This is a land of gentle rises and fecund meadows, where grapes grow fat in the summer sun and Italian nobles retire to enjoy the countryside. It’s a place of fine art and delectable food, cosmopolitan cities and entrancing towns, timeless history and endless culture. It’s a region of untrammeled natural beauty and unbounded imagination, the home to some of the great minds and great landscapes in the world. This is Tuscany, and there’s nowhere else quite like it.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
The Magnificent Villas of Tuscany
This morning is left to your own devices. You can enjoy a leisurely breakfast and a cappuccino while you watch the traffic pass in one of Florence’s many piazzas or set out on a shopping expedition for some of the city’s best wares, like fine leather goods and jewelry. After a delicious lunch, you’ll head out to the Tuscan countryside to take in some of the most majestic country villas in Italy. You’ll start by walking along the famed double lane of cypresses that leads to the entrance of the splendid Villa Torrigiani, decorated with classical statues and dramatic balustrades that recall the splendor of Tuscany’s past.
Continue on to Villa Reale, whose renowned garden features the unique and unforgettable Teatro di Verdura – literally, the “Greenery Theatre” but perhaps most eloquently translated as “A Curtain of Green.” This performance space has been designed into the hedges and topiary that fill the gardens. The tour concludes at the most iconic of Lucchese villas, the stunning Villa Mansi, which is now the site of an excellent museum.
What's Included:
Day 2
Hiking the Arresting Alps
Day 3
A Tour of Chianti, Italy’s Wine Capital
Day 4
Around Fantastic Florence
Day 5
Visiting the Very Best Tuscan Towns
Day 6
A Day of Indulgence in the Heart of Italy
Day 7
Hitting the Streets of Italy’s Most Fashionable City
Day 8
Saying Arrivederci
Trip Highlights
- Marvel at the spectacular country homes of the central Italian elite, from Lucca to Mutigliano
- Enjoy an excursion to the heart of Italy’s famed wine region, where you’ll learn all about the history of Italian wine making and get a taste of the best vintages from the best wineries
- Walk the streets of famous Florence, the chief city of the Italian Renaissance and one of the greatest cities in the world for art lovers, from the rich offerings of the Accademia to the incredible paintings in the Uffizi
- Revel in the unparalleled comfort and relaxation at Bagni di Pisa, where you’ll enjoy soothing therapeutic waters and the splendor of a former villa turned into a world-class spa
- Explore the finest fashion houses and the best small boutiques of the renowned avenues of chic and tony Milan, one of the few world cities that drives the global fashion scene
Detailed Description
Nowhere says splendor quite like the famed hills of Tuscany, the home to scintillating countryside and some of the country’s best-loved cities. This nine-day trip will give you the chance to see the best of this arresting area, from the streets of Florence to the magnificent country villas of Lucca, showing you the best food, art and culture around.
Discover the art of the Italian Renaissance as you perambulate through Florence, where you’ll find the astounding Santa Maria del Fiore and the sublime works of Michelangelo on prominent display in the Accademia. Visit the villas of the Italian nobility around Lucca and Mutigliano and enjoy the sumptuous wines of the spectacular Chianti region. You’ll even get the chance to spend a day in the lap of luxury, as you revel in the setting and the services of a world-class spa in the delightful town of Bagni di Pisa.
From the paintings of the Renaissance to the celluloid of today’s silver screen, Tuscany is synonymous with Italian allure and countryside charm. Visit for the sunsets or the light as it mingles with the crisp Italian air over the tranquil peace of an olive grove. Come for the incomparable cuisine, known the world round for its comforting delicacies. Stop by for the culture that has been cultivated for centuries, from big cities to tiny towns. Why ever you choose to visit, you’ll find you have a much bigger problem finding a reason to leave.
Starting Price
$3,600 per person (excluding international flights)
Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.9 stars based on 5934 reviews.
Zicasso's travel agent created an itinerary and experience that was simply perfect. Every hotel experience, guide, and driver was excellent. She was kind, patient, knowledgeable, and made the perfect suggestions. I loved working with her! Thank you to our agent, the tour operator, and Zicasso for a wonderful trip!
Reviewed By Anita L.
The trip was wonderful. Zicasso's travel agent and her staff planned the perfect 10-day trip. The accommodations, the drivers, the guides, and the restaurant recommendations were perfect. The communication was excellent and timely. They went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and happy. The staff were very attentive and flexible, even when we wanted some small changes, such as pick-up times for the drivers. They adapted and made it all work. This travel agent is absolutely terrific.
Reviewed By Marci M.
Our Italy trip with Zicasso’s travel partner was nothing short of spectacular! Referred by a friend who had an amazing experience, we decided to give it a try and were not disappointed. Our agent was fantastic, always ready with answers to our questions and providing excellent support throughout our journey.
In Tuscany, we visited beautiful wineries and enjoyed a delightful lunch with the vintners, who were incredibly warm and welcoming. Her attention to detail was evident when she adjusted our plans due to weather changes and even checked in on us when we were slightly delayed for a tour.
Siena was breathtaking and our hotel in Rome was perfectly located, allowing us to walk to all the major sites. One of the highlights was a small boat tour around Capri from Amalfi—perfect weather and stunning waters made it unforgettable. The cooking class on the Amalfi Coast, set on the side of a cliff, was exceptional and having personal tours just for the two of us was an unexpected and delightful bonus.
We can't express enough how much we enjoyed our Italy trip. The travel partner exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend them for a truly memorable experience!
Reviewed By Kent S.
Zicasso’s trip coordinator and her team did a fantastic job, not only in planning the trip to meet our needs and wants, but also in personalizing it as needed. They were also available as we needed them to adjust things, such as pickups, and even made some dinner reservations for us. With our budget, they set us up in excellent hotels that fit our desire for the trip to be a wonderful anniversary getaway. Her staff were also very helpful. We would strongly recommend them for a trip to Italy!
Reviewed By Rajesh J.
Zicasso's travel planner and her staff did a perfect job for our family of six. She made our trip seamless!
Everything she planned was perfect and no detail was left out. I would use them again and again for my travels to Italy.
Reviewed By Sally F.
My first solo trip was something I had dreamed about for years. I wanted it to be more than sightseeing. I wanted adventure, comfort, safety, and freedom without the stress of planning it all alone. Through Zicasso, I was connected to two specialists and Zicasso's travel consultant stood out immediately. She delivered an itinerary that gave me everything I asked for and more: maximum cities, maximum fun, and maximum value, all without compromise.
Before deciding, I researched and compared tours, packages, and individual prices online. The travel consultant’s proposal came out on top for value and content. While the other agent offered fewer cities and activities at a higher price, her plan was ambitious without being overwhelming. She booked my trains, arranged private transfers where needed, and selected boutique-style hotels that exceeded expectations. I was honestly surprised at how good they were. I stayed at hotels in Interlaken, Florence, and Sorrento. Each was clean, comfortable, and perfectly located for exploring. I had prepared myself for budget trade-offs, but instead, I found thoughtfully chosen hotels that balanced affordability with real quality.
Every document, train ticket, and activity confirmation was uploaded into the app. It became my lifeline throughout the trip, with every detail at my fingertips. The structure gave me confidence, while still leaving me free to explore.
Switzerland came first: Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt. Each city felt like stepping into a postcard. Interlaken gave me the adrenaline rush of skydiving, while Zermatt charmed me with its close-knit magic and alpine beauty. Italy unfolded with equal ease: Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Sorrento, Amalfi, and Rome. Every destination felt curated, yet natural, from gondola rides in Venice to boat tours on the Amalfi Coast.
What I loved most was the balance between structure and freedom. Pre-booked activities and restaurant reservations gave me a strong framework, but I could just as easily decide to spend an afternoon wandering Florence, eating gelato, or sitting in a piazza. The rhythm of the trip was perfect, structured enough to tick off bucket-list highlights, yet relaxed enough to feel like a real vacation.
Food was freestyle, but memorable. Highlights included a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant in Zurich with its elegant Japanese-Peruvian flavors, a different Japanese restaurant, a restaurant in Como with its modern fusion menu, an Indian restaurant for comforting classics, and international favorites like those in one of the restaurants in Rome. Between those meals and plenty of gelato and crepes, every stop added its own flavor to the journey.
As a solo traveler, safety mattered. I felt comfortable walking around in the evenings and was usually back in my hotel by 1am to stay rested for the next day. What really gave me peace of mind was the travel consultant’s constant support. Communication was fast and responsive. I never had to wait long for answers, whether through the app or email. There was a moment when I made a mistake with the trains and missed an activity. She immediately stepped in and worked to reschedule it or secure a refund that same day.
Earlier in the planning process, I also had a card issue due to an address error. Even though policy would not normally allow it, she and her team patiently waited until I received the refund before finalizing the booking, just weeks before my trip. That flexibility and care spoke volumes.
The difference was clear. She used my budget to its fullest potential, giving me more destinations, more experiences, and better hotels than the alternative option. She managed to combine the efficiency of a fully organized tour with the freedom of independent travel. Everything was planned, yet everything was still mine to shape.
This trip was everything I wanted: good food, beautiful views, safety, and absolute reliability. It was an organized journey with freestyle flexibility, which is exactly what solo travelers dream of. The travel consultant’s planning let me chase adventure while always knowing I had a safety net. Switzerland and Italy gave me memories I will never forget, but it was the behind-the-scenes planning that made it possible. If you want a trip that is your way, your budget, your pace, but without the endless hassle of managing it yourself, the travel consultant at this agency is the person who can make it happen. My first solo trip became my dream trip and that is the highest praise I can give.
Reviewed By tasmia S.
