds, and the full range of tourist fun. Surprising. It has a Bohemian/Desert ambiance and free coffee from the Keurig coffee machine! My event is in. "I really enjoyed and looked forward to Torben`s on the bus overviews of the history and facts of the next stop. The trip was awesome. Then we'll continue on to the Rhine Valley and our charming riverside village, where we'll have dinner together. Amazingly cohesive and like-minded group of 25 tour members. Our guide, Francisco, was the most wonderful person. ", It was really fun and educational! there is a healthy balance between group time and individual/couple time. - The Hofbrauhaus. Colleen made our tour amazing! However when I visited them previously I didn't have the benefit of our tour guide and the local guides giving me so much new information and background about the sites. I loved seeing the Basque country--one country (unofficial, I suppose) that incorporated parts of France and Spain. Our tour provided exposure to many topics that were a springboard to further research. "The morning we spent walking the Camino. Great tour companions. I also like the balance of meals together and meals on your own. Our travel guide, Clair, was phenomenal. ", "The moon over lake Como, hiking in the dolomites after a light snow,a duomo a day, the Pitti Palace and Uffizi galllery in Florence, Francesca's tour of Rome and the Borghese Gallery. "Everything was surprising and eye opening including Dresdon and World War 2 hx, how all of Germany rebounded to be the 4th largest industrialized nation in the world. Also Sienna with the horse racing tradition packed into that campo. The tour was outstanding. I honestly believe that our guide Michael D made our tour so over the top! "Nothing stood out as a WOW moment. This is just one.". The tour attendees on our bus were outstanding. Our group was all wonderful people. Worth every penny! I took the Germany trip to learn more about German history and how the country evolved into its present configuration. I also loved the ocean room in the Weissenstein castle. They were clean, friendly and in the heart of the action in each city. We had a group of 16 travelers which made it easier and kept us safe. Tour guide(Coleen) amazing. The wine was great, the cheese was great, the bread was great, the culture very interesting. Rick Steves We'll gather at our hotel in Bayonne, France, at 5 p.m. for an introductory meeting. Then I went into the beer hall. Our guide, Torben, kept us on schedule and always in a good mood with his wit and knowledge. "While there were several highlights, I enjoyed our time in the Dolomites for the dramatic scenery. "The Picasso painting in Guernekey and the discussion led by Francisco.". Always have fun with the crowd when I can. Francisco's final parting thoughts at the end of our tour in Pamplona were so insightful and meaningful - it really moved me. Sat on board the boat's outdoor upper deck. Everybody must experience this event once in their lifetime and to do it properly, you have to go thru a RS tour. So much great food and art. The serenity of walking on the Camino, the Basque Boat Regatta in Bayonne, the hike up to the castle in San Sebastin - all were wonderful experiences and are memory makers for sure. Wow! A surprise moment was in a cathedral in Pamplona where a bishop had established a more or less museum which provided a history of religion and our guide turned serious.". and somehow comforting.". Dramatic wall-to-wall windows for bright sunrise and natural light shooting. There was a good balance of group time & free time, and large city vs. smaller towns. Learning about and walking on the Camino de Santiago. This tour turned out much better than I expected as it was the first group tour my wife and I have ever done. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying while on tour in the Documents section of your tour account. We had the best guide! It's a breeze to reach Berlin's airport by shuttle, S-bahn train, bus, or taxi. We loved being able to use the. The food and alcohol was affordable.
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