Italy tours are among the most popular and most requested trips we arrange. Given all an Italy vacation offers, it's no wonder travelers are driven to visit the country, often year after year. From art and architecture, history and culture, food and wine and, of course, shopping, an Italy vacation offers plenty for everyone.
To plan your Italy vacation, we suggest you contact our Italy travel experts to find out about the latest Italy travel deals. We can help you select a fully escorted group tour, arrange a villa, or design a custom itinerary with all the travel and tour arrangements to fit you and your specific needs and special interests.
We can help with flights, hotels, cars, trains, private guides and group day tours, including olive oil tastings, walking tours, and more. Just ask us! You can also search our database for current Italy travel tours and vacation packages.
--Entry requirements: (for US Citizens): passport valid for 6 months after return
--Currency: Euro. ATMs available for cash. Major credit cards accepted. US$ not accepted.
--Electric current: 220 volts. Converters needed.
--Time zone: 6 hours ahead of US East Coast. 9 hours ahead of West Coast
Regions of Italy
Rome/Lazio
Rome is the capital of Italy and is a large bustling city. It merits a few days of exploration / tours. Here you will find the Vatican and its splendid museums, including Michelangelo’s masterpiece the Sistine Chapel. St. Peter’s is nearby and is the home of the famous sculpture, the Pieta.
Across the Tiber River, you will find a treasure trove of monuments and must-see attractions. The Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona, the Pantheon and the Trevi Fountain are all concentrated here. From there, you can explore the area of Ancient Rome. The Coliseum dominates the landscape. A stroll through the ruins of the Forum is another wonderful outing.
Spread throughout the City are many other places to visit and explore. There are various churches, such as Santa Maria Maggiore, St. Johns Lateran and St. Paul.
There are many fabulous shopping areas in Rome. You will never be at a loss for places to find that perfect pair of shoes! And let’s remember, too, to put time aside to sit in that café and enjoy your cappuccino or glass of wine.
The Roman outskirts offer some opportunities for day trip. Tivoli Gardens and its famous fountains at Villa d’Este are worth the trek, especially for those who have already spent time in Rome. Hadrian’s Villa (Villa Adriana) is a great place for ancient history buffs.
Tuscany and Umbria
This is one of the most popular areas for Italy tours, grazie to the books and movies that have come out in the last few years. The media aside, Tuscany is a truly glorious Italy vacation spot all on its own. People are drawn to Florence because of its exquisite beauty, its history and its magnificent Italian Gothic cathedrals (the Duomo, Santa Croce and Santa Maria Novella are the most well known). Michelangelo’s statue of David resides here at the Galleria dell’Accademia.
The Uffizi Gallery, one of the most famous museums in the world, is near the Piazza della Signoria and home to countless masterpieces, including Botticelli’s Birth of Venus. Stroll the area shops on the Ponte Vecchio and via dei Tornabuoni.
South of Florence are the wonderful hill towns of Tuscany. You can visit Siena and San Gimignano as a day trip. You can also relocate entirely to a villa or palazzo hotel in the area and explore on your own.
Umbria is just east of Tuscany. Here you will find Perugia with its well-preserved Gothic and Renaissance charm. And what trip to Umbria would be complete without a visit to Assisi, the hometown of St. Francis? The marvelous 13th century cathedral and its beautiful frescos have been painstakingly restored after the devastating earthquake of 1997 and are as lovely as ever for tours.
Amalfi and Naples
This little peninsula just south of Naples has been a big draw for Italy tours for decades. The major towns are Positano, Sorrento and Amalfi. Off the point of the peninsula is the island of Capri. These are all classic Italian seaside resorts. Translation: great towns, great views, but not necessarily great beaches.
Americans, accustomed to the lovely stretches of Hawaii, Mexico and the Caribbean, might be disappointed in the quality of the sand. But the quality of the atmosphere and the views are first rate. From here, you can easily visit Pompeii and the National Archeological Museum in Naples. Keep in mind that the season here is short and many of the hotels are closed during the winter.
Venice
Built centuries ago on a series of islands in a lagoon, Venice has always been a unique world of its own. Despite the fact that its watery environment wreaks havoc on its buildings and artwork and the city is indeed sinking, it still continues to draw millions to its romantic canals and gorgeous Medieval and Renaissance architecture.
The main attractions are centered around Piazza San Marco. Here you will find the Basilica di San Marco (St. Mark’s Basilica) and the Palazzo Ducale (Ducal Palace), also known as the Doge’s Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri). Trips to the Murano glass works are also popular.
The “main drag” is the Grand Canal but water buses and taxis can only go so far. Be prepared to walk. A lot. And take the camera. You can’t take a bad picture in Venice.
Milano and the Lakes
One of the major Italy vacation spots, Milan is the commercial capital of the country. Yet, it boasts some of the world’s greatest masterpieces. The most famous and popular is The Last Supper (il Cenacolo). Painted by Leonardo da Vinci in the late 15th century, it adorns a wall of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
Milan’s cathedral, the Duomo, is an excellent example of northern Italian Gothic architecture. Its Baptistry is believed to be the final resting place of Ambrose, the patron saint of the city. When in season, you might also want to take in a performance at La Scala (Teatro alla Scala), the city’s famous opera house.
From Milan, you can take a trip up to the Lakes. This could be a day trip or extended into a leisurely lakeside sojourn.
Cinque Terre
Monterosso. Vernazza, Corniglia. Manarola. Riomaggiore. These are the towns of Cinque Terre, the newly discovered vacation area of northwestern Italy. Meaning “Five Lands” these were obscure villages tucked along the coast and cliffs, virtually inaccessible from the main roads for hundreds of years. Today, people come from all over the world to take tours, hike its trails and drink its wine.
This is a place for the more active traveler, yet anyone can enjoy its allure. The trails are a major attraction here. The main one connects the five towns by way of a foot-worn path around the cliffs.
For those of you not up to the challenge of the uphill climbs, you can walk the trail from the south, beginning in Riomaggiore. This is more leisurely and the Mediterranean is just as beautiful.
Any time you feel weary, you can take a train from any of the towns back to your hotel or car. In fact, if you are not a walker, you can always take a train to some of the towns and just sit and toast the hikers as they file past.
We're always eager to arrange a personalized trip to Italy. To make your dream trip to Italy a reality, please contact one of our Italy travel experts and get great Italy travel deals.
