Italy Travel Tours

Archive for the ‘Italy Travel Tours’ Category

Many Americans take Italy travel tours to Tuscany, but where do you begin to absorb all that this region has to offer?  Tuscany means different things to different people.

Some people associate Tuscany with olives and the many products made with this ancient fruit.  Chief among them is olive oil and there are hundreds of farms, both large and small, that press the nectar from the olive to produce a staple of cuisine; olive oil.

Recognizing the allure of watching ages-old artisan techniques, some groves now open their operations to visitors.

Tuscany also means wine and the famous “wine road” of Chianti is another popular activity for travelers.  Your tour guide will take your intimate group to the many vineyards around Greve, including Casaloste and Villa S. Andrea.  You’ll learn how 21st century technology meets practices hundreds of years old to produce world-class wine.

Fine art is how some people define Tuscany.  There is no greater collection of Renaissance art in the world than what can be found in Florence.  Michelangelo’s “David”, considered by many to be the greatest statue in the world is a must-see, however there are lesser known works hidden throughout this city and your knowledgeable guide will help you discover it.

Perhaps the simple geographical and historical beauty of Tuscany is what you desire most.  In that case, your guide will have many options for you.  Would you like to explore one of the most scenic places in the world?  Then Cinque Terre is for you.  Consisting of five towns, Cinque Terre is navigable by boat, train, car and foot, depending upon your activity goal.

Whatever you seek in Tuscany, your guide will be ready with information, organization and a wealth of English-speaking help to make your Italy travel tours a memorable experience.  Check with Federica Merli at TuscanyWithMe.it to help you design the perfect tour of Northern Italy.

To have an escorted trip to Cinque Terre, you have the choice of which mode of transportation you desire. There are either escorted tours by bus with large groups of people, or in your own or rented car.

The bus tours are more economical in price, but the tours by car give you more freedom of the places you visit, along with the time spent at each one.

One of the reasons the Cinque Terre villages and the surrounding National Park are such a wonderful vacation destination is their unspoiled beauty. This has been made possible, in part, by being included as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Parts of this area are places like no other in the world. This region has 5 villages that appear to be suspended between the earth and sea. They are a wondrous site clinging to the cliffs while being surrounded by green, rolling hills.

Some of the escorted tours include visits to the nearby Lakes of Italy that include Como and Orta, which as a tiny island of San Giulio. The five villages of this region are Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore, all surrounded with rocks to climb or the ocean to swim in.

Up the rugged coast is the Italian Riviera. This is where most tourists go to. The reason Cinque Terre is not a popular destination is because the ruggedness of the terrain makes it challenging for the driver, so it is generally bypassed on the typical tours of Italy.

The average cost of an escorted trip to Cinque Terre is close to $4000. This can be reduced by $200 if your vacation is in September or October, and $500 less if taken in June.

The tours guided trips of Rome from Arezzo Italy can happen by car, train or bus.  It is 112 miles between the two cities, so plan to travel about two hours on the ground from your hotel in Arezzo to Rome.

In one of the most exciting and historic cities in the world, your English-speaking tour guide can open your eyes to the ancient way of life.  Begin at Capitol Square, Michelangelo’s brainchild, where you will see vistas of the city suitable for a postcard.  You’ll watch over the Roman Forum, the premiere archaeological site and the world-center for politics, religion and commerce at the time of Christ.

The Piazza Venezia is abundant with statues and ancient buildings, including the Arch of Titus.  You’ll marvel at the Pyramid of Caius Cestius which was heavily influenced by the Egyptians, and the Circus Maximus, home to the chariot races.

Visitors of all religions enjoy a trip to the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, the construction of which dates back to Constantine.

This itinerary will require about four hours of time in order to allow you to absorb all that you will see. One consideration to remember when you plan your wardrobe for the day is to wear clothing deemed appropriate for a tour of the Vatican and St. Peter’s Basilica.  Staff outside St. Peter’s has the authority to disallow anyone without the proper dress code from entering the building.

The dress code for the Basilica is: no skirts above the knee, no bare shoulders including sleeveless blouses or tank tops and no shorts.  Slacks for women and jeans for men and women may be worn.

With some common sense and extra vigilance with your wardrobe planning, tours guided trips of Rome from Arezzo Italy can be a marvelous history lesson.

There are many travel tours in Italy. The reasons are obvious since there is so much rich history there along with things and places to see that exist nowhere else in the world. When thinking of Italy most tourist think of visiting Rome, Venice and Florence, but there is so much more.

One place that is not very well known but is unforgettable is the Cinque Terre National Park. This park is part of the coast line that is just east of the port of Genoa. Located in the north western part of the country near France and Monaco, the climate is mild and the sea breeze peaceful. This is also where the sheer cliffs of the Appenine Mountains drop off to the sea for a fantastic view.

South of this national park is the region of Tuscany. This is the area of Italy this is filling with rolling hills where many Italians, generations ago started their vineyards. The most famous of these wineries are in the Chianti Hills. For a sense of history there is the medieval town of San Gimignano which has distinctive towers along with other buildings that take you back in time.

This is what dots the landscape between the mountains and the valleys where rivers are too numerous to count.

The Romans brought olive trees from the Middle East over 2000 years ago which is now the source of liquid gold or the Tuscan Olive Oil.

When taking travel tours in Italy make sure you experience one of the many Roman roads that are still in good shape and are used to help give you the real Italian adventure.

When it comes to a wine tour, Italy has some of the most popular reasons to explore this beautiful country.  According to statistics from the Biteg Wine and Food Tourism Forum, wine tourism in Italy is a 2.5 billion euro per year business and it represents only 20% of the potential.

Like the localized wine tours in America; in Napa Valley, the Finger Lakes of New York and other regions, Italy has established “wine roads” which offer scheduled stops in wineries and vineyards.

So-called Open Cellars bring more than one million tourists to the vineyards in May to learn about grape varieties and wine-making methods.  Many of the wineries have been in business for more than 100 years and offer techniques honed by generations of grape growers.

Tuscany is the birthplace of this annual event that has spread throughout the country.  Offerings have expanded too, giving participants an opportunity to witness farm life in the olive groves and other venues.  Many hosts prepare a dish featuring local specialties to the tourists who stop by.

Food and wine is the second biggest reason why tourists choose Italy as their destination.  Censis, a social trend research organization, states that every euro invested in a vineyard produces 5 euros in tourism for the local economy.

Tourists desiring a wine experience on their trip have other festivals they can attend throughout the growing season.  The Goblet of Stars, or Calici di Stelle, involves a community toast on the night of August 10th.  The night honors the Night of the Shooting Stars during the Feast of Saint Lawrence.

If you prefer the glorious weather of autumn, the Welcome Harvest, Benvenuta Vendemmia  opens vineyards to tourists to observe the busy wine production process which begins with crushing the grapes after harvest.

For every palette and season, there is a region and vineyard ready to entertain you with a wine tour italy.

Some say the best private tours Italy are those that occur in Tuscany.  Situated between the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines and the Tyrrhenian sea, the Tuscan capital is world-beloved Florence.

Other smaller capitals of the provinces include Arezzo, Grosseto, Livorno, Lucca, Massa Carrara, Pisa, Pistoia, Prato and Siena.  All of them a rich with history, art, architecture and culture, and all are worthy of a visit with a well-informed and confident tour guide.

Tuscany has a variety of topographical features.  Much of Tuscany is hilly and mountainous, but the area near the sea is flat in stretches.   Whether you want to relax at the scenic beaches or enjoy the local flavor of wine and cuisine, there is something for everyone in Tuscany.

The first time visitor often goes straight to Florence.  And who can blame them?  You can use any mode of transportation to get around.

Why not consider a visit to the Abbey of San Miniato al Monte?  From the Piazzale Michelangelo, you proceed on foot to the abbey for a step back in time to a devout and religious experience.

The Academia Gallery is a second must-see stop on your tour.  Ordered by the Grand-duke Pietro Leopoldo, the museum houses a collection of magnificent tapestries revealing the story of creation, as well as plaster busts by Lorenzo Bartolini and Luigi Pampaloni.

Most everyone has heard of Michelangelo and even Donatello, though American youngsters may think the latter is a Mutant Ninja Turtle.  In truth, the real Donatello was a sculptor and his works are displayed at the Bargello National Museum on Via del Proconsolo, 4.  When you book a trip with a private tour guide, you don’t need to worry about how to find these places.  Your knowledgeable guide will bring you right to the door.

With private tours Italy, all you need is a camera, a credit card, and an open mind to all the experiences that await you.

The best Olive Vineyards in Italy are difficult to discern.  It’s like asking an American which are the best wine vineyards; Napa Valley or the Finger Lakes of New York?  However, most Italians will concur there are outstanding olives in the hills of Chianti, in Tuscany.

An experienced tour guide might suggest a novel mini-working vacation at an olive grove in Muricciaglia where you can pick the olives and become involved in the art of making olive oil.

Plan your trip in Mid-November.  This is when olives are harvested.   After the growers place nets beneath the trees, you’ll be instructed to pick every single olive regardless of the size or color.  Small or large, black or green, nothing is left on the tree when it is selected for picking.

The olive industry is vital in Italy and there are many ways to get the olive off the tree.  Some farmers shake the tree to release the fruit.  Other more commercial operations resort to mechanical devices at harvest time.

The weather in Tuscany remains sunny, warm and beautiful for the job.  You’ll spend all morning in the fields picking the olives and then settle into a long, delicious and relaxing lunch featuring local items and some wine before picking a few more olives in the afternoon.

Once the harvest is completed, the olives are taken to an extraction plant, or “frantoio”.  It is here where the olives are extracted from the fruit after they are all washed and weighed.   The plants operate all day and night at harvest time, as trucks bearing the labors of the harvest from all area farms come in.

In the end you’ll be able to sample the oil you helped to create, making for a lifelong memory of your time in Olive Vineyards in Italy.

For Easy Italy Tours consider viewing the country by car.  With a creative driver and eight hours of time, you can become an expert on the Florence region of Tuscany.

Nothing is easier than getting picked up at the hotel by your driver.  Ask her to take you to the Piazzale Michelangelo, a terrace named for the artist himself.  The drive alone is a marvel.  It’s called the Viale Dei  Colli and it takes you past ancient walls to the 1590 Forte Belvedere built by the Grand Duke Ferdinand.

As you descend the hill away from Belvedere, you’ll see the old gate to the city called the Porta Romana and in front of you will be the Pitti Palace by Filippo Brunelleschi.  It is the largest Palace in Florence and central to several museums and galleries such as the Costume Gallery, Royal Apartments, the Gallery of Modern Art, and the Silver and Porcelain museums.

Another Brunelleschi masterpiece is the Cathedral at Santa Maria del Fiore, built from 1420 to 1434.  From there you can take a short ride with your tour guide to Piazza della Signoria, another medieval landmark integral to the development of historic  Florence.  It was originally the seat of the “heads of Guilds” or the Priori delle Arti.

Your driver will sense you are hungry and she will recommend a popular trattoria in Florence for you to tempt your taste buds.  You have not experienced pasta from the Mother Land until you have had home made pasta from Tuscany.

If shopping is your hobby, the bargains are here and easy to pick up.  There are outlet shopping centers featuring Milan’s top designers.  Gucci, Prada, Ferragamo, Armani and Fendi are all represented in these Easy Italy Tours and are sure to please your loved ones when you arrive home again.

In our opinion regarding Small Historical Tours, Italy is the best way to see the sights at a reasonable price.  Take advantage of group discounts without the large and cumbersome large group tours so common today.

Entice your family and best friends to join you on a small group tour.  An experienced guide will take you to the best Italy has to offer.

Begin your tour in Bologna, lesser known among American tourists.  Bologna has a high quality of life, a vital industrial past and proud architectural history.  It is famous for elegant porticos and medieval towers.  The Piazza del Nettuno is a popular meeting point with its striking Neptune fountain.  King Renzo’s Palace and the King Renzo’s Palacewill enchant you and be sure to bring your camera to the Basilica of San Petronio, among the largest basilicas in the world.

Many people think of England when they recall Shakespeare, however your guide will point out the nearby town of Padova was the setting of the Bard’s “Taming of the Shrew”.  Padova houses the 13th century Sant’Antonio Basilica designed by Pisano and several other historic treasures.

Your tour guide will know the best route to Venice, described by the New York Times as “undoubtedly the most beautiful city ever built by man”.   This is best explored in a small group with a knowledgeable tour guide.  Venice is filled with museums, villas, cathedrals and plazas.

For an experience with nature, request time spent in the Lake Region of Maggiore.  The north is characterized by snow-capped mountains and the south has a picturesque village of Stresa.  With a population of 5,000, this fishing village that dates back to the 15th century is a popular vacation spot for Europe’s elite.

But you don’t have to have a fat wallet to enjoy these scenes; all you need is a typical vacation budget for your small historical tours Italy.

Abundant and Enchanting Destinations Italy will assure you never forget your trip to this marvelous country.

Of course, many visitors begin with the art in Tuscany.  Art is an important part of the Italian culture that dates back centuries.  The earliest art predates anything available in America; it is the cave dwellings in Cetona with ancient treasures.  Early art is also found in Lunigiana with stele statues.

Elba Island illustrates ancient civilizations and the Etruscan cities mimic the history of Rome. Of course some of the most enchanting aspects of Italy are vestiges of the Renaissance which began in beautiful Florence.

For a powerful experience travel to the mountains of Tuscany where there are hundreds of activities to enchant you.  Explore marble cathedrals and the hermitages and monasteries that dot the Casentino forests.

Bring someone you love to the high peaks of Monte Amiata and capture photographs of fallow deer.  In the summer hike the Abetone woods that host skiers in the wintertime.  Ask your tour guide to arrange a schedule of trekking and biking through the mountain trails, and also recommend places for meditation and contemplation.

If the ocean is more your preference, there are miles of coastline in Italy that are surrounded by the Apuan Alps, notable for their constitution of white marble.  Charming villages built into the hills will make you fall in love all over again.  Enjoy outdoor seating in a little café where the proprietor will tempt your palette with local specialties you’ve never had before.

Visit churches and cathedrals on your walks throughout medieval cities lined with cobblestone streets and see the ocean open up beneath you with cliffs that plunge into azure blue water.

Lastly, don’t overlook the beautiful spectacle of the sun setting into the Mediterranean Sea, capping off Enchanting Destinations Italy.