13 breakfasts, 1 lunch

We believe single travellers should not have to pay more to travel so our group trips are designed for shared accommodation and do not involve a single supplement. Single travellers joining group trips are paired in twin or multi-share accommodation with someone of the same sex for the duration of the trip. Some of our Independent trips are designed differently and single travellers on these itineraries must pay the single trip price.

Eating is a big part of traveling. Travelling with G Adventures you experience the vast array of wonderful food that is available out in the world. Generally meals are not included in the trip price when there is a choice of eating options, to give you the maximum flexibility in deciding where, what and with whom to eat. It also gives you more budgeting flexibility, though generally food is cheap. Our groups tend to eat together to enable you to taste a larger variety of dishes and enjoy each other’s company. There is no obligation to do this though. Your CEO will be able to suggest favourite restaurants during your trip. The above information applies to G Adventures group trips. For Independent trips please check the itinerary for details of meals included. For all trips please refer to the meals included and budget information for included meals and meal budgets.

You must be 18 to travel unaccompanied on a G Adventures tour. For minors travelling with a guardian over 21 years old, the minimum age is 12.

In Italy, shoulders should be covered while visiting churches and cathedrals. Ask your CEO for more specific advice.

1. COMBO TRIP

Please note that this tour combines with other G Adventures tours. As such, the staff and some travel companions on your tour may have previously been traveling together with G Adventures, prior to Day 1 of your tour. Likewise, some staff and travel companions may be continuing together on another G Adventures tour, after your trip concludes.

2 LOCAL GUIDES

It is important to note that in Europe, all guiding is based around local guides all of whom are licensed to work only in a particular city. As such, our leaders are able to provide orientation walks which will show you the layout of each town and city as well as the location of local services such as post offices and laundromats, but are unable to legally share historical facts and figures in public places.

3. LUGGAGE

In Europe it is very rare to find elevators in train stations, hotels or other public places. We use public transport on this trip, which means you will need to carry your luggage from platform to platform, in and out of trains and buses etc. and also possibly up several flights of stairs. You will also need to be able to stow your luggage safely on trains and buses. It is therefore essential that you pack light and bring luggage which is compact and lightweight, and which you can easily transport. The carrying of your luggage remains your responsibility at all times. We highly recommend travelling with a backpack or duffel bag over any wheeled luggage options.

4. RESERVE TICKETS IN ADVANCE

Please note that if you wish to visit popular museums such as the Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel) and Villa Borghese in Rome, or the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries in Florence, we strongly advise reserving tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line for a long time (especially during the high season from May-September, where this can take several hours). Tickets can be reserved online through sites like https://www.weekendinitaly.com/en
ome and https://www.weekendinitaly.com/en/florence. Please refer to your Full itinerary to ensure you reserve tickets for the correct dates you will be in Rome and Florence. There may be the possibility of arranging tickets on arrival on Day 1, with the help of your CEO, but availability cannot be guaranteed at such short notice.

5. ACCOMMODATION NOTE:

Please be aware that properties we stay in with only two stories may not have elevators installed and climbing the stairs with your luggage will be necessary.

6. OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES NOTE:

During high season in Europe (May-October) we highly recommend booking reservations for any popular optional activities/museum tickets etc. in advance to avoid encountering sold-out activities on the ground while on tour.

This G Adventures group trip is accompanied by one of our group leaders. The aim of the group leader is to take the hassle out of your travels and to help you have the best trip possible. They will provide information on the places you are travelling through, offer suggestions for things to do and see, recommend great local eating venues and introduce you to our local friends. While not being guides in the traditional sense you can expect them to have a broad general knowledge of the countries visited on the trip, including historical, cultural, religious and social aspects.

On this trip you can expect to stay in small family-run hotels or pensions (with the exception of the start and finish hotels, which are often larger city hotels), which will vary a little in standard and facilities: some may not have elevators, air-conditioning or English-speaking staff, but most importantly all are locally-run, with some traditional character, and in excellent central locations to give you maximum time for exploring the sights. You can expect to find clean, safe, simple accommodation in convenient locations.

Note that most accommodation in Europe does not have air conditioning units in rooms. Air conditioning is not routinely installed in European homes and workplaces. However, nearly all hotels will provide a standing or desk fan for your room on hot nights. If you do not already have one in your room, please ask your CEO to organize one for you with reception.

We recommend using a backpack for your convenience, or a medium-sized suitcase if you prefer. A daypack is also essential for carrying everyday items. Space is limited on transportation, so there is a limit of one main piece of luggage per person. You will be responsible for carrying your own luggage. You must be prepared to carry your luggage up and down stairs, on and off transportation, and to hotels (max 15-20 mins.)

Every traveller is different and therefore spending money requirements will vary. Some travellers may drink more than others while other travellers like to purchase more souvenirs than most. Please consider your own spending habits when it comes to allowing for drinks, shopping and tipping. Please also remember the following specific recommendations when planning your trip.

Cruise Lake Como by ferry, skimming past cypress-tufted promontories and stately villas mirrored in the water. Disembark to explore Bellagio and Menaggio, each with cobbled lanes and café terraces.

Browse artisan boutiques, follow alleys to lake viewpoints, and soak in the lakeside atmosphere with an espresso. Walk to Bellagio’s Punta Spartivento to watch boats trace ripples between mountain ridges.

Rent a vintage Vespa and whirl past fountains, forums, and neighborhood trattorie, savoring that la dolce vita feeling as domes and piazzas sweep by.

With helmets on and routes mapped, glide along elegant boulevards and lively side streets for a kinetic portrait of Rome. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour (pre-booking recommended; subject to availability).

Cruise the lagoon by vaporetto to artisan islands: glassblowing on Murano and lacework amid Burano’s rainbow houses.

Wander canalside lanes, browse workshops, and photograph candy-colored facades mirrored in quiet waters. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Hike from Corniglia to Manarola along cliffside paths bordered by rosemary and wild thyme. Terraced vineyards cling to slopes in centuries-old terraces stitched by dry-stone walls.

Sea views open and close with each bend, the sparkling Ligurian Sea below and pastel villages ahead. Your CEO leads the way while you savor the scent of citrus, olive groves, and sea breeze.

Soak in forest-fringed hot springs where mineral waters sculpt chalk-white cascades known as the “White Whale.”

Move between warm limestone pools as steam curls through oaks and chestnuts—a rustic Tuscan spa in nature. This excursion is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Step inside the Doge’s Palace to gilded halls and state rooms that once anchored a maritime empire. Cross the Bridge of Sighs to the old prisons for a poignant contrast.

Art, politics, and intrigue echo in frescoes and chambers. Entry is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Discover Florence on a guided walking tour, tracing the Renaissance from the Duomo and Piazza della Signoria to workshops and courtyards that nurtured artistic genius. Cross the Ponte Vecchio, where jewelers still trade above the Arno.

Continue to the Mercato Centrale for a convivial pause and lunch at Mercato Centrale. Taste Tuscan flavors—ribollita, schiacciata, artisanal salumi—beneath iron-and-glass halls buzzing with local life and seasonal aromas.

Take in Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo, the city’s grand terrace above the south bank of the Arno. Terracotta rooftops, church spires, and Brunelleschi’s dome unfurl in a tapestry of ochres and greens.

As evening light softens, pause for photos and reflection while the sunset over the Arno casts a warm glow across the historic center. It’s the classic skyline moment—serene, expansive, and deeply Florentine.

Visit the Field of Miracles to see the iconic Leaning Tower of Pisa, a medieval marvel made more striking by its gentle tilt. Stroll the green expanse framed by luminous marble monuments.

Admire the Romanesque Cathedral and Baptistery, rich with sculpted portals and acoustics that seem to hover in the air. This UNESCO-listed ensemble showcases Pisan artistry at the height of its maritime power.

Use the included rail pass to connect the string of Cinque Terre villages with ease. Trains tunnel between coves and cliffs, revealing flashes of cobalt sea and vineyards.

Hop between the five villages to sample pesto, pause on harbors for cappuccinos, and enjoy a free afternoon of photos and gelato. The rhythm is yours—scenic, simple, and savor-filled.

Visit Riomaggiore, where color-washed houses cascade toward a cliffside harbor packed with fishing boats. Narrow lanes thread past tiny grocers, focacceria counters, and sea-facing terraces.

Wander down to the marina for wave-spray views and watch local life play out along stone slips and sun-warmed rocks. The village’s vertical heartbeat is pure Cinque Terre.

Ride the historic Como–Brunate funicular, in service since 1894, as it glides steeply from lakeside boulevards to hilltop lanes. Pines, villas, and switchbacks scroll past your window.

At the summit, step onto the Balcony of the Alps for sweeping views of Lake Como, its fingerlike branches, and distant peaks. A short stroll reveals Liberty-era villas and fragrant gardens.

Join a guided walking tour of Venice through a maze of calli and canals. Cross delicate bridges to Piazza San Marco, framed by the Basilica’s mosaics and the Doge’s Palace’s lacy stonework.

Continue toward the Rialto Bridge, hearing stories of merchants, mariners, and masked festivities. Along the way, hidden courtyards and campi reveal the rhythm of Venetian life beyond the grand set pieces.

Enjoy a free day in the Eternal City with curated tips from your CEO. Choose the masterpieces of Vatican City, bar-hop through Trastevere’s cobbles, or linger over gelato at Piazza Navona.

Trace emperors and gladiators around the Colosseum area, browse artisan studios, and savor espresso shots at marble-topped bars. This is Rome, unscripted—yours to shape, street by street.

Enjoy a free afternoon to follow your interests—masterworks at the Uffizi or Accademia, leather ateliers near Santa Croce, or espresso-fueled people-watching on sunlit piazzas.

Stroll across the Ponte Vecchio for jewelry window-shopping, or browse the Mercato Centrale’s gourmet counters for Tuscan treats. Your CEO’s suggestions help you match Florence’s riches to your mood.

Tour a Tuscan vineyard amid cypress and olive groves, learning how Sangiovese becomes Vino Nobile and Rosso in barrel-lined cantine.

Sample structured reds and local pecorino while discussing soils, aging, and food pairings with your host. This experience is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Pedal rolling lanes past wheat fields, vineyard terraces, and sentinel cypresses as hill towns rise on the horizon.

Stop for photos and a village espresso before coasting through fragrant countryside back toward Montepulciano. This guided ride is at additional cost and bookable on tour, with routes suited to moderate fitness.

Secure timed-entry to see Botticelli’s mythic canvases at the Uffizi and Michelangelo’s David at the Accademia without the longest waits.

Trace the Renaissance from luminous Madonnas to marble anatomy in galleries that reshaped Western art. This activity is at additional cost and bookable on tour (advance reservations strongly advised in peak months).

Ride into the hills of Fiesole and Chianti, trading city stones for olive groves and vineyard views. Quiet lanes lead to family estates where tastings reveal Sangiovese’s bright cherry and herb notes.

Enjoy scenery, cellar stops, and a leisurely Tuscan pace. This guided outing is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Ascend the spiral staircase inside Pisa’s famed tower, feeling the tilt underfoot as marble steps curve skyward.

From the top, survey the Field of Miracles and red-tiled city beyond before descending to explore at ground level. Tower entry is at additional cost and bookable on tour (capacity-controlled).

Glide beneath the Rialto Bridge as your gondolier steers through quiet back-canals, where shutters, stone moorings, and church bells set the mood.

See palazzi from water level and savor Venice’s rhythm away from the crowds. This classic ride is at additional cost and bookable on tour.

Sample cicchetti and local wines in authentic bacari, where glass counters brim with seafood bites, creamy baccalà mantecato, and seasonal specialties.

Learn how Venetians graze from bar to bar, pairing pours with small plates. This tasting walk is at additional cost and bookable on tour; please note special meal requirements cannot be accommodated on this experience.

Visit Pienza, the hilltop vision of Pope Pius II, designed as a Renaissance ‘ideal city’ with harmonious streets and a luminous travertine square. Meander past artisan boutiques and tiny courtyards framed by stone walls and flower boxes.

From the ramparts, gaze over Val d’Orcia vistas of cypress-lined ridges and vineyards. Sample the town’s famed pecorino cheeses in local shops, where aging caves perfume the air with nutty, grassy aromas.

Join an orientation walk of Montepulciano through steep medieval lanes to sunlit squares like Piazza Grande, pausing by stone wells and elegant Renaissance palazzi that crown the ridge.

Descend into ancient brick-and-tufa cellars for a guided sip of the town’s signature vintage, Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Learn about Sangiovese grapes, oak-aging traditions, and the terroir that lends these wines their refined structure and lingering cherry-spice finish.

Enjoy an orientation walk in Siena, navigating brick-paved alleys that spill into the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, heart of civic life since medieval times.

Hear tales of the Palio horse race and neighborhood rivalries, then admire the gothic stripes of the Duomo. This stroll spotlights Siena’s proud traditions, artisanal shops, and the warm sienna tones that gave the city—and color—its name.

Begin your journey by meet your CEO and group for a friendly briefing on the route, local customs, and practical tips for traveling Italy by rail. Get oriented to hotel locations, ticketing, and how our small-group travel style keeps things flexible yet seamless.

Use this time to ask questions, share travel goals, and swap first impressions before you enjoy a free evening to dine like a local in the neighborhood trattorie. It sets the tone for a relaxed, well-supported adventure.

Join a guided walk led by a migrant guide to see Rome through fresh eyes. Explore everyday streets and markets where spices, textiles, and languages mingle near historic avenues, linking ancient landmarks with today’s lived reality.

Hear personal stories and the history of migration to Rome, gaining a rare local perspective on identity and community. This Planeterra-supported experience helps empower new Romans while revealing another layer of the Eternal City.