Cosmos is budget-oriented and offers multi-country tours that include Italy as well as Italy only trips. The trips last one to three weeks and combine guided tours with a few free days. Examples of tours are the regional "Magic of the Italian Lakes," which visits the several large northern lakes, and an extended 17-day trip through "Southern Italy and Sicily." Cosmos also has highlights tours that cover the most important cities and major sights.
Cosmos
5301 South Federal Circle
Littleton, CO 80123
800-276-1241
cosmos.com/Vacations/Europe/Italy/
Gate1 Travel is an international tour operator that offers economical escorted tours and independent travel packages to Italy. Some of their tours are regional, like their tours of Sicily, Tuscany, and the Lakes and Riviera. Other tours cover the country from top to bottom. Gate1 is a good choice for travelers who want to combine the ease of group travel with free time because the guides provide leisure days but also have additional, optional day tours. Their multi-city hotel and rail packages are a good value for travelers who do not want be with a group or a tour guide but want the value of group pricing.
Gate1 Travel
455 Maryland Drive
Ft. Washington, PA 19034
800-682-3333
gate1travel.com/europe.aspx
Go-Today is a pioneer in online budget vacation packages. They offer vacation packages that include flights, hotels, and rail transfers. Though they do not usually have escorted tours, they can arrange them. There are optional sightseeing options, like city tours, that can be added to packages.
3303 Monte Villa Parkway
Suite 200
Bothell, WA 98021
800-227-3235
go-today.com
go-today.com/
Since 1989 Intrepid has aimed to take travelers off the beaten path and to encourage sustainable travel. Many tours are comprised of traditional city sightseeing. Others are more geared towards adventure with activities like hiking the Cinque Terre and riding a cable car at Lake Maggiore. They can also arrange apartment rentals.
Intrepid Travel
939 Pearl Street, Suite 200
Boulder, CO 80302
800-970-7299
intrepidtravel.com
Ciclismo Classico specializes in bike tours of Italy and Europe but additionally has walking and hiking trips and culinary tours. While many of its tours are expensive, Ciclismo has "More Miles for Less" budget tours of the Piedmont and Tuscany regions for $2,299 (2010 prices, including guide services, overnight accommodations, and most meals). They organize high quality bicycle and helmet rentals and take care of luggage transportation so riders can move unencumbered from one city to the next. Bike travel through the countryside allows visitors to see a side of Italy few tourists get to encounter. The guides are experienced, bilingual cyclists.
Ciclismo Classico
30 Marathon Street
Arlington, MA 02474
800-866-7314
ciclismoclassico.com
Italy is a prime destination for food and wine vacations. La Locanda Del Prete's Cooking and Wine Tour includes meals, a cooking class, guided tours of the local area, and accommodations at their bed and breakfast in Tuscany ($2,320 for one week based on 2010 prices). Let's Cook in Umbria offers 2, 4, or 7 day tours that combine a stay in an agriturismo (country farm) in the Umbria region with cooking classes, winery tours and tastings, and sightseeing to historical and cultural places ($1,275 for one week based on 2010 prices). Let's Cook also offers a hiking tour and has particularly good values for families or groups of four or more people traveling together.
Tuscan Way -- La Locanda del Prete
2829 Bird Ave., Suite 5, PMB 242
Coconut Grove, FL 33133
[email protected]
800-766-2390
lalocandadelprete.com/tours.htm
Let's Cook in Umbria
Strada comunale San Marino 25
06125 - Perugia
Italy
+39-075-5899951
cookinumbria.it
