Tour Tips & Comments
6 Tour-Like-A-Pro Tips
Follow Instructions
Daily schedules for the next day's activities are posted in the hotel lobby.
TIP: Look for this in the lobby the night before (or morning of) the first tour day, and double-check the time of the 1st meeting, it may have changed.
TIP: Take a picture of this every night and refer to it as needed.
Bring Earbuds
Touring includes a lot of walking tours with remote listening devices with wired ear buds.
TIP: Bring wireless earbuds (we used LG Tones) that allow you to connect cord free - and keep your transmitter in a bag and out of sight instead of hanging around your neck.
Become Acquainted
Get to know your tour members. We had so much fun getting to know and spending time with our tour mates.
TIP: We found the diversity of our group made the tour more interesting because we had so many perspectives.
TIP: Be gregarious - you only live once. We made forever friends on this trip.
Make Reservations
If you anticipate eating out for dinner don't forget to make a reservation. It will get you a better table and keep you off long wait lists.
TIP: Use Google, Open Table or direct websites to make your reservations. We found we could make same day reservations at most restaurants.
Take Time to Relax
Not every minute of free time needs to be spent sightseeing. Sometimes the best moments of the day are spent just enjoying your surroundings.
TIP: Find a bistro and grab an outside table with sidewalk and street views. Find one that is busy with ongoing passersby and you will find yourself immersed in the ambience.
Share a Ride
Save a few bucks and share a taxi to the airport with tour members that have a similar departure time.
TIP: Make sure you're all going to the same terminal. If multiple stops are required, allow extra time as the traffic is heavy between terminals and the second stop will likely pay a full fare.
Our Review (typo and all)
6 Things to Consider Before You Go
Our Rick Steves tour packed a lot into a short amount of time.
A little effort before we left made all the difference. We researched the locations we would be visiting,
what the culture would be like, language basics, and we brushed up on our art history knowledge.
Do Your Research
1
Websites
Rick Steves' Europe
The Rick Steve's website contains a wealth of information. Use it! we spent hours reading, listening and watching content on this site. It truly made a difference in our approach to travel and the experience we had.
2
Forums
Read & Engage Travelers
Read the travel forum on the Rick Steves website and other sites. Actively search out topics and engage in conversation. This will help you solve any open questions you may have. It will also spark your excitement to get traveling.
3
Travel Books
Read, Read, Read
Guidebooks are so very helpful. We read many prior to departing. Our favorite was Europe 101: History & Art for the Traveler. This book refreshed our art history knowledge while linking art to locations & historic events.
Make Your Plans
4
Pack Light
It's A Game Changer
We loved the freedom of not towing a roller bag. Our backpacks weighed about 15lbs each for 10 days in Paris, but we didn't get there on our own. We used the Rick Steves' website and others to help us get there. SO GLAD WE DID.
5
Book Your Pre/Post Hotels ASAP
Book as soon as you can. The hotels are smaller & space is limited. It is also worth mentioning that the reservations are handled through email (not a website) and no money is exchanged until you arrive.
6
Plan Your Free Time
Plan A & Plan B
We found it helpful to have a loose agenda planned for our free time. We booked pre-tour activities (and our Moulin Rouge night) well in advance of the trip. For the tour we tackled our 'must see' list as it suited our schedule. BE FLEXIBLE