Touring Europe - 3 Ways to Vacation in Europe and Come Home Happy

This article will give YOU, the vacationer, some2) No need to worry about service charges, taxes,
suggestions and guidance to help you plan your dreamporterage, some sightseeing as they are included in
tour of Europe and not need a vacation after youryour vacation. Did you know that booking an hotel
vacation!online in Europe may Not include taxes PLUS service
Questions: What are you looking for in a Europeancharges of 30%
Vacation?3) Forget about long lines like the do it yourselfers
Pace: fast or slow?have to wait in at such sites as the Vatican, as you'll
Number of countries visited: many or few?be in rapidly with your tour guide. (Just "showing up" at
Number of hotels/packing and unpacking: lots or little?the Vatican sites may entail waiting in a line miles long!
So here are the 3 approaches to touring Europe:4) Start the day with breakfast on your
1) Single Country or Regional Focus tours, AKA "Hubtour...EVERYDAY! Have you heard how much a
and Spoke Touring"simple breakfast might cost in Venice?
2) Multi-country tours5) Some dinners are included while there's plenty of
3) River Cruising: "Floating Escorted Tours"time to sample the local fare on your own.
HUB AND SPOKE TOURING AND WHY YOU'LL6) Time to yourself IS included to do with as you
LIKE ITplease; relax or see sites, dine on your own...remember,
Looking for a New Way to Tour a Country ormodern escorted tours are not your father's tour.
Region?7) Potential to early visit multiple countries or focus on
What do you see as multi-country touringone region/country.
drawbacks?o Packing and unpacking multiple timeso8) Limited time on the coach, YES, COACH as this is
Long hours on the "bus"o Checking in and out ofnot a glorified school bus type of tour! These coaches
hotelso Needing a vacation after the vacationmay have as much legroom as a business class airline
Let's introduce the hub and spoke concept. Instead ofseat. Generally, there are no 8-hour days in transit;
traveling from city to city with the typical packingModern tours are meant to be a vacation and not a
unpacking, stay in fewer cities (hubs) and do day tripsbus ride!
out to "spoke "cities. Since hotels are generally locatedRIVER CRUISING, a.k.a. Floating Escorted tours
in major tourist city centers, you'll have both more timeWould you like to enjoy the scenery, towns, and
to take in the sites of your "hub" hotel and more timeculture along Europe's scenic waterways? Take
to tour the "spoke" locations. Traveling on your "coach"EVERYTHING you know/think about "Blue Ocean"
may actually rival a first/business class airline seat oncruising and please put it on hold.
some tour providers.1) Pack/unpack just once...OK, so that's just like an
Example:ocean cruise
1) London, UK - Stay in a London hotel and tour:o2) Dock in city center , in many instances, close to or in
Batho Brightono Dovero Greenwichothe MIDDLE of the cities you wanted to see in the first
Stratford-Upon-Avono Stonehengeo Windsoro Evenplace...Example Vienna or Budapest
Paris on a day trip3) CONSTANTLY changing scenery, no "sea" days,
2) Florence, Italy - Stay in a Florence hotel and tour:ojust days to see the scenery.
Pisao Chianti Area/Tuscan countryside - Siena and4) Inclusive shore excursions, wine at dinner
San Gimignanoo Cinque Terreo Perugia and Assisio5) Much smaller passenger/touring sizes
Veniceo Even Rome on a day trip6) Truly explore a destination by exploring history,
ESCORTED TOURSculture, and the environment. Remember you are
Want to see multiple countries in Europe during a singletouring the HEART of Europe on a vessel that
trip? Want to relax? Want to travel "green"? Some ofprobably holds 140 or less people. When you pull into
the benefits of selecting a "modern" escorted tour:port, there won't be hundreds of tour buses waiting.
1) Save 30-40% over "do-it-yourself"