Since the 1930s, the Globus travel family has offered tours of Europe. Its Cosmos brand is budget oriented and offers multi-country tours that include Italy as well as Italy inclusive trips that last from one to three weeks. The tours include "Magic of the Italian Lakes," visiting Lakes Maggiore, Como and Garda and a 17-day trip through "Southern Italy and Sicily." All tours have well-educated escorts. They also provide leisure time to explore locations independently. The Globus brand offers tours similar to those from Cosmos but at a higher price, based mostly on staying in a better hotel category.
Globus
5301 South Federal Circle
Littleton, CO 80123
866-755-8581
www.globusjourneys.com/
Cosmos
5301 South Federal Circle
Littleton, CO 80123
800-276-1241
www.cosmos.com/Vacations/Europe/Italy/
Gate1 Travel is an international tour operator that offers trips all over the world. Its Italian tours include specialized regional tours of Sicily, Tuscany, the lakes and Riviera and the Amalfi Coast. It also has countrywide tours that feature overnight stays in cities like Venice, Florence and Rome. The tours operate throughout the year. Gate1 is a good choice for travelers who want more leisure time since many tour days include free time or optional tours. Those who prefer to stick with the group can purchase optional tours and stay with the coach, while those who want a little more independence can explore a city on their own.
Gate1 Travel
455 Maryland Drive
Ft. Washington, PA 19034
800-682-3333
www.gate1travel.com/europe.aspx
City Discovery offers multi-day tours around Italy and other European countries, but it also has a large choice of half-day and full-day city tours. Multi-day tours can be as short as two nights or as long as a week. The company's city tours often include admission to popular sites and museums that are usually crowded and would usually require advanced reservations or spending a long time waiting in a line for entry, such as the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, the "Last Supper" in Milan and the Vatican Museums.
City Discovery
c/o Tours and Co. Associates, Inc.
13 North Saint Clair St.
Toledo, OH 43604
866-988-8687
www.city-discovery.com/country/Italy
Gray Line Tours is a name long associated with city tours. It offers many half-day or full-day coach excursions from the base cities of Florence and Rome. These are a good choice for tourists who want to travel independently but don't want to rent a car to visit sites that are difficult to see by public transportation. Options in Rome include half-day trips to the archaeological site Ostia Antica or to the surrounding Roman countryside. AAA members booking online receive a 10 percent discount. Bus tours departing from Florence include drives around the Chianti region and visits to wineries. Gray Line also has overnight motorcoach tours lasting two to five days.
Gray Line Florence
Via S. Antonino 6R
50123 Florence, Italy
+39-055-210612
www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/europe/florence.go
Gray Line Rome
Piazza Dell Esquilino 6/7
00185 Rome, Italy
+39-6-48786601
www.grayline.com/Grayline/destinations/europe/rome.go
Travelers with specific interests can enjoy the many specialty tours of Italy. Ice cream connoisseur Malcolm Stogo gives gastronomic tours of Italy, such as a "Specialty Food Tour" and a "Gelato Tour." World War II buffs can join the Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours' 10-day journey through the "Italian Campaign." 206 Tours leads Catholic pilgrimages, directed by Catholic priests and featuring a celebration of daily mass, with coach tours such as the popular "Shrines of Italy," which visits San Giovanni Rotondo, Assisi and Rome.
Malcolm's Specialty Food Tours
79 Edgewood Avenue
West Orange NJ 07052
973-669-1060
www.malcolmsfoodtours.com/
Stephen Ambrose Historical Tours
P.O. Box 19354
New Orleans, LA 70179
888-903-3329
www.stephenambrosetours.com
206 Tours
333 Marcus Blvd
Hauppauge, NY 11788
800-206-TOUR
www.pilgrimages.com
