italy tour april 2024

Italy Tours in April 2024

• Start Date Select Month April 2024 May 2024 June 2024 July 2024 August 2024 September 2024 October 2024 November 2024 December 2024 January 2025 February 2025 March 2025 April 2025 May 2025 June 2025 July 2025 August 2025 September 2025 October 2025 November 2025 December 2025 January 2026 February 2026 March 2026 April 2026 OR, More specific start
• Easy Active
• Challenging
• Barge Cruising
• Food & Wine
• Most Popular
• Private Yacht Charter
• River Cruises
• Scheduled Group Tour
• Adventure Options
• Archaeological Site Visits
• Cooking Classes
• Land & Sea Exploration
• Local Market Visits
• Scuba Diving
• Small Ship Cruises
• Small Ship Sailing
• Urban Exploration
• Village Visits
• Wilderness Lodge Exploration
• Wildlife Viewing
• Wine Tasting
• Emerald Azzurra
• Emerald Sakara
• La Bella Vita
• Le Bougainville
• Le Dumont-d'Urville
• MS Michelangelo
• Royal Clipper
• Scenic Eclipse
• Sea Cloud II
• Silver Whisper
• Star Clipper
• World Traveller

Classic Italy

• Ride the gondola in Venetian canals
• Discover the Sistine Chapel
• Explore the Vatican Museums
• Marvel at the architecture in Siena
• Savor authentic Tuscan cuisine
• Enjoy the Tuscan countryside

Turin, Langhe, and Cinque Terre

• Explore the city of Turin
• Visit the city's main squares
• Discover the wine region of Barolo
• Taste local wine and cheese
• Experience truffle hunting
• Walk in Quadrilatero Romano
• Admire Cinque Terre
• Swim in the Italian Riviera
• See the picturesque Santa Margherit

Mount Blanc Hiking Adventure

• Enjoy the view of Chamonix
• Hike the Mont Blanc
• Admire the Bioniassay glacier
• Explore Courmayeur Alpine resort
• Hike the old trail valley in Trient

Aeolian Archipelago

• Discover Lipari and Salina
• Visit a local winery
• Enjoy a scenic hike in Vulcano
• Swim in Cala Junco nature reserve
• Take a walking tour in Stromboli
• Relax on the beaches of Salina

Dolomites Hiking Adventure

• Visit Pesaris' historic center
• Hike the Mount Coglians
• Visit a local harpsichord maker
• Discover Cortina's mountain scenery
• Hike the spectacular Tre Cime
• Visit a local dairy
• Enjoy the culture of Bolzano
• Tour Venice's Grand Canal by boat

Venice Extension

• See monuments and famous churches
• Visit Mazzorbo's vineyards
• Create your own carnival mask
• Explore famous squares and canals

Treasures of Sicily

• Visit the Island of Sicily
• Discover the Valley of the Temples
• Visit Taormina's ancient ruins
• See the Mount Etna in Sicily
• Explore the coastal town of Cefalu
• Visit Syracuse's Archeological Park
• Discover the Zingaro Nature Reserve

Highlights of the Amalfi Coast

• Admire the Amalfi Coastline
• Explore Positano on foot
• Visit Herculaneum and Pompeii
• Ride a boat to the island of Capri
• Walk the Path of the Gods
• Explore the village of Ravello

Rome, Assisi & Magical Umbria Premium Adventure

• Visit Roman ruins with a guide
• Visit the Umbrian countryside
• Visit the historic town of Assisi
• Visit local wineries in Montefalco
• Enjoy cooking local Italian dishes.

Hidden Gems of Piedmont

• Visit the wine region of Piedmont
• Admire the village of Neive

Dolomites Explorer

• Visit Bozen's main local attraction
• Hike the Parco del Respiro
• Visit the Abbey of Novacella
• Cable car ride to Castelrotto

Lake Como, Milan, and Amalfi

• Ride a boat on Lake Como
• Explore the village of Varenna
• Visit Piona Abbey in Colico
• See the Gothic Art in Milan
• Visit the Duomo di Milano
• Stroll around in Galleria Vittorio
• See archaeological sites in Pompeii
• Admire the coastline of Amalfi
• Enjoy scenic drives in Italy

Rome Extension

• Admire Michelangelo's masterpiece
• Visit Roman ruins and monuments
• See the Colosseum Belvedere

Venice and Mantua Cruise

• Tour of historic Venice
• Cruise on the Canal of the Orphans
• Tour of Chioggia
• Enjoy dinner at Villa Ca'Zen

From the Canals of Venice to Renaissance-infused Mantua & Milan and Lake Como Extended Stay

• Explore Italian regions
• Learn about the history of Venice
• Discover Veneto's traditions
• See Vicenza architectures

Grand Voyage: Malaga to Athens

• Visit Torres Park
• Explore Valletta's beautiful garden
• Wander in the city of Syracuse
• Visit archaeological sites

Malta to Athens

• Walk through the sacred temples

Malaga to Rome

• Discover Malaga and Granada
• Witness Motril's coastal charm
• Discover Ibiza
• Discover Bonifacio's cliffs

Top Italy Travel Destinations

• Adriatic Sea
• Civitavecchia
• Mediterranean
• Portoferraio

Italy Trips by Departure Date

• 2024 Italy trips (89)
• 2025 Italy trips (30)
• April 2024 (12)
• May 2024 (28)
• June 2024 (33)
• July 2024 (33)
• August 2024 (35)
• September 2024 (27)
• October 2024 (22)
• November 2024 (10)
• December 2024 (9)

Top Experiences in Italy

• Italy Cruises (97)
• Italy Luxury (22)
• Italy Cultural (20)
• Italy Beaches (17)
• Italy Food & Wine (14)
• Italy Land Tours (14)
• Italy Trekking (4)
• Italy Scheduled Group Tour (4)
• Italy Most Popular (3)
• Italy River Cruises (3)

Italy Trips by Duration

• 7 day trips (5)
• 8 day trips (44)
• 9 day trips (11)
• 10 day trips (13)
• 11 day trips (13)
• 12 day trips (10)
• 15 day trips (4)

Italy Trips by Activity

• Italy small ship cruises (79)
• Italy village visits (49)
• Italy archaeological site visits (46)
• Italy small ship sailing (30)
• Italy wine tasting (19)
• Italy local market visits (14)
• Italy urban exploration (13)
• Italy hiking (11)
• Italy snorkeling (5)
• Italy biking (4)
• Italy cooking classes (4)

Why Travel With Adventure Life

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Best of Italy!

April 9-21, 2024.

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Tour Details

Best of italy 2024.

We invite you to experience the Best of Italy tour, April 9-21, 2024.

Italy is filled with gorgeous sights and incredible beauty: from iconic ruins to romantic cities, dazzling islands to calming seascapes, spectacular mountain ranges to sparkling lakes, and countless small towns and villages, each more picturesque than the next.

Our tour will start in Venice, the floating city, with its winding canals, striking architecture, and beautiful bridges. From there, we will travel south to Bologna, home of the oldest university in the world. Then, we will spend three nights in Florence, the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany, known for its art and architecture. After viewing the Leaning Tower of Pisa, we will explore Rome, the cradle of Western civilization and Christian culture, for three days. The tour will end with three days along the Amalfi Coast, famous for its seaside towns, cliffs, and beaches.

Join us on this amazing tour and see why the Italian people live by the concept of “la dolce vita” or “the good life.”

P.O. Box 118696 Carrollton, TX 75011 [email protected]

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Enjoy la bella vita in Italy

Beauty is everywhere in Italy—its spectacular scenery, rich history, lavish artistic masterpieces, and its beloved cuisine. Discover the romance of Italy when you fall in love with this legendary country.

Venice's Grand Canal is lined with grand, ornately adorned buildings dating back to the 13th to 18th centuries.

Roman Colosseum

Rome's architectural marvel allowed 50,000 spectators to view gladiatorial contests, wild animal hunts—including bears, elephants, and giraffes—and even "sea battles" on water channeled in via aqueducts.

• Sistine Chapel

A restoration of Michelangelo's richly painted ceiling frescoes in the late 20th century not only removed layers of dirt and grime—it also erased the fig leaves and loincloths that Pope Pius IV had added to the nude figures in the 1500s.

Perched on a cliff of volcanic rock, overlooking the verdant valleys of Umbria, Orvieto is full of rich history, from its gorgeous stone buildings to the elaborate system of tunnels and wells built beneath the city by the ancient Etruscans.

The volcanic ash that blanketed Pompeii when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD preserved its contents so well that archaeologists found loaves of bread, walnuts, figs, and eggs among the ruins.

The charming coastal city of Sorrento is built into the cliffs above its world-class beaches and crystalline seas.

Duomo in Florence

It took two centuries to create the cathedral in Florence, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and artistry. Step inside for a few minutes to enjoy the gorgeous frescoes inside the dome.

Historic Bologna has become legendary for its cuisine, including the Bolognese sauce that bears its name.

• Trevi Fountain

It's tradition to throw coins over your left shoulder, using your right hand, when you visit the grand Trevi Fountain in Rome. Throwing just one ensures that you'll return to Rome someday, while tossing two more coins into the fountain means your wishes for love and marriage will come true.

Italian Cuisine

Italy lays claim to one of the world's truly great national cuisines. Treat yourself!

Amalfi Coast

Campania's seductive Mediterranean landscape overflows with delights for all the senses, from intoxicating blossoms to brilliant views and marvelous cuisine.

• Isle of Capri

Candy-colored boats and buildings line Marina Grande, beside the aquamarine sea on the Isle of Capri.

MIchaelangelo

From his David to the Sistine Chapel, viewing the great artist's works are an unforgettable art lover's dream.

Try the world's most famous pie in the country that invented it, and the mozzarella that is its signature topping.

Ponte Vecchio, Florence

You can shop for souvenirs right along this medieval span, where jewelers and art dealers keep shop right over the Arno River.

• Roman Forum

Walk in the footsteps of Julius Caesar in these remarkably well-preserved ancient ruins, once the very heart of Rome.

One of the world's truly unique and unforgettable cities, Venice offers its romantic canals, gorgeous churches, and delicious food.

The heart of the Roman Catholic Church is the home St. Peter's Basilica, the Sistine Chapel, and the residence of the pope.

Italy Tours

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• 8 - 14 Days
• 3D Battle Show
• Abbey Tavern
• Achill Island
• Alnwick Castle
• Aran Islands
• Arigna Mining Centre
• Ashford Castle
• Ballachulish
• Ballinwillin House
• Ballycotton
• Ballyfarnon
• Ballyknocken Cookery School
• Bernese Oberland
• Black Forest
• Blakes of the Hollow Pub
• Blarney Castle
• Bristol Tour
• Brjansstadir
• Cambridge Punting
• Cambridge Tour
• Canterbury Cathedral
• Carlingford
• Carrick-a-Rede Rope Bridge
• Carrick-on-Shannon
• Causey Farm
• Celtic Whiskey Bar
• Charles Fort
• Chavenage House
• Chocolate-Making Experience
• Church Bar and Restaurant
• Cliffs of Moher
• Cobh Heritage Centre
• Connemara Celtic Crystal
• Cooking Competition
• Croke Park Stadium
• Cross Guns Gastropub
• Crosskeys Inn
• Culzean Castle
• Dalkey Castle
• Derrynane House
• Distillery Visit
• Down Cathedral
• Dromoland Castle
• Dublin Tour
• Dun Aengus Fort
• Dun Laoghaire
• Ely Cathedral
• Farm to Table Dinner
• Farmhouse Visit
• Florence Court House
• Gallarus Oratory
• Gedächtniskirche
• Glasgow Tour
• Glasnevin Museum
• Glastonbury Tor & Abbey
• Glenlo Abbey
• Glenveagh National Park
• GPO Witness History
• Grasmere Gingerbread Shop
• Hampton Court Palace
• Hazel Mountain Chocolate Factory
• Highland games
• Irish National Stud
• Irish Whiskey Museum
• Jameson Experience
• John B. Keane's Pub
• Johnstown Castle
• Kilkenny Castle
• Kilronan Castle
• King John's Castle
• Kyle of Lochalsh
• Lake Distillery
• Leeds Castle
• Letterkenny
• Long Meadow Cider
• Lough Ree Viking Cruise
• Malahide Castle
• Mary Rose Museum
• Melrose Abbey
• Montecatini Terme
• Muckross House
• Muckross Schoolhouse
• National Piping Centre
• New Chocolate Company Tasting
• Newmarket-on-Fergus
• O'Connors Famous Pub
• Páidí Ó Sé’s Pub
• Parknasilla House
• Peace Bridge
• Pollok House
• Quiet Man Walking Tour
• Rhine Gorge
• Ring of Kerry
• Riverside Transport Museum
• Robert Burns Birthplace Museum
• Rosscarbery
• Royal Tunbridge Wells
• Royal Yacht Britannia
• Scotney Castle
• Scottish Evening
• Seaweed Foraging
• Shepherd Neame Brewery
• Sissinghurst Castle Garden
• Slane Castle & Distillery
• Slea Head Loop
• Smithwick's Experience
• Spike Island
• St Michael's Mount
• St Patrick's Day in Dublin
• St. Austell
• St. Michan's Church Crypt
• St. Paul's Cathedral
• St. Peter's Basilica
• Stone of Destiny
• Strahov Stadium
• Stratford-upon-Avon
• Strokkur Geysir
• Svartifoss Waterfall
• Taigh Chearsabhagh
• Taylors Three Rock Pub
• Teeling Distillery
• Tenby Walking Tour
• Thames River Cruise
• The Armitt Museum
• The Church Bar and Restaurant
• The Glyde Inn
• Thingvellir National Park
• Three Bridges
• Timoleague Franciscan Friary
• Tintern Abbey
• Titanic Belfast
• Titanic Walking Tour
• Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
• Toompea Castle
• Tower of London
• Town Crier Tour
• Trafalgar Square
• Trim Castle
• Trim Living History
• Trinity College
• Triona Design
• Trotternish Peninsula
• Turf-Cutting Demonstration
• Turkish Bazaar Bas Carsija
• Uffizi Gallery
• UN Building
• Upper and Lower Old Town
• Urquhart Castle
• Veliko Jezero
• Venice Gondola Ride
• Venice Walking Tour
• Victorian Tall Ship
• Viking Splash Dublin Tour
• Villa Borghese Gardens
• Vilnius Castle
• Vilnius University
• Vintage Afternoon Tea Tour
• Walking Tour of Korcula
• Walled City Brewery
• Warner Brothers Studio “Making of Harry Potter”
• Waterford Crystal
• Waterford Tour
• Welsh Banquet
• Welsh Language Lesson
• Wenceslas Square
• West Coast Coastal Drive
• Westminster Abbey
• Westport House
• Whitby Tour
• White Cliffs
• Wild Atlantic Way Drive
• Windsor Castle
• Winter Palace
• Yansa Gora Monastery
• York Minster
• York Walking Tour
• Zwinger Palace
• Abbotsford House
• Alexander Nevsky Cathedral
• Ardmhor on Barra
• Armadale Castle
• Armory Museum
• Astronomical Clock
• Auschwitz-Birkenau
• Ballintubber Abbey
• Bamburgh Castle
• Bannockburn Visitor Center
• Baroque Town Hall
• Basilica of San Marco
• Bell Tower Clock
• Belleek Pottery
• Belvedere Palace
• Betws-y-Coed
• Black Madonna
• Blair Athol Distillery
• Blair Castle
• Blarney Castle & Killarney
• Blarney Woollen Mills
• Blasket Centre
• Bled Castle
• Blenheim Palace
• Blue Lagoon
• Bodmin Moor
• Bodnant Welsh Food Centre
• Boka Waterfall
• Book of Kells
• Bosta Beach
• Brecon Beacons National Park
• British Golf Museum
• British Museum
• British Music Experience
• Brodie Castle
• Brú na Boinne Visitor Center
• Bunratty Castle
• Burren Smokehouse
• Cabra Castle
• Caernarfon Castle
• Callanish Standing Stones
• Canal Cruise
• Cardiff Bay Tour
• Cardiff Castle
• Cardiff Tour
• Castle Esplanade
• Castle Hill
• Castle Howard
• Castle Square
• Cathedral of St. Dude
• Cathedral of St. Vitus
• Catherine Palace & Park
• Cavern Club
• Cawdor Castle
• Charles Bridge
• Chester Cathedral
• Chester Walking Tour
• Church of St. Donat
• Churchill Barriers
• Clan Donald Centre
• Clonmacnoise Monastic Site
• Corrib Cruise
• Crown Jewels
• Cruiser Aurora
• Crumlin Road Gaol
• Culloden Battlefield Visitor Center
• Culross (Outlander)
• Culross Abbey
• Culross Palace
• Daliborka Tower
• Dan O’Hara’s Homestead Farmhouse Visit
• Dartmoor National Park
• Derry’s Medieval Walls
• Dingle Bay Cruise
• Dingle Peninsula
• Diocletian’s Palace
• Doge’s Palace
• Dome Cathedral
• Dominican Monastery
• Donegal Castle
• Doune Castle
• Dublin Castle
• Dubrovnik Walking Tour
• Dun Carloway Broch
• Dunbrody Famine Ship
• Dunrobin Castle
• Dunvegan Castle
• Edinburgh Castle
• Edinburgh Tour
• Eiffel Tower
• Eilean Donan Castle
• EPIC The Irish Emigration Museum
• Evening Canal Cruise
• Falconry Exhibition
• Famous Blacksmiths Shop
• Field of Mars
• Firth of Forth
• Fisherman’s Bastion
• Florence Walking Tour
• Fort Augustus
• Fort William
• Forth Bridge
• Foynes Flying Boat & Maritime Museum
• Franciscan Monastery
• Fridheimar Tomato Farm
• Gavrilo Princip Museum
• Gearrannan Blackhouse Village
• Gediminas’ Tower
• Gellert Hill Citadel
• General Post Office Museum
• Giant’s Causeway
• Glamis Castle
• Glasgow Cathedral
• Glen Grant Distillery
• Glencoe Mountains
• Glendalough, Co. Wicklow
• Glenfiddich Distillery
• Glenfinnan Viaduct (Harry Potter)
• Glengesh Pass
• Goathland Station (Hogsmeade from Harry Potter)
• Golden Circle
• Golden Lane
• Goriska Brda
• Gothic-Baroque Cathedral of St. Mark
• Government Palace
• Gower Peninsula
• Grafton Street, Dublin
• Grampian Mountains
• Great Orme Tramway
• Gruz Harbor
• Guinness Storehouse
• Gullfoss Waterfall
• Hallgrímskirkja
• Harlech Castle
• Harry Potter Walking Tour
• Harry’s Bar
• Hebridean Smokehouse
• Hekla Volcano
• Heroes’ Square
• Highland Safaris
• Hillsborough Castle
• Hofburg Palace
• Holy Trinity St. Sergius Lavra
• Horgabost Beach
• Horseshoe Pass
• Houses of Parliament
• Husref Bay’s Mosque
• Hvar Island
• Inveraray Castle
• Inverewe Gardens
• Iron Age House
• Isle of Benbecula
• Isle of Bute
• Isle of Harris Distillery
• Isle of Lewis
• Isle of Skye
• Italian Chapel
• Jacobite Steam Train
• Jamaica Inn
• Jaunting Car Ride
• Jewish Ghetto
• Johnstons of Elgin
• Jokulsarlon Glacier Lagoon
• Jupiter’s Temple
• Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church
• Kashmir Goats
• Kensington Palace
• Killarney National Park
• Killarney’s Lakes
• Killary Harbour
• Kilmainham Gaol
• Kilmuir Graveyard
• Kinsale Walk
• Knock Shrine
• Kylemore Abbey & Gardens
• Lake Bohinj
• Lake District
• Lake Windermere Cruise
• Lanhydrock House
• Lava Center
• Lazienki Park & Palace
• Leverburgh on Harris
• Liberty Monument
• Limerick Panoramic Tour
• Lissadell House
• Literary Tea with Scones
• Little Museum of Dublin
• Llandudno Tram
• Loch an Duin
• Loch Linnhe
• Loch Lomond
• Lochboisdale
• London Pub Food Tour
• London Tour
• Lovespoon Workshop
• Luskentyre Beach
• Lynch’s Castle
• Machynlleth
• Malo Jezero
• Matthias Church
• Mayflower Steps
• Medieval Castle Banquet
• Mercato Centrale
• Merry Ploughboy Pub
• Mljet Island & National Park
• Monument to the Heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto
• Moscow University
• Mount Snowdon
• Mount Stuart House
• Nace Homestead
• Nant Gwrtheyrn Welsh Heritage Centre
• National Slate Museum
• Nelson’s Column
• Neolithic Tombs
• Nevsky Prospect
• Nine Glens of Antrim
• North Yorkshire Moors Railway
• Northern Lights
• Novodevichy Convent
• Old Market Square
• Old Royal Palace
• Olive Oil & Wine Tasting
• Olympic Stadium
• Orlando’s Column
• Our Lady of the Rocks
• Oxford Walking Tour
• Palace of Holyroodhouse
• Palace of Science and Culture
• Palace Square
• Palaces for the People
• Palazzo Vecchio
• Pembroke Castle
• Penderyn Distillery
• Peter and Paul Cathedral
• Peter and Paul Fortress
• Petrodvorets
• Piazza della Signoria
• Piccadilly Circus
• Pitlochry Pub Lunch
• Plitvice Lakes
• Politician Pub
• Poljanska Sora
• Postojna Cave
• Powerscourt House
• Prater Amusement Park
• Provand’s Lordship
• Rannoch Moor
• Rector’s Palace
• Red Deer Encounter
• Reykjavik City Tour
• Reynisfjara Beach
• Riga Castle
• Ring of Brodgar
• River Avon Cruise
• River Clyde
• River Moskva
• River Shannon
• Robba’s Fountain
• Roman baths
• Ross Castle
• Royal and Ancient Clubhouse
• Royal Castle
• Royal Castle of Hradcany
• Royal Cathedral
• Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo
• Royal Military Tattoo
• Royal Route
• Russborough House
• Russian Folklore
• Saxon Gardens
• Schiller Theater
• Schloss Charlottenburg
• Scone Palace
• Secret Lagoon
• Seine River Cruise
• Seljalandsfoss Waterfall
• Selska Sora
• Semper Opera House
• Senate Square
• Sergiev Posad
• Shakespeare’s Birthplace
• Sheepdog Demonstration
• Shepherd’s Museum
• Shrewsbury Walking Tour
• Skaftafell National Park
• Skellig Experience
• Skofja Loka
• Skogafoss Waterfall
• Skogar Folk Museum
• Slieve League Cliffs
• Smallest House in Britain
• Smolny Cathedral
• Snowdonia National Park
• South Pole Inn
• Spanish Steps
• Spean Bridge
• Speyside Distilleries
• Sponza Palace
• Square of the Five Wells
• St. Anastasia
• St. Andrews Castle
• St. Andrews Walk
• St. Anne’s Church
• St. Asaph’s Cathedral
• St. Basil’s Cathedral
• St. Catherine’s Church
• St. Columba’s Cathedral
• St. David’s Cathedral
• St. Fagans Castle
• St. Fagans National Museum of History
• St. George’s Basilica
• St. Isaac’s Cathedral
• St. Isaac’s Square
• St. Jacobs Cathedral
• St. John’s Cathedral
• St. Magnus Cathedral
• St. Mark’s Church
• St. Mary’s Church
• St. Michael’s Mount
• St. Patrick’s Cathedral
• St. Patrick’s Grave
• St. Paul’s Cathedral
• St. Peter and Paul’s Church
• St. Peter’s Church
• St. Stephen’s Cathedral
• Step Dancing
• Stirling Castle
• Staff Picks
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2025 Tours: Book Early, Save $200pp - Use Code EBD25200

Taste of Italy

Starting from $2,345

Get your first taste of the delights of Venice, Florence, Rome, and more on this enchanting Italian tour. You'll  get to enjoy the ancient ruins, architectural and artistic masterpieces, and…

​Guided Tours, Guided Small Groups

2025 Tours: Book Early, Save $300pp - Use Code EBD25300

Taste of Italy with Sorrento

Starting from $3,745

Enjoy a little more time—and a lot more beauty—on this extended tour of Italy. Visit the most spectacular sights of Venice, Rome, and Florence with our Taste of Italy tour, then move on to the…

Tuscan Treasures with Cinque Terre

Starting from $2,095

Stay in a luxurious spa town to explore Tuscany’s medieval gems, enjoy gourmet food and wine, and discover the captivating villages of Cinque Terre.

Italy at a glance

1 euro per person or 10% when dining

Avg.Summer Temp

Avg. winter temp, peak tourist season.

June, July & August

Local lingo

Figurati (Don't worry about it)

Che figata (How cool!)

Amore a prima vista (love at first sight)

Must-have souvenirs

Murano glass

truffle pasta

I thoroughly enjoyed this trip and our tour director was wonderful! He really made this trip one to remember for a long time!

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Italy Tours & Vacations

Cruise canals, peruse piazzas, veer towards the Vatican and polish off the perfect pizza.

Italy may be one of Europe 's most-visited countries, but finding your way around Venice’s canals, choosing the best place for gelato in Rome, and knowing your agnello from your agnolotti are skills best learned from locals. Our Italy tours & vacations are all about strolling down cobbled lanes in city backstreets and ancient walled villages in search of la dolce vita. Once here, the opportunities are endless – from tasting balsamic vinegar in a traditional acetaia in Modena and sailing past pastel-hued cliffside villages on the Amalfi Coast , to sampling local wine in Tuscany's vineyards  and admiring lesser-known Renaissance art in Florence . One thing's for sure: you won’t be going hungry.

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Italy at a glance, capital city.

Rome (population approximately 2.87 million)

Approximately 59 million

(GMT+01:00) Amsterdam, Berlin, Bern, Rome, Stockholm, Vienna

CALLING CODE

Electricity.

Type C (European 2-pin) Type F (German 2-pin, side clip earth) Type L (Italian 3-pin)

Learn more about Italy

Culture and customs.

With the Renaissance, opera, Vespa, Valentino, slow food, espresso, the Colosseum, and the Sistine Chapel, the culture of Italy is as rich as its food. And with iconic cities like Rome, Venice, Florence, and Naples showcasing historic gems around every corner, it's easy to see why Italians are so very proud of their heritage. Italy drips with sensational artwork, ancient icons, ornate architecture, and historic sights. The streets are filled with people and places that exude character and charisma, and the famous Italian artists, inventors, and public figures who have contributed so much to the world are openly adored and celebrated.

In general, Italians value family, food, and the enjoyment of life. Good quality food made with the best ingredients is preferred over processed products and fast food. Eating is a pleasure to be enjoyed with friends and family, not a necessary inconvenience. Respect for the family unit is paramount, with many families choosing to live close to each other for life. Community is also an important element of Italian life and this can be seen in neighbors enjoying a passeggiata (an after-dinner stroll and chat).

Italians certainly live their lives with passion, and this is evident in their zealous approach to driving, passionate following of football (soccer) matches, and exuberant social life. It's common to see Italians debate politics, fashion, sport, and current affairs with ferocious verve, which can sometimes be quite confronting for people from meeker cultural backgrounds. But lying underneath the bold, animated exterior of most Italians is a deep, passionate love of life itself.

History and government

Rise of the empire.

The rise of the Roman Empire has been the subject of much fascination, intrigue, and interest from scholars, artists, travelers, and students around the world. The modern world owes a lot to this civilization, with many important scientific inventions, art movements, architectural triumphs, and philosophical ideas being born from Roman civilization – most notably during the Renaissance.

Founded sometime around 750 BC, Rome is still considered one of the most important and enduring cities in the world. Home to such famous citizens as Julius Caesar, Emperor Augustus, Claudius, Nero, Mark Antony, and Marcus Aurelius, Rome has enjoyed the great highs of dominating the Mediterranean region and the artistic triumphs of the Renaissance, but also the lows of the Great Fire of Rome, which ended up destroying a large part of the city. Rome has survived natural disasters, political turmoil, feuding families, plagues, and fierce wars.

Spanning centuries, the story of Ancient Rome is full of dramatic twists and turns and explains how tourist icons like the Colosseum, Pantheon, Circus Maximus, and Palatine Hill came to be.

The Renaissance

The time of the Renaissance in Italy (15th to 16th century) marked the clear transition from the Middle Ages to Modernity. The social and cultural revolution began in Florence, which was under the rule of the Medici family, and spread south to Rome. During this time, there was a reinvigoration of the arts, literature, science, invention, and political theory, which influenced all of Europe – all centered in Italy.

People in protest

After the Renaissance, Italy was unified with Sardinia in 1861, becoming the Kingdom of Italy. After World War I, Italy came under the fascist rule of Benito Mussolini, who ruled until 1943. Siding with Nazi Germany in World War II, the Italian Army suffered many losses and ultimately surrendered in 1945. After a referendum in 1946, Italy became a Republic and flourished during the 1950s and 1960s. The post-war period marks a time of economic progress for Italy, also largely reflected by the rest of the world's increased economic stability during a period of relative peace.

From the late 1960s, Italians lived with political upheaval and uncertainty, marked by the ‘Anni di Piombo’ or ‘Years of Lead’. This time was marked by conflict and public protests, and in the years to follow, corruption, organized crime, terrorism, and government debt were prominent in Italy. This led to extremist incidents of political terrorism and crisis on the left and the right, with one terrorist group – le Brigaterosse (or the Red Brigade) – a key player in the turmoil.

In 1994, media mogul Silvio Berlusconi was elected to the office of Prime Minister but was forced to step down later in the year after losing support from his political partners. Social unrest died down a little after the turn of the millennium, but Italy’s political system remained fraught with instability. Undeterred, Berlusconi regained power on two separate occasions, both times amid controversy and scandal.

Currently, Italy is run under a unitary parliamentary republic system and has been since 1946. The final downfall of Berlusconi has marked a shift in Italian politics, with many parties vying for office, and alliances and coalitions the only way to do so.

Top places to visit in Italy

Oh, Venice. The city of romance, gondolas, Piazza San Marco and an endless maze of canals. With plenty of free time to eat, drink, shop and stroll, you’ll lose all sense of direction – but remember, getting lost in Venice is the whole point! Don't forget to sample a big slice of tiramisu (coffee-soaked sponge cake), the region’s specialty. Explore Venice on our 14 day Best of Italy tour, on our 8 day Highlights of Italy tour, or on our 8 day Italy Real Food Adventure.

2. Cinque Terre

The footpaths between the villages on the enchanting Cinque Terre were once the only way to travel in the region. Hike along the rugged clifftops and discover olive groves, vineyards, breathtaking vistas and five pastel villages perched on the coastline – each more colorful than the last. If hiking isn’t your thing, don’t worry – just jump on the train! Fall in love with Cinque Terre on our 15 day Barcelona to Rome tour, on our 8 day Cinque Terre: Hike, Bike & Kayak tour, or on our 8 day Northern Italy Family Holiday tour.

3. Amalfi Coast

Discover southern Italy’s dazzling coastline of cliffside villages and rugged terrain by land and sea, perhaps sailing out on the Mediterranean to picturesque Procida or the Isle of Capri on an adventure cruise . You might like to hike the famous Walk of the Gods, sip Campari in Sorrento, or tuck into traditional pizza in Naples – the birthplace of pizza. Adventure along the Amalfi coast on our 10 day Explore Southern Italy tour or on our 8 day Amalfi Coast: Hike, Bike & Kayak tour.

There's much more to Tuscany than Florence's impressive Renaissance art and architecture – though there'll be plenty of time to explore this! From rolling hills and fruitful vineyards to charming fortified towns with their relaxed vibes, the Tuscan countryside is the Italy that continues to draw you back; the one you fall in love with. Marvel at Tuscany's picturesque countryside on our 10 day Italy Experience tour or on our 8 day Cycle Tuscany tour.

Italy’s enduring capital, the epicenter of the fierce Roman Empire – Rome is a living, breathing history book. Dive deep into the city’s most iconic sites – the Forum, Colosseum, Trevi Fountain, Spanish Steps – and stumble upon the country within a city: the Vatican. Or simply sip espresso at one of the tiny streetside cafes and watch life go by. Absorb Rome's history on our 8 day Rome to Amalfi tour or on our 8 day Highlights of Italy in Winter tour.

6. Taormina

If mainland Italy is the boot, Sicily is the football. The further south you go, the more relaxed Italians get – so immerse yourself in an island culture full of charm, and a cuisine packed full of arancini and granita. Take a day trip to the charming city of Taormina and visit the world-famous Greek theatre and cathedral, take a dip in pristine coves, or enjoy lunch while looking at the imposing Mt. Etna. Visit Taormina on our 24 day Rome to Sicily adventure.

Eating and drinking

Italy may be the food capital of the world (not exaggerating), but sometimes it can be difficult to know what to eat and where to go.

When eating and drinking through Italy, be sure to walk a street or two away from the tourist attractions to find a restaurant, as they often are cheaper and much more authentic than the ones close by. Be skeptical of menus entirely in English and those with pictures, as this is, again, not the authentic way. Also, bigger is not always better – often, the ‘hole-in-the-wall’ restaurants produce the best food. But above all, go with your gut and follow your eyes and nose, and you will be satisfied.

Sample and sip your way through the best flavors Italy has to offer on our 8-day Italian Real Food Adventure Tour

Must try dishes and drinks in Italy

• Antipasto If any country knows its way around cured meat and vegetables, it’s Italy. Discover salami, olives, artichokes, anchovies, cheeses, grissini, and more, with each board changing depending on what region you find yourself in.
• Pizza If you were asked to describe Italy in one word, chances are someone would yell ‘pizza’. This carby dish of 100% joy is found all over, with regional specialties everywhere you go. And if you’re vegan? No stress – just ask for one of the vegetarian pizzas ‘senza formaggio’ (without cheese) and you’ll be set. Expect to be crucified if you ask for pineapple, though. 
• Pasta Different shapes, different sauces, and different preparations make this one of the world’s most versatile dishes. From a fiery penne arrabbiata and a creamy spaghetti cacio e pepe to a baked gnocchi alla romana, you really can’t go wrong.
• Gelato Traditional Italian flavors like bacio (chocolate hazelnut), amarena (sour cherry), and limone (lemon) are the perfect accompaniment to sightseeing on a hot summer's day. Stack the gusti (flavors) up on a cono (cone) or in a copetta (cup) for a quick snack.
• Wine Italy produces some of the world's best wine, so savor a glass (or three) of Chianti or Sangiovese with dinner. Most regions of Italy produce their own wine, but the area that everyone talks about is the one and only Tuscany.
• Aperitivo A classic Italian pastime, aperitivo hour calls for two things: to find a local restaurant or bar in the early evening, and to order yourself a drink. This is usually a light and dry tonic, but can be wine or a cocktail. It’s usually accompanied by some complimentary nibbles.

Read more about what to eat in Italy

Read more about what to drink in Italy

Geography and environment

Sharing borders with Switzerland , France , Slovenia , and Austria , Italy also encompasses the independent territories of San Marino and Vatican City and includes the islands of Sicily and Sardinia.

Home to mountains, volcanoes, islands, beaches, spectacular cliffs, and expansive stretches of coastline, the natural landscapes of Italy provide dramatic scenery as well as popular places to explore and relax for travelers. The major cities of Italy, although industrialized, still retain buildings, churches, and relics from the past. It's quite common to see modern shops housed in historic cobblestone streets and new Vespas perched beside piazzas.

In smaller cities and more isolated areas, rural life is a whole lot slower. Permaculture remains popular, with many Italians growing fruit and vegetables in their backyards. The traffic and frenetic pace of the cities give way to idyllic olive groves, vineyards, and farmhouses.

8 iconic Italian landscapes

• Capri Be blown away by the shimmering beauty of this sun-bleached island that sits in the middle of a mass of deep blue water. Home to luminous sea caves, stunning cliff faces, and whitewashed buildings, Capri is the perfect setting for a romantic escapade, a relaxing boat ride, or some serious sun-worshipping.
• Tuscany An enchanting mix of rolling green hills, vineyards, simple farmhouses, and charming villages, Tuscan landscapes are effortlessly beautiful. Whether you're cycling around vineyards, hiking through the countryside, or lying in a field of golden grass, Tuscany is made for life in the slow lane.
• Lake Como Lake Como is considered one of the most picturesque slices of Italy. A vast expanse of deep blue water set to a stunning mountainous backdrop dotted with rustic villas and wildflowers, Como is the sparkling jewel of Italy's north, naturally polished to perfection.
• Mount Vesuvius Sitting on the Bay of Naples, the austere beauty of brooding Mt Vesuvius offers a contrast to the luscious green landscapes of the Mediterranean. Mt Vesuvius is still active, but a hike to the summit is possible – and worth it for the views of the bay below.
• Amalfi Coast A journey along the winding roads of the Amalfi Coast offers panoramic sea views, and alluring towns perched on cliffs and beaches bathed in sunlight. Admire landscapes dotted with lemon trees and olive groves and enjoy the gentle sea breezes.
• Sicily Sitting under the watchful eye of moody Mt Etna, Sicily is a taste of authentic Italy. Surrounded by a sea of turquoise speckled with volcanic islands, Sicily boasts diverse landscapes of rocky mountains, rural pastures, ancient ruins, and villages steeped in history.
• The Dolomites Carpeted in wildflowers during summer and covered in a blanket of white snow during winter, the Dolomites are a breathtaking sight in any season. Whether you're hiking the trails during summer or skiing downhill during winter, you’ll soon realize why the Dolomites have such a mighty reputation.
• Le Cinque Terre A quintessential Italian sight, the Cinque Terre, or Five Lands, is a destination to be cherished. Walk the rocky path over steep cliffs and past character-filled villages perched beside the sea. Wander past shady trees, gardens, and groves as the sea reflects the sun’s rays. This is panoramic perfection!

Italians are known for their style and this is reflected in their designer fashion and furniture. Be prepared to part with money – shopping in Italy can get quite expensive – but the quality of handmade and tailored items is generally exceptional.

Things to buy

• Clothing Milan, Rome, and other big cities are packed with high-end designer fashion boutiques, chic outlets, and tailors. Wherever you are in Italy, you're guaranteed to get the latest fashions straight from the catwalks of Europe.
• Colorful ceramics Vibrant, hand-painted ceramic bowls, jugs, and glasses can be found in the shops and markets of the Amalfi Coast and Sicily – a perfect reminder of the Mediterranean. If you do happen to head to the island of Murano in Venice, be sure to check out their renowned glassware.
• Masks Venice is filled with shops selling elaborate, handcrafted masquerade masks. These colorful creations look great hung on walls and are a true Venetian keepsake.
• Leather footwear, bags and accessories Florence and Rome are hotspots for sourcing gorgeous handmade leather items. Splash out on an 'investment purchase' – a leather handbag that will last a lifetime. You deserve it.
• Italian foodstuffs Now, this one you’ve got to be careful with, but if you know your limits, you’ll be eating and drinking authentically when you arrive home. Infused olive oils, syrupy balsamic vinegar, local dried pasta, limoncello, and more – all (likely) fine to pack carefully in your luggage and take home. Be careful with anything fresh or unsealed, though, or you might be in for a hefty fine if you try to get them back home.

It's a good idea to check with your local customs officials to ensure that you are able to bring certain items back into your home country.

Top Italian events and festivals 

Keep the ‘festa’ (or party) going in Italy with festivals and events all around the country. If there’s something going on in Italy, you know that food and drink is somehow involved, too.

1. Regata Storica di Venezia (Venice Historical Regatta)

For four days, Venice’s romantic gondolas take second place on the scenic canals to races featuring the world’s best rowers. Dating back to the 13th century, this historic event is held on the first Sunday of September each year.

2. Natale di Roma (Rome’s Birthday Celebrations)

Every April, Rome throws itself an epic birthday bash and parties like it’s 753 BC. Gladiator battles, historic re-enactments, equestrian events, parades, and concerts are all part of this three-day throwback to ancient Roman times.

3. Pasqua (Easter)

Beautifully decorated shop windows, colorful painted eggs, church services, parades, feasts, and fireworks make Easter a wonderful time to visit and be immersed in traditional Italian cultures. A huge Easter celebration mass is held at St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican, followed by an address from the Pope at noon. There are many festive recipes rolled out for Easter, too, including the colomba – a dove-shaped cake flavored with almond.

5. Carnevale

Each city may celebrate differently, but Carnevale festivities in the lead-up to Lent are always a raucous affair in Italy. Venice celebrates with masked parties. Viareggio opts for parades featuring floats, costumes, and enormous papier-mache puppets, and Turin hosts the Battle of the Oranges – a spectacular food fight with, you guessed it, oranges.

6. Verona Opera Festival

The country that gave the world opera hosts the oldest opera festival in Verona each summer in the historic Verona Arena, a massive first-century Roman amphitheater.

Read more about festivals in Italy

Further reading

For inspiring stories to prepare you for your Italy adventure, check out these books:

• The Name of the Rose – Umberto Eco
• I’m Not Scared – Niccolo Ammaniti
• The Divine Comedy – Dante Alighieri
• Naples ‘44 – Norman Lewis
• Call Me By Your Name – Andre Aciman
• The Sicilian – Mario Puzo
• Ancient Rome: The Rise and Fall of an Empire – Simon Baker
• A Thousand Days in Venice – Marlena de Blasi

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Italy travel FAQs

Do i need a covid-19 vaccine to join an intrepid trip.

Trips from 1 January 2023 onwards

From 1 January 2023, Intrepid will no longer require travelers to provide proof of vaccination against COVID-19 (excluding all Polar trips and select adventure cruises).

However, we continue to strongly recommend that all Intrepid travelers and leaders get vaccinated to protect themselves and others.

Specific proof of testing or vaccination may still be required by your destination or airline. Please ensure you check travel and entry requirements carefully.

Do you need a visa for Italy?

Generally, you will not need a visa to travel to Italy for a period of up to 90 days. Some citizens of a select few nationalities may need to obtain a Schengen visa before traveling to Italy. For more information, contact the Italian embassy or consulate in your home country.

This page is for general information only and may be subject to change. It is your responsibility to obtain relevant visa and travel information required for entry, departure and travel to each country or region you visit on your trip. You should confirm these with the relevant embassies and/or consulates. 

Last updated: 06/06/2023

Do I need to purchase travel insurance before traveling?

Absolutely. All passengers traveling with Intrepid are required to purchase travel insurance before the start of their trip. Your travel insurance details will be recorded by your leader on the first day of the trip. Due to the varying nature, availability and cost of health care around the world, travel insurance is very much an essential and necessary part of every journey.

For more information on insurance, please go to: Travel Insurance

Is tipping customary in Italy?

Tipping isn’t customary in Italy, but it is appreciated. Feel free to leave a small amount if the service has been particularly good. Some restaurants will add a cover charge or ‘servizio’ to your bill.

What is the internet access like in Italy?

Italy, like the rest of Europe , is well connected. Wi-fi is almost always available at larger hotels and guesthouses, either included in your room price, or for a small additional fee. Some smaller accommodations, such as rural guesthouses and homestays, may not have wi-fi available, or the signal may be patchy.

Many fast food chains, bars and restaurants also offer wi-fi connectivity, often with an access code located on a purchase receipt. Look out for the international wi-fi symbol, or politely ask a waiter if the option is available. Some major Italian cities also offer public wi-fi hotspots with registration.

If you do not have your own device, there are still some internet cafes in Italy’s major cities.

Can I use my cell phone while in Italy?

Cell coverage is generally good in Italy. Your best (and often cheapest) option is to purchase a local SIM card when arriving in Italy if your phone is compatible and unlocked.

There is also the option to activate global roaming with your service provider before leaving home. Check the roaming charges before you leave home, as this option can often be highly expensive.

What are the toilets like in Italy?

Western-style flushable toilets are the norm in Italy.

Public toilets are not in abundance in Italy, so your best bet is to use the facilities in museums, galleries, department stores, train stations and restaurants. You may have to pay a small fee to use public toilets – ranging from around EUR 0.50 to EUR 2.

What will it cost for a…?

Italy’s unit of currency is the euro (EUR). Here's what you can expect to pay for a:

• Cup of coffee = EUR € 1.50
• Small gelato cone = EUR € 2-3
• A glass of beer = EUR € 4-5
• Bottle of wine in a restaurant = EUR € 10
• Mid-range meal at a restaurant = EUR € 30-40

Can I drink the water in Italy?

Drinking water from taps in Italy is generally considered safe. For environmental reasons, try to avoid buying bottled water. Fill a reusable water bottle or canteen with filtered water instead.

Are credit cards accepted widely in Italy?

Major credit cards are widely accepted by stores in Italy. Smaller cafes, shops and markets may not accept credit cards, and smaller museums or galleries may charge an entry fee in cash only, so ensure you carry enough cash to cover small purchases.

What is ATM access like in Italy?

ATMs are common in Italy, so finding one won't be a problem in most towns and cities. Beware of transaction fees that ATMs charge and the conversion rates they may offer, as they are often much worse than what your card offers.

What public holidays are celebrated in Italy?

• 1 Jan: New Year’s Day (Capodanno)
• 6 Jan: Epiphany (Epifania)
• *Mar/Apr: Easter Sunday (Pasqua)
• *Mar/Apr: Easter Monday (Pasquetta)
• 25 Apr: Liberation Day (Giorno della Liberazione)
• 1 May: Labour Day (Festa del Lavoro)
• 2 Jun: Republic Day (Festa della Repubblica)
• 15 Aug: Feast of the Assumption (Ferragosto)
• 1 Nov: All Saint’s Day (Festa di Ognisanti)
• 8 Dec: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Festa dell’Immacolata Concezione)
• 25 Dec: Christmas Day (Natale)
• 26 Dec: St Stephen’s Day (Festa di Santo Stefano)

Please note, Italy public holidays may vary.

Is Italy safe for LGBTQIA+ travelers?

Italy is mostly a safe destination for LGBTQIA+ travelers. Same-sex relationships are legal and are largely accepted, with civil unions entrenched in law since 2016. Same-sex marriage is currently not legal. There are some anti-discrimination laws to protect sexual orientation and gender identity.

In more rural and regional areas, overt displays of affection can attract negative responses in smaller towns, which tend to be more conservative. Rome, Milan and Bologna have the largest gay scenes, and Florence and Naples have a handful of LGBTQIA+-friendly venues too.

For more detailed and up-to-date advice, we recommend visiting Equaldex  or  ILGA before you travel.

If you are traveling solo on an Intrepid group tour, you will share accommodation with a passenger of the same gender as per your passport information. If you don’t identify with the gender assigned on your passport, please let us know at time of booking and we’ll arrange the rooming configuration accordingly. A single supplement is available on some tours for travelers who do not wish to share a room.

When is the best time to visit Italy?

Italy enjoys a temperate climate most of the year, with June, July and August the warmest months. Popular tourist spots get very busy and crowded during the European summer, but don’t let that deter you – the sun will be shining, and the gelato will be served icy cold.

The shoulder seasons of April–May and September–October offer great conditions for travel, with milder temperatures and fewer crowds at main sights and beaches. Even though it’s not as hot, you’re still set for some warmer conditions and more pleasant temperatures to walk around cities like Rome and Florence.

It can get quite cold in the winter months, especially in the north, with cities like Milan, Turin and Venice often seeing snow, fog and rain in December and January. Major coastal tourist spots like the Amalfi Coast and Cinque Terre can be very quiet during winter with many establishments closing at this time, so it might be best to visit in the warmer months if these places interest you.

What is the weather like in Italy?

As you can tell from a world map, Italy is a pretty long country compared to its European neighbors. This gives it one of the more diverse climates in Europe , with mountainous zones in the north and dry arid landscapes in the south graced with all different types of weather.

Much of the inland northern regions have harsh winters and hot summers, while coastal areas of Liguria, Tuscany and the south of Italy generally fit that Mediterranean stereotype, with hot and dry summers and mild winters. The east coast of the Italian peninsula is not as wet as the west coast, but in winter, the east coast is usually colder.

Generally, Italy’s hottest month in the south is August and can reach upwards of 104°F, while the north hits its peak in July and has slightly milder maximums. January is the coldest month throughout the country.

What to pack for Italy?

You’ll need to consider the time of year you want to travel, plus the places you’re travelling to so you can work out what you should wear in Italy.

In summer, loose-fitting cotton clothing like light t-shirts and shorts or light trousers, is recommended no matter what part of the country you’re in. During the transitioning seasons of April-May and September-October, packing a jacket and long pants is encouraged so you can layer, if needed.

Winter brings snow and sub-zero temperatures to the north of the country, so if you’re travelling in Milan or the Piedmont region, pack warm clothing, such as thermals and thick jackets. A scarf and gloves are encouraged too. For the south, you may not need all the heavy stuff, but having warm, windproof and waterproof gear is advisable.

If you wish to visit the Sistine Chapel and other churches and religious sites in the Vatican City and beyond, it is highly recommended that men and women wear clothing that covers shoulders and knees, any time of year. If you are found to be wearing immodest clothing by security guards or staff, you will be denied entry.

Read more about weather in Italy

Is Italy accessible for travellers with disabilities?

Intrepid is committed to making travel widely accessible, regardless of ability or disability. That’s why we do our best to help as many people see the world as possible, whatever physical or mental limitations they might have. We’re always happy to talk to travelers with disabilities and see if we can help choose the most suitable itinerary and, where possible, make reasonable adjustments to our itineraries.

Despite Italy’s charm and old-town feel, travelers with mobility and sight or hearing impairments may find it difficult to travel around the country independently. Old cobbled streets and pavements blocked by parked cars are the norm, making it difficult for wheelchair users.

Despite this, much of Italy’s public transport system is mobility friendly. The service ‘Sala Blu’ (Blue Hall) is provided to travellers who require assistance at the 14 main train stations around Italy. These services include providing a wheelchair, a representative to accompany you to your train, another to meet at the other end, lift service to get on and off the train, and free use of baggage trolleys.

Many of Italy’s most-visited attractions, like the Colosseum, Vatican museums and the Uffizi Gallery, are almost entirely wheelchair accessible, with ramps and lifts available. Venice may be considered the least accessible, but it is possible. Bridges between canals should be avoided, but vaporettos (or water taxis) can be used, especially the routes along the Grand Canal.

If you do live with a visual, hearing or other impairment, let your booking agent or group leader know early on so they’re aware and suitable arrangements can be made. As a general rule, knowing some common words in the local language, carrying a written itinerary with you and taking to the streets in a group, rather than solo, can help make your travel experience the best it can be.

How do I stay safe and healthy while traveling?

From Australia?

Go to: Smart Traveller

From Canada?

Go to:  Canada Travel Information

From the UK?

Go to:  UK Foreign Travel Advice

From New Zealand?

Go to:  Safe Travel

From the US?

Go to:  US Department of State

The World Health Organisation also provides useful health information.

What kind of accommodation will I be staying in?

Traveling with Intrepid is a little bit different. We endeavor to provide travelers with an authentic experience to remember, so we try to keep accommodation as unique and traditional as possible.

When traveling with us in Italy you may find yourself staying in a:

Agriturismo (farmstay)

Your time in Italy is further enhanced with an agriturismo, or farmstay, experience. Immerse yourself in a picturesque setting overlooking the countryside, with food and relaxation the main focus.

How will I be traveling around Italy?

Intrepid believes half the fun of experiencing a new country is getting there, and getting around once there! Where possible, Intrepid uses local transport options and traditional modes of transport – which usually have less of an environmental impact, support small local operators and are heaps more fun.

Depending on which trip you're on while in Italy, you may find yourself traveling by bicycle.

Whether it’s riding through fields of grass scattered with wildflowers or past quaint buildings down cobblestone lanes, taking a quick spin around town or tackling the towering Dolomites, two wheels open up so many options.

What better way to see Italy’s island of Sardinia or the Amalfi coast than on a small-group sailing adventure? Cruise past idyllic islands to fabulous shore stops dotted around the Mediterranean.

Does my trip to Italy support The Intrepid Foundation?

Yes, all Intrepid trips support the Intrepid Foundation. In fact, we make a donation on behalf of every traveler. Trips to Italy directly support our foundation partner, Cooperativa Coraggio.

Cooperativa Coraggio

Cooperativa Coraggio set up agricultural projects on unused public land to create local jobs and produce organic food in communities in Italy. Donations from our trips help their regeneration project on 22 hectares of land at Borghetto San Carlo Estate, located on the outskirts of Rome.  

Intrepid will double the impact by dollar-matching all post-trip donations made to The Intrepid Foundation.

What is it like traveling on a small group tour?

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or you’re about to embark on your first trip, traveling can be as intimidating as it is exciting. That's the beauty of a small group tour. From handling the logistics and organizing amazing cultural activities to local leaders who know each destination like the back of their hand (like which street has the best markets and where to get the most authentic food), traveling on a small group tour with Intrepid will give you unforgettable travel experiences without the hassle that comes with exploring a new place. Plus, you'll have ready-made friends to share the journey with. All you have to do is turn up with a healthy sense of adventure and we’ll take care of the rest.

Does my Intrepid trip include airfare?

While our Intrepid trips include many modes of transport, from tuk-tuks to overland vehicles, bullet trains and feluccas, airfare to and from your home country is not included in your tour package.

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The best of Italian trips unlocked for you

Experience Italy differently. Enjoy one-of-a-kind experiences and uncover local secrets when our friends across the country open their doors to you. Here’s just a sample of the rich experiences you can expect.

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“Uffizi Gallery in Florence is a world class museum with an incredible renaissance art collection. Enjoy a guided tour with a Local Specialist to make the experience more memorable, especially when in front of Botticelli’s stunning ‘Birth of Venus’ painting”

Pino, Travel Director

See Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel

One of the most important structures of the Catholic faith, the Vatican City’s Sistine Chapel is a must-see on a tour of Italy. Though the chapel walls have witnessed centuries of worship, it’s the renaissance ceiling paintings of Michelangelo that will leave you in awe.

Visit the glamorous Isle of Capri

Enjoy the classic Italian summer in Italy’s picture-perfect Gulf of Naples. Famed for its crystal grottos, dramatic coastlines and endless glamour, our trips to Italy are complete with a day of freedom spent under a striped umbrella, watching sailboats pass by.

Cruise your way through Venice

The charm found in the canals of Venice is nothing short of irresistible. Admire gothic palaces and postcard bridges whilst adrift in a gondola, gaining an understanding of life in a city that floats. Exploring a city by foot will never be the same after a trip to Venice.

Journey to the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii

An unfathomable history lesson is found in the archaeological ruins of Pompeii. Buried and preserved by the ash of a volcano eruption in the year 79, in this Italian town you will discover the progressive life of early Roman times as you walk within the parameters of an open-air time capsule of life on Earth.

Go shopping in Italy's fashion capital Milan

Armani, Gucci, Prada and Versace. These are some of the prestigious fashion brands that call the Italian city of Milan home. In between yearning through boutiques and department stores, stop to sample the city’s delicacies like breaded veal cutlet and ossobuco.

Our top 5 things to do in Italy

It's the moments of quiet stillness that take your breath away on a Trafalgar tour through Italy. Sitting in the calm halls of the Vatican. Floating on the canals of Venice. Standing beside the ruins of Pompeii.

Uffizi Gallery

The Tuscan capital is home to Uffizi Gallery, where the brushworks of art’s true masters are found. Names like Raffaello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo dress Uffizi’s grand pink walls, whilst internal courtyards leading to the Arno River will show you the building’s architectural brilliance.

Vatican Museums

A collection of Christian artwork that spans centuries and stirs the soul is found in Rome’s Vatican Museums. From the intricate ceiling by Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel to the detailed Pope portraits from the 16th century to today, you will be lost for words once inside this blessed museum complex.

Doge's Palace

Home to the leader of Venice from its opening in 1340, Doge’s Palace summarizes the sparkle of this city. An opulent example of Venetian Gothic architecture and home to numerous historical works, this museum is a must when you visit Venice.

Best museums in Italy

The epicenter of the Catholic faith and the birthplace of art’s most renowned masters. Our guided tours of Italy will take you to the many museums found here, whether in the Sistine Chapel, by the canals of Venice or in the grand galleries of Tuscany.

The authentic carbonara experience will take place in Rome, covered in salty Pecorino Romano cheese. A simple dish inspiring heart-warming meal times, this pasta will connect you with Italy’s rich culinary customs - an impressive evolution from its supposed heritage as a coal-miner’s meal.

Pollo alla Cacciatora

Literally translating to ‘hunter’ in Italian, cacciatore offers an appreciation for Italy’s meals of days gone by. Typically a preparation of rabbit or chicken, it’s the simmering tomato stew that makes this dish so mouthwatering. Satisfy a genuine hunger and consume with hand-ripped bread.

Italy tours are best served with an oversized slice of tiramisu. Cementing this country's obsession with espresso, this cake of layered biscuits soaked in coffee is the perfect after hours pick-me-up before an evening stroll through the charming streets.

Best food in Italy

A date with Italian food will likely start and end with a slice of pizza. But it’s the menu items that we share with you in between that will take your appreciation to new heights; think cacciatore and Carbonara with a slice of tiramisu in between.

What to pack for Italy

A classic linen outfit

The Italians are famous for their equal parts glamorous and effortless dress sense. Look the part with a few ensembles featuring classic linens in navy and white.

A blank journal

With the wealth of inspiration tucked into every corner of Italy, you might find yourself compelled to write down notes or memories. At the very least to remember the traditional Italian recipes you learn.

With such a large expanse of space to explore, on some days, long journeys are unavoidable. The scenery will provide plenty of visual entertainment, while headphones can be used to listen to some local music or enjoy podcasts about Italian history, culture and politics when you're not enjoying the storytelling from your Travel Director.

A small blanket

When exploring the soul-stirring setting of Tuscany, a picnic may call. Come prepared with a small blanket to cover in wine and cheese.

Under the Tuscan Sun by Frances Mayes

A classic memoir that brought the romance of Tuscany to the world, there’s no better time to read this book than when venturing through the country yourself.

Pack for sustainable travel

Consider your environmental impact when you next take a trip and go single-use-plastic-free by packing a reusable water bottle, a steel straw, your own shopping bags and reusable toiletry bottles.

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Classic Italy

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Uniquely Tauck

EXPERIENCE WITH TAUCK

TAUCK'S YELLOW ROADS – Encounter spectacular scenery around every bend on a drive along the celebrated Amalfi Coast – the perfect blending of earth, sea and sky

TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – After-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, without the crowds – see the Vatican treasures at your own pace

TAUCK EXCLUSIVE – Learn about the masters of the Renaissance in Florence when an art historian shares insights about what you'll see inside the Galleria dell'Accademia and during your special after-hours visit to the Uffizi Galleries

TAUCK EXCLUSIVE –   Avoid the lines and the crowds during an exclusive after-hours tour of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, when it's closed to the public and it's all yours to savor

TAUCK VALUE INCLUDES

A boat cruise along the Mediterranean shores of Cinque Terre for an in-depth look at these remote, centuries-old coastal villages (weather permitting)

SEE WHAT YOUR JOURNEY INCLUDES

Active components such as hiking, bicycling and walking longer distances may be included, and hills and/or uneven terrain may be encountered on several days. Guests should be able to walk two to three miles and stand for long periods of time with no difficulty.

Often robust – may include long days, active sightseeing, early starts, evening activities, significant travel times.

Along Europe's Scenic "Yellow Roads"

Think of Italy and a host of images comes to mind... the glories of Rome, taking shape in the now silent roars of the Colosseum, priceless works of art by Michelangelo and other famed Italian artists whose masterpieces eternally evoke awe in Europe's greatest museums...

Discover bella Italia on one of Tauck's most popular journeys... in scenic Tuscan hill towns, centuries-old cities and countryside villages, and along the Amalfi Coast… in the treasures of Florence, coloring an era of enlightenment with a rich palette of paintings and architecture by Renaissance luminaries like da Vinci, Botticelli and Brunelleschi... along saltwater roads in Venice lined with magnificent palaces frozen in time... in sun-dappled Tuscan villages, medieval icons reigning over vineyard-draped landscapes that produce wines and foods that are regionally inspired, locally flavored and ultimately delizioso... and on an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel for an extraordinary look at ageless masterpieces – without the crowds – during a three-night stay in the Eternal City...

A trattoria lunch in Orvieto

Enjoy lunch at a traditional trattoria in orvieto.

By definition, an Italian "trattoria" is an eatery that's a bit more formal than an "osteria" (which traditionally emphasize wine over the simple food they serve) but less formal than a "ristorante." In any case, the typical trattoria is a casual, welcoming establishment that serves plentiful portions of well-prepared local or regional specialties, often "family style" and without a printed menu. While visiting the Umbrian hill town of Orvieto, you'll enjoy a traditional lunch at just such a place – a trattoria about which one guest said, "the ambiance is rustic and down to earth... I almost felt like I was in someone's welcoming home dining room..."

The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Nights 9, 10 and 11

Enjoy your own personal Renaissance at The Westin Excelsior, Florence

The Westin Excelsior, Florence is an undisputed masterpiece in its own right: a stunning Renaissance palace with cutting-edge contemporary interiors, flawlessly paired with unique Renaissance features. The perfect mix of style and design, each of its guest rooms and suites is beautifully decorated in period style, offering a taste of Florentine tradition. No wonder it's been voted one of the 500 best hotels in the world by the readers of Travel + Leisure…

Ancient Pompeii... frozen in time

Back to 1st century pompeii.

Pompeii was a prosperous Roman city with a population of approximately 27,000 souls until August 24, 79 AD – the fateful day that Mount Vesuvius erupted and completely buried it and its inhabitants under a blanket of volcanic ash. And there it sat until its discovery by an architect more than 1,500 years later. It would be another 150 years before some of the world's earliest archaeologists began excavating the site in the 1740s, slowly revealing a city frozen in time. Today, as you walk with a local guide among the remains of Pompeii's buildings and streets – still an active archaeological site – you'll get a firsthand glimpse of what life might have been like in the Roman Empire during the 1st century AD.

From start to finish, this trip was so wonderful... Every day was special; I think I might actually take this same tour again in a few years!

2022 Tauck Guest

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Sorrento, Italy

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About Booking This Tour

Required Documents

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally , you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Italy; however, you do not need a visa for the short duration of this tour.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally , you should contact an embassy or consulate of Italy to determine what travel documentation is required.

Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

How to Book a Tour

See your travel advisor, or call Tauck at 800-468-2825 to make a reservation.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready for all members of your party:

• Tour Name and Departure Date
• Traveler's Name: First and last names as they appear on your passport or driver's license
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Email Address*
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)*
• Emergency Contact Information: Please provide the name and phone number  of a relative or friend (not travelling with you) whom we could contact during the tour in the unlikely event of an emergency
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection plan (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares

* Required Fields

Deposits & Final Payment

Deposits and fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking.

The deposit amount is $600 per person

Final Payments:

Final Payment is due to Tauck  60  days before departure for lands trips, and  120  days before departure for cruises and rail journeys. If your deposit was made by credit card, final payment will be automatic unless you opted out at time of booking. Bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice. Failure to make payment will be a considered a cancellation by the guest and all applicable cancellation fees will apply.

Travel Protection Plan

Effective for plans purchased as of July 1, 2021:

Tauck's Guest Protection

Tauck's Guest Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins as well as insurance benefits while you are traveling. Guest Protection includes the following:

Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:

Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON up to the day before departure and receive a money-back refund (except in Extreme Circumstances*) on the land tour cost, based on your original method of payment.

*Extreme Circumstances:  In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.

Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

• Trip Cancellation –  If you must cancel your tour due to a covered reason, the plan provides coverage for the amount you paid for your travel arrangements. Since the non-insurance cancellation waiver takes care of the land package cancellation fees already, this benefit reimburses the airfare cancellation charges up to the value of your original airfare purchase.
• Trip Interruption –  If you have to interrupt your tour for covered reasons, the plan provides reimbursement to catch up to your tour or return home.
• Travel Delay –  Provides reimbursement for missed, prepaid travel arrangements if you are delayed by a common carrier, natural disaster, unannounced strike, or other reasons as cited in the plan.
• Medical Expense –  Reimburses covered medical expenses incurred in the event you become injured or sick during your trip. 
• Baggage / Personal Effects Protection –  Provides reimbursement in the event your luggage or personal effects are, lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during your trip.
• Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services –  Provided by Carefree Travel Assistance; 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

The cost of Tauck's Guest Protection is: $559  per person

This protection provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.

This optional Guest Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included with initial payment. Fees are based on costs as of July 1, 2021, and are subject to change. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your tour reservation. Guest Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.

The Guest Protection plan waives cancellation fees outlined below, provided we are notified of cancellation before your tour departs. Tour cancellation fees are waived regardless of reason, without written notice, and Tauck will refund land tour cost.

To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit  affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACGPPINTL .

If You Have To Cancel

If you cancel within 10 days of initial deposit Within the first 10 days after you place your initial deposit, you may cancel your reservation for any reason with no cancellation fees. If you cancel more than 10 days after initial deposit Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from our travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. These fees vary from tour to tour. Therefore, the following fees apply.

Cancellation Fees with Tauck's Guest Protection Plan:

Loss of Guest Protection fee, per person 

Cancellation Fees without Tauck's Guest Protection Plan :

60 days or more before departure = $600 per person

59-8 days before departure = $900 per person

7-1 days before departure = $1500 per person

Time of cancellation will be when notice is received in our Wilton Woods, CT office.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.

Note:  All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Guest Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services described above, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.

Travel Terms and Conditions

Click here  to find Tauck's Travel Terms & Conditions.

Travel Requirements For This Tour

Air Information and Luggage Restrictions

AIRFARE:  Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS:   are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE:   Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much stricter in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

Health, Safety and Mobility

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

VACCINATIONS  

If you are a resident of the U.S.,  no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Italy. For complete vaccination and inoculation information please contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to obtain information regarding vaccinations that may be required for your journey. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking  here.

If you are a resident of another country,  please contact an embassy or consulate of Italy to determine what vaccination(s) may be required for your travel.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide bottled water on the motor coaches.

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

Classic Italy covers 1,270 mi (2,043 km) and, though paced to accommodate all our guests, is nonetheless an active and extensive tour. To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. Italy is home to innumerable historic buildings and sites, some dating from antiquity. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture will present difficulties for some guests with physical disabilities. You will encounter cobblestone streets, narrow passageways, and some steep and winding staircases. For the most part, however, the amount of walking you do at the various sites and towns is at your discretion.

In addition, coach travel along the many "Yellow Roads" on this tour are very windy and may cause you some discomfort if you are prone to motion sickness. If you are, we advise bringing motion sickness remedies or medication with you.

We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters.  Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it. 

Reading List

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list  here.

The weather in Italy is temperate and unpredictable. Generally, spring and fall average high temperatures range from 55 to 75°F (13 to 24°C) and summer high temperatures range from 75 to 85°F (24 to 29°C). Rain falls evenly throughout the year in Venice, but more seasonally in Rome and Sorrento, where summers are dryer than winters. Venice experiences very high humidity, with hot weather in July and August. Due to its location on the Adriatic coast, Venice often experiences thunderstorms and rain showers which, particularly in spring and autumn, tend to cause flooding, known as the 'acqua alta'.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to the Internet website by clicking here.

What To Pack

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with Necessary Gear who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site .

When packing for your trip to Italy, it is important to keep in mind the time of year you are traveling and the current weather conditions for that time. The climate of northern Italy ranges from Alpine near Switzerland to continental along the Po River to Venice. Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is generally customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket for men are acceptable dining attire. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but certainly be comfortable.

Most Catholic churches in Italy require that your knees and shoulders be covered when you enter, even during the hot days of summer.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. By law in Italy, irons and ironing boards are not made available to guests at hotels. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are available for a fee.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

Following is a list of recommended items to pack for your trip to northern Italy:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• An optional jacket and tie for men
• Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function (many hotels do not have clocks in the rooms)
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Reusable zipper-lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling

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Giro d'Italia 2024 – the comprehensive team guide

Get the lowdown on all 22 teams at La Corsa Rosa, from leaders and riders to watch to their main objectives

Alpecin-Deceuninck

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The first Grand Tour of 2024 gets underway on May 4th when the Giro d'Italia begins in Turin. Tadej Pogačar is the main attraction as he makes his Giro debut as part of an attempt to win both the Tour of Italy and Tour de France.

UAE Team Emirates aren't the only outfit to watch, with prime contenders coming from Ineos Grenadiers who will be backing last year's runner-up Geraint Thomas, and Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale behind leader Ben O'Connor.

Visma-Lease a Bike come into the race missing Wout van Aert and hoping that Cian Uijtdebroeks can challenge for the GC, and Movistar's newest hire, Nairo Quintana, is chasing stages after separating his collarbone in a crash at the Volta a Catalunya and lacking the form to race for the overall classification.

Other teams will be fully focussed on stage wins or minor classifications like the points, mountains or new Intergiro competition.

Cyclingnews will provide comprehensive coverage of the 2024 Giro d'Italia, with live minute-by-minute coverage every day, full stage reports, as well as interviews, breaking news, race analysis, and the latest news and tech from our team around the world and on the ground in Italy.

Get unlimited access to all of our coverage of the Giro d'Italia from every stage of the race as it happens and more.  Find out more.

• Team leader: Kaden Groves
• Objective: Stage wins, points classification
• Riders to watch: Quinten Hermans
• Riders: Kaden Groves, Tobias Bayer, Nicola Conci, Quinten Hermans, Jimmy Janssens, Timo Kielich, Edward Planckaert, Fabio van den Bossche

Kaden Groves leads Alpecin-Deceuninck into the fourth Grand Tour of his career following successes at both the Vuelta a España and Giro d'Italia over the previous two seasons.

Last year, the Australian enjoyed the best season of his career with seven wins, including two stages at the Volta a Catalunya and a victory in Salerno at this race. He'd round off his year with three wins and the points jersey at the Vuelta, confirming his arrival as one of the peloton's top sprinters.

This May, he heads back to Italy facing a sterner test with a far stronger field of sprinters than he faced in Spain, where Filippo Gann was often his closest competitor. He's also endured a slow start to the season, with no victories to date and ninth on stage 5 of the UAE Tour his sole top-10 placing.

Still, he's the main man for the Belgian team in Italy, and there's room to grow into the race with stage 5 looking like the first of five nailed-on sprint days (stages 3 and 4 look a tough ask for all but the hardiest fast men).

With the team's biggest stars Mathieu van der Poel and Jasper Philipsen focussed on July's Tour de France, Welsford and the rest of his team will enjoy the freedom to get out and fight for stage wins across the three weeks, even if there are no real mountain goats in the squad.

Look out for Quinten Hermans in the hunt for stages. The Belgian hasn't since hit the heights of a 2022 season which saw him podium at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but he took his first win in two years at Itzulia Basque Country and he's strong in the hills.

Expect riders such as Edward Planckaert , Jimmy Janssens , and Tobias Bayer to figure in the lead-out train for Groves as well as heading out into the breakaway to seek their own chances. (DO)

• Team leader:  David Dekker
• Objective:  Stage wins
• Riders to watch:  Jenthe Biermans, Ewen Costiou
• Riders:  Jenthe Biermans, Louis Barre, Ewen Costiou, David Dekker, Donavan Grondin, Michel Ries, Alan Riou, Alessandro Verre

The French squad aren't one of the strongest squads in the WorldTour and that – plus their understandable focus on the Tour de France – shows in their Giro d'Italia selection.

The team are without their main stars in Classics man Luca Mozzato, sprinter Arnaud Démare, and hill climber Kévin Vauquelin. Instead, the eight-man squad is a definite 'B team', with Dutchman David Dekker likely their best chance at success.

Dekker has yet to win a race at professional level, though he did come close at the Giro last year, missing out in the stage 2 sprint as Jonathan Milan sped to victory. This year, his best results have been podium spots at the GP Monseré and a stage at the Région Pays de la Loire Tour.

Elsewhere, riders such as Jenthe Biermans and Ewen Costiou have both tasted success this year – at Pays de la Loire and the Route Adélie de Vitré – though neither will be among the first names anybody reaches for when tipping stage winners.

Look out for the team in breakaways, which figure to be their best chance at victory without a top-tier sprinter or climber on board. (DO)

• Team leader:  Lorenzo Fortunato
• Objective:  GC top 15, stage wins
• Riders to watch:  Max Kanter
• Riders:  Simone Velasco, Davide Ballerini, Anthon Charmig, Lorenzo Fortunato, Max Kanter, Henok Mulueberhan, Vadim Pronskiy, Christian Scaroni

Climber Lorenzo Fortunato , he of the breakaway Monte Zoncolan victory three years ago, leads a struggling Astana Qazaqstan into the first Grand Tour of the season. The Kazakhstani squad is well down in the UCI rankings and will be desperate to pick up points in order to hang on to their WorldTour status in future.

The Italian represents their best chance at success on the GC and in the mountains here, having twice finished inside the top 16 during his time at Eolo-Kometa. He hasn't had much to shout about this season, barring a top 10 at Tirreno-Adriatico, though he does have GC success at the Vuelta Asturias and Adriatica Ionica Race on his palmarès. One to watch when the road angles upwards.

Fellow new signings for 2024, Davide Ballerini and Max Kanter , will be hoping for glory on flatter ground. The two fastmen won't have Mark Cavendish or Cees Bol to lead out here, but they'll instead hope to replicate recent success at the Tour of Turkey.

On stage 2, albeit among a far weaker sprint field than the Giro's, Ballerini led out Kanter for the German's first win in his new colours and indeed the first win of his career. Could the confidence boost bring him another victory in Italy?

Elsewhere, Italian champion Simone Velasco and fellow former Gazprom-RusVelo man Cristian Scaroni will be leading the team's charge in the breakaways and on hilly ground, though likely not so much in the higher mountains. (DO)

• Team leader:  Damiano Caruso
• Objective:  GC top 5
• Riders to watch:  Antonio Tiberi, Phil Bauhaus
• Riders:  Antonio Tiberi, Rainer Kepplinger, Phil Bauhaus, Damiano Caruso, Andrea Pasqualon, Wout Poels, Jasha Dimitri Sütterlin, Torstein Træen

As one of the more GC-focussed teams at the race, Bahrain Victorious look to head to Italy with at least a top 5 placing in Rome in their minds. 36-year-old Damiano Caruso , a veteran of 18 Grand Tours will lead the charge once again.

The Sicilian was a career-best second here three years ago and was fourth last time out, though over three minutes away from the last step on the podium. He figures to be the team's best bet for success this May, even if he's getting on in years and has shown very little in the way of form this spring, including at the Tour de Romandie.

Instead, plenty of eyes will be on Antonio Tiberi , the 22-year-old racer still known more for killing the San Marino Minister of Tourism's cat two years ago than anything he's yet achieved on the bike.

That could be slowly changing, however, given Tiberi's increasingly promising performances over the last two seasons. He was 18th at the Vuelta a España last year and took a top 10 in Catalunya in March before finishing third overall at the Tour of the Alps.

Given the swift progress he's been making, a top 15 or even top 10 might not be out of the question for Tiberi, though Caruso is still definitely the man most likely to bring home a major GC result. Wout Poels , sixth at the Tour of the Alps, is in good form, and could also show something, though likely not towards the top of the GC.

Watch out for Phil Bauhaus in the sprints. The German won a tough uphill sprint at Tirreno-Adriatico and has podiums to his name at the Tour Down Under and UAE Tour, too, so he should be in the mix on several flatter stages. (DO)

• Team leaders:  Sam Welsford, Dani Martínez
• Objective:  Stage wins, GC top 5
• Riders to watch:  Florian Lipowitz
• Riders:  Daniel Martinez, Giovanni Aleotti, Jonas Koch, Florian Lipowitz, Ryan Mullen, Maximilian Schachmann, Danny van Poppel, Sam Welsford

With Bora-Hansgrohe's big focus of the season being the Tour de France with new signing Primož Roglič and GC super-domestiques Jai Hindley and Aleksandr Vlasov, it's no surprise that the team's Giro squad has a distinctly 'B Team' feel.

Still, Dani Martínez is a capable GC rider who can count a Giro d'Italia top-five finish on his palmarès, and the team can have hopes of a similar result here.

Martínez endured a down year in 2023, even with a Volta ao Algarve overall win coming early in the spring. A second place and two stage wins at the same race this spring has been his finest display in 2024, though his form is a question mark given he hasn't raced since Tirreno-Adriatico six weeks ago.

Florian Lipowitz isn't a rider many would've felt the need to take note of even as recently as a week ago, but the German climber has made a breakthrough at just the right time, racing to fourth and then a very narrow second on the summit finishes at the Tour de Romandie. The 23-year-old is likely to end his third career WorldTour stage race with a podium and is now certainly one to watch on his Grand Tour debut.

Giovanni Aleotti and Max Schachmann will all be on hand for GC support while also being capable of striking out on their own when they get the chance.

Away from the GC battle, Australian sprinter Sam Welsford is the man to watch for Bora-Hansgrohe, with Ryan Mullen on hand as pilot fish. The 28-year-old has been a late bloomer, turning pro just two seasons ago, but has racked up four WorldTour wins since last summer.

The former track star made his Grand Tour debut at last year's Tour and the main objective of his second three-week outing this May will be adding a first Grand Tour stage win to his palmarès. (DO)

• Team leader:  Stefano Oldani
• Riders to watch:  Kenny Elissonde, Stanisław Aniołkowski
• Riders:  Stefano Oldani, Stanisław Aniołkowski, Nicolas Debeaumarche, Kenny Elissonde, Rubén Fernández, Simon Geschke, Benjamin Thomas, Harrison Wood

As is the case with Arkéa-B&B Hotels, it's a stretch to say that Cofidis are among the strongest squads at the Giro. Another French team, their Grand Tour priorities lie elsewhere, as shown in their squad selection.

There are no GC names or top-tier sprinters here. Instead, former stage winner and sole Italian in the lineup, Stefano Oldani , heads up the eight-man team. His only career win to date came at the Giro two years ago, triumphing from a large breakaway in Genoa for Alpecin-Fenix.

He's good in the hills and likes to take his chances in the sprints – at last year's Giro, he was in the break three times and scored five top-10 placings. So Oldani looks to be Cofidis' best bet for success here.

Outside of him, the team will be looking for breakaway chances, with a handful of veteran racers likely to lead the charge. Kenny Elissonde , Simon Geschke , and Rubén Fernández are the men in question, though none of the trio have yet taken a top-10 result in 2024.

Polish rider Stanisław Aniołkowski , newly signed from the defunct Human Powered Health team, is another name to watch. He's a fast finisher and has taken top-five results at the UAE Tour and Tirreno-Adriatico so far this season. (DO)

• Team leader:  Ben O'Connor
• Objective:  GC podium
• Riders to watch:  Aurélien & Valentin Paret-Peintre
• Riders: Ben O'Connor, Alex Baudin, Aurélien Paret Peintre, Valentin Paret Peintre, Damien Touze, Bastien Tronchon, Andrea Vendrame, Lawrence Warbasse

Ben O'Connor can head into his first Giro d'Italia start since 2020 in high spirits, coming off the back of the best spring campaign of his career and with a first career Grand Tour podium spot well within his sights.

The Australian has a fourth place at the Tour de France on his palmarès but will be hoping to go at least one better this May, and he'll start the Giro full of confidence following a series of impressive results over the past two months.

After starting his season with a big solo win at the Vuelta a Murcia, he took second at the UAE Tour with a Jebel Jais stage win to boot. Recent outings in Italy have seen him finish fifth at Tirreno-Adriatico and second at the Tour of the Alps, and he now heads to Piemonte as the bookies' third favourite.

The 28-year-old will enjoy support from the Paret-Peintre brothers, Aurélien and Valentin , on a team which has already racked up more wins than they did in the entirety of the 2023 season.

Aurélien is responsible for the latest of these, winning the final stage at the Tour of Alps as Valentin finished fourth overall. His fifth place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège was another indicator of his strong form, and, aside from O'Connor the brothers will be ones to watch for the French team this May. 

Andrea Vendrame is the team's Italian representative with the 29-year-old always good for one top result per outing. Three years ago he scored a breakaway win in Bagno di Romagna and comes into the Giro with two second places at the Tour de Romandie under his belt – one in a hilly sprint, and another from a summit finish breakaway. (DO)

• Team leaders:  Fabio Jakobsen, Romain Bardet
• Objective: Stage wins, points classification, GC top 5
• Riders to watch:  Chris Hamilton, Tobias Lund Andresen
• Riders: Romain Bardet, Tobias Lund Andresen, Christopher Hamilton, Fabio Jakobsen, David max Poole, Timo Roosen, Julius van den Berg, Kevin Vermaerke

Dutch squad DSM-Firmenich PostNL will be among a number of teams heading to the Giro looking to strike a balance between racing for their GC man and racking up sprint stage victories.

For the latter, they'll look to new signing Fabio Jakobsen , the rider they revamped their sprint squad for over the winter as he joined from QuickStep. He'll make his Giro debut with six Grand Tour stage wins plus a Vuelta points jersey to his name, and he'll touch down in Piemonte as one of the top-tier sprint favourites.

Jakobsen has only tasted victory once so far in 2024 as he gets used to his new surroundings. He and his team will be hoping for more in Italy as his rivals there will pose a sterner test than the sprint field at the Tour of Turkey.

On the GC side, Romain Bardet can start his third Giro with renewed confidence after finishing his run-in to the race with a fifth place at the Tour of the Alps and having finished best of the rest behind Pogačar at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

The 33-year-old is far from a spent force at Grand Tour level, having finished sixth at the Tour de France just two years ago. Among this GC field, a top 10 or even a top 5 should be a realistic goal.

Elsewhere, look out for Chris Hamilton in the breakaways on hilly and mountainous terrain. The Australian likes to get out in long-range moves, picking his days at every Grand Tour he starts and will be aiming for an upgrade on his second place in Bagno di Romagna three years ago.

Second-year pro sprinter Tobias Lund Andresen is another to look out for. The Dane went to the Tour of Turkey as a lead-out man for Jakobsen but instead came away with three stage wins heading into his Grand Tour debut. (DO)

• Team leader:  Hugh Carthy
• Objective:  Stage wins, GC top 10
• Riders to watch:  Simon Carr
• Riders:  Hugh Carthy, Alexander Cepeda, Stefan de Bod, Andrey Amador, Simon Carr, Esteban Chaves, Mikkel Honoré, Georg Steinhauser

Hugh Carthy leads the US squad into his seventh Giro as a man looking to recapture the form which saw him finish on the podium at the Vuelta a España four years ago.

The climber had looked on course for a similar result at the Giro in 2021 before fading during the final week and he has an eighth, a ninth, and a DNF to show for his past three outings in Italy.

It's a mountainous Giro, which suits Carthy, though the two time trials will likely see him shed minutes to other contenders. Another top 10 and a stage win – it'd be his first victory in three seasons – would be a great outcome.

Fellow Briton Simon Carr is the member of the squad who has the most to show for his season so far, having opened his season with a long breakaway win at the Trofeo Calvià and having pulled off a similar long-range break triumph in the mountains of the Tour of the Alps.

He'll certainly be off up the road during this, his third Giro, and it wouldn't be a surprise at all to see him add to his breakaway win tally.

South American racers Esteban Chaves and Alexander Cepeda are more than capable of pulling off a result in the hills and mountains, though neither have shown much sign of top form so far in 2024. Chaves' third place on the opening day of the Tour of the Alps is the strongest sign of form from either. (DO)

• Team leader:  Laurence Pithie
• Riders to watch:  Lewis Askey
• Riders:  Laurence Pithie, Lewis Askey, Cyril Barthe, Clément Davy, Lorenzo Germani, Olivier le Gac, Fabian Lienhard, Enzo Paleni

Yep, it's another French team shorn of their top leaders and a Groupama-FDJ squad missing David Gaudu, Stefan Küng, Valentin Madouas, and Lenny Martinez.

The team have opted for a young squad for the Italian Grand Tour, with 21-year-old second-year pro Laurence Pithie heading the lineup after a very impressive spring campaign. The New Zealander has scored 13 top-10 placings this season, including a win at the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race and a seventh place at his Paris-Roubaix debut.

As such, he's easily Groupama-FDJ's best chance at success at the Giro, even if he hasn't raced since Roubaix. Look out for him in breakaways and also in the sprint finishes, with the hillier finals slightly more to his taste than the pan-flat days.

Elsewhere, Lewis Askey looks the man most likely to challenge for a result. The 22-year-old has been quiet so far in 2024, but took a clutch of top 10s at the Vuelta a España last year and also finished second at Paris-Tours.

Other promising youngsters on the team, including 21-year-old Enzo Paleni and 22-year-old Lorenzo Germani, will likely be given free rein to learn and make breaks where they can. (DO)

• Team leader:  Geraint Thomas
• Riders to watch:  Filippo Ganna, Thymen Arensman
• Riders:  Geraint Thomas, Thymen Arensman, Tobias Foss, Filippo Ganna, Jhonatan Narvaez, Magnus Sheffield, Ben Swift, Connor Swift

A year on from a devastating late loss of the maglia rosa in that Monte Lussari time trial, Geraint Thomas returns to the Giro d'Italia as the solid second favourite, behind the flying Tadej Pogačar but clear of the 'best of the rest' including Ben O'Connor, Damiano Caruso, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Romain Bardet, and more.

Once again, Thomas comes to the Giro having shown little in the way of Grand Tour-winning form, though slow – almost anonymous – starts to the season have been his modus operandi for some time now. Last year, he rounded out his Giro preparation with a spring-best 15th overall at the Tour of the Alps before finishing second to Primož Roglič. This time around he finished 13th.

Thomas is on track to challenge for the top placings, then. But how the team can take the fight to Pogačar remains unclear. The Slovenian's long-range solos and aggressive attacking style aren't a particularly good match for Thomas' steadier riding.

Thymen Arensman , sixth here last year, is a capable 'option 1b', though even in a two vs one fight, Pogačar should still be favourite. The Dutchman has looked good this spring, taking fifth at the Volta ao Algarve and sixth at Tirreno-Adriatico, and could be on for another high placing, depending on how much he'll be sacrificing himself for Thomas.

Elsewhere, six-time stage winner Filippo Ganna is impossible to ignore in a Giro with two time trials, even if the first of them concludes with 7km of climbing. Tour of the Alps stage winner Tobias Foss and Classics talents Magnus Sheffield and Jhonatan Narváez are all capable of adding stage wins to the team tally, depending on the freedom they're allowed. (DO)

• Team leader:  Biniam Girmay
• Riders to watch:  Madis Mihkels
• Riders:  Biniam Girmay, Lilian Calmejane, Kevin Colleoni, Madis Mihkels, Simone Petilli, Adrien Petit, Dion Smith, Roel van Sintmaartensdijk

It has been two years since Biniam Girmay made history as the first Black African winner of a stage in the Giro d'Italia, and he's coming into this year's race as much less of an unknown.

A winner of a stage of the Tour de Suisse last year and the Surf Coast Classic after the Tour Down Under, Girmay missed out on any victories in his Tour de France debut. The Eritrean returns to the Giro d'Italia with high hopes and a team dedicated to delivering him to a win.

Should Girmay falter, then the team can look to Madis Mihkels . The Estonian has shown signs of form this year with a series of top-10 finishes from the Surf Coast Classic and Paris-Nice to Scheldeprijs and Paris-Roubaix.

Beyond those two riders, there's little else among Intermarché-Wanty's Giro squad to suggest a big result is on the way. The likes of Lilian Calmejane , Kevin Colleoni , and Dion Smith should be visible in the breakaways, though. (LW)

• Team leader:  Michael Woods
• Riders to watch:  Simon Clarke, Nick Schultz
• Riders:  Michael Woods, Simon Clarke, Marco Frigo, Hugo Hofstetter, Riley Pickrell, Nadav Raisberg, Nick Schultz, Ethan Vernon

Israel-Premier Tech enjoyed a thrilling Giro d'Italia last year with Derek Gee lighting up the race by going on the attack in seven different stages and finishing second on four of them. Gee might not have won a stage but he was awarded the most combative rider award and earned valuable points toward the team's return to the WorldTour level in 2026.

Their GC hope will be Michael Woods , who last year staged a coup in the Tour de France to win the stage to Puy de Dôme from the breakaway. The Canadian would do well to target the second stage to the Santuario di Oropa and a shot at taking the maglia rosa .

The team will bring back Simon Clarke , a stage winner at both Tour de France and Vuelta a España who also went in several breakaways last year, coming closest on stage 6 when he and Alessandro De Marchi were caught in the final 300 metres. He'll be hoping once again to try and complete the Grand Tour stage win triple.

Nick Schultz , winner of the opening stage of the Volta a Catalunya, holding off Tadej Pogačar with a late burst to the line, is another rider capable of grabbing a stage win. In Ethan Vernon , winner of a stage in last year's Tour de Romandie, and Hugo Hofstetter , the team also has two men capable of challenging in the sprints. (LW)

• Team leaders:  Caleb Ewan, Luke Plapp
• Objective:  Stage wins, points classification, GC top 10
• Riders to watch:  Eddie Dunbar
• Riders:  Alessandro de Marchi, Edward Dunbar, Caleb Ewan, Michael Hepburn, Luka Mezgec, Lucas Plapp, Max Walscheid, Filippo Zana

Jayco-AlUla head into the Giro d'Italia with Australian champion Luke Plapp as their overall contender. The Australian champion has only one Grand Tour under his belt, a 95th-place finish at the 2022 Vuelta a España, so he's relatively untested.

He's had a strong spring, though, finishing sixth at Paris-Nice with a second place atop Mont Brouilly to boot, and also took third at the first summit finish at the Tour de Romandie last week. It may be a long shot for Plapp to challenge for the very top GC placings, though his team also enjoy several options for stage wins.

With the return of Caleb Ewan , the team have a formidable sprint presence and the team to back him up with Max Walscheid and Luka Mezgec among those providing the motors. Ewan has never finished a Giro despite five starts and five stage wins, though maybe this year will be his first as the team are sending Dylan Groenewegen and Michael Matthews to the Tour de France.

Expect Alessandro De Marchi to be on the attack, as is his style, after his successful solo breakaway in the Tour of the Alps. Eddie Dunbar , who finished seventh overall in the Giro last year, is the team's second go-to for the GC. However, the Irishman's run-up to the Grand Tour this spring has been somewhat disrupted by injury. (LW)

• Team leader:  Jonathan Milan
• Objective:  Stage wins, points classification, GC top 10
• Riders to watch:  Juan Pedro López
• Riders:  Jonathan Milan, Andrea Bagioli, Simone Consonni, Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier, Daan Hoole, Juan Pedro Lopez, Jasper Stuyven, Edward Theuns

With the reigning maglia ciclamino added to their squad over the winter and a former maglia rosa holder heading to Piemonte in top form, Lidl-Trek can be confident as they get the first Grand Tour of the season underway.

Sprinter Jonathan Milan will lead the way for the US team this May having burst onto the scene last year with a stage win and four second places en route to the points classification win.

But for his relative lack of positioning experience, the Olympic/world/European track champion would have won even more last May, though this time around he'll have more help in the finals in the form of Simone Consonni , Jasper Stuyven , and Edward Theuns .

A couple of wins and points jerseys across the Volta a Valenciana and Tirreno-Adriatico suggest Milan hasn't lost a step since moving from Bahrain Victorious, and he'll begin the race as a top-tier sprint favourite.

Juan Pedro López enjoyed 10 days in the Giro lead two years ago on the way to a youth classification win and, if he didn't really kick on from that in 2023, he's heading back to Italy with both his first-ever race win and first-ever stage race win in his pocket.

The Spaniard beat the likes of Ben O'Connor, Antonio Tiberi, and Romain Bardet to comfortably conquer the Tour of the Alps to round out his Giro preparation, and he can look to the Giro now with more wins in his sights, and perhaps even a return to the overall top 10 in Rome. (DO)

• Team leader:  Nairo Quintana
• Objective:  Stage wins, GC top 15
• Riders to watch:  Fernando Gaviria, Einer Rubio
• Riders:  Nairo Quintana, Ruben Guerreiro, William Barta, Davide Cimolai, Fernando Gaviria, Lorenzo Milesi, Einer Rubio, Pelayo Sanchez

Movistar have brought back Nairo Quintana this season after the Colombian's disqualification from the Tour de France in 2022 left him teamless last year. They have been hoping that the 34-year-old can fill a gap as GC contender.

However, after his crash in the Volta a Catalunya, Quintana is in no shape to replicate years gone by – including his triumphant May in 2014 – and challenge for the highest GC placings.

Instead, the team will likely have to be content with targeting stage wins. Depending on his shape, Quintana might ride into form to be up there during the strenuous final week, while Fernando Gaviria will battle on the sprint stages. He's another rider battling to recapture his form of the past, having not won a Grand Tour stage in five years.

Einer Rubio is the team's GC dark horse. The last of three Colombians on the team, the climber was the winner of the severely shortened stage 13 to Crans-Montana at last year's Giro on the way to an 11th-place overall finish. He's been relatively quiet this spring, though, barring a couple of summit finish top 10s at the UAE Tour.

Elsewhere, Ruben Guerreiro is a frequent attacker and has the 2020 Giro mountains classification on his palmarès, while Will Barta , who won the final stage of the Volta a la Valenciana with a long solo breakaway, is another one to watch. (LW)

• Team leader:  Matteo Fabbro
• Objective:  Stage wins, minor classifications
• Riders to watch:  Mattia Bais, Davide Bais
• Riders:  Matteo Fabbro, Davide Bais, Mattia Bais, Giovanni Lonardi, Mirco Maestri, Andrea Pietrobon, Davide Piganzoli, Jhonatan Restrepo

Wildcard squad Polti-Kometa are definitely underdogs in the Giro d'Italia and, like all good ProTeams, they'll surely be present in every breakaway attempt to put on a good show for the tifosi .

The team scored a rare wildcard stage win on their first Giro appearance three years ago, with Lorenzo Fortunato delivering the goods from the breakaway on Monte Zoncolan. He's moved on to the ailing Astana Qazastan this season, though, so the team will have to seek success elsewhere.

Matteo Fabbro is his prospective replacement, coming on board from Bora-Hansgrohe. The 29-year-old is a solid climber, though perhaps less talented than Fortunato. Fifth place at the 2021 Tirreno-Adriatico is a career highlight, while this year his top results are 10th at O Gran Camiño and 11th at the Tour of the Alps.

Davide Bais scored another stage win for the team at last year's Giro, triumphing from a three-man break on stage 7 at Gran Sasso d'Italia. His older brother Mattia is another man who loves a breakaway and he showed some good form recently with third place at the Giro della Romagna. Mirco Maestri and Tour Colombia stage winner Jhonatan Restrepo are further options for the breaks.

The team have to get lucky again to get into a breakaway that sticks to have a chance at another success like that, and aside from a stage win, they'll undoubtedly be on the hunt for another stint in the mountains jersey like Bais enjoyed last year. (LW)

• Team leaders:  Julian Alaphilippe, Tim Merlier
• Objective:  Stage wins, points classification
• Riders to watch:  Mauri Vansevenant
• Riders:  Julian Alaphilippe, Josef Černý, Jan Hirt, Luke Lamperti, Tim Merlier, Pieter Serry, Bert van Lerberghe, Mauri Vansevenant

With Remco Evenepoel fully focussed on the Tour de France (and recovering from a broken collarbone from a crash in Itzulia Basque Country), Soudal-Quickstep start the Giro d'Italia with their eyes on sprints and stage wins.

Tim Merlier has been a huge asset to the team since joining from Alpecin-Deceuninck last year, racking up 18 wins since then. He provided their only spring Classics triumphs this year at Nokere Koerse and Scheldeprijs, and, having not raced a Grand Tour last year, will make his bow for the squad this May.

He's undoubtedly their focus for the sprints and a bid for another maglia ciclamino to go with those won by Paolo Bettini (twice), Mark Cavendish, Fernando Gaviria, and  Elia Viviani. Talented youngster Luke Lamperti will be a key part of Merlier's train.

Julian Alaphilippe has shown glimmers of good form in recent weeks and will lead the charge for stage wins on the hilly stages and in mountain-stage breakaways.

Jan Hirt , sixth here in 2022, is another prospect for the latter and, along with young talent Mauri Vansevenant – who comes off two top-10 finishes at the Ardennes Classics – is the team's best chance at a high GC placing in Rome. (LW)

• Team leaders:  Alberto Dainese, Michael Storer
• Objective:  Stage wins
• Riders to watch: Matteo Trentin, Marius Mayrhofer
• Riders:  Matteo Trentin, Alberto Dainese, Robin Froidevaux, Alexander Kamp, Alexander Krieger, Marius Mayrhofer, Michael Storer, Florian Stork

Tudor Pro Cycling have earned their entry into the Giro d'Italia with a truly competitive team in 2024. Veteran competitor Matteo Trentin is the most experienced in the team and, along with Alberto Dainese and Michael Storer , will be leading the charge for stage victories.

Dainese is a two-time Giro stage winner and also has a Vuelta a España stage on his palmarès. He made the move from DSM over the winter to have more freedom and will be well-supported for the bunch sprints this year. So far in 2024, he has one sprint win, coming at the Région Pays de la Loire Tour.

Another newcomer is Storer, who won two stages and the mountains classification at the 2021 Vuelta. The Australian has racked up top-10 finishes at the UAE Tour and Tour of the Alps and finished second on the hard mountain stage to Borgo Valsugana at the latter race.

Marius Mayrhofer , winner of the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race last year, has several top 10s across races including Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and several stages of Tirreno-Adriatico. He'll have underlined a few of the stages with climbs before a flat finish in his road book, and of course, the always-aggressive Trentin will surely be on the attack on several days. (LW)

• Team leader:  Tadej Pogačar
• Objective:  Overall victory
• Riders to watch:  Juan Molano
• Riders:  Tadej Pogačar, Rui Oliveira, Mikkel Bjerg, Felix Großschartner, Vegard Stake Laengen, Rafał Majka, Juan Sebastian Molano, Domen Novak

If there's one team at the Giro d'Italia with a single obvious goal lying ahead of them, it's UAE Team Emirates, and Tadej Pogačar , who head into the race with the maglia rosa in mind. Given the season Pogačar has enjoyed so far, anything less than overall victory would be a disaster, especially with no Jonas Vingegaard or Primož Roglič around to challenge him. 

Despite the presence of another Tour de France winner on the start line, and with the entire Giro ahead of us, the main questions hanging over Pogačar's head seem to be 'How much can he win by?' and 'Can he conserve his energy to complete the Giro-Tour double in July?'

He's raced a limited schedule of just 10 race days heading to the Grande Partenza in Piemonte, but he's already won seven times, including dominant displays at Strade Bianche (an 81km solo), the Volta a Catalunya (by almost four minutes), and Liège-Bastogne-Liège (a 35km solo).

Nothing is set in stone in cycling and anything can happen over the course of three weeks of racing, but UAE Team Emirates have put all their eggs in the Pogačar basket this Giro for a reason. Rafał Majka and Mikkel Bjerg figure to be among his top domestiques.

Elsewhere, there's no sign of a Plan B with the team's squadron of talented GC riders absent from the start list. Juan Sebastian Molano and Rui Oliveira will be the go-to riders for the sprinter-friendly stages, though neither will be top favourites for victories in what is a very strong sprint field. (DO)

• Team leader:  Domenico Pozzovivo
• Objective:  Stage wins, GC top 10, minor classifications
• Riders to watch:  Giulio Pellizzarri
• Riders:  Domenico Pozzovivo, Luca Covili, Filippo Fiorelli, Martin Marcellusi, Alessio Martinelli, Giulio Pellizzari, Alessandro Tonelli, Enrico Zanoncello

At the grand old age of 41, Domenico Pozzovivo found another lifeline for his career in VF Group-Bardiani CSF-Faizanè, joining the team in late February after parting ways with Israel-Premier Tech over the winter.

It's been more than a decade since the Italian won a Grand Tour stage (at the 2012 Giro), but he has 24 Grand Tours in his legs and has been a consistent top-10 finisher, including eighth at the Giro two years ago.

A top-10 finish at the Giro would be a huge result for the team which has raced every Giro but one since the 1990s. If Pozzovivo can stay healthy and avoid crashes, he's certainly capable of such a result, having done so in the recent Giro d'Abruzzo and Settimana Coppi e Bartali.

Other riders capable of winning include Alessandro Tonelli , the only other rider over 30 in the young team, the winner of a stage in the Volta a la Valenciana this year. Enrico Zanoncello is a quick finisher who won the opening stage in Abruzzo.

The team won't be putting pressure on Giulio Pellizzari , but the 20-year-old is a talent on the rise and his eighth place in the Tour of the Alps is a very promising sign for a solid overall finish. (LW)

• Team leaders:  Olav Kooij, Cian Uijtdebroeks
• Objective:  Stage wins, GC top 5
• Riders to watch:  Christophe Laporte, Attila Valter
• Riders:  Christophe Laporte, Edoardo Affini, Koen Bouwman, Robert Gesink, Olav Kooij, Jan Tratnik, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Attila Valter

Visma-Lease a Bike's historic Grand Tour triple in 2023 will be exceedingly difficult to duplicate this time around with no Primož Roglič and Jonas Vingegaard recovering from his Itzulia Basque Country crash.

However, the 'killer bees' will be hoping that Cian Uijtdebroeks can live up to his promise as a GC hopeful that was so heavily touted in Belgium after his Tour de l'Avenir victory in 2022.

The 21-year-old finished eighth overall at last year's Vuelta a España, and so is making his Grand Tour debut following his contentious mid-contract transfer from Bora-Hansgrohe. He hasn't yet shown himself to be competitive against the likes of Tadej Pogačar this spring, his best results being fifth at O Gran Camiño and seventh at Tirreno-Adriatico, so he may have a mental disadvantage in that regard.

Sprinter Olav Kooij will make his Grand Tour debut after racking up 13 wins last year. He won't have Wout van Aert on lead-out duties but will be among the top favourites on the flat stages.

Elsewhere, Jan Tratnik and Attila Valter will be first on hand to provide support to Uijtdebroeks in the mountains, while European champion Christophe Laporte will be on lead-out duties as well as seeking stage wins of his own. (LW)

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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Prior to joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Remco Evenepoel, Demi Vollering, and Anna van der Breggen.

As well as original reporting, news and feature writing, and production work, Dani also oversees How to Watch guides and works on The Leadout newsletter throughout the season. Their favourite races are Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix and their favourite published article is from the 2024 edition of the latter: 'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix

The first Grand Tour test and a rare team time trial – La Vuelta Femenina

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Fearlessly Italy

Italy in April – All You Need for a Perfect Trip (2024)

Are you planning your trip to Italy in April and unsure what to do and where to go? Read on as we cover all the essential information about traveling to Italy in spring and making the most of your holiday.

We are going to tell you the best places to visit in April in Italy whether you like sightseeing in big cities or going for a hike. Our article wants to be your go-to guide to enjoying your Italy trip, from what to wear, what to do, how to enjoy Easter in Italy , and what to eat.

Table of Contents

Is April a good time to visit Italy?

April is one of the best times to travel to Italy . Spring is in full swing, the flowers are blossoming all over the place releasing their scent and pastel hues, the days are getting longer, and the weather is perfect for sightseeing in big cities or hiking in nature.

Is it better to go to Italy in March or April?

March in Italy is slightly colder than April and the weather is more unpredictable. If sudden showers or temperature drops don’t scare you, March is a lovely time to visit Italy. April, however, is a better month for outings and excursions in nature as the days are longer and the weather more stable.

Can you go to the beach in Italy in April?

The short answer is no, April in Italy is not beach season. However, depending on where you are, what you want to do on the beach, and whether it’s the beginning or the end of the month, the beach in April can make sense.

For Pasquetta, for example, Easter Monday, if it’s a warm and sunny day, those living near the beach often celebrate the day out by the sea. While I wouldn’t go to the beach on the northern Adriatic coast, the shores of Sicily and Sardinia are likely to be warm and pleasant around the end of April.

This being said, you can always go to the beach for a walk, but if you are thinking about swimming, keep in mind that the water is still cold, even at the end of the month.

Which part of Italy is warmest in April?

Like in all seasons, the warmest regions in Italy in April are the southern ones, especially Sicily and Puglia, or the island of Sardinia.

Weather in Italy in April

Warmer than February or March, April’s weather in Italy is fantastic to plan days out in nature, hiking trips, outings in lakes, and also sightseeing in big cities because you can walk all day long without worrying about the sweating that usually characterizes the summer months.

Weather in April in northern Italy

The weather in northern Italy in April is lovely. The evening is still a bit chilly but during the day it warms up and becomes very pleasant. This is one of the best months for mountain hiking and cultural sightseeing.

• Milan: high 18°C (64°F) – low 10°C (50°F)
• Turin: high 17°C (63°F) – low 10°C (50°F)
• Aosta: high 17°C (63°F) – low 5°C (41°F)
• Venice: high 17°C (63°F) – low 8°C (46°F)
• Verona: high 18°C (64°F) – low 7°C (44°F)
• Bologna: high 17°C (63°F) – low 9°C (48°F)
• Ravenna: high 17°C (63°F) – low 7°C (44°F)
• Trieste: high 17°C (63°F) – low 10°C (50°F)
• Trento: high 13°C (55°F) – low 8°C (46°F)
• Bolzano: high 15°C (59°F) – low 6°C (43°F)
• Genoa: high 17°C (63°F) – low 11°C (52°F)

Weather in April in central Italy

Central Italy in April will have pleasant weather and sunny days. Mountainous areas of regions such as Abruzzo, Marche, and even Lazio like the beautiful Terminillo massif might get a bit colder but generally, the weather is perfect for hiking and trekking.

• Rome: high 19°C (66°F) – low 9°C (48°F)
• Viterbo: high 17°C (63°F) – low 7°C (44°F)
• Florence: high 15°C (59°F) – low 4°C (39°F)
• Siena: high 19°C (66°F) – low 7°C (44F°)
• Pisa: high 17°C (63°F) – low 7°C (44°F)
• Lucca: high 17°C (63°F) – low 7°C (44°F)
• Perugia: high 16°C (61°F) – low 7°C (44°F)
• Assisi: high 16°C (61°F) – low 4°C (39°F)
• Arezzo: high 19°C (66°F) – low 6°C (43°F)
• L’Aquila: high 12°C (53°F) – low 7°C (44°F)
• Campobasso: high 14°C (57°F) – low 7°C (44°F)

Weather in April in southern Italy

With peaks of 21°C/70°F, southern Italy in April can get quite warm. In some areas in the mid-afternoon, you might even feel like you want to wear just a t-shirt, especially towards the end of the month.

• Naples: high 20°C (68°F) – low 10°C (50°F)
• Caserta: high 18°C (64°F) – low 8°C (46°F)
• Salerno: high 18°C (64°F) – low 10°C (50°F)
• Amalfi Coast: high 19°C (66°F) – low 13°C (55°F)
• Sorrento: high 21°C (70°F) – low 15°C (59°F)
• Positano: high 17°C (63°F) – low 14°C (57°F)
• Bari: high 18°C (64°F) – low 12°C (53°F)
• Foggia: high 19°C (66°F) – low 8°C (46°F)
• Lecce: high 19°C (66°F) – low 11°C (52°F)
• Alberobello: high 18°C (64°F) – low 13°C (55°F)
• Ostuni: high 18°C (64°F) – low 10°C (50°F)
• Reggio Calabria: high 18°C (64°F) – low 13°C (55°F)
• Matera: high 19°C (66°F) – low 9°C (48°F)

Weather in April in the Italian islands

The temperature in the main Italian islands of Sicily and Sardinia in April is pretty much like the rest of the southern regions with peaks between 16°C/61°F and 20°C/68°F at its highest. While you might not feel like swimming, a walk by the beachfront is a lovely activity this time of the year both for the pleasant weather and because there will be little to no crowds.

• Palermo: high 20°C (68°F) – low 13°C (55°F)
• Agrigento: high 18°C (64°F) – low 11°C (52°F)
• Catania: high 19°C (66°F) – low 11°C (52°F)
• Taormina: high 20°C (68°F) – low 8°C (46°F)
• Siracusa: high 20°C (68°F) – low 13°C (55°F)
• Ragusa: high 19°C (66°F) – low 11°C (52°F)
• Cagliari: high 19°C (66°F) – low 11°C (52°F)
• Sassari: high 16°C (61°F) – low 9°C (48°F)
• Palau: high 17°C (63°F) – low 14°C (57°F)
• Nuoro: high 17°C (63°F) – low 8°C (46°F)
• Oristano: high 18°C (64°F) – low 10°C (50°F)

Important dates in Italy in April 2024

• April 1st – April’s Fool Day/Pesce d’Aprile + Easter Monday. Unless it falls on a Sunday, April 1st is definitely not a holiday in Italy. Even though there isn’t any particular celebration, there’s still the custom of making practical jokes. This year, April 1st coincides with Easter Monday, so a big picnic day in Italy that is mostly spent in nature in and around the cities.
• April 21st – Birthday of Rome/Natale di Roma. This is only celebrated in Rome and it’s not a holiday. Celebrations consist of masquerades with the clothes of the ancient Romans, period live shows usually in the city center and in the Circus Maximus, and sometimes even fireworks.
• April 25th – Liberation Day. This is the commemoration of the liberation of Italy from the Nazi invasion and it’s a national holiday. Schools and offices are closed while shops in touristy areas will be open.
• April 28th – Sardinia’s Day/Sa die de sa Sardigna. This is the commemoration of the so-called “Vespri Sardi”, Sardinian Vespers, a popular uprising that took place on April 28th, 1794 when the Piedmont rulers were expelled from Cagliari because unwilling to meet the locals’ request for more autonomy. This day, in Sardinia, schools and offices are closed.

What to do in April in Italy

Soak in nature.

April in Italy is the perfect time to stay out in nature. Hiking in Trentino-Alto Adige, trekking in the Terminillo massif near Rome, and boat excursions in Sardinia are only some of the fantastic things you can do in spring.

April’s clear and sunny days scream outings in nature and Italy is literally full of great hiking and trekking routes. From the Alps to the Apennines, you are sure to find your favorite spot in all Italian regions .

Do you need some suggestions? If you are in northern Italy, check out the trekking and hiking routes of Parco Nazionale del Gran Paradiso between Valle d’Aosta and Piedmont or the breathtaking slopes of the Dolomites in Trentino-Alto Adige and Veneto. Spring is also the best season to hike the Sentiero degli Dei route on the Amalfi Coast in Campania because it’s not too hot yet.

If you are traveling to Italy with your family and are all passionate trekkers, you can take the long but easy route of the Appian Way to Castelli Romani south of Rome. While if you are a top expert, you can challenge yourself in Sardinia on the breathtaking but very difficult trekking path known as Selvaggio Blu between Santa Maria Navarrese and Cala Gonone along the island’s eastern coast.

Go sightseeing

Spring in Italy is also a fantastic time for cultural sightseeing in the big cities because the days are sunny enough to enjoy your walk and not too hot to melt from sweating.

The big cities like Rome, Florence, Naples, and Venice will be pretty crowded because April and May are fantastic months to enjoy what they offer. If you want to enjoy artistic and historical sightseeing but are not too fond of crowds or have already seen Italy’s biggest tourist draws, head to other large cities where you can combine exciting city life with rich culture and long history.

Some of the coolest cities I recommend visiting in Italy in April include Turin, Bologna, Ravenna, Palermo, Catania, and Perugia.

Check out our guide to visiting Italy in May.

Celebrate Easter

Usually, Easter is in April and every Italian region has its own traditions. The fil rouge is obviously the Holy Mass on Easter Sunday, but depending on where you are, you can find different foods, local processions, and different events.

Traditionally, Easter is when Lent is broken and we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ, making it one of the most important events in the Catholic calendar. In Rome, you can attend the Vatican celebrations in Saint Peter’s Square, in the Marche region, they perform propitiatory rituals, and in other cities, they organize food fairs.

In Florence, you can see the Scoppio del Carro, a folk tradition that takes place every year from Piazzale del Prato to Piazza Duomo where a cart full of pyrotechnics, is lit and provides a big show that has very ancient origins, probably dating back to the first Crusade.

Go out for Easter Monday

Known in Italian as Lunedì dell’Angelo or Pasquetta, Easter Monday is traditionally a day for outings in nature. You will find urban parks crowded with people picnicking and going for excursions in nature.

If you are in a big city like Rome, Florence, or Milan, you can either head to one of their urban parks or plan a day trip.

Among the easiest day trips from Rome will take you to Lake Bracciano, Calcata, or beach resorts like Santa Severa. Lovely day trips from Florence for Pasquetta include an excursion to the Chianti region or Val d’Orcia, while from Milan, you can head to Lake Garda or Lake Como.

Join local festivals and celebrations

Along with Easter and Easter Monday, April in Italy is a great month for Easter-related celebrations and other festivals. You can attend celebrations in commemoration of Palm Sunday where they organize processions and create large and highly-decorated palm branches.

As the new season and harvest begin, in April in Italy you will find also several food fairs ( sagre ) devoted to seasonal produce and foods. This is the month of the artichokes ( carciofi ) and many towns organize their own “ sagra del carciofo “, such as Ladispoli near Rome (April 14th-16th), Niscemi in Sicily (April 22nd-30th), and Ramacca near Catania in Sicily (April 14th-16th and 22nd-25th).

If you are in Sardinia, a food fair not to miss is the one taking place in Tonara in Nuoro province for the specialty they are famous all over the region for, their torrone (nougat). Tonara’s sagra del torrone this year takes place on April 22nd. Another lovely festival you can attend in Sardinia is Tortolì in Fiore (April 15th and 16th), when the streets of the small town of Tortolì in the Barbagia region are covered with flower-made carpets.

Fantastic places to visit in Italy in April

Rome in April is a fantastic destination. In fact, this is when the highest tourism season begins. Apart from the Easter celebrations, April’s weather makes it great to walk around the city for hours on end without suffering the summer heat of months like July and August.

The mild climate of Rome in spring calls for long walks along the river, day trips, relaxing at the park, visiting open places like the Colosseum , the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill, the Caracalla Baths , and sightseeing in Rome’s Centro Storico , a huge open-air museum.

Check out the best private tours of Rome .

There’s hardly a wrong time to visit the gorgeous capital of Tuscany. Whether you are spending one day or two days in Florence during a classic 2-week Italy trip , in April it’s lovely to walk around the city center, along the Arno river, and visit beautiful parks like the Boboli Gardens near Palazzo Pitti, one of the main landmarks in Florence.

On a nice day, you can also plan a few easy outings such as a day trip to Pisa to see the famous Leaning Tower and Piazza dei Miracoli, to the medieval town of Lucca, and the beautiful walled city of Siena .

If you are short on time, you can book one of the many private tours of Florence and delegate all the logistics and transfer to a local guide.

The Gardens of Trauttmansdorff Castle

If you enjoy taking walks in parks and gardens, in April in Italy you shouldn’t miss the magical Gardens of Trauttmansdorf Castle in the city of Merano in Trentino-Alto Adige . The gardens usually close during the coldest winter months and reopen on April 1st.

Here, you can easily spend half a day or, if you are passionate about different plant and flower species, even the whole day. Inside the gardens is also a restaurant so you can have lunch, relax with a cup of coffee, and carry on with your visit.

Lake Garda is Italy’s largest lake surrounded by beautiful towns, mountains, parks, and hiking routes. Spring is the best season to visit the many parks, gardens, and landmarks around this beautiful lake.

Some of the best places to visit in April around Lake Garda are the lovely historic town of Villa del Garda in Trentino, Parco Sigurtà which reopened in March and where you can admire the seasonal blossoming of the different flowers and plants, and Parco Natura Viva to see several animal species in a project to protect biodiversity.

Venice in spring is a feast of beautiful views, romantic corners, and great light. April is less humid than the previous winter months and also than March so walking around its canals and bridges will be very pleasant.

Given the clear skies and the longer days, some of the best things you can do in Venice in April is to enjoy the city from one of its most scenic viewpoints such as San Marco bell tower, Ponte Rialto bridge, San Giorgio Maggiore bell tower, and Fondaco dei Tedeschi historic building.

Even though the city’s rich culture and fascinating history call for at least a few days’ stay, Venice can be also a lovely day trip if you are staying in Bologna, Trento , or Milan .

Turin is magical all year round but in spring you can feel a lively vibe. Apart from the Easter celebrations, with the nice season, the city parks will reopen and you can enjoy some relaxing time in the green, with a picnic, walking, or jogging.

The city is always very exciting culturally, and this April 2024 you can check out the many exhibitions taking place in Turin such as the photography of Robert Capa and Gerda Taro in CAMERA – Centro Italiano per la Fotografia, the one devoted to dinosaurs displaying real-size examples in the Stazione Porta Nuova station, and the Stupinigi Hunting Lodge, one of Turin’s most famous landmarks , opening its secret spaces to the public.

Sardinia in spring is lovely. The weather is mild and warm and organizing days out in nature is a favorite activity. Spring is a great time to visit Neptune’s Grottoes in Alghero , hike the spectacular Gorropu gorge in the Barbagia region, or walk in the beautiful Giara plateau to see the small native horse species.

More expert trekkers can book a scenic tour of the Orosei Gulf that, depending on the day, will take you to Gorropu Gorge, Cala Luna, or Mount Tiscali.

In Sardinia, Palm Sunday is marked by very scenic celebrations with religious processions where the priest and the townspeople carry spectacular and highly decorated palm branches.

If you are spending Easter in Sardinia , I suggest you try the delicious local pastries known as “pardulas” featuring a tender heart of fresh ricotta cheese.

Book your scenic Gorrupu gorge day trip now!

After the dark and foggy winter months, in spring, the elegant city of Bologna is a lovely travel destination. Stroll around the streets of its Quadrilatero, on clear days climb Torre degli Asinelli for a great view, and visit Bologna’s top landmarks such as Basilica di San Petronio and Piazza Maggiore.

If you have only one day in Bologna and want to see as many places as you can in a little time, probably your best bet is to book a private tour led by a local expert who knows where to take you and helps you save time.

Since food is one of the things that make Bologna famous, what’s a better experience than a cooking class to learn how to make tagliatelle, tortellini, and ragout from scratch or a cooking lesson that includes also a market tour ?

Naples is a great destination to visit in April. You can enjoy pleasant sightseeing around the city center and the important Spaccanapoli artery and you can also go on day trips in surrounding coastal areas, including boat excursions to Ischia and Capri.

When in Naples, do yourself a favor and tuck into the local cuisine, which is not limited to the yet amazing pizza.

If you can, I always recommend visiting Pompeii in spring rather than in the hot, crazy-crowded summer months. Pompeii is a huge, open-air archaeological site not far from Naples. I visited in summer years ago and I still remember the panting and the sweating.

For those who are traveling to Italy in April and are interested in building cultural experiences, this is a fantastic site you don’t want to miss. If you are staying a few days in Naples, you can make it a day trip from there.

If you are not including Naples on your itinerary or you are staying not long enough, Pompeii can be also a cool day trip from Rome. However, while it’s possible to make it happen by traveling by public transport, if you are visiting from Rome, joining a private tour is probably your best choice.

Sicily enjoys mild weather all year, but spring offers the best of the island’s views, scenery, and activities. Even though very popular in summer for its beautiful beaches, if you are more of a cultural traveler and not much of a beach-goer, April is the perfect time to visit Sicily.

Wonderful cities like Palermo, Catania, Taormina, Syracuse, and Ragusa are great to walk around with the typical breeze of spring. Also, important sites like Agrigento’s Valle dei Templi and Mount Etna, or activities such as boat tours are perfect this time of the year.

Book your Mount Etna day trip with food tasting!

The Italian Riviera

Pretty biting in winter, the Italian Riviera is a fantastic destination in spring and summer. You can book your hotel in one of the famous five towns known as Cinque Terre or in beautiful nearby places like Portovenere, Levanto, or La Spezia, and take the local train to reach them in the morning.

April is a lovely time to hike the Cinque Terre following the famous hiking paths that connect one another. You can spend one or more days enjoying a different view from every corner of the coastline and stop for lunch wherever you are.

In winter, Umbrian cities like Perugia and Assisi are freezing cold, but in summer, they can become unbearably hot. Apart from the big cities, in Umbria, you can enjoy the beautiful countryside with wonders like the colorful blossoming of Castelluccio da Norcia, Cascata delle Marmore waterfalls, and Lago Trasimeno lake.

Umbria is famous for its scenic towns, so if you are in Italy in April and are a fan of offbeat traveling, I suggest you rent a car and drive your way through this beautiful region to discover places like Orvieto, Gubbio, Spoleto, as well as the famous Assisi and Perugia.

What to eat in Italy in April

• Easter pastries. Even though Easter is in March, it’s at the very end of the month and Easter Monday is already April, so you can still find the most famous Easter cakes in Italy such as the dove-shaped colomba and the Easter eggs ( uova di Pasqua ) with surprise. If you are in Sardinia, you don’t want to miss the pardulas , while in Civitavecchia (Lazio) you can find the chocolate and cinnamon-flavored pizza di Pasqua (Easter pizza), in Naples their most famous pastiera , and in Sicily the cuddura with an egg whole.
• Artichokes. This is the season of artichokes and in Italy, we love them. A fantastic addition to seafood or any pasta sauce, or used as a side dish, if you find a recipe with carciofi , give it a try. In Rome, they are very popular as side dishes and you will find carciofi alla romana or the Kosher-style carciofi alla giudìa all over the place.
• Asparagus. Same for the asparagus, better if the wild ones. If you find them as ingredients in pasta or as side dishes, give them a try.
• Green peas. April is when you will start seeing fresh green peas in food stores and restaurants will start serving dishes that contain them.
• Fava beans. Spring is also the season for fresh fava beans, so you are going to find them in shops and restaurants. They are very popular in Rome, Sardinia, Sicily, and Puglia.
• Agretti. I love agretti. Called also “barba di frate”, monk’s beard, in Rome you are going to find them as a side dish seasoned with oil and lemon. If you are renting an apartment and feel like giving your cooking skills a try, you can make this fresh and easy spaghetti pasta with agretti and cherry tomatoes .

What to pack for Italy in April

• Travel documents. Your national ID paper is necessary for EU nationals while a passport and a visa are needed if you come from outside the EU.
• Backpack/crossbody bag. This is essential to carry your valuables around. A crossbody bag is a better option if you are visiting landmarks like the Colosseum where backpacks are not allowed. But if you are planning on spending your Italy April holiday in nature, a backpack is probably a wiser choice.
• Umbrella. Less rainy than the previous months, but April in Italy still gives us some showers so a handy foldable umbrella is necessary to avoid getting suddenly soaked.
• Reusable water bottle. This is very handy to carry in your backpack both if you are sightseeing in a city or taking a hiking trip. You can refill your bottle pretty much everywhere with tap water in Italy .
• Camera. Italy in April is very photogenic, so don’t forget your camera!
• Medicines. Italian pharmacies sell everything but if you know you need a specific one, it’s easier to carry it with you from home.
• Creams and skincare products. April can still be windy and chilly at times so always a good idea to keep your skin moisturized.

What to wear in April in Italy

• Underwear tops. Great for layering, still needed in April in Italy.
• Sweaters/jumpers. April in Italy still requires wearing sweaters and jumpers, especially in the evening or on chilly days.
• Long-sleeve tops. Whether it’s for underneath your jumper or under your jacket, tops are very versatile and easy to wear in spring in Italy.
• Jacket. Even though slightly warmer than in March, in April in Italy I still wear a jacket when I go out. Probably not a winter one, but a spring jacket I think it’s needed. In the evening, you can wear it with a jumper if colder.
• Walking shoes. A must wherever and whenever in Italy.
• Socks/tights. Still not the time for barefoot sandals, so socks are necessary with walking shoes, or tights if you are wearing a skirt.
• Comfortable trousers. In April in Italy, you won’t be needing very warm trousers, so jeans or cotton trousers are enough.
• Scarf or shawl. While I don’t wear a hat in April in Italy anymore, I still wear a scarf. In the evening, especially if a little chilly, I’m not ashamed to say that I still wear a winter scarf, but during the day, I opt for a lighter spring shawl.
• Sunglasses. These are necessary for Italy, for fashion and for the bright spring light.

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SMALL GROUP TOURS 2024

We specialise in small group tours to Italy with a maximum of 12 guests.

Many of our tours are also available as private tours, so if you have a group of 2 or more people and like the look of one of our tours, please get in touch.

NEW TOUR - THE LANDS OF THE SERENISSIMA

9 – 22 JUNE 2024 

VENICE – VERONA – PROSECCO HILLS – VICENZA

Our 14 day tour explores some of the most popular places in Italy and some of the hidden gems. Explore the Veneto’s unique secrets with a mix of culture, scenery, food, personal time and fun.

GREAT GARDENS OF ITALY TOUR

15 – 29 APRIL 2024

ROME – FLORENCE – VERONA – BELLAGIO

Join this small group tour and visit the most beautiful Italian Gardens in central and northern Italy with a mix of guided visits and time to explore on your own.

PUGLIA 14 DAYS

14 – 27 May 2024 16 – 29 September 2024 

LECCE – VALLE D’ITRIA – POLIGNANO A MARE – GARGANO PENINSULA

Our in-depth 14 day trip around Puglia allows you to really get under the skin of this lesser-visited region of Italy. Stunning natural landscapes, fascinating history and delicious local food and wine!

LAKES DISCOVERY

5 – 12 May 2024 5 – 12 September 2024

LAKE MAGGIORE – LAKE COMO Immerse yourself in the beauty of the Italian Lakes district on this slow-paced 8-day tour! Stay in lake-front hotels on Lake Maggiore and Lake Como and experience the magic of an Italian lake holiday

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2 – 9 May 2024 4 – 11 September 2024

POLIGNANO A MARE – VALLE D’ITRIA

Spend a wonderful 8 days seeing all the best of this special region in Southern Italy. With only one hotel change, you’ll have plenty of time to explore the best of Puglia.

THE ITALIAN LAKES AND LOMBARDY

6 – 19 June 2024

MILAN – BERGAMO – LAKE MAGGIORE – LAKE COMO

This in-depth journey through the Lombardy region gives you a unique experience of a vibrant Italian city, small medieval villages and the breathtaking Italian Lakes.

IN THE SHADOW OF THE DOLOMITES

29 August – 12 September 2024

PROSECCO HILLS – SAN MARTINO – MERANO – RIVA DEL GARDA

Spend two weeks exploring the Italian Dolomites and the surrounding regions. You’ll be amazed by the breathtaking scenery, fascinated by the local culture, and delighted by the delicious food and wine.

Train strikes in May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected

Rail lines are set for disruption in the week following the first May bank holiday as train drivers at 16 rail companies strike on different days.

Thursday 25 April 2024 10:29, UK

Train drivers will stage a fresh wave of strikes and overtime bans in May, causing disruption to the rail network.

The strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from 7 to 9 May.

Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when.

Rail strike dates

Tuesday 7 May

Strikes will affect c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.

Wednesday 8 May

Strikes will affect Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Thursday 9 May

Strikes will affect LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express.

Overtime ban dates

From Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May union members will not work overtime.

Overtime bans, an action short of a strike, means some services may not be running or may be reduced as drivers refuse to work their rest days.

People are advised to check before they travel, as some areas may have no service.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

How do strikes and overtime bans affect services?

Strikes tend to mean services on lines where members are participating are extremely affected or cancelled entirely, whereas overtime bans often lead to reduced services.

Are there strikes on the Tube too?

There have been regular strikes on London Underground too recently, and while there aren't any planned walkouts for drivers, customer service managers are set to walk out on Friday 26 April in a dispute over terms and conditions.

There will also be an overtime ban for the customer service managers on the following days:

Monday 29 April

Tuesday 30 April

Wednesday 1 May

Tuesday 2 May

Wednesday 3 May

Thursday 4 May

Friday 5 May

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) says the action by its members is likely to cause Tube stations to close at the last minute, including on the Saturday following the strike (27 April), while TfL has said on its website "some stations may need to close at short notice".

Despite the warning, a TfL spokesperson has said they aren't expecting significant disruption.

This action follows strike action taken by the same workers on 10 April, which the TSSA said had a "real impact" with "many stations shut at short notice".

They say they are "extremely concerned" about TfL's 'Stations Changes' proposals.

"We have made it clear that our union will not accept the continued threats to our members' roles, locations, terms, and conditions to stand unchallenged," a TSSA spokesperson said.

"We will continue to take sustained action until London Underground is prepared to negotiate with us in good faith."

Commenting on the impending strikes, a TfL spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that TSSA is continuing with this strike action following a consultation process.

"While we don't expect this action will cause significant disruption, we urge TSSA to continue to work with us to help find a resolution.

"There are no planned job losses as part of these vital changes which will improve the service we provide to customers at our stations."

How can I stay in the loop?

You can use the National Rail's journey planner to see when trains are running.

Be sure to check it close to when you plan to travel, as it will be updated regularly.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Why are the strikes still happening?

Aslef rejected a two-year offer of 4% in 2022 and another 4% this year, saying it is way below inflation, and is linked to changes in terms and conditions.

Aslef said train drivers have not had an increase in salary for five years, since their last pay deals expired in 2019.

The union said after its members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue taking industrial action, it asked the train operating companies to hold talks.

General secretary Mick Whelan said the year-old pay offer of 4% and another 4% was "dead in the water".

Related Topics

• London Underground
• Rail strikes

Muted Reactions to Israeli Strikes on Iran Hint at De-Escalation

Israel had vowed retaliation for Iran’s attack last weekend, but the strikes reported overnight were limited, and Iran downplayed them.

• Share full article

Farnaz Fassihi ,  Ronen Bergman and Patrick Kingsley

Here are the latest developments.

The Israeli military struck Iran early on Friday, according to two Israeli and three Iranian officials, in what appeared to be Israel’s first military response to Iran’s attack last weekend but one whose scope, at least initially, appeared to be limited.

The Iranian officials said that a strike had hit a military air base near the city of Isfahan, in central Iran. Initial reaction in both Israel and Iran was muted , which analysts said was a sign that the rivals were seeking to lower the temperature of their conflict. World leaders, who for nearly a week have urged Israel and Iran to avoid starting a broader war in the region, called for both sides to de-escalate tensions on Friday.

The Israeli military declined to comment on the strike. A senior U.S. official said that Israel had notified the United States through multiple channels shortly before the attack. All the officials spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

The explosions came less than a week after Iran fired more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel — nearly all of which were shot down — in response to an April 1 strike on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria that killed seven Iranian officials. That attack brought the decades-long shadow war between Israel and Iran — waged on land, at sea, in air and in cyberspace — more clearly into the open.

Here’s what else to know:

A Western official and two Iranian officials said that Israel used both missiles fired from warplanes and drones in the strike , suggesting that the attack included more advanced firepower than initial reports indicated. Iranian officials initially told The New York Times that the attack had been carried out only by small drones, possibly launched from inside Iran, and that radar systems had not detected unidentified aircraft entering Iranian airspace. They said that a separate group of small drones was shot down in the region of Tabriz, roughly 500 miles north of Isfahan.

In public, Iranian officials sought to downplay the strike. Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the commander in chief of Iran’s army, said explosions heard early Friday in Isfahan “were from our air defense firing at a suspicious object,” and that there had been “no damage.” Iranian news agencies appeared keen to show that things were “back to normal” in the city.

President Ebrahim Raisi of Iran had warned that “the tiniest act of aggression” on his country’s soil would draw a response. But in the hours after Israel’s strike, there have been no public calls for retribution by Iranian officials. One lawmaker, Seyed Nezamedin Mousavi, called the strike “ridiculous,” saying it showed Israel “is content with these ineffective actions.”

Isfahan is one of Iran’s most famous and historic cities . The area also hosts a number of Iranian military sites. Iranian media reported that nuclear facilities in Isfahan had not been hit.

Israeli leaders came close to ordering widespread strikes in Iran on the night Iran attacked, officials said, but the war cabinet postponed a decision. Mr. Biden and other world leaders urged Israel for days not to retaliate in a way that would inflame a wider Middle East war while it fights Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, both allies of Iran.

Alissa J. Rubin

An explosion damages a military base in Iraq used by an Iran-backed armed group.

Iraq’s joint military command says one person was killed and eight were injured in an explosion early Saturday at a base used by an Iranian-backed armed group, Harakat al Nujaba, in Iraq’s Babylon Province.

In a carefully worded statement, Iraq’s military did not attribute the explosion to an air attack with a missile or a drone. “Air Defense Command confirmed that there was no drone or jet fighter in the airspace of Babylon Province before and during the explosion,” the statement said.

Privately, however, military officials say it appears that at least one projectile hit inside the Kalsu base’s perimeter. A video taken shortly after the event and posted on social media showed damaged buildings and a large rubble-filled crater. A second video showed several parts of the base on fire.

According to Iraq’s joint command, the base is used by several elements of the Iraqi security forces including the Iraqi Army and police as well as the Popular Mobilization Forces , or P.M.F., an umbrella organization.

The P.M.F. includes some brigades that are backed by Iran. The one stationed at this base, Harakat al Nujaba, has participated in attacks on U.S. installations in Iraq and Syria. More recently it has joined with other Iranian-backed forces in Syria and Lebanon to attack Israeli territory.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the strike.

The U.S. military, which has carried out strikes on Iranian-backed armed groups in Iraq in the past, said in a statement released shortly after the attack that it had not participated in strikes on locations in Iraq. The Israeli military declined to comment.

The explosion came a day after Israel attacked a military air base near the city of Isfahan in central Iran, according to two Israeli and three Iranian officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. That attack, on Friday, appeared to be Israel’s first military response to Iran’s huge drone and missile attack on Israeli soil nearly a week ago.

Falih Hassan contributed reporting from Baghdad.

Farnaz Fassihi

Iran’s foreign minister, Hossein Amir Abdollahian, who is in New York attending U.N. meetings, told Iran’s state news agency that the small quadcopter targeting a military base in Isfahan did not have casualties or damage. “Israel is determined to portray its defeat as a victory,” Mr. Amir Abdollahian said, the most senior official to comment on the attacks and draw a link to Israel publicly.

Christoph Koettl and Christiaan Triebert

Satellite imagery shows that a precision attack damaged an air defense system at an Iranian base.

The Israeli attack on an Iranian air base in Isfahan hit a crucial part of an air defense system, a New York Times analysis of satellite imagery found.

Images showed that the precision attack at the Eighth Shekari Air Base damaged or destroyed the “flap-lid” radar , which is used in S-300 air defense systems to track incoming targets.

The Times used several satellite images in its analysis; the location of the damaged area was first pointed out on the social media platform X by Aurora Intel , and the findings have also been confirmed by a former U.S. government imagery analyst, Chris Biggers.

The radar is typically surrounded by several vehicles, including four trucks carrying missiles. Before the strike, the missiles were seen positioned next to the radar. After the strike, they had been moved and did not appear visibly damaged. It was not clear why the missiles had been moved. However, the fact that they appear undamaged indicated that the attack had a very precise target, according to Mr. Biggers.

Other areas of the air base and adjacent airport also appeared to be undamaged. The precision of the strike, deep within Iran and with several sensitive sites close by, suggested Israel chose the specific and narrow target, the air defense system.

According to the Missile Defense Project of the Washington think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies, Iran has acquired Russian-made S-300 air defense systems to deter Israeli and other airstrikes.

Reporting from the Capitol

Liberal Democrats urge ‘no’ vote on Israel aid to pressure Biden on Gaza.

A group of left-leaning House Democrats is urging its colleagues to oppose the $26 billion aid package for Israel, hoping to maximize the number of “no” votes from the party and send a warning to President Biden about the depth of his political coalition’s discontent over his support for Israel’s tactics in Gaza.

Framing the upcoming vote as a make-or-break moral choice akin to Congress’s votes to authorize and fund the Iraq war, progressive leaders in the House are working to muster a sizable bloc of Democratic opposition to the aid measure, which is expected to pass on Saturday and become law in the coming days.

“In the wake of those votes, people came around much, much later and said, ‘We shouldn’t have allowed that to go forward,’” Representative Pramila Jayapal, Democrat of Washington and the chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said of the decades-ago debate over Iraq. “And I think that this is that moment.”

Representative Joaquin Castro, Democrat of Texas, called it a “defining vote,” adding, “We’re either going to participate in the carnage, or we’re not.”

There is little doubt that the bill, which would send roughly $13 billion in military assistance to Israel as it continues its offensive in Gaza, will pass the House, along with money for Ukraine, Taiwan and other American allies.

But progressive Democrats estimated that 40 to 60 members of their party may oppose it on the House floor on Saturday. That would be a striking signal from Congress, where ironclad bipartisan backing for Israel has long been the norm. And it would highlight the fraught divisions the war in Gaza has sown within the Democratic Party, even as more Democrats including Mr. Biden have begun to criticize Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s approach to the conflict and urge him to better protect civilians.

The legislation would allocate $5 billion to Israel’s defense capabilities and $9 billion for “worldwide humanitarian aid,” including for civilians in Gaza. But it would not place further conditions on how Israel could use American military aid, nor block future arms transfers from the United States as an increasing number of Democrats have sought to do.

Democrats who are leading the push against the Israel aid bill said they strongly supported the Jewish state and its right to defend itself, and would vote in favor of sending military aid that supports Israel’s defense capabilities, such as by replenishing the Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Iron Beam defense systems. They also denounced the Oct. 7 terrorist attack by Hamas that prompted the war, and said the hostages taken by Hamas must be released.

But they argued that approving more offensive weaponry without conditions was an untenable moral and political position that would amount to an endorsement of Mr. Netanyahu’s prosecution of the war, including his intention to invade Rafah over the objections of the Biden administration. More than 33,000 people in Gaza have been killed since the start of the conflict, according to the health ministry there, and the population is facing a hunger crisis.

“I understand the need for defensive weapons for Israel, particularly in light of the attack by Iran,” said Representative Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, who ran his first campaign on an antiwar platform and helped lead efforts to end U.S. participation in the war in Yemen. “But there is no justification to provide bombs and weapons to Netanyahu to continue the war in Gaza that is killing thousands of innocent Palestinian women and children.”

Saturday’s vote will recall a similar situation from 2007, when the speaker at the time, Nancy Pelosi, Democrat of California, split a piece of spending legislation to allow Democrats to register their opposition to funding the Iraq war while backing a domestic funding bill. Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, similarly divided the foreign aid package to be considered on Saturday in order to get each element across the finish line in the face of distinct coalitions of resistance to different pieces of the bill.

In a critical test vote on Friday , the House agreed, 316 to 94, to bring up the package, with 39 Democrats — mostly progressives — joining 55 Republicans in opposition.

“This is a moment for members of Congress who support a safe and secure Israel to send a message that giving Netanyahu more offensive weapons is not a path for peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians,” Representative Becca Balint, Democrat of Vermont and the first Jewish member of Congress to call for a cease-fire, said in an interview. “To give Netanyahu more offensive weapons at this stage, I believe, is to condone the destruction of Gaza that we’ve seen in the last six months. And it’s also a green light for an invasion of Rafah.”

Representative Lloyd Doggett, a Texas Democrat who led the opposition to funding for the Iraq war in 2007, said the conversations among Democrats in Congress opposing continued U.S. backing for the war in Gaza were “not unlike” those that took place 17 years ago.

“We may well be casting the vote on whether a much wider war takes place, and whether American weapons go that result in the death of thousands of innocent people,” Mr. Doggett said.

The Democrats who oppose the aid package for Israel represent a minority of their caucus. But they see a “no” vote as part of a strategy to pressure Mr. Biden to condition aid and halt future offensive weapons transfers. Through many meetings, text chains and conversations with the administration, they have worked to shift the president’s approach to Israel, while underscoring the electoral risks Mr. Biden faces among voters who helped power him to the White House in 2020 and are now furious over his handling of the war.

“The only way to get a course correction is for a sizable number within the Democratic caucus to say it must shift,” Ms. Balint said.

Representative Dan Kildee, a Michigan Democrat who has been pressing Mr. Biden to withhold offensive weapons from Israel, said a big “no” vote would strengthen the president’s hand to do so.

“It helps the administration to have some number of Democrats express ourselves in this way,” he said.

Representative Greg Casar, Democrat of Texas, said he hoped a substantial number of Democrats opposing the bill would give the Biden administration greater leverage to influence the Israeli government’s approach to the war.

“I hope this vote will show the world that there is a really significant segment of the United States that doesn’t want to see expanded and widening wars,” he said.

Farnaz Fassihi and Eric Schmitt

Israel used missiles as well as drones in its overnight strike on Iran, officials say.

Israeli warplanes fired missiles on Iran during a retaliatory strike early Friday morning, one Western official and two Iranian officials said, suggesting that the attack included more advanced firepower than initial reports indicated.

It was not immediately clear the types of missiles used, from where they were fired, whether any were intercepted by Iran’s defenses or where they landed.

The Western official and the Iranian officials requested anonymity to discuss classified information.

Previously, Iranian officials said Friday’s attack on a military base in central Iran was conducted by small aerial drones, most likely launched from inside Iranian territory. A separate group of small drones, they said soon after the attack, was shot down in the region of Tabriz, roughly 500 miles north of Isfahan.

Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for Friday’s attack and would not comment on the use of planes or missiles.

Israel’s strike came in response to an Iranian attack last weekend in which Iran fired hundreds of missiles and drones at Israel. A majority of the weapons used in that salvo were fired from Iranian territory and intercepted by Israel and its allies before causing any damage.

By contrast, the Iranian officials said, Iran’s military did not detect anything entering Iran’s airspace on Friday, including drones, missiles and aircraft. Iran’s state news agency IRNA reported that no missile attacks occurred and that Iran’s air defense system was not activated.

Iran’s decision to launch its strike primarily from its own soil last week was perceived by Israel as an escalation in the countries’ long-simmering shadow war. The Iranians believe the large salvo is helping with deterrence. Throughout the yearslong conflict, the two countries have traded clandestine attacks, including targeted assassinations, cyberattacks and conventional strikes conducted from and within third countries.

Iran’s attack last week was itself prompted by an Israeli strike on April 1, in which Israeli aircraft killed several Iranian armed forces commanders in Syria.

By using drones seemingly launched from inside Iran’s territory rather than its own, Israel hinted at a willingness to turn down the temperature on the conflict while also demonstrating an ability to conduct attacks that Iran could not detect.

One Iranian official, a member of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, said that even though the strike did little damage, the likelihood that drones were fired from under Iran’s nose sent a message about Israel’s capabilities.

A guided missile fired from an undetected warplane, even if it landed outside Iranian territory, would most likely deliver a similar threat.

Officials from both countries remained largely quiet about Friday’s attack, a gesture that appeared aimed at de-escalating a conflict some fear could spiral into a broader regional war. Israel’s silence on the attack, an Iranian official said, would allow Tehran to treat the strike as it had comparable previous attacks and not prompt an immediate response.

Mahdi Mohammadi, a senior adviser to Iran’s Parliament speaker, said that Israel’s limited attack on Iran showed that Iran had achieved its goal of deterrence. Israel’s refusal to openly claim responsibility, he said, amounts to a victory for Iran.

Israel’s attack, he said on the messaging app Telegram, was meant to show that it had the “capability to access Iran but in practice it also showed that it has accepted that it should not repeat its miscalculation.”

Peter Baker

The White House maintained public silence about the Israeli strike on Iran. “I’m not going to speak or speculate about any of the reports that are out there,” Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, said at her daily briefing. John Kirby, the national security spokesman who typically speaks on foreign policy issues, did not join the briefing.

Jean-Pierre did repeat the president’s standard position urging against widening the war: “We do not want to see this conflict escalate. We continue to consult with our allies and partners, including in the region, to reduce further risk of escalation in the region.”

Raja Abdulrahim

Israel reportedly strikes an air defense site in Syria.

The Israeli military struck a Syrian air defense site in southern Syria with missiles early Friday, causing material damage, though no casualties were reported, according to Syrian state news media.

Syria’s official news agency, SANA, provided no other details and Israel did not comment on whether it was responsible for the attack, in keeping with its usual practice.

The strike happened around the same time that Israel carried out a strike on a military air base near the city of Isfahan, in central Iran.

That strike came less than a week after Iran fired more than 300 missiles and drones at Israel — nearly all of which were shot down — in retaliation for an April 1 attack on an Iranian diplomatic compound in Syria that killed seven Iranian military officers.

Friday’s strike in Syria targeted a radar system in the southern province of Dara’a, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in Britain.

The Syrian military detected Israeli aircraft entering Syrian airspace, but its air defenses did not try to intercept the strikes, the Observatory said.

Iranian-backed armed groups throughout Syria have been on high alert since Iran’s strikes on Israel last weekend, the Observatory said. The groups obscured their positions and gave some of their leaders a week of leave.

Iran is closely allied with Hezbollah, the Lebanese militia, and with the Syrian government, and both Hezbollah and Iran’s Quds Force operate in Syria. For years, Iranian proxies like Hezbollah have launched strikes at northern Israel.

Israel has repeatedly targeted Iran and its allies with strikes in Syria, including in Damascus, the capital, and Aleppo.

Attacks across Israel’s borders with Syria and Lebanon have escalated since the Oct. 7 assault by Hamas on Israel.

Since the first of the year, Israel has carried out nearly three dozen attacks in Syria, destroying buildings, military headquarters and weapon and ammunition warehouses, the Observatory said. The strikes have killed 129 fighters and 12 civilians, the group said.

Adam Rasgon

Jordan will not allow its airspace to be violated by either Israel or Iran, Jordan’s foreign minister told his Iranian counterpart in a phone call, the official Jordanian news agency, Petra, reported.

Jordan lies between the two enemies, and it played a key role in helping shoot down the barrage of missiles and drones Iran fired at Israel on Saturday.

Leily Nikounazar and Gaya Gupta

Residents of Isfahan describe their fears of an escalated war.

Daily life appeared to return to normal in Isfahan on Friday, according to Iranian state news media and a resident who was interviewed, hours after Israel’s attack on a nearby military base continued the cycle of strikes and counterstrikes between the two countries.

But tensions from the overnight attack reverberated through the city, and some residents described the threat of full-fledged war as crippling — despite analysts’ assessment that both nations were trying to avoid further escalation.

Mehrdad, 43, an engineer from Isfahan, said the latest retaliation left him and his pregnant wife feeling stressed and unwell. He asked that his last name not be used for fear of retribution.

“The future of this country concerns me,” he said. “I believe nothing good is expected.”

Though he said that the city had returned “back to its normal” and reactions from officials were muted — which he believed was to help make people feel at ease — many residents remain scared after a stressful night of explosions.

For the first six months of the war between Israel and Hamas, Iran’s involvement in fighting had been limited to its proxies, including the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and the Yemeni Houthi militia. But after Iran’s first direct strike on Israel last weekend, Mehrdad said, “things are coming to the surface.”

He hoped that diplomatic mediation would put an end to the threat of war, and he worried that the county’s infrastructure would be “ruined” by further Israeli attacks.

“Our economic situation is awful. We have 50 percent annual inflation,” he said. “Now guess what would happen if the war materialized. What would happen to our living conditions in this country?”

Mahsa, 34, an accountant from Isfahan who also asked that her last name not be used for fear of retribution, described a tense atmosphere of fear and instability. The economy is often the main topic of conversation when people gather, she said, and many are worried about the consequences of a wider war.

“When Iran attacked, we were all worried and we really didn’t know what to expect,” she said, describing the cycle of retaliation between Israel and Iran as a “show game.”

“Of course, after this Israeli attack, the direction of the game will be determined,” she added. “Either a full-scale war, or the end of this line, or just threats.”

The distress is crushing. Mahsa said her mental health had deteriorated, describing an instance last week when she broke down sobbing in the middle of the street for seemingly no reason while on a run. Dreams seem “more impossible to achieve, day by day,” she said.

“We don’t have much mental energy left,” she added.

An earlier version of this article misstated the gender of Mahsa, an accountant from Isfahan, Iran. She is female, not male.

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The seemingly small scale of Israel's attack may give both countries an exit from the cycle of escalation. “It appears we are out of the danger zone and, because Israel’s strike was limited, it has allowed both countries to back down for now,” said Sanam Vakil, director of the Middle East and North Africa program at Chatham House.

The few Iranian officials who have talked publicly about the attack have downplayed it, suggesting a bid to de-escalate. A lawmaker, Seyed Nezamedin Mousavi, called the strike "ridiculous,” saying it showed Israel “is content with these ineffective actions.” A former foreign minister, Mohammad Javad Zarif, dismissed it as "fireworks."

Cassandra Vinograd

Here is a look at the recent history of Iran-Israel hostilities.

For decades, Israel and Iran have fought a shadow war across the Middle East , trading attacks by land, sea, air and in cyberspace. A recent round of strikes — mainly an aerial barrage by Iran against Israel last weekend — has brought the conflict more clearly into the open and raised fears of a broader war.

A retaliatory Israeli strike on an Iranian air base on Friday, however, appeared limited in scope, and analysts said it suggested an effort to pull back from the dangerous cycle and potentially move the war back into the shadows.

Here is a recent history of the conflict:

August 2019: An Israeli airstrike killed two Iranian-trained militants in Syria, a drone set off a blast near a Hezbollah office in Lebanon and an airstrike in Qaim, Iraq, killed a commander of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia. Israel accused Iran at the time of trying to establish an overland arms-supply line through Iraq and northern Syria to Lebanon, and analysts said the strikes were aimed at stopping Iran and signaling to its proxies that Israel would not tolerate a fleet of smart missiles on its borders.

January 2020: Israel greeted with satisfaction the assassination of Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani , the commander of the foreign-facing arm of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, in an American drone strike in Baghdad.

Iran hit back by attacking two bases in Iraq that housed American troops with a barrage of missiles, wounding about 100 U.S. military personnel .

2021-22: In July 2021, an oil tanker managed by an Israeli-owned shipping company was attacked off the coast of Oman, killing two crew members, according to the company and three Israeli officials. Two of the officials said that the attack appeared to have been carried out by Iranian drones.

Iran did not explicitly claim or deny responsibility, but a state-owned television channel described the episode as a response to an Israeli strike in Syria.

In November 2021, Israel killed Iran’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh , and followed up with the assassination of a Revolutionary Guards commander, Col. Sayad Khodayee , in May 2022.

December 2023: After Israel’s bombardment of Gaza began in response to the Oct. 7 Hamas-led assault, Iranian-backed militias stepped up their own attacks . And late last year, Iran accused Israel of killing a high-level military figure, Brig. Gen. Sayyed Razi Mousavi , in a missile strike in Syria.

A senior adviser to the Revolutionary Guards, General Mousavi was described as having been a close associate of General Suleimani and was said to have helped oversee the shipment of arms to Hezbollah. Israel, adopting its customary stance, declined to comment directly on whether it was behind General Mousavi’s death.

January 2024: An explosion in a suburb of Beirut, Lebanon, killed Saleh al-Arouri , a Hamas leader, along with two commanders from that group’s armed wing, the first assassination of a top Hamas official outside the West Bank and Gaza in recent years. Officials from Hamas, Lebanon and the United States ascribed the blast to Israel , which did not publicly confirm involvement.

Hezbollah, which receives major support from Iran, stepped up its assaults on Israel after Mr. al-Arouri’s death. Israel’s military hit back at Hezbollah in Lebanon, killing several of the group’s commanders .

March: An Israeli drone strike hit a car in southern Lebanon, killing at least one person. Israel’s military said it had killed the deputy commander of Hezbollah’s rocket and missile unit. Hezbollah acknowledged the death of a man, Ali Abdulhassan Naim, but did not provide further details.

The same day, airstrikes killed soldiers near Aleppo, northern Syria, in what appeared to be one of the heaviest Israeli attacks in the country in years. The strikes killed 36 Syrian soldiers, seven Hezbollah fighters and a Syrian from a pro-Iran militia, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a British-based group that tracks Syria’s civil war.

Israel’s military did not claim responsibility. But the country’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, wrote on social media, “We will pursue Hezbollah every place it operates and we will expand the pressure and the pace of the attacks.”

April: A strike on an Iranian Embassy building in Damascus on April 1 killed three top Iranian commanders and four officers. Iran blamed Israel and vowed to hit back forcefully.

Two weeks later, Tehran launched a barrage of more than 300 drones and missiles at Israel, an unexpectedly large-scale attack , although nearly all the weapons were shot down by Israel and allies. Israel said for days it would respond, before a strike on Friday hit a military air base near the central Iranian city of Isfahan.

Israel has commonly used exploding drones in attacks on Iran.

Iranian officials said that the Israeli strike on Friday morning was carried out by small exploding drones, a tactic that would follow a well-established pattern in Israeli attacks on Iranian military targets.

As Israel has targeted Iranian defense and military officials and infrastructure, small drones — specifically ones known as quadcopters — have been a signature of those operations. Quadcopter drones, so named because they have four rotors, have a short flight range and can explode on impact.

The drones might have been launched from inside Iran, whose radar systems had not detected unidentified aircraft entering Iranian airspace, Iranian officials said. If the drones were launched within the country, it demonstrates once again Israel’s ability to mount clandestine operations in Iranian territory .

Israel’s military has not commented on Friday’s strike. Though it rarely claims responsibility publicly for attacks against Iranian targets, several attacks in recent years have used drones:

August 2019: Israel sent an exploding drone into the heart of a Hezbollah-dominated neighborhood in Beirut, Lebanon, to destroy what Israeli officials described as machinery used in the production of precision missiles.

June 2021: A quadcopter exploded outside Tehran at one of Iran’s main manufacturing centers for centrifuges, which purify uranium and are used at the country’s two major uranium enrichment facilities . Western officials have closely watched activity at those facilities for signs that Iran could be moving toward producing a nuclear weapon. Iran claimed that there had been no damage to the site outside Tehran, but satellite images showed evidence of significant damage.

February 2022: Six quadcopters exploded at Kermanshah, Iran’s main manufacturing and storage plant for military drones.

May 2022: A strike targeted the highly sensitive Parchin military site outside Tehran, where Iran develops missile, nuclear and drone technology. Quadcopter drones exploded into a building, killing an engineer and injuring another person, Iranians with knowledge of the attack said at the time.

January 2023: A drone attack on an Iranian military facility in January 2023 caused a large explosion in the center of Isfahan, the city near the air base that was struck on Friday. At the time, Iran made no effort to hide the fact that an attack had happened, but said it had done little damage. Iranian state media reported that drones had targeted an ammunition manufacturing plant but had been shot down by a surface-to-air defense system.

Michael Crowley

Traveling with Secretary Blinken

Blinken says the U.S. has not been involved in ‘offensive operations’ in Iran.

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said on Friday that the United States “has not been involved in any offensive operations” in Iran when asked about Israel’s strike on the country on Friday, but he declined to comment further.

Mr. Blinken spoke on the last day of a meeting of Group of 7 ministers in Capri, Italy, where the agenda was dominated by the conflict in the Middle East, including the exchanges of strikes in the past week between Israel and Iran. In remarks to reporters before departing the island, Mr. Blinken said the G7 was unified in urging de-escalation between Iran and Israel to avoid a wider war.

But Mr. Blinken would not even directly confirm the Israeli strike, which appeared to be the country’s first military response to Iran’s attack last weekend, referring instead to “reported events,” and he would not say whether the United States had been notified in advance of the Israeli action. Shortly before he spoke, Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, told reporters that the United States had been “informed at the last minute” of the Israeli strike.

“But there was no involvement on the part of the United States,” Mr. Tajani said. “It was simply information which was provided,” adding that he believed the G7’s collective efforts deserved credit for “the small scale of the event.”

Mr. Tajani did not say how he knew the United States had not been notified in advance, but he had recently come from a meeting with Mr. Blinken and other G7 ministers. A senior American official said on Friday that Israel had notified the United States through multiple channels shortly before its attack on Iran.

The G7 weighed in collectively in a statement concluding the three-day meeting, urging countries to prevent further escalation “in light of reports of strikes” on Friday. The G7 includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United States and the European Union.

The statement also said that the member nations “condemn in the strongest terms Iran’s direct and unprecedented attack” on Israel.

“Israel and its people have our full solidarity and support and we reaffirm our commitment toward Israel’s security,” it added.

The G7 also issued a new warning to Tehran, demanding that “Iran and its affiliated groups cease their attacks” throughout the Middle East and saying that “we stand ready to adopt further sanctions or take other measures.”

Mr. Blinken said of Iran that “degrading its missile and drone capabilities” was a key G7 goal.

Mr. Blinken also addressed the ongoing conflict in Gaza, pointing a finger at Hamas for the failure so far to reach a cease-fire deal that would include the release of Israeli prisoners.

“The only thing standing behind the Gaza people and a cease-fire is Hamas,” he said.

But he also addressed a major friction point with Israel, warning against what Israel says is its planned attack on the southern Gaza city of Rafah, where more than a million Palestinians have sought shelter from fighting elsewhere in the enclave. Israel has said an invasion of Rafah is necessary to eliminate Hamas battalions in the city.

“We cannot support a major military operation in Rafah,” Mr. Blinken said. Mr. Blinken said that protecting and caring for civilians amid such an operation was “a monumental task for which we have yet to see a plan.”

Asked about the U.S. veto on Thursday of a United Nations Security Council resolution to recognize a Palestinian state, Mr. Blinken said that while the United States supports the creation of such a state, doing so requires negotiations and that the proposed resolution “will have no effect on actually moving things forward and achieving a Palestinian state.”

He added: “You can put something down on a piece of paper and wave it around. It has no effect. What does and can have an effect is actual diplomacy.”

Mr. Blinken also noted that, under U.S. law passed by Congress, U.N. acceptance of a Palestinian member state would require “cutting off all of our funding for the United Nations.”

The Iranian news media appear keen to show that things are “back to normal” in Isfahan. The official news agency, IRNA, published a gallery of photos — people strolling, shoppers at a market, a child with a soccer ball — that it said showed “normal life” in the city today. Flights at the Isfahan airport, which had been suspended for a few hours, have resumed, it said.

Joe Rennison

S&P Global Ratings downgraded Israel’s credit rating on Thursday evening, citing the confrontation with Iran. It lowered Israel’s rating to A+ from AA-. That’s still a high rating on a scale that runs from triple-A down to D.

Maj. Gen. Abdolrahim Mousavi, the commander in chief of Iran’s army, said explosions heard early Friday in Isfahan “were from our air defense firing at a suspicious object. There has been no damage from the incident.” He said that experts were investigating the episode.

Reporting from Jerusalem

World leaders call for de-escalation after Israel’s strike in Iran.

World leaders on Friday urged Israel and Iran to de-escalate tensions after Israel struck an Iranian military base, the latest salvo in a cycle of retaliation that has raised fears of a broader war in recent weeks.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain, whose military participated in defending Israel last weekend against Iran’s missile and drone attack, told reporters, “Significant escalation is not in anyone’s interests — what we want to see is calm heads prevail across the region.”

Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the European Commission, the European Union’s executive arm, told reporters during a visit to China, “It is absolutely essential that the region remains stable and that all sides refrain from further action.”

Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said the Group of 7 nations — which includes Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States — had changed the agenda of its meeting Friday on the resort island of Capri to “address the Iran issue and put priority attention on the Middle East.”

“The political goal of the G7 is de-escalation,” Mr. Tajani said.

The government of Jordan, which has been criticized in the Arab world for playing a role in intercepting Iran’s attack last weekend, issued an especially pointed plea.

“Israeli-Iranian retaliations must end,” Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s foreign minister said on Friday. He urged the international community to turn its attention back to Gaza, where six months of Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion have killed over 33,000 people and led to extreme hunger in parts of the territory.

“The inhumane war on Gaza must end now,” Mr. Safadi said. “The focus of the world must remain on ending the catastrophic aggression on Gaza.”

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