From the splendor of Venice, Florence, and Rome to the charm of rural hill towns and seaside villages, Italy offers the richest culture in Europe. And each of our Italy tours capture some of that cultural magic for you to enjoy. Here's what awaits you on our nine Italian itineraries…
Rome serves up Europe's most intoxicating brew of dazzling art, earth-shaking history, and city life with style. On this tour, your guide will resurrect the grandeur of ancient Rome's Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, and nearby Ostia Antica. From the Renaissance and Baroque eras, you'll marvel at St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and Borghese Gallery. You'll also enjoy today's Rome, with neighborhood walking tours, memorable restaurants, and time to explore on your own.
The Rick Steves Best of Venice, Florence & Rome tour begins with Venice's timeless St. Mark's Square and Basilica, then on to Michelangelo's stunning David and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and ends with Rome's ancient Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican Museums, and Sistine Chapel. You'll also enjoy guided neighborhood walks, memorable meals, and full-bodied Italian wines. Italy's three greatest cities are like fine gelato — why settle for just one flavor if you can get three scoops at once?
Tight on time? This tour is Rick's personal "best of" distillation of our Best of Italy tour. Beginning with the "must-see" sights of the Eternal City of Rome, your Rick Steves guide will help you experience the very heart of this remarkable country: the Tuscan hill-town ambience of Volterra, the pedestrian-friendly streets of Lucca, harbor-hugging villages of the Cinque Terre, and the amazing art of Renaissance Florence. Along the way, you'll enjoy Italy's distinctive culture, wine, and cuisine.
The Rick Steves Best of Italy tour is exactly that — the very best. Starting on beautiful Lake Como, this tour treats you to Italy's must-see destinations: timeless Venice, Renaissance Florence, Eternal Rome, and St. Francis' Assisi. You'll also soak in Italy's quieter side: hill-town vineyards, mountain-ringed Alpine meadows, cliff-clinging Cinque Terre villages, and cozy fishing harbors — all accompanied by memorable meals and local wines. And Rick's guides will make Italy's art, history, and dolce vita come vividly to life.
Starting in Florence, the capital of Tuscany, you'll discover the incredible Renaissance art treasures of the Bargello and Accademia Galleries, followed by a deep dive into the Tuscan countryside. We'll roll our way through the Chianti hills, sipping wine and strolling through Siena. Breathe in the fresh air of Val d'Orcia, where vineyards and cypress trees go on forever. Meet local family farmers and taste their fresh products. Learn how to make homemade pasta and savor every meal. Soak up the Tuscan sun on historic Elba — and fall in love with everything about this beautiful region.
La dolce vita (the sweet life) describes the intimate magic of small-town Italy. This tour — with a tasty focus on food, wine, and culture — helps you live it. Starting in elegant Padua, your Rick Steves guide will take you through Italy's seductive countryside: artistic Ravenna, St. Francis' Assisi, medieval Siena, Puccini's Lucca, cliff-hugging Cinque Terre harbors, and off-the-beaten-path hill towns and vistas. You'll be rubbing elbows with Italian culture, learning about crafting pottery, cutting marble, cooking pasta, making wine — even hunting truffles.
This tour treats you to the slice of Italy that's richest in contrasts, from cities to beaches and from rugged to glamorous. After touring the wonders of Rome, your Rick Steves guide will take you across Italy's boot to the wild beauty of the Gargano Peninsula and Adriatic Coast. You'll meander through the untouristed Puglia and Basilicata regions, followed by the must-see historic sites at Paestum and Pompeii, the jaw-dropping vistas of the Amalfi Coast, and the untamed energy of Naples.
Rick Steves' most exotic tour in Italy will immerse you in the distinctive culture, cuisine, and history of Sicily — including Palermo, Taormina, Agrigento, Syracuse, Catania, and more! On this island adventure, your Rick Steves guide will introduce you to the hearty welcome and home cooking of a Sicilian family farm, the steamy power of Mount Etna, Italy's brightest pottery and boldest wines, Europe's most amazing ancient Greek ruins, and slow sunsets from picture-perfect seaside villages.
Your Italy vacation starts by following a route that connects Italy's must-see sights — from Venice to Lake Como, the Cinque Terre, Florence, Assisi, and Rome. Rick Steves' money-saving My Way vacation package gives you the freedom to decide your own daily sightseeing priorities and pace. We cut the stress by providing comfortable rooms in centrally located hotels, private bus transportation from city to city, and an Italy-savvy tour manager to advise you along the way.
