Visit Italy

Italy is more than a destination — it’s a journey through ancient civilizations, Renaissance art, unforgettable cuisine, and timeless landscapes. Whether you’re wandering cobblestone streets in Rome, sipping wine in Tuscany’s vineyards, or gliding through Venetian canals, Roaming Historian helps you experience it with deeper meaning — and with smart savings.

Things to Do in Italy

Whether you dream of standing in Michelangelo’s shadow in Florence, taking a gondola through centuries of Venetian glory, or exploring the ruins of ancient Rome, Italy has something for everyone. But to get the most out of Italian trip, I recommend planning ahead and reserving your tickets, tours, places to stay, and transportation long before you land in the bel paese.

My favorite Italian tour companies (below) offer a wide range of amazing tours and experiences. By using Roaming Historian’s affiliate links, you can explore iconic Italian landmarks, browse museums, enjoy walking tours, savor local cuisine with food tours or cooking classes, visit picturesque vineyards, or find your adventurous side through biking, boating, and hiking. Tours and experiences can vary widely, so look for: skip-the-line access, small group sizes, local guides, unique itineraries, hidden gems, interactive experiences, and great ratings.

Favorite Tour Companies in Italy

Italy offers countless ways to step into the past while enjoying the comforts of the present and our affiliate partners will ensure you make the most of your trip.

LivTours

LivTours is a boutique, family-owned company specializing in high-quality, small-group (maximum 6 people) and private tours, primarily in Italy, as well as Spain, France, England, Austria, and other parts of Europe.

What really makes LivTours different is the size of their groups. You’ll find lots of tours for more than 25 people, you’ll find small group tours for 15-25 people, but only LivTours has semi-private tours of maximum 6 people. If you are someone who doesn’t want to be in a large group with a radio round their neck, who wants to be able to ask questions and engage with your guide, then they could be the right fit for you.

They are highly regarded for skip-the-line access to major sites, expert, English-speaking guides, and curated, immersive experiences designed to avoid “cookie-cutter” travel. We’ve had amazing experiences with them and enjoy that they hire local guides exclusively.

LivTours offers Roaming Historian readers 10% off two or more tours! Save on your next favorite European memory by using our coupon code “AMYRH10.” We highly recommend this company; they offer topnotch tours, tickets, and experiences and you can save money with Roaming Historian!

Book with LivTours here: https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61

Liv Tours Tours Save Money with Roaming Historian, Europe Tours, Italy Tours

The Tour Guy

The Tour Guy has been offering amazing small group tours in Italy and the rest of Europe for quite some time; in fact, we’ve been taking their tours for so long that they were just The Roman Guy when we started with them. They find the best local experiences and offer them in private or small groups (about 15 people or fewer). They are known for providing unique, behind-the-scenes access to major landmarks like the Vatican and Louvre, often including all entry fees, taxes, and expert guides, making them a reliable choice for curated, stress-free sightseeing.

Book with The Tour Guy here: https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi

Tour Guy tours, Europe tours

Viator

Viator has a vast array of experiences, tickets, and tours around the globe. You can find something for every price range. They offer convenience, a wide variety of choices, reliable, stress-free booking for top attractions like the Colosseum or Vatican. Key benefits include free cancellation up to 24 hours in advance, a “reserve now, pay later” option, and comprehensive reviews to help select quality tours. I suggest looking for their “Badge of Excellence” or experiences with a lot of high ratings.

Book with Viator here: https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector

Shore Excursions Group

Shore Excursions Group is great for many Italian ports if you’re visiting Italy by cruise ship. They provide smaller, more intimate group experiences often up to 40% cheaper than cruise lines, featuring expert local guides and a guaranteed on-time return to the ship. They offer curated, high-quality itineraries across popular Italian ports, focusing on authentic, less crowded, and more flexible tours.

Book with Shore Excursions Group here: https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com

Get Your Guide

Booking with GetYourGuide for Italy is popular because it simplifies finding and booking, offering a wide, user-friendly selection of skip-the-line, guided, and unique local experiences for popular sites like the Colosseum. They offer 24-hour cancellation policies, providing flexibility for travel planning. They are an online marketplace though, so make sure you are looking for high ratings.

Book with Get Your Guide here: https://www.getyourguide.com/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher

Things to Do in Rome and Vatican

Rome functions as an open-air museum, where layers of the ancient, medieval, and early modern world remain visible throughout the modern city. Visitors can engage with the past by exploring archaeological ruins, visiting churches and palaces, spending time in historic piazzas, or moving through museum collections that house some of the most significant works of Western art and architecture. The Vatican adds another dimension, offering unparalleled insight into the history of the Catholic Church through its museums, basilica, and artistic patronage. Given the scale and complexity of these sites, guided tours are often the most efficient way to navigate them, providing historical context, structured interpretation, and practical advantages such as skip-the-line access. You will also find great food tours and pasta-making classes!

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top 5 Things To Do in Rome

Visit the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill
Together, these sites offer the clearest introduction to ancient Rome’s political, social, and architectural development. Seeing them as a connected complex—rather than isolated ruins—helps explain how the Roman state functioned and evolved over time.

Explore the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
The Vatican collections trace centuries of religious patronage, artistic innovation, and institutional power. Given the volume of material and visitor traffic, a guided experience is often the most efficient way to understand both the art and its historical context.

Study Rome Through Its Churches
From late antique basilicas to Baroque interiors, Rome’s churches preserve layers of religious, artistic, and urban history. They also provide insight into how sacred spaces were adapted across centuries of political and theological change.

Spend Time in Historic Piazzas
Piazza Navona, Campo de’ Fiori, and the Capitoline Hill illustrate how public space functioned in Roman civic life, from antiquity through the early modern period. These spaces reveal continuity in urban planning and social interaction.

Visit a Major Museum or Palace
Institutions such as the Capitoline Museums or Palazzo Farnese contextualize Rome’s political elites and collecting practices, helping visitors understand how power and art were intertwined in the city’s history.

I highly recommend the Rome golf cart tour by LivTours. It’s likely to sell out, so book now: https://livtours.com/tours/golf-cart-tour-of-rome-semi-private-experience?af_code=E1DDN61 (try AMYRH10 to save 10% on some tours)

Rome Golf Cart Tour, Italy, LivTours

Viator offers a huge array of tours. Click below to explore.

Things to Do in Florence

Florence is the city that gave birth to the Renaissance and it is evident everywhere. The city’s compact historic center allows visitors to move easily between major sites, including churches, palaces, civic buildings, and museums that document Florence’s role in shaping early modern Europe. Experiences might include examining Renaissance sculpture and painting, visiting workshops connected to historic guild traditions, or studying the urban landscape shaped by powerful families such as the Medici. Because many of Florence’s most significant sites are heavily visited and rich in historical detail, guided tours provide both practical advantages and essential context, helping visitors make sense of the city’s artistic production, civic identity, and long-term cultural influence. Don’t miss Florentine food–Tuscan food and wine is the best!

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Florence

Engage With Florence’s Craft and Food Traditions
Markets, workshops, and culinary experiences connect Renaissance history to living traditions. These activities provide insight into labor, trade, and daily life—subjects often overlooked in museum-focused visits.

See Renaissance Masterpieces in a Major Museum
Florence’s museums provide a concentrated study of Renaissance art, patronage, and innovation. Viewing works by artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo, and Leonardo allows visitors to trace stylistic and intellectual developments central to early modern Europe.

Explore the Cathedral Complex (Duomo, Baptistery, and Campanile)
This ensemble illustrates the civic pride, religious devotion, and engineering ambition of medieval and Renaissance Florence. Examining the complex as a whole clarifies its symbolic role in Florentine identity.

Walk the Historic Center With Attention to Urban Form
Florence’s streets reflect centuries of political organization, trade, and guild activity. A guided walk can highlight how neighborhoods, workshops, and civic buildings shaped everyday life.

Study Medici Power Through Palaces and Churches
Sites associated with the Medici family demonstrate how art, architecture, and politics reinforced one another. These locations help explain Florence’s transformation from a republic to a dynastic state.

LivTours has amazing Florence experiences. I love their Secret Terraces Duomo tour (and also their gelato making class). Book here: https://livtours.com/destinations/florence-tours?af_code=E1DDN61 (try AMYRH10 to save 10% on some tours)

Firenze Card: One of my favorite things for visitors short on time is the Firenze card. You get access to the major museums (and minor ones) and can visit each once for one price. You have three days to explore. It is a fabulous deal and ensures that you have tickets to Uffizi and Accademia. Book on Get Your Guide here: https://www.getyourguide.com/florence-l32/florence-firenze-card-official-museum-city-pass-t446866/?partner_id=CMSFGKK&utm_medium=online_publisher

Viator has a host of experiences in Florence from wine tours to day trips. Explore below and book now to ensure a great trip.

Things to Do in Venice

Venice developed as a maritime republic whose wealth, political power, and cultural identity were shaped by trade, diplomacy, and its unique lagoon environment. The city’s built landscape reflects this history through civic buildings, religious institutions, and private residences that emphasize Venice’s role as a commercial and imperial power rather than a classical or papal capital. Navigating Venice can be challenging for first-time visitors due to its layout and heavy crowds, making guided experiences especially useful for understanding how the city functioned historically and how its major sites relate to one another.

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Venice

Experience the City From the Water – Whether by vaporetto or gondola, Venice’s canals reveal how transportation, commerce, and urban design were inseparable from the lagoon.

Visit St. Mark’s Basilica and Piazza San Marco – The political and religious heart of Venice, illustrating the republic’s wealth, international connections, and ceremonial traditions.

Explore the Doge’s Palace – A key site for understanding Venetian government, law, and state power, particularly in contrast to other Italian city-states.

Walk the Historic Neighborhoods (Sestieri) – Areas such as Dorsoduro and Cannaregio provide insight into daily life beyond the ceremonial center.

Study Venetian Art in a Major Museum or Church – Venetian painting reflects different priorities than Florentine or Roman traditions, particularly in color, light, and atmosphere.

Things to Do in Milan

Milan has long functioned as one of Italy’s principal political, economic, and cultural centers, with a history shaped by Roman foundations, medieval rule, Renaissance patronage, and modern industrial development. Unlike cities defined primarily by antiquity or tourism, Milan presents its history through a mix of monumental architecture, religious institutions, civic spaces, and working urban life. For visitors, guided tours are particularly useful for contextualizing key sites and understanding Milan’s influence on art, politics, and commerce across different historical periods.

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Milan

  1. Visit the Duomo of Milan – One of the largest Gothic cathedrals in Europe, the Duomo reflects centuries of political ambition, religious devotion, and architectural experimentation.
  2. See Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper – Housed in the refectory of Santa Maria delle Grazie, this work is essential for understanding Renaissance art and patronage, and requires advance planning due to limited access.
  3. Explore the Castello Sforzesco – This former ducal fortress illustrates Milan’s role as a military and political power and now houses several important museums and collections.
  4. Walk Through the Historic Center – Areas surrounding the Duomo and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II reveal Milan’s evolution from medieval city to modern commercial capital.
  5. Visit a Major Museum or Cultural Institution – Milan’s museums and churches provide insight into Lombard artistic traditions and the city’s position between northern and central Italy.

Things to Do Amalfi Coast and Naples

Naples and the Amalfi Coast offer a combined perspective on southern Italy shaped by ancient settlement, maritime trade, volcanic geography, and layered political rule. Naples preserves Greek, Roman, medieval, and early modern remains within a dense urban environment, while the Amalfi Coast reflects the historical relationship between coastal communities, agriculture, and maritime commerce. The cultivation of lemons—particularly along the coast—has long been tied to local economies and trade, influencing both regional cuisine and landscape management. Because many of the area’s most significant sites and experiences are geographically dispersed and logistically complex to reach independently, guided tours are often the most practical way to connect urban Naples with coastal towns and nearby archaeological sites.

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Naples & the Amalfi Coast

  1. Visit Pompeii or Herculaneum
    These well-preserved Roman cities provide essential evidence of daily life in antiquity and remain central to understanding the region’s relationship with Mount Vesuvius.
  2. Explore Naples’ Historic Center
    Churches, palaces, and subterranean remains reflect centuries of political change and continuous occupation, illustrating Naples’ long-standing role as a major Mediterranean city.
  3. Travel Along the Amalfi Coast
    Towns such as Amalfi, Positano, and Ravello demonstrate how steep terrain, terraced agriculture—including lemon groves—and maritime trade shaped settlement patterns and architectural forms.
  4. Visit the National Archaeological Museum of Naples
    The museum’s collections, particularly material from Pompeii and Herculaneum, provide critical context for understanding Roman life in southern Italy.
  5. Engage With Local Food and Agricultural Traditions
    Culinary experiences in Naples and along the coast highlight regional ingredients such as lemons, which have historically supported trade, preservation practices, and local cuisine.

Pompeii, Sorrento, and Capri through LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off)

Things to Do in Emilia Romagna

Emilia-Romagna has long been one of Italy’s most economically productive and culturally influential regions, shaped by Roman infrastructure, medieval communes, Renaissance courts, and modern industry. Unlike regions centered on a single monumental city, Emilia-Romagna is best understood through a network of historic urban centers, agricultural landscapes, and manufacturing traditions. Its reputation for food production (balsamic vinegar from Modena, Parmigiano Reggiano, prosciutto, mortadella, and more), craftsmanship, and political organization reflects long-standing connections between land, labor, and regional identity. Because key sites and experiences are spread across multiple cities, guided tours and curated itineraries are often the most efficient way to understand the region’s historical cohesion and cultural significance. Bologna is a historic city to explore, But if fast cars are more your speed, check out Ferrari and Lamborghini.

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Emilia-Romagna

Understand the Region Through Its Landscape
The Po Valley, Apennine foothills, and coastal areas demonstrate how geography supported farming, trade routes, and industrial development over time.

Explore Bologna’s Historic Center
Bologna’s medieval streets, porticoes, and university buildings illustrate the development of civic government, education, and urban life in northern Italy.

Study Roman and Medieval Heritage in Regional Cities
Cities such as Ravenna, Modena, and Parma preserve important Roman remains, medieval churches, and courtly architecture that reflect the region’s political diversity.

Visit Sites Connected to Food Production
Experiences centered on Parmigiano Reggiano, traditional balsamic vinegar, and cured meats provide insight into how agricultural practices, regulation, and trade shaped regional wealth.

Examine Artistic and Religious Monuments
From Ravenna’s early Christian mosaics to Renaissance patronage in Ferrara, the region offers a broad chronological view of artistic production in Italy.

Things to Do in Tuscany

Tuscany has played a central role in Italian political, artistic, and cultural history from antiquity through the early modern period. While cities such as Florence, Pisa, and Siena anchor much of the region’s historical narrative, Tuscany is best understood through the interaction between urban centers, rural landscapes, and smaller towns shaped by agriculture, trade, and local governance. The region’s prominence during the medieval and Renaissance periods left a dense concentration of churches, civic buildings, and artistic commissions. Because Tuscany’s key sites are widely distributed and often difficult to reach without a car, guided tours and organized day trips are frequently the most practical way to navigate the region and place individual locations within a broader historical framework.

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Tuscany

  1. Explore Florence as a Cultural and Political Center
    Florence provides essential context for understanding Tuscan history, particularly the development of Renaissance art, republican government, and elite patronage.
  2. Visit Siena and Its Historic Center
    Siena’s preserved medieval urban fabric and civic institutions offer insight into the political rivalries and independent identities of Tuscan city-states.
  3. Study Tuscan Romanesque Architecture
    Churches and complexes in places such as Pisa and the countryside illustrate regional variations in medieval religious architecture.
  4. Experience the Tuscan Landscape
    Hill towns, vineyards, and agricultural estates reflect long-standing relationships between land use, settlement patterns, and regional economy.
  5. Engage With Local Food and Wine Traditions
    Culinary and wine-focused experiences provide historical context for agricultural production, trade networks, and rural life across Tuscany. Don’t miss the Chianti region!

Things to Do in Cinque Terre

Cinque Terre consists of five historic pastel-colored coastal villages shaped by geography, maritime activity, and terraced agriculture rather than large-scale urban development. For centuries, communities here adapted to steep terrain through engineered landscapes, particularly stone terraces used for vineyards and farming. Today, the region is best understood as a cultural landscape where settlement patterns, labor, and environmental management are closely intertwined. Because access between villages relies on trains, footpaths, and boats—and visitor numbers are tightly regulated—guided excursions and organized itineraries are often the most practical way to navigate the area while understanding its historical and environmental significance.

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Cinque Terre

  1. Visit the Five Villages
    Monterosso al Mare, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola, and Riomaggiore each reflect variations in settlement structure, local economy, and relationship to the sea.
  2. Walk Historic Footpaths and Terraced Landscapes
    The region’s trails reveal how agricultural labor and land management shaped daily life and sustained communities in a challenging environment.
  3. Experience Cinque Terre From the Water
    Viewing the villages by boat highlights their dependence on maritime trade and fishing, as well as the constraints imposed by the coastline.
  4. Engage With Local Food and Wine Traditions
    Regional cuisine and wine production provide insight into small-scale agriculture, preservation practices, and coastal trade networks.
  5. Learn About Conservation and Environmental Protection
    As a UNESCO-protected area, Cinque Terre offers an opportunity to understand how heritage preservation and tourism management intersect in a fragile landscape.

Things to Do in Sicily

Sicily’s history reflects successive waves of settlement and rule, including Greek, Roman, Byzantine, Islamic, Norman, and Spanish influences, resulting in one of the most complex cultural landscapes in the Mediterranean. The island’s cities, archaeological sites, and religious monuments preserve evidence of these overlapping traditions, while its geography—defined by volcanic activity, coastlines, and fertile plains—has shaped patterns of settlement and agriculture. Because Sicily’s key sites are widely dispersed and public transportation can be limited outside major cities, guided tours and organized excursions are often the most practical way to connect archaeological remains, historic towns, and regional landscapes within a single visit.

There are some great tour options by LivTours (try code AMYRH10 for 10% off), The Tour Guy, Viator, and Get Your Guide.

Top Five Things to Do in Sicily

  1. Visit Ancient Greek and Roman Archaeological Sites
    Locations such as the Valley of the Temples and the theaters of Syracuse and Taormina provide essential insight into Sicily’s role in the ancient Mediterranean world.
  2. Explore Historic Cities and Layered Urban Centers
    Cities including Palermo, Catania, and Syracuse reveal how successive cultures adapted earlier structures and institutions rather than replacing them entirely.
  3. See Mount Etna and the Volcanic Landscape
    Europe’s most active volcano has influenced settlement patterns, agriculture, and regional identity from antiquity to the present.
  4. Visit Taormina and Its Ancient Theater
    Taormina combines archaeological remains, medieval development, and strategic geography, offering both historical depth and a clear example of how ancient sites were reused and reinterpreted over time.
  5. Engage With Sicilian Food and Agricultural Traditions
    Culinary experiences highlight the island’s long-standing connections to trade, migration, and local production, reflecting influences from across the Mediterranean.
  • Sicily tours through LivTours

Protect your vacation with Travel Insurance dot com. This awesome travel site provides quotes from numerous travel insurance agencies and allows you to purchase them with no added increase to you: https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44

Italy Travel Tips

For more Travel Tips, see my Travel Tips page.

Italy Blogs

Amalfi Coast

Florence

Florence Churches

Florence Landmarks & Palaces

Florence Museums

Florence Culture, Outdoors, Shopping

Florence Food

Milan

Tuscany—other than Florence

Rome

Rome Landmarks/Museums/Outdoors

Rome Churches/Vatican

Rome Things to Do

Rome Food/Other

Venice

Protect Your Trip with Travel Insurance

Even the best-planned trips can face cancellations, delays, lost luggage, or unexpected medical expenses abroad. Travel insurance protects your investment and your peace of mind — especially for international travel. We recommend Travel Insurance.com because it lets you compare plans from top-rated providers side by side, see coverage details clearly, and purchase in minutes without jumping between multiple websites.

Compare policies and protect your trip here:
https://www.travelinsurance.com/?utm_source=pap&a_aid=65590b3a60c44

Pro tip: Purchase travel insurance soon after making your first trip payment (flights, tours, or hotels). Some time-sensitive benefits are only available if you buy early.

Trusted Booking Resources: Flights, Accommodations, Car Rentals, & More

Where you stay shapes your entire travel experience. For competitive pricing and flexible options, we recommend using Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, and VRBO. Booking.com is excellent for comparing hotels, flights, car rentals, and apartments worldwide, often with flexible cancellation options. Expedia makes it easy to bundle flights, hotels, and car rentals in one place. Hotels.com is ideal for straightforward hotel bookings and rewards frequent travelers with free nights. VRBO is perfect for families, longer stays, or travelers who prefer private homes and unique accommodations over traditional hotels.

Start comparing options here:

Booking.com (global hotels, apartments & flexible booking options; flights; car rentals): https://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=6776&awinaffid=1985445
Expedia (flights, hotels, car rentals, and vacation packages): https://expedia.com/affiliate/p7ZcFsz
Hotels.com (book hotels globally and earn free nights through their rewards program): https://www.hotels.com/affiliate/rdDAFaG
VRBO (private homes and unique stays ideal for families and longer trips): https://vrbo.com/affiliate/KvF3nms

Pro tip: For longer trips or family travel, compare both hotels and vacation rentals — extra space and kitchen access can significantly reduce overall trip costs.

More Recommendations

For blogs on many of these places, go to my “Read About Can’t Miss Places” page.

For the rest of Europe, check out my “Visit Europe” page.

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Our Travel Planning page: https://roaminghistorian.com/travel-planning/

Amy French, Ph.D., is the voice behind Roaming Historian. A professional historian and seasoned traveler, she shares stories that blend history and travel to give readers a deeper understanding of the places they explore.

Disclosure: Roaming Historian may derive revenue from affiliate links and other sources, which helps offset the costs of bringing you the information we do. The blogs and reviews posted on this website are of our own opinion though.

2 thoughts on “Visit Italy”

  1. Hi
    First time in Rome. What you recommend as best full day tour two adults June 22 to cover all major tourist attractions in small group. ? Please quote price too

    Reply

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