Review: Contiki “Simply Italy Winter”

Score: ★★★★★

Location: Italy

Length: 12 days

Dates: 16 Mar 2015 – 27 Mar 2015

REVIEW ON CONTIKI WEBSITE:

Best thing I have ever done! This trip was incredible you spent 12 days falling in love with so much history and culture of Italy. You really got to take time and experience cities and towns and not feel too rushed.

I meet so many amazing people on this trip and made some great new friend and the Enzo’s (Tour Manager and Driver) were amazing really went above and beyond to make our trip that much more special.

Defiantly do all of the Extras as they are all worth it the only one I didn’t like too much was the final dinner the food wasn’t the nicest also the Gondola ride in Venice was too crowded with 5-6 people and wasn’t what I expected, defiantly book your own. But everything exceeded my expectations. All hotels were really nice except for Sorrento but can’t expect more as it’s a small town not city. All hotels were in pretty good locations either close to city centre or close to public transport. Food in Italy is amazing as we all already know, defiantly try this cute restaurant in Castello, Venice called Marco Polo for really yummy pizza for decent price.

My favourite places and experience on the tour

– Isle of Capri and boat ride around the Island
– Florence, Statue of David and Bell Tower climb
– Dinner in Verona
– Venice and Palazzo Ducale
– Sirmione and boat ride on Lake Garda
– Wine Tasting Tuscany
– Sistine Chapel Rome

All in all an incredible experience and I recommend to anyone who wants to slow down and get an in-depth history and cultural experience of Italy.

My Contiki was: Unforgettable

How much did I spend in Europe?

I spent $9611.58 on my 1 month long Europe trip. My original budget was around $10,500. I also to over a extra $650 (birthday money) with me to Europe.  I ended up coming home with £120 and €1,017 minus a few cents here and there and when converted back to my local currency AUD it gave me a grand total saving of $1589.

$1956.22: RT Flight

$1988: Contiki “Simply Italy” (12 days)

$429.84: Internal Flights (3)

$999.30: Accommodation (1 Hotel, 3 Hostels- 16 nights)

$322: Insurance

$1081: Attractions/Day trips

$400: Contiki Extras

$200: Public Transport

$2235.22: Food, Shopping & Other expenses

Isle of Capri- 18/03/15

 

Day 4 – Start of Contiki

Well, today is officially the start of my Contiki Tour “Simply Italy” and I’m incredibly nervous about meeting everyone but so excited to travel around Italy. Our meet up is at 4pm today, so Vanessa her sister Raphaela and I are going to walk around Rome today and see some of the sights before officially starting our Italy Tour.

 

Day 2 – Disaster in Rome

Okay, so last night was a disaster. After 36 hours I finally landed in Rome and my transfer picked me up to take me to my hotel. Finally, at around 7pm I got to my hotel and all I wanted to do was go to sleep. I go to check in and am told they have unfortunately double booked and they don’t have my room, but they have booked me into another hotel a sister hotel in Fleming free of charge and have a car waiting to take me.

I will admit I was a little freaked out I tried to call my mum, but no answer so I wasn’t sure what to do? Do I get in the car? Or do I stay and try and contact Contiki or my insurance? After a few phone calls with no one answering the only thing left to do was get in the car, so I did. To make things worse the man driving locked my door. I’m already on high alert freaking out and then this man, who speaks no English is locking my door, I’m thinking “great I’m being kidnapped, this is the real life Taken movie” I actually started tearing up. My first time overseas by myself and I’m being escorted to a random hotel at 8pm, I’m tired and frightened.

So I finally get dropped off at this new hotel go in and explain why I’m here and I’m ready to check in and get told “sorry we are fully booked but I can book you a cab to take you to a hotel nearby”. I try to expel again, saying I was sent here from Santa Costanza Hotel and they said they booked me a room. No luck, they are insisting they don’t have my reservation and are fully booked. So I ask for their WiFi password to sit down and try to connect to the WiFi. Behold my luck is running out I cannot connect to the internet for some reason and then I realise my phone battery is at 3% my quickly try to call my mum again but as its like 3am in Australia no luck.

So I started panicking and crying, I am so frightened I have no idea why to do and where I’m going to sleep, I’m in a random town in a foreign country and I know know one and am really scared. I decided to try one last time at the reception while crying and explain again my situation and tell them can you please call the other hotel and talk to them. I’m not sure what I said, but the women finally clicks and realises who I am and I do have a room and apologises and checks me in gives me a key and gets someone to carry my bags to my room. I decline I’m so emotional I just need to be alone, I’m still scared and shaken up and completely angry and frustrated by what has just happened. My first day in Italy my first day on my trip and this happens, what the hell is going to happen next!

Day 1 – Brisbane to Rome

Well todays the day. I finally jet setting off to my Europe adventure. I have just arrived to Brisbane airport with my mum, I have checked in my luggage said my goodbyes brought a packet of M&M’s a bottle of water and the book “On the Road” by Jack Kerouac and I am now waiting at my gate for boarding. At this moment as I type this my nerves are starting to set in and it’s actually starting to feel real, I am travelling to Europe!

Last night I re-packed about 3 times not sure what to put in my backpack, am I over packing? do I really need this top? How many socks should I take? Should I buy my shampoo over there? So many questions were running through my head, I barley had time to realise what I was about to do. But now, sitting here with all the distractions out of the way I can start to focus on my excitement for this trip. I have saved for this trip for over 11 months and have been planning for a year now and it’s finally come around and I couldn’t be happier.

Europe Budget

Below is my budget for Europe. Most of my expenses I have already paid for or have booked therefore I know the costs, I have marked them with a $ sign. The rest is just a rough idea of what my budget will be and what I’m planning to spend.

$1988: Contiki “Simply Italy” $

$1956.22: Flights RT to Europe $

$421: Internal flights (3) $

$989.81: Accommodation (1 Hotel, 3 Hostels) $

$322: Insurance $

$330: Contiki “Me Time” Extras

$481: Prepaid Day tour/Attractions $

$350: Attractions

$150: Public Transport/Airport transport

$3500: Food & Shopping

Total: $10,488.03

Accommodation Update

So I have my accommodation for London sorted and also booked my accommodation in Rome prior to my Contiki Trip (which I forgot about, whoops).

In Rome I decided to stay at the hotel the Contiki starts at as it just seemed easier. The hotel is called Santa Costanza its $320 for the 2 extra nights.

London I am staying at Palmers Lodge- Swiss Cottage Hostel. I choose this hostel as it had good reviews 8/10 also location looks good and its close to an underground station. Again, I decided to go off the services and facilities in the room than the price. I am staying in a 12 bed female dorm with en-suite, breakfast is extra. For 5 nights its costing $203.91AUD.

My Itinerary

I have finally nailed down and completed my itinerary!

Heres my itinerary from March 13- April 11

Day 1: Overnight flight to Rome (via Hong Kong and London)
Day 2: Rome
Day 3: Rome
Day 4: Rome (Contiki starts)
Day 5: Rome to Sorrento (via Pompeii)
Day 6: Isle of Capri (day trip)
Day 7: Sorrento to Florence (via Chianti Region)
Day 8: Florence
Day 9: Florence to Venice (via Verona)
Day 10: Venice
Day 11: Venice to Milan (via Lake Garda)
Day 12: Milan to La Spezia (via Cinque Terre)
Day 13: La Spezia to Rome (via Pisa)
Day 14: Rome
Day 15: Rome to Paris (Contiki ends)
Day 16: Paris
Day 18: Paris
Day 19: Paris
Day 20: Paris
Day 21: Paris to Edinburgh
Day 22: Edinburgh
Day 23: Edinburgh
Day 24: Edinburgh to London
Day 25: London
Day 26: London
Day 27: London
Day 28: London
Day 29: Overnight flight to Singapore
Day 30: Overnight flight Singapore to Brisbane

Contiki Booked

I have just been on the phone booking and putting a deposit down on the “Simply Italy” Contiki Tour. Luckily I ended up getting a discount of $51 off the total price of the tour due to a Travel Convention happening at the time of my booking.
Its official I am going to Europe in March!