It would be hard to leave northern Italy feeling stressed. Along the glimmering shores of Lake Como and the meandering canals of Venice, leisure and relaxation remain mainstays of the Italian lifestyle. Amble around every corner of sleek and stylish Milan. Soak up the sun on the Italian Riviera. Escape to the picturesque villages of Cinque Terre. Just unwind and let the Italians teach you a thing or two about indulgence (trust us, they know best).
Your tour package includes
9 nights in handpicked hotels
9 breakfasts
4 dinners with beer or wine
3 sightseeing tours
Expert Tour Director & local guides
Private deluxe motor coach
Included highlights
Teatro alla Scala
Milan's Duomo
Villa Carlotta
Lake Como cruise
Certosa di Pavia monastery
Cinque Terre
Verona
St. Mark's Square
Itinerary
Overnight Flight1 night
Day 1: Travel day
Board your overnight flight to Milan today.
Milan2 nights
Day 2: Arrival in Milan
Included meal: Welcome dinner
Welcome to Italy! Meet your Tour Director and fellow travelers at tonight’s welcome dinner.
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.
This elegant hotel is located in Milan. Guests enjoy modern rooms with mahogany wood furnishings, a well-equipped fitness center, and a charming garden restaurant. Nearby, you'll find the historic Castello Sforzesco, the...
Lake Como Region - NH Pontevecchio
This scenic hotel is located in Lecco, on the shores of Lake Como. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi, a gym, and restaurant. Nearby, you’ll find walking paths, Palazzo Delle Paure, and Villa Manzoni.
Italian Riviera - Park Hotel Suisse
This modern hotel is located in Santa Margherita Ligure on the Italian Riviera. Guests enjoy the outdoor pool, bar, and bicycle rentals. Nearby you'll find Santa Margherita Ligure Castle, Villa Durazzo, and beautiful beaches.
Venice - Hotel Giorgione
This charming hotel is located in the Cannaregio district in central Venice. Guests enjoy a private courtyard, pool, and billiards area. Nearby, you’ll find the Rialto Bridge, St. Mark’s Square, and Doge’s Palace.
Florence - Hotel Diplomat
This charming hotel is located near the Santa Maria Novella train station in Florence. Guests enjoy free Wi-Fi and a restaurant. Nearby, you’ll find the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella, Palazzo dei Congressi, and the Accademia...
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 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 2026, 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 2026, 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.
Travelers visiting Venice during peak season from mid-April through the end of July must complete an online exemption form which will generate a QR code as proof of staying overnight in Venice. For more details, please visit our Help Center.
If you are not a U.S. or Canadian citizen, you must contact 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 VCR.
You will walk for at least 1.5 hours daily across mostly flat terrain, including cobblestone streets and unpaved paths, with some hills and stairs.
Travelers should be healthy enough to participate in all included walks without assistance. Adding optional excursions will increase the amount of walking on your tour.
You should feel comfortable managing your own baggage at times, as well as getting in and out of boats and trains.
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 Milan and depart from Venice (or Florence 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 the beginning and end of the tour are included for travelers who purchased their flights through Go Ahead Tours. Travelers who booked their own flights are responsible for securing their own airport transfers.
Water taxi rides in Venice, as well as a boat ride and train rides in Cinque Terre, are included in the price of the tour. (The tour extension also includes a train ride from Venice to Florence.)
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 VCR.
Venice and Northern Italy are known for flavorful meats and pastries.
On the Italian Riviera, a taste of the region’s famous basil pesto is a must. Delicious seafood dishes are popular along the shore, but true Ligurians favor simple, traditional recipes like minestrone soup and farinata, an unleavened chickpea pancake.
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.
Tuscany, on the tour extension, 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.
Italy operates on the European standard 220-240 volts and use 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.
Wi-Fi is available in most hotels, though some charges may apply.
There is no Wi-Fi on any of the motor coaches.
Please contact your mobile service provider for information on roaming charges.
Italy is one hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and six hours ahead of Eastern Time (ET).
When it’s noon in New York, it’s 6pm on tour.
You will use the euro on this tour.
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 is 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 $10USD to $12USD per person per day for your Tour Director and the equivalent of $4USD per person per day for your driver.
If applicable, we also recommend the equivalent of $2USD per local guide.
Tips can only be paid in cash.
If you are traveling to multiple countries with different currencies and the same Tour Director, ask them what currency they prefer for their tip.
The cost of porterage is included in your tour price, and it is not necessary to tip baggage handlers.
Most optional excursions will be available for purchase while you are on tour.
Your Tour Director will only accept cash (in USD only), Visa, or MasterCard as payment for optional excursions.
Please be advised that if you pay for an excursion by credit card while on tour, it may take up to three months for your card to be charged.
Some optional excursions may only be purchased in advance. See page four of your tour itinerary for more information.
The itinerary highlights the best of Northern Italy. The stay in the Italian Riviera was my favorite. All the excursions were great and well worth the additional cost.
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Anonymous, traveled in Nov 2024
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Anonymous, traveled in Nov 2024
Don’t miss this tour !
5 out of 5 stars
2nd-time traveler Margaret, traveled in Oct 2024
Excellent tour with a great lineup of cities. Our tour guide Laura was personable and knowledgeable. She was a pleasure to know. Nice hotels in every city, particularly Florence and the Cinque Terre. Our city guide in Verona was a complete delight. Funny, informative and...
Lake Como
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Donna, traveled in Oct 2024
My husband and I enjoyed the trip immensely. It was a great combination of guided tours and free time. Our tour leader Laura was fabulous and the group of travelers were friendly and fun!
ITALY 🇮🇹 Review Milan-Como-San Margherita-Venic
5 out of 5 stars
1st-time traveler Anonymous, traveled in Sep 2024
This was my first EF Go Ahead tour. It was fantastic. Our tour director kept us informed and kept us safe and on time. The activities were great and we had some time to relax/do our own thing. We got to experience the food, the drinks, and the culture of Italy. Would I do...
