i am tossing up between taking an Italian 13 day tour with Trafalgar tours or doing it at my own leisure. I am a 34 year old female who will be travelling alone.
what are the good and bad things about doing a tour?
Tours have usually compiled a list of destinations and lodges that are deemed acceptable by the tour company guidelines. They'll usually handle all of your transportation and lodging arrangements, and would probably be best for someone traveling alone. A lot of the tour groups get significant discounts for transportation, airfare and lodging, and can be cheaper.
Arranging your own trip allows you to pick exactly what you want to see and the timeline that you want to see it. But, I wouldn't recommend doing your own thing if a) you don't speak the native language or feel comfortable attempting to translate things, b) have difficulty with maps, directions, and driving in new places or c) don't do a lot of research when planning a trip. If you want to rent a car there, keep in mind that gas in Europe is about $7 per gallon. Also, you'll likely have to purchase the rental car insurance through the car agency...my car insurance nor Visa credit card would cover rental car insurance in Ireland, Italy or Jamaica. That will add at least another $75 or so to your car rental. I would also rent one with a GPS system, since the roads in Europe are pretty crazy!
Personally, I would go for the Trafalgar tour. I think you would be able to enjoy the scenery more and camaraderie of the tour group would only enhance your trip. Plus, the tour will take you to all of the tourist destinations and some other cool places you might not have known about otherwise.
Rick Steves also offers quite a few tours in Europe. You might want to check with your local AAA travel agency for other companies.