ef tours experience italy

Rome: The City Experience

4.8 out of 5 stars

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Fall in love with Rome.

Step wholeheartedly into the Roman experience and make the Eternal City your home away from home. Explore legendary landmarks, mingle with locals who go about their lives in the shadow of ancient ruins, and learn how to craft fresh Italian cuisine during a cooking class. We promise, you’re going to leave feeling like an insider.

Your tour package includes

• 5 nights in a well-located hotel
• 5 breakfasts
• 2 dinners with beer or wine, including a signature farewell dinner experience with a cooking lesson
• Expert Tour Director
• Sightseeing tour with a local guide

Included highlights

• Palatine Hill
• Circus Maximus
• Roman Forum
• Roman cooking class

An expert specializing in tours of this region is here to help.

Day-by-day itinerary

Board your overnight flight to Rome today.

Welcome to Italy! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.

Follow in the footsteps of the ancient Romans on a guided tour of the Eternal City.

• Soak up over 2,000 years of history in Imperial Rome, viewing the Arch of Constantine and the Arch of Titus.
• Enter the Colosseum, the largest amphitheater of the Roman Empire.
• Stop at the ruins of the Forum, once the setting of parades, elections, and trials.
• Pass by Palatine Hill to see Circus Maximus, the stadium where ancient Romans raced chariots, and the Baths of Caracalla.

Spend a free afternoon exploring the city on your own, or add an excursion.

Ancient Rome: St. Paul’s Basilica & the Catacombs

From $89 per person

Enjoy a free day in Rome or add excursions.

Food of Rome: Walking Tour of Trastevere

From $135 per person

Iconic Sights: Vatican City

From $125 per person

Spend a free day in Rome or add an excursion.

Castel Gandolfo & Wine Tasting

From $155 per person

Enjoy a free day in Rome or add an excursion.

(Please note: Iconic Sights: Vatican City excursion may be offered on day 3, depending on the day of the week.)

This evening, join your group for a special cooking class and dinner. You’ll craft handmade pasta with the help of a chef before tasting your creations and raising a toast to your trip with local wine.

Ancient Roman Ruins of Ostia Antica

From $105 per person

Transfer to the airport for your flight home or extend your stay to visit Florence.

Travel north to Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance, and get to know the city with a local guide.

• View the legendary Florence Cathedral, known as the Duomo.
• Pass Giotto’s Campanile, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture.
• Walk past Piazza della Repubblica to the medieval Ponte Vecchio.
• Stroll along the Arno River and through the courtyard of the Uffizi Gallery to Piazza della Signoria, center of Florentine life.

Enjoy a free day in Florence or add an excursion.

Siena & San Gimignano: Tuscan Hilltowns

Spend a free day in Florence or add an excursion.

Later this evening, gather with your group to celebrate your trip with a farewell drink.

Accademia Gallery

From $65 per person

Transfer to the airport for your flight home.

Book for just $99 down

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Overall rating 4.8 out of 5

5 out of 5 stars

Vanir was very good tour director . Group was very friendly . Program each day was very good, hope you arrange your to go Pompeii. Pompeii is very popular for a lots of people if add up for excursion will be great.

This was my first time in Rome. The beginning of October was still warm, but not too hit. We hit a sweet spot because it started raining right after we left. 👍🏻. Our tour director Vania was very nice and downright funny. The hotel was top-notch with beautiful rooms, delicious breakfast and a b...

I was thrilled to travel with family and friends to Italy and Go Ahead made it great. The itinerary was full of wonderful included and optional excursions. Our hotel was very nice and located within walking distance of everything. Our TD and local guides were fantastic.

We're thrilled to hear that you had a great experi...

Traveler photos

Hotels, flights & FAQ

This contemporary hotel is located in the Esquilino neighborhood of Rome. Guests enjoy the rooftop terrace, spacious rooms, and bar. Nearby you’ll fin...

This charming hotel is located in the historic center of Florence along the River Arno. Guests enjoy the beautiful lounge bar with live music, origina...

• Round-trip flight for your tour
• Airport transfers at your destination
• A great price locked in today
• 24/7 support from our dedicated service team
• Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
• Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
• Find out more about flights
• In order to enter Italy, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
• We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
• Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
• Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2025, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center .
• If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
• You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to ** goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements **and searching the code RWE.
• You will walk for at least 2 hours daily across mostly flat terrain, including cobblestone streets and dirt paths, with few hills and stairs.
• Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the total amount of walking on your tour.
• You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times
• Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
• If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
• Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in and depart from Rome (returning flights will depart from Florence on the tour extension). A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
• Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost.
• For your convenience, your Tour Director will purchase Metro tickets upon request.
• All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
• Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
• Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
• Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
• Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
• We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
• A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
• You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
• It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
• At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov .
• If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
• If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
• Roman food is typically freshly prepared and varies depending on the season. Must-try bites include cacio e pepe (a simple dish of pasta, cheese, and pepper) and​ supplí (a fried rice ball similar to Sicily's arancini ).
• For more authentic meals, try local trattorias , small restaurants set away from the main piazzas. A typical Italian meal includes wines and the occasional beer, followed by a few sips of after-dinner drinks like grappa or limoncello .
• Tuscany, on the tour extension, is world-famous for its wine, oil, sauces, and pasta. Menus favor subtle, lighter pastas and desserts made with nuts, fruit, and honey. Try a dish featuring the region's Chianina beef, perhaps the most prized breed of cattle in all of Italy. For wine, popular Tuscan reds include Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which are primarily made from the Sangiovese grape.
• Italy operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C, F, or L plugs with two or three small, round pins.
• We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
• The strength of the air conditioning in European hotels is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada. When air conditioning is available, it is usually regulated seasonally and controlled centrally by the hotel.
• Your hotel may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
• Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
• There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
• Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
• Italy is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
• When it’s noon in New York, it’s 6pm on tour.
• You will use the euro on this tour.
• Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
• We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
• You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
• Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
• International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
• At the conclusion of your tour, it’s customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
• We recommend tipping the equivalent of $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
• If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
• Tips can only be paid in cash.
• Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour.
• Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for excursions.
• Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
• Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.
• If you are interested in visiting any of Florence's many museums during your free time on the tour extension, we recommend that you make reservations in advance. See uffizi.org for the Uffizi Gallery or accademia.org for the Accademia Gallery. Please note that the museums are closed on Mondays.

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4.6 out of 5 stars

4.7 out of 5 stars

EF Tours Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Is EF Tours right for you?   

So your kid just came home from school with a gorgeous full color brochure about an upcoming trip to Europe with EF Tours that one of their teachers is leading.  He or she is super excited about all the cool things they get to do and is just begging you to let them go.  

It sounds great, but as a responsible parent, you want to know exactly what you’d be sending your child off to do, and how things would actually work on this trip.  

Well, lucky for you we took a 12 day visit to Europe with EF Tours, and have all the details to decide if taking an international trip with this company is right for you or your teenager.  

We’re going to start with the breakdown of how things work with EF and what to expect as a participant or a parent, and then move on to our specific experience with our tour.  

I always like to start my reviews by reminding you that I was not compensated in any way to write this post.  All opinions are my own, and all costs were paid out of our pocket for this experience.

What is EF Tours? 

EF Tours is a travel company that specializes in international tours for students.   

According to their website , EF Tours has been in operation since 1965 and offers trips for students and teachers designed to “provide immersive, life-changing education.”

Basically, EF Tours organizes international trips for students to a wide variety of destinations, promising “compelling itineraries” full of “experiential learning.”

They also promise to have the “lowest price on the market” for this type of travel.  

EF, as a company, offers may types of tours ranging from group trips for adults to organized gap years for high school graduates.  While these options are available, the bread and butter of the company is the basic high school student tour which is what we took.  

How do EF Tours work?

EF Tours have a pretty straightforward process during the sign up period, prior to departure and during your trip. 

Before we get into that, it must be said that EF Tours operate fully independently of the local school district, and are not endorsed or supported by them whatsoever.  

While this may seem like a school trip, it is not.  It is a trip run by a business who just happens to recruit participants through the school system.  Your local principals, school boards, etc. have zero control or influence on these trips.  The school is only involved in the process as far as whether they allow teachers to hand out information in schools or not. 

The EF in EF Tours stands for Education First.  According to their website, EF claims to “design tours to help educators teach, and so students can learn more—about tolerance, other perspectives, and themselves.”

The Sign Up Process

EF Tours are set up to be “hosted” by a local teacher who is then designated as the “group leader.”  Teachers are incentivized with free and reduced price travel to recruit students to join their tours.  

Tours are advertised by the group leader/teacher to students at their school and to their local community.  Interested students and parents are invited to attend informational meetings either in person or virtually where the group leader/teacher goes over the itinerary and any questions potential participants may have.  

Students and parents can then sign up directly through the EF Tours website, and submit all payments directly to the company.  

Trips are usually initially introduced about two years before the travel date so that participants can make smaller monthly payments to cover the cost of the trip.  Costs for these trips can range widely, depending on the destinations and length of the trip.  

EF has the group leader/teacher set up deadlines for signing up to go on the trip, sometimes including small discounts to encourage enrollment.  This tends to give a false sense of urgency to the sign up process. 

We found that participants can sign up just about any time before the trip departs.  We signed up about a year out from the trip, while another student who traveled with us signed up just a month or two before we left.  

Anyone was allowed to sign up for the trip.  We were encouraged to invite friends and family to join us on the tour, whether or not they were associated with our school or even local to our area.  

Adults did need to pass a background check in order to participate in the trip, since adult tour participants are traveling with minors.  

We were not given specific dates for our trip, but instead we were given a window of time during which the trip would occur.   Our dates were finally confirmed about two months before our departure.  

There are usually two or three optional excursions that can be added to any tour.  These usually include some special activity or visit to an additional landmark.  

Tour participants may also choose to upgrade the insurance for the tour. 

Before Your EF Tour

Once you’ve signed up for your EF Tour, you’ll be given access to a tour portal on the EF website where you can track your payments and what steps you need take next to participate in the trip.  They also provide a fundraising page, where friends and family can pay EF directly to offset the cost of your trip.  

Our group had a few in person meetings at a local restaurant prior to our trip where we discussed issues ranging from passports to packing for our trip to Europe , and got a chance to meet our fellow travelers.  This may or may not be true or all groups that are traveling with EF.  

Each participant in our tour was required to submit a copy of our passport to EF to insure that we had the proper documentation to travel.  

Information about our flights was not available until about a month before our departure, and information about our hotels was not available until we were about three weeks out from leaving.  

EF Tours uses a wide range of airlines, and travelers do not get to indicate a preference.  EF books all travelers in economy class seats for all transportation methods.  EF will book with whatever airline has space available for the lowest price for the group.  

As for hotels, travelers know very little about where they are staying ahead of time.  Per the website, tour participants are assured that “travelers can count on safe, clean and comfortable hotels with private bathrooms” but much beyond that the info is sparse.  

Students can expect to room with one to three other students, and possibly have to share beds.  Adults can expect to share a room with one other person.  For a fee, a single room can be requested for the tour. 

EF does indicate up front that hotels may have small rooms without air conditioning, television, or elevators, and that WiFi may not always be available.  

During an EF Tour

All transportation arrangements are made by EF Tours, including flights, buses, trains, etc.  They book all accommodations and attraction admissions for tour participants. 

Two meals a day are included in the cost of a trip with EF Tours.  Breakfast is provided each day at the hotel, usually continental style, but sometimes with hot offerings just depending on your hotel.  Dinners are are pre-arranged with a preset menu by EF at local restaurants.  EF will make accomodations for those with specific dietary needs, such as gluten free or dairy free meals.

While the teacher recruiting students is designated as your group leader, they don’t actually lead the tour once you start traveling.  EF provides a Tour Director to accompany your group through the entire trip.  

This Tour Director is supposed to handle just about everything on your tour, including all your pre-booked accommodations, meals, excursions, tickets, and transfers.  This person is there to direct the group and handle any problems with logistics you may encounter along the way.  

During the tour, your group will meet up with various local guides who will give you some sort of tour of the city or historic site that you’re visiting.  These tours are usually walking tours, but sometimes are bus tours, depending on the location.  

Tour participants are also given access to an EF Tours App, that just lists your daily itinerary for your trip.  

Our EF Tour Review

Our specific tour featured quite a daunting itinerary.  We toured Europe for 12 days, visiting sites in London, Paris, Florence, Rome, Pompeii and Capri, with no more than two nights in any destination.  

Our tour consisted of 26 travelers from our high school: three teachers, seven adults and 16 students.  We were combined with a group from upstate New York consisting of 14 travelers: one teacher, one adult, one child and 11 students.  There were a total of 40 people on our tour.  

What EF Tours Promised

Before our tour, the group leaded made sure every person who showed an interest in going on the trip got the glossy, full color brochure that outlined our itinerary and told us what to expect on the tour.  

The brochure promised that participants would be “surrounded by the people, the language, the food, and the way of life” of the destinations on our itinerary.  We were assured that our tour director would be “with us around the clock, handling local transportation, hotels, and meals while also providing their own insight into the local history and culture.”  

We would be spending time in three different countries, seeing some of the most beautiful and historic cities in Europe.

The brochure also claimed that students could earn educational credit while on tour, and that all tours feature “experiential learning activities.”

Our tour left some of these promises unfulfilled, but did give us a glimpse at some fantastic destinations in Europe and some amazing memories.  

Our hotels along the trip started out stellar but seemed to go downhill from there, unfortunately ending in truly unacceptable accommodations.  

Even though this wasn’t guaranteed, all of our accommodations had some sort of air conditioning, with some that functioned better than others, and all of them had WiFi.  

For the first four nights during our stays in London and Paris, we were sent to Hilton Hotels .  They both were on the higher end of what I expected based on the descriptions provided by EF Tours of what our hotels would be like.  

The rooms at these Hiltons were very new, immaculately clean and extremely comfortable.  They were both located about an hour outside of the city center, but that wasn’t too much of a problem.  

When we reached Italy, things changed a bit.  

For a quick overnight in Milan on our way to Florence, we stayed at and AS Hotel in Limbiate.  This hotel was a bit older than the Hiltons we’d stayed in, but it was clean, spacious, and comfortable.  

Between Florence and Rome, we spent the night at the Hotel Villa Ricci (not pictured).  This hotel was significantly older than the other three we had stayed at, but it was still clean and comfortable.  While the room wasn’t much to write home about, some members of our group lucked out and got spectacular balconies. 

Once we arrived in Rome, the Villa Aurelia was our home base for two nights.  We learned that this hotel had once housed men studying to join a monastery, which explained the doritory feel of the place.  Again, we found these rooms to be clean and pretty comfortable.  

On our way to Southern Italy, we spent the night in Sorrento at Sisters Hostel .  This was the only true hostel on our trip.  While they still stuck with four students to a room, several of the student rooms had enough beds to sleep up to 12 people. 

Though not quite as refined as the Hiltons, and a little slap-shot with the furniture, we found this place to be clean and welcoming.  While it wasn’t quite as comfortable as some of the other places we’d stayed, it was completely acceptable and had a spectacular view of the Gulf of Naples from the rooftop terrace. 

Things took a turn for the worse on our last night of the tour, when we stayed at Hotel La Pergola in Rome.  This place was truly one of the worst hotels I’ve ever had the misfortune to stay at (and as a travel blogger, I’ve stayed at a LOT of hotels).  

Things started off badly when we discovered that the lights in all the hallways were not on, and that we had to hunt around with our cell phone flashlights to find our way to our rooms.  I asked the front desk to remedy this, but it was never addressed, and we had to repeat the blind search for our rooms every time we went up.  

Upon arrival in my room, I found it to be extremely dirty.  There was a layer of dusty film all over my bathroom and my pillow had an unidentified crusty stain on it.  My daughter’s room had the same layer of dirt in the bathroom, plus a shoe print from where someone killed a bug on the wall.  I checked our beds for bedbugs and thankfully did not find any. 

The front desk did not seem to care and we were told no one was available to come clean the bathrooms.

But the worst experience in this hotel went to a dad on our trip, who’s single room contained only a sofa.   Not a sleeper sofa, but just a hard couch.  There were no linens or towels available to him whatsoever. 

When he asked for these items at the front desk, he was told that we should have called earlier to request them since they were all locked up in a cabinet by the time we arrived at the hotel.   He ended up sleeping on a towel laid out on the sofa with a travel neck pillow, that had been provided to him by his daughter from her room.

The front desk attendant seemed more than annoyed anytime someone from our group would approach them, and insisted that we all leave our keys at the front desk when leaving the hotel for dinner that night.    

We weren’t left with much recourse, since this was a group trip and we were on our last night, so we decided to just grin and bear it, and did our best to get some sleep.  

Overall, I’d say that the hotels provided were quite good, with the exception of Hotel La Pergola.  For ten of the eleven nights of our trip, we were provided with clean, safe accommodations that lived up to what the EF Tours website told us to expect.  

At the time of this publication, EF Tours has been notified of this unacceptable hotel and has yet to respond.  

Meals on the tour ran the gamut from weird to stellar, but overall were not to bad.  Breakfast and dinner every day were included in what we paid for our tour.  

All breakfasts were served at our hotels.  Sometimes they were just continental breakfasts with cold offerings, and sometimes we were given hot breakfasts with eggs, bacon, and such.  Sometimes it was quite obvious where our group was supposed to go, and sometimes it wasn’t. 

Overall, breakfasts were adequate throughout the trip.  

Lunches were not included in the initial price of our trip and were paid out of pocket each day.   

Lunches were always a gamble.   It all depended on where we were and what was going on whether or not we’d get to select a restaurant on our own or if the group would be directed to eat at somewhere specific, and if we’d have lots of great choices or really limited options.  

For example, on our first full day of the trip, we visited the Tower of London.  We told to make sure we ate lunch after our tour, before rejoining the group to get on the bus.  The only options available to us were food trucks along the river right next to the Tower complex.  

It was the worst during our travel days.  We were frequently told we could just grab a bite to eat at the train station or the airport, only to be left with minimal time and very limited options.  

But some days lunch was great.  During our time in Rome, lunch came with some free time to wander, so we were able to go out and select the restaurant of our choice.  

Some days our tour guide would set up a lunch option for us, having arranged a preset menu and price with a local restaurant.  Those options were usually something like a burger, pizza or a cold sandwich.  

I’m not sure if the lunch situations were like this because of our tour guide or because of EF itself.  Sometimes it seemed inevitable, like when we were stuck in an airport or train station.  Other times it seemed like our guide might be creating these situations by not fully informing us what was available near by.  

All dinners were set up at local restaurants before our arrival.  We did not get to select from a menu and were all served the same thing each night, with the exception of those who had special dietary needs.  Each meal came with water, but we were allowed to order additional drinks at our own expense if we choose to do so.  

The worst dinners EF provided happened during the first few days of our trip.  During our entire time in London, we were not once served any traditional English food.  Our Tour Director said it was because “London is a melting pot of cultures,” but our group didn’t buy that.  

Our first group dinner in London was at a Korean restaurant where the group was served a hot stone bibimbap with chicken.  I’m normally a big fan of Korean food, but this wasn’t great. 

The next group dinner was at a Polish restaurant where the group was served a fried chicken patty and french fries.  

When it became apparent on the second night that we weren’t going to be getting any traditional English food, my daughter and I made arrangements to go get dinner on our own, and pay for it out of pocket.  Four other members of our group chose to join us.  

We simply got information from our Tour Guide when and where to meet up with the group after dinner and selected a nearby local pub so we could have a traditional English dining experience.  

Dinners seemed to improve when we got to France. During our first night there we had a lovely traditional French meal of chicken with mushroom sauce in the back room of a small picturesque cafe with a ton of ambiance.   On the second night we had a traditional Alsatian dish called Flammekueche, which was sort of like a pizza with a creamy sauce.  

In Italy, the dinners were quite good.  Of course we were served a lot of pasta, but we also had braised beef in tomato sauce, gnocchi, and pizza.  

According to the folks on our trip who had special dietary needs, the dinners were pretty good for the most part.  Although it did seem that everywhere we went in Italy, anyone who was gluten free or dairy free was served watermelon for dessert.  

Before we left on our trip, we were told by our group leader that we shouldn’t need more that $25 US dollars per person per day for lunches and snacks.  We found that that number was not quite accurate for us, especially if we ever wanted to stray from the planned meals that EF Tours had set up for us.  

We also found that we frequently needed to buy water to stay hydrated in the high temperatures of Italy during the summer, and at most of the locations we visited, water was marked up quite a bit.  

Overall, the meals on our trip were pretty good, but could definitely have been better.  

Our Itinerary

We knew going into this tour that our itinerary would be extremely hectic.  With no more than 48 hours in any location, we expected it to be jam packed.  It was kind of like a tasting menu, where you got a little bit of each destination.  

What we didn’t expect was the significant amount of wasted time and changes to our itinerary that happened on our tour.  

Things started off poorly when our tour guide was an hour late to meet us at baggage claim and then our bus was over another hour late to pick us up at the airport.  

While our tour guide was a very sweet, personable woman, she didn’t seem to understand how to manage the timing logistics for a group of 40 travelers.  

Our group was quite good about being on time to meet up locations with a couple of small exceptions that could not be helped.  No one wanted to be the person that made us late.  

Our tour guide didn’t seem to have this mentality.  She was frequently the last person downstairs at our hotels to meet our bus 15 to 20 minutes after the time she told us to meet her, and did not budget in adequate travel time to most of our destinations. 

For example, while we were driving across Italy, she had our driver stop at a large gas station for a bathroom stop.   She told us we only had five minutes to use the restroom and get back on the bus.  It’s completely impossible for 40 people to make use of just a handful of bathroom stalls in five minutes. 

We were late to our tours in London, Florence, and the Vatican.  We were late to our tour of the Colosseum in Rome.  We were late to our appointment at the Louvre.  We were so late to our tour of Pompeii.  This significantly hindered what we were able to see at our destinations, and made the whole tour seemed very rushed every day.  

Things like this happened over and over again throughout the trip.  This resulted in our group being habitually late to most of the tours we went on, and significantly cut into our time at some really important places.

The only times it seemed like we weren’t late was when we had to catch a flight, a train, or a ferry.  

There were also some pretty significant changes to our itinerary. 

Several items listed on our initial brochure were changed before the trip due to pandemic restrictions and travel challenges, which was fine.  We had ample notice and knew what to expect.    

But there were several instances where visits to certain locations were dropped off our itinerary completely, and visits to other non-advertised locations were added.  

Sometimes this was a good thing, but sometimes it was incredibly frustrating.  

In London, a walking tour of Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Leicester Square was replaced with “free time” at the British Museum, which we really didn’t mind. 

But in Florence, visits to San Miniato al Monte and Piazzale Michelangelo were dropped off the itinerary with no explanation.  

On our way to Rome, our guide added a stop in Ovierto, a beautiful small town with picturesque views, wonderful dining and great little shops which we enjoyed immensely. 

But in Paris, a visit to Montmartre was abandoned, even though our dinner restaurant was within a mile of the historic location.  

The best unexpected addition to our trip in my opinion was the opportunity to see a musical in the West End of London.  Our guide was able to secure tickets (for an extra fee) for those who wanted them to a performance of Wicked during our free evening.  It was absolutely fantastic.  

But in the most frustrating example, during our time in Paris a visit to the Frogonard Perfume Museum was added to our itinerary.   No one asked to go there, and most of us seemed annoyed that we were stopping.  We were assured that the stop there would only last 30 minutes, but it ended up taking three times that, leaving us only an hour and a half to visit the Louvre before we had to be back on the bus to catch a flight to Italy.  

These added stops almost always involved additional costs as well, which we were not informed of before leaving for our trip.  This caused problems for a few kids on our trip who weren’t expecting these costs, and they unfortunately had to miss out on some of the better additions. 

There also seemed to be major sites in some of these cities that were not ever even an option to visit or see, due to our limited time in each city.   We didn’t go to Westminster Abbey or St. Paul’s Cathedral while we were in London, and there were too many things to count in Paris that we didn’t even glimpse.  While we were aware of this upfront before the tour, it really did feel like they didn’t allow enough time in any location to really see the cities we were in.  

Despite these frustrations, the itinerary did take us to some fantastic places and we had some absolutely unforgettable experiences.  We had a fantastic time seeing the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London.  We enjoyed a truly magical and unexpected sunset under the Eiffel Tower in Paris.  We got to listen to an orchestra perform in Piazza della Signoria in Florence.  We were able to marvel at the unparalleled artwork inside St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican.  We saw the stunningly beautiful sites of Capri from a private boat tour.  Those memories are truly priceless.  

During our trip there were extra excursions offered in any city we stayed in more than one night. 

In London, the excursion was a visit to the London Eye, a giant ferris wheel type ride that gives riders a birds eye view of the city.  In Paris, it was a trip to Versaille to tour the palace and the gardens.  In Rome, it was a tiramisu cooking class.  

We choose not to participate in the excursion in London because I’m not the biggest fan of heights, and in Paris because my daughter wanted the opportunity to spend some extra free time in the city.  

I’m extremely glad we made those decisions.   

While the London Eye excursion seemed to go well for those who went on it, it was over priced.  EF Tours charged each participant $60.  Tickets can be purchased individually at the ticket booth for just $42 USD or for groups ahead of time for just $24 USD.  I’m not sure what EF added to the experience to warrant that upcharge.  

By skipping the London Eye, we were able to have a bit more time to explore and plenty of time to enjoy our pub dinner that we mentioned earlier since the London Eye excursion was timed to happen right before dinner.  

In Paris, those who went to Versaille told us the experience was underwhelming because of the limited time available inside the palace, and the lack of lunch options available to those who went.  

The Versailles excursion seemed overpriced as well.  EF Tours charged $114 USD to each participant.  Tickets to the entire estate are free for those under 18 years old and cost under $30 USD for anyone else, and that’s without a group discount.  Even if every single person had to buy a ticket,  I can’t imagine that the cost for a group tour and the transportation to get the group there cost an additional $84 USD per person.  

The tiramisu cooking class in Rome was not optional for our group for some reason.  I think our group leader made that choice when she set up our trip.  We paid an extra $85 USD above and beyond the base tour price to experience it.  While I could not find information about individual class pricing, I highly doubt that EF paid that much per person for us to spend an hour making tiramisu. 

I will say that the class was a fun experience at a great location, and we all enjoyed the desserts we made together.  

Overall, unless an excursion is of special interest to you, I wouldn’t recommend participating in them, simply because they seem overpriced.  Having extra free time to see the sites of your choice seemed to be the best option during our tour.  

Education on an EF Tour

EF Tours makes a big deal out of their tours being focused on education.  We were promised “experiential learning activities” during the trip.  They even claim you can earn credit for going on these tour.  

We found that there wasn’t that much education attached to our tour.  

The local tour guides who showed us the sights of each city were the most informative folks on this trip, with extensive knowledge of the history and culture at each stop, but we were forced to use amplifying devices called Whispers in order to hear the guides.  These Whispers often had glitches or were garbled, making it very hard to understand our guides.  

Other than the local tour guides and maybe the tiramisu class, I wouldn’t call just visiting these historic places an “experiential learning activity.”  

We also learned that our high school would not give any credit to students who participated in these trips, even though much was made of the educational credit during the pitch to get us to join the tour.  

This isn’t to say that we didn’t learn anything on our trip.  We did have some great cultural experiences while we traveled.  But learning seemed to take a back seat to just being in another country in most circumstances.  

Safety with EF Tours

As a parent considering an EF Tour for my teenager, I know safety was a big concern for me.  

When my husband and I decided to send our daughter, we felt like one of us should go with her since she was only 15 at the time we went on the trip, and had not traveled internationally like this before.  

For the most part, I felt quite safe during our trip.  

Before our trip, our group leader did make sure to advise us about pickpocketing and theft at major tourist sites in Europe, and advised us to be prepared.  She did make sure we were always wary of our passports and where we were keeping them during our travels.  

While on tour, there was only one time that I felt like our group was taken to an unsafe area.  That was during our terrible last night in Rome when we had to walk from our hotel to our dinner restaurant through some pretty sketchy areas of the city.  

Although student were allowed to go out on their own during our free time, they were asked to go in groups of three or four and were left in pretty safe areas to spend their free time.  

The biggest problem I saw with safety was when our Tour Guide would take off walking at a breakneck speed, frequently leaving half our group stuck at crosswalks or a few turns behind.  She usually did a count to make sure everyone was there when we were ready to leave, but she did leave people behind at least twice during our trip and have to go back and get them.  

Most of the time we had no idea where we were headed when we were walking to different locations.  We were never given the names of the restaurants or addresses of where they would be unless we specifically asked for them.  I think communicating with the group more about where we’re going could have avoided some sticky situations that a few of our travelers found themselves in when they were left behind.  

We also didn’t have a way to contact our Tour Guide directly.  Only a couple of people were given her contact information, which made communication confusing and difficult during our free time, especially when she got delayed during our free evening in Paris and our meeting time had to be pushed back significantly.

Curfews and group rules were left up to our group leader, who didn’t set many boundaries for our students.  

Since the legal drinking age in the areas we visited was 18, student who met this requirement were allowed to drink alcohol on our trip, but were asked to limit it to one drink with dinner.  By and large, our students respected this request and did not take advantage of the lowered drinking age to go and party it up.  

Trips like this EF Tour require students to be pretty mature when it comes to safety.  We had a wonderful group of kids who took their personal safety pretty seriously, and didn’t take unnecessary risks that would put them in jeopardy.  Had it been a different group of personalities, I’m not sure how it would have gone.  

EF Tours:  Our Final Verdict

Would I travel with EF Tours again?  That seems to be the question at hand here.  

My EF Tours experience definitely taught me a lot about group travel.  As someone who travels pretty frequently , I usually make most of my own travel arrangements, from flights to hotel reservations to activities.  It was quite nice not to have to worry about any of that.  It really did take a lot of pressure off to just let someone else do all that work. 

But relinquishing that control does require a certain amount of trust.  There were some areas that I would definitely trust EF to arrange again, and other areas where I really think they could do better.  

For this trip it really came down to adjusting expectations once we were traveling.  I really did expect there to be more education involved in what we did while on our tour.  I really did expect to spend some quality time at these major historic sites. 

Once I realized that time would be much more limited at every destination than I expected it to be, the trip went much more smoothly.  

I think our experience would have been better with a more seasoned Tour Guide.  Ours just didn’t seem quite ready to handle all the pressures and logistics that are required for managing a group of 40 people for 12 days.  

EF Tours is definitely a budget tour company, and for the price, you do get a good experience.  

Did EF Tours create the trip of my dreams?  Not by a long shot. 

Did they create a good experience for students who haven’t done a lot of international traveling?  I’d say yes.  

Do I regret going on an EF Tour?  Absolutely not.  I had some incredible experiences in some amazing locations with my only daughter, and I wouldn’t trade that for the world.  

Would I go on another EF Tour?  I think I would, but I would definitely choose a slower paced itinerary with more time in each destination.  

Do you have any questions about EF Tours that I didn’t answer?  Feel free to ask me in the comments!!

EF Tours Review: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

Thursday 14th of March 2024

Thank you so much for your insightful review! My daughter is headed to S. Korea in a few weeks and reading all these comments & your review...I'm just hoping for the best at this point. I wanted to ask about the tipping. Our group leader has requested $145 paid to her in cash, which I was completely caught off guard, considering the financial commitment of the trip itself, but reading this, it seems that it is quite normal. I contacted EF and the representative said that according to the tour itinerary, the total suggested guideline should be significantly less. Do you know what happens if there is a surplus or shortage with the tipping amount? I'm just wary about giving someone I don't even know (group leader) cash.

Louise Emery

Tuesday 2nd of April 2024

I really am not sure what would be done with a surplus. I would definitely ask the group leader about the discrepancy between their request and the recommendation of EF.

Melissa Levy

The parent in charge of the tour I’m about to go on is asking for $200 for tips from each parent going on the trip and $120 for each kid. Based on what I’ve read, this seems like a lot. What do you think?

I think it depends on where you're going and what you're doing. We paid somewhere in the neighborhood of $150 per person. We had a LOT of tours and there were many people to tip. My only concern is the different amount for parent vs student. I wonder why they are breaking it down that way.

Wednesday 21st of February 2024

Expectations make a difference!

Thanks for taking the time to go through all these details. My son did go on one of these trips in his junior year of HS and loved it. I can understand the concerns you mentioned and makes those points something to think about when scheduling a group tour. As an adult, I have been to Europe twice with groups (travel award from workd) I know EF Tours has groups for that as well, and have been apprehensive to just 'jump in". Trying to analyze what is the best option to finally get to the Grand Canyon. Thanks for your perspectives

1concerned Mama

Monday 29th of January 2024

Hi, daughter is going through EF summer of 2024 to Europe, she has been told by a teacher that students will have "free time" to walk around and do as they please. Do you know is this a Supervised free time? I am kind of weary about letting her go as it is, let alone being unsupervised in another country without me. I'm honestly leaning towards just canceling her trip after reading some of these comments.

I'm not sure how it will be handled on your trip, but on ours students were allowed to go out unsupervised. The teacher from our school asked that they stay in groups of at least 2. Most of our students chose to be in groups of 3 or 4, some with an adult and some without. We were given specific instructions on where and what time to meet up again. Most of the time, we only had a couple of hours. But my daughter and I did skip one of the optional excursions (the one to Versailles) which gave us an entire afternoon in Paris to ourselves. Our students handled this freedom quite responsibly, and we didn't have any issues. The only time we ever had someone not show up at our pick up spot, it was one of the adults on the trip who didn't plan accordingly. The group we were paired with from another school did not allow their students to do this. They all stayed together for their entire trip. I would get specifics from the the lead teacher organizing your trip as to how your group is going to handle this.

Italy trips

There’s no place quite like Italy. From the busy streets of Rome and the winding canals of Venice to the cliffs of Cinque Terre, it’s all beauty and history and, of course, food. On our trips to Italy, you’ll see it all, eat it all, and love every minute. So pack your pasta-eating pants, we’ll see you out there.

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Switzerland (10)

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Germany, Italy & Switzerland

Ultimate Europe

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Save up to $100

Italy, France & Spain

Save up to $400

Traveler photos from Italy

Another amazing ef tour.

“This trip was AMAZING!! The local tours in every city were amazing, the hostels were great (hint: rooftop pool in Florence!), and our tour director Luigi was the best. I would relive this week over and over again if I could. The food, the wine, the history and sightseeing. If you have any doubts just book it! You will fall in love with Italy.”

–Kassidy, traveled on Venice, Florence & Rome Jul. 2022

After this trip I’m moving to Italy

“This was by far the best trip I’ve ever done! I loved every city and our tour director Francesca was AMAZING! I felt like I was living in a fairytale! If you want a European summer experience filled with good food and gorgeous views this is the trip for you!”

–Laura, traveled on Ultimate Italy Jul. 2022

Italy is just chef’s kiss

Know before you go

While it may feel awkward at first, attempting the local language goes a long way when navigating a city and interacting with people. Practice these basic Italian words and phrases to get started:

• Hello: Ciao
• Goodbye: Ciao
• Thank you: Grazie
• Where is...?: Dove si trova...?
• I need...: Ho bisogno...
• Cheers!: Saluti!

Italians are warm, inviting people that are very proud of their culture that is world-renowned for its arts and cuisine. And learning some these little quirks, as well as some general European ones, can help you embrace it to the fullest.

• Fare bella figura: This phrase meaning “to make a good impression” is a way of life adopted by many Italians. It’s not only about dressing well, but also about graceful interactions and good manners.
• Italians tend to be very expressive when they speak, both in tone and hand gestures.
• Meals are not hurried, as people like to take their time appreciating the food and sharing conversation. This also means that you’ll have to request your bill in most restaurants.
• Public restrooms in Europe sometimes require a small fee – hold on to your coins!
• Unlike the U.S., everything (hotels, meals, appliances) is smaller. After all, less is more!
• Water is an added cost at restaurants, and you have to choose between still or sparkling.
• Smoking is still rather popular in Italy. Don’t be surprised to see large amounts of locals with lit cigarettes!

Food & Drink

You’ll sample a variety of local dishes on your trip, but read on for tips, tricks, and delicacies you just must try.

• Breakfast: Italians usually have a sweet pastry and cappuccino instead of the savory continental breakfast you’re used to. Try a chocolate croissant!
• Coffee: Iced coffee begone, espresso is your new friend and you’ll never find a bad espresso in Italy. Make sure to order and pay for your espresso at the bar to avoid paying more than the usual 1-2€!
• Aperitivo: This is a light meal between lunch and dinner with snacks and wine, or a refreshing spritz like aperol or campari
• Late dinners: Dinner doesn’t often begin until after 8 or 9pm. More reason to enjoy aperitivo!
• Digestif: Try an after-dinner digestive liquor like limoncello, sambuca, amari, or apertivi
• Cacio e pepe: A simple yet delicious pasta dish with black pepper, pecorino Romano cheese, and pasta. They say all Italian meals only require 3 ingredients!
• Roman artichokes: One of the most famous dishes of Roman cuisine, the artichokes are braised in water, white wine, garlic, salt, pepper, and oil.
• Florentine steak: A specific cut of the meat from Tuscan cattle, and it is an excellent choice if you’re feeling #fancy in #Florence
• Pizza: Need we say more?
• Arancini: These Sicilian fried rice balls are traditionally filled with meat and peas, but you'll likely find a number of different variations to sample.
• Cannoli: You may have had some cannolis in your life, but here's your chance to have these fried pastry shells filled with ricotta in the land of their birth: Sicily.

We plan it all. And then some.

Our group trips to Italy come with everything included. That’s accommodations, flights (unless you wanna book your own), activities, and an expert Tour Director who always knows where to find the best gelato.

Round-trip flights & airport transfers (or book ’em yourself)

Multilingual Tour Director & local guides

Sightseeing activities and excursions

Entrance tickets to top attractions

Metro passes in major cities

Hand-picked accommodations

New travel BFFs

Welcome Dinner & Farewell Dinner

Private deluxe motorcoaches

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Greeks to Italy & Greece

Ancient history meets epic relaxation meets pasta on this 13-day trip through Italy and Greece. Envision yourself as a Gladiator in the Colosseum of Ancient Rome, explore the beauty of Southern Italy, travel back in time to where Western Civilization began on the Acropolis of Athens, and unwind on a white sand beach, drink in hand, on one of Greece’s breathtaking islands: Mykonos.

Picture yourself

Eating the cacio e pepe you typically dream about

Posing in front of the cotton-candy Santorini sunset

Tossing a coin into the Trevi Fountain (tip: right hand over left shoulder)

Standing in the Colosseum, channeling your inner gladiator

Channeling ancient goddesses atop the Acropolis

What you'll get

Round-trip flights & airport transfers (or book 'em yourself)

2 ferry rides

11 nights in handpicked accommodations

11 breakfasts

Expert Tour Director

24/7 support from our travel gurus

2 insider Italian-city tours with local guides

Tour of the Acropolis in Athens

Ferry ride to Positano

Board your overnight flight, bound for Italy. Get ready to eat spaghetti on penne on linguine on fettuccine on gnocchi on ravioli on chocolate gelato (not literally, but maybe literally).

Welcome to Rome, Italy’s capital city that is bursting at the seams with energy. Locals fill the streets, day and night, usually doing something that involves eating or drinking. And how can you blame them when pasta, pizza, gelato, coffee, and wine are everywhere you look? Rome is all big city/ancient ruins, served with a side of spaghetti.

In the evening, enjoy a Welcome Dinner of local cuisine and drinks with fellow travelers at an authentic local spot. Afterwards, you’re free to take the party elsewhere!

Today's highlights:

• Meet an EF representative at the airport.
• Transfer to your accommodation and check in.
• Receive the latest schedule from your Tour Director.
• Meet your fellow travelers as they arrive.
• Take a guided tour of some top sights around Rome.

They say all roads lead to Rome, but once you’re there you quickly realize that all roads actually lead to restaurants. Take the morning to satisfy your cravings and sip some espresso, then see perhaps the most staggeringly important building you can possibly see in Europe: the Roman Colosseum.

• Tour the city with a local guide who will show you why Rome is one of the most legendary cities in Europe.
• Experience the heart of ancient Rome with a visit to the Forum, once a hub of activity for the city.
• See the ruins of several Roman temples, including the Temple of the Vestal Virgins.

Rome has a bit of a spooky side. Travel deep underground to catacombs built by early Christians. Then, head to St. Paul’s Basilica. Existing since at least 324 AD, they say St. Paul himself is buried there. Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

Today you get to explore centuries worth of culinary perfection, unbelievable architecture, and local fashion on your own. And let it be said, Rome looks goooood for being 2,000 years old. (It must moisturize.) Shop, eat, drink, and talk like an Italian (with your hands) during your free day. Embrace the culture and indulge in carbs during your last day in the Eternal City.

Free time suggestions

Piazza Navona: Head over to Piazza Navona, one of Rome’s best known public squares. Fountains, street performers, shops, restaurants, and so much more. Hangout, sip coffee, and embrace the atmosphere of this outdoor hub. Trevi Fountain: Rumor has it, if turn your back to the Trevi Fountain and toss a coin over your shoulder, it guarantees you’ll return to the Eternal City. Throw in a second coin, and you’ll not only come back, but also find love. (Significant other not guaranteed by EF Ultimate Break.)

A Visit to the Vatican (extra cost)

Visit the Pope’s house: Vatican City. Take a guided tour of the Vatican Museum and St. Peter's Basilica, and get your dose of art history up close and personal—viewing Michelangelo's famed Sistine Chapel frescoes. Please note: The Vatican is closed on Sundays. In the event that the itinerary day containing this optional lands on a Sunday for your departure, the optional will take place the day before. This excursion is  pre-book  only; if your trip is less than 90 days away, please call 800-766-2645 to purchase. This excursion is also non-refundable 95 days prior to departure.

Make your way to the Naples Region and explore the Amalfi Coast. The Amalfi Coast is a 30+ mile stretch of coastline that happens to be pure Italian perfection—quaint towns, high cliffs towering over crashing Mediterranean waves, and enchanting views that never end. Today, you get to see all of it for yourself. Ready your camera, make room in your stomach for cake, and don’t even think about blinking. Okay you can blink. But quickly—you don’t want to miss this.

• Relax on a scenic pebble beach or shop your way through the colorful streets of Positano.

The day is yours to do as you wish, like enjoying the thing that Naples is known for: that bready, cheesy, tomato sauce topped stuff we call pizza. Or join your Tour Director for an excursion to Capri. Trust us, you haven’t lived lavishly until you’ve cruised around the island of Capri.

Capri Cruisin' (extra cost)

Ferry across the Bay of Naples then around the Isle of Capri, gawking at the incredible Arco Naturale and the famous Faraglioni rocks. Then travel by funicular railway to the ancient mountaintop island resort. Why wait? Save money by booking this optional excursion before your trip departs.

As you make your way to the Rome Airport for your flight to Athens, join a local guide for a walking tour of the ancient city of Pompeii, which stands frozen in time after Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, completely destroying the town.

• Travel back to imperial Roman times and learn about Pompeii, the city covered in volcanic ash.
• Look up at Mt. Vesuvius, the deadly volcano that annihilated this city almost 2,000 years ago.
• Experience the buildings, artifacts and even people that have been extremely well preserved over the years.

Welcome to Athens! 2,500 years ago, it was kind of a happening place, and still is today—with fewer people in togas walking around. It’s a vibrant metropolis, and a perfect jumping-off point for your journey through the Greece. When the sun goes down, expect to see people socializing in the streets. It’s how they roll.

• Step back in time in the historic Acropolis of Athens with your local guide.
• See the Propylaea, the The Panathenaic (Olympic) Stadium, and a bunch of other structures you’ll need your guide’s help to pronounce.
• Take in incredible panoramic views of Athens from the citadel’s hilltop vantage point, and understand why the ancient city’s name translates to “high city”.

Head out from Athens to Mykonos by way of ferry. Though also rich in history, this island’s claim to fame is all-out, non-stop, dance-until-the-sun-comes-up nightlife. Between dazzling seascapes, sandy beaches and the best nightlife in the Mediterranean, get ready—you’ve got two big days and two even bigger nights here.

• Wave goodbye to Athens and set your sights for Mykonos as your board your ferry.
• Arrive in Mykonos and check in to your accommodation.
• Get to know the area with your Tour Director on a brief walk, and start planning out your evening.
• Spend your free time exploring a few of the islands 800 churches…or maybe just head to one of its 100 bars. You do you

Sun of a Beach: The late afternoon is a great time to beach it—a little breeze kicks up and the temperature dips just enough to make it feel great. Go to Church: Mykonos’ most famous church, the rock-like Panagia Paraportiani, is usually locked, but the fabulously photogenic whitewashed exterior is a spiritual experience in itself.

Spend the day in Mykonos doing what you want. Whether that’s a beach day, a food day, a food AND beach day, so be it. In Mykonos there is no wrong choice.

• Take the morning to rest and recover as you please.
• Lather on the SPF 75 (skincare is important) and head to the nearest beach.
• Pick up that bottle of olive oil you promised mom at one of the many shops.

Party in Paradise: By day, Paradise Beach is a hotspot for sun tanners, sand castle-builders, and partiers alike. By night, the sand is your dance floor and the entire beach erupts into a high-energy party that goes ‘til dawn. Super Paradise: Visit Super Paradise Beach, Paradise Beach’s smaller, quainter neighbor. Relax under an umbrella, hang out in a beach bar, and soak up your last day in this island paradise.

Spend your last day in Mykonos doing what you want.

Mykonian Farm & BBQ (extra cost)

Explore a local farm, hear its history, and meet its animals. Then, help prepare a traditional meal. Vegetarian and vegan options available.

Athens felt neglected, so it’s a good thing you’re heading back to pay it another visit. End the trip with a bang in a city known for stunning views and world-class nightlife. By now, you’re an old pro when it comes to exploring Greece, so we’re giving you the day to adventure in Athens on your own before an included farewell dinner with the group.

• Take a ferry from Mykonos to Athens, and greet the ancient city like a really, really old friend.
• Revisit some favorite spots from day one in Athens, or go on a hunt to find new hidden gems.
• Check out some of the residential areas for an authentic look at life in Athens.
• Enjoy one last group dinner, and raise a glass to an epic trip.

Follow the Light: Flood-lit like a beacon towering over the city, Mount Lycabettus offers a spectacular view of the city. If you’ve been holding out on posting a scenic Instagram post, this is your moment.

Farewell Dinner Share some last laughs (and maybe shed a few tears) at an included farewell dinner with the group.

Antio, filoi! Translation: Goodbye, friends. Your next destination awaits—home. Before you head to the airport, enjoy your last few moments together. Take one more group photo. Grab that final drink. (Fine, maybe a couple of drinks.) But this isn’t goodbye. It’s, “See you later.” The only question is, where?

EXTEND YOUR TRIP 2 WAYS

1. Double the fun A lot of our trips line up back to back! Give us a call—we can help you add another and save big while you're at it.

2. Go ahead or stay behind Extending your trip is easy! During checkout, you'll have the option to fly to (or from) the gateway of your choice for an additional fee. We'll adjust your flights accordingly, but you'll be responsible to take care of your transportation, hotels, and other logistics outside of tour.

Note: Depending on your desired gateways, additional fees may apply.

BOOK THE TRIP🤍

Italy and Greece have been on my bucket list for years and it did not disappoint! Our tour director Simone was an absolute gem and I highly recommend this trip!

Giorgos was the best tour guide ever he was so nice and he got along with us great

Emily Hollier

Best trip ever!

I would do this trip over and over again. The places were beautiful and sooo well planned! It was the perfect combination of busy and relaxed all in one trip. Also shoutout to our tour director Simone for making our trip that much better! Can't recommend this trip enough!

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North Allegheny middle school students travel to Italy for spring break

A group of middle school students from North Allegheny had the ultimate Italian experience by traveling to the country during their spring break.

The group was led by North Allegheny teachers Megan McGrath and Jim Voland through an outside student travel program, EF Educational Tours.

The trip was not associated or sponsored by the North Allegheny School District, which held its spring break from March 25 to April 1.

McGrath said the trip gave 17 students an amazing experience in the country.

“Students engaged in interactive activities including feeding baby buffalo and learning how they make mozzarella cheese, training as Roman gladiators, and participating in cooking classes to make authentic Italian pizza, gelato and tiramisu,” she said.

Students also visited many recognizable sites, such as the Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps, Colosseum and Villa Borghese Gardens in Rome, along with Vatican City and the Galleria Borbonica, an ancient underground passage in Naples.

Everything proceeded relatively smoothly on the first such trip for North Allegheny middle schoolers, according to McGrath.

“We had some small hiccups that were expected: some students not feeling well, losing some small items on the bus. But overall, the students were very impressive,” she said. “They navigated handling their own money to buy lunches some days and whatever souvenirs they wanted. They kept track of their passports and stayed with the group every time we had some time that wasn’t a guided tour to explore the cities.”

The flights went well, too. They began with a relatively short flight to John F. Kennedy International Airport, which included a long layover, so they were given a bus tour of New York City to fill up time. Then the trip from JFK to Rome was more than eight hours long.

“The students were great on all the flights,” McGrath said. “They didn’t complain if they weren’t seated with their friends. Most students slept, as it was an overnight flight. On the way back to the U.S., the students read, watched movies and played games. No students had any flight issues, and I didn’t hear ‘I’m bored’ once.”

Monica Borowski reported that her daughter Sophia, an Ingomar Middle School eighth grader, had a great time.

“This trip allowed her the independence of seeing another country in an educational and safe environment without her parents,” she said. “Her favorite site was the Trevi Fountain. She, of course, also enjoyed all of the food, especially the gelato.”

McGrath was group leader for the trip, accompanied by Voland and his wife, plus North Allegheny teacher Beth Greenwald, as chaperones.

McGrath said she loves to travel, and when she heard of this opportunity, she was intrigued by the idea of traveling with students. She spoke with a fellow teacher who talked about trips he took with students and the positive impact it had on them.

That’s what “sold me on the idea,” McGrath said. “Getting to see students come out of their shell in such a profound way was amazing to witness.”

Also during North Allegheny’s spring break, two high school groups went to Paris and London, and a summer trip to Switzerland is planned, all through EF Educational Tours.

Next year, sixth- through eighth-grade students can travel on spring break to Belize, and there will be a summer trip to the Netherlands and France. High school’s trips are planned for Japan, Greece and the Dominican Republic.

Informational meetings for families wanting to learn more about these trips will be held for current fifth- through seventh-grade students from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. April 11 at Marshall Middle School. A meeting for eighth through 12th graders is April 10.

For those who couldn’t make the meetings or need information, email [email protected] for middle school. Contact Emily Onorato for high school trips at [email protected] .

Students and their families pay for the trip. The EF company offers scholarships, both needs-based and merit-based, that students can apply for to help with the cost.

Information about EF Educational Tours is available at www.eftours.com .

Natalie Beneviat is a Trib Total Media contributing writer.

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