See the Best of Italy
From the stunning Amalfi Coast to the vineyards of Tuscany,
here are 21 great attractions to experience on a tour
By Elizabeth Armstrong
These are just a few of the great experiences and attractions that await in alluring Italy, and the best way to take it all in is with an escorted tour. These vacation packages combine ground transportation, lodging, some meals, sightseeing and activities in one price that's paid up front. You don't have to worry about researching and planning an Italian itinerary on your own, and, best of all, you'll save money. Tour operators receive group discounts on lodging and other components of the vacation and pass the savings on to their guests.
Vacations To Go offers hundreds of escorted tour itineraries in Italy, lasting from four to 19 days and with choices that appeal to all budgets, big and small. To view a complete list, click here. You can also use the "Find a Tour" function at the left side of the home page to search for itineraries that visit specific destinations, such as Rome, Florence, Venice, the Amalfi Coast, Pompeii or Capri.
When you find an itinerary that appeals to you, read the tour description to be sure it visits the sites you desire. For example, some tour operators enter the Galleria dell'Accademia in Florence to view Michelangelo's famed "David" sculpture; others don't. But, in the case of the latter, you might be able to squeeze in a visit during your free time in the city; many tour operators schedule leisure time into their itineraries so travelers can explore a destination further at their own pace.
Here are 21 great ways to experience la dolce vita in Italy.
Make a wish. Most escorted tours in Italy spend time in Rome, and it's said that you can ensure a return to the Eternal City by throwing a coin in the Trevi Fountain. It took 30 years to build the 18th-century baroque fountain, which is situated at the end of an ancient aqueduct. Be sure to follow proper procedure: Turn your back to the fountain and toss the coin with your right hand over your left shoulder.
An ancient stadium. The Colosseum is another must-see stop on sightseeing tours in Rome. Completed in A.D. 80, it is the largest entertainment venue built by the Romans, designed to hold up to 60,000 spectators who entered through 80 street-level arches. Early lineups at the Colosseum featured hunts, executions and gladiator battles; today, visitors can peer down into the exposed underground tunnels that once held animals and slaves.
Papal treasures. St. Peter's Basilica anchors Vatican City, an independent state within Rome. The vast cathedral spans nearly six acres, and within its ornate interior are splendid monuments, memorials and art, such as Michelangelo's marble "Pieta," just inside the entrance, and the gilded bronze tabernacle and altar canopy by Bernini. Stand on the basilica's steps and take in the massive square fronting St. Peter's -- it can hold up to 300,000 people. If time allows, visit the extraordinary Vatican Museums and gaze at Michelangelo's legendary frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.
Scenes from a square. During a stop in Florence, your escorted tour will likely sweep through the Piazza della Signoria, center of the city's life since the Middle Ages. It's one of Italy's most beautiful squares, fronted by the 14th-century Loggia dei Lanzi, which holds an outdoor gallery of sculptures, and by the Palazzo Vecchio, with its high, crenellated tower. Horse-drawn carriages carry tourists across the square, while visitors and locals alike dine outdoors at cafes around the perimeter. If time allows, take a seat at Caffe Rivoire, one of the best places for piazza people-watching. Founded in 1872, it's famous for its hot chocolate.
A symbol of strength. Florence's Galleria dell'Accademia houses a collection of Russian icons, religious paintings from the mid-13th through the late 16th centuries, and 19th-century plaster sculptures. But this museum is most famous for "David," widely considered to be one of Michelangelo's greatest works. Depicting David with slingshot in hand, prior to his battle with Goliath, the 14-foot statue was completed in 1504 and originally stood in the Piazza della Signoria. Citizens of Florence -- then a city-state surrounded by enemies -- identified with it as a patriotic symbol of independence and strength. "David" was moved indoors to its current location in 1873, but a copy remains in the piazza.
Go for the grape. Escorted tours that spend time in Florence often venture into the lovely surrounding Tuscan countryside, where you'll drive past slender cypress trees, silver-green olive trees, stone farmhouses and rolling vineyards. Tuscany has a long tradition of wine-making and is best known for dry, red Chiantis and the more expensive Brunello di Montalcino. If you'd like to sample some vintages, look for an itinerary that stops at a local winery, where you can learn about the wine-making process, wander amid the barrels and participate in a tasting.
City of towers. Perched on a Tuscan hilltop between Pisa and Siena, San Gimignano dates to the 10th century. At the height of the town's prosperity in the Middle Ages, wealthy families built 72 towers as displays of their power. Today, only 14 of the structures remain, but they dominate the skyline and can be seen for miles. Closer to ground level, San Gimignano's medieval piazzas and narrow streets and alleys invite exploration.
At full tilt. Work began on the bell tower of the cathedral in Pisa in 1173, but it took about 200 years to complete, thanks to two long interruptions in building. The 191-foot-tall, cylindrical edifice started to lean during its construction, and despite efforts to halt the incline, the Tower of Pisa remained at an angle and is today a favorite photo op for tourists in Italy. Experts are still working to thwart the tilting and prevent the structure from collapsing.
Say "si" to gelato. It seems every corner in Italy has a gelateria -- a stand or shop selling luscious scoops of the Italian ice cream known as gelato. No matter where your travels in Italy lead you, take time to sample a scoop or two. It's denser and creamier than traditional American ice cream because less air is whipped into the mixture. Common flavors include chocolate, coffee, coconut, hazelnut, lemon, strawberry and peach. Create your own combination by ordering two or three gusti (flavors) in a cono or coppa (cone or cup) to go.
Hot spot. Sicily's most famous natural attraction is also Europe's highest active volcano. In the northeast corner of the Italian island, Mount Etna measures 10,900 feet tall. Forests, orchards and vineyards cloak the lower zones, and in winter, skiers and snowboarders head for the snowy upper slopes. Some tours stop in Taormina, a lovely seaside resort town, and take in views of Mount Etna from the ancient Greek and Roman amphitheatre. Others deliver you right to the volcano, so you can walk amid the layers of lava that have solidified over the ages.
A sweet sip. Some escorted tours in Sicily visit the old seaside port town of Marsala on the west coast. It's the hub of the most important wine-producing region of the island and is best-known for its dessert wines. While inhabitants here have long made wine, the sweet, fortified version known as marsala was developed in the late 18th century by Englishman John Woodhouse, who then went on to popularize the libation in his native country. Tours that include marsala tastings include "Eight-Day Affordable Sicily" with Gate 1 Travel, the eight-day "A Week in Sicily" with Brendan Worldwide Vacations and the nine-day "Sicilian Spirit" with CIE Tours.
A Mediterranean jewel. Along a small seaside stretch in the Campania region lies one of the most beautiful bits of Italian coastline. The Amalfi Coast extends along the Sorrentine Peninsula, from Positano -- a picturesque place that clings to the face of a cliff -- to Salerno. Visitors will find a wealth of Roman antiquities and charming Mediterranean spots such as lovely Ravello, which has inspired artists, writers and composers, and Amalfi, founded by Romans in the fourth century and distinguished by its whitewashed, terraced homes. Wherever you stop along the Amalfi Coast, you can take a seat in an outdoor cafe and sip limoncello, the local lemon liqueur.
Say cheese. It's said that true, fresh Italian mozzarella must be made with whole buffalo milk. Seven provinces in south-central Italy churn out mozzarella di bufala campana, a soft, stringy cheese. Snowy white, it's typically sold in plump balls or plaited braids. On the nine-day "Amalfi Coast Discovery" with Gutsy Women Travel, a company that specializes in tour packages designed for women, you'll stop at the Vannulo dairy farm, which produces buffalo mozzarella. See the beasts, tour the farm and its museum, then sit down to a lunch that showcases its freshest products.
The good life. Floating in the Mediterranean south of Naples, the isle of Capri has long been favored by the jet-set crowd. You can travel the island in style -- in a convertible -- when you choose "A Week in Capri, the Amalfi Coast and Rome" an eight-day trip from Tauck World Discovery. You'll arrive at Capri by ferry, then hop in your car and feel the sun on your face as you visit sites such as the 19th-century Villa San Michele.
Frozen in time. Pompeii was a thriving Roman city until the morning of Aug. 24, A.D. 79, when Mount Vesuvius began a series of ferocious eruptions that lasted 19 hours. A layer of ash and pumice 20 feet deep covered Pompeii, which helped preserve remnants of this ancient civilization. Today, it is the only archaeological site that offers a true portrayal of a Roman city, where visitors can walk through the streets, homes, baths and amphitheaters ornamented by frescoes and mosaics.
Venice by gondola. Your escorted vacation in Italy might include a ride on one of the famed gondolas of Venice. Made of wood and painted black -- as dictated by law -- these long vessels were once a primary means of transportation for Venetians. Today, the gondola is a symbol of the water-laced city and mostly of interest to tourists only. Glide down a canal while the gondolier standing at the back of the boat serenades you -- it's a romantic and relaxing way to take in this enchanting city. If a gondola ride is not offered as part of your tour, it may be available as an optional excursion.
The art of glass-blowing. Murano has been the epicenter of Venetian glass production for more than 700 years, and the craft has been passed down through generations. Many tours to Venice stop by one of the factories to watch experts manipulate molten glass into beautiful, colorful works of art. When shopping for genuine Murano glass, look for items bearing a tag with a trademark that reads, "Vetro Artistico Murano."
Sweet and sour. Modena is one of only two places in Italy where true balsamic vinegar is produced, and it's been made here since the Middle Ages. Balsamic vinegar is darker and thicker than more common vinegars, and slightly sweeter and more complex, due to a long aging process -- sometimes 25 years or more -- in casks made of multiple kinds of wood. A vintage must be assessed by a panel of five tasters to earn the official seal of Modena's consortium of balsamic vinegar producers. On the eight-day "Enchanting Venice and Lake Como" vacation with Gutsy Women Travel, participants visit a balsamic vinegar estate in Modena for a tasting followed by lunch.
Milan's masterpiece. Leonardo da Vinci's late 15th-century "The Last Supper" graces one wall of the refectory of the Church of Santa Maria Delle Grazie in Milan. The mural, often a source of mystery and controversy, famously depicts Jesus revealing to his disciples that one of them will betray him. Ludovico Sforza, a duke of Milan and Leonardo's patron, commissioned the 29-foot-long fresco, which took about four years to finish. Leonardo used delicate tempera paints to execute the work, and signs of deterioration appeared within 20 years of completion. The painting has undergone constant repair over the centuries; the most recent restoration lasted 21 years and ended in 1999. Reservations are required to see "The Last Supper," but a handful of tours enter the church for a viewing, including "11-Day Northern Italy" with Gate 1 Travel and the 11-day "Bellissima Northern Italy" with Tauck World Discovery.
A fashionable walk. If your city has a shopping center called the Galleria, it likely was named after this place: the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, a precursor to the modern-day enclosed shopping mall. Glass-and-iron arched ceilings cover the 19th-century, neoclassical arcade, and the floor is inlaid with mosaics. Here you'll find high-end boutiques, including Gucci, Louis Vuitton and the original Prada store. The Galleria connects the piazzas of La Scala opera house and the city's cathedral, both popular attractions in their own right, and sightseeing excursions in Milan typically include all three sites.
Lovely Lake Como. Escorted tours that explore northern Italy often spend time at Lake Como, a jewel of a lake located near the Swiss border. Some tours include a ferry ride to Bellagio, a quiet village set on a peninsula that juts into the southern end of the lake; it boasts breathtaking views of the tranquil waters and the Italian Alps beyond. On the 10-day "Splendors of Italy" with luxury operator Abercrombie & Kent, participants spend two nights at the exclusive lakeside Villa d'Este, a beautiful Renaissance manor that at various times was owned by Italian, British and Russian royalty.
Information: To learn more about escorted vacations in Italy, visit Vacations To Go, or call (800) 680-2858.
The information in this story was accurate at the time it was published in Spring 2008.
Please visit Vacations To Go or call (800) 680-2858 for current rates and details.