Italy highlights tour
Description of Italy highlights tour
Soak up delightful Italian culture with this tailor made Venice to Rome tour that sees you travelling independently by train, with all of the arrangements made ahead so that you can relax and enjoy the journey.
From Venice you travel via Milan to the gorgeous Lake Maggiore and its Borromean Islands – don’t miss the “margheritine di Stresa” here – these crumbly, buttery biscuits sprinkled with sugar are wickedly good.
Again via Milan, continue on for a couple of days exploring Cinque Terre, one of the world’s most photographed stretches of coastline. On this trip however you’ll walk quieter trails linking these colourful villages to avoid the crowds, and perhaps stay in one of the villages so you can enjoy the atmosphere once the tourist buses have left for the day.
Your next stop is the heartbreakingly beautiful Florence, home to such architectural marvels as the Santa Maria del Fiore Cathedral and the Ponte Vecchio, as well as the treasures of the Uffizi Gallery. Here you have the option of an afternoon tour into the nearby Chianti Hills, where you can enjoy some winetasting at a couple of family-run vineyards.
Finally you arrive in Rome, with the chance to extend your stay and savour one of Europe’s most fascinating capitals. Throughout this Venice to Rome tour you’ll stay in a succession of welcoming and charming hotels, chosen for their convenient locations, and run by local people.
The beauty of a bespoke itinerary is that it can be shaped to your passions and interests, so you have a wealth of opportunities to experience Italian culture, while your trip helps with the preservation of many ancient sites and buildings.
Departure information
Travel guides
Reviews
10 Reviews of Italy highlights tour
Reviewed on 14 May 2025 by Gillian Chapman
So many highlights: wildflowers everywhere, wonderful atmosphere and architecture on Ortigia, lovely and knowledgeable guide Eva, plus very helpful team at our hotel in Siracusa who helped us move to another hotel when the air conditioning failed. Giovanna from your Italian partner was also very supportive. Read full reviewReviewed on 19 May 2024 by Maria Liuzzi
Beautiful holiday, thank you to Giovanna for organising it for us! Read full reviewReviewed on 18 Mar 2024 by susan ross browne
The the most memorable part of the holiday was visiting Pompeii and Herculaneum. Read full reviewReviewed on 05 Jul 2023 by Marie O
So many highlights as we saw so much... Excellent and highly recommend the services of the tour operator if you would like a customised trip to Italy curated for you. Read full reviewReviewed on 26 Dec 2023 by PN Cran
The nice hotel in capri. So welcoming and helpful staff and beautiful scenery from to room. Read full reviewReviewed on 18 Sep 2023 by Roger Cotton
The first boat trip in our private speedboat was memorable. Read full reviewReviewed on 21 May 2023 by PN Cran
Overall well organised. I should have listened to Chiara ideally spoken with her. 4 hotels on just over 6 days is too much moving around. Read full reviewReviewed on 16 Feb 2022 by Lynn Dimery
Everything booked for us was exceptional from the accommodation, transfers to the guided tours yes Read full reviewReviewed on 07 Jun 2019 by Paula Appleton
Everything was memorable ! The Rome food tour, the Vatican tour, Capri & Anacapri, the Blue Grotto & Venice. Read full reviewResponsible Travel
Planet
CARBON REDUCTIONThis itinerary minimizes carbon emissions by using high-speed and regional trains and promoting walking tours and exploration on foot in several destinations.
ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE
The survival of some of the places that you are going to visit on this tour such as Venice, Borromean Islands and Cinque Terre National Park is strictly linked to the preservation of the environment. Access to Le Cinque Terre is quite restricted for cars and coaches, the five villages are accessible mainly by train or boat which we will use to travel there. We are in a very fragile geological area of rare beauty and the local administrators pursue a far-sighted policy about the preservation of this territory.
In Florence and Rome, guided visits to museums and historic monuments directly support the preservation of Italy’s artistic heritage, with entrance fees contributing to restoration and conservation efforts.
On this tour, we are able to offer a choice of hotels which are historical buildings turned into hospitality venues to preserve them and to pass their cultural heritage on to future generations.
People
LOCAL ECONOMYThe trip supports the local economy through partnerships with locally owned hotels, restaurants, and guides. Travellers experience authentic culture by meeting artisans in Florence’s Oltrarno district, discovering traditional crafts in Venice and tasting regional products throughout all the itinerary.
We are a small Italian tour operator and we establish partnerships with businesses similar to ours, usually small local companies; some of them usually work with Italian tourists and rarely with foreigners, your visit would be a special event for them and you can count on a friendly attitude even if they may not speak flawless English.
EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY
You will have the opportunity to get in touch with local guides who will introduce you to the local culture and traditions off the usual touristic routes.
All guided tours are led by certified local guides, providing authentic insights and sustaining jobs in each region.
All partners follow ethical employment practices, and the trip is LGBTQ+ friendly and adaptable for travellers with limited mobility.
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