The trip was so scenic en route to Positano. On a narrow sliver of road, clinging to a cliff, we wound high above the Mediterranean as frothy white waves crashed into the rocks far below. A few times, we came head-to-head with another vehicle, and one would have to back away to make room for the other—a game of chicken in one of the most beautiful places on earth. On particularly dramatic curves, our guide would shout out, in the most Italian way possible, “Mamma Mia!”
It was a good tour and a memorable day along the Amalfi Coast. But I will be honest: It could’ve been better. Those turns were so dramatic because we were lumbering along in a big motor coach, packed to the gills. At every stop, a long wait ensued to disembark. I was seated at the back of the bus, and it felt like forever for the large tour group to walk down the handful of stairs, off the coach, and out to the photo point.
Check to See if It’s Capped
When it’s time to book your tour, dig a little deeper on the research, and see whether the company caps the number of participants. It should say on the website. For the best tour, I’d recommend no more than 20, and the smaller, the better.
The Type of Tour Matters
On certain types of tours, the experience is enhanced—a lot—when you go with smaller numbers. This is especially true on a culinary tour. Back in Italy on a recent visit, I took a Naples food walking tour.The guide was warm, funny, and truly enthusiastic about the subject matter. He taught us the proper way to sip a morning espresso (standing at the bar, with a friend). And to eat the best pizza in the world—the slice held up over your head, so the cheese can slide right into your mouth.
There was a lot of back and forth. At one point, the guide asked the group whether anyone actually likes North American pizza. I quietly admitted an affinity with Domino’s, which drew a huge reaction from him—along with feigned threats to throw me off the tour.
It was fun. For the rest of the route, we all asked questions of this native Neapolitan, and he had excellent, insightful answers. It’s something that wouldn’t have been possible with a bigger group.
Look at Reviews
Yes, this might seem obvious. But while you’re researching, go past the number of stars and actually read the comments. What are people saying? Let this direct your decisions. If they say the group felt intimate and fun and there was plenty of interaction, then this is the group for you.Chat With Fellow Travelers
Sometimes, your fellow travelers are almost as interesting as the place you’re visiting. On a recent visit to Georgia in the Caucasus, I took a wine tour. This small, transcontinental country is as beautiful as it is compelling. And everyone on the small group tour was open for a chat.Georgia is the world’s oldest wine producer, with a legacy stretching back 8,000 years. We visited vineyards tucked into lush, green mountains. Eventually, the time came for a great national tradition—the toasts. We went around the table, each person making one, glass in hand. And it was so much better because, even though we’d known each other for mere hours, we could personalize the toasts.
The group became so tight-knit that after a fairly hot and tiring 12-hour tour—that included a traffic jam on the way back into Tbilisi—we stuck together and went for a late dinner. Georgian cheese bread (Khachapuri) and dumplings (Khinkali) and more fun conversation are the perfect way to end an excellent tour.
Pick an Interesting Place
The Falkland Islands are far-flung and windswept and feel like a long way from home. Which they are, no matter where you’re from. These craggy and rugged rocks sit deep in the South Atlantic, hundreds of miles from the mainland and thousands from the closest big city.It’s a little slice of England in a far-off place, perfect for a small group tour. I joined three others—Canadian medical students doing an internship at the local hospital—and a guide behind the wheel of a Land Rover.
We rocked and rolled and bumped all the way out to a spot called Volunteer Point. It was home to a colony of king penguins. We marveled at these second-tallest penguin species, curious creatures who, as it turned out, had as many questions about us as we did about them.
That was a definite highlight. But just as interesting was the chat during the drive with the guide on how life is lived in this truly unique and almost unimaginably remote outpost. Everything from the banalities of the day-to-day, like how food is delivered, to the complicated history and politics of the place.
It’s the chance to learn so much, in a relatively short span of time, that’s only possible on a small group tour.
