Expert travel storyteller Jordan Adkins, founder of InspiredByMaps.com, brings a decade of adventures across 101 countries and 450+ UNESCO sites into rich, off-the-beaten-path narratives, melding ecological expertise with genuine, seasoned travel insights. His full bio can be found here.
Italy is a country located in southern Europe that is divided into three main geographical areas: the peninsula to the south of the plain (peninsular), Sardinia, Sicily, and several smaller islands (insular). The Po, the only significant river in Italy, travels from west to east before emptying into the Adriatic. Italy has had many contributions to the world as we know it today.
Italian art, architecture, and culture have had a significant global impact since the rise of the Roman Empire. Italy is also the center of the Catholic Church, which is run from the city-state of Vatican City, which is inside Rome itself.
Italy’s history is unique compared to other countries around the world. Italy was connected to the trade routes used by the ancient Romans that emerged in the area thanks to its location on the Mediterranean. The Italian peninsula became the heart of a vast empire that lasted for centuries as a result of the rise to prominence of the city of Rome.
Around 1200 B.C., Italy’s first societies began to develop. Greeks arrived in the south of Italy around 800 B.C., and Etruscans emerged in the center. The Etruscans had established a confederation of nations known as Etruria by the sixth century B.C. Rome, a powerful city-state, was created by the fusion of the Latin and Sabine populations living south of Etruria.
Rome was controlled by Etruscan rulers for almost a hundred years. However, the Romans expelled the Etruscans in 510 B.C. and thereafter took control of the entire peninsula. Then they started to create a sizable empire.
The Roman Empire covered a vast area from Portugal to Syria to Britain to North Africa at its height in A.D. 117. That is only the beginning of Italy’s intensive history but it can be quite interesting and extensive too! There is just so much to learn about the country of Italy.
Italy is such a vast country with so much to see and do it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what you want to see and do while you’re there. Most people that come to Italy, come to travel the country as a whole.
If you only have limited time or you aren’t familiar with everything there is to do there it can be confusing and time-consuming to pick a few spots to travel. That’s why it’s important to take a multiday tour so you can experience everything with a professional guide that can help guide you along the way. Here is a look at the top six best tours in Italy.
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Small Group Tour of Sicily: Highlights
Sicily Activities
Have you ever had the dream of visiting Sicily? If so, this tour is the perfect tour to let loose and enjoy the wonders of Sicily.
Enjoy access to some of the top attractions in Sicily and some of the best experiences including a full, immersive lesson on the history, traditions, and culture of the city, the opportunity to taste some of the best Sicilian wine, as well as enjoy a local perspective on the life and traditions. On this multi-day tour, you will start your journey in Palermo and end in Catalina.
With eight days to explore the island to the fullest, you’ll see a total of ten different Italian cities with things like a professional guide, accommodations, meals, transportation, and more. Here is a look at your day-to-day itinerary for this tour.
Day One: Arrival and Evening Taormina Food & Wine Tour
Day Two: Godfather Vs Mafia Tour with Pasta Lunch & Taormina Walking Tour with Greek Theatre
Day Three: Etna Trip Until 1900/3000 Mt with Lunch in Etna Winery
Day Four: Noto Walking Tour with Seafood Lunch in Marzamemi & Transfer to Syracuse
Day Five: Afternoon Ortigia Walking Tour
Day Six: Guided Visit of Temple Valley in Agrigento, Lunch & Transfer to Palermo
Day Seven: Palermo Walking Tour & Wine
Day Eight: Departure from Catalina.
On this eight-day tour of the Sicily region of Italy, you’ll enjoy the beautiful scenery, as well as enjoy the delicious traditional Italian cuisine. The world-famous dish of “pizza” originates from Sicily! You will also get the chance to experience Sicilian culture to the fullest.
This tour is offered by “Sicily Activities” a local luxury tour operator based entirely in Sicily. Since 2014, Sicily’s activities have worked hard to provide affordable luxury tours accessibly.
The beauty of Sicily Activities is they will customize your tour based on your preferences and your interests. This is unique as most tour operators have set itineraries. Sicily activities also have an overall rating of 48 out of five stars, you are guaranteed that travelers recommend this tour and this is absolutely one you should consider when traveling to Sicily!
Northern Italy’s Highlights & Cinque Terre
Globus
Think of Mozzarella, Prosciutto, fiats, and just about anything else Italian as you journey through the north of the country where some of Italy’s best entrees originated. On this ten-day tour through the northern region of Italy, you will have the opportunity to discover the “fabulous Five” ( a fishing hamlet based on the cliffs of the Mediterranean ocean.
You will also get a chance to taste real Italian balsamic vinegar, parmesan cheese, and true Italian wine as well as explore the cities of Modena, Bussteo, and Milan. This tour runs for a total of 10 days. With things like accommodation, meals, transportation, excursions, an expert guide, and much more. This is what your ten-day itinerary would look like, on this tour.
Day 1: Arrive in Milan, Italy
Day 2: Milan–Busseto–Parma
Day 3: Parma. Excursion to Modena & Maranello
Day 4: Parma–Lucca
Day 5: Lucca–Cinque Terre–Genoa
Day 6: Genoa. Excursion to Portofino
Day 7: Genoa–Gabiano–Turin
Day 8: Visit Turin
Day 9: Turin–Vercelli–Milan
Day 10: Milan Offered by Globus Tours
You will get to explore the northern region of Italy in detail throughout your trip. With 10 days to venture through the region, you still have time to see all the top attractions and even some off-the-beaten-path ones too. This tour can be considered unique as not very many tourists visit the northern region of Italy exclusively.
This is your chance to enjoy the northern region with your tour guide and your group and not have to worry about the crowds being too incredibly large. Hence, this is your time to take this tour before it becomes overly popular. Operated by Globus tours, a Swiss company dedicated to educating, and giving tourists the best experience possible when abroad.
For over 90 years, Globus has been providing travelers access to world-class and once-in-a-lifetime excursions and experiences. Globus has a rating of 4.5 out of five stars and is one of the most reputable companies to book through. Overall travelers were confident in Globus and the “Northern Italy Highlights” tour and would recommend both to other travelers.
UNESCO Jewels: Best of Italy – Rome, Florence, Venice in 8 days
I Love Rome
In just eight days, visit some of Italy’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites on this intense tour through some of the best spots in Italy! You will start and end this tour in Rome. with the chance to visit a total of 8 Italian cities over 8 days, you will see some of the highlights and best spots within Italy. Book with ease knowing your guide, accommodations, lunches, transportation, and much more!
As most of the top cities in Italy are included like Rome, Florence, and Venice, you will be completely mesmerized by the intense glow of every one of the Italian cities you visit on this tour. Here is a look at your itinerary over the next 8 days.
Day One: visit Piazza Della Rotonda, trevi fountain, and Spanish steps, and then explore on your own.
Day Two: arrive in Assisi, where you will have free time. Get back on the bus and visit Siena a UNESCO World Heritage Site. then continue to Florence.
Day Three: once in Florence, visit “Campanile” tower and the Baptistery, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio), and the Basilica of Santa Croce. Continue to explore on your own or take the optional tour to Pisa.
Day Four: After breakfast in Florence, depart to Bologna. Visit King Renzo’s Palace; Palazzo Podestà and the basilica of San Petronio, then enjoy free time. Later in the afternoon, we arrive in Venice: the City of Love, one of the most romantic cities in the whole world and, undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man! Check-in at your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day Five: enjoy a visit to Piazza San Marco, St. Mark’s Basilica the Palazzo dei Dogi, and after the tour you have free time to explore as you wish.
Day Six: visit Piazzale Roma heading to Tuscany, where you will proceed to Val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano. Then head back to Rome to check in to your hotel.
Day Seven: take a tour of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with our exclusive skip-the-line” access! The tour ends in St. Peter’s Square
Day Eight: Depart from Rome.
Enjoy the sights and sounds of Italy’s top cities on this tour. Immerse yourself in the true Italian culture and spirit as you walk down the cobblestones streets and admire the stunning architecture on every street corner.
You can book this tour with ease knowing the tour operator themselves “I Love Rome” is highly rated among travelers with an overall rating of 4.2 out of five stars. We can confidently say travelers enjoyed this tour and would recommend it to others. So if you’re looking to explore the most popular attractions in Italy, this is the tour for you.
Italy City Break – 5 Days
Click Tours
Get the chance to visit Italy7’s top historic sites with a professional guide and much more! You’ll enjoy some of the most beautiful cities in Italy like Assisi, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Padua, Venice, Tuscany, and Rome. as well as a mix of UNESCO world heritage sites and museums with time to explore on your own too. With this tour, you will start and end your journey in Rome!
With this explorers tour of Italy, you’ll have five days to explore 9 different Italian destinations. Your accommodations, expert guide, meals, transportation, excursions, and more are completely included in the cost of your tour as well. Here is a look at your full itinerary for your five-day Italian adventure.
Day One: From Rome to Assisi – Unesco World Heritage Site Palio – Siena – Florence
Day Two: Discover the Beautiful Florence – Lunch in a typical Tuscan restaurant
Day Three: Charming Bologna – Padua – Padova – Venice: the City of Love
Day Four: Beautiful Venice – Piazza San Marco – Palazzo dei Dogi – Bridge of Sighs
Day Five: Venice – Charming Tuscany Wine Region – Montepulciano – Rome
On this five-day tour through the top sites in Italy, you will be completely amazed at the intense history and beauty of each building. You will be mesmerized by the warm cobblestone streets as you discover some of the best food, traditions, and of course some of the most friendly people in the world.
This five-day tour is operated by “Click Tours” a platinum tour operator dedicated to giving tourists an exceptional tour based on the top destinations in Italy as well as some hidden gems recommended by locals. with over 200 tours available across several countries you could technically travel the world with Click Tours.
The tour itself is rated 4.5 out of five stars and is considered highly recommended by travelers. Overall this is a perfect tour if you don’t have a lot of time and want to see as much as you possibly can while in Italy.
Local Living Italy—Amalfi Coast
G-Adventures
Mile after mile of breathtaking cliffs embraced by dark blue waves, acres of lemon trees, vineyards, and charming hilltop towns. This enchanting region of Italy is considered a true paradise by many. This tour includes a glimpse into the life of a local. You’ll achieve this perspective by exploring the many hidden mountain trails, and little villages, and meeting some of the warmest people in the world.
You’ll also discover Pompeii as well as many other interesting destinations. On this tour, you will start and end your journey in Naples. This tour lasts 8 days and includes a total of six Italian cities to explore too!
Things like accommodations, an expert guide, meals, transportation, and other amenities are completely included in the cost of your tour too. This tour is also perfect for families, solo travelers, group travelers, and holiday vacations.
Here is a look at the itinerary for this tour and what you would be doing throughout your eight-day Italian adventure.
Day One: Arrive in Naples at any time.
Day Two: take a tour around Naples. Then travel to Pompeii to enjoy a guided tour of the partially buried ruins before visiting Agriturismo. Then you will enjoy an authentic Italian dinner.
Day Three: Hike to the Valle delle Ferriere, and then explore the coast some more on your own.
Day Four: Visit the coastal village of Atrani, then continue to Ravello, with some free time in the afternoon.
Day Five: Hike up the mountain slopes of Mt Tre Calli. Dinner will be well deserved.
Day Six: relax in agriturismo. Enjoy a cooking demonstration before dinner. Then the rest of the day is a free day!
Day Seven: Walk the “Path of the Gods” along the Amalfi Coast, finishing up in quaint Positano. Take a scenic ferry ride along the coast to Amalfi, then return to the agriturismo in time for a final dinner feast.
Day Eight: Return to Naples.
Enjoy the highlights of the Amalfi Coast as you soak up the beautiful energy of the warm people and the beautiful atmosphere. This tour also offers a sense of freedom as you get an equal balance of freedom to explore on your own as well as take educational tours with a knowledgeable guide.
This tour is operated by “G-Adventures” a world-renowned tour operator famous for its parent company of National Geographic. G Adventures offers some of the best tours available due to its dedication to travelers and giving tourists the best experience possible.
G Adventures has an overall rating of 4.6 out of five stars which is one of the highest-rated tour operators in the world. G Adventures is one of the most trusted tour operators in the world as well. Overall, G-Adventures is one of the best tour operators out there if you’re looking to truly discover each country you travel to.
Taste of Salento-Authentic Culinary Experience
Soleto Travel
A multiday journey will help you experience Apulia’s true cuisine and culture. Salento has distinct seasons, which is one of the reasons it is so alluring. In the winter and autumn, olive oil production takes place and there is a bustling Christmas atmosphere that is just so magical you need to come just to experience it in the summer, you are surrounded by the waves of the majestic sea.
Experience your stay in a typical farmhouse, or “Masseria,” in the Salento area of southern Apulia, which is 33 kilometers from Gallipoli and 82 kilometers from Salento-Brindisi Airport. The Masseria is a property with 11 hectares of olive trees 3 kilometers from the shore in Castiglione.
On this tour, you will start and end your journey in Brindisi! With 7 days to explore the region to the fullest, you’ll get the chance to see 8 different Italian cities as well as enjoy accommodations, transportation, a professional guide, meals, and much more completely included in the cost of your tour. Here’s your full itinerary for the next 7 days.
Day One: Arrive in Brindisi
Day Two: Visit the Acquaviva marina, Marina Serra, before heading to visit the historic center of Castro with some free time. Later in the day, take a tour of Santa Maria di Leuca with a stop at Ciolo bridge,
Day Three: visit Gallipoli as well as churches like St. Agatha’s Cathedral, with its ornate facade.
Day Four: Departure to the Valle d’ Itria, and Visit Alberobello In the afternoon depart to Ostuni and enjoy a guided tour.
Day Five: The whole day is dedicated to local gastronomy and the discovery of local products, to the processing and production of typical local dishes. Visit a pasta factory, a mozzarella cheese factory, and a chocolate workshop. Free time at Maglie. In the
Day Six: Tour Otranto, Otranto Cathedral, Torre Matta tower, the villages of Porto Badisco and Porto Miggiano visit the Zinzulusa Cave
Day Seven: Depart from Brindisi at any time.
The experience described above is based on the concept of relaxation and the ultimate retreat. that you should go back in time and spend your holiday in a tranquil and healthy setting. Take the opportunity to go back in time and enjoy access to A organic garden, organic produce oil, and cooking workshops using common earth-based ingredients are all available at the Masseria. It’s truly a unique experience in Italy that many have not partaken in.
This tour is offered by Soleto Travel, a Maltese tour operator founded in 2014. Solento travel is well known for its unique and exceptionally organized tours. The operator was given a silver badge. Solento Travel has excellent reviews from travelers. Solento Travel is rated 4.8 out of five stars and is the highest-rated tour on this list.
In 1870, the twenty regions that make up Italy were combined into one nation. Since the time of ancient Rome, the nation and its people have had a significant political and cultural impact on the world. The Colosseum in Rome and the Greek ruins in Sicily are just a couple of the cultural and historical attractions that draw millions of tourists to Italy each year.
Italy is a dream for many and a bucket list destination for many others too. The fantastic cuisine, culture, and intriguing history call for a vacation like no other. It’s time to sit back and enjoy Italy to the fullest! Visit Italy – Made In Italy.
If none of these tours work for you in Italy, please do not worry. There is a wide variety of tour options in the country, and we are confident that there will be something that fits your needs and interests.
Take a look at all the group tours in Italy now, which you can sort by private or group, maximum sizing, budget, dates and much (much more). The team at TourRadar is also always more than happy to answer any questions, provide further information or assist in any way in finding the perfect tour for you.
