Italy Travel Tours

Posts Tagged ‘northern Italy tours’

There are northern Italy tours to suit every taste and budget.  Northern Italy is best known as Tuscany, that enchanting part of the world that has spawned books and films and drawn visitors from across the globe.

To the north Tuscany is fringed with mountains; the Pratomagno range and the Apuan Alps.   Between the Alps and the coast lie the lower Chianti hills, an area famous for its wines, its soil rich in minerals for growing, and its gentle climate.

The coast features the sandy shores of Versilia to the north and the rocky cliffs near Livorna at the mid-point.  And just off shore are the islands that form the Tuscan Archipelago.  The most popular among them are Capraia, Giglio, Elba, Pianosa, Montecristo and Giannutri.  All of these are well equipped for visitors looking for sun, beaches, charm and excellent cuisine.

With its Mediterranean climate, look for hot summer months and warm winters, except  in the mountains where snowfall allows for winter sports.  Generally, Tuscany has favorable weather no matter when you go.  The month of July is the hottest and it can feel quite tropical throughout the region.

Tuscany is the birthplace of Italian art, dating back to the Iron Age, but the Etruscan civilization is credited with spawning the best ancient art.  Items of terracotta and pottery in the form of vases and urns are considered masterpieces of the time.

Visitors to Tuscany are treated to an abundance of art from the Middle Ages which occurred after the fall of the Roman Empire.  The walls of Monteriggioni and the Castle at Prato are some of the surviving architecture on display from this period.

Siena and Florence reveal the Italian Gothic influence and in Florence the zenith of Renaissance design delights tourists and students alike.  Contact TuscanyWithMe.it to organize a trip within northern Italy tours and see history on display.

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A most distinct area of Northern Italy tours that will entice you with its charm is the Veneto region.  It consists of seven provinces and the cities of Mestre, Verona, Venice, and Padua.  Veneto exists in the northeast, between the Dolomite mountain range and the Adriatic Sea.

Veneto is a prime wine making region of Italy with more than 20 well known wines made from German and French grapes and produced into Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Merlot.

Accommodations in this exciting region of the country are abundant and include private homes and cottages as a possibility for your lodging.  For example, for June 2010 you can book a 2 bedroom apartment in Venice within walking distance to the canals for $826.00 for a four night stay.  In San Peitro di Feletto a three bedroom villa can be rented for $1,404.00 for four nights.

Many websites can help you with your accommodations and many have a minimum number of nights for your stay.  Contact your tour representative for assistance with lodging.

The locals believe every trip to Italy must include a trip to Venice where cars are forbidden and all travel is by foot, boat or bicycle.  For this reason, time in Venice seems to stand still.  Modern life is forgotten in this ancient city with a lifestyle that is preserved.

Venice is one of the honeymoon capitals of Europe for its romantic nature.  But it is also famous for its food markets and abundance of seafood.   In fact, the city’s proximity to the ocean make the seafood dishes in Venice world class and famous.

The other mandatory stop on your Italian trip is Florence.  Florence is the cradle of the renaissance and the works of Leonardo, Michelangelo, Raphael and Botticelli are in full splendor throughout the city’s many museums and churches.

Consider custom Northern Italy tours when you chose to travel to this marvelous country.  Our blog host, Federica will work with you to design the perfect tour plan that will be just perfect for you.  Contact her at Tuscany With Me.

There are northern Italy tours for nearly every interest under the sun.  If your hobby is food, wine, art,  or cathedrals, a tour company has an itinerary just for you.

For the best dedicated travel to Italy, small independent operators who are Italian-based offer the most knowledgeable ideas and the internet is a good way to start.

The sponsor of this blog is TuscanyWithMe.it. When you choose the services of a custom tour guide company such as this you will maximize your enjoyment by being able to visit exactly what it is you came to see.

For instance if you were to take a tour bus trip you would see things of interest that the tour operator has decided would be of interest to the most visitors.  However when you select Tuscany With Me you will describe in detail what it is that you would prefer to see and your days of visiting Italy will be filled with just your own choices.

If you are signing up for a guided tour, request a schedule of activities. Ask about the size of the group you’ll be part of and get information on the nature of the group; is it for college kids?  Or retirees?  This will impact the entire tour.

Inquire about the options for accommodations and the prices.  Research these hoteliers on the many online travel sites for feedback from prior patrons.   See what is included in the price such as meals and admission to museums.  Are there hidden fees such as taxes and airport fees?  These are usually tacked on after you’ve committed to the total amount.

Escorted tours are a great way to see a new country as they manage a large number of activities and sites in a short period of time.  All the work is done for you; you simply leave all the planning to the tour guide and enjoy the experience.  Vacations involving northern Italy tours will leave you wanting to return again and again.