Italy is food, culture, history and more. It’s a place many fantasise about for good reason and add to the top of their bucket list.
Luckily, Italy is the perfect destination for all ages and all types of travellers, with ancient cities for culture buffs to explore, mountains in the north for nature lovers, medieval towns with surrounding vineyards for foodies and relaxed water destinations for holiday makers in Cinque Terre or the Italian Lakes District.
There are tours that cover just the highlights as well as tours that dive deep into culture, food and leisure activities.
We’ve done the research and found the best tours for each type of traveller, so you can tick off your must-see destinations as you travel across this land of food, wine and scenic sites without having to lift a finger to plan.
Trafalgar is all about living the good life, which goes hand in hand with Italian culture. This esteemed tour company is dedicated to showing its travellers the soul of a destination through VIP experiences and by connecting you with locals – which is just what you’ll want on your Italian holiday.
Travelling Italy in style is a dream come true for many, and Insight can make that happen with tours that cover the highlights of Italy but also go deeper by exploring with locals and allowing you to enjoy authentic travel experiences in luxury.
Cosmos wants to make travel tours available for everyone with price points that don’t break the budget and don’t sacrifice on the things you want, such as nice hotels, good food and excellent guides.
Add that to the fact it builds free time into every itinerary, and you’ll be able to customise your Italy experience to do what you want and join excursions as you please.
What started as a small, family company is now leading travellers to incredible destinations across the world offering multiple tour styles for independent, group and private travellers. With so much included, you’ll have the ultimate holiday in Italy.
Albatross has been creating tour itineraries for Aussie and Kiwi travellers for over 20 years, with a tour style designed to be easy and enjoyable with longer stopovers.
There are no surprises with an all-inclusive program that lets you experience local dining, high-quality excursions and authentic experiences at a relaxed pace.
Enjoy adventure, food and stepping off the beaten path with Intrepid. Intrepid has tours that cover it all, including the must-see destinations across Italy. Combine these with tours designed for leisure travellers of all ages and you'll easily find your favourite Italy tour.
The classic Italy route is best for those visiting the country for the first time and are looking for a quick taste of Italy’s delights in one go.
A classic Italy itinerary includes the must-visit sites such as Rome, Venice and Florence as the main cities, often with excursions to sites such as Pompeii, Pisa or Cinque Terre.
In eight days you can float down the canals of Venice, take in the colourful sites of Cinque Terre, marvel at the incredible architecture in Florence and roam through the historical streets of Rome, all without rushing from destination to destination.
The Italian Lakes District is a picture-perfect destination famous for Lake Como in Northern Italy. The region brings in visitors for its history, food, outdoor pursuits and for being so distinctly Italian. The picturesque towns surrounding the lakes along with the mountains cast shimmering reflections on the lakes. We can’t blame travellers for wanting to explore this region.
Start in fashionable Milan before landing in the romantic city of Verona to see Juliet’s balcony and then head on to Lake Garda, Lake Como and the town of Bellagio. You can explore the charming towns, crystal clear waters and treat yourself to Italian goodies. A quick border crossing into Switzerland will land you at another famous lake, Lake Maggiore.
Exploring Sicily can be as in-depth as you desire and can focus on whatever style of travel calls to you. Take a trip around the island for adventure hiking, cycling and regional cuisine found nowhere else in the country.
This tour gives you a sample of all of Sicily from climbing Mount Etna, to wine tasting, exploring scenic trails and wandering through alluring towns. You’ll have time to examine ancient ruins, take in the history and learn about it all with a guide.
Perhaps known as Italy’s most colourful spot, the Amalfi Coast brings travellers on a scenic journey from the coastal shores to the stunningly blue waters that brush up against the vibrant towns of this region. Active travellers and holiday-makers can hike, swim and cycle around the area as well as visit extra destinations such as Pompeii and Naples.
Start in Rome with a quick stop at the historic Pompeii ruins before moving on to a boat tour of the breathtaking Capri Island. A visit to the must-see towns of Amalfi and Positano provides prime photo opportunities and a stop in Naples to delve into some pizza is also included.
Tuscany is home of some of Italy’s best wine, medieval hilltop towns, rolling hills, rustic castles and gorgeous views that disappear into the distance. This region typically caters to an older crowd wishing to indulge in the cuisine, hike through the scenery and take travel at a slower pace through the towns.
Start and end in Rome to explore the city’s sites, then jump deep into the culture of Tuscany, staying in Montecatini for most of the duration of your trip with excursions to Pisa and Florence.
Italy is a country that can easily be travelled in one trip or broken down into multiple parts. What really determines the amount of time you wish to spend in this splendid country is how in-depth you wish to see everything.
From north to south, you can hit the main highlights of Venice, Florence and Rome with stops in between in 7 to 10 days. Two weeks will allow you to have extra excursions, perhaps to Cinque Terre or the Amalfi Coast.
With three weeks in Italy, you’ll be able to explore at a leisurely pace, including some towns in Northern Italy in the Lakes District or a few days in Sicily. With one month in Italy, you can discover most of the country fairly in-depth with a tour of Northern Italy that finishes in Rome and then jump on another tour to explore the south and/or Sicily.
If you’re starved for time and have only four or five days at a stretch, we recommend dedicating your efforts to a few select cities or a region to truly explore its highlights. For first-timers, Rome alone can eat up your days with visits to the Colosseum, Forum, Vatican and Sistine Chapel.
The Classical Italy tour gives you a taster of Rome and the romantic canal city providing you with the time to see the capital’s highlights with a stopover in the breathtaking city of Florence en route to Venice.
Dig deep into Italy’s past as you meander through the historic streets and along the shores of Italy’s famous Lakes District with the Italy’s Best tour. Get to explore past the main cities and dive into the sites with an abundance of time to explore and plenty of destinations for you to roam.
This tour explores Northern Italy in more depth with stops at the best cities and regions north of Rome to understand and appreciate the diversity of Italy at a moderate pace. From ancient streets to famous lakes and everything in between, this small group tour is ideal for those wanting to see more than just the top places in Italy.
This Gladiators Gondolas and Gold tour really gives you the time to explore each of Italy’s most famous cities of Rome, Florence and Venice as well as some stops in Bologna and Pisa so you can explore without rushing.
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Rome flights from $1,989 return
Up to 15% discount on your car rental to Italy
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Europe flights from US$1,662 return
Free solo supplement for solo travellers
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