Buongiorno a tutti.

I am currently trying to plan a trip to Italy for March 2010.

firstly, simply italy tour, then 8 weeks in Sicily (staying with relatives)

i am just wondering, since the tour stops in Bologna, does anyone know if there is an option to stay there for a day/night?

a stone throw away from the Bologna, theres Modena, the home of Ferrari, Maserati and Lamborghini (well, Lamborghini is in sant'agata bolognese, half way between Bologna and Modena), and was hoping to visit their respective factories and museums.

I was wondering if it was possible to have a stop over, or if i have to make plans either before or after the tour to train it to Bologna and stay for a couple of days.

Any suggestions? advice?

cheers.

I go on this tour in 3 weeks (yay!). After doing extensive readings ,etc there is no room for adding an extra night in the middle of a tour, it's pretty jam packed.

I did read on blog that said that the tour manager gave people on the tour directions to skip Cinque Terre and head straight to Milan, or stay in Cinque Terre and arrive in Milan later. This isn't an option offered by Contiki, it was something that the travelers did on their own cost (getting to the next city someway other than the coach). So if you want to break off for your tour and meet up with them later (although I don't really think that's advisable!)

Otherwise, you'd probably be better to train it back after the tour ends in Rome. If you've got 8 weeks after the tours, why not take a day or two then, rather than missing the tour you've paid for the see certain thing?!

i figured since we are passing through, if that opportunity did arise, it would end up beign more efficient for me to do so whilst on tour, rather than ending up back at rome, then training it back up again to bologna, then back down.

but since there isn't the opportunity int he tour anyway, training it back up is my only option.