Guided Tours of Italy: The Must-Book Tours
Part 1: Milan and Venice
You’re traveling to Italy and you’re hitting multiple cities. How can you make the best out of your vacation? What are the main sights to hit, and what guided tours of Italy should you book?
Here are our recommendations for Milan and Venice.
– Milan
Milan is the Italian capital of fashion, finance, and all things cool. It doesn’t have as many unforgettable sights as Florence or Venice, but it’s very dynamic, young, and fun to visit.
These are the tours that will allow you to see the highlights and still leave you enough time for shopping.
1. Best of Milan Tour
A “Best of Milan” Tour should not be missing among your guided tours of Italy.
Many companies offer a walking tour of Milan that covers the city highlights.
Usually, the typical “best of Milan” tour includes the Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emmanuele, the Teatro alla Scala from the outside, and the Castello Sforzesco courtyards, plus some minor sights in the city center.
Make sure that the tour you choose includes the inside of the Duomo and the terrace, which offers a nice view of the city.
This tour is usually designed as a walking tour; having pick-up at your hotel is a plus that will make your experience more pleasant.
2. Leonardo Da Vinci’s Last Supper Tour
The focus of this tour is Leonardo’s Last Supper, one of the most famous paintings in the world.
Often, tours of the Last Supper also include Leonardo’s Vineyard and the Castello Sforzesco, where you can also see the Pietà Rondanini by Michelangelo (this is not the most famous Pietà by Michelangelo, which is in Rome, but it’s a masterpiece as well).
It’s really hard to book the Last Supper, so make sure that you send your tour request at least a month in advance; the sooner the better!
3. Lake Como Day Trip
Lake Como is one of the most famous lakes in the world. It’s about 1 hour from Milan, and it’s easily reachable by car.
The Lake Como day trip is the perfect tour to do with a private car, a driver, and a professional guide.
Usually, it’s a full-day experience that includes a short walk through Como, a boat ride on the lake, and a visit of one of the several gems in the area, such as Bellagio, and/or one of the prettiest villas.
Some companies include a private boat tour, which will make your experience a bit more fancy, and more comfortable.
– Venice
Venice is a magical city. Its architecture and natural setting make it unique and unforgettable.
It’s always been a major tourist destination, and it is usually quite crowded.
Adding a walk in Venice among your guided tours of Italy Venice will allow you to skip the line to the major sights, see off-the-beaten-path treasures, and have an overall better experience.
1. Best of Venice
The typical Best of Venice Tour includes St. Mark’s Basilica, St. Mark’s Square, and the Doge’s Palace.
St. Mark’s Basilica is one of the most important churches in Italy, and one of the prettiest as well. A professional tour guide will certainly help you enjoy such a treasure of architecture and art more deeply, and save a lot of time that you’d spend waiting in line.
The Doge’s Palace is also a very nice complex, decorated by some of the greatest artists. Ask for a guide with a background in art history for a more complete experience.
Make sure that your Best of Venice Tour also includes the bridge of Sighs and a short tour of the Prisons: they’re among the most interesting sights in Venice.
If you book a private tour, which we recommend, you can also ask for pick-up at your hotel, which can be very useful to avoid getting lost in the charming – but confusing – canals of the Lagoon.
2. Murano and Burano Cruise
Aside from Venice city center, there are many islands in the Lagoon that are worth visiting.
The most popular of them are Murano and Burano.
They’re about 1/1.5 hours away from Venice, and you’ll need to reach them either by public transportation (ferry) or with a private boat.
If you have enough days in Venice, we certainly recommend you to add a Murano and Burano cruise with a private boat to your guided tours of Italy.
It will be more expensive than reaching the islands on your own, but you can see both of them in only four hours, and make sure you hit all the highlights.
Your guide will most likely take you to a glass workshop in Murano, and a lace workshop in Burano, the local craftmanships. That will enrich your tour and allow you to buy very nice souvenirs.
3. Rialto and San Polo Walk
If you have more than just a few hours in Venice, you should consider booking a tour of these two lovely neighborhoods, amond the most picturesque in the Lagoon.
To reach Rialto, you need to cross the famous Rialto bridge, which is one of the iconic spots in Venice.
Neart the bridge you will see Rialto market (open only in the morning, from Monday to Saturday). Make sure your tour takes place in the morning, so you can experience the lively chaos of a traditional Italian market.
San Polo is a much quieter district. As you walk through its lovely small streets, and cross its cute bridges, you might almost forget that you’re in one of the most crowded cities in Italy, as the majority of tourists stay in the area of St. Mark’s.
Our most important suggestion: go private!
As you’re choosing your guided tours in Italy, we recommend you to choose a private or customized experience rather than a group tour.
If you’re traveling from the US, Canada, or Australia, you’re probably investing a lot of money in this trip, in particular, if you’re traveling with your family.
Private tours allow you to have the undivided attention of both your tour designer in the planning phase and your tour guide as you’re actually touring.
If your group has three members or more, the price difference between a group tour and a private tour will not be very big, while the gain will be very relevant.
Thank you for reading! In our blog, you can find more articles about the must-book tours in Italy, and about all kinds of topics!
If you’re looking for a tour, don’t hesitate to contact us.
