For those who would like to travel Europe on their own (by themselves or with a few family or friends), we offer consulting services to
1) Save time in your preparation: whether it is to help you decide where to visit, sights to see near where you have decided to go, lodging choices, transportation (air or ground), entry fees, etc.
2) Save money and time on your trip: booking train tickets prior to leaving the US, on-line museum/sites entry fees so as to not have to wait in the long lines at some of the sites.
3) Make sure you know about things that may interest you near the cities/towns you are staying in.
4) Not miss out on Christian sites (especially Catholics) on places you are planning to go. Many times I talk with people who have been to Europe on their own or with other tour companies (usually secular). For example, when they tell me they visited the Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, I ask if they prayed in front of the crib of Jesus. They usually tell me they don’t recall seeing it.
If you looking for overall advice, I always tell people to make a list of everything they have ever wanted to see in Europe and how many days they will be able to spend in Europe. Depending upon what you want to see, it may be better to break trips into 1-3 countries and try to go back in a few years to see a new country or two.
If this may be your only trip to Europe I have taken groups on an overview tour, what some may call continental Europe. Depending upon how much time you have and what countries you want to see, you can get a couple nights each in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, France 3-5 nights (Paris 3 nights), Italy 7 nights (if Rome 3, Florence 2, Venice area 2), maybe a night in Belgium and/or The Netherlands. If you want to see Barcelona, Berlin, Paris and Rome all on the same trip, unless you have at least 3 weeks, you will be doing a lot of traveling, so you may have to fly between at least two of them.
RATES
The first time we do consulting with you is $80 (via telephone up to 1 hour). If you would like us to come to meet you in the Seattle area, the first hour is $100. If it is something easy that won’t take an hour and it is done via phone, we are usually willing to drop it down to 15 minute increments at $20 per 15 minutes.
Any hours after the first hour, no matter if it’s the same or different days are $60/hour which can be billed in 15 minute increments at $15/15 minutes. If you want to meet in person for some of the additional hours, each time it is an extra $20 to cover gas expenses and travel time.
Of course, when I plan a customized group tour for you (from small to large) I go with you as your car/van driver or tour escort on a motorcoach. All my consulting with you and planning time is included in my bid on group tours.
For any consulting service contact us via phone or send an email [email protected].
Let us know what type of advice you are looking for and where you are thinking of visiting: which countries or cities (museums, shopping, strolling) or would you like to spend more time in the outdoors (hiking, swimming, historical sites) on a vacation.