Dec 29 2009

Trafalgar Tours Free & Easy, Great Italian Cities

I recently had the opportunity to participate in one of Trafalgar Tours Free and Easy tours, Great Italian Cities. This was a nicely paced tour with a tour guide; however the Free & Easy program gives you flexibility. Since there are several days in each city you can choose to participate in the organized sightseeing, or you can choose to explore or relax at your leisure. I did do some exploring on my own in each city, however since I had not been to Italy previously, I wanted to see it all, and also took advantage of all the organized sightseeing they offered. Our travel dates were that first week in Nov. The weather forecast called for rain everyday of our tour. Everyone carried umbrellas, for obvious reasons. Honestly, we did have rain every day except the last day in Venice, but most days it was for short durations, and the weather was pleasant enough for light jackets. Assisi was the only really cold day and I was thankful I had packed my heavy coat as well. The day we traveled from Florence to Venice across the Apennines it was foggy so no idea what beauty we missed out on.

We started off in Rome and what surprised me about Rome is how compact the ancient city is. I had no problem walking from one piazza to the next, and was able to see several places on my own that were not originally included, like the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Piazza de Fiori. I had evidently walked right past the Mouth of Truth and didn't even realize it. The next day our included sightseeing drove us through the ancient city and I saw it, and many other famous monuments from our motor coach windows. We also drove past the Roman Forum and received a guided tour of the Colosseum, with time to wander on our own. We also visited the Sistine Chapel, Vatican museums and St. Peter's Basilica, bypassing those long lines to get in, which was worth every penny since it was raining that day. Originally not on our planned visits, I asked our tour director about visiting Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps, so she made arrangements for our group to take a stroll before dinner that evening to include a walk down the Spanish Steps and view Trevi Fountain. There were lots of people there in the evening. Next time I go, I will allow some time to sit at one of the tables in front of the fountain and have an espresso like the locals do.

On our way to Florence we stopped in Assisi for a guided walk through town, tour St. Francis' Basilica and the Church of St. Mary of Angels. Assisi is a charming town situated on a hill overlooking the vast valley below. Our day was a bit cloudy, but the view was still spectacular. We even saw a group of nuns harvesting olives in a grove just below the city.

Florence was just a pretty as the post cards. All Trafalgar tours include at least one Hidden Treasure, places that most people would not normally hear about. In Florence our hidden treasure was a drive along one of the hillside roads with a stop at an overlook of the city. I think that must be the spot where all those beautiful pictures we see in books were taken from. Our visit in Florence included a guided walking tour of the city, a visit to Basilica of Santa Croce where the tombs of famous Italians of history are located. Also included was a guided visit of the Academy of Fine Arts where Michelangelo's David is located, again bypassing the lines to get in. We also had plenty of time for shopping (leather and jewelry are the hot items here) and exploring on our own. Another exclusive of Trafalgar is their Be My Guest specialty dinner program, which brings us into the homes of local families. Home is a loose term, since these visits can be at a villa, winery, or other family run establishment. Our Be My Guest dinner was just outside Florence. We were driven up the scenic hillsides, through vineyards and olive groves, to arrive at a local winery, famous for their Chianti. We were given a brief tour of the winery and escorted down the hill a short walk to a private dining room on the estate, where they had prepared a home-cooked, traditional Italian dinner, including wine. It was fabulous!

On our way from Florence to Venice we stopped for the afternoon in Bologna. We were met by a local expert for a guided walking tour of the city, passing the Due Tori (the kissing towers), a visit to the oldest University and a walk through the Basilica of San Petrino, located in the Piazza Maggiore, along with an imposing statue of Poseidon. We were given free time for lunch and exploring on our own. Bologna is known for the many culinary delights, and I must say this is where I had the best meal of my entire trip. Our local guide had recommended this little bistro in what was once the jail.

After lunch we headed off to Venice. I learned quite a few things about Venice on this trip. The most surprising was about our luggage. Evidently, the baggage handlers are all union and union workers do not start work until 7am. So, for those of us who had early morning flights, we would not be able to get our luggage transferred for us. Since nearly all of us on tour had early morning return flights, Trafalgar had arranged for us to stay at a hotel on the mainland, instead of a hotel on the island. It was only a minor inconvenience. We were driven to a bus parking lot at one of the docks where we took a launch over to the island, and from there walked everywhere. The scenery around the bay to the canals was beautiful and we were given some info on what we were seeing along the way. Venice is famous for their masks, and what a delight we saw. They are in nearly every shop window and kiosk we encountered, with prices ranging from a few Euros to thousands of Euros. Our sightseeing in Venice included a Canal cruise by private launch, a guided walking tour through the city to the Rialto Bridge and famous fish market, including sights along the way of St. Mark's Square, the Byzantine Basilica, Doge's Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs. We also visited the Murano glass factory for a private glass-blowing demonstration, which had many of us in awe as he created a beautiful pitcher from a blob of hot liquid glass, then proceeded to create a leaping horse from another hot blob. It was quite amazing!  Our dinner the last evening in Venice was on the island of Burano, about a 20 minute launch from the heart of Venice. This is a quaint fishing village with canals, brightly painted buildings to identify each individual home, as well as a main square with many shops and restaurants.  

Another tid-bit about Venice... The day we had our walking tour and free time, we experienced beautiful, cloudless sunshine and temps in the mid 70s. As we walked through St. Mark's Square in the morning I noticed lots of ugly, beat up tables stacked up along the edges of the main square, kind of eyesores, but thought nothing more of it. Several hours later, after shopping and wandering through the "streets" of Venice, I headed back through the square to meet up with our group and take the launch back to the hotel. To my complete shock the square was flooded, which is evidently not uncommon, even on a sunny day. Suddenly it became very apparent what all those ugly tables were needed for. They had been moved into the flooded areas, end to end, and used as a walking platform! And even more shocking were the "traffic cops" directing the crowds and crowds of people at the various cross sections, as if we were at a busy street intersection. I was fascinated by the efficiency and did not see anyone fall or get pushed off into the water. I have since been told that this happens frequently when the tides shift in the canals.

I have always known touring was a good way to see a country for the first time. I was very pleasantly surprised to see how much value the tour provided, especially in Europe with our exchange rate challenges lately. All our breakfasts and evening meals were included, lots of sightseeing choices I probably would have missed on my own and baggage handling. While that my seem a minor convenience, after a long day of traveling it was really great to let someone else take care of my bags for me. I enjoyed the Free & Easy program since it gave us multiple days in each city so we were able to see more than just one or two highlights before moving on to the next city, and free time for shopping. Hello! You just can't go to Italy and not shop!

About Teresa Chilton

Whether you’re going to visit Grandma or embarking on a 14-day cruise, travel is an adventure. I found that out when I was a little girl during vacations with my parents, and at the end of each trip I was ready to go somewhere else. From my high school internship at a travel agency -- where I typed vouchers and filed brochures -- to my past 25 years as a travel consultant, I’ve always been eager to explore the world. One of my favorite things to do in a destination is to get to the tallest point in order to see the panorama below. Whether it’s a pyramid in the Yucatan or a skyscraper in Sydney, that's where I'll be.