How our tours work
If you’re new to guided tours, going with a group, or traveling with Go Ahead, here’s everything you need to know before you go so you can choose, book, and pay for your trip with confidence.
What’s a day on a guided tour like?
Every day on a Go Ahead tour is different, and that’s part of the fun. Here’s how a sightseeing day in the Eternal City unfolds on our Venice, Florence & Rome tour.
Your day at a glance: sightseeing in Rome
Visit Venice, Florence & Rome
Fuel up and get prepped
Enjoy an included breakfast at your hotel (a creamy cappuccino is a must) before meeting your group and Tour Director in the lobby. This is the time to make sure you have what you’ll need for the day: water, camera, weather-appropriate accessories, and a little spending money.
Sightsee alongside a local expert
Set out on a tour of Rome with a local expert. Your group will explore by private motor coach and on foot, with photo stops built in along the way. You’ll get an up-close look at landmarks like the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, and you’ll have free time to wander on your own.
Relax, explore, or add something extra
The evening is yours to spend how you’d like, whether that means unwinding in your room, exploring Roman neighborhoods, or savoring homemade carbonara and crisp white wine at a local trattoria. Or, join an optional pasta-making class and dinner for a hands-on experience.
Guided sightseeing days
These are the heart of your tour. Your Tour Director or a seasoned local guide will lead the way to landmarks, through backstreets, and to hidden gems, and share the history that makes these locations memorable.
Example: Getting a gentle start to the morning by exploring the art tucked into the grand halls of Vienna’s Belvedere Palace, followed by a stroll past the Hofburg’s stately facade with a Tour Director who can also point you to the best local pastries.
Travel days
Getting there is part of the journey. Travel days move you between destinations—by coach, train, ferry, or plane—and often come with scenery worth the ride.
Example: Driving from Switzerland to Germany with scenic stops in Liechtenstein and at Neuschwanstein Castle.
Free days
Some of the best travel moments happen when you have time and flexibility to sleep in, wander, or add an optional excursion for even more guided exploration.
Example: Spending a free evening in Salzburg, joining an optional performance of Mozart’s compositions, or visiting locations from “The Sound of Music” at your own pace.
Guided tours that leave room for personalization
Guided doesn’t mean one-size-fits-all. We’ve planned each tour with flexibility in mind so you can make it your own by adding activities, taking a night to yourself, or staying even longer on tour.
Add unforgettable extras to your itinerary
Learning the art of French baking, gliding across Venice in a gondola, and more ways to immerse yourself in your destination are available for an additional cost on our optional excursions.
Explore on your own with built-in free time
While you’ll explore with your Tour Director, guides, and group, having time to set off on your own without a set schedule is important, too. You never know what you’ll discover along the way.
Stay longer on tour with an extension
These two- to four-day stays precede or follow your main tour and include additional guided sightseeing and free time.
Keep traveling by booking back-to-back tours
Our team is happy to help you choose from tours and dates that line up seamlessly so you can see even more of the world.
Choose your included experience
On select tours, one or more days will have a choice of pre-planned, included activities. Pick the one that fits your interests or mobility best.
Physical activity level
“How hard does my body have to work on any given tour day?”
This measures how much walking is required and the types of terrain covered.
Low
Short walks, flat terrain, low-intensity activities. Minimal physical demand.
Moderate
Casual walks, some exploration on foot. Comfortable for most fitness levels.
High
Regularly on the move; may include uneven terrain and more walking (Venice, Athens, and the Colosseum, for example).
Very high
Vigorous physical activity expected—built for active travelers (think: navigating rocky paths, steep hills, and uneven staircases).
Tour pacing
“How busy is my schedule going to be?”
This measures the number of hotel changes, transfer types and their frequency, and how full each day is.
Slow
Travel by motor coach, spend more than one night at each hotel, and never have three full days scheduled back to back. Bus time averages about two hours a day.
Steady
Travel mostly by motor coach, with no more than two non-bus transfers every 10 days; up to three full days scheduled back to back; and occasional one-night stays. Bus time may average about three to five hours in a day.
Brisk
Most days are full, with evenings free to unwind. You’ll have mixed transfers with porterage, up to two one-night stays, and bus time may average about five to six hours or more in a day.
Very fast
Most days and evenings are full, with frequent transfers and hotel changes. Bus time may average about four to five hours in a day and is focused on getting you to your next activity, rather than sightseeing.
Who you’ll travel with on a Go Ahead tour
Every one of our tours welcomes a different mix of couples, solo travelers, friends, and family members who all have one thing in common: They’re curious about the world.
What does a Tour Director do?
Your Tour Director is your constant companion on tour. They’ll be your storyteller, guide, and travel champion, making every moment unforgettable throughout your journey. They’re there to make sure everything runs smoothly, so you can focus on enjoying the experience. You can count on your Tour Director to:
Lead your group from arrival through the end of your tour
Stay at the same hotels, join some excursions, and travel with you between destinations
Share local insight and offer recommendations for free time
Manage logistics, reservations, and any on-tour issues behind the scenes
Keep the group connected and informed throughout the trip
What’s included and what’s not
What’s included in your Go Ahead tour
All breakfasts
Tastings, lunches, and dinners with beer or wine as specified in your tour’s itinerary
Hotel stays
Tour Director and local guides
Transportation between destinations
Select entrances to museums, landmarks, and more
What’s not included in your Go Ahead tour
Optional excursions (like a hot-air balloon ride over the Nile)
Flights and airport transfers (unless you opt for our flights package)
Tips for your Tour Director, bus driver, and local guides
Trip insurance
Meals, snacks, and beverages not specified in your itinerary
Book your flights with us or on your own
Add our airfare package and we’ll take care of all the logistics for you, including booking your flights and arranging airport transfers for your arrival and departure. You can also choose to book your own flights and arrange for airport transfers on your own.
Airport greeting and transfers included
When you book flights with us, a Go Ahead representative will greet you upon arrival and escort you to a vehicle for the transfer to your first hotel. At the end of your tour, we’ll take you to the airport for your flight home.
Booking flexibility
Our team will work with you to choose your ideal routing, and if we make changes to your tour itinerary that impact flights, we’ll rebook them for you.
24-hour on-tour support
Need advice about how to handle flight changes? Our On-Tour Support Team is available around the clock.
24/7 on-call support
A dedicated Tour Director with you every step of the way
50,000 EF staff on the ground in 50 countries
60-plus years of experience supporting travelers on tour
AutoPay
For travelers who prioritize peace of mind
$99 down & no initial payments
Make your first payment up to 30 days after booking. Then, pay off your trip 30 days before departure.
No interest or fees
Extras paid for over time
We’ll adjust your monthly payment to cover them.
30 days to cancel†
Pay as you go
For travelers who want to be hands-on
$300-$450 down at booking
Applies to your non-refundable reservation fee. Then, pay your trip off monthly on a date you pick.
Balance due by Tour Finalization Date
Extras paid for when added
Pay for flights, excursions, and more when you add them to your itinerary.
72 hours to cancel†
Pay in full
For travelers who want to pay up front
Full balance due at booking
Make a single payment up front, then relax until it’s time for tour.
No interest or fees
Extras paid for when added
Pay for flights, excursions, and more when you add them to your itinerary.