This post on Sightseeing by Coach is from a member of the Voyageer Contributor Team, Jean. Find out how to have your post featured here!
The trusty coach seen from hotel window in Glasgow, UK
Have you ever considered taking an overseas bus tour? Have you ever been tempted to make broad statements such as, “I want to see Scandinavia or Great Britain?”
I’ve been reminiscing about our 2023 12-day tour that included the highlights of Ireland and Scotland. This was our 4th multi-city tour. Bus tours are a great way to see myriad places in a very short window of time. Our experiences have been with Cosmos, part of the Globus network, and CostSaver by Trafalgar. Their well-organized itineraries have enabled us to tick the boxes next to many places on our travel bucket list.
At the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland
We typically choose these budget-friendly options because the more expensive trips include several things that we would rather forego in exchange for more free time to explore the locale, such as posh evenings out, fancy dinners, etc. This type of tour provides a customized experience. Friendly Australians always like to party, while some of us North Americans tend to stay in. Our buddies from New Zealand are always up for a bit of local color and enjoy evenings spent dancing to traditional music. Brits can go either way, depending on their age and interests.
What we enjoy about Sightseeing by Coach:
We love to travel to interesting places; the itinerary often includes World Heritage sites and a knowledgeable guide who entertains, delights, and informs our group as the coach travels from place to place. I like learning about what we are passing, the possible historical significance, and which crops are being grown locally. The guide will also share other tidbits about the language, and local customs, casually woven into the narrative. Each day includes a seat rotation, so everyone will have a chance to ride in the front seat.
A side benefit from riding with 40 or so of your newest and closest friends is always having someone willing to snap a photo of you, so if you’re not good at taking selfies–all is not lost.
The tour company arranges your lodgings, sometimes located on the outskirts of town. I like these locations because they are often in walkable neighborhoods. We enjoy exploring neighborhood streets and often snap photos of beautiful small churches, parks, and gardens.
Hydrangea snapped while walking a small neighborhood in Dublin
Each day’s travel can be from as little as 2 to as much as 4 hours, providing ample comfort stops for stretching your legs, visiting the loo, snapping fabulous photos, and buying that requisite ice cream treat. (Bus people always seem to be eating ice cream.) When you arrive at the hotel, your tour guide will distribute room keys, and you can head up to freshen up at your leisure. She will post the agenda for the stay in a prominent place (typically near the elevators or the front desk). The agenda says when to have luggage ready, when the bus leaves for specially arranged activities, and the all-important breakfast time. Some days’ agendas give you several hours on your own, and others are chock-full of things to do.
Bus travel gets you to places that aren’t easily reached by train, such as Ireland’s Giant’s Causeway or the amazing Cliffs of Moher. When we traveled through Norway on the Focus on Scandinavia Tour, the bus let us out while we ferried down a fjord and picked us up on the other side. The drivers are professionals, adept at navigating those narrow mountain roads and getting in and out of unfathomably tight spaces. It is quite amazing! I can’t imagine attempting to drive those roads from the “wrong” side of the car, on the “wrong” side of the highway.
Day to day on your Coach Tour:
Depending on the tour, your luggage may be handled by porters. On our most recent trip, we were not so lucky and had to tote our luggage from the coach to the room and vice versa. (It would be a good idea to pack light.) We used luggage covers so we could quickly spot ours as they were unloaded each evening. One medium-sized bag with wheels is really all you need. It will be stowed under the carriage in the luggage compartment. On the coach, there is room above your seat for small carry-on luggage, and the space under your seat will accommodate a bag. We like to have a day pack with us, large enough to hold an SLR camera and a water bottle, some bandaids, a light wrap, an umbrella, and a hat. Keep your day pack light, as you will have more fun exploring the sites if you carry the bare minimum with you.
Through the bus window on the way to the Giant’s Causeway
Since we want to see a lot of places of interest, there is a lot of walking on these tours. You may travel along cobblestone streets, tramp through fields, follow shale walkways, or trudge through congested city streets. Comfort is key; make sure you bring extra socks and alternate shoes so you can give your feet options. I took one pair of open sandals, a light pair of slip-on ballerinas, and a pair of Nikes. By doing this I could customize my footwear for the specific day’s agenda. (My shoes don’t weigh much and can easily fit in the bottom of my day pack.) My husband had two pairs of sneakers that he alternated depending on whether the day would be wet or dry.
What we enjoy less about Sightseeing by Coach:
What we like less about this type of travel as we become a bit more mature is the fast pace of travel, and this 2023 trip was especially tiring because we had to handle our luggage. (I hope as we move away from the challenges of COVID-19, these tours will reinstate bag porterage.)
Through the bus window while driving through County Clare, Ireland.
In conclusion:
I recommend this form of travel if you:
Have a week or two to experience a variety of places
Love history
Relish having arrangements sorted by somebody else
Enjoy meeting new people
It has been fun to get acquainted with fellow travelers from multiple countries, sometimes keeping in touch, but always learning something new from these relationships.
Jean is a retired librarian who now spends her days traveling to the corners of the earth, revisiting old favorites and exploring new horizons.
All photos taken by Jean, except for the ones she is the subject. All shot on a Samsung S21.
The Voyageer Contributor Team is made up of writers who crave new experiences at familiar and unfamiliar locations. We are pleased to feature posts, articles, and reflections from a diverse group. Visit thevoyageer.com and click the 'contact me' page to join the team.
