Hi, Brooklyn! I enjoyed touring with you and glad to see your posts again. For those of you who are taking or planning this tour, I agree with everything brooklyn has posted. Hotels and itinerary were great, pace was fast early but slowed down just a little when we got to Italy, and I can't say enough on how excellent our TD was.

Tana, the start times of the tour varied from day to day. Wake-up call was between 5:45 AM and 6:30 AM, breakfast between 6:30 and 7:15, which is also the time our luggage must be ready for pickup outside our room, and the bus leaves between 7:00 AM and 8:00 AM. So generally we have 45 minutes to get ready for breakfast and 45 minutes to eat breakfast. If I remember correctly, we left later only twice. We left at 11:30 AM from Innsbruck on route to Salzburg and again from Salzburg to Venice. The reason for leaving later is because we had optionals in these cities which started early in the morning. The optional in Innsbruck was a horse and carriage ride in a nice village nearby and the one in Salzburg was The Eagle's Nest & Bavarian Alps (great views!)The optionals ranged from 28-108 Euros per person, but only 3 of them were over 60 or over. The cabaret and dinner in Paris was 108 Euros. The times and optionals may vary from your tour since the TD makes those decisions but will be happy to post the list of optionals if you like.

BJ, The Florence hotel was recently converted into a hotel as our TD informed us that it was formerly a monastery. It was a charming hotel and located in a quiet neighborhood. It did have a nice outdoor pool but it was closed when we arrived at the hotel. We had a couple of hours of free time in Salzburg which is a lot compared to other cities. We didn't take the Burano optional in Venice which gave us that whole day to explore on our own.

Sorry, brooklyn, for posting so late. I'll try to help out providing more information about this tour. To BJ, Christy, Tana, and Karl, I'm sure you'll enjoy this tour. I'll check back to answer any of your questions.

I've just returned from a week in North Carolina, and of course have been anxious to get back to this board. Thanks so much for your posts, Brooklyn - and we'll all love yours too, Douglas! Gosh!! Are we lucky to have this great opportunity for more preparation!!

I thought I read somewhere that coaches were not allowed in Florence so expected that hotel to be out of town, but I was hoping to get to the Medici Chapel as you were, Brooklyn. Your tip on ducking the leather "sale" works for us!! We'll thank you for it, as will others who read here as well. I just got a Mapeasy of Florence and will follow Infotrack's advice and get the highlighter going. I have many so hope that particular brand of map isn't too far off from the real thing!

PA Travelers - please tell us about the "band" in Austria - and the horse and carriage ride, which sounds absolutely delightful!

Back to Venice, Brooklyn, I think triples luck out and get the rooms on the canal at the Continental. Have you had a chance to read Leo's journal yet?? His description of Venice is wonderful and amusing. I have a friend who saw Venice in port from a cruise and she talks of people lugging their bags over cobblestone bridges, etc. We will use Insight's carry-ons but will be sure to pack even those lightly for that arrival - thanks again!

We'd love to have any info you all will share - highlights, advice, etc. And I promise not to barrage you with too many questions. Thanks so much for sharing!!!

Regards,
Bev

Douglas, we would love to have the list of optionals plus your personal assessments if you wish.

What did you all do in Brugges and Brussels? We're hoping there is enough time to enjoy Brugges because this "Vienna of the North" is high on our list of must-do's! It's interesting that the trip became more relaxed in Italy - probably the 2-night stays really helped. London, Italian cities, and Paris are the only cities I've really studied and planned for since we'll have more time there. Would you suggest more homework??

Were there any lengthy travel distances besides Lucerne to Paris? The others look like short hops.

BJ, don't worry about asking too many questions. I'm very happy to give you as much info as you want. This is a great board which has help us plan our tour and I would like to return the favor.

Here's a list of our optionals and my opinions.

Medieval Banquent, 50 euros (Innsbruck - evening)
I didn't actually go to this one but Mom and Dad did. They enjoyed but they expected more of a show and dinner was average at best. My sisters and I got to explore Innsbruck during this time and was glad we didn't take this optional because Innsbruck offered great outdoor cafes, shops, ice cream, chocolates and a very relaxing atmosphere.

Tyrolean Horse & Carriage Ride, 32 euros (Innsbruck - early morning)
I really enjoyed this one. The ride took us to a nice quite village (Axam) and the local guide, Fritz, was quite a character and very entertaining. We stopped at their local bar where drinks were free. You had a choice of soft drinks, wine, or a shot of schnapps. If you didn't choose the schnapps, you had the oppurtunity to purchase a small bottle for 5 euros. It was here that Fritz played the accordion with the help of some of our tour members. Brooklyn and Allison participated and performed wonderfully! We also stopped at a local church which looked deceivingly ordinary on the outside, but when you walked inside it is very elaborate, colorful, and architectually detailed.

Mozart Piano Recital, 42 euros (Salzburg)
Cancelled due to lack of interest.

Eagle's Nest & Bavarian Alps, 43 euros (Salzburg - morning)
Another great optional. A bus ride took us almost to the top of the mountain. From there, we walked thru a lengthy tunnel where we took an elevator to Hitler's home which was built for him. The views were from here were incredible.

Venice of the Doges, 33 euros (Venice- morning)
Inside this palace, we walked through grand rooms with richly painted walls and ceilings, the halls of justice, and continued a walk across the bridge of sighs which lead to the prisons. Some of the paintings looked 3 dimensional and appeared to be sculptures. It was very hot in Venice and seemed even hotter inside with not much air circulation inside.

Burano Excursion & Lunch, 58 euros (Venice - afternoon)
We didn't take this one which allowed us almost a full day to explore Venice on our own. It was a nice break from the pace of the tour.

Classical Rome, 59 euros (Rome - morning)
I'm confused which sites were part of the tour and when this optional actually started as we visited the Vatican museum, St. Peter's Basilica, the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and then to the catacombs in succession. We did have some time to look around the Vatican and grab a quick bite to eat and buy some souvenirs.

Roman Dinner Party, 55 euros (Rome - evening)
We had some time after the day's tour to wash up and get ready for dinner at a small restaurant. The 3 or 4 course meal was great and we were serenaded with Italian music and a violin player. The entertainment was no where close to the quality of the included Highlight dinner the night before. All ladies were given roses and one lady at each table received a pinch in the behind and a kiss on the cheeks from one of the waiters. At the end of the evening we were dropped off the Plaza Navona where we found a concert taking place. This plaza had a wonderful atmosphere at night with the church of Sant Agnese and the impressive fountain and statues of gods by Bernini in the center. The plaza is surrounded with cafes and artists were selling there works of art. From there we walked to our hotel where rain just started when we arrived. It was great timing unlike the downpour we weren't able to avoid in Salzburg.

Borromean Isles of Lake Maggiore, 28 euros (Stresa - afternoon)
Another optional we didn't take but heard great things from other tour members. It did give us some time to explore this very nice resort town.

Lake cruise, swiss show, and lunch, 76 euros (Lucerne - afternoon)
We didn't take this one either. Again, it's nice to explore the city at our own pace.

Parisian Cabaret with Dinner, 108 euros (Paris - evening)
Yet another we didn't take because we met with my uncle and aunt who just finished a different tour. I heard mixed reviews on this one.

Montmarte and Illuminations, 24 euros (Paris - late evening)
We enjoyed walking around Montmarte glancing through artists work, souvenir shops, Sacre-Coeur, and a nice view of the city at night. After Montmarte, the coach toured around the city and a chance to take pictures at the illuminated Eiffel tower. This tour ended well after midnight as during this season, Paris isn't completely dark until after 10 PM. So take that into consideration. I may add that we had absolutely no free time in Paris. Although the bus took us through Champs Elysee, I wished we had a chance to walk around this famous street. It is still very active late in the evening.

Guided visit to the Louvre Museum, 36 euros (Paris - morning)
In my opinion, this is another must see optional. A guided tour took us to see the Mona Lisa and other highlights. Don't expect an extensive tour of the Louvre since it's impossible to see everything even for a whole day. But I thought the amount of time was just right for me, not too long and not too short.

Farewell Dinner and Seine Cruise, 60 euros (Paris - evening)
This was a great chance to spend one last time with the tour members. We got a little wild at the dinner with the drinks flowing and our foolishness carried on in the Seine Cruise. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed it. The Seine Cruise provided another scenic tour thru the city. It was hard to hear the tour guide during the cruise which probably why I wouldn't rate it so high but I still enjoyed it.

That's a summary of our optionals. I hope I haven't bored you as it is a long post and Brooklyn and Allison may jump in and offer some of their own opinions. BJ, I expect you are getting more excited every day. When exactly will you be taking this tour?

[ July 18, 2002: Message edited by: Douglas ]

Brooklyn or Douglas, on average how long were you on the bus. I know on our Highlight of Britain tour last year we had a couple of 8 to 10 hour days, but most were 3 to 5 hours with the 15 to 30 minute rest stops. Is this tour similar or are the rides between cities shorter or longer?

Thanks for all the info. We are really looking forward to this tour next year.

Karl

Many many thanks, Douglas! I've printed this off and will go over it at length. A quick read tells me that you enjoy the local scenery and fitting into the culture and have chosen the optionals much as we would have done. We definately want the day on our own in Venice and I'd really appreciate knowing more about Rome. Is the hotel in a good location, or does it even matter? I'm getting the impression that quite often the tours begin upon arrival and by the time you catch up with your luggage in the hotel there's not much time left on your own. Where is the Highlight dinner in Rome?

Karl, I'm concerned about the lengthy bus trips too - not a good "sitter" at all. Our TA said they will stop every 2-3 hours - oh, and I was really surprised about an optional at Lake Maggiore! My sister spent a year in Bologna with Indiana University and I was hoping we'd go through that walled city between Venice and Rome. Sometimes the TD's and drivers will accomodate reasonable requests. Any chance of that from your memory of routes taken??

If you want questions I'm sure I can post them - and hope Karl and Christy and others will jump in.

Hey, Brooke & Allison - now we have a MUCH better picture of the band - and I don't think I'd handle the schnapps at 9 a.m. either. Too bad this wasn't an evening optional.

Just some input on the very wonderful posting by Douglas on the optionals (P.S. it was wonderful to meet you and your family on tour and I still appreciate you keeping us "up with the group" on the way to the fountain in Rome) We did do Burano in Venice and found it relaxing to get out of the crowds and the heat in the middle of the day in Venice... but, I have also been to Venice, so that my have something to do with my opinion. Burano is pretty, the houses are all painted different colors, and the lunch was nice. Because I had already seen the Doges Palace (funny, globus included it instead of having it an optional) we walked thru St. Mark's on our own, and then went up to the top of the Bell Tower; wonderful view.
Skip the glass blowing if you can. Make sure to have film, Venice is beautiful. I loved our hotel. There was a tiny window in the bathroom and I kept wondering what was moving around out there: it was pigeons, and one woman was telling me they had a pigeon in the bathroom flying around. I also bought some beautiful masks at a shop right near the hotel. So that's my plug for Burano
We did do the Cabaret: I can't remember the name of the place we went to. It's a smaller club than the Moulin Rouge and it is expensive. I enjoyed it, and so did the other women I went with and my niece. The dinner was good and so was the show, but the dancers are topless, so you have to be prepared for that.
We also didn't do the dinner in Innsbruck: we went off on our own for dinner and it was great. Sat at a sidewalk cafe.
Douglas is also not telling the entire story about the shnapps in the am: he also was a character in the "entertainment" and I thought he looked quite fetching. The carriage ride is fun and the views in the am wonderful. I also enjoyed the church: we lit a candle there for my Dad, who is desceased, my Mom felt that it seemed "closer to God" up in the mountains, and she didn't have any schnapps, either.
The Classical Rome tour includes the Sistine Chapel ( a must see) along with the Vatican Museum and the Catacombs. My niece did it, but my Mom and I didn't as we had been to Rome just about a year ago. So we went with the group on the bus to the Museum and walked on our own to the Basilica. Then we joined up with the tour in the Basilica, and did the Collesium, Forum and when they did the Catacombs, we sat in a garden outside. If you have not seen the Museum or Sistine Chapel, I would do this optional.
You do have to forgive my typing, I had some hand surgery a few days ago and still have problems with the typing.
Montmarte is lovely but it was so late by the time we did the illuminations, people were falling asleep on the bus. But Paris at night is beautiful and it might be better in the fall as it gets darker sooner.
Thanks for the nice comments about my posts, Christy!
BJ: the other recommendation I would make is going to sound rather stuffy, but I don't mean it that way. I had read alot about the Vatican art, and some of the other sculpture along the way before the trip and it meant more to me. I also kept a small pocket notebook to jot down things I wanted to look up when I got home. some of the paintings and sculpture mean more when you are looking at them if you have an idea of the background. Of course, I also had an 18 year old that I had to impress with my knowledge! But if meant more to her if we could come up with relevant info.... being a teacher, I'm sure you can appreciate that!
About Brugges, we didn't seem to stay there that long. I did run and see the Michealangelo pieta, and my Mom bought some chocolate that was out of this world. But it was VERY HOT there and we were not dressed for it.
Under which catagory is Leo's posting? I haven't been on the board for awhile but will look for it today.
Ask any other questions you might have. It's fun to think back on for us. Douglas and I sat together at the last dinner in Paris and had a great time. My niece got fed by a waiter because he felt she hadn't finished her dinner (we had young men all over Europe paying attention: she had a bellboy outside the bus in one city blowing kisses

Brooklyn, the Madonna & Child you saw in Bruges is the only Michelangelo statue to remain permanently outside of Italy. You're so good at "running" to see what you wanted to see. I could only hope to have your kind of pep, & I know my hubby won't run with me if he can sit in a sidewalk cafe and enjoy the scenery. My art history consists of appreciation only, but I love to read before I go anywhere & I have so many notes it's mind-boggling. Thank goodness I've had a lifetime of appreciation so I do feel a bit more prepared! Any good books in particular you'd like to suggest?

OK - you guys are just SUPER and now I have a lot of homework re: your comments. Sure wish you'd all go again on our trip because you sound like great fun! Incidentally, Douglas, we're leaving London Sept. 20. Our magical 60-day-confirmation is coming up Mon. I believe. Last year we were packed 2 wks. prior to our intended 9/13 departure, and because 9/11 forced our cancellation I'm a little reluctant to get too hyped yet. Since this is our 3rd attempt at Europe on the "fly" it should go - right??? 3rd time's a charm!

BJ: Not that it is any of my business: but is there a reason you waited a whole year to rebook to go on this trip after last years cancellation? Just curious.
In Florence, the Medici Chapel is not too far from the main square in Florence. We had a map (not a fancy one, forget where I picked it up exactly) and I just found a street I recognized and found my way from there. I would have liked to stayed longer but my niece was dying to "shop" and didn't want to shop alone... the Italian men made her nervous
I'm sure that Douglas and PA travelers would tell you that I always looked like I just ran in from the track... but we did get to see alot!
Did I tell you about the chocolate in Brugges? It was wonderful, and my mom bought some for a gift... it was melted by the time we got back on the bus. so every night she would cut off a little piece with a little knife up in our room before bed... it was a scream.

Brooklyn, we rebooked for 1 yr. later because we really wanted to go in the fall instead of the summer heat and crowds. Also, we travel in the states a lot in winter - southwest in Feb. & to see our children in St. Louis and Charlotte as often as possible. Thanks for asking.

My old notes say "Buy chocolate at Wittamer or Pierre Marcolini in Brussels & canal boat or carriage ride in Brugges & cappuccino at a pretty cafe." Do you suppose it will be still warm enough that our chocolate will melt too? Your mom sounds like a lot of fun! Oh, and did you try french fries with mayo in Belgium??