• Rialto Bridge in Venice
  • Shopping for carnival masks, Venice, Italy
    Venetian Carnival Masks
  • Florence
  • Michelangelo's David in Florence
  • Wine tasting at Tenuta Le Velette estate, Orvieto, Italy
    Wine Tasting in Umbria
  • St. Peter's Basilica
  • Four Rivers Fountain (Bernini), Piazza Navona, Rome, Italy
    Rome's Piazza Navona
  • Colosseum, Rome, Italy
    Colosseum in Rome

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Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days Tour

from $3,095 per person + air

Single Supplement $675

See Dates & Prices

The Rick Steves Best of Venice, Florence & Rome tour begins with Venice's timeless St. Mark's Square and Basilica, continues on to Michelangelo's stunning David and the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and ends with Rome's ancient Forum, Colosseum, Pantheon, and St. Peter's Basilica. You'll also enjoy guided neighborhood walks, memorable meals, and full-bodied Italian wines. Italy's three greatest cities are like fine gelato — why settle for just one flavor if you can get three scoops at once? Join us for the Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days!

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Dates & Prices

2024

What's Included

You'll get at least 17 group sightseeing events — at no extra cost!

Here's what you'll see and do on our Best of Venice, Florence & Rome tour:

  • Venice backstreets walking tour
  • Venice lagoon excursion
  • Venice's Accademia art museum
  • Gondola ride
  • Renaissance Florence walking tour
  • Florence's Accademia Gallery (Michelangelo's David)
  • Uffizi Gallery
  • Florence backstreets walking tour
  • Cooking class and lunch
  • Santa Croce Basilica
  • Umbrian wine-tasting lunch
  • Rome orientation
  • Roman Forum and Colosseum (exterior*)
  • St Peter's-in-Chains
  • Pantheon
  • St. Peter's Basilica
  • Evening walk through Rome including Trevi Fountain

Plus you'll get all this, too.

  • A small, friendly group of 24–28 people — half the size of most tour groups
  • Full-time services of a professional Rick Steves guide and local experts who will make the fascinating history, art, and culture of Venice, Florence, and Rome come alive for you
  • All group transportation between Venice, Florence, and Rome
  • 9 nights' accommodations (3 nights at each hotel) in memorable, centrally located hotels
  • All breakfasts and 5 other meals
  • All tips for guides and driver
  • A tour kit including a guidebook (when available) and a moneybelt
  • Guaranteed tour price, locked in the moment you make your deposit
  • Tour alum discount of $50 for each tour you've taken with us
  • Flexibility should you need to transfer or cancel your tour

Fine print: You are responsible for the cost of your drinks and free-time sightseeing. See our Tour Conditions for important details regarding everything listed above.

*This tour does not include visits to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, or the interior of the Colosseum. See details on how to visit during your free time.

Group sightseeing events subject to change.

Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome to Venice

We'll meet at 4 p.m. at our Venice hotel, deeply nestled amidst the canals, bridges, and alleyways of this magical, preserved-in-amber city. After introductions, we'll set off on an orientation walk and then enjoy getting acquainted over a traditional Venetian dinner together.

Light walking: 2–4 miles throughout the day on mostly level terrain. No bus. Sleep in Venice.

Day 2: Historic Venice

Our local guide will join us this morning for a historical walking tour — with a modern Venetian's-eye view — through the backstreets of Venice, ending in St. Mark's Square. Along the way, we'll learn about the city's remarkable past and its challenging future. The afternoon and evening are free to visit the mosaic and marble-filled St. Mark's Basilica, explore the imposing Doge's Palace, take in a church concert, waltz on St. Mark's Square, or pub-crawl your way through this unique city.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. No bus. Sleep in Venice.

Day 3: Venice's Accademia Gallery and Lagoon

This morning we'll have our first real brush with the Renaissance — Venetian style — with a tour of the Accademia's treasure trove of great Venetian art, starring Titian, Veronese, Bellini, Tintoretto…and every shade of color imaginable. Then it's all aboard for a cruise into Venice's lagoon on our private boat. We'll visit your guide's favorite island, where you'll have free time to explore and enjoy lunch on your own. After returning, we'll set you free to discover Venice's other famous sights and find dinner on your own in the tangled maze of alleys and trattorias. Tonight, we'll regroup for a classic, romantic gondola ride through Venice's moonlit canals.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Boat: 1 hour. No bus. Sleep in Venice.

Day 4: Wonders of Renaissance Florence

We'll drive straight to Florence this morning and hit the ground walking with a Renaissance tour of the city's historic center. Our first stop will be at the beautiful Franciscan church of Santa Croce to admire the 13th-century frescoes by Giotto and pay our respects at the tombs of some of Italy's greatest minds, including Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Galileo. Later we'll learn about Brunelleschi's magnificent cathedral dome, Ghiberti's Baptistery doors, and other creations that helped define this world-changing era. Tonight we'll share a hearty Tuscan dinner together.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Boat: ½ hour. Bus: 4 hours. Sleep in Florence.

Day 5: The Backstreets of Florence

A local scholar will join us this morning as we take a walking tour of the backstreets of Florence, with some fascinating peeks into Roman, medieval, and 19th-century Florentine life along the way. After our morning explorations, we'll create today's tasty lunch during a fun and informative cooking class. Your afternoon will be free to see more of the city's museums.

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. No bus. Sleep in Florence.

Day 6: The Uffizi and David

This morning we'll devote our time to the breathtaking Renaissance art of the Uffizi Gallery — home to the finest collection of Italian paintings anywhere — including works by Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and more. After some free time to make your own Florentine discoveries, we'll gather again this evening at the Accademia Gallery to marvel at the power of Michelangelo's rough-hewn Prisoners and his greatest masterpiece, David.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. No bus. Sleep in Florence.

Day 7: Wine Tasting, Rome at Night

Today we'll drive into the rolling hills of Umbria, stopping for a wine tasting lunch at a family-run winery. We'll then make a beeline for Rome, where we'll take a neighborhood orientation walk on our way to tonight's dinner together. We'll end our day as any good Roman would — with a stroll through the historic heart of the city, lacing together the classy Piazza Navona, splashy Trevi Fountain, and in the remarkably preserved, 2,000-year-old Pantheon.

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. Bus: 4 hours. Sleep in Rome.

Day 8: St. Peter's Basilica

This morning a local expert will introduce us to Vatican City, the world’s smallest country, and the greatest church in Christendom: the awe-inspiring St. Peter's Basilica, home to Michelangelo's sublime Pietà. The remainder of your day is free to explore more of the Eternal City on your own, including the nearby Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and more of Rome’s artistic, historic, and cultural heritage (don’t forget to taste some refreshing gelato along the way).

Moderate walking: 2–6 miles throughout the day with some hills and stairs. No bus. Sleep in Rome.

Day 9: Monuments of Ancient Rome

We'll spend our morning uncovering ancient Rome, starting with a tour of St. Peter-in-Chains Church (home to Michelangelo's Moses). Then we'll hear vivid tales as we take a walking tour around the outside of the larger-than-life Colosseum and through the birthplace of ancient Rome: the Forum. You'll be free this afternoon to visit the inside of the Colosseum on your own, wander through the nearby Palatine ruins, or climb to the top of the Victor Emmanuel Monument to enjoy a panoramic city view. Tonight we'll feast together at our farewell dinner, sharing travel memories and toasting new friends. Salute!

Strenuous walking: 2–8 miles throughout the day with lots of hills, stairs, and uneven terrain. No bus. Sleep in Rome.

Day 10: Tour Over After Breakfast

Breakfast is provided, but there are no group activities today. It's a breeze to reach Rome's airports by taxi or train. Your guide will help you with any post-tour planning, leaving you well prepared for the road ahead. Arrivederci!

Itinerary specifics subject to change.

Physical Demands

Our tours are physically active! It's an essential part of the Rick Steves tour experience. On our Best of Venice, Florence & Rome in 10 Days tour — among other things — you'll need to happily…

  1. Carry/roll your luggage over uneven pavement (possibly several blocks) and up stairways to reach your hotel, then up several flights of stairs to reach your room.
  2. Be on your feet, walking and standing, for up to three hours, indoors and outdoors, in all weather conditions.
  3. Sleep with street noise and no (or weak) air conditioning.
  4. After orientation and transportation lessons, be able to navigate cities on your own.

Reviews

Deanna

Tour: 03/08/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tina our guide was amazing! The tour was packed with fun and informative information about the history and culture of the places we explored. The other guest were some of the greatest people to meet and have this experience with. The accommodations were unique and memorable with staff that was enjoyable and on point.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There was too many wow points to just pick one. Not only was Tina an excellent guide but the guest guides also had a great passion for the history and culture for the places they were introducing.....it made the experience that much more enriching than I could have imagined. "

Wilson

Tour: 03/08/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very well except that one place in Rome we stayed. Not a nice one , very dirty and its too small. No cleaning during our stay. We don’t want to use that one. The breakfast room was too small. Its different one in Florence. We like that one , they change our beds daily and our room was fantastic. We would appreciate our tour guide very well. Tina Hiti was very good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our tour guide, the Venice was beautiful and Fliorebnce was Venice , Florence and Rome was beautiful "

Morgan

Tour: 03/08/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the David in the Uffizi in Florence and climbing the Dome!"

Teresita

Tour: 03/08/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our 5th RS tour and we still love it . Tina best of all tour guides very organized, thoughtful n caring , franchesca best local guide speaks from the heart. Restaurants could be better , last dinner being the worst, Hotel in Florence the best in everything including breakfast, hotel in Rome the worst, dirty with bugs crawling in the bathroom staff not friendly at all. Transport very comfortable. Great variety of activities the best the cooking class in Florence . Wish there’s a guide in Vatican.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Ancient Rome is unforgettable and cooking class so much fun"

John

Tour: 03/08/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was my first trip to Europe and I had a great experience. Everything was well planned and organized. The restaurants were all very nice with great food and the tours of historic places were exciting and fun. The extra activities such as the vineyard and olive tree farm stop and the gondola ride were great also.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For historic sites I would say the Basilica, the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. I also had a lot of fun at the olive farm."

Mary Ann

Tour: 03/08/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I enjoyed this trip very much. Great guides and great comraderie.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The evening gondola ride was special."

Kendall

Tour: 03/08/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Could not ask for a better travel experience! From our guide to the hotels, everything was perfect!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The whole tour was full of "wow" moments. There are too many to have just one favorite. "

Teresa

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was a wonderful mix of structured learning, experiencing and tasting moments with a group, along with ample time for personal exploration and solo or couples' discoveries.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think seeing the works of our greatest artists in history in person. No picture or show can capture the in-person experience."

David

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Excellent except for specific problems I will outline later.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wine tasting on the hillside."

Rosalind

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Well organized, the right amount of filled time and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Florence remains the Queen of cities in Italy. Hadn't been there for 18 years and still wonderful. Same wow for the Sistine Chapel, even though we did that on our own. "

Mary Ellen

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Having never been on a tour before, I wasn’t sure I’d enjoy being on someone else’s schedule. Turns out, the tour was amazing, filled with helpful information on history, art, & geography.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Something I never would have done on my own—A gondola ride in Venice! "

Dean

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My tour of Italy was exceptional. Great guides and good comradery.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the majestic Duomo in Florence as well as the statue of David."

Jeanette

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything and everyone exceeded my expectations. I was impressed by our tour guide’s level of experience and knowledge, but most importantly, his attention and concern for the members of our tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite “wow” moment happened in Venice at the start of our tour. Our tour guide Dimitri taught us how to navigate the streets of Venice and we were able to move around the city and take in the sites without the aid of Google Maps or a paper map. "

Tim

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Hinh

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Had an amazing time. Exceeded all my expectations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many wow moments, but if I had to pick one it was the statue of David."

Nazbanoo

Tour: 03/04/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was very impressed! I was initially anxious being the only solo traveller in my group, but everyone was very friendly and I also had no trouble navigating on my own. It was a perfect mix of guided portions of art/historical elements, out of the box treats (like visiting the winery and cooking class) and free time. Very much looking forward to my next trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The first wow moment was definitely the Basilica at St. Mark's in Venice. It just kept adding on from there. All of Florence was a wow - it is just so beautiful. But the camaraderie and friendliness of the group of people on this tour is what made it so special, and as a solo traveller, I am thankful for that!"

Andrew

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A very memorable experience. Our tour guide, Elena, was fantastic. I enjoyed our time going through the historic cities, having excellent food every day, and learning about the history and culture of Italy. Even though the weather wasn't great, I think every day on the trip was amazing in its own right. There were some issues with the hotels, mainly the beds weren't always the most comfortable, but it wasn't too much of an issue.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Going on the gondola ride through the canals of Venice. Our gondola was right behind another that had a live music accompaniment on it, and the entire experience was just magical."

Thomas James

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cooking class"

Robert

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

as a solo traveler going be really hard to go back solo never experience such group people over overwhelm experience

Favorite "WOW" moment

"almost everything and more"

Harper

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I enjoyed my first time on tour. My tour guide was fantastic. Very personable and helpful. Everywhere we visited was outstanding and had great local guides to show us around.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to pinpoint one wow moment from our tour but, Walking around the roman forum and Palatine hill really blew my mind. Amazing history and views. You could walk around there all day. And so much to see around that area of Rome. "

Heidi

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Elena, was wonderful. She was energetic, cheerful, knowledgable and kept our dampened spirits up despite the fact that is rained nearly every day of our tour. We saw many amazing sites in Italy that I have always wanted to see. The accommodations, transportation, local guides, museum entrances, etc. all went smoothly and were well planned out. We enjoyed the variety of experiences from seeing ruins, to art, to the cooking class, to wine tasting and eating traditional food.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It is quite difficult to pick just one moment from this extensive tour but if I had to choose I feel seeing the art of Michelangelo: David, the Pieta, Moses, and the Sistine chapel would have to be my "wow" moment! These were magnificent to see in person."

Barbara

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My tour was absolutely amazing!! Touring Italy was my top Bucket List item. The RS Tour met all of my expectations, exceeded them, and provided numerous additional gold-star experiences. Will most definitely travel with RS in the future! Thank you Elena & RS for the experience of a lifetime.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I expected the Tuscan Region to be my favorite so was extremely shocked to have far preferred the beauty, uniqueness, and warmth of the island."

Andrew

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall selections and the people involved were top knotch.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into St Peter’s Basilica. "

Tina

Tour: 02/26/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Good variety of tours, great guides, and fun group of people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved being immersed in authentic culture."

David

Tour: 02/19/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Nina our guide was extraordinary 12/10, she was knowledgeable, effecient, thoughtful and available... and super fun. The 10 days were packed with goodness. Super impressed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Nina followed by St Peters Basilica "

Pam

Tour: 02/19/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Nina was terrific. She evidenced powerful skills in cultivating a caring, cohesive group of travelers. The tour itinerary provided a helpful balance of guided experiences and opportunities to choose additional sights to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Venice, our local guide, Corine, did a superb job of teaching us how to read a painting. "

Mike

Tour: 02/19/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall experience was great! I’m thankful to see art museums, museums and some sites that I probably would never do on my own. Rick Steves tours exposed me to things I never wouldn’t do.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the immense size of St Peter’s basilica. I knew it was big but I didn’t know it was THAT big! "

Doug

Tour: 02/19/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour was great and Nina was its backbone. She went above and beyond the call to duty! Loved experiencing three different worlds, in one tour package.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Local guides helped me understand art, I usually don’t know what I`m looking at. View from top of St Peter`s Dome."

Susan

Tour: 02/19/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful overall experience! This tour checks all the boxes and allowed us to spend enough time in 3 major/historic cities (we would love even more!). Our first RS tour set the bar high for our next vacation, beginning with our fabulous guide, Nina. Her knowledge, experience & enthusiasm kept us engaged and excited for each day. Nina set the table and we all dug into the feast of Italy. Our travel mates also made this a great experience and why we would do this type of tour again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day felt like a wow moment that we didn't want to end. All 3 cities pack their own wow factor for different reasons. Rome is a feast for all of the architecture and history...from St Peter's Basilica to the Forum. Florence is a delight for all the senses and felt like a painting (the beauty of the city with the Arno River and bridges, the art, the architecture, and the food/wine). Venice is simply magical and a delight to get lost in with the water, many bridges and narrow streets."

Katherine

Tour: 02/19/24

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steve’s tour and it did not disappoint. We had an amazing trip, easily one of the best vacations we’ve had and we will sign up for another.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many but the history in the trip was my wow moment. Walking into these iconic places was awesome. "

Mary

Tour: 11/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Had a wonderful experience and learned a lot about Italy!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Cooking class"

Dustin

Tour: 11/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Cecillia was an amazing guide and made the overall trip and travel a truly life changing experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Local guides in venice(Elizabeth?) and in rome truly providing deep insight to the museums and art. I truly never would have appreciated everything without their through and passionate everything"

Michael

Tour: 11/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The knowledge and access of our group’s leader and supporting local guides was first class!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our wine tasting experience was so very authentic I will never forget it."

Gerardo

Tour: 11/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great experience with great guides and I never felt lost or unsafe.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Touring Cici’s winery!"

Gary

Tour: 11/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful tour with great guides. Daniella was awesome. A little tough on us sometimes but that was good for the group. We saw everything that are the highlights from each city which was very important. 10 days was just right for me, my wife and my daughter. Very honest and truthful about all the walking required. We walked and climbed stairs a lot. 20k steps per day is normal. Will train better for the next one which we are planning now. Very pleased and happy with the tour. Thanks

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Florence cooking class, seeing the David and all the included meals with the group. Very fun and delicious."

Anthony

Tour: 11/03/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

A wonderful tour to 3 very different Italian cities that was a perfect introduction to Italy

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Michelangelo's Moses in the church of San Pietro. I saw so many awesome paintings and sculptures, but this one to me, was magnificent."

Beth

Tour: 11/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was wonderful- the sites, the museums, the food and our accommodations. Daniela was a fantastic guide. It was evident she enjoys Italy. She was very knowledgeable, handled logistics well, was incredibly upbeat, flexible and had great sense of humor. Local guides provided lots of local color and in-depth information.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cooking class and the winery visit are at the top of the list because it gave us a break from being tourists. Venice was like no other place I have visited. The ancient parts of Rome took my breath away. The David was probably #1- I can’t describe how it felt to see it in person!"

Tom

Tour: 11/03/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The guides were great and helped to put understanding into what we were seeing. Felt like I was getting everything out of the trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The story of Michelangelo and the Cestine Chapel "

Rex

Tour: 11/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We felt well taken care of. The planned experiences were incredible!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to mention them all ....but standing on the Rialto Bridge was awesome!"

Ruby

Tour: 11/03/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was challenging, entertaining, thought provoking, and physical. Our guide, Daniela, was excellent and tremendously flexible when meeting challenges.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments: walking over the Bridge of Sighs in Venice, seeing the David up close in Firenze, walking through St. Peter's Basilica (although we had done it before, it never ceases to amaze)."

Benjamin

Tour: 10/30/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great

Deborah

Tour: 10/30/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was well-organized, a nice group of travelers, excellent tour guide (Anya). I especially appreciated the pacing, with time for rest and for going out solo.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Venice was a "wow" moment."

Patricia

Tour: 10/30/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very enjoyable. We saw everything in Italy I wanted to see. Very informative. We had plenty of touring but also "down" time on our own. A nice balance.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Uffizi Gallery."

David

Tour: 10/30/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My tour was well organized and led by an excellent guide who was with the group during the entire tour, led the group on walking tours, offered guidance about getting around the cities visited, and arranged for excellent group dinners and transportation. The tour offered very knowledgeable special guides for specific sites, and scheduled plenty of free time to explore or visit sites of particular interest to individuals.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There was more than one "wow" moment. One such moment was the sight of the snow capped Dolomite Mountains in the distance while we were transported by boat to islands in the Venetian lagoon."

Steven

Tour: 10/30/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

felt it was well organized, pace was good, Rick Steve's guide was outstanding. The mix of cultural, tourist and independent time was good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"the Rome historical sites were amazing. an unexpected wow moment was visiting the St Peters in Chains church in Rome. Also was impressed via visiting the Doge's Palace in venice"

Monna

Tour: 10/30/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Loved the insider information/guides in Venice and Florence. Wondered why the Rick Steve's guide wasn't Italian...didn't seem like Anya knew Rome very well-her info about various transportation options after the daily tour activities ended was wrong and could have left us stranded-although we managed fine. The hands on activity was great. The stop at the agri-farm-tour seemed more like a sales event than real information.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food in Florence was just amazing. Who knew they did meat!!"

Peter

Tour: 10/30/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent locations and guidance in the cities on our tour.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The views inFlorence and Rome on clear sunny days!"

Barbara

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Every day was very well planned to make the most of our time in each of the three cities we visited. That is one of my favorite things about these tours is because it takes expertise to make efficient use of our times as well as organize the logistics of tickets and transportation. The local guides are always excellent, especially for the art museums. The hotel locations were ideal for being convenient to the sights and in charming neighborhoods.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Uffizi museum as shown by our “insider” guide. It was my art museum dreams come true. "

Patty

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Appreciate local expertise of tour guide Marjain,private buses to the next city, advance tickets to sites so we didn’t have to wait in line, private water boat transportation in Venice, overall helpfulness of marjain, restaurant recommendations. I learned a lot and very thankful for all the sites we were able to see.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Umbria - visiting the vineyard, having the personal lunch with the owner with all the food from their land,"

Patricia

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was really wonderful; packed full of beautiful sights, historical, culinary, and most informative. Italy is a place that books don't do justice to--- Both the Rick Steve's guide(s) and the local guides gave interesting information filled with insights one may not otherwise get.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Pope at St. Peter's basilica. It was not on the tour, but what a wonderful experience to share with everyone when we arrived home!!"

Doris

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

What a fantastic combination of historic/popular sights in these iconic cities! Our guides, Marijan and Karen were so incredibly knowledgeable and the local guides were amazing art and culture historians, with some sass to boot! We split into groups of about 12 to tour locally which made it better to connect to our surroundings. It was a great combination of scheduled tours and activities along with down time to spend as we pleased. Hotels were good and conveniently located.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many...all the art, scupltures, Venice is like being in a fantasy land with the canals, zigzags, buildings. The Duomo, Coliseum & St Peter's Basilica were amazing. Unexpectedly really enjoyed the cooking class, the chef in charge made it so fun with his "Mama Mia's!" and the lovely wine cellar where we ate. The trip to Umbria for wine tasting and the presentation by the owner there was a great diversion. So impressed with our guides in handling a last moment transportation change flawlessly."

Sheryl

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Exceptional tour of Italy! History of each site we toured, and city was overwhelming but amazing. Accommodations were very good, clean with accommodating friendly hotel staff. Breakfast each morning was above standard, except for the coffee (not a fan). Outstanding tour guide’s friendly educated, and they go up and beyond to help people in the tour. Local tour guides, extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic with a sense of humor. At times the tours were too rushed for pic taking. Exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"A trip like this there isn’t just one wild factor. The history alone is hard to comprehend. I guess just standing & looking around being present in Venice, Florence and Rome is WOW. My feet walked streets that were centuries old in my hands touched bricks that survived centuries. I looked at statues and paintings that were centuries old all breathtaking."

Peter

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was overwhelmed with the joy I experienced with this tour. Our guide was outstanding in his knowledge and also his improvising skills on the fly. Our group was a wonderful mix of people from all over the country and the fact that we are encouraged to interact is definitely a plus. The local tour guides were all outstanding. The meals we shared together were all great and fun. The cooking class was my favorite even though I thought I would not care for it. All in all a fantastic experience

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cooking class. Never expected it to be do much fun. And on top of it all eating what we made was even better. It was all delicious "

William

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

great time - great people

Favorite "WOW" moment

"quite a few"

Jean

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour guides were both accommodating and flexible with weather conditions and unexpected public transportation issues. The primary tour guide ( Marijan) led us through the city streets with helpful advice and suggestions while also providing background information about what we were seeing . Our situation included an extra guide (Karen) in training whose background as an American expat provided interesting insight between the American and Italian cultures.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Although there were many wow moments, my favorite was realizing that Venice not only lived with water as a way of life ( transportation, food, historical culture) , but also is currently living in fear of flooding and trying to find a way of controlling rising water levels. "

Joyce

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour was so mind blowing with all the information from our tour guides. They were very knowledgeable about Italy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite WOW moment was touring The Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica. We even were lucky and got to see the Pope! "

Bruce

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was terrific! The people in our group were friendly and easygoing, the tour guide Marijan and his intern Karen were relentlessly upbeat and helpful, the activities were educational and fun, the little extras (bathroom breaks, candy) meant a great deal. I especially appreciated the way Marijan and Karen did everything to guide us in making choices for our free time. It was a good mix of free time and scheduled activities, but I lean toward more scheduled activities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's hard to choose, but I would say our trip in Tuscany up to Poggio della Volara for a fascinating talk by Marco about wild boar, olive oil, and wine and a delicious lunch prepared by his charming wife Guiva (sp.?). The setting was beautiful, his dogs were adorable, and the chance to purchase some of his olive oil and soap was appreciated. "

Borden

Tour: 10/27/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Could not have been better.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"M's "David" in the Accademia in Florence."

Sue

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Daniela, our tour guide, was exceptional!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being inside the colosseum"

Josefina

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first RS tour and we were absolutely amazed! Everything about this tour was fantastic, Our tour guide Daniela was the best, our local tour guides and bus driver were great, the hotels were fine and centrally located. The itinerery was a nice mix of guided tours and free time to discover on our own. I would highly recommend this RS tour and looking forward to the next one!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "WOW" moments! The David, the Pieta, the Grand Canal, St. Marks Basilica, the Vatican, the Colosseum, St. Peter's Basilica and the Pantheon to name a few."

Joseph

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Learned a lot of history on tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Statue of David "

Olivia

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Most amazing time, lots of walking but all worth it

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the inside of the colosseum "

Stephanie

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Brilliant! Exceeded high expectations. Enjoyed our fellow travelers, the itinerary, the guides, the free time, ALL.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Almost impossible to choose. If you make me, I’ll pick the Roman Ruins. "

Michael

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very informative tour. Side trip to vineyard and cooking class was fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In each city Danielle took us on walking tours when we arrived. Helped to know what was there and how to get around."

Phil

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Knowledgeable and personable tour guides, great travel buddies, wonderful sights and experiences. All in all, a marvelous trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many highlights, but St. Peter’s Basilica was my personal favorite."

Richard

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I can't imagine that any Tour experiece could be conducted any better. From the moment that we met the Daniella our tour guide and the rest of the group it was an 10 days of non stop fun and amazement. The experience was was further enhanced by the local guides who provided what I called a PhD level of knowledge for specfic sites. Daniella provide enough information so that when you had free time you were able to safely explore on you own and fumble with the language. We will do it again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Truely the whole 10 days was a "wow moment" in the lives of myself my wife and 2 adult children. From the Sicily in whole to Florence and The David then on to the the 7th generation vinyard in Umbria region ending in Rome with the Colossuem and Sistine Chappel it was literally the vacation of a lifetime."

Julie

Tour: 10/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded our expectations. We are happy that we chose to go with a Rick Steves tour instead of planning it ourselves.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Perhaps it was the wine, but my favorite "wow" moment was the family-run winery between Florence and Rome! It was so beautiful that it didn't seem real."

William

Tour: 10/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our second Rick Steve's tour, having toured Scotland in 2022. We loved out Scotland tour so we wanted to do another one. The tour was great and we enjoyed all the other people on the tour and our tour guides were great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Colosseum in Rome was the most outstanding site to me. I loved all the cities, Venice with all the canals, Florence with the statue of David and Rome with all the many attractions. "

Arthur

Tour: 10/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Because of our tour guides, Lisa and Iris, organization skills, knowledge and enthusiasm, the trip was a delight.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our favorites were the cooking class in Florence, the tour of the Le Velette vineyard and the tour of the Coliseum. We also loved walking around and getting to know Venice, feeling a bit like a local!"

Patricia

Tour: 10/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour guides were fabulous! I enjoyed knowing I could speak to Lisa about anything regarding to our tour. She was funny and very relatable. Iris was knowledgeable and interesting to talk with at dinner.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The city of Venice was so charming!"

Jack

Tour: 10/20/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Great experience to see Venice Florence and Rome. Felt that we were always moving in a tight schedule.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice and the boat ride and especially the gondola night ride"

Frances

Tour: 10/20/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Trip of a lifetime! All guides were great, especially Lisa and Iris. Well planned and great overall experiences. I had an injury (no one's fault) and every effort was made to accommodate me and still allow me to participate.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The cooking class, the winery and the guide of the Imperial Forum"

Sara

Tour: 10/20/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As travelers, who usually plan our own itineraries, we wondered if we would enjoy having things planned for us. It turned out that it was very stress, relieving to have someone else worry about transportation, plans, tickets, standing in the right line, and dealing with unexpected hiccups. We enjoyed meeting the other people on our tour and we’re blessed with two excellent guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Coming out of the Colosseum in Rome, we were surprised to find the place swarming with police and a pro Palestinian protest rally coming up the street toward us. Our tour guide swiftly chains our plans, and we made an escape through the metro system. We had to take several trains and dodge pick pockets in the Rome subway. Our guide was calm, and was able to communicate with us through our radios the whole way."

Melisa

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our guide was amazing and really went above and beyond to help us with questions. The specialty guides were also amazing!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The David! We almost skipped it due to sore feet and rain, so glad we didn't. "

Kendra

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This trip was the best I have been on! The itinerary was everything I was looking for and it did not disappoint. Guides both the main and local were very informative and made seeing the locations all the better. The group we travelled with was a great group of people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"When we first arrived at a city and did the walk-about tour, I would be listening to the local guide talk about the city and then turn a corner and wham there was the place I always wanted to see. This happened in Florence and seeing the Duomo."

Matthew

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great time. Super tour guide.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were too many to count."

Marilyn

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Very well organized . Expectations spelled out clearly. Great people involved at every aspect.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of Rome"

Bruce

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This tour was a great introduction to the art, architecture, history, and culture of three of Italy's iconic cities. There was a good mix of group activities and free time in all 3 cities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"A tie between seeing Venice for the first time from the air and coming around a corner in Florence and seeing my favorite sculpture, Perseus with the Head of Medusa, in the Loggia dei Lanzi."

Jean

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was the first time I traveled with a tour group and I loved it! All the details were taken care of so I could enjoy the experience so much more. Our group got along really well and did things together in our free time. The guide, Chiara, was amazing! She’s an encyclopedia of knowledge about the areas we toured.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The island of Burano blew me away with its beauty. The experiences, pasta making class and wine tasting, are also my favorite memories."

Joy

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Live up to and surpassed my expectations!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All 3 of our stops had their wow moments but I found Venice to have the most. Loved getting lost in the maze of side streets! Made every trip back to our hotel a different and fun adventure."

John

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

An excellent way for first time visitors to discover and enjoy many of the interesting things about northern and central Italy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing how large and complex the Roman ruins are in Rome."

Barbara

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We did many things that we could not have done on our own. I loved the interactions with the local tour guides and hosts. The location of the hotels was excellent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Peter's Square and Basilica were huge. Also, the cooking class introduced me to pasta making, and the ensuing meal was delicious."

Kathleen

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great itinerary, wonderful principal and local guides, well-planned organization, all hotels nearby activities and major sights, great guide suggestions for non-tour activities and meals, smooth transfers between cities and modes of transportation.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For the activities included in the tour, seeing the Colosseum and surrounding ruins and Michelangelo's David. For recommended side activities on our own, we loved the views of Venice from the Campanile at San Marco and city views of Florence and Vatican City/Rome from the cupola climbs we did at both the Florence Duomo and St. Peter's Basilica, plus a walk to Piazza Michelangelo in Florence."

Douglas

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Chiarra was an excellent guide, but disappointed with a few wait times to get into most popular venues

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Excellent group meals"

Carolyn

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As advertised, lots of walking. Our tour guide Chiara was informative and kept us busy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice and Florence"

Steven

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very active and informative. Immersed into the crowds rather than ‘protected’ added to the cultural experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into St Peter’s Cathedral and being wowed by the immensity and grandeur."

Leonard

Tour: 10/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was one of the best vacations we have ever taken. The sights, the food, the wines were beyond compare. The organization was seamless from check-in at Pensione Guerrato in Venice, through the Hotel Silla in Florence, to Hotel Ludovisi in Rome. The motor coaches were comfortable and relaxing. But the highlight was our guide, Chiara Baroni. She was caring, passionate and so knowledgeable about the history and the culture of Italy. She was also funny and charming. A perfect tour companion.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was seeing Michelangelo's David in the Accademia Gallery of Florence. A close second was admiring the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican. But the beauty of all the art in the three cities was breathtaking."

Timothy

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first trip to Europe. Our guide Stefanie was fantastic. The quality of the logistics planning reflects the experience that the Rick Steves’ organization has to work with. The balance of planned excursions with free time was perfect. The communication we received before we left on the trip allowed us to be well prepared. We were glad that we packed and only a carry-on bag as suggested. The local guides were excellent as well. We are already looking forward to our next trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice was amazing. "

Mary

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Amazing number of historic and artistic sites…also good food and drink!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"While not part of the touching to morning Mass at St Mark’s and seeing the beautiful mosaics in the morning light was WOW…. Florence Uffizi art Wow, wow wow especially aided by a fantastic guide."

Ann

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice gondola ride, wine tasting"

Bruce

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

overall we really enjoyed the tour and experience. It was what we have come to expect from a Rick Steves tour. All parts of the trip were prepared and planned and moving around the country, city, and areas was smooth.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"tour guide in Rome (Francesca) was amazing, as far as the city, Venice was the highlight of the trip."

Cynthia

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was a single traveler, and found the other members and our guide Stephanie very compatible! We mixed and matched touring together, along with extra tours, meals, both included and not included, along with evening nightcaps. The hotels were all wonderful and comfortable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many! I loved the agriturismo, and the cooking class! The majesty of Michelangelo’s David, the magnificent basilicas, and the sights I’ve only read about, such as the Forum and Coliseum."

Kimberly

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Hit the highlights of each city in Italy and it was truly the best of each city.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The trip to the Vatican."

Rachel

Tour: 10/13/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

The three cities are lovely. I enjoyed the walking tours we had to better explore the history and the cities themselves. Venice was the most unique, Florence had the best food, and Rome had the stuffy ancient buildings.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was probably stepping out to see the duomo up close. "

Jennifer

Tour: 10/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was exactly what I had hoped it would be and more. Our guide and experts in each city were outstanding! The activities our guide provided for us were well thought out and immensely enjoyable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"During our tour it was our 25th anniversary. It happened to fall on the day we were doing the gondola ride in Venice. Lisa arranged for us to have our own gondola as a surprise and the musicians were placed in our boat. I wouldn't be surprised if Lisa hadnt arranged the beautiful purple sunset over the grand canal that night as we took in Venice. It was magical, thoughtful and just blew me away."

Anthony

Tour: 10/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Fantastic 10 days ! pacing was great, and experienced so much more than myself and my wife would have if we did not do a Rick STeve's Tour

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking into the Colosseum "

Felix

Tour: 10/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour met all my expectations and more. I felt like all the activities and our daily schedules were set up perfectly. You got to see some sites with the group and then you had some time on your own to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The gondola ride in Venice. Our guide knew it was our anniversary and arranged for us to have our own gondola with a singer and guitar player. She put is in the middle of the gondolas for our group, so everyone got to enjoy the singing and playing, along with us. It was quite a memorable night for everyone."

Rhonda

Tour: 10/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Being our first trip to Europe as well as our first tour, it set a very high standard! In the Venice, Florence and Rome in 10 day tour we learned more than what I could have researched prior to a trip on our own. The value is in the knowledge and inside information that our tour guide, Lisa, had as well as the additional local guides she coordinated to walk us through this beautiful country and its history. There is nothing like having no stress on a "holiday" abroad, just showing up to enjoy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each time we turned a corner in each respective city to bring something I've only read about to life. Venice - how all canals are simply in everyone's backyard. Florence - seeing the David sculpture and walking the arched paths around Renaissance thinkers/artists streets. Rome - the ancient buildings, the Colosseum and its violent history to entertain. Knowing how Rome was covered in marble at one time and now most has been recycled was intriguing. "

Gayle

Tour: 10/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Extremely well organized, great combination of scheduled and free time, our tour guide (Lisa) was outstanding as were all the local guides. Tour was informative, educational, and fun. We had a great group of people who truly enjoyed each others company.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing David - I knew it was going to be spectacular, but it was better than expected."

Brad

Tour: 10/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour and it exceeded expectations. Our guide, Lisa, was terrific. Though we could see the same locations on a self-arranged tour, the content provided by the guides, handling of all reservations, transportation and the comradery with the group made the experience exceptional.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The scope of the artwork within the Vatican and Sistine Chapel was incredible to experience. No amount of photos or video compares to experiencing in person."

Josephine

Tour: 10/02/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

My tour was great until I got robbed in Rome on the last day

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was blown away by the Vatican museum. In my opinion , that should be saved for last on the tour."

Richard

Tour: 10/02/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Overall the tour was what was advertised.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I enjoyed Venice"

Julie

Tour: 10/02/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Well organized, great hotels and restaurants

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride — beautiful and peaceful way to experience Venice"

Rebecca

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was great but certainly had its glitches. This was my first trip to Italy and my first tour group experience.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There was no “one wow moment.” The “wow” of the overall trip was all of the incredible original art I was able to see and experience."

David

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very fun and tiring! Description of tour was accurate as we walked a lot. Tour guides were all great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sistine Chapel"

Myla

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Due to COVID, we experienced multiple tour guides during out 10-day tour of Venice, Florence and Rome. Although unfortunate that we had to be shuffled from guide to guide, I was impressed with the depth of the RS "bench." We not only enjoyed Skyla, but each subsequent leader, Martin, Donald, and Cecilia.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Walking back from our first night dinner, through the quiet, dark streets of Venice, we crossed the Accademia Bridge and were completely stunned by the beauty of a full moon rising over the dome of Santa Maria della Salute. "

Steven

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour was fabulous! Unfortunately, Skyla, our tour guide contracted COVID on the second day, and we ended up with four tour guides in all. We appreciated that behind-the-scenes there was probably a lot going on trying to figure out how to keep our tour on target, and we think you all did a great job! The group meals were a great way to help the tour members develop relationships. The hotels were in great locations, which helped us become ‘temporary citizens.’

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were many ‘wow’ moments, but being able to see the Grand Canal (full moon) and the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore (waning) during a full moon was amazing! Walking around these great cities at night, when it was less crowded and still feeling safe was an unexpected memorable experience. Santa Croce Church was another unexpected WOW! moment. The tombs of Galileo, Michelangelo, Machiavelli, and Rossini all under one spectacular roof! "

Lisa

Tour: 09/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was very well organized and for me a good balance of scheduled activities and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My "wow" moment was the Colosseum and Roman Forum."

Amie

Tour: 09/25/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Worth every penny! From getting instructions from Rick Steves on how to get from the airport to our first hotel, until check out if the last hotel we were very well taken care of. The tour was stress free and if any concerns or questions arouse our tour guide was there every step of the way. Margaret is absolutely a fantastic guide and was born to do so. Rick needs to do his best to keep her on his staff, she is invaluable.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Being present in Venice and seeing everything first hand."

Neil

Tour: 09/25/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Very much enjoyed the tour. Saw many of the attractions that we wanted to visit with the tour guide and also had plenty of time to explore on our own. Having 3 days in each city gives a good introduction to what each has to offer and therefore enough info to decide if one wishes to explore it further sometime.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Saint Mark's Basilica and Saint Peter's Basilica were both "wow" moments."

Donald

Tour: 09/25/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Great trip, great guides

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sistine Chapel, Saint Peters"

Elizabeth

Tour: 09/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a wonderful way to see the 3 cities and not feel rushed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The city of Venice. The art, the buildings, the history, the bridges, no traffic. Rome and Florence really can't compare."

Michael

Tour: 09/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

First of all, our tour guide was born to do this. What a perfect fit. Riahne knew so much and was so in love with the culture that she made it exciting for us. Perfect. The venues were all exciting, the food fantastic, and people friendly. Best of all though, was the coffee. OMG how did I ever survive on drip coffee?

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Besides the coffee, it is hard to pick one event or place or moment. I'd probably end up saying St. Peter's Basilica. It was vast and beautiful."

John

Tour: 09/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Jo Ann

Tour: 09/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a great way to see Venice, Florence, and Rome. There were no long bus rides and only three different hotels. The hotels were nice. The schedule left plenty of free time. Our tour guide, Rianne was outstanding! The group dinners and lunches were fun. The food was great!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I enjoyed the group cooking class in Florence where we made our own lunch. I think it brought our group together. We made a delicious meal. The wine tasting lunch in Tuscany was also very relaxing and enjoyable with great food and friendly people. Overall, the “wow” moment has to be the centuries old cobblestone streets, churches, and art. Walking the narrow streets in Venice,,, Standing in the Roman forum where Julius Caesar was killed… Being an arm’s length away from Michaelangelo’s work. Wow!"

Candace

Tour: 09/22/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Overall I had a wonderful experience on my Rick Steve’s tour, it was well organized, really fun and a great balance of activities

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think the part of the tour I was most impressed with was the wine tasting afternoon. It was such a wonderful experience and something I definitely would not have gotten to experience with you the Rick Steve’s tour. "

Kent

Tour: 09/18/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our overall experience was very good. We did not care for our Hotel in Venice, however the hotels in Florence and Rome were great. We did not realize the sheer number of people we encountered thinking late September would be less crowded. We learned a great deal about the renaissance and were exposed to so many famous art works! Our guides were thoughtful well spoken, and full of knowledge.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were more than one. Our favorites were the Gondola ride in Venice, the wine tasting, cooking class, statue of David to, and Sistine Chapel to name a few. "

Richard

Tour: 09/18/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a fabulous time, our tour mates were great, Lorenza our guide was wonderful. We experienced a lot in 10 days that only fueled our travel series for the future. All the guides were knowledgeable and detailed. Italy is a beautiful country

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Toss up between David and the Pantheon"

Elizabeth

Tour: 09/18/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide, Lorenza, made all aspects of our tour easy and stress free. She kept everyone on time, picked outstanding restaurants and she even gave us some extra sites to see- she is amazing

Favorite "WOW" moment

"David! I couldn’t believe how beautiful and detailed he was- my brain is still buzzing!"

Joseph

Tour: 09/11/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our tour guide Lisa Smith was outstanding in all aspects...rate 12 stars out of 10.The local guides were also outstanding in terms of passion, depth of knowledge, and communication. We had a great group of 28 people who quickly became travel buddies and friends. As a solo traveler, it was nice to share a lunch, dinner, museum tour, etc. with a new travel friend. Each days activities were well planned with allowance for free time. The hotels were central and certainly had their own personality.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Buying a pre-packaged mozzarella and olive sandwich at a rest area which was absolutely delicious...kidding but true. I found Venice to be my "wow" as there was a surprise around every corner. It was great that you could walk about 20 minutes in every direction to see all of the island. Florence was enjoyable with the variety of museums, basilicas, and trattorias. Rome was an experience with all the history, Vatican crowds, and unexpected urban environment (trash, graffiti, etc.)..still enjoyed."

Deb

Tour: 09/11/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tour was amazing! We had a great group of people and Lisa Smith, our tour guide was top notch! She was extremely qualified and made our experience unforgettable

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many, but one that stands out was our tour of the Accademia Gallery in Venice with our local tour guide, Laura. She made the paintings we saw "come alive" with her knowledge of the time period and artists. Fascinating! "

Sally

Tour: 09/11/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was well organized. It was an active tour as described when doing research.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of it! How well organized it was."

Jennifer

Tour: 09/11/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This was our first Rick Steves tour and overall it was a wonderful experience. Our tour guide Lisa was extremely knowledgeable and led us through Italy with ease, the local city guides phenomenal, food and wine experiences divine and it was so nice to have all the logistics coordinated for us. As seasoned travelers who often arrange everything ourselves, I felt being on a tour was much more relaxing as we were just told where to be and when.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite "wow" moment occurred in the beautiful city of Florence. The local guides really brought the history of the city alive and explained the art we saw in the churches and galleries in a fun, easy-to-understand manner. Before I just liked looking at pretty pictures, but afterwards, I felt much more educated and could appreciate the story and meaning behind each one more in-depth. It was a very pleasant surprise."

Angela

Tour: 09/11/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour, knowledgeable guides, amazing sites. The trip of a lifetime!!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Rome - the Coliseum, the Pantheon and the Forum. "

Terry

Tour: 09/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It started with a great guide. Rhianne. Knowledgeable, passionate and well organized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many great moments to pick just one"

Wanda

Tour: 09/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour guides Many, many activities packed into each day while still allowing free time

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The beautiful churches and the artwork, knowing I walked the same streets as Peter and Paul"

Scott

Tour: 09/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

One word Excellent

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The entire trip was excellent , but visiting the churches of Venice , Florence and Rome was breathtaking "

Cynthia

Tour: 09/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I thought it was a perfect balance of free time & guided time. The guides were outstanding in their knowledge.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me was the Coliseum. I learned so much about the building of it. I would never had known without our guide."

Sandi

Tour: 09/04/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was the perfect blend of organized activity and free time. Our tour guide, Karin, and all of our local guides were entertaining and informative. It was definitely a LOT of walking and standing, but I felt adequately prepared for it, and I felt a lot healthier for it. I thought spending 3 nights in each city was the perfect amount of time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing St. Mark's for the first time at the end of our Day 1 orientation walk in Venice, followed by our guide, Karin, teaching us how to order Aperol spritzes from one of the bars on the square. "

David

Tour: 09/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Tina is simply amazing as our guide!! She made the experience so special. She took us to such unique places we never would have seen without her.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"That’s SO difficult, but probably the wine tasting. We simply can’t replicate that moment. Our hosts were incredible. The wine and food were fantastic plus we learned so much. A bonus was a member of our group played a few songs."

Patricia

Tour: 09/01/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed the 3 city tour. Nice group and wonderful guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We had lunch at Marco’s farm and one of our group found a guitar and performed after lunch with a breathtaking view as his background. What an experience!"

Adam

Tour: 08/28/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall, everything was well-organized and seamless. I appreciated knowing that the 'big' things were taken care of, and that we didn't have to worry about missing out on any must-see places. I also enjoyed the balance between structured and unstructured time, and the nice variety in activities -- from museums and churches to orientation walks, a wine-tasting lunch, and a cooking class. We had a wonderful group!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"While there were many, I LOVED the local guides the most. They are so knowledgeable, just bursting with facts and fun stories. "

Joe

Tour: 08/28/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My wife and I thoroughly enjoyed each day of the tour beginning with breakfast with our fellow tour members. The days were well planned by our expert tour guide, Ferdinand, with tours led by local guides well versed in telling historical background of the buildings and highlights of the artists and their masterpieces. Free time was appreciated to explore on our own, or rest.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each of the three cities, Venice, Florence, and Rome, displayed their ancient history, however, a side trip to the countryside let us see the beauty of Italy and taste its bounty shared by a local farmer telling his story. "

Jennifer

Tour: 08/28/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had Fergie for our guide and he was excellent. Tour was well planned and well executed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride in Venice. Since a small girl I dreamed of seeing Venice and this was my dream come true. Our guide Fergie arranged music and singing for our moonlight ride. There was a full moon that made this extra special. "

Herman

Tour: 08/28/23

Overall rating: rating 3 of 5

Once in a lifetime trip, beautiful locations, knowledgeable guide, felt very safe and comfortable during the entire trip due to experience of the guide. FERGIE! I’m glad I spent the time and money to go. Negatives were the Venice hotel was NOT good at all and that was the opinion of most I think. The guides were excellent but occasionally spent too much time lecturing. I was surprised that the group was 28 folks which caused some logistical issues, like not enough gondolas.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Sunrise at Piazzale Michelangelo, the St Peter’s Basilica, Venice first day in a water taxi."

David

Tour: 08/25/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wonderful experience. First time using Rick Steve and will do so again. Guides were very well informed and congenial. Every detail well done, from meals to timed entry to busy sites and transportation. Loved it!!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Many "wow" moments. Turning the corner and seeing Colosseum in real life, the majesty of the Sistine Chapel, gondola ride through the canals of Venice, Uffizi Gallery."

Anne

Tour: 08/25/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Our guide Cristina was patient, competent, knowledgeable, and kind. She covered the history and culture in each city that we visited and made it interesting. She also made sure that individual needs were met. My husband is not a wine drinker. Cristina made sure that he was offered alternatives at all of the group gatherings. The tour covered the must-see sites and some lesser known spots without making us feel overwhelmed. There was enough free time to wander; tour felt balanced.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the David statue! Thrilling!"

Summer

Tour: 08/25/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a wonderful time. Cristina our guide went all out to ensure that we all felt taken care of and had memorable experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Climbing to the top of the Duomo in Florence and enjoying the view even in the rain. "

Patricia

Tour: 08/25/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Enjoyed Cristina & getting to know other tour group members. Regional tour guides were outstanding in sharing their knowledge & passion for the arts & the area.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was absolutely blown away by the Colosseum."

Alice

Tour: 08/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Sarah was our amazing tour guide. With a wonderful sense of humor, she easily guided us each day of our trip. She was so knowledgeable. She truly maximized what we could get out of each day and make the most of this trip. Cheers to this delightful tour guide!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Glimpsing the Colliseum for the first time. I couldn't believe I was seeing it with my own eyes!"

John

Tour: 08/21/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Surpassed expectations! Three very different cities which whetted our appetite for more!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice - like nowhere else we have been to. So alive and interesting. If we can sneak another couple of wow’s in - the group activities of cookery class and wine tasting were wonderful "

Paul

Tour: 07/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was great. Our guide Bradford McEwen was exceptional. His knowledge of our entire tour was excellent and he took good care of us in the 97 degree heat. All of the local guides were also awesome.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were a couple. Turning the corner and seeing the Colisseum was big, but so was seeing David."

Emily

Tour: 07/14/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The guides and sights were all wonderful. It was everything I imagined except for Rick Steves not being there.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice overall. Had not been there previously and it was more wondrous than I imagined."

Philip

Tour: 07/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an amazing time, and while the tour in and of itself would have been great, our tour guide David made it a very memorable trip!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"How much fantastic artwork, sculptures, and architecture there is everywhere you turn. "

Susan

Tour: 07/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a fantastic trip visiting Venice, Florence and Rome. The tour was the perfect combination of pre-arranged group activities and tours and free time left for exploring on your own. Spending 3 nights in each city allowed us to settle in and gain a true flavor of each location, and provided the opportunity to see the highlights along with some some hidden gems. Local guides helped provide insight, suggestions and great information. I would highly recommend this trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was seeing the city of Florence laid out below me after climbing the Duomo.This was a separately booked tour we arranged before our tour. I’m so glad we did; while the 400+ stairs were not easy, the close-up view of the interior and exterior of the dome was worth it! And the panoramic view over the hills surrounding Florence was wonderful. We made sure to visit the museum as well, which enhanced the experience."

Donald

Tour: 07/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

At 89, I knew it likely my last scheduled tour of Europe. While I had been on many Road Scholar trips abroad, this is the first time for a Rick Steve’s tour . My plan was to take my daughter and her two teen age daughters to see Italy. I had lived in Europe off and on, and my daughter first visited Venice when she was a teen, like her daughters now. The trip did indeed hit the highlights of tourist attractions in Italy, and did it with two professional and experienced guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Coffee and croissants with four burly lane sweepers in early morning Venice before our hotel buffet opened at a walk-in bakery. Sipping wine on the grand canal, watching the watertaxis go by. "

Deneall

Tour: 07/10/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

In addition to the sites included in our tour itinerary, we went to the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and had views of Venice from the bell tower, we went to the Murano glass museum and to the Frari Church during our stay in Venice. In Florence we added a tour of the Pitti Palace and the Boboli Gardens, the Bargello Museum and a Climb of the Duomo to our schedule. The Rome itinerary was pretty packed. We enjoyed the activity level of the tour and the camaraderie of our tour group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We were in the Accademia, in Florence at closing. Once the crowds cleared out, I was able to take a picture of my son, with the statue of David, all by himself. Rare, very rare! Also, our tour guide, David, brought his band to perform during the last night of our tour. They invited my son to join them for a couple of songs at the end of their performance. He loved it and will remember it forever."

Melinda

Tour: 07/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We really enjoyed all things about our tour -- the entry to the iconic sites in all of the cities, the local tour guides, the friendly, caring and effiicent Lisa Smtih who looked after us, the easy transportation, the location of the hotels and the fun families who toured with us!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was unexpectedly moved by the Michelangelo statue of Moses in St. Peter in Chains. The church itself was so modest, quiet and not crowded. It was not something that I had on my "bucket list" and I'm so glad we went there. When I posted a photo, many of my friends who had been to Italy previously were disappointed that they missed it. This is the value of a Rick Steves tour!"

Frank

Tour: 07/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had never been to Italy before. Rick Steve’s staff was on point with everything. From accommodations to tours. Especially Lisa who was informative and gracious. I would absolutely do a Rick Steve’s tour again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many wow moments. Coliseum and ruins of Rome."

Eric

Tour: 07/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Such a great tour. Perfect mix of group tours and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the library in Venice that was featured in Indiana Jones and the last crusade. "

Mike

Tour: 07/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a great tour, full of astounding art, architecture, and food. The group was congenial, and our tour leader was friendly and very competent.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's hard to narrow it down. St. Peter's Basilica is certainly a candidate, as was the sculpture of Michelangelo and the later Renaissance painting."

Veronica

Tour: 07/03/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was absolutely incredible!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vatican and Roman Forum"

Peter

Tour: 06/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was everything we were hoping it would be and more! Everything about the tour was just about perfect. We saw all the things we wanted to see, everything ran smoothly, the guides were terrific, and our fellow travelers were just the nicest group of people.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were plenty, but overall probably just the "awe" of walking amongst such ancient history in Rome."

Kyrsten

Tour: 06/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I had a wonderful time on the trip with my family. I appreciated how easy our guide made our vacation. Everything was planned and communicated well.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think I had a wow moment every day! Whether it was understanding Italian customs with dining, or coming upon The Birth of Venus in the museum, I felt "wowed" each day!"

Dana

Tour: 06/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We kept remarking to our fellow tour members how the money we spent on this tour was well worth every penny.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"For me it was the attention to detail and how much the specialized tour guides added to the experience. If we had gone on our own, we would have missed the richness of what we were looking at each tour."

Larry

Tour: 06/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A++ Tour Guide Daniella- she helped all of us so much with travel logistics, guidance as to what to consider doing when on our own, and how to navigate the cities we were in. Because of her, we felt so comfortable and safe, so quickly, in each location! The behind-the-scenes activity by Daniella and her team members were so successful that we almost never waited anywhere for our guided tours, which is amazing given how busy all the sites were with throngs of travelers.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing that the Coliseum in Rome was just outside our hotel doors!"

Neil

Tour: 06/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a terrific tour in every way. Great guides, fun fellow travelers, fantastics sights to see, and everything went very smoothly.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"ROME!"

Robin

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Saw so much in our time there; very good use of a 24 hour day!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice at night."

Diana

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This tour was well organized and met my expectations! I appreciated our guide, Anja, she was awesome and very committed to our group having a memorable experience. She taught us to enjoy each city and found ways to make each stop just a little more extra special. I appreciated the structure & schedule, local guides & drivers, and how this helped us take in the history of Italy while understanding the experience we were having. A nice balance of group activity and personal time was offered.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Venice, the Gondola Ride, was extra special because our guide hired someone to serenade us through the canals; it was my birthday so it was unforgettable! In Florence, climbing the Duomo and seeing the whole city was spectacular! In Florence, the art vibe was hard to beat. We had a surprise stop in Umbria on our way to Rome, which was a treat. The beauty of the region was a taste of a trip to our future. Rome was all history, although it was really crowded, it will be unforgettable."

James

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The balance of directed and free time were perfectly matched. With the tour directors guidance and knowledge what was not specifically on the tour plan was described in detail based on varied individual interests. The tour director got to know each of us as individuals. I am of Italian heritage and was introduced on several occasions to the guides as such. These introductions gave me a greater connection to the subjects at hand and often served as a source if pride.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have visited Italy on several occasions so I had a cursory view of the country. This visit was far more in-depth and meaningful. There are too many WOW moments to point out just one or two. I think the visit to Florence was perfect The hotel was close enough to walk to everything of interest and offered a quiet patio for an evening rest and recharge. The "Back Street" walking tours not only served the functional purpose of navigating the city but were historically informative. "

Marilyn

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A trip of a lifetime for me. I wanted to learn and see the art, history and beauty of Italy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have too many "wow" moments to choose a favorite."

Jasmine

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first time out of the country and my first trip with to a tour group, and it exceeded my expectations. The tour group got along so well and became friends by the end of the tour, and our tour guide made the trip easy, fun, and interesting! My family got to enjoy all the wonders of Italy without the stress of planning and navigating on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice was absolutely mind blowing in its beauty and character. We went to watch a glass blowing tutorial at Murano Island and it was very cool to see."

John

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a well organized experience with extremely knowledgeable tour guides. Our overall tour guide was deftly able to handle a group of diverse Americans aging from 16 to early 70s - impressive. Finally, the overall quality of our lodgings were excellent with smart hotel locations.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our hike up the Duomo in Florence - on our own - was worth it. Amazing view and a mini adventure! "

Debra

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was fabulous. We were able to do so many things we had only dreamed of doing.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to count! The bell tower in Venice, Murano & Burano, the backstreet tours of all three cities, the cooking class in Florence, Marco’s vineyard, the gondola la ride (the singer was amazing) the coliseum tour in Rome. I loved all of it!"

Janice

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent! Our group was led by Anja who did a fantastic job of keeping everyone and everything organized. We really enjoyed the local tour guides, their depth of knowledge and passion. The hotels were in great locations for walking to most attractions, especially in Venice and Florence. There was plenty of free time to explore on our own and just the right amount of time with the tour group.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wandering into a basilica in Florence one evening and finding an amazing orchestral performance by a high school band from our home state of California!"

Monica

Tour: 06/23/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Organized, very well put together. We knew what to expect as the tour helps in many ways to prepare everyone. Fun, met new friends, ate well, walked a ton and learned a lot of history! Plus had our own time to explore. Our tour guide Anya was so amazing! She takes pride in what she does and it shows! Definitely will do another tour in the future and would recommend to others! Trip of a lifetime!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Vatican City! Very eye opening as I found out it's a country! Large, beautiful, breath taking, and full of amazing history! Couldn't take enough pictures!"

Marsha

Tour: 06/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

My daughter and I knew this was going to be a real adventure and it certainly exceeded our expectations. It was the perfect balance between city-guided tours and our own explorations into Venice, Florence and Rome. Your Rick Steves' guide, Sarah, was truly amazing. Her patience, kindness, knowledge and enthusiasm made the trip a real joy. I have extolled the virtues of Rick Steves' tours to all of my friends and look forward to more adventures with this organization. THANKS!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many WOWs and so little time to name them all. Every day was filled with wonderful surprises! From viewing the Pieta (I cried) to walking in The Forum on ancient stones, the trip was filled with memories to savor for a lifetime. "

Allison

Tour: 06/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was a truly wonderful experience. Sarah, our guide, was helpful, funny, kind, and patient - she's incredible at what she does. Accommodations were beyond expectations. All local guides were amazing and informative. Our choice to arrive a day early in Venice was a good one - having that extra day made a big difference.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I really enjoyed the visit to Le Velette vineyard in Umbria and the cooking class in Florence. Both were very special and unique experiences we wouldn't have had without being on the tour. "

Ashley

Tour: 06/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a well thought-out tour with plenty of guided opportunities and downtime each day to explore on your own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I was wow'd by the local guides at each stop. They were knowledgeable about each location and related well to the group."

John

Tour: 06/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was excellent from start to finish. It was very well organized and had a great balance of tour activities and free time. Our guide, Sara, is top-notch. She related well to all the tour members, has a great sense of humor and adapted quickly and well to changing circumstances.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It wasn't a moment. It was the day spent with the guide, Francesca, in Rome. She brought history to life as we toured the Colosseum and the Forum."

Martha

Tour: 06/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Saw all the famous sites. People on the tour were very nice. Sarah our guide was the best!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Piazza San Marco."

Natalie

Tour: 06/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Well organized. This was better than I could've planned myself. Jam-packed full of art, history, architecture and cultural information, yet still plenty of time to stroll off on our own and explore. The tour guides in each city were phenomenal!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting Marco's vineyard. The beauty, relaxation and wonderful company was amazing. The delicious wine and food helped as well."

Kathy

Tour: 06/16/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour was very nice. Would have preferred more time visiting St. Peter’s Square and Basilica

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Colosseum "

Kristie

Tour: 06/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

As someone who had never been to Europe, I didn't want to try to plan a trip to someplace I had never been. This took all of the stress away and just let us relax and look forward to our vacation.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I think it was the first day and each of the cities - Venice, Florence and Rome. Since I had never been to any of them the unique beauty of each was just stunning. "

Jeff

Tour: 06/16/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We knew it was going to be a good tour but it was so much better than we even expected.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"So many to pick from but we really enjoyed the wine tasting between Florence and Rome. But like I said, there were big "wow" moments every day. "

Amanda

Tour: 06/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything on our tour of Italy was fabulous!! Our tour guides Sarah and Mekayla were simply amazing! She was very informative, kind, and helpful. All our local guides were wonderful as well. Everything went very smoothly and we saw and experienced everything we expected to see and so much more. Perfect trip!!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice!! Simply amazing! I had no idea how truly unique it is! Also our cooking class in Florence was so much fun, seeing the Sistine Chapel with my own eyes, our wine tasting and lunch! All just WOW!!!"

Howard

Tour: 06/12/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Our host and guides were outstanding. I especially enjoyed the indepht knowledge each guide provided when visiting a specific location (I learned so much).

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The history provided by our guide when visiting an art museum in Venice"

Stacey

Tour: 06/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first guided tour experience and it far exceeded our expectations. Having both Sarah, an expat, and Miki, a native, provided varied cultural perspectives and kept things running like clockwork. Loved our tour mates and looked forward to spending time with them each day. We were crazy busy but not crazy stressed, which is **** and $$$$ in our travel review book. Grazie!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The food experiences—cooking class in Florence, wine experience in Orvieto, carefully curated group meals that highlighted local cuisine, the Autogrill stop, snacks from Sarah, pizza, gelato etc. Nothing gets you closer to a culture than the food, but the additional context provided by Sarah and Miki deepened that connection. Oh, and Francesca, our guide at the Forum and Colosseum—a transcendent experience that touched our minds, hearts and souls. "

Tom

Tour: 06/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Kathy

Tour: 06/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a trip of a lifetime. I enjoyed everything. At first, I was concerned about the free time - having to decide what to do to fill it up. However, I realized that it was a great opportunity to rest if needed, to shop as I wanted, and to go back and see things that the tour recommended. Helen Inman was our tour guide throughout the trip and was fantastic! It would not have been as fun, organized and informative without her. She truly cared about the group's experiences as well as safety

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I loved the wine tasting stop, with the lunch and view of the beautiful countryside. Second was Venice itself - such a charming city with narrow alleys and cute shops."

Michele

Tour: 06/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour exceeded our expectations. It was well organized and our guide, Helen, was superb! We will definitely be planning a Rick Steves trip in the future.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many. But I would have to point out the Accademia, the Vatican museum, the Roman colosseum, and the Uffizi (and of course the cooking class!). "

Cindy

Tour: 06/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was very well organized. Meals were fantastic!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were several: gondola ride w music, cooking class, wine tasting, visit with Fabio the carpet/tapestry repair man. I also found the guide explaining the Forum…and how we were standing where historical figures stood thousands of years ago amazing. The guides really made history real for me."

Robert

Tour: 06/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was an ideal way to explore Italy fir the first time. We had such amazing guides and help from the tour book we now feel we can go back on our own with just the Rick Steves tour book to explore even more of this amazing country.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Every day was a wow moment. Picking one is a challenge. "

Dan

Tour: 06/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The days all,we’re filled with activities with some down time strategically timed.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The tours of the churches and the Colosseum. The local guides were fantastic. "

Tracy

Tour: 06/09/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour EXCEEDED my high expectations! We traveled as a family of 5, ranging in age from 14 to 60 and it worked for all of us. We were just wowed at every turn! We got to see all of the key sites and then some. We learned so much from the knowledgable and friendly local guides. Our tour guide took good care of us - keeping us informed of and "on" schedule, suggesting other outings, and so positive and good humored!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were just so many WOW moments! I loved getting lost in Venice! This is the repeated recommendation, but it is so hard to imagine doing it and there we were -- wandering, tackling it a neighborhood at a time (using that terrific map from the Pensione G.). I loved watching my normally staid family (when it comes to eating), try everything chicchetti! We didn't know what we were eating, but it didn't matter and after seeing all the fresh seafood in the market it was done with no fear."

Georgia

Tour: 06/05/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The experience was great in that we got to share and expose our adult children to very iconic places in Italy.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride in Venice being in boat with singer and cooking class in Florence. "

Angela

Tour: 06/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was awesome.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"What wasn't! The glass blowing demonstration was outstanding. The Wine tasting was wonderful. Seeing the David was a bucket list item."

Thomas

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first tour with a group and first trip to Europe. It was spectacular and exceeded all our expectations. The balance of guided and free time was perfect. Kept us on track but still had down time by ourselves. The guides for the group and local guides were great

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Wow moments happened a lot, Michalangelo's David was probably the best, but the Bardini Gardens in Florence, Burano in Venice would be very close seconds "

Peter

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The overall experience was very positive, allowing us and our grandson to comfortably visit and learn about the 3 cities we visited.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Arriving in Venice by boat, seeing the Lagoon for the first time with Dylan."

Justin

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

It was fun but exhausting. We stayed very busy but towards the end I personally was a little burned out on art and churches.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I don’t know. "

John

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

So much fun, and such an amazing learning experience! Our Rick Steves tour guide, Colleen Murphy was fantastic!! along with all of the local guides throughout the Venice, Florence, and Rome tour! So much to see and do, with ample time to immerse yourself into the heart of these Italian cities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"All of the amazing Art and Museum’s in each of the 3 cities visited!! David is a masterpiece along with amazing guides to give you the perfect understanding of each piece."

William

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a fabulous trip, beginning to end.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing Michaelangelo’s David"

Holly

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

One week back home and my heart and memories still overflow. New to traveling outside the US, we ultimately opted for a group tour rather than navigating on our own. So glad we did! Colleen was a gem, and the local city guides were fantastic - full of passion and historical knowledge. A perfect balance between group and free time, allowing us to customize our days to our interests. The hotel and group restaurant/meal selections were great. A treasured time of my life, with hopes to return!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Each day brought something wonderfully different, so narrowing it to one favorite "wow" moment is an impossible ask. I love to cook, so thought the cooking class would be enjoyable but a been-there-done-that experience. Boy, was I wrong. It was an absolute blast, and the lunch we prepared was excellent! The wine tasting and lunch at Poggio della Volara was wonderful, with Marco both entertaining and informative. Maybe the statue of David. I've seen countless photos, but in person...breathtaking!"

Kelly

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour turned out to be the vacation of a lifetime. I had dreamed of visiting Italy after seeing it briefly many years ago, and Rick Steves delivered. This tour hit all the highlights while still allowing plenty of free time to search out unexpected treasures in each city. The group was the perfect size and everyone got along well, which made it even more fun. By the end of the tour, we were like a big family. Our guide, Colleen Murphy, was amazing. She really made it fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many! One of my favorites was the cooking class in Florence. What fun! I'm not much of a cook, but working with the others in our tour group and taking direction from our Italian chef was so much fun. The meal we prepared was one of the best on the whole trip! I also loved the stop at the Tuscan winery/olive farm on the way to Rome. What a gorgeous place to relax for a bit! It was like being in a movie. A much-needed respite after the busy days we'd had thus far."

Miriam Gumban

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was great with all very knowledgeable local guides and Colleen was always helpful and attentive to our needs. .

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I love the St. Peter’s basilica."

Robert

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent tour guide, wonderful opportunities to see all of the highlights of the areas we traveled, delicious meals

Favorite "WOW" moment

"It's difficult to just give one, but I would have to say our visit to the winery in Tuscany. Our host was so gracious and the wine and food pairings were out of this world delicious! The scenery was absolutely beautiful and if we could have, we would have elected to stay here a few days to enjoy the area."

John

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Wow! Our Best of Italy tour was amazing. 10 days between 3 cities was just the right amount of time. We learned so much on the guided tours, but we also got enough time to do our own exploring. This was definitely a trip of a lifetime.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the statue of David in Florence was incredible. I wasn't expecting the emotional impact until I was standing right in front of the statue in the Accademia. "

Joy

Tour: 06/02/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Quick paced but with enough time to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Entering a room at the Uffizi in Florence and experiencing "Madonna Enthroned" by Giotto. Breaktaking. I was filled with awe and emotion and my eyes filled with tears. "

Arleen

Tour: 05/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This tour exceeded my expectations. A good balance of planned activities and free time to explore.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"In Florence, during our introductory walk: turning a corner and seeing the Doumo for the first time. It brought tears to my eyes!"

Donna

Tour: 05/29/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour captures the unique character of each of the three cities. Our guide, Daniella, was sensible, kind, and joyful, and always reminded us to just pause and drink in the experiences instead of rushing through--very important on a tour like this filled with major sites and works of art. It would have been easy to just get caught up in "checking off the list." Our local guides were very good. I feel like I understand the development of art so much better now.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Standing on the Ponte Vecchio in Florence watching as the sunset was fading behind a street performer singing "Volare" while everyone sang along... Wandering a beautiful garden in Venice far from the crowds (on the advice of our guide)... seeing Michelangelo's other pieta in the Duomo's museum, which had a reproduction there that visitors could actually touch--I felt like I could touch the face of God. It was very moving....seeing St. Agnes in Ecstasy with sun pouring in the window above..."

Carolyn

Tour: 05/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Elaine

Tour: 05/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Even though I’ve been to Italy three times in the past few years, this was my favorite trip. The hotels we stayed at were close to the action but not overly noisy, the local guides were superior in their knowledge and expertise to what I’ve experienced in the past, and our leader Daniela was wonderful. I especially liked how she taught us how to get around in each city and her overall knowledge of Italy. She made each person feel welcome and handled issues that came up with ease.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite “wow” moment is a tie between our Italian cooking lesson in Florence and our wine and food pairing in Umbria. I had never made homemade pasta before and now I want to give it a try at home. Pulling the whole meal together with our smaller group was a blast. The Umbria winery and vineyard Tenuta le Velette was beautiful and charming, better than I hoped it would be. Our Hostess made the experience fun and entertaining."

Diane

Tour: 05/29/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was fantastic! Very well planned.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Gondola ride in Venice"

Buford

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Loved our guide! He was wonderful!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Tuscan wine tasting and lunch."

Mike

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

We loved the tour. We had flexibility. Tomas, our tour director was very kind and helpful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Visiting the Roman Collisium "

Shannon

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had a fabulous time on our Italy tour. We had a great cohesive group and an amazing tour guide, Thomas Cole.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My 'wow' moment was Torcello for the afternoon which was an added plus from our tour guide. "

Stacy

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We loved everything about the tour. Our guide Thomas was incredible and went above and beyond to ensure that everyone had an amazing trip. The local guides were all great as well. We loved having free time to explore on our own almost every day, and Thomas provided excellent recommendations on what to do and see. This was our first group tour, but it definitely won't be our last! We are already looking where to go next!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the Forum lit up at night was the favorite, but there were so many wow moments throughout the trip! We loved the view from the terrace of our hotel in Florence and enjoyed socializing there with others from the group. The cooking class was so much fun and definitely not something we would have done on our own. We also loved the trip to the winery with amazing views, food, and of course wine!"

Kimberley

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Great guide, fun group. Liked the mix of tours and free time. Hotels well located.

Kyle

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Thomas Cole, our tour guide, was excellent. His depth of knowledge of Italy made the experience great. Liked all the activities that the tour had planned. All were fun.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the David Statue. "

Joan

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

A great group of friendly people and wonderful guide!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Umbria wine country visit, looking David in the eyes in Florence, and stepping into St Peters in Vatican "

Pamela J

Tour: 05/26/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I saw what I expected to see, everything went smoothly, the group was friendly and helpful, and our guide was fantastic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Entering the Colosseum in Rome, and thinking about what happened on that very spot two thousand years ago."

Nancy

Tour: 05/22/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The itinerary of this tour was perfect for our first visit to Italy! We saw the big sights in the big cities, exactly what we were looking for. Nina was a most congenial and well-informed guide. Our group was filled with friendly people who all got along, stayed on time and stayed flexible with unforeseen changes - no grumps!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My “wow” moment is probably more of an “aaaaahhh” moment. I loved our wine tasting and lunch at Marco’s agriturismo between Florence and Rome. The beautiful countryside, wonderful wine, and beautifully presented fresh, delicious food all came together to create a very special afternoon."

Kimberly

Tour: 05/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We really enjoyed the group activities. Our tour guide - Nina- was fantastic! It was nice to have free time to explore our own interests.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The stop for lunch/wine tasting at the vineyard/olive tree farm. The farm was beautiful. The food and wine was delicious. We bought olive oil to bring home!!"

Michelle

Tour: 05/22/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Tour was good but definitely there was something missing and a different feel than other tours. Maybe because going to major attractions has been more difficult and tour companies aren't getting the the times they prefer so being in the crowds is an adjustment for guides.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Riding the gondola in Venice with the singer on the boat. The sound in the narrow waterways was amazing and seeing people come out to hear is was something I won't forget. "

John

Tour: 05/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

All facets of the tour ran smoothly as our guide was well prepared and organized.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The gondola ride in Venice which included a guitar player and singer in our boat for my wife's birthday."

Jeffery

Tour: 05/22/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

Nina was awesome. It was obvious that she enjoys her job and she did a great job interacting with all of us both as a group and individually. Nina kept us well informed about what we needed to do and had great suggestions on what to do on our free time. We liked that we had a lot of free time to explore on our own. The city orientation walks were really helpful. The visit to Marco's farm was my favorite part of the trip. It was a nice break from the hustle and bustle of the cities.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"As I mentioned, Marco's farm was amazing. It was beautiful and quiet. We could tell that he had a great passion for his farm and was very proud of it. "

Marian

Tour: 05/22/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was just an amazing experience. The guides were informative and helpful, but there was enough free time to explore all the cities on our own and those are the moments I will think back on the most.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Standing on the plaza in front of St. Marks in Venice. It was a place that I learned about in college, but experiencing it in person really took my breath away!"

Vickie

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my seventh tour with Rick Steves Europe and, as always, it did not disappoint! With the knowledge of Stephanie, our tour guide, I learned an amazing amount of Italian history. And it was not even my first time in Italy!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Having been to Florence on a prior tour, I won’t repeat Michelangelo’s David as a “wow” moment. But I will say, the Cooking Lesson that we had at In Tavola Firenze was my moment from this trip. I was very pleasantly surprised how much I enjoyed it. Gustov was an amazing chef and made the entire experience memorable!"

Anne

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From start to finish I was given all the information I needed (my questions were anticipated), guidance to follow timeline for documentation and payment, plus an amazing guide who excited the entire group when she’d say, “I have an idea. Do you trust me?” We always knew we were in for an adventure above and beyond the already amazing itinerary.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I located and met a shop owner in Florence who shared my (fairly rare) maiden name (Mastrantuono). Aside from that, Venice astounded me, and I loved the island of Burano and Stephanie’s, “I have an idea, do you trust me” spontaneous trip to the island of Torcello. I also really loved the olive grove/vineyard in Orvieto. Sorry can’t just pick one wow moment!"

Kathy

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Though we have travelled to Europe previously, this was our first experience with a tour group and it was awesome!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Venice ~ actually realizing that life is so dialed in on island without use of vehicles and is so clean!"

Sue

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first tour and it was AMAZING in all aspects of what we saw and experienced. From the sites, to the guides who led us through the museums, to the dinners. And out tour guide went above and beyond every day.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Colosseum in Rome just for the sheer size of it."

Julie

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Stuart

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Overall wonderful. Exceeded my expectations. Lots of walking!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Hard to narrow it down: Michelangelo's David, The Vatican Museum, and the cooking class in Florence take the three-way tie for favorite "wow" moment."

Maureen

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I loved every minute of this wonderful tour! Our guide, Stephanie, was just fantastic. She was organized, attentive, covered all the details, fun, smart and took good care of us. It was a good mix of structured and free time....so much fun!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many "wow" moments...it's hard to choose a favorite. The sculptures and paintings at the Uffizi Gallery in Florence just blew my mind. Also, I was so moved standing at Michelangelo's David at the Accademia Gallery that I had to hold back tears...it was so beautiful. St. Mark's square, walking the streets of Venice, the gondola ride...all amazing. Visiting the winery/olive farm in Orvieto may have been my favorite day...all so beautiful."

Theodore

Tour: 05/19/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was pleased with the overall agenda as well as the items our guide Stephanie added to it (our boat trip to the islands of Burano and Torcello, for example). The group meals were fantastic and I really enjoyed our gelato walks.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I visited Venice, Florence and Rome a number of years ago while on the “Best of Europe in 21 Days Tour” so my wow moment will be different than most people in that I really enjoyed our Italian Cooking Lesson. I am not much of a cook so I was skeptical going into it but the chef/instructor brought the process of making pasta down to earth and also made it a lot of fun. Afterwards we all sat down and enjoyed our pasta with a chicken and mushroom sauce and our desert with a glass of vino."

Harry

Tour: 05/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We had an absolute "blast" on the tour. Everything was done to perfection.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There were so many WOW moments! Each day was unique, each had its own special moments and we really enjoyed ourselves. "

Sobhi

Tour: 05/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Excellent planning and execution for the whole trip. This was my first group tour, and I am delighted. The guides were very knowledgeable, courteous and fun. Loved the wine tasting stop on our way to Rome.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Looking from the top of the hill overseeing Florence was one of the best wow moments. "

George

Tour: 05/15/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

The tour exceeded my expectations. Everything was professional and well-planned.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The highlight was visiting a winery in Tuscany and absorbing the surrounding countryside - just breathing the air."

Reiko

Tour: 05/15/23

I experienced Italy in such a depth, it felt almost spiritual.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"On our way from Florence to Rome, we stopped at a family-run winery for a wine tasting lunch. Cecilia, the sixth-generation winemaker gave us an unforgettable tour of what she called "a wine experience." She should have her own TV show!"

Michael

Tour: 05/15/23

Overall rating: rating 2 of 5

Our guide was great. Hosted tours and events great.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Peter’s "

Gerardo

Tour: 05/15/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

First RS trip. Very well organized tour handled by a very knowledgeable and experienced tour leader (Chiara), with a good balance of group and non-group time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The more 'unique' experiences such as the gondola ride in Venice, the cooking class in Florence and the wine tasting in Umbria. "

Steven

Tour: 05/15/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

First time in Italy and first time on a Rick Steve's tour. In spite it being cloudy with some rain for most of the trip, it was a interesting, informative, and fun. It was a good balance of guided activities and free time to explore on our own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We were wowed by the scale and opulence of the Vatican."

Janet

Tour: 05/15/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was a very thorough tour - all the sites you would want to see with excellent specialty guides made this an excellent experience. Our main guide, Chiara, was outstanding with her knowledge of the history Italy and the cities we visited and gave excellent recommendations from restaurants to additional sites you might want to consider.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"To pick one highlight would be the wine tasting in Orvieto. The location was beautiful, and the winemaker very educational and fun. The food pairing and discussion was enlightening and excellent!"

Sharon

Tour: 05/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

We were a family of 5 and did the Venice/Florence/Rome tour in early May. It was fantastic! Nina D was our tour guide who was tremendous, everything was very organized and when Mother Nature tried to interrupt our plans, there was a work around.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was probably seeing the Sistine Chapel but the cooking class was a lot of fun as well. "

Gregory

Tour: 05/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

we had a great time. Saw many wonderful things and had some great experiences.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to name, The David. The La Pieta. The Vatican. The food. Gelato. "

Kevin

Tour: 05/12/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

This is my first tour experience in my life. This is why I rated it with a very good.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The wow moment was when I realized how organized Nina was with the activities that were planned. She said that we must be flexible because the weather wasn't cooperating and had to do some activities out of order. It all worked out splendidly. Kudos to her."

Victoria

Tour: 05/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour was very well organized, our tour guide was amazing, and the people we were with were fun and respectful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"St. Peter's Basilica"

Norma

Tour: 05/12/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was my first tour and my first Rick Steves tour. I had no idea of what to expect. I had an amazing experience. I’m not a super social or outgoing person and the tour was perfectly balanced with social and alone time, when needed. The pace of the tour was perfect too. I felt it was just long enough in each city to get the feel and layout before moving on again.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"We have irritating dietary needs. Nina went out of her way to provide us with plenty of food to eat! Silly, I know but this was my wow moment. I did not expect this kind of service and attention to dietary details. "

Roger

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

From start to finish this was a wonderful experience for my wife and I. So well organized by our tour leader Lisa Smith...what a wonderful person who made everyone feel welcomed from the start...she was so kind and so knowledgeable about every city were visited. The hotels were comfortable. The daily itinerary was chock-full of key sites of each city. The local guides in each city were passionate, very knowledgeable and FUN! Group dinners were at fine restaurants with great food!

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Are you really asking for just ONE? No chance. ALL of Venice (the MAZE city), the canals and bridges...St Marks Square and Basilica: the Palace; the food. Florence: favorite city. Climbing to the top of The Dome!; Uffizi Gallery: great artwork everywhere; gelato; the Boboli Gardens; the food. Rome: the Pantheon; the Spanish Steps; The Vatican experience; the Colosseum. Winery experience and Cooking Class.The people of Italy. Were ever we went we found the warmth and hospitality the people."

Diane

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Another wonderful tour. So many highlights hit. In the "free time" areas, highlighting items not covered in the particular city would be helpful.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Vatican and St. Peter's Basilica--mosaics that look like paintings."

Douglas

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Everything was great. Plenty of sights, food, planned activities and free time to explore on your own.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our cooking class in Florence was so much fun."

Shirley

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

Enjoyed the variety of different things to see and do. Loved the tour guides from each city that gave us a personalized look at each city. Also liked the balance of tour activities and down time to do what we wanted to do.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My favorite wow moment was seeing the Duomo cathedral in Florence and climbing the dome. "

Kevin

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I think the tour guides did a good job explaining everything. It was great not having to worry about transportation or hotels. Our guide on the tour was always there if we needed anything

Favorite "WOW" moment

"My wow moment was visiting the Colosseum"

Janet

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 4 of 5

I found the time in Venice and Florence to be wonderful. The cities were easy to navigate and the art was awesome. While the sites from antiquity in Rome were amazing, I found the time there to be a bit frenetic.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"There are two: seeing the facade of the Duomo in Florence and Michelangelo's David."

Alexander

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

In every way the tour exceeded our expectations: the tour guide, the fellow tour members, the local guides, the itinerary, the accommodations, the balance of group activities and free time.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Maybe St. Peter's Basilica but its hard to mention just one. "

Timothy

Tour: 05/08/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

The tour delivered everything that was promised and more than was expected. Just enough food, friends, group activities and solo experiences to make it a perfect trip.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"The Coliseum coming into view for the first time. Touching its walls and walking the same paths taking by Roman citizens thousands of years ago. "

Tamara

Tour: 05/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

This was our first time to travel with a tour group and we were apprehensive, but we are very, very, happy with our experience. We loved everything about the tour, from the lodging and food, to the transportation and itinerary, and especially our tour guides. Both Bea and the local guides. We knew we would get to see many things we've been wanting to see for a long time. What we didn't expect was how much we would learn about the places we would see.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Our local Rome guide Francesca's deep dive into what really was the story of the Coloseum and the Forum. Or the first time we saw the Pantheon. There are so many, I can't name one. This particular tour had wow moments daily."

Donita

Tour: 05/05/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I joined this tour because I had never been to Europe. My children and close friends who are long time travelers insisted that I travel with a Rick Steve’s Tour. Honestly, it exceeded all my expectations. Our over all hostess was above and beyond special as she made our trip safe and special and FUN every day

Favorite "WOW" moment

"I have to sum it up with the individual city tour specialist that made each of their cities come alive. Everything was “wow” through their eyes. And at the end of our 10 days together I felt especially thankful for our tour hostess, Beatrice. I can only express it best by saying that she really took good care of us, marking sure that we were safe, knowledgeable, had what we needed AND wanted, gave great advice and took us to the best restaurants where she seemed to know everyone. "

Jennifer

Tour: 05/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

I was very impressed with the level of organization.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Seeing the David in Florence."

Eva

Tour: 05/01/23

Overall rating: rating 5 of 5

It was a trip of a lifetime.

Favorite "WOW" moment

"Too many to count...but the gondola ride in Venice, the cooking class in Florence, the wine tasting in Umbria, seeing the David, the Sistine Chapel and the Pantheon..."

When To Go & Weather

Italy's three greatest cities are a delight to visit any time of year. However, the months of April, May, September, and October are best for combining the convenience of peak season with the most pleasant weather. Visiting between November and March offers the benefit of missing out on the sweat, stress, and crowds of the tourist season, along with cool and crisp weather.

Italy / Venice

Venice Weather


Italy / Florence

Florence Weather


Italy / Rome

Rome Weather

Hotels & Flights

Tour Hotels

In case you wish to book pre- or post-tour hotel accommodations, the contact information for the tour's first and last hotels is included in your tour confirmation email as well as in the Itinerary section of your tour account. One month prior to the tour departure, you'll find the directions to your first tour hotel and a complete list of hotels where we'll be staying while on tour in the Documents section of your tour account.

Flights

Our tours don't include airfare, so your flight arrangements and transfers are completely up to you.

Most tour members arrange to fly into Venice (VCE) and out of Rome (FCO) — choose "multicity" on flight-booking websites. Booking round-trip to one city will require a connecting flight, train trip, or additional overnight stay in Italy.

We suggest arriving a day or two before your tour begins to allow ample time to get over jet lag and be well-rested for the first few days of your tour. For more information about transportation options for getting to and from your tour, see your Rick Steves Italy guidebook.