Few places in the world capture the imagination like Italy—a land where history and art intertwine beneath sun-warmed stone. The Colosseum, the canals of Venice, the ruins of Pompeii, and the rolling hills of Tuscany all tell stories that shaped Western civilization. Italy’s layers of history unfold in its architecture, cuisine, and culture—from Roman engineering marvels to Renaissance masterpieces and Baroque grandeur. Here, you don’t just see history—you taste it in every bite of pasta, hear it in every church bell, and feel it in every piazza.
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 rewards travelers who love the past. Browse handpicked tours, museum passes, and unforgettable places to stay that make history come alive. From cooking classes inspired by centuries-old recipes to walking tours through ruins and palaces, Italy offers countless ways to step into the stories that shaped our world.
To make the most of your experience, it’s important to plan ahead and have restaurants, tours, places to stay, and transportation reserved ahead of time. Roaming Historian recommends—The Tour Guy (aka Roman Guy) and LivTours (aka LivItaly)—for amazing small-group tours throughout Italy. Also, Viator offers a wide range of tours and experiences. By using Roaming Historian’s affiliate links, you can explore the tour offerings and book directly.
Find the type of tour that suits you best!
Save money! LivTours offers Roaming Historian readers 10% off two or more tours! Save on your next favorite European memory by using our coupon code “AMYRH10” Book now at: https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61
- Iconic Italian Landmarks and Ruins
Explore the Colosseum, Pompeii, and the Roman Forum, where ancient life still whispers through stone and marble. Guided tours help you unlock their rich history. - Renaissance Art and Architecture Tours
Florence, Venice, and Rome are filled with Renaissance wonders. Join art-focused tours or museum passes that highlight Italy’s greatest masterpieces. - Historic Italian Cities You Must Visit
Walk the cobblestone streets of Siena, Verona, and Naples to see history alive in architecture, piazzas, and local culture. - Authentic Culinary & Cultural Experiences
History is on the menu in Italy. Participate in cooking classes inspired by centuries-old recipes or dine in historic trattorias for a taste of the past. Visit picturesque vineyards and wine estates, sampling a variety of regional wines, guided by wine experts who will share their knowledge of the local wine-making process. Learn to prepare classic regional dishes from skilled local chefs who will guide you through each step, allowing you to savor the flavors of the destination long after your trip. - Guided Walking Tours Through Ancient Streets
From medieval neighborhoods to Roman ruins, local guides reveal the stories that bring Italy’s streets to life. - Italy’s Famous Museums and Heritage Sites
Skip the lines and enjoy curated tours at the Vatican Museums, Uffizi Gallery, and more, discovering Italy’s treasures with expert insight. - Hiking, Biking, Boat, & Other Adventure Tours ritage Sites
Lace up your boots and embark on adventurous hikes through stunning natural landscapes like the Cinque Terre, providing breathtaking views and outdoor thrills. Discover cities and scenic regions on two wheels, pedaling through historical streets, picturesque countryside, and along coastal paths, while experiencing the destination in an active and engaging way. Sail on a boat or cruise along rivers, canals, or coastlines, allowing you to appreciate the unique perspective of a city’s architecture and natural beauty, while enjoying the refreshing sea breeze.
Special Features to Look For:
- Skip-the-Line Access: Enjoy priority entrance to popular attractions, saving valuable time and avoiding long waiting lines.
- Small Group Sizes: Benefit from intimate group sizes, ensuring a more personalized experience and allowing for meaningful interactions with guides and fellow travelers.
- Local Guides: Our knowledgeable local guides provide insider perspectives, historical context, and fascinating stories, bringing each destination to life.
- Interactive Experiences: Engage in hands-on activities, such as cooking classes, art workshops, or interactive museum tours, for a more immersive and memorable experience.
- Unique Itineraries and Hidden Gems: Discover off-the-beaten-path attractions, local spots, and hidden gems that may not be covered on typical tours, ensuring a unique and authentic experience.
Favorite Rome Tours:
(Many awesome tours of spaces like the Colosseum and Vatican, golf cart tours, yoga lessons, food tours, neighborhood excursions, day trip from Rome and so much more!)
- For great Tour Guy Rome tours, see “Rome Sightseeing: Best Rome Tours, Vatican Tours, and Day Trips from Rome“
- Fabulous LivTours in Rome, see my blog: Great Tours in Rome, Vatican Tours, & Day Trips from Rome
- Viator Rome Tours: https://www.viator.com/Rome/d511-ttd?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
- Vatican Museums in the Evening: Best Tours and Insights
Favorite Florence Tours
(Duomo, Uffizi, David, Ponte Vecchio, walking/food tours, cooking classes, & more)
- Top Attractions in Florence: a 3-day Itinerary
- Top Attractions to Explore in Florence, Italy: https://roaminghistorian.com/2024/11/03/top-attractions-to-explore-in-florence-italy/
- See this blog for many great Tour Guy Florence tours : “Florence Sightseeing: Best Florence Tours“
- See this blog for many great LivItaly Florence tours: Great Florence Tours
- Viator Florence Tours: https://www.viator.com/Florence/d519-ttd?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
Favorite Venice Tours
(Doge’s Palace, St. Mark’s Basilica, Food Tours, Murano/Burano and the Islands, Gondola rides & more)
- For great Tour Guy Venice tours see my blog, Venice Sightseeing: Best Venice Tours and Day Trips from Venice
- For LivTours adventures in Venice: https://livtours.com/destinations/venice-tours/?af_code=E1DDN61
- Venice in a Day Combo Tour with Gondola Ride
- Venice “Locals” Evening Food Tour in Cannareggio
- St. Mark’s Basilica and Venice City Tour with Gondola Ride
- Viator Venice Tours: https://www.viator.com/Venice/d522-ttd?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
Favorite Milan Tours
(the Milan Duomo, Da Vinci’s Last Supper, walking tours, & more)
- For fabulous Tour Guy tours in Milan: Milan Sightseeing: Best Milan Tours and Day Trips to Lake Como
- For awesome LivTours in Milan: https://livtours.com/destinations/milan-tours/?af_code=E1DDN61
- Viator Milan Tours: https://www.viator.com/Milan/d512-ttd?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
Other Italian Tours
More Recommendations
For blogs on many of these places, go to my “Read About Can’t Miss Places” page.
For travel tips in general, including how to pack for your fabulous trip, see Travel Tips page.
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My recommendations for various countries and cities around the globe.
LivTours (semi-private/private tours): https://livtours.com?af_code=E1DDN61
**You can save 10% on LivTours tours with the code AMYRH10 (good on two or more tours)
TourGuy (small group/private tours): https://tidd.ly/3J78sNi
Viator (small to medium size groups/private): https://www.viator.com/?pid=P00161535&mcid=42383&medium=link&medium_version=selector
Roaming Historian Viator Shop:
Shore Excursions Group (great for many Italian ports): https://www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1634209&data=roaminghistorian@gmail.com
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
Tour Reviews:
Rome
Awesome Golf Cart Tour Rome with LivTours
St. Peter’s Dome Climb with Vatican Tickets
Remarkable Rome Attractions: The Roman Guy’s Catacombs Tour
Tour Guy Vatican and Colosseum/Roman Forum Tour
Vatican Museums in the Evening: Best Tours and Insights
Florence
Unforgettable Florence Food Tours: History on the Menu
Delicious Florence Food Tour with the Tour Guy
Venice
The Roman Guy’s Venice Boat and Walking Tour
Italy Blogs
Italy Travel Tips & Culture
- Essential Italy Travel Tips
- What Not to Do in Italy
- Food Shopping in Italy
- How to Get to Rome from FCO Airport
- Eating Your Way Through a Four-Course Meal in Italy
- Eat Italy: a Guide to Dining in Italy
- Italy by Train—Do’s and Don’ts
- Italy for Less—Money-Saving Tips for Cheap Travel
- 10 Treasures of Taormina, Sicily
- Best Books About Italy
- Time Travel with Italian History Books
- My Three Favorite Renaissance Paintings of the Annunciation
- Souvenirs to Buy in Italy
- What to Try in Italy
- An Affordable Roman Holiday: Free Things to Do in Rome
- Rome Public Transport: Tips for Riding the Bus
- Getting Around Rome, Italy
- Packing List for Italy: What to Just Buy There
Amalfi Coast
- Amalfi Coast: Things to Do in Amalfi
- Amalfi Coast Transportation: to Amalfi & Beyond
- Things to Do in Ravello
Florence
- Top Attractions in Florence: a 3-day Itinerary
- Top Attractions to Explore in Florence
- Florence Sightseeing: Best Florence Tours, Duomo, David, and Uffizi Tours and Day Trips from Florence with the Tour Guy/Roman Guy
- Great Florence Tours with LivTours/LivItaly
- Skip the Line Tours for Uffizi, Accademia (David), Duomo, and More
- Best Bike Tour in Florence
- Firenze Card: Your Guide to this Florence Museum Pass
Florence Churches
- Climbing the Duomo Florence
- How to Buy Duomo Florence Tickets: Climb the Florence Cathedral
- Best Churches in Florence
- Ghirlandaio’s Last Supper at Ognissanti Church
- Top Cenacoli in Florence: Discover the Last Supper Art
Florence Landmarks & Palaces
Florence Museums
- The Uffizi Gallery: Tickets & More
- Michelangelo’s David Statue: How to Visit the Accademia Gallery
- Uffizi Gallery video featuring Works by Sandro Botticelli
- Galileo Museum
- Museo San Marco
- Museo Horne
- Laurentian Library
- Museo degli Innocenti
Florence Culture, Outdoors, Shopping
- Florence Street Art
- Places to See in Florence (Firenze): Birthplace of the Italian Renaissance
- Outdoor Fun in Florence—Golfing and the Bardini & Boboli Gardens
- Shopping : Things to Do in Florence
- Shopping in Florence: My Top Places
- Leather School in Florence–Shopping
- Italian Beauty in Florence: Santa Maria Novella & AquaFlor
- House of Gucci
- Hidden Florence Walk: Things to Do in Florence
- Dan Brown’s Inferno—Guide to Florence Attractions
- Favorite Renaissance Paintings of the Annunciation
- A Renaissance Christmas Story–Fra Angelico’s Annunciation
Florence Food
- Unforgettable Florence Food Tours: History on the Menu
- Delicious Florence Food Tour with the Tour Guy
- Historic Food Markets in Florence: Mercato Centrale & Sant’Ambrogio Market
- Best Gelato in Florence
- Best Restaurants in Florence for Authentic Italian Food—Updated for 2025/2026
- Gelato-Making Class in Florence
Milan
Tuscany—other than Florence
- Intoxicating Chianti Wine Tour at the Montefioralle Winery
- A Perfect Tuscan Village: Siena
- Leaning Tower of Pisa—Tourist Trap or Tuscan Treasure?
Rome
- Best Rome Tours: a Cultural Journey Though the Eternal City
- Rome Sightseeing: Best Rome Tours, Vatican Tours, and Day Trips from Rome with The Tour Guy/Roman Guy
- Great Tours in Rome, Vatican Tours, and Day Trips from Rome with LivTours (LivItaly)
- Golf Cart Tour Rome with LivTour
- St. Peter’s Dome Climb with Vatican Tickets–Skip the Line
- Colosseum Underground Tour with Roman Forum and Palatine Hill
- Roaming with the Roman Guy (now Tour Guy): Colosseum and Vatican Tours
- The Roman Guy’s Catacombs Tour (now the Tour Guy)
Rome Landmarks/Museums/Outdoors
- The Pantheon: Rome Attractions
- Pantheon Travel Vlog
- Nero’s Golden Palace: Rome Attractions
- The Roman Forum: Rome Attractions
- The Trevi Fountain: Rome Attractions
- The Appian Way: Rome Attractions
- Campo de Fiori: Rome Attractions
- Palatine Hill: Rome Attractions
- The Capitoline Museum
- Largo Argentina: Rome Attractions
- Exploring the Culture, Cuisine, and History of the Jewish Ghetto Rome
- Jewish Ghetto Video
- How to See the ‘Forum of Caesar’ Light Show
- Best Piazzas in Rome
- A Colossal Piece of History—the Colosseum
Rome Churches/Vatican
- Santa Maria sopra Minerva Church: Rome Attractions
- Basilica di San Clemente: Rome Attractions
- Basilica Santa Maria in Cosmedin: the Valentine’s Day Story
- Vatican Museums: Things to Do in Rome
- See Vatican Museums with Skip the Line Access
- Visiting St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican City
- Vatican Museums in the Evening: Best Tours and Insights
Rome Things to Do
- The SUPER Pass—Things to Do in Rome
- An Affordable Roman Holiday—Free Things to do in Rome
- Rome, Off the Beaten Path–Lesser-Known Places in Rome
- The Historic Center—Things to Do in Rome
- Colosseum Area—Things to Do in Rome
- Art Treasures of Rome—Michelangelo, Bernini, and Raphael…oh my!
- The Roaming Historian in Rome
Rome Food/Other
- Rome’s Best Restaurants: a Food Lover’s Guide for 2025/2026
- How to Get to Rome from FCO Airport
- Roman Holiday: Our Photo Shoot with Daniele de Gregorio
- Rome Public Transport: Tips for Riding the Bus
- Getting Around Rome
Venice
- Venice Sightseeing: Best Venice Tours and Day Trips from Venice
- Best Things to Do in Venice
- Gondola Rides in Venice…Worth Every Euro
- Murano—the Glass Island of Italy
- The Roman Guy’s “Venice Walking and Boat Tour” (now the Tour Guy)
Our incredible partners, such as LivTours, TripAdvisor, VRBO, World Nomads insurance, and more, make exploring the globe an unforgettable experience. With industry leaders in tours, travel insurance, hotels, vacation rentals, flights, cruises, and trip planning, explore the world with our curated list of affiliate links on 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.
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
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Hi Hassia,
I would recommend the “Rome in a Day Tour” including Colosseum and Vatican Museums. Here is the link: https://theromanguy.com/tours/Rome/rome-in-a-day-tour The Roman Guy site shows prices for that tour at 129.95 euro currently. You should be able to save a little money with my code ROAMING though. Have a great trip! I adore Rome and hope that you do, too. Happy travels!Q
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