Optional Activities
The My Way tours will usually offer Optional Activities or gatherings of tour members that may be "on the way" to a new town or at the hotel or a social time.
On our My Way Italy tour, Cinzia hosted a couple of social hours at our hotels in Varenna and Assisi. This was a relaxing way to chat and make a new friend, or set up a shared excursion for the next day. Cortona had the absolute best gelato of anywhere and we met Cinzia for a sampling at her favorite shop in Cortona. She also facilitated a "last night" dinner in Rome for those that were interested.
On our My Way Italy tour, Cinzia hosted a couple of social hours at our hotels in Varenna and Assisi. This was a relaxing way to chat and make a new friend, or set up a shared excursion for the next day. Cortona had the absolute best gelato of anywhere and we met Cinzia for a sampling at her favorite shop in Cortona. She also facilitated a "last night" dinner in Rome for those that were interested.
American Cemetery
On the drive from Florence to Assisi we made a stop at the American Cemetery outside Florence. What a powerful visit!
It was so peaceful and quiet here where the Americans who went missing or fought and died and were buried in Italy during the Italian campaign of Word War II during 1944-1945 are honored. Very humbling and thoughtful place and we were all quiet as we gathered back on our motorcoach and continued on our journey.
It was so peaceful and quiet here where the Americans who went missing or fought and died and were buried in Italy during the Italian campaign of Word War II during 1944-1945 are honored. Very humbling and thoughtful place and we were all quiet as we gathered back on our motorcoach and continued on our journey.
Cortona
We continued our drive from the American Cemetery outside Florence to Assisi but Cinzia and Sauro had another surprise stop planned for lunch - a Tuscan hill top town. Cortona was made famous by the book Under the Tuscan Sun by France Mayes and it was easy to see why as it's a beautiful quaint town. It could be famous for its gelato - absolutely the best we've had thus far on this trip - and treated by our tour manager! But bread soup for lunch was a lesson learned for Denise as the coffee with milk (a no-no after mid-morning) was the best of that meal unless you count the school-age child that hurried in for his lunch at the family cafe among the older locals who were lingering over their lunch.
Tips
1) Devour the Rick Steves website and the itinerary for your specific tour as some activities will be described and possibly included, even on a My Way tour. Also, review the Tour Forum and Travel Forum for other general information and ideas that interest you. Plus there is general travel information on the website covering many topics such as keeping in touch, photography, packing light, money, transportation options and more.
https://www.ricksteves.com/
2) Check out the Tour Scrapbooks (active and archived) and search for those that cover the trip or country you want to visit for other ideas and tips.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks
3) A My Way tour will take a bit more planning than a regular RS tour since this is YOUR tour - what do YOU want to see and do? Discuss options with your travel partner and listen to each other so that each of you will be able to see and do what pleases you both and make a plan (general or detailed). One of us prefers spontaneous sightseeing and lots of outside-cafe people watching and the other prefers marking off the bucket list sites so we compromised with a planned activity usually early in the day and a more relaxed afternoon (or at least time to sit and ponder if we were "out" all day). 'Spreadsheet gal' pulls all the ideas together with the information on venue open and closed days/times and if advance ticket purchase is necessary and after decisions are made as to what we can see and do practically, the updated spreadsheet becomes our daily reference while on the trip.
4) Pack light! We each took one carry-on and one personal/day bag and as we helped load them under the bus and traipsed through the train station (Levanto) or vaporetto (Venice) and through the narrow streets where the bus was not allowed (Florence and Monterosso), we were quite glad for the smaller luggage. Plus, if you take time in advance to really think about what you will need (and not what you might need) you can coordinate daily clothing and mix and match. Packing cubes help to keep your clothing and 'stuff' organized in your bag. Shoes take up so much room and can be heavy, especially a man's shoes, so Bill only had the pair of athletic shoes he wore on the plane and Denise had the pair of walking shoes on the plane and another athletic shoe design packed in the carry-on bag. And yes, you can even fit in a travel size C-PAP and light rain jacket. It was advised that we combine bags and only take one to Monterosso and leave one on the bus in "deep storage" for the next overnight stop and we're glad we did. Plan to do laundry several times, either in your room or local laundromat or drop-service (RS guide books show them on the maps and your tour manager may help with suggestions also). A large scarf can help change up your outfits plus serve as a wrap on the plane or if a breeze kicks up and the temperature drops.
5) If the Rick Steves guidebook recommends to pre-book an activity or attraction from home, then do it! Since every traveler wants to see St. Mark's Basilica with the lights shining on the mosaics, David at the Academia, and the Sistine Chapel without the hoards of people, pre-book the day and time that is best for you, receive your tickets via email and print them out and keep a copy on your phone, learn where the entrance is located for those who already have tickets and show up only a few minutes early. No-one likes to wait in a long line for tickets and then another one for security and a pre-booked time will avoid the ticket line. Also, be aware of specific days or hours your attraction may be closed. The site-specific website will also inform you about picture-taking inside or if shoulders must be covered or knees covered (no shorts) in some of the churches.
6) The Rick Steves app will allow you to download the walking tours and self-guided tours of many sights. Many times you will find an audio tour available to order when you pre-book your entrance ticket and while most are of the headset or handheld variety, others are from a sight app. Also, consider add-on options at some sights such as the altarpiece at St. Mark's which can really enhance your visit.
7) Consider tearing up your RS guidebook pulling out only the sections for the cities you will need on the trip, stapling or taping them together, and adding a sturdy cover (RS offers one on his website store). This will be much lighter weight and less bulky to keep in your day bag or purse if you need to reference a map or check a restaurant review and can be swapped out when your location changes.
8) Wear your moneybelt! When you sign up for a RS tour, it comes with the RS guidebook and your choice of security aid. Bill preferred the traditional moneybelt while Denise prefers the pouch that could be hung from the neck to keep passport, extra credit card, and extra euros. Use the bank ATMs for withdrawing several days cash to reduce fees. Only carry cash for today in your pocket or purse/daybag so that if you're pick-pocketed, you'll only lose today's cash. Consider a purse or daybag with anti-theft features for security and peace of mind while in crowds. It doesn't take much effort to be careful, aware of your surroundings as you would in any city and especially on the metro or buses to avoid problems.
9) The RS tours usually include a day about halfway through the tour where there are fewer activities planned or a day to take a "vacation within a vacation". We highly recommend taking advantage of a day or afternoon where you can "just relax" or sit at a cafe for a while with no place to be or drop your laundry at a drop-off service and then enjoy a beautiful view from a piazza or even just a day of wandering with no timetable or time at the beach. On this tour description, Rick suggests that day be Cinque Terre, but we visited all five villages to make for a busy day, so we found our "vacation within a vacation" day to be the one on Lake Como. On our My Way Spain tour, that "vacation day" was the relaxing day spent in Ronda. You will appreciate the relaxed day even after it's over - your feet and your spirit!
https://www.ricksteves.com/
2) Check out the Tour Scrapbooks (active and archived) and search for those that cover the trip or country you want to visit for other ideas and tips.
https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/scrapbooks
3) A My Way tour will take a bit more planning than a regular RS tour since this is YOUR tour - what do YOU want to see and do? Discuss options with your travel partner and listen to each other so that each of you will be able to see and do what pleases you both and make a plan (general or detailed). One of us prefers spontaneous sightseeing and lots of outside-cafe people watching and the other prefers marking off the bucket list sites so we compromised with a planned activity usually early in the day and a more relaxed afternoon (or at least time to sit and ponder if we were "out" all day). 'Spreadsheet gal' pulls all the ideas together with the information on venue open and closed days/times and if advance ticket purchase is necessary and after decisions are made as to what we can see and do practically, the updated spreadsheet becomes our daily reference while on the trip.
4) Pack light! We each took one carry-on and one personal/day bag and as we helped load them under the bus and traipsed through the train station (Levanto) or vaporetto (Venice) and through the narrow streets where the bus was not allowed (Florence and Monterosso), we were quite glad for the smaller luggage. Plus, if you take time in advance to really think about what you will need (and not what you might need) you can coordinate daily clothing and mix and match. Packing cubes help to keep your clothing and 'stuff' organized in your bag. Shoes take up so much room and can be heavy, especially a man's shoes, so Bill only had the pair of athletic shoes he wore on the plane and Denise had the pair of walking shoes on the plane and another athletic shoe design packed in the carry-on bag. And yes, you can even fit in a travel size C-PAP and light rain jacket. It was advised that we combine bags and only take one to Monterosso and leave one on the bus in "deep storage" for the next overnight stop and we're glad we did. Plan to do laundry several times, either in your room or local laundromat or drop-service (RS guide books show them on the maps and your tour manager may help with suggestions also). A large scarf can help change up your outfits plus serve as a wrap on the plane or if a breeze kicks up and the temperature drops.
5) If the Rick Steves guidebook recommends to pre-book an activity or attraction from home, then do it! Since every traveler wants to see St. Mark's Basilica with the lights shining on the mosaics, David at the Academia, and the Sistine Chapel without the hoards of people, pre-book the day and time that is best for you, receive your tickets via email and print them out and keep a copy on your phone, learn where the entrance is located for those who already have tickets and show up only a few minutes early. No-one likes to wait in a long line for tickets and then another one for security and a pre-booked time will avoid the ticket line. Also, be aware of specific days or hours your attraction may be closed. The site-specific website will also inform you about picture-taking inside or if shoulders must be covered or knees covered (no shorts) in some of the churches.
6) The Rick Steves app will allow you to download the walking tours and self-guided tours of many sights. Many times you will find an audio tour available to order when you pre-book your entrance ticket and while most are of the headset or handheld variety, others are from a sight app. Also, consider add-on options at some sights such as the altarpiece at St. Mark's which can really enhance your visit.
7) Consider tearing up your RS guidebook pulling out only the sections for the cities you will need on the trip, stapling or taping them together, and adding a sturdy cover (RS offers one on his website store). This will be much lighter weight and less bulky to keep in your day bag or purse if you need to reference a map or check a restaurant review and can be swapped out when your location changes.
8) Wear your moneybelt! When you sign up for a RS tour, it comes with the RS guidebook and your choice of security aid. Bill preferred the traditional moneybelt while Denise prefers the pouch that could be hung from the neck to keep passport, extra credit card, and extra euros. Use the bank ATMs for withdrawing several days cash to reduce fees. Only carry cash for today in your pocket or purse/daybag so that if you're pick-pocketed, you'll only lose today's cash. Consider a purse or daybag with anti-theft features for security and peace of mind while in crowds. It doesn't take much effort to be careful, aware of your surroundings as you would in any city and especially on the metro or buses to avoid problems.
9) The RS tours usually include a day about halfway through the tour where there are fewer activities planned or a day to take a "vacation within a vacation". We highly recommend taking advantage of a day or afternoon where you can "just relax" or sit at a cafe for a while with no place to be or drop your laundry at a drop-off service and then enjoy a beautiful view from a piazza or even just a day of wandering with no timetable or time at the beach. On this tour description, Rick suggests that day be Cinque Terre, but we visited all five villages to make for a busy day, so we found our "vacation within a vacation" day to be the one on Lake Como. On our My Way Spain tour, that "vacation day" was the relaxing day spent in Ronda. You will appreciate the relaxed day even after it's over - your feet and your spirit!