Our Rick Steve’s tour included only hotels and transportation. The hotels all included breakfast. There three optional group dinners and a happy hour. No activities were included. Rick Steve’s Do It Your Way Tour – This turned out to be an excellent choice for us. All hotels were centrally located, provided Wi-Fi and breakfast with…

It was early to bed last night for Dolora and I since we had a five a.m. taxi to get us to the airport. It was no surprise that there was little traffic at that hour. Our taxi driver told us that it was the most dangerous time to drive. Without all the traffic, people…

The tour officially ended after breakfast this morning. Dolora and I said our goodbyes to Amanda, the tour leader, and the other members of the group. After two weeks, we finally took a little later start than usual. It was off the the Victor Emmanuel Monument. Victor Emmanuel is the guy who united Italy in…

After breakfast this morning, it was off to the Vatican Museum. Our museum passes include bus and metro service. We headed for the nearby metro stop. The trip was quick and efficient if a little crowded. We had scheduled our Vatican Museum entry for nine, when they opened. The prepaid entry pass again saved a…

This morning, We packed our bags and took them out to a van. Then it was off to breakfast. While we were having breakfast, luggage was loaded on the bus. After breakfast, we headed down to the bus. We stopped for lunch at Chef Express, similar to the Auto Grill but not as nice. Shortly…

Woke up to cold, about fifty degrees, and rain with some wind. We decided that after breakfast, it would be a good idea to tour the Basilica of St. Francis since we would be indoors. There was just a little drizzle on the way there. The church is magnificent with a lower and upper level….

Sounded like a steady rain last night. Good timing for that. Firenze is very quiet in the morning. After breakfast, it was a short walk to meet the bus. The streets are usually so narrow that the bus drops you off a couple of blocks away. Packing light pays off but I still have lots…

Day two in Firenze started early. You have to turn in your key at the front desk each time you leave. We woke the 24 hour receptionist when we dropped off the key. Dolora and I had to unlock the large wooden door to get out. We are staying at the Hotel California. At 6:30,…

After breakfast, it was off to the train station for a four minute ride to the bus station. In typical Italian fashion, the train was fifteen minutes late and they changed platforms. Down the steps again and up and we were in the right place. One short coffee/bathroom stop and we were in Florence around…

Busy day today. We visited all five towns that make up the Cinque Terre. After breakfast, it was off for a boat ticket for the trip to Riomaggiore, the furthest south town. The boat was packed. This is the least touristy of the towns. After wandering around for a while, we headed north by train….