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Rick Steves Gave Me a Personal Tour of Paris — Here’s How You Can Get One, Too

This informative guided tour of Paris might just be Rick Steves Europe's best-kept secret.

Kelsey Fowler

As someone who doesn’t mind spending time alone on vacations, I find some of my favorite travel memories include walking around a city or exploring a museum on my own. On a recent trip to Paris, I wanted to experience the history and atmosphere more than the last time I had set foot in the City of Light, when I was focused on checking off the “must see” tourist attractions.

So, driven by the mindset of traversing the city more as a traveler and not a tourist this time around, I decided that, rather than hiring an expensive personal guide, or hopping along on a packed group walking tour, I would turn to one of the most trusted guides in European travel: Rick Steves . Steves is a renowned travel writer, synonymous with European travel and his philosophy of embracing local culture while abroad. The Rick Steves guidebooks are hugely popular — in fact, I picked up the pocket version of the Rick Steves Paris book specifically for this trip.

While I couldn’t book Steves to guide me personally through Paris, I did have the next-best-thing : his audio tour. As I set out to explore the Left Bank, I had the convenience — and added company — of hearing Steves directly in my ear as I started my walk. Great audio guides allow the listener to explore cities at their own pace without needing to map out an itinerary in advance. Simply download the audio tour, head to the first landmark, and hit play.

Steves spent a lot of his 2022 travels talking to himself, carefully noting updates and changes for his 60 self-guided audio tours. In April 2023, Rick Steves Europe republished updated versions of these tours , with guides in Athens, London, Salzburg, Paris, and more. The walking tours are excerpted from Rick Steves guidebooks, and the free Rick Steves Audio Europe app includes bonus features like a companion map, tips, and the full script of each tour.

I opted for the Historic Paris Walk audio tour , as it covered a lot of the neighborhood near my hotel . The tour is advertised as a three-mile journey, and Steves recommends two hours for walking, and another two hours if you choose to go inside the sights.

Zachary Scott/New York Times Magazine/Courtesy of Rick Steves' Europe

Starting out at Notre-Dame de Paris, I was instantly immersed in the story of Paris that Steves tells, building on the history of the city and religion that led to the construction of the cathedral. Even though the Gothic landmark is still undergoing repairs from the 2019 fire, I was able to listen to a good portion of the tour anyway, as Steves hits on a lot of the history and architecture on the outside.

One of the great things about the audio tour is each chapter of the narration has a separate title and picture, making it easy to navigate forward or backward in the audio to find the right location. Walking through the center of the city, I enjoyed having Steves as a companion, bringing me from spot to spot with enough insight to keep even my jet-lagged self interested. His style of narration is friendly and informative. 

The tour also includes verbalized step-by-step directions, so, if you have a good sense of direction, you can easily follow the turns and head to the next landmark or street without missing a beat. (I did have to pause once or twice to look around and make sure I was headed in the right direction.) But it’s easiest to follow the tour in the order Steves has laid out, as I completed almost a full loop around Île de la Cité, from Notre-Dame, to Pont Neuf, the Left Bank, the Latin Quarter, and Place Saint-Michel.

Of course, when I got to the famous bookstore Shakespeare and Company , I had to pause the guide to go inside. And that wasn't the only time I deviated from the tour: when I reached Sainte-Chapelle, I decided to skip that section as well. Because of Notre-Dame’s closing, this nearby church is even more popular now, and the line was too long for me to wait that day. In the updated tour found in the Rick Steves Audio Europe app, Steves does point out this is the one place to get an advance ticket for.

But as I walked through Paris, it truly felt like I had a personal guide with me. I didn’t feel like a tourist at all — I never had to pull out a map or a guidebook, and it made me appreciate walking through the city while learning its history.

The next day, I went to the Musée d’Orsay , one of Paris’s most popular museums, perhaps best-known for its extensive Impressionist collection with works by Van Gogh and Monet, among many others. Here, I pulled out my pocket-sized Rick Steves Paris guidebook (and quietly read it aloud to a friend as we walked the vibrant maze of Manets and Picassos). Steves also has an audio tour of the museum, and others, like the Louvre, if you’re more inclined to listen rather than read. 

If you — like me — are not an art student, but still want to appreciate these masterful works, Steves’s guides are helpful in pointing out which works are important to stop at, and what to look for once you’re there. I loved hearing more about the art world throughout history in Paris, and Steves is able to compare and contrast differing styles and movement, and build on that knowledge as you progress in time throughout the museum.

The Steves guides allowed me to explore landmarks and places I wouldn’t have otherwise known about, and get a great understanding of the city without any language barrier. Plus, self-guided tours offer flexibility and independence, while still offering a rewarding and informative experience. 

The Rick Steves audio guides are all completely free. Interested travelers can install the Rick Steves Audio Europe app to download the latest versions of the tours.

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Single supplement rooms

Just curious about the quality of the rooms provided under the RS single supplement. For any of you who have used the single supplement, did you find the rooms inferior or substandard? The RS website seems to indicate that is the case with this type of room including rooms with poor views as well.

My single supplement rooms with the My Way Spain tour I was on were all fine. Some may have had un-scenic views, but I was not hanging out in my room, so didn't care about its view. And of course, if the room is on a courtyard, or on a back street, it's quieter.

I have taken two tours and I thought my rooms were as good as, or better than everyone else's.

My rooms on the South of France tour were fine. One was just OK, but I didn’t spend much time in it. The others were as good if not better than I would have booked for myself.

The single supplement is so worth it if you don’t want to risk sharing a room with someone you’re not compatible with. I like my own space and have my own routine. I paid the single supplement for this June’s tour. And will for next year too. Money well spent.

I’ve been on 5 tours all with single rooms. All were very comfortable. And depending on the age of the hotel, they can be unique and somewhat unusual in their layout but that made it fun for me. Any time I was able to see other rooms they all seemed to be on par. I never felt I had the poor relation’s room tucked away out of sight.

I have been on 8 tours, 6 of them alone. I find all rooms have improved since my 1st trip in 2008. The rooms in big cities such as London are usually in larger hotels with pretty standard rooms. Last September in London they put us in a hotel in Mayfair and I had a huge room with a king bed. In smaller towns or cities if it is an old hotel which still has single rooms (probably for when ladies traveled with a maid) you can be put there and it can be very small. I have only been put in one room in all my tours that was substandard and that was in Mont San Michele in an annex. I always choose double bed vs twin bedded room in my tour profile and that may help me get larger rooms (just a guess.)

I’ve taken 15 tours, all single supplement. Rooms can vary hotel to hotel. Some were magnificent others not but overall I thought they were quite satisfactory. When on a tour, I basically use my room for sleep and taking a shower so if it’s clean, quiet and has a good mattress, I’m satisfied. The only room I did not care for was in Prague. It was very plain, sort of like a monk’s cell.

Lots of tours here and most of them single supplement. In all cases my rooms were equal to or even nicer than the doubles. I value the “quiet time” having the s/s affords me and that’s worth the cost of the supplement.

Another single supplement traveler who finds the RS rooms just fine and never felt they were inferior. Hotels/rooms do vary quite a bit over a tour, and not all hotels offer specifically single rooms, so you might be in a room very similar to those shared by 2 people.

I suspect the language you saw is directed at people who haven't travelled outside N. America, where so many hotel rooms are large enough for 2 big beds. Very unusual to find that in Europe.

" I suspect the language you saw is directed at people who haven't travelled outside N. America, where so many hotel rooms are large enough for 2 big beds. Very unusual to find that in Europe. "

I think Liz is right. It's a way to get new travelers to lower their expectations.

As with many others on the thread...I've done a bunch all with the single supplement. There have been some hotels where I had a smallish room and other times where I had the same kind of room or better.

Is there a particular tour you are interested in? The hotels may vary but one of us may have been on that tour and have an idea.

The RS website seems to indicate that is the case with this type of room including rooms with poor views as well.

Where did you find that 'indication'?

Edit-- As I have not traveled as a single I had not come across ( looked at) that part of the Tour Conditions language.

Thank you all for your responses. Very helpful! I am considering the Best of Italy tour.

I would not be interested in sharing a room as some of you have also mentioned, so the single supplement is a must for me.

In the “Tour Conditions” it states that single rooms may be small and basic, but there is no mention about the view. Here’s the link:

https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/tour-conditions

I have been on seven tours, paying the solo supplement on all but one. All the hotel rooms were fine. They ranged from very small (I prefer to call them “cozy”) to a suite with two rooms, two huge beds, a couch and two bathrooms (I wasn’t sure what to do in all that space!). The views also ranged from nothing to incredible. I think the guide tries to rotate the best views throughout the tour.

I would never trade my private space for a view. The supplement is worth it!

I just did the Best of Italy tour last October with a single supplement.

Here were the hotels and some comments:

Varenna: Royal Victoria - I made a tactical error here. I'd gone up 2 days early from Milan and splurged on the Balcony rooms facing the lake. It was quite a come-down to move to the tour room on the front of the hotel. I had a view of the square and the church so it wasn't viewless but nothing would have been like the balcony room, lol.

Castelrotto: Hotel Cavallino d'Oro -Oh my....the door to the room looked like a cute Hobbit hole but inside it had vaulted ceilings and was so cool! Huge bathroom as well. Some tours stay up at Compatsch at Hotel Seelaus.

Venice: Hotel Serenissima - This was the smallest room although the bathroom was fairly good-sized. It was the only room on this trip that had a single-size bed - or maybe a small double bed.

Florence: Hotel Accademia Firenze - I'd stayed here long ago on my first RS tour. My room was big and I had a huge bathroom

Cinque Terre: Albergo Pasquale - I actually stayed in the very same room as on my previous Italy tour, lol. Large room, faced the beach and sea.

Siena: Hotel Chiusarelli - I had a cute balcony in this room as did many other tour members. Room was big, bathroom was odd as is sometimes the case in a retro-fitted buildings - long and narrow.

Orvieto area agritourismo: Altarocco Wine Resort - I had a giant room here. King bed, I think, huge bathroom.

Rome: Hotel Aberdeen - Room was fair sized but bathroom was pretty tiny and shower was one of the very small corner showers that I've had before in Rome.

I'd have no problem recommending this tour for a solo traveler on a single supplement! It's a wonderful, wonderful tour! Do go to Milan a day or two before the tour starts both for jet lag, possible travel delays and to see the Last Supper and the Duomo. I also recommend staying in Rome another day or so if you can do it.

If you are interested, here is my Trip Report.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/best-of-italy-sept-30-october-16-2022

I have traveled with RS just once, the Best of Bulgaria this past September. I was traveling alone and opted for the single supplement. At the end of the day, I need my own space and some quiet time. Thus, I prefer not to share a room, especially with a person I do not know.

My experience was very pleasing. I never found the room I was given to be in any way deficient. A few nights, from what I heard and saw from others, I had a very good room. Sometimes it was fact larger than what some couples had! While I certainly cannot say my experience was the norm since this was my one and only experience with RS tours, I suspect it was not out of the ordinary either. Other solo travelers noted similar experiences on prior tours they had taken.

Bottom line, I would not in any way hesitate to book the single supplement. In fact, I just did so for a tour this coming September. Money well spent.

Four RS tours, all with single supplement. I have always had good rooms except for one night (mold issue), and a quick word with the guide got that sorted quickly. The rooms and beds, are often as large as those with double occupancy and I have had some fabulous views. I am especially thinking of the Chapel Bridge view in Luzern.

Last September, there was a communication error between RS tours and the Hotel in Mostar, Bosnia that resulted in all the RS rooms being cancelled instead of just one room. The hotel quickly tried to fix their error, but it came up short on rooms. All 7 of us on single supplements and the guide were "walked" to another hotel. That was the only moment that I ever felt I was being treated differently. At first I was a little hesitant, but soon discovered I had a comfortable room with the best air conditioning of the whole trip. At breakfast, we discovered that our tour mates who stayed in the original hotel did not have the same experience with their air conditioning. We had actually had the better experience!

Thank you Pam for such a wonderfully detailed response!! Very helpful indeed! I will definitely check out your trip report. No lake view at Lake Como is disappointing but not enough to deter me from going! Thank you again for taking the time to provide such insight into your trip experience. It was very helpful and encouraging!

I have been on several RS tours with the single supplement. I felt that I was assigned a room that was the same as the ones given to the couples. On the tours I was on none were too small. I did not think the TD assigned the rooms as someone upthread mentioned. I got the sense they were assigned by each hotel. I could be wrong.

I think rooms used to be assigned by the guides, but that this is no longer the case. That is my impression.

I believe, like kaydee and Carol, that the hotels assign the rooms. I also realized at the last hotel in Rome that the tour member list has ages on it. I had a moment of clarity at that point and realized I must have been the oldest member on the tour as I was always assigned rooms on the lower floors, lol.

I've done the single supplement and would recommend it. I have done RS with shared rooms. The 2nd time I did a RS trip with a shared room the other guy snored so loudly I was more tired at the end of the trip than I was from jetlag at the start.

So for single room experience: On the Best of Switzerland tour I felt the rooms were good. On the Best of England the rooms were uniformly poor and had no view. In York I ended up in the basement (yep, they had a room down there) and at the very last hotel in London mine was on the ground floor with a window facing the dumpsters. I'm hoping it was because the hotel doing the assignment and not the guide disliked me ;-)

My first tour was The Best of the Adriatic. On that tour I did not opt for the single supplement, but I was lucky that the only other single woman tour member, did pay for the single supplement. So because of that I was given single rooms for the entire trip. Most rooms were very nice, some were small, but still comfortable. Since then, I have taken 3 additional tours and each time paid for the single supplement. As others have committed, some rooms were small and others were large, but I was comfortable in all of them.

I've been on 3 RS tours and opted for the single supplemental on all three tours. On my first tour (Venice-Florence-Rome), I had an attic room which was probably the best and most unique room I've ever stayed in. Now that I think about it, I don't think I wasn't happy with any of the single rooms I stayed in on a RS tour. I will never opt out of the single supplement.

I've been on 6 RS tours in solo supplement rooms. To be honest, I'm not interested in a good room. I'm interested in a good time....meeting new people, enjoying new foods....just enjoying life.

Well, in my opinion, the comfort of the room contributes to a good night's sleep and therefore my enjoyment of the trip. I am getting older and deserve at a minimum a comfortable mattress and bedding, a working shower, a locking door and safe, some climate control in the room, and a reasonable level of quiet overnight. Most of my rooms on these tours met my expectations and a few were lacking, but not enough to prevent me from going on another tour. I always hope the rooms will be good.

We also understood that it is often the hotel that assigns rooms, although the tour leader can make changes. They have purposefully rotated "good rooms" among the travelers so one couple is not always shafted.

The primary criteria that RSE uses for tours is location - proximity to sights you will visit. Since much of the sightseeing is on foot or with some public transport, they need to be central. Small budget hotels would be pricey if the view was a feature. Now we have often had some really nice hotels, but it's not a luxury tour. As a couple, we've also had our share of alley-views rooms.

From conversing with the single travelers on our RS tours, the main reason I'd pay the single supplement is snoring. Being either the perpetrator or the victim would be incentive enough.

I have not traveled as a solo, but have taken numerous tours that offer the single supplement. I have heard both positive remarks about single supplement as well as shared rooms. Most tour members expressed they liked the “down times” without a roommate. After a long day, they appreciated quiet time. As far as your question about inferior or substandard rooms, I’ve never heard any concerns. Some of the solo’s had traveled with other solo’s over the years, or made new travel friends on the tour. As a couple we’ve experienced rooms with or without views. What’s important for us is comfort, cleanliness & quiet night.

Thanks again to everyone for your comments. I agree with many of you about needing privacy and down time at the end of the day. I would not consider a shared room, just hoping that the single rooms would not be the worst either. I have been on one RS tour previously (not alone) so I am familiar with the types of hotels which are provided. I appreciate all the insight into your travel experiences as a single.

I've always had single rooms on the tours. I've had some very nice rooms. I did notice my single rooms in Rome were small rooms with a single bed :) In Florence I remember having a big iron Tuscan bed, it was nice. I don't think you can go wrong with a single, if this is what you want.

I've done three, all as a single, rooms were fine. Some were smaller with a twin bed, others bigger with a bigger bed. The hotels know our ages and I think they take that into account assigning rooms if there isn't an elevator.

I think the RS staff is trying to counter the impression that paying the supplement will get the single traveler a "better" room than otherwise. From the hotel's point of view, if they can put me in a smaller room they'll have a larger one to sell to a couple. I know that going in and it's fine with me.

Single Supplement rooms I had Best of Scotland (Inverness, Loch Ronnach, Edinburgh) and in Best of Paris were 1st world terrific. They were modern, fairly large--2 could have easily & comfortably shared them. Traveled 6/22 & 2/23.

I didn't spend too much time in these rooms. Travel calls for a clean bathroom, decent bed, convenient storage---a place to relax before the next adventure. RS point about single rooms should not be a concern. ab

I had a moment of clarity at that point and realized I must have been the oldest member on the tour as I was always assigned rooms on the lower floors, lol.

Ha ha ha, Pam!!! Maybe you should try adding 10 years to your age - they might bring you breakfast in bed!

Seriously, this is all good stuff to read - I still have yet to take a RS tour but just from all the comments I've heard both here and in other posts makes me think that it would really be fun and wonderful!

The accommodations for my tour, the 21 days best of Europe last September, were single supplement. Our guide told us that some hotels elect to assign rooms, those that did not he assigned. All were comfortable and only in Venice was the bed a twin and bathroom exceptionally small - needed some flexibility with the front of toilet inches away from the wall. Although this hotel's location and amazing breakfast more than made up for the tight bathroom accommodation. With the exception of Venice, my rooms were equally as nice as the couples and sometimes my room was even larger or had better views. I had a 2 room suite in Beaune, a gorgeous large corner room in Bacharach with a balcony and a spectacular mountain view room in Switzerland. Some of my favorite stays were hotels on this trip. RS did a great job assigning rooms so everyone had some amazing rooms with views, lower floors when there were no elevators and larger rooms. Overall the single supplement rooms were wonderful and far exceeded my expectations. As others have noted, you are so busy, very little time is spent in your room but the single supplement for me was worth it for the privacy and convenience of having the bathroom to myself in the morning. Always rushing in the morning after sleeping in until the last minute.

Our experience matches that of njkirkwood11, in relation to how the rooms are assigned. Usually the guide assigned the room, but occasionally the hotel did. Most of our RS guides have made a point of saying they try to make sure everyone has the same level of room experience, over the course of the tour. (We're talking bus tours here of course, not city tours on which the group stays in one hotel the entire time.)

At least twice, a guide has said "The hotel assigned the rooms here; I had no input."

I don't know if the 21 Day Best of Europe still stays in that quirky tower hotel in Bacharach, but the rooms were so creatively (even weirdly) decorated that our guide suggested we all view each other's rooms. At least one was so tiny there was no space at all between the single bed and the walls!

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The Geographical Cure

Review Of The Rick Steves Sicily Tour

Thinking of booking the Rick Steves Sicily tour? I just went on the 11 day October tour and I’m here to give you a review and the full scoop on what to expect.

Rick Steves is America’s leading authority on travel in Europe. His company has been organizing tours for over 30 years. Rick’s ethos is to immerse you in the local culture.

On his Sicily tour, you’ll see all of the star studded attractions. But he also adds in hidden gems and unique experiences, all the while ensuring you eat like royalty.

rick steves tours for singles

This was my first Rick Steves tour and only my second organized tour (first one was a Backroads bike tour in Tuscany .) I signed up because I love Rick’s books and was, frankly, just too intimidated to drive solo in Sicily. Everything I read suggested it was more difficult than other places in Europe, and I’ve had some harrowing experiences in my days.

The Sicily tour lasted 11 days, beginning in Palermo and ending in Catania. I arrived a couple days early, but also wish I had stayed a couple days after the tour to unwind.

One couple in our group were spending a few days relaxing on a beach in Cefalu at the end. It sounded very appealing after a whirlwind tour. I just had to get back for another gig.

Review of Rick Steves Sicily Tour

Here’s my honest review of everything you can expect on a Rick Steves tour of Sicily, with detailed information on the guides, hotels, itineraries, etc. This was not a sponsored trip; I paid for it myself (as I always do).

Piazza Bellini Square with Martorano an San Cataldo churches

1. Arrival In Palermo

Because the Rick Steves tour starts in Palermo, you’ll want to fly into Palermo Airport. You can fly into Palermo from Rome, London, Paris, Milan, Munich, New York, and Barcelona. 

The set taxi rate for getting from the airport to the city center is 40 euros. However, drivers sometimes take advantage of tourists by increasing the price, so decide on a price before you leave. To avoid negotiating, you can  book a private transfer  from the airport to your hotel, which is what I did.

You can also get to Palermo by train using the train ferry across the Strait of Messina. Palermo Centrale Station is fairly central, about 15 minutes walk from Palermo Cathedral. There are buses, taxis, and trams to get to your hotel.

I would plan to arrive at least 2 days in advance, in case there’s an airline snafu, to recover from jet lag, and/or to see some of the Palermo sites Rick’s tour doesn’t cover. Or, perhaps plan to spend a few days in Rome first.

my street food lunch in Capo Market

By arriving early, I was able to see some amazing sites not on the tour, including:

  • the trio of Piazza Bellini churches
  • the Capuchin Catacombs
  • the Palatine Chapel
  • Palermo Cathedral
  • Massimo Theater
  • Capo Market

You could also squeeze some of these sites into your free afternoon on day 2 of the trip.

I noticed in his book, Rick says you can skip the Palatine Chapel if you’re seeing Monreale Cathedral. I respectfully don’t agree, though I concede that it’s a pricey attraction by Sicily standards. I also recommend climbing to the cathedral rooftop at sunset before dinner.

our chief sherpa, David Tordi

2. The Guides

You can expect to have outstanding guides. This is the best thing about the tour.

Our principal guide was David Tordi. He has to be one of the friendliest, most knowledgable, and entertaining guides I’ve ever had. And I go on a lot of tours in my job as a travel blogger.

David was extremely professional and provided flawless execution. You won’t have to spend a second worrying about the logistics of your tour or the hassle of getting to and fro.

More importantly, on top of being a cool guy, David has a unique and valuable talent that we all covet — the “power over rain.”

Day 3 of our tour began with a heavy downpour as we headed to Segesta. Without an umbrella, I was pondering whether I would even have the gumption to get off the bus.

But, after some top secret incantations, David miraculously “stopped” the rain the moment we pulled into the parking lot. Perfecto !

our guide Michele pointing out burial holes in Agrigento

David also regaled us with delightful vignettes. One afternoon, on a longish bus ride, he delivered a primer on Italian dialects, doing imitations of the linguistic variations of each region of Italy. Lucca, he claimed, is where the most perfect Italian is spoken.

Another time, we learned all about Italian hand gestures, including the ways to say someone is crazy, really crazy, and SUPER Italian-style crazy. Being married to an Italian American, I found this information quite useful.

As our tour manager, David squired us around each day, gave us orientation tours, and historical commentary about the attractions and towns. But we also had some excellent local guides. I had two favorites.

I was particularly taken by Jackie Alio, our guide in Palermo and Monreale. It was almost like having an art professor lead your tour. When she mentioned the Baroque artist Artemisia Gentileshi , one of my favorites, I was sold.

I also enjoyed the elegant man who toured us around the Valley of the Temples in Agrigento, “Professor” Michele Gallo.

our group having a midday feast at Casa Bianco farm

3. Who Goes On A Rick Steves Tour?

There will be 24-28 people on your tour. On ours, in mid-October, there were 28. Quite a few of these people were loyal repeat customers from the Pacific Northwest.

Before I left for Sicily, I had worried that 28 people would seem like a very large group, especially because I usually travel independently and set my own schedule. But it didn’t take that long to learn names and make friends.

This tour was for couples, solos, and friends. There were also two adult children on the tour. The age of people skews older, from maybe 50-70.

I was the only solo traveler on this tour. But it was no issue for me because I frequently travel solo and everyone was very friendly (and well traveled!).

Rick has a “no grumps” policy for his tours, which apparently attracts high quality people who steadfastly refuse to complain about minor inconveniences.

I will say that I was relentlessly shamed and mocked on a daily basis for not abiding by a Rick Steves’ “rule” — hand luggage only.

David and our group in the Valley of the Temples

I am not really a hand luggage only kind of person. The notion of doing laundry on a vacation is absolutely unappealing to me. Time spent doing laundry vs. seeing stuff? Plus, I was traveling with guide books, laptop, iPad — travel blogger gear.

But I took my shaming well and was honestly in awe of some of the tiny suitcases people got by with pursuant to his instructions.

4. The Hotel Situation

No review of the Rick Steves Sicily tour would be complete without discussing the accommodations.

Reading the online description of the types of hotels Rick chooses, I was frankly a bit terrified going in.

He warns you in advance that the hotels may be noisy, sends you ear plugs in the mail, and threatens that you may have to haul luggage up exhausting flights of stairs. The latter threat, no doubt, is intended to prompt compliance with his “hand luggage only” recommendation.

view from the terrace of the Ambasciatori Hotel in Palermo

As a heat intolerant person, the thing that scared me most was the possible lack of air conditioning. Egad!

Even though I was traveling in mid-October, it was hot, 75-80 degrees. It felt more like Augustober than October.

I’m happy to report, however, that none of these rather alarming potential hotel problems came to pass. Every hotel we stayed in had an elevator and solid AC.

Just expect comfy, not luxe, accommodations. On this tour, our hotels were mostly 4 star hotels. However, some of them seemed a bit less than that quality level.

Your rooms will be quite small, as is typical for Europe. I may have gotten the smallest rooms as a solo traveler. But I couldn’t see how some of the rooms could comfortably fit a couple and their luggage. You wouldn’t want to hang out in them.

Corso Vittorio Emanuele in Trapani

We only stayed in one apartment style hotel, in Trapani. It was a super nice to have a large room to work in and an Nespresso maker on the shelf.

Not that the hotels were disappointing. They were perfectly fine, just not a highlight of the trip.

On previous trips to Tuscany and Umbria , I have stayed in some fantastic places and felt that it enhanced the experience. And I really am just more of an Air Bnb/VBRO person.

That said, the hotels were all centrally located for easy OYO sightseeing. They weren’t generic and many came complete with lovely rooftop decks offering panoramic views.

The staff were always friendly and the breakfast spreads were pretty darn delicious. I loved the persimmons!

If you are picky about hotels, I would try to do some research to figure out what hotels X tour uses before booking. (Though this information is not officially released until a month prior to your departure date.)

I did have to pay a single’s supplement since I was a solo traveler, which reduced the value metric of the trip a bit. (Rick, no grown up wants to share a room with a stranger!)

view of Mt. Etna from the sky bar of the Hotel Continental in Taormina

5. Activity Level

Rick bills his tours as extremely active. The Sicily tour, however, was not particularly so.

Sicily is massive. Since we were circling the the whole island, we spent plenty of time on the bus. (Though some of the driving was beautiful, as if you were surrounded by frescos.)

Of course “active” is a relative thing. I am on the busy side and generally prefer to walk 8-10 miles a day when touring Europe.

I’d say, on the guided bits, most days we only walked 2-3 miles. Of course, you’re always able to tramp around during the “free” time.

hanging out with a new friend in the clifftop village of Castelmola

6. Early Start Times

So, I will say upfront that I am not a morning person and that colors my opinion on this matter. Left to my own devices, I might sleep in until 9:00 am. I’ll often book guided tours that start at 10:00 am or noon when traveling on my own.

But we had early starts every day on the Rick Steves Sicily tour, with breakfast starting at 7:30 am and the bus typically leaving between 8:15-8:45 am.

Before the take off time, you’ll have to gobble down breakfast, inject espresso, finish packing up, check out of the hotel, and get your bags down the elevator. Whew!

To me, this isn’t an ideal way to start the day, very hectic and a tad grueling.

I understand the intent of the early start. We had some long bus rides and the aim is to hit the attractions before the crowds and build in some free time to relax before dinner.

But I would have loved a better balance. It would have been nice to have one day, just one, in the middle of the tour where the “free time” came in the morning. Just to catch up on sleep and reboot. Judging by the people snoozing on the bus rides, I’d say others were a bit sleep deprived as well.

the Greek Theater in Syracuse, which I visited on my own

7. Free Time

Rick designs his tour in a 50/50 way. 50% of the time you’re on your own and 50% of the time you’re on guided tours.

I found this to be the perfect combination, at least for me. It’s good to have a bit of time away from the group and people have different sightseeing interests.

Some want to hit the beach, take a nap, or shop for local goodies. Others, like me, will doggedly search out another ruin or Caravaggio painting to admire.

8. What’s Included

Another thing I loved about the tour is that most things were included in the tour price. We didn’t have to waste time standing in lines to buy attraction tickets or figuring out how much to tip the local guides. It was nice for me to have a break from logistics.

As for food, the tour included all breakfasts and about half the lunches and dinners. In general, the food was very good on the trip because, well, Sicily and its fresh food. (Though I won’t crave eggplant for awhile.)

The lunches at local places in the countryside were absolutely scrumptious and a huge highlight of the trip. Casa Bianca was the best!

granita and brioche, a typical Sicilian breakfast

So, you are basically responsible for the cost of your drinks and free time, though we even had a couple surprise cocktail hours that David arranged.

9. Covid Policy

Rick has a strict Covid policy, which means you definitely need travel insurance for your trip. You have to sign a contract that promises you won’t go on the trip if you’ve had Covid with 14 days of the scheduled departure.

Before you start the tour, you need to take a Covid test within 24 hours and show a photo of a negative result. This had the effect of knocking one person off the tour. And you can’t rejoin the tour if you later test negative.

As of now, you also have to wear masks (N95s) on the bus and in smaller interior spaces.

10. Review of the Rick Steves Sicily Itinerary

The best thing about a Rick Steves tour is the extraordinary care he takes in designing the tour itinerary.

It’s the perfect mix of breathtaking landscapes, ancient ruins, great food and wine at various agriturismos and restaurants, and a hefty dose of culture.

Here’s what we did:

rick steves tours for singles

  • Day 1 : Palermo

The first day we had a welcome meeting at the Ambasciatori Hotel , did paperwork, and went over the rules.

We also picked “buddies.” This is a Rick Steves’ invention designed to shortcut the process of making sure everyone is in attendance by avoiding a long and tedious roll call.

You pick a buddy that isn’t your spouse. And then check for them at every departure point. A great idea! (I’ll note that our tour did not play the hokey “buddy introduction” or “name game” that I’ve read about, and I was glad of that.)

The first tour activity was positively brilliant. We had a private tour from the reigning contessa of her centuries old mansion, the Palazzo Federico Conte . Her husband is a descendent of Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II.

The palace is a “lasagna of history.” A visit is like a walk through the layers of Palermo’s history, from the Arab, Norman, and Baroque periods. The bubbly countess was the perfect tour guide. So giddy was she that I almost expected her to break out in song.

This was a unique experience, not one that you would get on your own. It was vintage Rick Steves and a great way to kick off the tour.

Christ Pantocrater mosaic in Monreale Cathedral

  • Day 2 : Palermo + Monreale

On day 2, Jackie Alio gave us a walking tour of parts of Palermo, including Ballaro Market and the beautiful Baroque-styled Gesu Church.

Then, we hopped on the bus to visit the spectacular Monreale Cathedral and its cloisters.

Monreale is the world’s most famous Arab-Norman cathedral. There’s an astonishing 68,000 feet of glittering Byzantine mosaics set against 2 tons of gold leaf. It reminded me of St. Mark’s Cathedral in  Venice .

After lunch, we had the rest of the late afternoon and evening free. I had booked a Palermo nighttime street food tour. Since I wasn’t under David’s magical protection, I got poured on!

I tried the required “spleen sandwich.” But I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone. I was much happier with arancina, caponata, octopus, and other treats.

rick steves tours for singles

Day 3 : Segesta + Erice

On the third day, we had a very busy schedule. We began by visiting the Greek-inspired Elymian ruins at Segesta, which include a well-preserved temple and theater.

Afterward, we had a tasty lunch of local specialties that our host Mark claimed we devoured like “locusts.” We also had a wonderful pastry making demonstration from Maria Grammatico.

Maria is a famous local pastry chef and the queen of Sicilian pastry. She’s led a compelling life. She was raised in the 1950s by strict cloistered nuns and taught the art of Sicilian pastries.

When she was freed from the convent at age 22, Maria launched a thriving business and published a cookbook called  Bitter Almonds .

rick steves tours for singles

We sampled her fresh baked goodies, which are made from 400 year old recipes — “nuns’ boobies,” “beautiful uglies,” and cannoli made with fresh sheep milk ricotta. Simply delicious!

We then went to explore the clifftop village of Erice, where Maria has her famous pastry shop.

Erice was socked in with fog, so we couldn’t ride the gondola to the top. We drove up a long winding road instead, which reminded me why I didn’t want to drive in Silicy.

Erice is a fetching medieval hamlet with plenty of cobbled lanes to explore, a temple with a view, and a cathedral bell tower to climb. We were set free to wander on our own, while David held off the rain.

We then took the bus to the seaside town of Trapani and had an orientation walk. The old town is a little art book, with honey colored Baroque architecture.

lunch on the Island of Mozia

Day 4 : Trapani + Mozia

On day 4, we visited the Trapani salt flats and the Island of Mozia. For me (others may disagree), this was my least favorite day on Rick’s Sicily tour.

There are so many amazing things to do and see in Sicily. I would have preferred to eliminate this day and instead have spent another night in Syracuse with a day trip to the Baroque cities of Noto and Ragusa. Or had a day in Cefalu.

The Trapani salt pans were only mildly interesting to me (YMMV). We had a delicious lunch on the Island of Mozia, but were plagued by swarms of mosquitos.

Mozia is home to some Carthaginian ruins. But because the settlement was destroyed, there’s just not much to look at. I’m usually an avid ruin luster, but my reaction was mostly “meh.”

Had I known, I would have slept in and done my own thing. But I had FOMO about the Carthaginian ruins, which was unwarranted.

We stayed overnight in Trapani again at Badia Nuovo . I got a delicious pizza to go from Pizzeria Calvino (per David’s recommendation) and caught up on some blog work.

admiring the Temple of Juno in the Valley of the Temples

Day 5 : Agrigento

The next day we were off to Agrigento to tour the UNESCO-listed Valley of the Temples . The complex is the world’s largest archaeological site and Sicily’s star attraction with spectacular Greek ruins.

Plus, there’s a well-curated museum you can visit as a starter course. You can admire a giant stone telamon , which once held up the Temple of Zeus, and a huge collection of Greek vases. Three telamons are scattered on the remains of the Temple of Zeus.

After a hot day, we drove to our next hotel in the countryside, Baglio della Luna .

David arranged a cocktail hour and we had a group dinner onsite. The setting was lovely, but the food was not up to snuff compared to other meals.

In general, I would urge you not to eat at hotel restaurants and seek out a real Sicilian trattoria.

the

Day 6 : Villa Romana del Casale + Casa Bianco

Day 6 was a splendid day. We began by visiting the UNESCO-listed Villa Romana del Casale . It’s an incredibly mosaicked country villa built by Roman aristocrats in the 4th century.

I’ve seen plenty of Roman mosaics in my time, from  museums in Rome  to the  Getty Villa  in Los Angeles. But nothing compares to this treasure chest villa, not even remotely.

Villa Romana del Casale has the world’s largest collection of  in situ  Roman mosaics — 3,700 square feet. It might have been my favorite individual attraction on the tour. This is one place where I think a guided tour would have been preferable to browsing the mosaics on your own.

Then, we headed to the Casa Bianca, a working farm, for a lazy Sunday meal. The owner/Baroness graciously welcomed everyone as we got off the bus.

appetizers at Casa Bianca

This was, hands down, the best meal I had on the Rick Steves Sicily tour. Everything was delicious. There were so many courses, I couldn’t do them justice. My table got a nonna -style scolding for not completely polishing off our plates of food.

Then, after another bus ride, we landed in Syracuse, staying in the historic center on the island of Ortigia.

Siracusa was my favorite city on the trip. Founded by the Greeks in 734 B.C., the city has architecture and archaeological sites that span centuries. It’s full of old world charm, ornate Baroque churches, winding streets, and hipster wine bars and trattorias.

We had an orientation walking tour with David. Then, I had dinner at Cantina Rampa , where I dined with one of my fave couples from the tour.

Piazza del Duomo in Ortigia

Day 7: Syracuse

In the morning, we had a guided tour with Lilliana. She took us through the Ortigia Street Market, Syracuse Cathedral, the Piazza del Duomo, the Arab Quarter, and the Jewish Quarter.

In the Jewish Quarter, we stopped in for a performance at the traditional Sicilian puppet theater. I admit, I left early because I had the UNESCO-listed Neapolis Archaeological Park on my agenda as a bucket list item.

You can get there via taxi from the Temple of Apollo in Ortigia for 15 euros. Or just take the 30-35 minute walk, which is what I opted to do.

The park is well worth a visit. It features one of the largest and most impressive Greek theaters in existence, as well as an elliptical Roman arena and grottos. There’s not much signage, so I recommend  booking a guided tour .

Ortigia

I actually tried to book a private tour on Get Your Guide myself, but they weren’t operating on Monday. Monday is a tough day to be in Syracuse because all the museums and some churches are closed.

If you are an art lover like me, you can also visit the Church of Santa Lucia al Sepulcro to see the Baroque artist Caravaggio’s magnificent  The Burial of St. Lucia . The Sepulcro is about a 20-25 minute walk from the archaeological park.

The Internet will tell you that the painting is in the Church of Santa Lucia on Piazza Duomo or the Bellomo Museum in the Jewish Quarter. But, in fact, it’s on the mainland in Neapolis, a key tip I got from Lilliana.

READ : Where To Find Caravaggio’s Art In Rome

samples of the rose wine

Day 8: Etna + Taormina

Day 8 was fabulous, one of my favorite days on the tour. We began by scampering over the Silvestri craters on Mt. Etna.

“Mamma Etna” is the world’s most active volcano and one of the four UNESCO sites in eastern Sicily. Mt. Etna has been erupting for 500,000 years. 

She’s perpetually smoking. David called her a “chain smoker.”

There are two craters to hike, an upper and lower crater. If you are a fast hiker, you can squeeze them both in, which I did. But be forewarned, the upper crater requires a very steep uphill hike. I was wearing Birkenstocks, which was not ideal, but I managed.

the lower crater on Mt. Etna

After the hike, we enjoyed a wine and food pairing at Benanti Winery on the slopes of Etna. Wine, our host Francesco opined, is “an ingredient, not a drink.”

The wine was excellent, with a nice minerality. You’ll be able to order some to be shipped back to the US. (I’m still waiting for mine!)

Once in Taormina, we checked into the Hotel Continental and attended a lecture by the very animated vulcanologist Boris Behncke. He gave us plenty of information on the “grumpy but generous” volcano.

Afterward, we had cocktails at the hotel’s fantastic rooftop sky bar. A group of us struck out to find a good restaurant and settled in at Adduma , a great Sicilian eatery tucked away at the top of Vico Giordano Bruno.

Taormina's spectacular sited Greek Theater

Day 9: Taormina + Castlemola

Day 9 began with a walking tour of beautiful Taormina with our guide Franco D’Angelo. We made it to the Greek Theater, Taormina’s top attraction, before the cruise ships poured in.

In the afternoon, there was free time. Some took the gondola down to hit the beach at Isola Bella. Others of us made the trek up to Castelmola, a cliff hanging medieval village even higher than Taormina.

You can get there by taxi for 30 euros, hike up, or take the local bus. We tried to take the local bus, but it was full and whizzed by us.

So we taxied up, enjoyed the views, and snacked on some gelato. The walk back down took about an hour.

That night, we had a Sicilian pizza dinner at Pizzeria Villa Zuccaria in Taormina.

And the Italian air traffic controllers decided to go on strike. Dio mio! One by one, most of us had our flights home cancelled. David diligently helped people make alternative arrangements.

pretty street in Castelmola

Day 10: Catania

On our last official day of the tour, we drove from Taormina to the bustling and colorful city of Catania . We first visited the Allied Landings Museum on the edge of town, perhaps of most interest to military history or WWII buffs. We had a brief neighborhood orientation and then were set free to explore.

Most people ate lunch in Catania’s famous Fish Market, which is one of the most wild and rollicking markets that I saw in Sicily. I skipped lunch to dash around town and see the sites, Roman ruins, and other markets.

I was rebooked to leave Thursday night instead of Friday morning. So, unfortunately, I missed the final group dinner, where David — who also has magical musical powers — played guitar and sang for the group.

The Rick Steves Sicily tour is really 10 days, not 11. Day 11 simply ends with breakfast in Catania at Romano House Hotel .

the Roman Theater in Catania

Overall, the itinerary was well balanced to give you a taste of everything from the west coast to the east coast of Sicily.

If I were designing the itinerary for myself, I might do something like this (with less time on the west coast):

  • Day 3 : Segesta (AM), Erice (PM)
  • Day 4 : Agrigento (AM), Villa Romano del Casale (PM)
  • Day 5 : Syracuse
  • Day 6 : Syracuse
  • Day 7 : Day Trip to Ragusa and Noto from Syracuse
  • Day 8 : Mt. Etna & Winery
  • Day 9 : Taormina
  • Day 10 : Taormina + Castelmola
  • Day 11 : Cefalu
  • Day 12 : Cefalu

To me, 12 days would’ve better than 10 days, there’s just so much to see in Sicily. But, of course, you can stay before or after to see more on your own.

Alternatively, for less traveling from hotel to hotel, it might make sense to have a base on the west coast (Trapani) and a base on the east coast (Syracuse) and simply day trip from those bases.

You could bookend the two bases with 2 days in Palermo at the beginning and 2 days in Cefalu at the end (to have a vacation from your vacation).

Piazza Duomo in Catania

11. Final Thoughts

Overall, the Rick Steves Sicily tour was exceptional. Sicily has long been on my bucket list and the tour met my expectations. Though I usually opt for individual travel, the tour was a carefree way to get around Sicily easily and effortlessly.

What really stood out as pros for me were:

  • David, our fantastic tour manager
  • the excellent local tour guides
  • the unique experiences
  • some truly excellent meals
  • my fun group of traveling companions

My nit picky cons (keeping it real) were some of the hotels, the unrelenting early start times, and having to change hotels so frequently. But I knew this all in advance, so was prepared.

The cons pale in comparison to the magnificent sites of Sicily and the great tours I had bringing them to life. My one regret is that I did not have enough granita!

granita stand in Palermo

I hope you’ve enjoyed my review of Rick Steves’ Sicily tour. You may enjoy these other Sicily travel guides and resources:

  • 2 days in Palermo itinerary
  • 2 days in Syracuse itinerary
  • 2 days in Trapani itinerary
  • 1 day in Catania itinerary
  • 1 day in Taormina itinerary
  • Guide to the Valley of the Temples
  • Guide to Villa Romana del Casale
  • Guide to Monreale Cathedral
  • Guide to the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel
  • Guide To Palermo Cathedral

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7 thoughts on “Review Of The Rick Steves Sicily Tour”

Fabulous summary! I’m going on this trip in November 2023,and will keep your suggestions in mind. The hand luggage will indeed be a challenge for me! Thank you.

Enjoy! it won’t be as hot in November! Yeah, 2 weeks is a long time for only hand luggage. I didn’t find it to be a problem. All the hotels had elevators.

Excellent info! We’re taking the Feb. 27, 2024 tour, so this has been extremely helpful. Thanx so much! It would be helpful to explain abbreviations, e. g., YMMV, FOMO (I googled them).

Thanks Ray! Have fun in Sicily!

This is such a useful breakdown thank you. I am a 72 yo introverted Aussie (yes they do exist) and am thinking 2024 is probably my last northern hemisphere trip simply because the vast distances are becoming daunting.

I have mostly travelled independently but suspect those days are behind me. I can still walk 3 plus miles at one hit and manage stairs so I am not worried about that. What does concern me though is the relentless nature of the daily grind. I would do as you suggest and miss the tour on day 4 to allow a rested start, but you also suggest the concept of staying independently in the various cities. And travelling to the sights. Do many of the locations offer day bus trips/ tours and thinking about it, would that be any more restful (and probably less fun than with a group)

Did your tour include people from places other than the USA at all? And was there anyone as old as 73 (my age during my desired travel time)?

If you could answer any of these queries I would be extremely grateful. Thanks in anticipation, Elizabeth

Hi Elizabeth! Sicily is hard to get around on your own. That’s why I did the tour myself (as a solo). There were people your age on my tour. I think the people on my tour were just from the US. But I think that’s just bc that’s where Rick Steves is best known. I don’t think it would matter at all you being an Aussie. Everyone was very friendly. But it’s fine to be an introvert too. It was a bit of a grind, but then I’m not an early bird. There was time to rest for a couple hours in the later afternon. But I pretty much kept busy then. You could stay independently at the start and/or end of the trip, not really in the middle. The tour starts in Palermo and there are guided day tours from that city, if you wanted to see Cefalu before the RS tour started for example. You can also book guided walking tours in the city itself.

Thanks Leslie Much appreciated. Cheers E

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Last Updated on November 15, 2022 by Leslie Livingston

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Great tours with top notch guides

I have been on 6 Rick Steves tours (2 in Italy, 2 in Spain, Greece and Turkey) and all were fabulous. Rick focuses on staying in the heart of the city, near the sights, usually in smaller, locally owned hotels. His guides are top notch and really set the tone for the trip. His choice of sights and activities are superb. Contrary to another review, Rick Steves always recommends traveling light and carrying your luggage on the plane. The reviewer who claims the Rick Steves guide books led them to pack so much clothing that they needed three big suitcases is very confused.

Date of experience : November 07, 2023

Rick Steves advice is a JOKE!!

Rick Steves advice is a JOKE!!! We packed our luggage based on his PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. NEVER has anyone ever been soooooo wrong! Rick advised to bring "dress" clothes and/or casual dress clothing. We packed according to what he said and was in all his books on Europe, specifically, Spain, Italy and Austria. That being said, we had 3 suitcases full of clothes we never needed! TRUST OUR REVIEW, TAKE WHAT YOU ARE COMFORTABLE WEARING!!!! Also don't waste your money on his books, they are full of nonsense. His advice cost us untold amounts of money and stress.

Date of experience : February 15, 2023

We just enjoyed our fourth Rick Steves…

We just enjoyed our fourth Rick Steves Tour, Paris and the Heart of France 11 day tour. It exceeded our expectations. Paris was gorgeous and Normandy knocked our socks off. Our tour coordinator was fun and knew her stuff. She was an American who had lived in France for over thirty years. The highlight of our adventure was spending the night on beautiful Mont St-Michel. Rick Steve's organization has a goal to teach participants to be independent travellers. This includes free time to explore the cities on his trips. We are looking forward to our fifth Rick Steves trip this Fall.

Date of experience : June 12, 2023

Something sinister about Rick

Something sinister about Rick. PBS runs his reruns, some up to 20 years old, 5-7 times per day. PBS has decided to provide Rick with an avenue to advertise his “tour guide” business. No one, no one, gets more exposure on PBS than Rick Steves.

Date of experience : September 15, 2022

Fantastic tours, honest and ethical company

I’ve been on 5 Rick Steves tours so far and all of them have been fantastic. The guides are all personable and knowledgeable. The itineraries have been well-organized and well-planned. I wasn’t always comfortable with some of the small family run hotels we stayed but they’ve all been interesting and definitely not cookie cutter. The groups have been less than 30 people so there’s plenty of space to spread in the full size coach bus we ride in. Plus Rick Steves himself is honest and ethical. His is one of the few tour companies fully refunding for his cancelled tours during this pandemic and not just giving credit for future travel. I’ll definitely travel again on any Rick Steves tour in the future.

Date of experience : May 28, 2020

Well run and affordable tours

I have gone on two tours with Rick Steves and both have been excellent, well-run tours. The accommodations did tend to vary from city to city, but overall his emphasize on family-run hotels with free breakfasts works well. I learned so much on my tours and made friends with great people.

Date of experience : May 02, 2020

Excellent tours!

I like that Rick Steves has created a community for his wonderful tour guides who are passionate about what they do, work hard and are well-compensated. The tours are really reasonably priced. They don't mark up their single supplements like so many other companies do. There are always unique experiences that you just can't get on your own. For me the only flaw is that the tour schedules are quite packed, there are a lot of guided tours and meals included. Personally I would prefer a little more freedom as well as my own time to explore.

Date of experience : July 15, 2020

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Questions and Answers

There have been lots of questions over the last month on this blog. Let me answer a few of them:

Question: Will you ever do any more TV shows like the Travel Skills Special, with more general information about travel? Answer: I’d like to. The three-part Travel Skills series we did is getting old, my old aviator glasses are looking dorkier than ever, and we could do it in high definition with the new 9 by 16 widescreen format. Most important: Travel has changed, and the skills need updating. The challenge: It takes three weeks in Europe to make it. Stay tuned.

Question: Are you planning any TV shows on Istanbul? Have you thought about visiting and/or filming in Riga? Lithuania and Latvia? Finland? Iceland? Malta? Answer: I plan to shoot a new show on Istanbul in April. I have a great script for Helsinki and Tallinn in Estonia (likely in three years). I need to learn more about Riga and Vilnius. I’d like to do a show on the Baltic capitals. I have no plans for Malta or Iceland.

Question: Is there a way for people to see your St. Peter video when it comes out? (Other than through the Lutheran Church?) Will you post it? YouTube it? Answer: The video will be finished within a month and it will be posted on YouTube (as my Luther video is now) and available on DVD through the ELCA. (It’ll be sent to all 12,000 ELCA Lutheran churches.)

Question: How about a guidebook focusing on wine regions and Back Door wineries? Answer: I don’t do special-interest guidebooks such as those. And I’m not enough of a wine enthusiast to do a good job on that one anyway.

Question: Will you ever write a Greece guidebook? Answer: Greece is my obvious gap. And I’m afraid it will stay that way. I don’t want to do a book that I am not enthusiastic about and that I couldn’t follow through and make it deserve the high sales it might enjoy. As I learned on my recent trip, I like Greece…but it just isn’t my forte. So I’ll let others with a passion for Greece be the teachers.

Question: Would you consider making a tour for people with different physical abilities? For mature travelers who want to go at a slower pace? Answer: We are talking about a slower, less physically demanding tour, but nothing is in the works.

Question: Will you offer a single supplement on your tours? Answer: We already offer single supplements on a few of our tours. But on other tours, it would require more individual rooms, which would force us to abandon many of our small, characteristic hotels — which we are very reluctant to do. Much of how we shape and promote our tours is designed to attract a hardy, fun-to-travel-with, and low-maintenance crowd. We believe our “no grumps” policy makes for a better tour.

Question: Did you ever think of a 7-day trip to Athens (with day trips)? A week-long city tour of Istanbul? Answer: I would not do such a tour for Athens, but a week-long Istanbul tour is something we are considering. I’ll be doing TV shows on both destinations this April. To make Athens work, I’ll need to side-trip to Delphi and the Isle of Hydra. My challenge with Istanbul is that it could easily fill two scripts. Istanbul is just bursting with fun experiences that will make great TV.

22 Replies to “Questions and Answers”

Thanks for the answers

Hi Rick: I have truly enjoyed your blog and hope you consider continuing it indefinitely. Re the single supplement..I am somewhat of an insomniac when I travel and because of this I am sensitive to imposing my sleeplessness on a roommate (esp one I don’t know). Is there even a possibility of having limited availability on each tour? I have loved the two tours I have taken thus far with ETBD both with the single supplement.

Greetings Rick! I’ve been a longtime fan of your TV show and guidebooks. Now, I’m enjoying your travel blog and it’s great! I do have one suggestion: Start each blog with a dateline so I can more easily tell where you are, kind of like they do in those antiquated newspapers: ROME, Italy — Thanks for considering this small change! Happy trails…

I’m really looking forward to the updated travel skills episode. My wife and I used your tip you mentioned in your blog a few months ago about bringing empty water bottles through security, then filling them in the water fountains and deli water dispensers (the soda dispensers always have a tiny Water button). They never give you enough water on the plane and they nuke you on the price for bottled water at the airport. The cold fountain water tasted just as good as bottled water after a few shakes to air out the chlorine taste. Your tip saved us a small fortune and lightened our load to the airport. Thanks and I’m looking forward to other cool tips!

Thanks for responding to some of the blog questions. I really hope you do put in a slightly less physically demanding tour, because I promise those of us who would take it will be so thrilled to be there we will be your ideal tour group!

Here is a question that I will ask, then try to answer. It will take two Posts to cover the whole story.

One day my Sweetie and I were sitting for a moments rest, in the Tourist Office at the south/west corner of St. Marks’s Square. In front of us was a map of the city, and it dawned on me that there was a unique method to copy that map.

The Tourist Office people were thrilled, and said this was the first time they ever saw what I showed them.

For those of you who have traveled in Venice, have you noticed that you have a Map of the city with you at all times?

More than one person, who has traveled with this information, has come home from Venice and said it really helped find where they were in the city, but they did get some strange stares from people who watched them study the map.

On the map, Venice looks like a large island, divided by the reverse S-shaped Grand Canal.

Hold both of your hands, backs of the hands up, fingers slightly bent.

Interleave the hands, not touching, with fingers of the right hand on top, left hand fingers between right fingers and thumb, right thumb is between left fingers and thumb.

That reverse “S” space between the fingers and thumbs is the Grand Canal.

Piazzale Roma is at the knuckles of the left hand.

St. Mark’s at the base of the right thumb.

The Rialto Bridge at the end of the fingers on the left hand.

Scalzi Bridge is between the tip of the right fingers and the back of the left fingers.

Accademia Bridge from the tip of the right thumb across the Grand Canal to the left thumb.

The beautiful church called Santa Maria della Salute (Our Lady of Health), is right at the tip of the left thumb.

Your map of Venice really works. McDonald’s is near St. Mark’s, Häagen-Dazs is near the Accademia Bridge.

We’ve been to Venice 7 times.

Rick, Since your not writing a book on Greece, how does your son Andy feel about Greece….maybe he could write a book on this ancient land….college students seem to love Greece the most…just an idea

Rick, I really enjoy reading your blog. My husband and I haven’t been able to travel as much as we would like for the past couple years so this is like getting to go along on the trip with you. We like to know new travel tips and what is current and changing in Europe. We are planning to go back this spring or maybe at Christmas. The first trip we made overseas was before ATM’s and rolling suitcases. We use your advice when we travel and it has helped so much. Thanks for sharing your adventures with us. I also like reading Jim Humberd’s posts. Jim, I hope you are still traveling. Maybe Jim should consider becoming a tour guide for you.

THanks for more Q&A Rick! I too would love a new Tips 3-parter! It would be great to inlcude more airport info – and more bag tips since there are more restrictions but also more ways to deal with them as you and FANS point out on the grafitti wall! It was great to hear you weigh your bag since I always wondered if youre own personal bag weighs the same it did 3 years ago! thanks again!

Hey, Rick, I know it’s a stretch, but have you ever considered a tour to St. Petersburg? I would love to go there for the art and culture–both the classic art and the reportedly bustling contemporary art scene–but I’d rather not go alone, especially on a first trip. Was wondering if it’s in consideration.

Am I a geek, or what? I was just re-visiting my “Rick Steves: Rome” guidebook the other day. I took a trip nearly 10 months ago…and I soooo want to get back! Rick’s advice was indispensible, and as I re-read the guidebook remembering all the great things I did, I just wanted to say “thanks, again!” for all the hard work, and fun writing style, Rick’s put in over the years to make travel easier for folks like me. Incidentally, I was in Rome for 8 days, and as Rick points out, a 7-day in Rome allows the traveller to see most of the major sites. What a great time I had. Ciao!

My Beautiful Sweetie will have her second birthday in Heaven on Nov. 15. Even if I wasn’t so old, wthout her, no way would I travel anywhere. I would be the worst possible guide for a trip like Rick creates.

Twice we met a group of Americans who were traveling in Campers. Each tour was directed by a “Wagon Master” who made arrangements for campgrounds, gave directions and instructions where to meet the next night, what to do on the way there, sometimes hosted meals, and was the tour guide for events for the whole tour group.

Some people like the regimentation, Sweetie and I are so individualistic that when we have been asked to take the job, twice, we said “no” to being “Wagon Masters.” Can you imagine me making arrangements for a restaurant meal for a group?

A couple of times, after hearing about our travels, someone would say they would like to go with us.

We quickly changed the subject, the two of us completely filled our tour group.

Hi, Rick! Thanks for the answers. I like the “no grumps” policy. :) Look forward to the new shows and books.

Rick, in your October 24 Q&A post, was it your intention to equate singles with Grumps? Wow! I am without words!

Kim, I think you misinterpreted what Rick said. The way I read it is that someone who is “low maintenance” and not a “grump” is someone who can /will share a room with a roommate. This does not exclude singles – just singles who are unwilling to share a room.

Hi Rick, We are planning to go to Europe to see 2 foreign exchange youth. One in Paris & the other in Brussels. We would also like to see a little more of Europe but not sure where to start. We’d like to see London, Germany & Switzerland. We plan to be gone 10 days. Is this doable & where do I start? We are on a tight budget. Thanks

Hello Rick! If you really do want to learn about Riga, please contact me! I included my email address. The last time we emailed each other, I had a different email address. I changed servers. Below my name when I signed in, I put down my new email address. I can get you such great information on Riga!! Fondly, Lisa P.

will be interested in your 2008 Istanbul tour information when you have it developed. thanks

Would you consider expanding into Egypt? I have been there when I traveled to Israel and Jordan and found it such a fascinating area. I don’t mean the entire country just the eastern part – Cairo and south?

Whether or not you write a Greece guidebook is up to you, but I must say that I appreciate your willingness to farm out your guide to Istanbul to other skilled and informed writers. The guidebook is a complete success: it features an incisive analysis of the art and architecture of the city and all of the basic information and insights critical to a successful, relaxing, and rewarding visit. In short, you should not hesitate to take advantage of good writers who can match, and if I may say so, exceed your own mastery of the travel guide genre.

rick, just to repeat the tour evaluation thoughts given about single options last month-october- on my best of europe tour. I can “willow” to anything-except having a roomate who can not sleep because of my “London Blitz” snoring. Yet I’d truly be sad to choose not to take another tour (now #14 and counting) because my roomate had to sleep in the bathroom. Or I’d have to do so! Yes, it has happened. Of course, best is working with the guide, on a couple of tours, where things were usually resolved-getting and my paying for a room along the way was one option. Finding the roomate who just took out their hearing aids was another! Can I be the only single traveler with this issue?

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rick steves tours for singles

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Explore

The Beautifully Authentic European City Rick Steves Loves For Being So Non-Touristy

I n the 21st century, European cities large and small are inundated with international brands like Nike, McDonald's, Starbucks, and occasional tourist traps you'll want to avoid . While these cities are still well worth visiting, it is also beneficial to seek out lesser-known locations with more local culture. Ever the savvy on and off the beaten path, European travel expert Rick Steves recommends Lyon for all the beauty of France's well-touristed cities, but with a stronger French feel.

Lyon is filled with history that goes all the way back to the region's time as part of the Roman Empire. "Lyon is France's most historic and culturally important city after Paris," Steves states on his website . You'll see classic European cobblestone streets, massive cathedrals, and a mixture of old and new in its buildings. Though it is among France's larger cities, it features natural elements like hilltops and two rivers through the city center in an overall pleasant environment. "This big city feels relaxed, welcoming, and surprisingly untouristy. It seems everyone's enjoying the place — and that they're all French," says Steves.

Read more: The 40 Most Mysterious Places In The Whole Entire World

See Roman Ruins On A Hilltop In Lyon

Ancient history lovers will have plenty of Roman Empire remnants in Lyon. The best of Lyon's Roman sites are at the top of Fourvière Hill. The funicular on the west side of Pont Bonaparte, which crosses the Saône River, can get you to the hilltop. Head southwest to find the Gallo-Roman Museum of Lyon-Fourvière, also known as the  Lugdunum Gallo-Roman Museum . Roman artifacts here include a speech from A.D. 48 given by Emperor Claudius, uncle of the infamous Emperor Caligula. This museum also gets you close to two Roman amphitheaters, Théâtre Gallo Romain de Lyon-Fourvière and Odeon of Lyon. Among the innovations of the Roman Empire was water transportation. Behind the amphitheaters on Fourvière Hill are pieces of Aqueduc du Gier, a Roman aqueduct.

Fourvière hill also includes one of Rick Steves' favorite places to visit: the bright and imposing Basilica of Notre Dame of Fourvière built in the 1800s, which is not old by France's standards. The chapel next to it and its Virgin Mary statue, however, date back much further. Northwest of the basilica is Parc des Hauteurs with gardens and views of the city, especially at Passerelle des Quatre Vents within the park.

Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral Lights Up At Night

Between Lyon's two rivers is Place des Terreaux, a historic market hub dating back to the Renaissance -- a time when bankers and salespeople found success in Lyon. The fountain at this square was sculpted by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi who also sculpted the Statue of Liberty. In keeping with the area's history, Place des Terreaux is still a popular gathering place due to its restaurants like Le Moulin 1883 ( Lyon is an unexpected foodie destination ) and the massive Museum of Fine Arts. This museum's vast collection includes Egyptian artifacts and centuries of paintings housed in a former abbey constructed in the mid-1600s.

One of the adventurous ways to see Lyon is by simply wandering through a section of the city called Vieux Lyon along the west banks of the Saône River. Among the highlights is Rue Saint-Jean, an access point for one of Lyon's traboules, which are covered pedestrian streets. Keep wandering for more of these unique and narrow passageways, even into the night. "Each night, more than 200 buildings, sites, and public spaces are gloriously floodlit," says Rick Steves on his website . One of the buildings that lights up each night is the Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, a highlight of Lyon since the 1400s.

Read the original article on Explore .

Lyon with Fourvière Hill in background

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COMMENTS

  1. Joining a group tour as a single person

    1077 posts. I have been on eight of the Rick Steves tours and the folks who are singles are included in all the activities and are invited to be included in free time activities as much as they wanted. In fact, all the groups have been easy to make friends with and seem to share a common interest in travel.

  2. 2023 Tours with Seats Available

    Best of Sicily in 11 Days Tour. 2024. Rick Steves' most exotic tour in Italy will immerse you in the distinctive culture, cuisine, and history of Sicily — including Palermo, Taormina, Agrigento, Syracuse, Catania, and more! On... Read more. $2,995 to $3,695 + Air.

  3. Tips for Traveling Solo by Rick Steves

    Tips for Traveling Solo. Solo travel has huge upsides — independence, introspection, cultural immersion — and is usually easier and more fun than many imagine. When traveling alone, think of train rides as an opportunity to meet people. Cameras can help break the ice (while bypassing language barriers).

  4. What's a Single Supplement

    Our Tours / What Is a Single Supplement; What is a single supplement? We offer an optional, extra-cost single supplement that guarantees a private single room for a solo traveler. The single supplement fee guarantees a private room — not a larger or "nicer" room! ... ©2024 Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. | CST# 2086743 | ...

  5. Europe Tours & Vacation Packages 2023, 2024

    Rick Steves European tours and vacations feature the best value and travel experience around. Rick's 46 itineraries include Italy, France, Turkey, Ireland, Britain, Spain, and much more!

  6. 5 Best European Tours 2023 & 2024

    Europe Tours. Rick Steves tours provide the best value for your trip to Europe. Our stress-free European vacations package together small groups, great guides, central hotels, all sightseeing — and memories to last a lifetime. Browse Rick's best Europe tours and vacation packages: Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour. 2024

  7. Best of Sicily in 11 Days Tour

    Best of Sicily in 11 Days Tour. from $2,595 per person + air. Single Supplement $575. See Dates & Prices. Rick Steves' most exotic tour in Italy will immerse you in the distinctive culture, cuisine, and history of Sicily — including Palermo, Taormina, Agrigento, Syracuse, Catania, and more! On this island adventure, your Rick Steves guide ...

  8. Rick Steves Gave Me a Personal Tour of Paris

    Simply download the audio tour, head to the first landmark, and hit play. Steves spent a lot of his 2022 travels talking to himself, carefully noting updates and changes for his 60 self-guided ...

  9. What Does It Take to Be a Rick Steves Tour Guide?

    After sharing the fun of our annual guides' summit, we wanted to answer the most common question we hear: "What does it take to be a Rick Steves tour guide?". To be honest, we don't have a set procedure. We have about 130 lead tour guides. Most are Europeans, but plenty are Americans. Many are already professional guides working with ...

  10. Single Supplements

    06/26/15 04:26 PM. 5422 posts. I often travel solo, so I book a lot of rooms for one person. In general what I have found: - Single room: Generally 75% to 90% of the double price. - Double room for single use: Usually 10 to 20 EUR cheaper than a double. Keep in mind that a lot of hotels do not have many singles.

  11. Single supplement rooms

    I've been on 3 RS tours and opted for the single supplemental on all three tours. On my first tour (Venice-Florence-Rome), I had an attic room which was probably the best and most unique room I've ever stayed in. Now that I think about it, I don't think I wasn't happy with any of the single rooms I stayed in on a RS tour.

  12. Review Of The Rick Steves Sicily Tour

    10. Review of the Rick Steves Sicily Itinerary. The best thing about a Rick Steves tour is the extraordinary care he takes in designing the tour itinerary. It's the perfect mix of breathtaking landscapes, ancient ruins, great food and wine at various agriturismos and restaurants, and a hefty dose of culture.

  13. Rick Steves Reviews

    I'll definitely travel again on any Rick Steves tour in the future. Date of experience: May 28, 2020. Advertisement. PM. PD McKenzie. 2 reviews. US. May 2, 2020. Well run and affordable tours. ... They don't mark up their single supplements like so many other companies do. There are always unique experiences that you just can't get on your own.

  14. Questions and Answers

    Answer:We already offer single supplements on a few of our tours. But on other tours, it would require more individual rooms, which would force us to abandon many of our small, characteristic hotels — which we are very reluctant to do. Much of how we shape and promote our tours is designed to attract a hardy, fun-to-travel-with, and low ...

  15. Switzerland Tours & Vacations 2023 & 2024

    Best of Germany, Austria & Switzerland in 14 Days Tour. 2024. On this two-week tour, mountains, Mozart, and mugs of beer all clink together to create a totally yodel-y adventure. Starting in Cologne, along Germany's mighty Rhine River, your Rick Steves gui... Read more. $4,495 to $4,895 + Air.

  16. Tour Registration

    Cancellations must be in writing: sent via email to [email protected], faxed to 425-771-0833, or mailed to the address below. Cancellations become effective on the date received by Rick Steves' Europe and are governed by the RSE Tour Credit Terms and Conditions. Rick Steves' Europe, Inc. 130 4th Ave N Edmonds, WA, 98020-3114

  17. The Beautifully Authentic European City Rick Steves Loves For ...

    Ever the savvy on and off the beaten path, European travel expert Rick Steves recommends Lyon for all the beauty of France's well-touristed cities, but with a stronger French feel.

  18. Moscow travel guide (Russia)

    The city with the impressive architecture, the expensive cars and the gorgeous women. Find information at http://www.tripment.net/Follow us:https://www.faceb...

  19. Djaz Hotel, Elektrostal'

    Find the best hotel at the best rate. Over 1,200,000 hotels in more than 200 regions. 24/7 Customer Service.

  20. Doc McGhee

    Doc McGhee. Harold "Doc" McGhee (* 1950) ist ein US-amerikanischer Manager, der unter anderem mit Kiss, Bon Jovi, Mink DeVille, Night Ranger, James Brown, Diana Ross, Hootie & the Blowfish, Scorpions, Mötley Crüe und Skid Row gearbeitet hat oder noch arbeitet. Er wurde Ende der 1980er Jahre überführt, einen Drogenring bei der illegalen ...