Italy Travel Tours

Posts Tagged ‘Northern Italy’

In the summer, Northern Italy Tours have more to offer than what most people expect. There are ancient cities, medieval castles, old salt smuggler trails leading into the mountains along with the Alps themselves that can be a welcome break for the summer heat.

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The most visited and enjoyed of the northern Italy attractions is a tossup between Venice and the Clinque Terre, but no matter where you end up going, the main airport in the north is in Milan. This is the starting point for nearly all of the tours of Northern Italy.

Milan has many attractions to get your trip off to a new start. It was first conquered by the Romans in 222 BC from the Celtics that founded this city in about 400 BC. It was also the western Capital of the Roman Empire until 402 AD. There are numerous ancient Roman buildings along with Gothic architecture.

Venice is a destination no one should miss. This is a city made up of 117 small islands and as most know, the streets are canals filled with water. The history of this city stretches back to 10 BC and was fought over by many invading armies. The structures found there are Roman along with gothic that have Byzantine and Arab influences that can be visibly seen.

There are some that feel this is a tourist trap city, but the history of it keeps people coming back for more. For this reason a brief visit is recommended.

The Clinque Terre is a set of 5 sea side towns on the cliffs. They are towns that have turned back time to a simpler way of life. The choice of tours can be either by sea or land. What is fascinating is that each one of these towns is connected by a scenic footpath that is hundreds of years old and still used today.

You can see each town from the sea and at certain points on the cliffs, but the walking trail is for those of you in relatively good shape. Some of the distances take up to 90 minutes of walking to cover between towns.

In the further reaches of the north are the Lake Como and Lake Orta. These are inland away from the sea. There you can have a tranquil experience of just what life was like in Old Italy.

This is some of what you can experience in the summer time with Northern Italy tours. With so much to see, a week is not long enough to enough everything so more than one trip is recommended.

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The food tours of Northern Italy will include pasta, but there are so many more flavors and aromas to enjoy. To truly be considered food from Northern Italy it must come from one of 8 northern provinces. These are Aosta, Liguria, Lombardy and Piedmont to the west and Emilia-Romagna, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto to the east.

When most people think of Italy and food, tomato sauces, olive oil and pasta fill their minds. This is still true with food from the north, but it is more balanced that in the south were in some places that is all there is. In the north there are more influences that include the use of butter and lard, rice, corn and many different cheeses that have developed into the creamy sauces that many people are very fond of.

In The Lombardy region they are well known for the use of rice in their dishes instead of pasta. One dish is made of rice, vegetables and bacon is called Minestrone alla Milanese. Another creamy dish that uses rice, meat stock, Saffron and of course cheese is Risotto alla Milanese.

From the Veneto region there Fegato alla Veneziana that is made of calf liver fried up with onions or Risi e Bisi which is rice and peas. Wild game along with a wide variety of sea food can also be seen in the market and on the menus of this region.

The Trentino-Alto Adige region is at the extreme north and is heavily influences by Germany. There is a type of dumpling here that consists of flour, bread and a meat broth called gnocchi that is widely popular amongst the locals. Another popular item is a type of salami that is cured with a taste similar to bacon called Speck.

These are just a few items you can experience on food tours of Northern Italy. The variety of items is nearly endless, but they all have one commonality, they are delicious to savor and enjoy.

There is a detailed chapter on food tours in our free download book of recommended day trips.

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You may click here to read another article on Escorted Food Tours to Northern Italy.

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The current Italy travel cost for Americans is dependent on the fluctuation of the Euro against the dollar. Since the beginning of the year, this fluctuation has been between 1 Euro to 1.19 and 1.26 US Dollars. This, in essence, means for every Euro, an America needs nearly $1.25.

The overall cost of a trip will be dependent on how many services you need or desire while on your trip. A 4-star trip with outstanding accommodations that can last for 2 weeks can run a couple around $7000. For those on a tighter budget, 2-star accommodations will reduce the price to just under $3000 for the same length of time. This is without food and drinks included.

The lowest cost accommodations are the hostels. These will run from $20 to $30 a night per person. If you desire a private room in a hotel, look to the smaller towns to stay. There are many with prices as low as $60. This is comparable to the hostels in the major cities, but you will not be in Rome or Venice.

A meal will cost, on average, between 20 to 50 Euros ($30 to $75) for dinner, and 10 to 20 Euros ($15 to $30) for lunch. This is for eating out.

The place where the most money can be saved is with transportation. Public transportation is how most Europeans travel. This is because of the outrageous taxes that are placed on fuel in Europe. There are trains and buses that should be used to keep the price of your trip down to a minimum. Zone passes can be purchased if you plan to stay in a particular region of Italy, which can save you time and money.

The last of the Italy travel cost is the 20% VAT or value added tax. In Italy, it is called the Imposta di Valore Aggiunto (IVA). On all purchases over 155 Euros, this tax can be reimbursed upon leaving the country, if you have kept your receipts.

7 Recommended Day Trips in Northern Italy:

You will note that we now have a Free Italy Travel Guide available for instant download. Federica Merli has presented seven one-day trips that you may select from for the best tour value for very little cost. The fact that she is a local tour escort. and lives in the area, gives her the experience necessary to offer fun, informative and very memorable day trips, or extended vacation guided tours of Northern Italy.

Even if you are visiting Italy on some other guided tour program, do yourself a favor and take advantage of one of her discounted special guided day trips. We are convinced that once you sign up for one of her one-day trips you will be planning on coming back for more. Go ahead and download it now.

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.