The art, the architecture, the history, the food—a trip to Italy is a winner in all categories. No matter what interests drive your travel plans, this multi-dimensional country has something for every traveler.
Getting home from tour just got easier. Starting June 12, the United States will no longer require COVID testing for travelers entering the country. Start planning now, you can still make travel happen in 2022.
We have just returned from the Food and Wine of Sicily and Southern Italy. It was absolutely amazing. We have been on several of the food and wine tours and while they are all excellent, this one was the best yet! Every winery we visited was interesting and welcoming. The wine did not disappoint..
I had a wonderful time on EF go ahead tours with Katia our tour guide! We went to Venice, Florence and Rome. Duomo in Florence the largest dome in the world, I rode on a gondola with a singer and accordion player. They made my dream trip so special!! I highly recommend EF go ahead tours!!
This tour was fantastic and eye opening for me on a personal level. This was my first time traveling alone, and my first time in Europe and in a tour group setting. The tour group was so wonderful, warm, welcoming, and kind to me and everyone else. The tour was very fun and so worthwhile.
This was our 12th trip with GoAhead but none for almost 2 years. It felt so good to be traveling again! The best part is that I don't think we missed seeing anything that we would have seen pre-Covid. Hiking in the Dolomites was a highlight as was the hike in Cinque Terre.
The 17 day Tour of Italy was the first of my five scheduled tours with Go Ahead and they did not disappoint. All I had to do was show up and they took care of the rest. It was fabulous!
This tour took us everywhere we wanted to go. We saw so many amazing places! Our tour director, David, was phenomenal. We hope to travel with him again. The excursions, hotels and meals were great!
This was a trip of a lifetime. I am still thinking about all the many things we experienced and wondering how we did it and had so much fun. It was so special because our guide, Mary, added so much information about the places we went. We learned about all the local specialties for food, crafts, etc
Our trip was perfect in every way. We had a small-sized group, there was a perfect balance of tour time and free time. We got to see all the highlights of Italy. Our tour guide alone was the best!
Great tour to learn more about Italian food, wine, and culture. Loved the scenic Tuscan and Umbrian countryside. Our tour director Linda was excellent during our tour making a great experience!
Wonderful tour!
10/09/21 by 11th-time traveler Jeffrey
The tour of Tuscany and Umbria was just perfect. The pace of the tour was just right. Also, for those traveling, with COVID stipulations in place, our guide (Giorgio) made this most smooth and provided proper information. This tour is a great way to truly experience all that is Italy!
Learn about what you'll experience when you travel on one of tours to Italy!
Travel tips for tours to Italy
When is the best time to visit Italy on tour?
While summer is often the most common time to visit, it's also the hottest and most crowded, so we recommend taking one of our guided tours of Italy in the off-season. Spring and fall offer the most pleasant temperatures for sightseeing. You'll also enjoy smaller crowds, great prices, and seasonal extras like spring flowers and fall festivals.
Rural areas in Italy's beloved wine country are particularly beautiful in the fall when the year's harvest is taking place, usually in October and November. On one of our escorted tours of Italy during this time, you'll find some of the country's most flavorful produce like truffles, chestnuts, grapes, mushrooms, and eggplant. It's a wonderful time to shop local markets, visit vineyards, and get a feel for daily life during this flavorful season.
If you're looking to visit Rome or other parts of Southern Italy, winter is also a lovely time to plan a trip, when the crowds are much smaller at the main attractions like the Colosseum and the Vatican and the temperatures are cool yet still comfortable for exploring. If this sounds right for you, check out our Rome: The City Experience or Sicily: A Cultural Journey.
Places to visit on our tours to Italy
One of the best parts about Italy is the diversity within its borders—from the rugged, Alpine beauty of Northern Italy to the laid-back countrysides of Tuscany and Umbria, to the cultural capitals of Rome and Florence, to the colorful beaches of the Italian Riviera and the Mediterranean Coast. It's hard to choose where to go, but luckily many of our Italy tour packages cover a few different distinct areas, like Venice, Florence & Rome and Florence, Tuscany & the Italian Riviera.
Our guided tours of Italy span the spectrum and sometimes it's best to start with your interests. If it's your first time to Italy or Europe, you may want to begin with the most iconic cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice, where you'll walk through the Colosseum and other historic sites of the Roman Empire, soak in the art and architecture of the birthplace of the Renaissance, and navigate through Venice's beautiful network of canals.
If you're a foodie, our culinary-themed Italy vacation packages are perfect for you, such as our small group tours, Food & Wine: Flavors of Tuscany & Umbria and Food & Wine: Northern Italy & the Italian Riviera. History buffs are often drawn to tours of Italy that include Rome or Pompeii, while those who are all about sunshine and nature love itineraries that include Cinque Terre and the Amalfi Coast. Art and architecture aficionados should consider a trip that includes Florence (for the Renaissance masterpieces), Milan and Siena (for their showstopping cathedrals), and Alberobello and Venice (for Alberobello's traditional stone huts and Venice's blown glass).
With so many options to choose from, here are a few of our top picks for the best places to visit during our tours of Italy:
St. Mark’s Square and Basilica in Venice
The Florence Duomo
Colosseum
Roman Forum
Cinque Terre
Lake Como
San Gimignano
Global cuisine to experience on our trips to Italy
Pull up a seat to any table in Italy and you’re guaranteed to be greeted by the same thing: a dish made with equal parts local ingredients and love. Here, a homemade meal is synonymous with a warm welcome, and time-honored cooking traditions allow seasonal flavors to shine.
In general, as you travel from north to south, the cuisine and flavors get lighter. In Northern Italy where there are more pastures and livestock, you'll find flavorful meats, rich pastas, and bold wines. In Southern Italy, you'll feel the influence of the Mediterranean in dishes that feature lots of fish, vegetables, citrus, and olives.
While there are no easy clear-cut winners, here's where you'll find some of the best Italian dishes you may be dreaming about:
Olive oil—it's a toss-up between Tuscany, where you'll find delicious peppery olive oil and Puglia, the country’s olive oil capital
Pizza—Naples, known as the place to get a classic pie, serves up a version that's pure and simple with just tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, and olive oil
Seafood—Liguria, a region better known as the Italian Riviera, is known for all kinds of fresh-from-the-sea specialties, in particular anchovies, mussels, and a mixed seafood stew called ciuppin
Pesto—Another favorite from the Italian Riviera, this vibrant sauce is often served on pasta alongside seafood or fresh veggies, like zucchini
Tagliatelle bolognese—Bologna unsurprisingly is the birthplace of this all-time favorite dish, where recipes have been passed down from generation to generation
Arancini—Sicily is the home of these fried rice-and-cheese balls, but you can find them throughout most of Southern Italy filled with a variety of delicious stuffings
Like much of Europe, there are a few things you actually need to ask for if or when you'd like them during restaurant meals: tap water (the assumption is that you'll want bottled water), ice cubes for soft drinks, and your bill when you're done.
Another etiquette tip to keep in mind on Italy trips is that cappuccinos and other milky coffee drinks are considered morning drinks. Italians don't drink them after 11am—but of course, cafes and restaurants do serve the delicious, frothy beverages any time of day (just mostly to visitors).
What to pack for a tour to Italy?
When getting ready to go on a tour of Italy, check your specific destination's weather forecast, since temperatures range quite a bit from north to south and from the coasts inland. No matter where you go, you'll be walking around a lot, so we recommend comfortable layers that you can adjust easily, as well as good walking shoes.
You'll also want to order some euros from your bank before you go, or use your debit card at an ATM once you arrive to stock up on euros for your adventure.
Once you've reserved one of our Italy tour packages, we'll send you detailed information about what to bring with you. Don't forget to download the Go Ahead Tour Companion app before you take off, so you’ll have all the info you need about your trip to Italy right in your pocket.