In an age where you can book your own hotel rooms online, most people end up planning their trips to Italy by themselves. After all, tour packages to Italy aren’t worth booking anymore, right?
Well, we’ll have to debunk that along with these 3 myths:
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Tour packages are more expensive than going DIY.
In fact, going on a DIY tour and buying may be more expensive than getting a tour package. That’s because tour operators get deeply discounted rates on everything—from food and accommodation, to even museum entrance fees. Those discounts can get passed on to those who book the tours, especially for popular destinations.
Besides, it’s not only money that you get to save when booking a tour package. You also get to save time on researching where to stay, what to do, and how to get to those places. The tour operator will do all of those for you, so even if you do pay a little extra, it’s worth it.
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You only get a “touristy” experience with a tour package to Italy.
With the millions of tourists that go to Italy every year, some major cities such as Florence do tend to feel touristy at times. And if you’re looking for other places to visit that’s off the beaten path, you’re out of luck, as updated information in English may be hard to find.
That’s where legitimate tour operators come in. Since they know the ins and outs of Italy’s top destinations, you can avoid tourist traps in the major cities simply by following their itineraries. You may even get to visit places that are not always accessible to the public. These operators are also always on the lookout for up-and-coming destinations, so you may get to visit some cool spots before everyone hears about it.
Besides, most guides that lead and organize these tours are locals. They’re not only licensed—they’re also armed with in-depth knowledge about the area.
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You don’t get flexibility.
To some extent, this is true—you can only visit the places that have been included in your itinerary and some last-minute changes are not allowed. But this is more due to crowd management policies instead of the tour operators fault. Why?
Some popular attractions, such as the Leaning Tower of Pisa or the Uffizi Gallery, require visitors who want to enter the building to book slots in advance. This is to prevent overcrowding, which can damage the structure or the works inside. Otherwise, those who don’t have reservations have to wait in line their turn to enter the heritage building. Who wants to spend hours in line during their vacation?
These concerns aside, tour operators can accommodate adjustments to your itinerary. For starters, many tour packages to Italy offer blocks of free time, letting you do whatever you want. And by simply coordinating with your travel expert, you can have specific places added to your itinerary or have special requests—like a candle-lit dinner for two—fulfilled.
As you can see, tour packages to Italy aren’t that bad. In fact, they can help you maximize your vacation! So if you want to get started planning your dream holiday now, contact us for a free consultation.
