What makes a Rick Steves' Tour Exceptional
House Specialties
I couldn't possibly put Rick Steves' House Specialties in bite by bite in each city because they overlap constantly everywhere we went. Knowledgeable, energetic guides like Dimitri inspired us. We learned about service charges at cafes, house wine, and how to navigate the Metro independently. By the way, Dimitri spoke 6 languages! 6! Rick also knows about perfect pairings....pairing our tour guide with local guides. Never shy away from the group dinners. They are not like dreaded the wedding buffet of mediocre food. It feels like being welcomed into the home of a local restaurateur where they bring out the best of everything, including wine just for our group.
You might think of the bus rides as a sort of fast during our trip, but that certainly is never the case when you travel with a gourmet like Rick Steves. With the small group size the bus had plenty of room to spread out. My favorite food stops were the Autogrills, you'll see. And a stop in Lindau to break up a long drive was perfect.
Accommodations sound unappetizing, but the places we stayed were delightful.