The tour leaders were a delight. The lecturers and guides were well informed and laid a foundation for our tours thru art galleries and cities. Our group was congenial. An additional plus to the tour is that we had easy access to museums especially when there are already so many tourists waiting in line.

The three cities are wonderful and far from the world we see in the USA. Each city being wonderful in its own way. And each day the presenters brought to life each city in turn.

Great trip, I enjoyed it very much.

Best tour we have ever taken!

If you are going on this trip, be prepared to walk and walk somemore on uneven streets, paths, steps and walks... Are you in shape??
We had 2 ladies fall, nice to have had a Dr. with our group.

Have your IT guy redesign the site so that one can fill in forms without deleting what is already filled in when you go back on the form.

Was an excellent program and reasonably priced. Would not hesitate to participate in another program

This was a very well organized and enjoyable trip and alone I would never have had access to so many places. I also very much appreciated that they were able to provide me with gluten-free meals at all times

Overall Impressions
1. The reason I chose Road Scholar over other tour companies was the educational component. I wanted more than entertainment. I wanted to learn. Road Scholar delivered on that expectation. I am much more aware of Roman and Venetian history and how it impacted the course of western civilization. I have seen great structures & great art, and better appreciate their significance & meaning.
2. I am extremely pleased that we took this trip. I would recommend this tour and I am likely to take another Road Scholar trip.
3. Rome was warm (80’s) and sunny. We walked to some attractions, and took a private coach to the further attractions (Vatican City and Villa Borghese). Rome was the most physically strenuous city, with a lot of walking including hills & steps. Even the “close” sites required quite a bit of walking. There were several people in my group who underestimated the physical requirements of the tour and were challenged by the activity.
4. Florence was cold (40’s and 50’s) & rainy, and we walked everywhere. I think I would have enjoyed Florence under better circumstances, but I was cold & damp and caught a cold there. The rain finally cleared on our departure day, so we had about an hour early in the morning to walk around the town and see something besides the pavement. I reached the saturation point on art museums, as did several others in the group.
5. I was absolutely charmed by Venice. I expected this to be my least favorite town, but that was not the case. Staying in Venice was much different than any experience I’ve had. I was thrilled to have that experience. Venice floods, on average, 100 days per year. There was high water in Venice on 3 or 4 days we were there. Take water resistant shoes!

This was our first Road Scholar trip and it was a great one! Our leaders and guides were excellent, the lectures were very informative (one person managed to summarize the Roman Empire in 1 1/2 hours and she did it well!) It was well organized so we never had to worry about getting from place to place. And we met some really wonderful people. A great experience!

Excellent program that lived up to its billing and met our expectations completely. Well organized and well run by experienced and knowledgable professionals. Provided a great feel and understanding of Italy, present and past.

OUR ITALIAN VACATIONS WAS BEYOND MY DREAMS ESPECIALLY WITH THE ART. PICTURES CANNOT SHOW THAT SAME EXPERIENCE OF SEEING IN PERSON. MY MISSION WAS TO SEE DAVID AND I CERTAINLY WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED IN FACT I WAS IN AWE OF EVERYTHING. I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS TOUR TO ANYONE.

Excellent program in Italy. Visited Rome, Florence and Venice. Lovely to have a few days in each city, time to get immersed in the culture and history.

Road Scholars, in my experience, are not your average travelers. They come to learn, grow and see beyond their limited views. They do not come to shop, but to bring home experiences.

This was an extremely well guided and educated-scholar tour of Rome, Florence and Italy. THe trip was paced and organized so that none of the responsibilities of the details of the trip were handled by the participant. We ate well, we arrived at museums at great timing to avoid the crush of the amazing crowds of tourists, and we got free time to explore on our ;own. I would never travel on my own again,but expect Road Scholar level support whereever I go.

Just returned from the Italian Classics tour (Sept 5-18). Was a wonderful trip - delightful in everyway - even the weather was accomodating - warm, with no rain the entire time. Highly recommend this trip.

Rome, Florence & Venice were a delight...in spite of all the rain!

Wonderful experience, the weather was better than I expected, the guides and instructors were excellent. Our leader, Mara, was attentive to our needs, giving suggestions for free time activities, directions to other sites of interest, helping us interact with the locals. The group was very compatible, the singles were welcomed and included in all activities. After the first few days we were all "family". We saw paintings and other artworks we had only seen in books, and learned history we had never been been taught.

I have just completed the program: Italian Classics: Rome, Florence, Venice. It was outstanding. Our leader provided the best possible opportunity to understand and appreciate Italy's long history and extraordinary art and architecure. For me, this was the fulfilling of a life long dream.

This was a truly unforgettable trip. Everything was great (except perhaps the enormous crowd we experienced at the Vatican). Our guide Enrico was fantastic, addressing every individual need, looking after the whole group - always with a calm but efficient demeanor and a wonderful sense of humor. Without exception the lecturers were exceptional providing us with so much worthwhile information and done with such skill and enthusiasm. Each city had a unique charm. It was especially great to be able to walk around in Florence and get around in Venice by vaporetto. It gave a sense of independence when not involved in group activities. We were able to share this incredible experience with a fantastic group of travelers.

Please see my comments on the evaluation regarding the group leaders. They were not what I have had on previous Road Scholar Programs. However the trip itself was fantastic. I enjoyed the high quality of the trip very much despite the group leaders.

If one wants a definite "bang" for your buck, this is truly one of the finest trips I have ever taken. Having never been to Italy, I can truly say I was enthralled by it all and saw most of the "important" sights and then some! I would highly recommed this program to anyone! The sheer beauty of Italy was enhanced by wonderfully educated, quality guides and lecturers. Michael, Cynthia and Enrico were absolutely outstanding as were most of the lecturers. At all times I felt safe and "cared for". I loved using the subway, the vaporetto, and walking to most destinations. The EuroStar was loads of fun and I found all our accommodations acceptable and most top notch. The food was delicious and so beautifully "presented". I won't soon forget our Renaissance Dinner! And, to top it ALL off, what a wonderful group of travelers I found myself with, knowledgeable, fun and enthusiastic. Memories of a lifetime!