When you’re planning a trip to Europe, one of the biggest decisions is not just where to go, but how you’re going to get around. For our recent trip, we decided to try a Europe group tour instead of planning everything ourselves.
We chose a 10-day Europe group tour from Rome to Amsterdam with the tour company Expat Explore, giving us the chance to experience multiple countries without having to handle all the logistics.
To be honest, we weren’t sure about taking a group tour and what it would be like.
Would we spend most of the trip following a rigid non-stop schedule?
Would we have enough free time?
Would we feel pressured to buy optional excursions?
After ten days on our Europe group tour, we came away with a completely different perspective on group tours.
Discover multiple destinations
One thing we realized is that Europe group tours are designed differently than independent travel.
Rather than spending a week in one location, most tours move through several destinations, often spending one or two nights in each place. The goal is to give travelers a taste of multiple cities, regions, and countries in a relatively short amount of time.
For many people, including us, that’s part of the appeal. You get to experience a variety of destinations and discover places you may want to return to and explore more deeply on a future trip.
In fact, several stops on this tour left us saying, “We need to come back here someday.”
If you’re trying to decide between independent travel and a guided tour, here are the things that surprised us most.
Why We Chose Expat Explore Europe Group Tour
One reason we chose Expat Explore (which is being rebranded as Travel Chasers) was the variety of itineraries they offer throughout Europe.
Whether you’re interested in a single country or a multi-country adventure, they offer numerous routes and destinations at a variety of price points.
Compared to some premium tour companies we considered, Expat Explore focuses on keeping tours affordable while still including many of Europe’s most popular destinations.
For us, the appeal was simple: for this trip we wanted to visit multiple countries without worrying about transportation, hotels, directions, and logistics.
Optional Excursions Were More Flexible Than We Expected
One of my biggest concerns before booking involved the optional excursions and how they worked.
In researching group tours in general, I had seen comments from travelers on other tours who felt left behind or had to find their own transportation into the city centers – if they chose not to participate in paid activities.
That wasn’t our experience at all.
Our guide always provided suggestions for activities in the cities we visited for everyone in the group, whether they purchased excursions or not.
Flexibility to Plan Your Own Activities
In many cases, travelers who didn’t join an excursion could still ride with us on the coach to the destination, spend the day exploring independently, and then meet up later for transportation back to the hotel.
This flexibility was a huge benefit and gave you the ability to explore other attractions that were of interest.
For example, during our free day in Rome, we chose to join the optional guided tour of the Vatican Museums, but also had time to enjoy an experience we had planned on our own.
We had tickets to the popular Opera Lirica concert that features some of Italy’s most famous arias and music by Italian composers. The concerts have limited seating and are held in the historic Palazzo Poli building that’s the backdrop of the Trevi Fountain. At the end of the concert, the windows were opened and we had a beautiful view looking out over the fountain below.
After the performance, we took a taxi back to our hotel. While we were in Rome, we noticed there are usually taxi stands near the main attractions like the Vatican Museums and we also had the itTaxi app on our phones to order rides when needed.
Even though we were on a tour, we had opportunities to plan a few experiences on our own. In many destinations, we found a nice balance between the convenience of the tour and the flexibility to add activities that matched our own interests.
Our Tour Guide Made All the Difference
If there was one thing that elevated this trip from good to unforgettable, it was our guide, Alessandro.
Originally from Venice, Ale had approximately 15 years of experience leading tours throughout Europe.
He was knowledgeable, organized, enthusiastic, and genuinely cared about every traveler on the tour.
During long drives, he regularly walked through the coach checking on people, answering questions, and making sure everyone was comfortable.
His local knowledge was incredible, but what stood out most was how hard he worked to make sure everyone had a great experience. He made the trip an “adventure” and would change up the schedules or stops slightly depending on the timing to make the trip more memorable.
On our way to Amsterdam, he let us know that the planned excursion to the Dutch countryside for the next day had fallen through but he was trying to plan something for us instead. Later he told us he had been able to arrange a tour in the countryside to the Clara Maria Cheese Farm & Clog Factory for the entire group.
By the end of the trip, it felt less like following a tour guide and more like traveling with a friend who knew Europe incredibly well.
Mix of Travelers
On the tour there was a mix of travelers from different age groups and backgrounds. There were couples, solo travelers, friends traveling together, and people from several countries.
Many of our favorite conversations happened on the coach, during meals, or while exploring destinations together.
One unexpected benefit of a group tour is the sense of community that develops over the course of the trip.
The Meals Were Part of the Experience
We were actually impressed with the quality and organization of the meals included with the tour.
The tour included breakfast each morning and several group dinners, often on the first evening in a new destination.
Generous Breakfast Buffets
Most mornings began with buffet-style breakfasts that were much larger than we expected.
Depending on the hotel – options included eggs, meats, pastries, breads, cheeses, fruit, yogurt, cereals, juice, and coffee.
Often our group had a designated dining area, making it easy to get our breakfast – and gave everyone time to chat before heading out for the day.
Memorable Group Dinners
Some of our favorite memories came from the group dinners.
In Rome, we enjoyed a welcome dinner at Le Terme del Colosseo, a unique restaurant near the Colosseum with historic stone walls and a cave-like atmosphere.
In Venice, our guide invited the group to tag along for dinner to some of his favorite neighborhood restaurants away from the busiest tourist areas. As a Venice native, he knew exactly where to find local spots that most visitors probably wouldn’t discover on their own.
One evening in Lauterbrunnen, Switzerland, we joined an optional Swiss fondue dinner excursion. Sharing traditional fondue while surrounded by the Swiss Alps became one of the highlights of the trip.
The Service Surprised Us
With 29 travelers on the tour, I thought the group meals might take a long time.
Instead, every restaurant seemed well prepared for our arrival with plenty of staff available to serve our group. The meals typically included starters, the main course and dessert.
The meals moved smoothly while still giving everyone time to relax and enjoy the experience.
Some Experiences Felt VIP!
One thing that surprised us was how many experiences felt exclusive on our group tour.
In Venice, our group enjoyed private boat transportation and optional excursions around the city and nearby islands.
In Switzerland, one of the highlights of our trip was the excursion to Jungfraujoch in the Swiss Alps, also called the “Top of Europe.”
Getting there involves several connections, including trains through the Jungfrau region and the modern Eiger Express gondola before boarding the famous Jungfrau Railway, which climbs through the mountains to Europe’s highest railway station.
If we were trying to plan this on our own as independent travelers, it would mean researching schedules, purchasing tickets, and making sure all of the connections line up correctly.
As part of the excursion, all of those logistics had already been arranged. We simply followed our guide, boarded the trains and gondola with our group, and focused on enjoying the amazing scenery along the way.
In Amsterdam, as part of the tour, our group got to experience the city from the water during a canal cruise.
Several times throughout the trip, I found myself thinking that some of these experiences would have been much harder to organize independently.
What the Hotels Were Like
The tour company keeps its coach tours affordable so most of the hotels will be comfortable three-star properties and some four-star hotels on their tours.
One thing we liked was the variety of hotels.
Some properties had a boutique-style feel and reflected the character of the region we were visiting. In Switzerland, we stayed at the chalet-style Alpenrose Hotel in Wilderswil, which had a traditional Alpine feel and beautiful mountain surroundings.
Other hotels were more modern and familiar to North American travelers, such as the Holiday Inn Express in Amsterdam.
Because we were visiting multiple countries, it was interesting to experience different styles of accommodations along the way rather than staying in the same type of hotel throughout the trip.
Most days were spent sightseeing, so for us the hotels served exactly the purpose we needed: a comfortable place to relax, recharge, enjoy breakfast, and get ready for the next adventure.
Tip: Typically hotels on Europe group tours are often located outside of the city centers – so on your free days you may need to find transportation to do some sightseeing on your own.
Packing for a Europe Bus Tour
One question many travelers have is how much luggage to bring on a bus tour.
For our tour, each traveler was allowed one large suitcase that would be stored underneath the coach, plus a smaller backpack-sized carry-on that stayed with you during the day.
Because we were flying internationally and prefer to travel lighter, we actually used carry-on sized suitcases so we wouldn’t have to check our luggage. Read more about our packing tips and checklist.
One of our favorite travel purchases for this trip was the Bagsmart travel backpack, which we used as our personal item on the flights and throughout the tour. It was large enough for travel essentials – electronics, snacks, medications, and has a separate shoe compartment – making it useful both on travel days and during sightseeing.
For travelers considering a Europe bus tour, make sure to check the luggage guidelines (and the guidelines from your airline) and think about how much you really need to bring. Moving between hotels is much easier when you’re traveling lighter. Plus, on the tour we were responsible for getting our luggage from the coach to the hotel so packing light makes it easier.
Common Concerns About Europe Bus Tours
Not Having Enough Free Time
There was more free time than I expected.
Many destinations included opportunities to explore independently, enjoy local restaurants, shop, or simply wander around.
Optional Excursions
The tour included many fun experiences, as well as offered optional add-on activities (excursions) available at an extra cost. As mentioned earlier, we never felt pressured to participate, but we were happy to have options to choose from like the Jungfraujoch journey to the “Top of Europe,” Vatican Museum Guided Tour that can be hard to get tickets for, Venice by Night boat tour and the Venice lagoon tour to the islands Murano and Burano.
Travelers had options and flexibility throughout the trip.
Traveling with Strangers
Within a few days, the group felt more like friends than strangers. We met some really great people and families from places like Malaysia, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.
The shared experiences created a welcoming atmosphere that enhanced the entire trip.
What It Was Like Traveling on the Tour Bus
Before booking, one thing I wondered about was what traveling in a group on the tour bus would actually be like.
Would the drives feel long?
How often would we stop?
As it turns out, the coach experience was one of the things Expat Explore seemed to have down to a science. For our tour, we typically spent two nights in one location.
An Experienced Driver Matters
Our coach driver had many years of experience driving European tours and had actually worked alongside our tour guide for about ten years.
The two clearly worked well together and made a great team.
Knowing we were traveling through multiple countries, mountain roads, busy cities, and long stretches of highway, it was reassuring to be in the hands of experienced professionals.
Seat Rotation
One thing I had read about coach tours in general was the seating on the bus seemed to be an issue for some people.
On this tour, there was a seat rotation system. Instead of people trying to line up early hoping to get the best seats, everyone rotated seats throughout the tour.
On longer drive days, travelers would move forward a few rows according to the rotation schedule.
This meant everyone eventually had a chance to sit near the front, middle, and back of the coach.
And since the people sitting next to your also changed during the trip, it was a nice chance to get to know our fellow travelers.
Great Music Made the Drives More Fun
Ale also put together excellent playlists for the coach.
The music was played quietly enough that people could still relax, talk, read, or look out the window, but it helped create a fun atmosphere during travel days.
Sometimes the playlists even matched the destination we were heading toward, which was a nice touch and added to the experience.
Regular Rest Stops
Another common question is how often the bus stops.
On our tour, we typically stopped about every two hours for restroom breaks, snacks, coffee, or stretching our legs.
There was also a small onboard restroom available for emergencies, similar in size to what you might find in a camper or RV.
Because of the regular stops, the travel days never felt as long as I expected.
One Thing to Know About Coach Tours: There May Be Some Walking
One practical thing to understand about Europe bus tours is that large coaches often cannot drive directly into historic city centers.
Many European cities were built long before modern buses existed, and there are often restrictions on where tour coaches can park.
As a result, there may be some walking involved between the coach drop-off point and the main sightseeing areas.
For example, in Siena, our guide let everyone know in advance that reaching the historic center would involve about a 30-minute uphill walk from where the coach parked.
What I appreciated was that he also provided some alternative options.
For travelers who didn’t want to make the walk, he pointed out a nearby restaurant and arranged a meeting location where they could relax and wait for the group to return a few hours later.
The same flexibility existed during some walking tours. In Rome, a few travelers chose to skip the walking portion of the tour and simply met the group later for our included dinner near the Colosseum.
Throughout the trip, our guide did a great job communicating what to expect in advance so people could decide what worked best for their comfort level and mobility.
If you’re considering a Europe bus tour, it’s worth knowing that there will likely be some walking involved, but in our experience there were usually options available for travelers who preferred a less active pace.
Excellent Communication Throughout the Tour
One of the things that made the trip run so smoothly was communication.
Our group used WhatsApp throughout the tour, and Ale posted detailed daily schedules and updates for the locations on the tour. The app was also a fun way for our group to share pictures.
Each day sheet included information such as:
- Departure times
- Meeting locations
- Excursion details
- Local recommendations
- Important reminders
- Estimated arrival times
Having everything available on our phones made it easy to stay organized and know what to expect each day.
Meals Were Organized Ahead of Time
Another thing that helped group dinners run smoothly was that meal selections were often made in advance.
At the beginning of the tour, Ale distributed menu sheets for the included group dinners, allowing travelers to choose from a few meal options ahead of time.
This simple step helped restaurants prepare for the group and made service surprisingly efficient, even with nearly 30 travelers dining together.
Looking back, many of the little details – seat rotation, organized communication, regular breaks, advance meal selections, and experienced staff – helped make the tour feel relaxed and well organized rather than rushed or chaotic.
Would We Take Another Europe Group Tour?
Absolutely.
For seeing multiple countries, meeting fellow travelers, and eliminating much of the planning stress, a Europe bus tour exceeded my expectations.
A Fun, Stress-Free Way to Explore Europe
Looking back, our Rome-to-Amsterdam “adventure” was one of the most enjoyable travel experiences we’ve had.
Between the knowledgeable guide, friendly travelers, memorable destinations, included breakfasts, special group dinners, and stress-free transportation, we were able to focus less on logistics and more on enjoying Europe.
If you’re trying to decide whether a Europe bus tour is right for you, our experience showed that guided tours can be far more flexible, welcoming, and enjoyable than many people expect.
