I’ve always loved Italy, but doing it by rail added a special touch. Over eight days, we hit Rome, Florence, Venice, and wrapped up in Milan, all by high-speed train. The pace worked perfectly for me (I’m 58), with fresh city arrivals each morning and comfortable hotels each night
The highlights: a hop-on hop-off loop in Rome hit the Colosseum, Pantheon, Trevi Fountain , an optional wine tasting tour that I booked in Florence and Venice’s gondola ride. Everything flowed perfectly well..no dragging suitcases or missed trains.
For travelers in our age bracket, this tour blends comfort, culture, and hassle-free travel. If you want Italy’s treasures without the planning headache, this rail tour delivers in a big way.
City sightseeingTrain tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
The Via Degli Dei is a fantastic walk - 2 great Italian cities and stunning landscapes every day which made the tough climbs worthwhile. They dealt with everything once we arrived, the accommodation was good and varied which added to the appeal of the trip. It's helpful to have some basic Italian as a couple of places did not speak English but everyone was so friendly. Will use them again - we are already planning next year's trip!
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Florence, Bologna, Sasso Marconi
Florence, Bologna, Sasso Marconi, Monzuno, Bruscoli, San Piero A Sieve, Olmo, Fiesole
We loved our walking trip the land of Barolo and Barbera. We learnt an enormous amount about the Piedmont and experienced firsthand the vineyards and wineries of the area. The scenery was amazing. The walk was easy to intermediate but we had some extremely hot weather which was unexpected, making the walk more challenging, but without the heat it would’ve been a very pleasant and manageable walk. Accommodation along the way was terrific. The transfers and other administrative aspects of the walk went incredibly smoothly. The last hotel was amazing with Carlo the owner of the restaurant and hotel being an amazing chef and host. But many others were wonderful as well. The accomodation and restaurant in Cissone was also worthy of special comment. The trip notes said it may be possible to buy lunch along the way but it is generally best to be prepared with your own food. Sometimes there is nothing available or open. We would highly recommend the trip. We went back over the route by car two weeks later which expanded our knowledge and understanding and love of the area.
A stunning walk around Lake Como. Lake Como is a gorgeous blue watery ribbon carved between the adjacent mountains - for a length of 46km - during the last ice age by powerful glaciers. It has an average depth of 154m but at its deepest dives to 410m. It branches into two legs at a junction between the attractive villages of Bellagio, Varenna and Menaggio on opposing lakeshores. At the end of the western limb of the lake is the attractive city of Como, which is the starting point of this walking tour. The area was no secret to the Romans who once built villas along its length, and many of the wealthy came to retire by the lake. Many of these villas have admirable gardens which benefit from the mild climate induced by the stabilising presence of 22.5km³ of lake water and are able to include tropical as well as temperate plants. With the advent of resort-type tourism from Victorian times, hotels were built for wealthy European and American tourists who promenaded around the lakeshore and into the surrounding hills. You too can discover the attractions and beauty of the area with a unique selection of walks, ferry crossings and variety of hotel locations.
This was a wonderful break. You stay at a number of very beautiful places: Scapello, Marettimo and San Vito La Capo. The walking is enjoyable but not too challenging. There are many opportunities to enjoy the food and culture of this part of Sicily; for example the town of Erice and the ancient site of Segasta. We also had a chance to spend an evening in Trapani and i would really recommend this too. I hadnt done self-guided walking before but really enjoyed it.
We went in April and the weather was super. Not too hot so perfect for walking and little rain.
The Dolomites are a beautiful part of the world and this trip didn't disappoint!!!
From airport pick up to drop off, I felt in safe hands.
Our hotel was perfectly placed near the centre of town and only a short distance from the bus station. Food at the hotel was delicious and we had 5 courses every night, just what you need to fuel a good hike!
Our walks gave us the opportunity to take in the stunning views of the mountains and lakes. Around every corner was another WOW!!!! We tackled a range of terrain from woodland and meadow to the rocky paths around the Tre Cime.
Nigel, our guide, was fab. He made sure we all got on and off buses, offered alternatives so people could tailor the walks to their ability and was very knowledgeable about the region & it's history. Best of all, he kept us entertained with myths & legends about dwarves, princesses and of course marmots!!!
Thanks Nigel & Explore! for a fantastic holiday!
Trekking and Hiking
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Venice, Dobbiaco, Lake Braies, B
Venice, Dobbiaco, Lake Braies, Bolzano, Tre Cimene, Strudelkopf
This incredible trip offers you the opportunity to discover three major cities in Italy by rail. Your tour starts in Italy’s capital: Rome. You will get to see the incredible monumental heritage of the city and its ancient Roman architecture. You will have a walking city tour in Rome and Florence. Embrace the remarkable topography of the country while on a high-speed train. In Cinque Terre, you will have the opportunity to discover the area freely, as you will have a pass that gives you access to all the villages of Cinque Terre. You will come across numerous photo stops on this trip—Italy has beautiful scenic landscapes and architectural masterpieces. This is one of the most popular Italy tours and packages, offering a perfect balance of iconic landmarks and flexible exploration. Besides, there are many optional tours available to choose from to make this trip even more exciting!
Train toursCity sightseeing
Tour Type
Independent TourTypically a private tour undertaken by one or two travelers
Accommodation
Hotel
Age Range
8-99 yrs
Operated in
English
Destinations
Rome, Cinque Terre and Liguria
Rome, Cinque Terre and Liguria, Florence, Monterosso
The barge and crew were magnificent. Warm. Welcoming. Shining clean and food exceptional. Guide, Tammy, made time for all while keeping things moving. Herding cats is difficult! But she did this with grace and courtesy. Biking was easy. This was our first guided tour and surprised at all the knowledge Tammy shared plus all the interesting side visits we went on. Loved the cheese and Grappa tasting!!
This was the first time that this trip had been run using E-bikes, so everyone was keen to see how the trip would unfold. We were introduced to our bikes on the first evening, and because of a change of hotel we had the opportunity to cycle into Monopoli, and return in the dark after an amazing first meal. When I checked the itinerary I could see that the first two rides were going to be the most challenging in terms of ascent and distance, but I quickly realised that E-bikes are a great leveller. There are four levels of assistance, with turbo being the most powerful. The motor rewards effort, the faster you peddle, the more assistance it gives you, up to its maximum speed - these bikes are not chipped like the delivery cycles that whizz around around our streets bringing takeaways to the masses. Each person in the group decided how much effort to put in, getting up the many hills, but hats off to the one person in the group who rode the whole way on an ordinary bike . . . . and he was not at the back. Respect!! With uphills come downhills, and there were plenty of those. Long sweeping downhills that went on and on. Great fun. We were well fed and watered on this trip, both at lunchtime and in the evenings, and for the most part the weather behaved itself.
Bicycle tours
Tour Type
Small Group TourSmall group tours usually have 8-12 participants and maximum up to 18 travelers
Accommodation
Hotel, Hut, Resort, Villa
Age Range
16-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Sorrento, Monopoli, Matera, Cast
Sorrento, Monopoli, Matera, Castelmezzano, Monte Sant'Angelo, Paestum, Salerno
Escape the crowds with remote mountain walking exploring northern Tuscany. The Apuane Alps are a remote area of northern Tuscany - a world away from the towns and rolling hills of the south. There are few other walkers and the villagers make you feel truly welcome. This walk has many attractive ingredients, from wide mountain vistas, to remote hamlets surrounded by forest and mountain scenery. From the small unassuming town of Fornaci di Barga you'll enter the Apuane forests, climbing up through chestnut woods and dropping down through vineyards to the ancient village of Verni, home to an impressive series of limestone massifs rising up to 2000m. The Apuanes are famous for their scenery of white marble towers, abysses and the largest cave system in Italy. During the walk you'll explore remote chapels, climb Monte Forato (1223m) and visit the 'Grotta del Vento' with its subterranean lakes. You'll also have the option to ascend Pania della Croce (1860m) before visiting the hermitage at Calomini.
NB : On this tour there is a maximum of 2 single rooms available.
Walking tours
Tour Type
Private Tour
Accommodation
Hotel, Guest House
Age Range
18-99 yrs
Operated in
english
Destinations
Tuscany, Lucca, Fornaci Di Barga
Tuscany, Lucca, Fornaci Di Barga, Verni, Fornovolasco, Monte Forato, Eremo Di Calomini
