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Group Tours (Small group tours, large group tours)

Pauline Kenny

On Slow Travelers we promote independent travel, but it is not for everyone and it involves a lot of work on your part to organize the trip. Taking a tour means someone else figures out all the trip logistics, picks the hotels, plans the itinerary, looks after transportation. But, you will be traveling with a group, and all that that entails (both good and bad). You might consider taking a tour, but then staying a bit longer after for some independent travel.

Many companies provide tours in Italy. We have some listed on this page. We do not collect reviews of touring companies, but you can go on our message board and search on the company name to see if people have been posting about them. There are many types of guided tours for Italy:

  • A large group tour, where everything is planned for you but you will get a good overview of Italy. These are usually less expensive than small group tours, but less personal. You are taken around in a large bus instead of a smaller van. You see more of the "highlights" and fewer of the details.
  • A small group tour where it is more personal and tailored to your desires. Take a food tour if you are a foodie; an art tour if that is your interest. If you are going to take a tour, I recommend a small group tour.
  • A walking or hiking tour where your days revolve around hiking and you see the sites that way. If you really want a walking / hiking trip in Tuscany, I recommend taking a walking tour because it is difficult to figure out the hikes on your own (we have tried and had some successes, many failures).
  • A biking tour where your days revolve around biking. We see bike tours all the time going through Tuscany.

Slow Travel Classifieds - Group Tours

Benvenuto Limos & Tours: www.benvenutolimos.com
Amalfi Coast Excursions starting from Sorrento, Amalfi Coast, Naples and Rome (see the classified)

When in Rome Tours: www.wheninrometours.com
When in Rome, Do As The Smart Travelers Do. (see the classified)

Lombardy Delights: www.lombardydelights.com.au
Intimate Small Group Tours of a Hidden Wonderland in Southern Lombardy! (see the classified)

BonVoyage: www.bonvoyage.net.au
Small group tours to Italy, France & UK. Just 6/7 people + your personal guide to show you the way. (see the classified)

Italy With Friends Tours: www.italywithfriends.com
JOIN ME IN BELLA ITALY! Affordable, small group tours of ITALY. Check out new tours for 2010! (see the classified)

lemarcheholiday.net: www.lemarcheholiday.net
lemarcheholiday.net is an association that organize itinerary in Marche and Umbria. (see the classified)

Gail's Great Escapes: www.GailsGreatEscapes.com
Escape with us to Medieval Montisi in Tuscany (see the classified)

BlueStone Tourism Services in Sicily: www.bluestonesicily.com
Specialist for private small & big groups and incentive travel in Sicily (see the classified)

TourInSicily.com: TourInSicily.com
Fully escorted budget tour of Sicily (see the classified)

Avventure Bellissime: Tours of Italy
Offering the best value in group & private tours throughout Italy (see the classified)

La Contadina Travels and Tours: www.lacontadina.com
Feel Your Italian Spirit! ® Small, intimate tours of the Bel Paese including cooking class! (see the classified)

Day tour to the Amalfi coast, Pompeii etc: www.angelodriver.com/
your private driver in Sorrento for transfers and tours (see the classified)

Italian Indulgence: www.italianindulgence.com
Italian Indulgence - travel in style to Italy, without breaking the budget. (see the classified)

Slow Travel Classifieds - Bicycle Tours

I Bike Tuscany: www.ibiketuscany.com
Private, personalized, guided 1-day and more days bike tours in Florence and Tuscany (see the classified)

Piccolina Adventures: piccolinaadventures.com
Gourmet bike tours through farms, vineyards & seaside of undiscovered Italy. ♦Early Discount!♦ (see the classified)

Italy Cruiser BikeTours: www.italycruiserbiketours.com
The first and original guided tour using a CRUISER BIKE model in Florence, Pisa and Rome. (see the classified)

Slow Travel Classifieds - Walking Tours

How to Tour Italy: www.howtotouritaly.com
Walking Tours of Florence & The How to Tour Italy Show (see the classified)

ICON Tours, Rome: www.icontours.com
Art & History Walking Adventures for Hungry Minds! (see the classified)

Laurintours: www.laurintours.it/
Dolomites - Italian Alps: hiking tours, Tyrolean inns & castles & culture (see the classified)

Walks inside Venice: www.walksinsidevenice.com
Classic and unusual tours of Venice and its Lagoon conducted by professional guides. (see the classified)

Walks inside Italy: www.walksinsideitaly.com
Private guided tours of Venice, Florence & Rome with professional native guides (see the classified)

Presto Tours: www.prestotours.com/
Vatican Tours & More... Instant Booking Process... Presto! (see the classified)

Walks inside Rome: www.walksinsiderome.com
Private guided tours of Rome and the Vatican (see the classified)

Hedonistic Hiking: www.hedonistichiking.com
Fully inclusive, high quality small group guided walking holidays in Italy. (see the classified)

Explore Italy: exploreitaly.luciareardon.com/
Yoga, Walking, and Exploring off the beaten trail for the active traveler! (see the classified)

Romaround: www.romaround.it
Private tours in Rome, Florence and Venice (see the classified)

Nancy Aiello Tours: www.nancyaiellotours.com
Travel to Italy | Private Walking Tours and Museums tours of Rome, Vatican City, Florence and Venice (see the classified)

David Morton's Roman Road Walks: www.romanroadwalks.com
Beyond the guidebooks: small-group walking trips in Rome’s fabled countryside (see the classified)

Antiqua Tours: www.antiquatours.com
Fun and informative tours of Rome. Small group and private walking tours. (see the classified)

Slow Travel Classifieds - Wine Tours

Gusto Umbrian Wine Tours: www.gustowinetours.com
Join us for an unforgettable Umbrian experience . (see the classified)

Savour the Sannio: www.savourthesannio.com
Custom Wine Tours of Campania (see the classified)

WINE AND FOOD TOURS IN TUSCANY: www.ariannandfriends.com
Accommodation in country houses and Wine Tours in Tuscany (see the classified)

TUSCAN SUNSHINE TOURS: www.tuscansunshinetours.it
We love to teach our Clients the life, the real Tuscan Tradition- seightseeing tours, transfers, (see the classified)

GUIDO'S TOURS: www.guidos-tours.it
Enjoy Wine Tours in Tuscany with a professional sommelier and passionate win-guide (see the classified)

Custom Wine Tours: www.customwinetours.com
Tours designed for small groups on the wine routes of Italy (see the classified)

PATH, walks,talks & beyond: www.experience-path.com
WINE & FOOD TOURS in Puglia, Cooking holidays, walking & biking tours (see the classified)

Slow Travel Classifieds - Learning Tours

DISCOVERING UMBRIA di Obḷ sul Mondo: www.discoveringumbria.com
WINE AND FOOD TOURS, COOKING CLASSES, LANGUAGE COURSES, FARM STAYS (see the classified)

Villa Vita International: www.villavita.net
Lessons of Tuscany : Live - Love - Learn (see the classified)

Alternatives to Guided Tours

  • To save yourself work, hire a Travel Consultant to help you plan and book your independent trip. This saves you lots of time doing hotel and itinerary research, but you can still have exactly the vacation you want.
  • Arrange some days with Private Tour Guides on your independent trip. This way you will benefit from the knowledge of someone who knows the area very well.
  • Arrange some days of Cooking Classes  or other workshops on your independent trip. This is a great way to learn more about Italy.

Read More

Slow Travel Trip Reports: Trip reports for Italy where they went on a group tour (small group or large group tour).

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