Being one of the world’s most popular destinations, Italy is filled with unique and fascinating sites with wonderful food and drink.
Rome, Florence and Venice are among the most popular destinations with many amazing sites and attractions to visit. But there are many places to discover in-between.
One of our favourite places to visit is Rome. There is so much to see and experience in the amazing city. Of course, the roman ruins are important, but there is so much history and new ruins and artefacts are being discovered daily.
Check out some of our Rome tours;
Travelling in Italy; it isn’t bad! forget what you have heard (okay, trains can be late) but public transport isn’t bad to get around. It is much cheaper than in other European countries and there are get links between cities. We can organise for private cars to pick you up and drop you off between destinations, with the ability to stop in other cities or towns to have a look around or even a tour. There is also the option of driving yourself, we would recommend reading our tips on driving in Italy first.
We must also mention the holidays and public transport. It is considered the best option to avoid travelling on Public Holidays and during periods of celebration, such as Easter and Christmas.
What do you want to do?
Itineraries are a great way to plan your trip. We are experts in planning customers activities and we have created many custom made tours.
Our well planned, custom-made itineraries have helped our clients experience the places and see the sites that are most important to them.
Below are some group tour itineraries for around Italy. These classic tours can also be custom made for you and your family!
And also check out Naples, Sicily and Venice itineraries
When to go?
This is always an important question. In terms of tourism seasons there is a high season and a low season, Italy tends to have a long high season and even in the low season there are still plenty of tourists.
The high season is start of April until the end of October – with the exception of August, many Italians take the whole of August off, especially in cities as they escape the stagnant heat of the city streets.
High Season
Pros
– Weather – warm temperatures, it doesn’t often rain and the warm nights mean staying outside can still be very enjoyable.
– Long days – The further north you go the later the sunsets, you have longer to visit the sites as they often remain open for longer.
– Attractions – most attractions are open during the high season a for longer.
Cons
– Crowds – it is a popular destination and so other people want to visit too.
– HOT – it can get very hot and sweaty. Gelato to the rescue!
– Closed – as mentioned before, some businesses can be closed for the whole of August for their time to get away from the heat.
Low Season
Pros
– Less crowded – with less crowds it is easier to see the attractions. There are less or in some cases no queues.
– Lower prices – what more can we say, less demand, lower cost.
– Mild winters – the weather is mild. The farther north you go the colder it gets. Excellent for skiing!
Cons
– Shorter days – less time for sightseeing.
– Weather – although mild, it can still be rainy and grey, best to pack for rainy and cold weather.
– Reduced hours – attractions close earlier, mainly due to the dark, but attractions can even be closed.
Planning Mistakes
The main problem is that you can’t see everything that you want to see in one trip. Overloading your itinerary can often be stressful (and in some cases, you might require a holiday for your holiday!)
The solution? – The Grand Tour!
First, think about what you really want to see and experience. We can then build a custom made itinerary around your ideal holiday. Have a look through the Classic itineraries linked in this post and look around the tours on our website to give you some ideas.
Another thing that we all tend to forget when planning our holidays are the actual dates. Is there a National Holiday? As places can be closed and travel is difficult. And Sundays… most churches will be closed to the public, including the Vatican.
Useful phrases
It is always good to learn a few phrases (English pronunciation in brackets)
hello/bye – Ciao (chow)
Good morning/ Good day – Buon giorno (Bwohn-johr-noh)
Good evening – Buonasera (Bwoh-nah-sehrah)
Goodbye – Arrivederci (ahr-ree-veh-dehr-chee)
Please – Per favore (pehr fah-voh-reh)
Thank you – grazie (graht-see-eh)
You’re welcome – prego (preh-goh)
Pardon me – mi scusi (mee skoo-zee)
do you speak English? – Parla inglese (par-lah een-gleh-zeh)
No – no (non)
Yes – si (see)
I don’t speak Italian – non parlo italiano (non par-lo ee-tahl-ee-ah-no)
Can you help me? mi puo aiutare (mee poo-oh ah-yoo-tah-ray)
Where is the station (train) – Dov’e la stazione (doh-veh lah stah-tsyoh-neh)
How much does it cost? – quanto costa (Kwahn-toh Kohs-tah)
Will you bring us the bill please – ci fa il conto per favore (chee fa eel kohn-toh pehr fah-voh-reh)
We hope this is helpful and we know it is only short, but you can always contact us and we can arrange phone calls and draft itineraries to help you develop your perfect Italian Grand Tour!
Comment On Planning your Holiday in Italy
Evelyn Hazzard
Mario is amazing! If we ever get back to Italy, we will ask Mario to be with us all the way! the most knowledgeable man you’ll ever meet, as well as charming, fun, & attentive! Wish we could take one of your tours this year, Mario! Evelyn & Jason