Getting to Know Italy
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| Play this video for a magical minute of travel through Italy! |
No other country is so overflowing with history, culture — and flat-out fun — as Italy. Maybe that's why Rick has designed more ways to explore this corner of Europe than any other. Check out the details below...along with a fun assortment of online articles and podcasts that just scratch the surface of what Italy has to offer!
Learn About Rick Steves'…
Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days
Your ten masterpiece-packed days covering Italy's three greatest cities begins with Venice's timeless St. Mark's Square and Basilica, then on to Michelangelo's stunning David and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and ends with Rome's ancient Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel.
Heart of Italy in 9 Days
In nine dazzling days, you'll experience the very heart of Italy. Beginning with the amazing art of Renaissance Florence, you'll journey to the cliff-hugging villages of the Cinque Terre, the pedestrian-friendly streets of Lucca, and the quintessential hill towns of Tuscany, ending in the eternal city — Rome.
Best of Italy in 17 Days
Starting on beautiful Lake Como, in 17 days our most comprehensive tour of Italy takes you hiking over pristine alpine meadows, then on to Italy's dream destinations — romantic Venice, Renaissance Florence, seaside Cinque Terre villages, towering Pisa, medieval Siena, St. Francis' Assisi, hill towns and vineyards of Umbria, ending with a wealth of must-see sights in the Eternal City — Rome.
Village Italy in 14 Days
Starting in elegant Padua, you'll spend two weeks immersed in the seductive countryside of Italy: artistic Ravenna, St. Francis' Assisi, Puccini's Lucca, cliff-hugging Cinque Terre harbors, and off-the-beaten-path hill towns and villas. You'll also rub elbows with Italian culture, learning about pottery-making, marble-cutting, cooking, wine-tasting — even truffle-hunting!
Best of Rome in 7 Days
During your week in Rome, you'll tour Ancient Rome's Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, and the Roman seaport of Ostia Antica. From the Renaissance and Baroque eras, you'll tour St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and Borghese Gallery. You'll also enjoy a cooking demonstration and neighborhood walking tours.
South Italy in 13 Days
We'll dive into South Italy for 13 memorable days beginning in the eternal city of Rome. From there we'll discover the wild beauty of the Gargano Peninsula and Adriatic Coast. Then we'll meander through the untouristed Basilicata region, the historic 'must-see' sites at Paestum and Pompeii, the jaw-dropping vistas of Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast and the raw, untamed energy of Vesuvius and Naples.
Best of Sicily in 9 Days
Starting in seaside Taormina, in nine days you'll be immersed in the colorful history and culture of Italy's largest island. In between memorable meals and wine-tastings, you'll see some amazing sights — Taormina's ancient Teatro Greco, steaming Mount Etna, Syracuse's Neapolis Archaeological Park, Villa Casale, the Valley of the Temples — plus guided neighborhood walks through Cefalù and Palermo.
Read All About It...
Comparing Rick's Best-Selling Italy Tours
Best of Italy vs. Heart of Italy vs. Venice, Florence & Rome!
Rome's Egyptian Obelisks
What's a nice Egyptian relic like you doing in a place like this?
Wines of Tuscany
How to pick one as though you know what you're doing.
Eating with the Seasons in Italy
See what's on the 'fresh sheet' before you arrive.
Listen to Our Italy Tour Guides...
Truffles in Umbria (Audio, 8 minutes)
Roberto Bechi gives us the inside scoop on a favorite part of our village Italy tour — going on a truffle hunt.
Amore in Italia: Marrying into Italy (Audio, 23 minutes)
See what happens when Lisa Anderson ties the knot, connecting her American and Italian identities.
Tuscany & Umbria (Audio, 34 min)
Cecilia Bottai talks about the role of tradition in her winery, and throughout Italy's hill towns.
Sicily: Organized Chaos (Audio, 48 min)
Join Rick for an animated discussion of Sicilian life with Alfio DiMauro.