Whether you are looking for a family friendly Italy vacation or exploring Italy on your own, Italy by Choice offers some of the best Italy tours available. When comparing the best Italy tour companies, it’s often helpful to look for packages that allow guests to customize their vacation by adding additional tours during their free time. Below are some of our top Italy tours for 2016.
Siena
Among the best Italy vacations is the ‘Italian Overture’ tour. In Rome, your itinerary starts with the Pantheon, St Peter’s Basilica, and the Colosseum to name just a few of the majestic sights. In your free time, you are invited to stroll through some of the world famous museums, spend a day shopping in Via dei Condotti, or take an optional tour of Pompeii and Naples. As your tour continues on to Siena, be prepared to snap a photo of the gorgeous rolling green hills and vineyards in the Tuscan wine country. Take a break to enjoy a delicious traditional Tuscan lunch in Siena, before continuing on to Florence. Your tour in Florence will start with a guided walking tour of the city, providing you with background on several world-known architects and writers such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli. On your second day in Florence, feel free to go do some exploring of your own at the Leaning Tower of Pisa or take a romantic wine tour of the Chianti region. This is one of the best Italy vacations available and comes to a close in Venice with a guided walking tour of Piazza San Marco, the Bell Tower, and the Grand Rialto Bridge. The Italian Overture tour provides something for everyone to enjoy. With the option to add additional excursions during your free time, there is no wonder why this tour is among the best of Italy 2016.
Tuscany
Another one of our best Italy tours is ‘Cooking in Noble Tuscany’, where visitors will have the chance to gain hands on experience with true Italian cooking. At the hotel, guests will meet their host for the week, Gianfranco Natali, a chef specializing in Tuscan food and wine. During the first two days in Italy, you will attend cooking classes taught by Chef Gianfranco that focus on the Tuscan Way of Life. Following these cooking classes, your escorted tour will take you to a local wine cellar for a wine tasting, a local olive press to discover the process of making olive oil, and finally to a local coffee shop to savor an Italian espresso. Before departure from Italy, you will relax at a farewell Cooking School Graduation and dinner, and receive a special gift from Gianfranco to return home with. If you love cooking and learning new techniques and recipes, then this is one of the best Italy vacations for you to do exactly those things.
Rome
Finally, we want to highlight the ‘Italian Duet’ escorted tour covering the gorgeous art cities of Rome and Florence. This tour will start in Rome with a guided walking tour of the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon, and the Baroque quarter. Afterwards, feel free to visit the Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, or spend a day shopping at Via Veneto or Via dei Condotti. On the way to Florence, take a stop at beautiful Siena and admire the romantic vineyards and the sweeping villages. Upon arrival in Florence, guests will embark on a guided walking tour to learn about some of Italy’s well-known architects and writers, such as Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo. Spend the day before you leave Italy admiring Florence on your own, whether shopping around the city or exploring the famous museums. The Italian Duet tour is among our most popular Italy vacations as it provides guests with the opportunity to spend more time in Rome and Florence exploring the traditional city lifestyle.