Winter version of the City of Art tour
Good day, forum users). I have - almost the first trip on a bus tour in a foreign country))))
At the suggestion in TA, I chose the winter version of the City of Arts bus tour from PakGroup (January, 2015). There were questions about Schengen after the refusal of the Baltic states in 2013, but the Italians gave a visa for six months. The residents of Formum calmed down, although they kept them in suspense for a long time: the visa was issued 2.5 weeks after the submission of documents, and the place on the plane was only on January 5th.
So. departure from Moscow, a ticket with a half-double purchase (with accommodation, so as not to pay for the single).
1. Arrival in Verona at 8 am local time (Ural Airlines - nothing unpredictable, budget food on the plane). I had to wait for an additional set to the bus until 10 o'clock (another flight). Then - San Marino, tasting, lunch, excursion. I managed to have a bite to eat on the way from the airport at a roadside cafe (complex breakfast), so instead of lunch I went to the mountains of San Marino. Curious. I didn’t have time to climb the second of the three mountains, I began to go down to the bus parking lot by other roads, so although I remembered “All roads lead to Rome”, I didn’t manage to quickly find the A1 parking lot. The locals helped. By the way, I bought a gift version of Limoncella at the very top of the mountain for 5 euros (there was no such charm in other places). Brought in the evening in Rimini. The hotel is modest (state tax 1.5 euros), but tolerable. It gets dark quickly, so we went with a lady who also bought half a double - a companion for the whole tour, to look for the Adriatic Sea. We looked for a supermarket (Conad) for an evening snack and purchase of water (there is no refrigerator in the room).
Day 2 At 6.30 breakfast, at 7 am departure to Rome. The weather is getting warmer. ) City guide Svetlana spoke without much emotion. We took a tour of 3 Basilicas (guide Alexander). Knowledgeable, knowledgeable guide. Liked. Overnight (state tax for 3 nights - 12 euros).
Day 3 Breakfast at 6.30, departure at 7 am (and in this mode - until the end of the tour). Departure to Pompeii and Naples, guide Ivano (excursions are quite informative, curious, I liked it).
Day 4 Departure to the Vatican, guide Svetlana (very dosed information), The state within the state is amazing. Dinner. Departure to Tivoli, Vila d * Eesta (guide Alex). I was shocked by the grandeur of the castle, where a park with fountains was designed for the first time in the world. I listened to the first water organ, when dosed water determines the music itself. It has been operating since the 16th century. We arrived at the hotel, found a store of the same line.
Day 5 Departure with luggage from the hotel. Excursion in Siena. Amazing city on 3 hills. Of course, I counted them in larger numbers - they walked up and down the city. And cars drove along such narrow and uneven streets. I had only two thoughts at once: how it is here during the ice and how the cores live here, since the load here is - oh what. The guide - emotionally and smartly enough walked on a high platform over the unevenness of the city. You can see that he loves the city. Lunch is so-so, honestly - a very dosed sausage cutting on a large plate for 15 euros. Didn't eat.
Then the transfer to Florence. Beautiful city. Awsome place. Local guide - Katerina. The raindrops on the fingers of the Gorgon jellyfish were a little impressive (see photo). The hotel is so-so, cold, the air conditioning does not work, in the bathroom there is no distinction on the floor from the shower - water must be poured on the floor, as a result - the choice of the guest: either the toilet or the shower))) There is no battery in the bathroom. Bottom line - it was cold. This is the only hotel that I didn't like at all. and dot.
Day 6 Morning pampered - tomorrow at 7, departure at 7.40. Departure to Pisa, guide Elena. Curious place. Then - departure to the Uffizio Gallery (Florence), the only gallery not allowed to travel abroad, guide Sandra. Beautiful, amazing. I noted for myself a copy of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus, which was created for visually impaired people. Well done (photo). A painting by Leonardo da Vinci that should only be viewed from a certain angle, because the length of the Madonna's arm is proportional only from that viewing angle.
Day 7 Departure to Venice at 7.30 am. After breakfast, which I practically did not feel, honestly. Croissant, jamik and 1 (and no more! ) Cup of warm coffee. But in this hotel they didn’t take the state tax (it would be better if they took him and fed him normally in the morning))
Venice. We were told that the temperature in the city is the same as yesterday. Believed. In vain. By the time we reached the Grand Canal, we were already frozen, and even on an empty stomach. Freedom Bridge - a 3-kilometer road across the water, where seagulls stand calmly and their wings do not get wet. Guide Gennady. I didn't get the information right away. Then she got into it, she talks well. We walked through the city, a curious place, instead of streets - "paths between houses. " Offered lunch 23 euros. Remembering lunch in Siena, we found a snack bar and had a great bite for 9 euros. Then, already warmed and satisfied, they went with the same guide to the Doge's Palace. Charm. But for some reason the second time here does not pull. Do not know.
Day 8 Tomorrow at 8, departure to Verona at 10. I managed to look for a Londo supermarket to buy something in presentations. Departure is ok. The same low-calorie lunch at Ural Airlines.
1) As you set yourself up for a trip - so be it. I knew that a bus tour is not about relaxation, but about getting information. I was malnourished, lacked sleep, I felt my legs closer to the middle of the trip. So what? But I looked at 8 cities in Italy, I felt the specifics of each of them.
2) on the second day, the accompanying Dmitry (an intelligent guy) spoke out the features of each day and excursions and immediately took for the whole choice. I thought so -100 euros a day, this is for excursions, food, small souvenirs. Better to bring back than not enough abroad. I saw such a mother in our group, who was brought on this trip by her daughter, but there was not enough money for food.
3) the charm of the winter tour:
* not hot (traveled around Prague and from Prague on trips - hard);
*no competition between guides (we had really good guides);
* there are no crowds of tourists - they walked the streets almost calmly.
4) happy for myself - I went, looked, admired.
5) half a double with rooming - economical, but - it is not known who will be. I was lucky - there was a mobile lady who had already been on bus tours abroad (and I only went to St. Petersburg by bus);
6) look for shortcomings and shortcomings - it is possible, but not necessary.
I want to go somewhere else. I can.
