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The food, the art, the architecture—this city leaves nothing to be desired.
Settle in and immerse yourself in the beauty of Florence, the gateway to the greater Tuscany region. This hub of modern culture and influential history is lined with cobblestone streets, is overflowing with masterpieces from some of the greatest minds in Renaissance art, and is the place to go for world-renowned food and wine. Unpack only once and discover why the city shines as the Tuscan capital.
Your tour package includes
5 nights in a well-located hotel
5 breakfasts
2 dinners with beer or wine, including a signature farewell dinner experience at an Italian villa
Sightseeing tour with a local guide
Expert Tour Director
Included highlights
Accademia Gallery
Florence Duomo
Giotto's Campanile
Ponte Vecchio
Piazza della Signoria
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An expert specializing in tours of this region is here to help.
Welcome to Italy! Get settled in to your hotel, then meet your group at tonight’s welcome dinner.
Day 3: Sightseeing tour of Florence
Included meal: Breakfast
Set off on a guided sightseeing tour of Florence, the city distinguished as the birthplace of the Renaissance.
Step inside the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo's iconic statue, the David (Please note: Entrance to the Accademia Gallery may occur during the afternoon instead of the morning on day 3, or may take place on days 5 or 6.)
View the legendary Florence Cathedral, known as the Duomo, and walk through the city’s UNESCO-listed Historic Center
Pass Giotto’s Campanile, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture
See the medieval Ponte Vecchio and the Piazza della Signoria, the center of Florentine life
Later, enjoy free time or add an excursion.
Tuscan Cooking Class & Dinner
From $115 per person
Day 4: Free day in Florence
Included meal: Breakfast
Enjoy a full free day in Florence or add an excursion.
Siena & Chianti Wine Tasting
From $129 per person
Day 5: Free day in Florence
Included meal: Breakfast
Enjoy a full free day in Florence or add excursions.
Florence Home-Hosted Dinner
From $89 per person
Michelangelo's Florence
From $95 per person
Day 6: Fiesole & farewell dinner
Included meals: Breakfast, Farewell dinner
Enjoy a full free day in Florence or add an excursion.
Tonight, journey to the scenic Etruscan-Roman town of Fiesole to say goodbye to your group as you enjoy a signature farewell dinner experience on a villa terrace.
The Pitti Palace & the Boboli Gardens
From $105 per person
Flight Home
Day 7: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)
Transfer to the airport for your flight home or continue on to Venice.
Extension to Venice
All the pictures in the world couldn’t prepare you for the real-life sight of Venice rising from the water. After a train ride, find out why the Queen of the Adriatic has such a special place in our hearts on a tour with a local guide.
Venice3 nights
Day 7: Transfer to Venice
Included meal: Breakfast
This morning, climb aboard a high-speed train and take off across the Italian countryside to Venice. Upon arrival, take a water taxi ride to your hotel.
Day 8: Sightseeing tour of Venice
Included meal: Breakfast
Admire historic churches, winding canals, and picture-perfect piazzas on a guided tour of the city known as the Queen of the Adriatic.
Step into the iconic St. Mark's Square and enter St. Mark's Basilica
View the stately Doge's Palace, built in the Venetian Gothic style in 1340
Marvel at the Bridge of Sighs, the link between Doge's Palace and the New Prison
See a glassblowing demonstration to learn about the city's most celebrated art
Enjoy a free afternoon in Venice or add an excursion.
Gondola Ride: Venice Canal Cruise
From $89 per person
Private Gondola Ride: Canal Cruise for Two
From $165 per person
Day 9: Free day in Venice
Included meal: Breakfast
Enjoy a free day in Venice or add an excursion. This evening, gather with your group for a farewell drink.
Islands of the Venetian Lagoon: Burano & Torcello
From $85 per person
Flight Home
Day 10: Departure
Included meal: Breakfast (excluding early morning departures)
That's all it takes to secure your spot on tour with AutoPay. Then, pay for your trip in interest-free, monthly installments.†
Reviews
4.5 star rating
Overall rating 4.5 out of 5
Based on 30 authentic traveler reviews
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3.0 star rating
10/8/23 by 6th-time traveler Teresa
5.0 star rating
Great Walking Town
10/8/23 by 2nd-time traveler Mark
The Grand Mediterranean Hotel had a very nice “spread out” area and s good bar and dining area. The rooms were super. Best of all, it was very well located so you could get anywhere by walking. Everywhere in Florence had good food and nice people, espec...
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5.0 star rating
Great mix of group and private time to explore!
10/8/23 by 1st-time traveler Carla
This tour was so much fun- Angela was a fantastic tour guide who was informative and friendly. I feel like I made a lot of new friends! 💕
EF Go Ahead Tours replied on 11/14/23
Thank you for leaving a review. We are glad to hea...
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Hotels, flights & FAQ
Here's the nitty-gritty—where you’ll stay, how you’ll get there, and what to know about your destination before you go.
Hotels
We handpick every hotel to strike the balance of comfort, location, and local charm. Specific accommodations will vary based on your departure date, but these are frequently used hotels for this tour and we're confident you'll be satisfied.
Grand Hotel Adriatico
This charming hotel is located in the city center. Guests enjoy a restaurant, courtyard, and a fitness center. Nearby you’ll find the Uffizi Galleries...
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Hotel Santa Marina Venezia
This elegant hotel is located in the Castello neighborhood of Venice. Guests enjoy an outdoor terrace, bar, and lounge. Nearby you’ll find St. Mark’s ...
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Flights
Round-trip flights are one more thing we handle to make your journey as smooth as possible. Our team of travel experts will find the best flight itinerary for you at a competitive rate, thanks to our partnerships with top airlines.
Add our airfare package and you'll get:
Round-trip flight for your tour
Airport transfers at your destination
A great price locked in today
24/7 support from our dedicated service team
Options for arriving early, staying longer, or requesting an upgrade
Flexible rebooking options if your tour itinerary changes
In order to enter Italy, U.S. and Canadian citizens need a valid passport with an expiration date extending at least six months beyond the date of reentry.
We recommend having at least one blank passport page for entry stamps.
Beginning in 2025, U.S. and Canadian passport holders must register for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to enter many European countries.
Passport holders from over 60 visa-exempt countries (including the U.S. and Canada) will need to apply for an ETIAS travel authorization in order to visit 30 European countries. That means that even if you’ve previously traveled to any of these European countries without a visa, starting in 2025, you’ll need to get ETIAS authorization to visit them again. If you’re traveling to multiple countries with this requirement, you only need to complete the form once. All Go Ahead travelers are responsible for obtaining their own ETIAS travel authorization before departure. For more details, please visit our Help Center.
If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must your destination country’s consulate for your specific entry requirements.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code FWE.
You will walk for at least 2.5 hours daily across uneven terrain, including paved roads and cobblestone streets, with some hills and stairs.
Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions may increase the amount of walking on your tour.
You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times.
Go Ahead Tours and the Tour Director who accompanies your group are unable to provide special, individual mobility assistance to travelers on tour. The responsibility of the Tour Director is to ensure the group as a whole enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing, individualized assistance to any one traveler.
If you have any mobility concerns or physical restrictions, please contact our Customer Experience Team.
Round-trip flights booked through Go Ahead Tours arrive in and depart from Florence (or Venice on the tour extension). A representative from Go Ahead Tours will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel. Please remain in the arrival lounge, as the representative might be escorting one of your fellow travelers to the bus at the time of your arrival.
Transfers to and from the airport at your destination are included for travelers who have purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who purchase their own flights may request airport transfers with Go Ahead Tours for an additional cost.
A train ride from Florence to Venice, as well as water taxi rides in Venice are included in the price of the tour extension.
All other included transportation on this tour is by private motor coach.
Please note that our travelers are limited to one checked bag and one carry-on bag per person due to storage limitations on motor coaches and other transfers, which may include train connections or flights.
Contact your airline(s) for baggage size and weight restrictions for your flights, which may include on-tour flights in addition to your round-trip flights to and from tour. Please note that your included on-tour flights may have more restrictive baggage limits.
Some airlines may impose additional charges if you choose to check any baggage or exceed baggage size and weight restrictions. Be advised that you are responsible for any baggage fees incurred on all flights.
Make sure you label your baggage and keep valuables, medication, and documents in your carry-on bag.
We recommend packing lightweight, loose-fitting clothing that can be easily layered to accommodate varying temperatures, as well as a light jacket or rainwear.
A sturdy pair of walking shoes or sneakers is recommended for sightseeing.
You may want to pack dressier attire if you plan to visit a high-end restaurant or attend a special performance.
It is preferable not to visit churches or other religious sites with bare legs and shoulders (and entrance may be denied on this basis).
At least 60 days prior to departure, check with your doctor or healthcare provider for the latest updates and entry requirements, or visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention website at cdc.gov.
If you have medication that you take daily, be sure you have enough for each day of the tour as well as any possible delays encountered.
If you have dietary restrictions and/or food allergies please notify Go Ahead Tours at least 30 days prior to departure by logging in to your account and updating your traveler info. To update this information closer to your departure date, please call our Customer Experience Team.
You can see the most up-to-date entry requirements for the destination(s) you’ll visit on tour by going to goaheadtours.com/entry-requirements and searching the code FWE.
Tuscany is world-famous for its wine, oil, sauces, and pasta. Menus favor subtle, lighter pastas and desserts made with nuts, fruit, and honey. Try a dish featuring the region’s Chianina beef, perhaps the most prized breed of cattle in all of Italy. For wine, popular Tuscan reds include Chianti, Brunello di Montalcino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which are primarily made from the Sangiovese grape. Well-known white wines are also made around the San Gimignano region.
For more authentic meals, try local trattorias, small restaurants set away from the main piazzas. A typical Italian meal includes wines and the occasional beer, followed by a few sips of after-dinner drinks like grappa or limoncello.
On the tour extension, Venice and Northern Italy are known for flavorful meats and pastries.
Italy operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and uses Types C, F, or L plugs with two or three small, round pins.
We recommend packing a universal adapter, as well as a voltage converter if you plan on using your own hairdryer or other device without a built-in converter.
The strength of the air conditioning in European hotels is often not as strong or as cool as what you might be used to in the U.S. or Canada. When air conditioning is available, it is usually regulated seasonally and controlled centrally by the hotel.
Your hotel may provide hairdryers, irons, and other small appliances. However, these amenities cannot be guaranteed.
Better rates of exchange are usually available overseas, although it’s worth ordering some currency from your local bank to use when you first arrive.
We strongly advise that you take debit/bank cards and credit cards, which can be used to withdraw cash at local banks as needed.
You can use most debit/credit cards at ATMs on the international networks Cirrus and Plus, but make sure to check with your home bank about withdrawal fees.
Inform your bank and credit card company of your travel plans so that they won’t confuse your international purchases for fraudulent charges.
International banks and businesses primarily accept debit and credit cards that work with the EMV chip system. If you do not already have at least one debit or credit card with a chip in it, we strongly recommend requesting one from your bank prior to your tour.
At the conclusion of your tour, it’s customary to offer your Tour Director and driver a gratuity in local currency. Please keep current exchange rates in mind.
We recommend tipping the equivalent of $8USD to $10USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $3USD per person per day for your driver.
If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
If you are interested in visiting any of Florence's many museums during your free time, we recommend that you make reservations in advance. See uffizi.org for the Uffizi Gallery or accademia.org for the Accademia Gallery. Please note that the museums are closed on Mondays.