Choosing an Escorted Italy Tour for 2015

Whether in Italy’s grand cities or beautiful countryside, stay in accommodations that perfectly compliment each itinerary.  There are various travel styles now available for your Italy tour vacation.  Perhaps you prefer to travel in a smaller group of no more than 24 people for more personalized attention, or perhaps you want to travel by train.  Maybe you want a custom itinerary where you have an escorted tour of Rome and Florence, followed by a villa stay in Tuscany. Speaking of Tuscany, how about a cooking class while you are there?  No problem.  Our Italy travel specialists can put together the perfect Italy tour or vacation.

Is an Italy tour right for you vs traveling on your own?

There are lots of benefits to traveling in a group.

Less Stress:  First of all, the important parts of your trip (hotel, transportation and sightseeing) are all taken care of for you, which means less stress not only in the planning process, but also while you are there.

While on the subject of stress, by being in a tour group you won’t have the worries of driving in another country or how to get from place to place.  You can also ask your tour guide (who knows the area well,) for advise on shopping, dining and things to do with you free time.

Save Time:  Because many activities are included, you won’t spend hours standing in line just to see one attraction.  You’ll feel like a VIP when you step to the front of the line at popular attractions where your tickets have been pre-arranged. This of course also leaves you more free time to explore on your own.

Unique Experiences:  Forget the guide books, your tour guide has a wealth of knowledge and stories.  You will be immersed in Italy’s culture and landscapes, and experience authentic moments that would be impossible to arrange if you were traveling on your own.  For example in Rome at the Vatican Museums you may ascend the step-less spiral staircase designed by famous architect Donato Bramante, in a part of the Vatican not open to the public.

Meet Fascinating People:  Not only are you getting to know a new culture, but on a tour you travel with people from all over the world who share your passion for Italy.  If you are young, there are tours for 18 to 35 year olds so you travel with people in your age group.  If you are single not to worry, several companies have roommate matching programs so that you don’t have to pay extra to be in a single room (unless you want to.)

What type of tour vacation is right for you?

You can select a traditional Italy tour vacation where you will have a tour guide and driver, and you will experience a vacation that will showcase the best of the region you are visiting. Many of these trips cover a lot of area in a short amount of time. It’s perfect for the traveler who wants to see as much as possible on their first trip to Italy.

Perhaps you feel that these Italy tours are rushed, and that you have to get up early each morning, and there is no free time.  It is true that some itineraries are action packed, but there are many other options. Popular travel companies have taken the ultimate in effortless guided vacations and built in more choices, more opportunity for in-depth experiences and more freedom to go your own way than ever before.

Many are called At Leisure or Easy Pace vacations.  On trips like Great Italian Cities or Easy Pace Italy, you get 3 nights each in Rome, Florence and Venice.  Rome & the Tuscan Highlights gives you 6 days in the Tuscan region all in the same hotel while taking day trips to surrounding towns and villages.  Umbria’s Treasures offers a similar option with 5 nights in Tuscany, or you could spend 6 nights in the Italian Lakes region on the Milan and Italian Treasures trip.  The list goes on and on. So you still get the benefits of a travel directors, local guides and experts, you have some meals, your hotel and transportation taken care of and plenty of free time.

If the group size is a concern, there are several Italy small group tours, such as Italy’s Treasures Art, Food & Wine of Italy and A Week In Venice, Florence and Rome will travel with only 20 to 26 people.   Accommodations are often at boutique or distinctive properties chosen to enhance your experience.  You will have extensive sightseeing and unique cultural experiences such as privately hosted meals, artisan demonstrations, musical performances and more.  Of course with a smaller group you also have greater access to your tour manager, a wellspring of local knowledge and insider tips.

If you still feel like you don’t want to spend time on a bus, you could travel Italy by train. The nice part about these trips is that your airport transfers and transportation to the train stations are all taken care of, as well as some meals and sightseeing so you can just sit back and enjoy.

If you are traveling with children, there are Italy family tour vacations that have been designed specifically with families in mind to make sure there are interesting activities for all ages.

Another common question is how many people are on a deluxe motorcoach?

On average, a budget coach carries 50 to 52 passengers and there is no emergency washroom onboard.

First class tour companies can take 40 to 45 passenger and there is an emergency washroom onboard.  There are small group itineraries available in this price point that take no more than 28 travelers.

Deluxe tour companies travel with no more than 40 guests. There are itineraries designed for small groups of up to 24 travelers.

Luxury travel companies usually travel with no more than 28 guests, but also will travel with as little as 2 guests and give you your own driver and guide.

Adventure tours usually travel with 8 to 16 guests.

Is it a lot of money to set up a private group tour of Italy?

Having your own custom trip for a group or family or friends can be quite reasonable.  A lot depends on the type of hotels you wish to stay in – there is a big difference between a 3 or 4 star hotel, and a villa with a chef and maid service.  It also depends on how much sightseeing you want to do in each region.  Pick an existing tour you like from our website, or let us know what you want and we can work within your budget to design your Italy dream vacation.

As you can see the choices are vast.  In today’s economy, when planning Italy Tours you want to make sure you purchase from a reputable company that is going to give you the best value and experience for your budget. On this site we offer only the best operators that have been in business for over 50+ years, and our Italy travel specialist are here to help you plan the perfect vacation.

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