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Cosmos Tours & Cruises hosted a fam trip to some of Italy’s top sights in October. Charlotte Cullinan hears from two agents about the highlights and selling tips gleaned.
To experience Rome’s Colosseum from a unique perspective, agent Yvonne Montgomery suggests witnessing the headline attraction at night. “It’s worth visiting in the day and going back in the evening, as it is lit up beautifully, and the night tour is fantastic,” she explains. “It looks completely different, and the other main sites are illuminated, so it feels very special.”
Aspen Travel sales consultant Montgomery saw the historic site on her first trip to Italy in October, as part of a fam trip with Cosmos Tours & Cruises. The seven-night Rome, Vesuvius, Capri & Sorrento itinerary is one of the escorted tour specialist’s most popular products. Up to 50 customers travel on each coach, and free onboard Wi-Fi will be available on all European coaches next year.
The group of eight agents started their explorations in Rome on their second day. While some chose an excursion to the Vatican museums, Montgomery headed to St Peter’s Basilica. “It’s absolutely beautiful, and if you visit in the morning you see the mist lifting over Vatican City.” She advises arriving early, explaining that by 9.30am the Renaissance church was already very busy with tourists.
The group then made their daytime visit to the Colosseum, before visiting again at night as part of an evening city tour. “I’ve seen photos of it, and it really lived up to my expectations,” Montgomery says. “It’s just massive, and I could imagine it full of crowds thousands of years ago.”
The agents had a choice of excursions on their third day, with some opting to visit the capital’s ancient catacombs. Montgomery went to the Villa d’Este garden in Tivoli, one of the area’s most popular attractions thanks to its ruins, caves and waterfalls. “The grounds are beautiful and every four hours an organ started playing as water worked its way through 100 water features. It was a really lovely trip, and entry is only €11 on top of the excursion.”
Montgomery intends to highlight it to clients as a must-see, but advises: “It does involve a lot of walking, so is best for those who are reasonably fit.”
During their time in Rome the group ate in local restaurants, and Montgomery relished the food. “During the evening tour we visited a lovely restaurant where I had an absolutely gorgeous steak. The antipasto was fantastic, and the pasta we ate was so much nicer than what we have at home.”
For customers who adore Italy’s culinary staple, Montgomery suggests purchasing a souvenir pasta bib. “Lots of street vendors sell them, and they are massive! They’re fun things to bring home.”
The fourth day saw the group make the three-hour drive to Mount Vesuvius – mainland Europe’s only active volcano – where Montgomery enjoyed witnessing the mist lift over Naples.
When Vesuvius erupted in 79AD it buried the city of Pompeii in ash, and Montgomery witnessed the ruins during a guided trip. “We saw a house which still had writing and paintings on the walls, so it’s easy to imagine how it once would have looked. The ruins are massive, and we also saw several entombed bodies.”
After an hour’s hydrofoil ride across the Bay of Naples, the group arrived in Capri, and had the following day to explore the island. To celebrate her birthday, Elaine Price, senior travel consultant at Spear Travels in Wolverhampton, enjoyed a self-guided tour with Montgomery and three other agents.
“Capri is on three levels,” Price explains. “The port is at the bottom, Capri town in the middle, and Anacapri at the top. We travelled around easily by bus and a convertible taxi. We visited some lovely spots and had a delicious pizza.”
Price then enjoyed a panoramic view of the island after taking a chairlift to the top of Mount Solaro. “In October the weather was changeable, so we kept an eye on it and went up when the cloud had cleared, and had perfect views,” she advises.
Day six started with a 20-minute ferry ride from Capri to Sorrento, where the group boarded their coach for a tour of the Amalfi coast. “The scenery is stunning, and there are plenty of stops en route where passengers are asked to swap sides on the coach to share the views, so it’s very fair.” Price enjoyed the 1.5-hour lunch break in Amalfi, which gave her time to admire its black sand beach and cobbled streets.
Continuing her day of sightseeing, she returned for a walking tour of Sorrento. “It was just over an hour but really helpful to gain an orientation of Sorrento. Then the next day was at leisure, and a group of us went exploring together. To get to the port you can either walk down hundreds of steps or take a small lift. It’s worth a visit as it’s really gorgeous.”
It was Price’s first visit to Italy, and she was pleased with the quality of accommodation throughout the tour. Rome’s Parco Tirreno won praise for its garden terrace and proximity to the Metro station, while she enjoyed her large balcony at the Hotel San Michele on Capri. “It has a quirky style and lots of ornate furnishings.”
However, Sorrento’s Ascot Hotel was the only property to offer a hot breakfast option, earning it kudos among the group. “The food was really good, and there was a lovely rooftop terrace, garden and pool.”
Both agents are now keen to promote the tour to customers, with Price hoping to sell it to those in their mid-thirties and above.
She has booked numerous other Cosmos Tours & Cruises’ products, and adds: “Italy is one of our big European sellers, so I expect this will be an easy one to sell.”
Escorted tours are also popular among Montgomery’s clients, and she regularly books with the operator. She expects to be able to sell the itinerary to numerous older couples, adding: “It will be popular as it covers all the key places that people want to go, so it’s perfect for first-time visitors.”
Yvonne Montgomery:
Elaine Price:
Book it: Cosmos Tours & Cruises’ seven-night Rome, Vesuvius, Capri & Sorrento tour starts at £891pp, departing on March 11, 2016. It includes flights from Gatwick, transfers, B&B accommodation, some meals, excursions and the services of a tour director. Regional departures available. |
