Name: Italian Renaissance Tour: Art, Architecture & Landscape
Brand: Zicasso
Price: 448 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.9 (607 reviews)

View of Florence, Italy with the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore as the focal point

What to expect on this itinerary

The principles of the Renaissance continue to thrive in the vibrant marble palaces of Venice and the breathtaking colors of Giotto’s frescoes that changed the idea of art in the Western World. History lives and breathes in the in the artistry of the preserved castles and decadent churches, enchanting glassworks, and inspiring landscapes. Your custom tailored tour will immerse you in the elegance of the Renaissance and the grandeur of the old noble families of Venice to Florence to let you bask in the decadent past, embrace the contemporary luxury, and discover all of the hidden pleasures between.

Countries Visited

Italy

Places Visited

Venice, Murano, Burano, Torcello, Torri del Benaco, Lake Garda, Padua, Verona, Ferrara, Mantua, Florence

Suggested Duration

9 Days

Day 1

Venice – Arrive in Venice and Enjoy a Remarkable Grand Canal Tour

Venice conjures up images of moored gondolas as they float alongside cobblestone streets lined with café tables. Bulbous domes and marble palaces add to the luster of the imperial atmosphere as mosaics, frescoes, and imaginative glass decorates the architecture. Your flight will land at Marco Polo Airport where your private transfer will await your arrival. Step onto the shores of the Grand Canal to find gondolas and vaporettos cruising along the two and a half mile long waterway, which continues to act as the city’s main boulevard.

The creamy yellow and green hues of Byzantine and Romanesque structures lead to the brilliant red and white marble facades of the Renaissance palaces. Board your private boat for an introductory exploration of the Grand Canal and your eyes will open to the beauty of the architecture and the splendid audacity of constructing a city on a lagoon. The continued traditions of culture are connected to Italy as a whole, yet are distinctively Venetian. Old women open their shutters and watch the boats pass down the river as craftsmen replace wooden mooring piles. Church steps lead down to the edge of the canal to offer entrances directly to boats from the water.

The gorgeous Palazzo Corner della Ca’Grande was built in the mid 16th-century with a High Renaissance design. The structure was constructed with the intent of impressing passersby as the architect lined the first floor with Ionic columns, and used Corinthian columns to decorate the upper story. Your introduction to the wonders of Venice begin with the lavish architecture and continue in the comforts of your accommodation, which was once an opulent palace with its own private dock to the canals.

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Breakfast

Day 2

Venice – Discover Renaissance Artistry on a Half-Day Guided Tour

The contemporary life of Venice connects to the city’s common roots in the Rialto Market. Vendors fill their stalls with produce grown on the farming island of Sant’Erasmo. The red and purple hues of radicchio contrast with the deep green of baby artichokes. Marble plaques set into the buildings show regulations crafted centuries ago as the fish market brims with locals in search of goods for dinner. Fishermen highlight their fresh, locally caught seafood, from octopus to squid. After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the hotel and escort you along the cobbled lanes of the city to pass through the Rialto Market, and through neighborhoods of typical Venetian homes erected between the 14th and 16th-centuries, and into the heart of St. Mark’s Square.

The piazza remains a stalwart of communal Venice and once stood at the heart of religious and civil life. Gorgeous arcades frame the piazza on three sides and guide your eyes to the Basilica of San Marco. The Byzantine domes and gilded arches create a riot of color as the foundations of the church were laid in the 9th-century. The nave and chapels glow with radiant gilded mosaics that encompass nearly 45,640 square feet. The delicate pearled Istrian pillars of the Doge’s Palace supports the upper façade that is crafted with rosy Veronese marble that looks like beautiful latticework.

After you explore the iconic architecture and artwork of St. Mark’s Square, your guide will lead you to the Palazzo Mocenigo, a palace erected in the Gothic style that contains a textile and costume museum. Exhibits derive from artifacts of the Venetian Republic dating back to early 15th-century and the fabrics, garments, furnishings, and accessories provide a rare glimpse into the lavish lifestyle and personal tastes of the times. For a unique full-sensory excursion, you can enter into the newer galleries dedicated to perfume and the role Venice has played in the tradition of accentuating fragrance.

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Day 3

Venice – Visit the Stunning Islands of Burano, Murano, and Torcello

Contemporary Venice is bursting with cafes and the aroma of roasted beans from all around the world and pay tribute to the city’s history as a center for international trade. The scent of rich and refreshing coffee spills out onto the streets in the morning. After breakfast, you will step onto the hotel’s dock to meet your private guide through the islands of Burano, Murano, and Torcello.

The island of Murano is famous for its art and has specialized in glassblowing since the 13th-century. The Venetian government moved the kilns to Murano, along with the craftsmen, to keep the city safe from fires. You will travel along the Rio dei Vetrai, a small canal that bisects the island. A stone-arched bridge connects the narrow cobbled streets, and the shops and studios showcase the island’s art in the windows, crafting decadent displays out of glass figurines, plates, and vases. Local produce vendors fill their boats with bananas and oranges to sell the fruit along the canal.

Wander through the history of glassmaking and glassware in the region at the Palazzo Giustiniani, home to the Museo del Vetro. The galleries exhibit more than 4,000 pieces of glassware collectively, including ancient vials from Rome and the styles, shapes and colors found through the ages. The first recorded mirror crafted in Murano dates to the 1360s. You will make your way to a traditional glassblower workshop for a demonstration in the once coveted techniques of mirror making, from crafting the glass to decorating its edges and turning the glass into a reflective surface.

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Day 4

Torri del Benaco – Explore Padua and Verona en route to Lake Garda

The gilded statue of the archangel Gabriel adorns the bronze pyramidal spire of St. Mark’s Campanile. The bell tower reaches a height of more than 320 feet, to make the figure visible from around the streets of Venice. In the morning, you will find the familiar and inviting aroma of fresh espresso drifting out of the traditional and more contemporary cafes of the city. Your private transfer will meet you at the hotel dock and lead you away from the captivating lagoon en route to the enchanting shores of Lake Garda.

You first stop will be in the city of Padua, known for its 13th-century university and the Renaissance majesty of the piazzas. Your guide will lead you through the opulence of the often-overlooked city as the historic cobblestone streets contrast with the youthful ambiance lent by the student population. Piazza dei Signori stands out with the architecture of the early Renaissance embodied in the late 15th-century edifice of the Loggia del Consiglio. Walking along the lively streets of the city tells as much about the culture and history of Padua as any museum could.

The 13th-century Palazzo Bo, attached to the campus of the University, looks over the banks of the Brenta River. Your guide will lead you to the 14th-century Cappella degli Scrovegni, a private chapel patronized by the Scrovegni family, whose paterfamilias commissioned Giotto to decorate the interior. The artist draped the walls with frescoes that depict the life of Mary and Jesus and humanizes the heavenly figures with natural characteristics. The poet Dante and artist da Vinci attribute Giotto and his paintings in the chapel as the beginning of an artistic renaissance.

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Day 5

Torri del Benaco – Revel in Artistic Beauty and Landscape at Lake Garda

The 14th-century Scaligero castle rises over the lapping water of Lake Garda a the cool morning air fills with the scent of pine and oak trees. The foothills of the Alps rise in the north, and the hills of Emilia Romagna roll to the south. The 10th-century walls of the city continue to surround the historical town center as boats linger in the small harbor and ivy drapes across the facades of 16th-century palaces that line Corso Dante. After breakfast, venture next to the shores of the lake to discover the splendors of the water with a surface area of more than 140 square miles. The town of Sirmione has roots in the Bronze Age and dates back to the 18th-century BC.

The fortifications around town were erected in the 4th-century AD and then embellished by the castle constructed in the 15th-century under the patronage of the Scaligeri family. The town stands at the edge of a thin peninsula that juts out into the lake, which offers a terrific panorama of the shores that face towards the Alps. The fresh water laps against the smoothed pebbles of the beach and you can walk along the battlements of the castle to immerse yourself in the fairytale décor. However, the looming purpose of the edifice is never far from your mind as you notice the walls that reach into the lake for more than half a mile to offer both you and the past sentries a spectacular view.

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Day 6

Ferrara – Visit the Town of Mantua and Tour the History of Ferrara

At breakfast, you can listen to the sounds of the water splashing against the pebbled shores of the Torri del Benaco. The breeze carries the fresh scent of the mountains, which blends with the herbaceous aroma of the vineyards on the southern hills. After your meal, your private transfer will escort you southeast towards the city of Ferrara with a stop en route in the majestic town of Mantua. Ducal palaces shape the atmosphere, accentuated by serene piazzas paved with cobblestone. Etruscans settled in the area in the 10th-century BC, and Verdi places his celebrated opera Rigoletto inside the stunning streets. The city maintains its connection to its Renaissance grandeur once cultivated by the ruling Gonzaga family.

Artificial lakes crafted in the 12th-century encircle the city on three sides and what was once used as a defense system now adds to the luster of the serene landscape. Palazzo Te was erected in the 16th-century and maintains stunning frescoes filled with encoded symbols as crafted by Raphael’s apprentice, Romano. The trompe l’oeil technique steps beyond the classical representation of the world and into a unique distortion of perspectives to place the spectator inside the artwork. The Chamber of Giants includes a large dome draped in frescoes, and each painting depicts a rebellious giant attempting to claw to the top of Mt. Olympus. Once again, the grand style places you in the action of the painting as you watch the gods on Olympus stare back at you.

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Day 7

Florence – Venture to Florence for an Exploration of the Renaissance

Wake up in the grandeur of Ferrara, home to the magnificent Castello Estense, a historical center that embodies the principles of the Italian enlightenment. The preserved palaces and gardens whisk visitors and locals back in time to the power and wealth of the noble families who resided in the Po Valley. The brick fortress of Castello Estense was erected in the late 14th-century to protect the ruling family from civil unrest as the moat offered an added layer of security amidst the walls and towers. The rosy bricks of the lower story, which supports the recessed marble arches that adorn the façade of the cathedral, combine Romanesque architecture of the 12th-century with an early Gothic design of the 16th-century.

The Palazzo dei Diamanti contains 8,500 faceted marble blocks along the exterior and fashion a unique texture to the façade as the interior exhibits artwork that focused on painters between the 13th and 17th-centuries. After discovering Ferrara, your private transfer will escort you to the Renaissance city of Florence, which proudly embodies the Renaissance in the art and architecture of the historical city center. You will become acquainted with the cobbled streets during a walking tour and see Piazza della Signoria, the political heart of the city, and the Palazzo Vecchio, which towers over the edge of the square adjacent to the Loggia dei Lanzi, a 14th-century arcade that exhibits the stunning sculptures of Greek mythology.

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Day 8

Florence – Delight in an Extra Day of Florentine Renaissance Immersion

The shops along the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest bridge in the city, open their doors in the morning and the gold and silversmiths highlight their jewelry selections in their gleaming window displays. The iconic image of the city, the Ponte Vecchio was erected in the 14th-century and was the only bridge to remain after the Nazi occupation in World War II. The colorful edifice reflects in the Arno River’s calm waters as the city goes about daily life, and your guide will meet you at the hotel to lead you through the splendors of the city, beginning with the Uffizi Gallery, which is secretly connected to the Ponte Vecchio. The edifice was designed as the magistrates’ offices under the control of the Medici family in the 16th-century.

The narrow, exterior gallery leads to the banks of the Arno River and offers a glimpse of the Classical sculptures that depict famous Florentines. The polished marble floors welcome you to the interior and lead to a grand staircase that guides you to the second-story hall. The sunlight pours through the windows and glints against the gilded window frames, and the first rooms of the museum are organized with paintings in order of chronology, with the latter rooms organized by the artistic school, region, and country. Having visited the chapel in Padua, your guide will lead you to another of Giotto’s work, Madonna Enthroned, painted in the 14th-century, to reconnect with the realistic approach that inspired artists across the Western World.

The paintings will continue to captivate you, from Botticelli’s Birth of Venus to Michelangelo’s Holy Family. Your guide will lead you through the secret passage known as the Vasari Corridor. The hall led out of the Uffizi, over the Ponte Vecchio, and into the Palazzo Pitti on the opposite banks of the Arno River. 16th and 17th-century paintings, many of which are artist self-portraits, hang on the walls. The seclusion and exclusive atmosphere of the gallery will turn intrigue into charm as you come upon the hidden view of the Church of Santa Felicita.

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Day 9

Florence – Depart for Home

The antique homes and towering palazzos along the Via dei Calzaiuoli hide the quiet beauty of the Bargello Palace. The structure was erected in the 13th-century and acted as the home of the city’s court and prison body in the 16th-century. Today the palace hosts the Bargello Museum, the first of Italy’s national museums outside the Vatican. Three arcades frame the courtyard with round arches and octagonal columns as a stairway borders the fourth side of the courtyard for entry to the stunning galleries, along with an aerial view of the coats-of-arms and pillars that surround you, ready for your wandering and enjoyment.

The elegance and opulence of Florence, along with the Renaissance cities of Italy, will always have more to enchant you. As you are ready, your private transfer will meet you at your hotel ready to escort you to Florence Airport for your flight home.

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Breakfast

Trip Highlights

Witness the remarkable focus and stunning creativity it takes to create a Murano glass mirror during an artisan glassblowing demonstration
Discover the grandeur of Venetian palaces and the vastness of the Grand Canal on a private cruise of the dramatic architectural splendor
Discover the hidden passageway of the Vasari Corridor, which connects the Uffizi Gallery to the Palazzo Pitti in Florence
Enjoy an in-depth view of Renaissance style and grace in both costume and textile design at the Palazzo Mocenigo Museum in Venice
Relish a view of Giotto’s masterwork that helped to usher in an enlightened perspective of art and architecture in the Cappella degli Scrovegni in Padua
Wander along rampart walls, cobblestone streets, and antique towns that overlook the serene shores of Lake Garda
Step into the paintings of Romano’s trompe l’oeil style in the Palazzo Te in Ferrara, whose three-dimensional are sure to mesmerize
Bask in the grandeur of the historic artwork and architectural styles personified in St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice
Visit a gondola craftsperson, known for designing and shaping iconic gondola’s across Venice

Detailed Description

Majesty comes in many forms in Italy, and your 9-day tour will encompass the best of the artistic splendor found in Venice, Lake Garda, Ferrara, and Florence. Experience the distinctive cultures shaped by Medici rule and the Venetian Empire and discover the cityscapes of ancient foundations refurbished with Renaissance allure. The cobblestones streets are as splendid as the bordering palaces, and as captivating as the artwork displayed in the museum galleries. Your immersive cultural excursion will begin with your arrival at Marco Polo Airport. Your private transfer will lead you to the shores of the Grand Canal to board a private vaporetto. Tour the noble structures, from palazzos to churches, along with the quiet canals that hide homes and moored gondolas, before you settle into your luxurious palatial hotel for the night.

Wake to a half-day tour of the history of Venice as represented in the art and architecture, including a private tour of St. Mark’s Square. Visit the textile and costume museum before you meet a gondola craftsman who works on building and repairing Venice’s most iconic form of transportation. Next day, look forward a private tour of the Venetian lagoon and the islands of Burano, Murano, and Torcello. On Murano, you will venture to the Glass Museum before you watch an unforgettable demonstration of an artisan mirror-maker. Travel next to the serene shores of Lake Garda. En route to the lakeside, you travel to Padua, a city awash with Renaissance architecture and artwork, including Giotto’s frescoes in the Cappella degli Scrovegni. Continue to Verona to find Roman ruins, fantastic castles, and the home of Juliet Capulet, the famous Shakespearean character.

The next day is yours to explore the towns around Lake Garda at your preferred pace. Stroll along the castle ramparts and wander through the daily antique markets. You could set sail on the water for a view of the towns or even wander into the hills to sample the select celebrated wines of the region. Make your way next to the Renaissance town of Mantua, a gorgeous, historical city surrounded by lakes. After a full day in Mantua, you will travel to Ferrara for the evening. Continue the next day with a half-day tour of Ferrara’s Renaissance palaces, charming streets, and immaculate artwork before your private transfer will escort you to the historical center of Florence.

Delight in your walking tour of the city for a view of living history, busier but equally as enchanting as Ferrara’s quiet streets. You will have all of the next day to uncover the splendor of Florence, beginning with a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery. Your guide will lead you through the halls and take you along the secret Vasari Corridor. The remainder of the day is yours to wander along the palaces, churches, artistry, and vibrant culture of the Renaissance city. Conclude as your private transfer will meet you at the hotel when you are ready to escort you to the Florence Airport for your flight home.

Starting Price

$4,100 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

Accommodations
In-country transportation
Some or all activities and tours
Expert trip planning
24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 741 reviews

France, Czech Republic, Austria, Italy Tour Review: Paris, Prague, Vienna, Venice, Murano, Burano, Museums, Palaces, Flea Market, Moulin Rouge, Jazz Club, Gondola Ride, Glass Factory, 16-Day Trip

My trip was fantastic! Every single minute of it! I was in Europe city-hopping for 16 days and every aspect of the trip was perfect! My travel specialist and her team, who planned my trip and gave me support throughout it, couldn't have done a better job - it truly was the trip of a lifetime!

We started out planning it about a year ago. I contacted Zicasso about planning a multi-city trip and I listed the places that I wanted to visit. I am a woman traveling solo, so I asked for guides for many places that I wanted to visit - people who knew the cities and the best way to get around, great places to eat, etc. The guides were awesome - I had four of them and they each had a background in history or art history, so they were perfect companions to visit museums and palaces with.

I also had a somewhat unusual request - I wanted to go to thrift shops in three cities. I strongly believe in recycling and finding a new home for pre-loved items. I did end up going to thrift stores and some shops featuring local designers and artisans, and found some absolute treasures to take home with me! And I spent one wonderful morning at a Paris flea market with my Parisian guide, and we had a grand time! I found some jewelry and a small piece of art to take home with me. She had me try my first crepe (I've never had one before) and also something that I'm going to misspell that, when pronounced, sounds like "shoe" - yummy!

I wanted to see a show at the Moulin Rouge, but did not want to go to a club at night by myself, so my guide escorted me and we had a wonderful time! Similarly, I wanted to go to a jazz club one evening and my guide escorted me there, where we had a blast! She accompanied me to the Louvre and made sure I got to see all the pieces I was interested in seeing. She also took very good pictures of me at all the spots we visited so I could send them back home. I'll give her a 5+ star rating as a guide! She was just lovely!

My next stop was Prague and my guide was just as superb! She introduced me to espresso tonics (I'm sipping one right now as I've been making them at home - I love them!) and she gave me a wonderful guided tour of the city. The next day we did some thrifting and visited stores featuring local designers. Again, I found some treasures. Another 5+ star guide!

From there I took the train to Vienna, where my guide brought me on an amazing walking tour of the city. She was so knowledgeable about the city and its history - you could tell it is her passion. She also brought me to thrift stores and local artisan shops and again I found even more treasures! We visited museums and enjoyed lunch and coffees together. And she escorted me to a blues club one evening where we had a blast listening to live classic American blues (my real love, along with jazz). My guide is just so delightful! Highly recommended if you are interested in visiting Vienna.

From there I flew to Venice - my final destination. My guide was so knowledgeable about the artwork that we saw at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection - it felt as if by seeing the paintings we were visiting old friends of his! And he also took me to see Doge's Palace and on a gondola ride.

On day two in Venice, we went by boat to Murano, where we visited the glass factory and saw the glassblowers working. I had done very well at sticking to my budget for the trip until I got to the Murano factory showroom. I love glass and the pieces they were selling were all sublime! So much work went into them. I ended up buying two pieces that are being shipped to me so I did not have to worry about transporting them on the plane. And our tour guide at the factory even gifted me a necklace that I'm wild about after serving me prosecco in a handblown glass.

From there, we headed to the island of Burano and had lunch. I've got wonderful pictures of the colorful houses there. As I said, the trip could not have been better. The hotels were all fabulous in each city - centrally located and an easy walk to restaurants and shops. The beds were super-comfortable and each room was very quiet - I slept like a log from all the walking that I did every day.

I even managed to send postcards to friends and family from each city - not an easy task since not many people use snail mail anymore! But my guides were all determined to help me find postage and they did - every one of them!

Each hotel offered breakfast and the food was delicious. I'm on a keto diet but came off of it for this trip so I could enjoy the local specialties. The breakfasts were all buffet-style and offered everything you could imagine - eggs, bacon, sausage, all kinds of breads and rolls, pastries, fresh fruit and juice, yogurt, and the best coffee! Every hotel had an excellent buffet. They were all 4-star hotels and each room was charming. The staff at each hotel were also very accommodating, wanting to ensure that I had everything I needed.

There is nothing that the travel specialist and her team left out. Her team even arranged for a last-minute guide to help me get from my hotel to the airport in Venice and make sure I was at the right ticket counter (I was a little concerned about finding the water taxi and then finding the right place to go at the airport). He wheeled and carried my luggage, which by this time was heavy!

The whole trip was perfect and I'm hoping to return in a couple of years. I'd like to make a trip to the Christmas markets in Europe - especially Prague and Vienna - and you know which guides I'm going to be requesting! The whole experience was top-notch! Have no concerns at all about working with this company - they're the best! I thank each and every one who was involved in my trip. It really was perfect!

Italy Trip Review: Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Venice, Pizza-Making Class, 2 Weeks

We had an absolute dream trip to Italy with the help of Zicasso's travel specialist! Traveling as a family of five, we visited Rome, Florence, San Gimignano, Greve, Siena, Cinque Terre, and Venice, along with many beautiful towns and smaller areas throughout the country.

The wonderful vacation rental accommodations were thoughtfully chosen and every detail of our trip was carefully planned. The local tour guides were incredibly knowledgeable and gave us a truly authentic experience. Our private transfers, train transfer, and private tours were efficient, informative, and made traveling from place to place seamless and stress-free.

The communication between all tour guides and transportation providers was great, as was that of each vacation rental host, who contacted us in advance to prepare us for our arrival.

One of our favorite parts of the trip was discovering the smaller, less-touristy areas within the larger cities, places we likely never would have found on our own. We enjoyed exploring Tridente for shopping and Trastevere in Rome for a private pizza-making class (highly recommended), artisan shops, excellent restaurants, and a vibrant nightlife.

Florence was wonderful, but we had the opportunity to travel to a few other areas, such as Siena, Greve, and San Gimignano. We even had a private vineyard tour and chef's meal while in Chianti. A must-see is the walk to the Boboli Gardens across Ponte Vecchio and, on the way back to our apartment, a stop at Piazzale Michelangelo.

While staying in Cinque Terre (Monterosso al Mare), be sure to take a private boat to visit all of the other villages and maybe even snorkel. The water is so clear!

Venice had great history, but we also enjoyed our boat tour to Murano to watch the glassmaking process and Burano, filled with gorgeous multicolored homes and artisan shops.

Every experience felt personal, meaningful, and special.

This trip was truly an absolute dream and we are so grateful to him for helping make our family vacation to Italy unforgettable. We highly recommend him to anyone looking to plan an incredible, seamless, and memorable trip!

Italy Vacation Review: Le Marne, Art Tour, Museums, 9 Days

It was well organized and met my needs completely. The guides and drivers (except for the one to the airport on 6/23) were great. I was particularly surprised and pleased by the art tour on 6/22.

Italy Tour Review: 11-Night Trip

Edwin and I struggled during this trip. It started in Venice with the hotel room and location. Horrible room with little or no amenities. Please note, the other hotels were much better.

There should have been better communication between Zicasso’s travel company and us. I was unaware we were not going to have local tour guides in Arezzo, Montepulciano, Verona, Orvieto, Cortona, etc. The drivers took us to these locations and dropped us off in the piazza or city gates and we were on our own. The drivers shared some notes about the city, but we wandered aimlessly most of the time. Please note, the local guides in Venice, Florence and Rome were great.

As per the restaurants, I had received recommendations from friends and family, which I shared with the travel company. They made the reservations on our behalf. However, they never told us how far the hotels were from these restaurants. It would have been nice for them to tell us. As a result of the distance, we asked the travel company to cancel some of the reservations on our behalf.

The three positive things I can say are as follows:

The travel company responded quickly when we called them from Italy.

The private drivers in Venice (from airport to hotel), Verona (driver), Florence (driver) and Rome (hotel to airport) were great. However, the driver from Florence to Rome with a stop in Orvieto was terrible.

The local tour guides in Venice, Florence and Rome were great.

All in all, we were not happy and very disappointed with this trip.

Italy Trip Review: Milan, Florence, Lake Como, Venice, 11 Nights

When we started planning our trip to Italy, I knew I wanted to work with a travel agent—specifically, someone who specialized in Italy and was based there. After reaching out to several agencies and reviewing their responses, we chose Zicasso and, more specifically, our travel agent. She is based in Milan and from my very first interaction with her, I knew we had made the right choice.

Our trip could not have been more perfect. Our agent put a lot of thought into every location and planned activity. At the outset, we had a few discussions with her about what we wanted from the trip and, after that, we were happy to leave most of the details in her capable hands. Our goal was to explore mid-to-northern Italy and everything—from the hotels and tours to the free time and transportation—was beautifully organized.

Our 11-night trip started in Milan and ended in Florence, with overnight stays in Milan (one night), Lake Como (three nights), Venice (three nights), and Florence (four nights). Initially, I was hesitant about staying at Lake Como for three nights, but our agent encouraged me to do a little research. I’m so glad she did, as it turned out to be incredible. We had more self-guided time at Lake Como, which was perfect as we adjusted to the time change. In Venice, our itinerary became more structured, but we still had plenty of time for our own explorations. By the time we reached Florence, we had activities and tours planned for every day, which was just what we wanted.

A highlight for my family was a full-day trip into Tuscany, where we visited San Gimignano, an organic vineyard in Chianti, and finished with a tour of Siena. Our day trip to Rome allowed us to see the main attractions and we concluded the journey with a tour of Florence and the Accademia Gallery. Every tour our agent arranged was spot on.

Throughout our trip, she was wonderfully communicative—always available when we had questions, but never intrusive. She even helped us with a couple of last-minute requests: booking a hotel in Milan for one night and arranging train tickets to Verona for an impromptu visit to Juliet’s balcony. Whenever we needed something, she was there.

When we return to explore the mid-to-southern part of Italy, there’s no question that we’ll be asking her to plan our trip again. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a seamless, thoughtfully curated Italian adventure.

Italy Trip Review: Florence, Venice, Rome, Tuscany, Cooking Class, Food Tour, 10 Days

Thanks for organizing a great trip to Italy for us. We had a great time. The entire experience working with Zicasso's travel company was professional. They were responsive, on top of things, and helped plan and execute a positively memorable trip to Florence, Venice, and Rome.

Hotels: All hotels met our needs. I would rate the hotels across quality of room/property and quality of service on a scale of one to five:

Our hotel in Florence: Quality of room 4/5; Quality of service 5/5.

Our hotel in Tuscany: Quality of room 3/5; Quality of service 4/5.

Our hotel in Rome: Quality of room 5/5 (best room); Quality of service 4.5/5.

Guides and drivers: All guides and drivers did a great job. They were punctual, gave us good information, and were friendly. I want to specially recognize our driver in Florence/Tuscany, our guide on June 26 in Florence, and our guide for the food tour in Rome for doing an exceptional job.

What could’ve been better: Given the hot weather, which is outside everyone’s control, some days felt cramped. In Florence, after the guided tour of Florence, we had the cooking class. As a result, we could not do the planned climb up the Duomo dome. In Venice, if we did it again, we would choose a different location and hotel.

Overall, we ended the trip with very fond memories of Italy. There is so much more to explore in your beautiful country and we will be back. Thanks to the team at the travel company.

Zicasso in the News

Italian Renaissance Tour: Art, Architecture & Landscape

What to expect on this itinerary

Countries Visited

Places Visited

Suggested Duration

Customizable Itinerary

Venice – Arrive in Venice and Enjoy a Remarkable Grand Canal Tour

Venice – Discover Renaissance Artistry on a Half-Day Guided Tour

Venice – Visit the Stunning Islands of Burano, Murano, and Torcello

Torri del Benaco – Explore Padua and Verona en route to Lake Garda

Torri del Benaco – Revel in Artistic Beauty and Landscape at Lake Garda

Ferrara – Visit the Town of Mantua and Tour the History of Ferrara

Florence – Venture to Florence for an Exploration of the Renaissance

Florence – Delight in an Extra Day of Florentine Renaissance Immersion

Florence – Depart for Home

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