FAQ

No. Our trips stand out for our impeccable attention to details, high-quality accommodation, great local restaurant partners, professional and passionate local leaders, and amazing experiences, but these are not luxury tours. Rather, they are comfortable, casual and fun. If you are looking for a luxury tour experience, check out our Tailor-Made Tours. We can help you to design the itinerary of your dreams!

Though no specific training or fitness level is required for our tours, there are a few things we suggest considering when choosing your LocalWonders Travel experience.

• Exploring by foot!
  Exploring a new place in the comfort of a tour bus might be okay sometimes, but in doing so you miss out on the authenticity of a place – an authenticity which is only truly understood by feeling the cobblestone streets underfoot, hearing the sounds of the city, connecting with locals, and inhaling the delicious aromas from the local cafés and restaurants. This is why at LocalWonders Travel we pride ourselves on providing tours that allow our guests to explore cities by foot. That said, sometimes we explore for up to three hours at a time. We do this at a relaxed and comfortable pace, stopping to rest once-in-a-while to enjoy an espresso or gelato, and promise that you’ll have a wonderful time but guests should note that walking is a big part of our trips!
• Train Travel
  Trains are a fast, fun and environmentally-friendly means of transport, but even the most modern trains require climbing some stairs to board. Upon arrival in a new destination, a taxi or private transfer will take us from the station to the hotel. (Note: In three places – Venezia, Cinque Terre and Pompeii – we’ll walk to our hotel as it’s just a very short distance away. An easy and enjoyable stroll!)
• Cultural Heritage and Stairs
  In a country like Italy of such rich heritage, there are many amazing buildings and structures to explore. To do so, there might be some stair-climbing involved.

That said, your comfort is our main focus and we do everything to make sure that our tours are totally enjoyable for our guests.

There are a variety of ways to get to the hotel once you land: public transit, taxi, or we can organize a private transfer for you (with a driver who will be at the airport upon your arrival). Information about “how to get to your hotel” can be found in the “Tour Notes” documentation on the webpage of your chosen tour.

Unfortunately, LocalWonderful Travel does not plan or book flights for our guests. We will take care of everything once you’re here in Italy, but we have chosen not to have a travel agent on our team in order to be able to provide our guests with exceptional quality Italy experiences at reasonable rates.

Not quite. When you have successfully submitted your Booking Form via our website, you will receive an email from LocalWonders Travel to let you know that we got it. Within 48-hours, you’ll receive a second email from us containing your formal confirmation and payment receipt. For more information about booking confirmations, please see our Terms and Conditions.

You will receive your specific trip details, including hotel accommodations and how to get there from the airport, at least 3-weeks before your tour start date (by email). In the meantime, you’ll find most of the information you’ll need on in the “Tour Notes” documentation on the webpage of your chosen tour. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us any time.

Yes, LocalWonders Travel carries Professional Liability Insurance as well as a Tour Operator’s Insolvency Insurance (required by European law). For more information see our Terms and Conditions.

Yes, you need insurance. LocalWonders Travel’s insurance does not cover our guests’ potential medical and repatriation costs. For everyone’s protection, we require that our guests provide proof-of-purchase for travel insurance that covers medical and repatriation costs in order to participate in our tours. Guests’ travel insurance costs are not included in the cost of our tours. For further information, please see Travel Insurance on the How We Travel page of our website.

Whether or not you require a Visa to enter Italy depends on your nationality and the agreements between your country of origin and Italy. For further information, please check the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website  and contact the Italian Embassy in your country.

Unfortunately, we are not able to assist our guests in obtaining travel Visas. If you are unsure about whether or not you need a Visa, and/or how to obtain one, we highly recommend contacting the Italian Embassy nearest you in your home country.

Required travel documentation (and Visas) depends on your nationality and the agreements between your country of origin and Italy. However, a passport with a minimum 6-month validity from the date of entry into Italy is usually required. If you’re unsure, please contact the Italian Embassy or Consular offices nearest to you.

In Italy, we use the Euro €. Currency Exchange Bureaus or ATMs are available in almost all of the places we will go during your LocalWonders tour.

No! Accommodation arrangements for single travellers during our trips include an ensuite twin room, shared with a fellow single traveller of the same sex. However, should you wish to stay in alone, you will have the option of adding a “single supplement” to your booking (for a fee).

In the “Tour Notes” documentation on the webpage of your chosen tour, you’ll find detailed recommendations for what to bring.
We don’t have baggage restriction, but on our tours our guests carry their own luggage, so we suggest luggage that’s 15-18kg at the most (That weight is a good compromise between having everything you’ll need and ease of movement). Our guests comfortably use a variety of luggage types, including backpacks, suitcases, duffel bags and trolleys.

We’ve incorporated free time throughout all of our tours so that our guests can relax or explore at their own pace, indulging in their own special interests – museums, shopping, dining, concerts, wandering and more. Should you need suggestions, we’ve included some of the most popular activities in the “Tour Notes” documentation on the webpage of your chosen tour. Alternately, your local leader will be able to provide lots of suggestions!

No, our tour prices do not include gratuities (tips) for the service providers you’ll encounter along the way (ie: restaurants, hoteliers, and local leaders). Tips are not compulsory in Italy (as they are in other parts of the world) though they are becoming more common and they can be significant for the people who have taken care of you during the tour.

Should you wish to tip for excellent service, you should feel welcome (though it’s not required). We’ve included more information, including tipping guidelines, in the “Tour Notes” documentation on the webpage of your chosen tour.