Company organised road trip to Italy approx 3k...Good value?
Discussion
Hi all.
I've been looking into having a company organise a road trip for us from the UK to Italy and back. The trip is over 13 days and we have been quoted £3100 which included Eurostar both way, hotels, B&B basis 3 or 4 star, parking, pre loaded sat-nav with the best of roads/passes etc.
I've been considering putting the trip together myself but if there isn't much of a saving then I'm inclined to remove the hassle. My main concerns would be putting a decent route together and not missing out the best of roads and also ensuring the hotels booked have secure parking.
If anyone can help I would be incredibly grateful. We plan to head off late June and I am a little concerned that we are leaving booking too late.
Thanks massively in advance.
I've been looking into having a company organise a road trip for us from the UK to Italy and back. The trip is over 13 days and we have been quoted £3100 which included Eurostar both way, hotels, B&B basis 3 or 4 star, parking, pre loaded sat-nav with the best of roads/passes etc.
I've been considering putting the trip together myself but if there isn't much of a saving then I'm inclined to remove the hassle. My main concerns would be putting a decent route together and not missing out the best of roads and also ensuring the hotels booked have secure parking.
If anyone can help I would be incredibly grateful. We plan to head off late June and I am a little concerned that we are leaving booking too late.
Thanks massively in advance.
Shouldn't think so. We did this
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zYHYrPX0Ii-...
for =£2,854.22 all in, including Eurotunnel, fuel, food, hotels and wine to bring home.
Last year, I did 3 weeks in Spain for £2,243.76 all in.
Ones you organise yourself are always going to be cheaper.
https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zYHYrPX0Ii-...
for =£2,854.22 all in, including Eurotunnel, fuel, food, hotels and wine to bring home.
Last year, I did 3 weeks in Spain for £2,243.76 all in.
Ones you organise yourself are always going to be cheaper.
MikeJC said:
Hi all.
I've been looking into having a company organise a road trip for us from the UK to Italy and back. The trip is over 13 days and we have been quoted £3100 which included Eurostar both way, hotels, B&B basis 3 or 4 star, parking, pre loaded sat-nav with the best of roads/passes etc.
I've been considering putting the trip together myself but if there isn't much of a saving then I'm inclined to remove the hassle. My main concerns would be putting a decent route together and not missing out the best of roads and also ensuring the hotels booked have secure parking.
If anyone can help I would be incredibly grateful. We plan to head off late June and I am a little concerned that we are leaving booking too late.
Thanks massively in advance.
£3,100 for 13 days. £240/day.I've been looking into having a company organise a road trip for us from the UK to Italy and back. The trip is over 13 days and we have been quoted £3100 which included Eurostar both way, hotels, B&B basis 3 or 4 star, parking, pre loaded sat-nav with the best of roads/passes etc.
I've been considering putting the trip together myself but if there isn't much of a saving then I'm inclined to remove the hassle. My main concerns would be putting a decent route together and not missing out the best of roads and also ensuring the hotels booked have secure parking.
If anyone can help I would be incredibly grateful. We plan to head off late June and I am a little concerned that we are leaving booking too late.
Thanks massively in advance.
Say £300 for the Eurostar crossing, and that's £215/day.
That's some seriously expensive hotels... What sort of accommodation? Yes, stars. Woo... But are they soul-less plastic corporate chain modern, or atmospheric old characterful places?
What else are they offering? Just a route and some bookings? Is this in a convoy? What if the others on it are cockwombles? What if you like a particular area and want to spend more time there?
If t'were me (and it has been, many times), I'd be just taking a Michelin atlas and a sense of adventure. Some of the best places I've ever stayed have been spotted at the roadside, some of the worst have been booked ahead.
In 20 years of travelling to Europe with work and for pleasure, my only rule is don't let someone else choose your hotels.
It may be perfect in their eyes but they're not using your eyes.
In this case, they will be chosen with an eye on the tour company's profit after all.
DIY is the way to go. Ask your friends/colleagues what to see, where to go etc.
Tripadvisor is your friend,
It may be perfect in their eyes but they're not using your eyes.
In this case, they will be chosen with an eye on the tour company's profit after all.
DIY is the way to go. Ask your friends/colleagues what to see, where to go etc.
Tripadvisor is your friend,
Hmm interesting.
I had assumed it would be cheaper if planning myself but by how much I wasn't sure.
Not keen on just winging it though, I need to know the hotels have safe/secure parking as I'm a little precious about my car. The trip isn't a group tour, just ourselves so no issue with keeping up or slowing anyone down.
I've looked all of the write ups on here and they certainly have given me some inspiration. But, I've not come across a trip to the Italian lakes what lists a detailed route in terms of roads/passes to use, driving time/miles and hotels along the way.
I completely appreciate the above is asking for a lot which is why I was looking into having a company donut all for me. I am stupidly busy at work so finding anytime to put this together myself is tricky.
If anyone does happen to have a complete route worked out including all of the above I would be happy to pay you for your effort of sending it all over to me.
Lazy... Me... Never!
Failing that what is the best means of working out the best of routes/roads/passes and the best means of installing all of this into a sat nav... Is there a one fits all sat nav out there that you would recommend for the job? I'd need something that doesn't just do a quickest route from a to b.
Thanks again people.
Mike.
I had assumed it would be cheaper if planning myself but by how much I wasn't sure.
Not keen on just winging it though, I need to know the hotels have safe/secure parking as I'm a little precious about my car. The trip isn't a group tour, just ourselves so no issue with keeping up or slowing anyone down.
I've looked all of the write ups on here and they certainly have given me some inspiration. But, I've not come across a trip to the Italian lakes what lists a detailed route in terms of roads/passes to use, driving time/miles and hotels along the way.
I completely appreciate the above is asking for a lot which is why I was looking into having a company donut all for me. I am stupidly busy at work so finding anytime to put this together myself is tricky.
If anyone does happen to have a complete route worked out including all of the above I would be happy to pay you for your effort of sending it all over to me.
Lazy... Me... Never!
Failing that what is the best means of working out the best of routes/roads/passes and the best means of installing all of this into a sat nav... Is there a one fits all sat nav out there that you would recommend for the job? I'd need something that doesn't just do a quickest route from a to b.
Thanks again people.
Mike.
MikeJC said:
Not keen on just winging it though, I need to know the hotels have safe/secure parking as I'm a little precious about my car.
So take a tablet, and hit expedia or hotels.com or whatever each morning for that night's destination.MikeJC said:
The trip isn't a group tour, just ourselves so no issue with keeping up or slowing anyone down.
So, basically, you're paying something like a hundred quid a night to borrow a satnav for a fortnight with a route in it.Here is a link to the trip that I did a few years ago, think it cost me approx 2.5k Euros (pretty sure that was including fuel & food etc).
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I've listed hotels that I have used further into the thread.
I used a website called Tyre to plan my trips, then saved these as ITN files and uploaded these to my TomTom before leaving.
Bit more information in this thread about what sat navs and websites you can use to pre-plan your route.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I can send you the ITN files that I have produced to get you started if you like, just let me know your email addess.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I've listed hotels that I have used further into the thread.
I used a website called Tyre to plan my trips, then saved these as ITN files and uploaded these to my TomTom before leaving.
Bit more information in this thread about what sat navs and websites you can use to pre-plan your route.
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I can send you the ITN files that I have produced to get you started if you like, just let me know your email addess.
I think planning it is half the fun. Work out how far you want to drive, look for a hotel and book it after checking reviews. Repeat several times.
Plenty of write-ups on here if you are short of ideas.
The temptation is to try to fit in as much as possible. I take the view I'll be back there again and make sure I get some rest too.
I've been to Como and it was great. Stayed near Ballagio, so short ferry ride. Some of the roads around the lake get a bit narrow if you have something exotic. Ok in my 911.
Plenty of write-ups on here if you are short of ideas.
The temptation is to try to fit in as much as possible. I take the view I'll be back there again and make sure I get some rest too.
I've been to Como and it was great. Stayed near Ballagio, so short ferry ride. Some of the roads around the lake get a bit narrow if you have something exotic. Ok in my 911.
Hi all and thanks for the tips so far.
Still leaning towards having most of the effort removed by having a company put the finer details together and supplying the sat nav with all the final routes uploaded. I want to fire an email over to them highlighting my requirements. At this stage I'm starting to lean towards the below route they offer. The rest points are all there but I want to be sure I'm not missing any of the best roads and passes in between stages. But at the same time I don't want to over cook the time spent in the car on a daily basis. I'm thinking around 4-5 ish hours in the car driving at most per day.
Based on the above can you please critique the below stop offs and add any good roads and passes along these routes?
It looks like I'm going to have 13 days for this trip so I'll add these as rest day on top in the nicer spots in the lakes. With the research and reading I've done so far I've popped some roads and passes below but feel free to add your thoughts...
Day 1 - London - Calais - Bad Durkheim via Monschau for lunch
Day 2 - Bad Durkheim - Solden via Fernpass B179
Day 3 - Solden - Riva deal Garda via Stelvio Pass
Day 4 - Riva dal Garda - Desenzano
Day 5 - Desenzano - Lago di Como via Passo San Marco
Day 6 - Lago do Como - Lago Maggiore
Day 7 - Lago di Maggiore - Mulhouse via Gotthard Pass, Furka Pass and Grimsel Pass
Day 8 - Mulhouse - Pont a Mousson via the Vosges mountains
Day 9 - Pont a Mousson - Calais via Reims circuit - London
Thanks in advance,
Mike.
Still leaning towards having most of the effort removed by having a company put the finer details together and supplying the sat nav with all the final routes uploaded. I want to fire an email over to them highlighting my requirements. At this stage I'm starting to lean towards the below route they offer. The rest points are all there but I want to be sure I'm not missing any of the best roads and passes in between stages. But at the same time I don't want to over cook the time spent in the car on a daily basis. I'm thinking around 4-5 ish hours in the car driving at most per day.
Based on the above can you please critique the below stop offs and add any good roads and passes along these routes?
It looks like I'm going to have 13 days for this trip so I'll add these as rest day on top in the nicer spots in the lakes. With the research and reading I've done so far I've popped some roads and passes below but feel free to add your thoughts...
Day 1 - London - Calais - Bad Durkheim via Monschau for lunch
Day 2 - Bad Durkheim - Solden via Fernpass B179
Day 3 - Solden - Riva deal Garda via Stelvio Pass
Day 4 - Riva dal Garda - Desenzano
Day 5 - Desenzano - Lago di Como via Passo San Marco
Day 6 - Lago do Como - Lago Maggiore
Day 7 - Lago di Maggiore - Mulhouse via Gotthard Pass, Furka Pass and Grimsel Pass
Day 8 - Mulhouse - Pont a Mousson via the Vosges mountains
Day 9 - Pont a Mousson - Calais via Reims circuit - London
Thanks in advance,
Mike.
I've done trip both ways, organised them for groups and been on an organised trip from a Tour company.
Looking at your route it may well be the very same tour company!
I completely get the book it yourself idea and I do enjoy that, I even did Spain last year with great results, but if it were my first trip to a region that I don't know personally and the costs were that close as mentioned above, then I would be tempted to go with a tour company.
There are different sorts of tours!! some for 'drivers' and some for 'scenic' runs, that's how we picked our tour company.
I think you'd be wise to send them an email stating what sort of trip you are after as that may be exactly the type of thing they have done for others.
Posts above list plenty of the negatives of using a company but positives to me would be;
They may well have driven/tested the routes, so know they are good/easy/safe
They would hopefully suggest/tested car friendly hotels with safe parking.
The mapping/sat-navs would hopefully lead you to the said parking - you mention Mulhouse- do you know where it's safe/best place to park in Mulhouse? ( I don't by the way!! but oddly found the red light district!)
Hope this helps.
Looking at your route it may well be the very same tour company!
I completely get the book it yourself idea and I do enjoy that, I even did Spain last year with great results, but if it were my first trip to a region that I don't know personally and the costs were that close as mentioned above, then I would be tempted to go with a tour company.
There are different sorts of tours!! some for 'drivers' and some for 'scenic' runs, that's how we picked our tour company.
I think you'd be wise to send them an email stating what sort of trip you are after as that may be exactly the type of thing they have done for others.
Posts above list plenty of the negatives of using a company but positives to me would be;
They may well have driven/tested the routes, so know they are good/easy/safe
They would hopefully suggest/tested car friendly hotels with safe parking.
The mapping/sat-navs would hopefully lead you to the said parking - you mention Mulhouse- do you know where it's safe/best place to park in Mulhouse? ( I don't by the way!! but oddly found the red light district!)
Hope this helps.
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