Florence and Venice Itineraries & Tours

When we started planning our trip to Italy, I knew I wanted to work with a travel agent—specifically, someone who specialized in Italy and was based there. After reaching out to several agencies and reviewing their responses, we chose Zicasso and, more specifically, our travel agent. She is based in Milan and from my very first interaction with her, I knew we had made the right choice.

Our trip could not have been more perfect. Our agent put a lot of thought into every location and planned activity. At the outset, we had a few discussions with her about what we wanted from the trip and, after that, we were happy to leave most of the details in her capable hands. Our goal was to explore mid-to-northern Italy and everything—from the hotels and tours to the free time and transportation—was beautifully organized.

Our 11-night trip started in Milan and ended in Florence, with overnight stays in Milan (one night), Lake Como (three nights), Venice (three nights), and Florence (four nights). Initially, I was hesitant about staying at Lake Como for three nights, but our agent encouraged me to do a little research. I’m so glad she did, as it turned out to be incredible. We had more self-guided time at Lake Como, which was perfect as we adjusted to the time change. In Venice, our itinerary became more structured, but we still had plenty of time for our own explorations. By the time we reached Florence, we had activities and tours planned for every day, which was just what we wanted.

A highlight for my family was a full-day trip into Tuscany, where we visited San Gimignano, an organic vineyard in Chianti, and finished with a tour of Siena. Our day trip to Rome allowed us to see the main attractions and we concluded the journey with a tour of Florence and the Accademia Gallery. Every tour our agent arranged was spot on.

Throughout our trip, she was wonderfully communicative—always available when we had questions, but never intrusive. She even helped us with a couple of last-minute requests: booking a hotel in Milan for one night and arranging train tickets to Verona for an impromptu visit to Juliet’s balcony. Whenever we needed something, she was there.

When we return to explore the mid-to-southern part of Italy, there’s no question that we’ll be asking her to plan our trip again. I highly recommend her to anyone looking for a seamless, thoughtfully curated Italian adventure.

Zicasso’s travel company and every single guide and driver were stellar. All four hotels were good or excellent. There was one error on the schedule for the day outside of Florence when we had a driver to take us to the Siena region. The schedule stated three hours, so we paid for tickets to the Pitti Palace/garden, which turned out to be wasted money as the driving tour was actually nine hours. It was a beautiful day, though.

Zicasso's travel company planned the most amazing trip to Venice, Verona, Florence, Tuscany, Siena, and Rome for our family of five. It was the best trip I've ever taken, and having all the details covered by them and plans and tickets sent to us via WhatsApp allowed us to really live in the moment and not have to think about what was next. I loved every second. I cannot wait to plan another trip to Italy to experience the southern half of the country.

Our trip to Italy was amazing! The tours that were organized for us were all excellent and engaging. 

The Vespa sidecar tour was an incredible way to kickstart the trip and our two teenage boys really enjoyed it. Our walking tours of the Vatican museums and the Colosseum and Roman Forum tours with our guide were excellent. We loved her. She was fantastic. Our tour of the crypts and catacombs was very interesting and the guide was very good.

The hotels were very nice and accommodating, especially in Rome and Venice. The car rental in Rome was good and the car was the perfect size for what we needed. It was just big enough to fit our luggage. 

The hotel in Orvieto was a bit spartan and had plumbing issues. Our tour guide in Orvieto was also great. The hotel in Siena was very nice. Our tour guide in Siena was very nice, but we had some difficulty hearing her. She did explain things nicely and took us to some interesting locations around the city, but not being able to hear her was a little challenging. The e-bike tour in Montepulciano was incredible. The scenic landscapes and the visit to Pienza was a nice surprise. 

Returning the car in Florence was very difficult and our only suggestion is that on the travel documents, the return address be included on the page of the event. We did not think to look back at the rental agreement. Driving in Florence is very difficult and can be overwhelming for some people. 

The train station was organized and it was easy to locate the train. The train ride itself was very easy and fast. 

Venice was outstanding. Our hotel was beautiful and comfortable, and the breakfast was incredible. Due to the difficulty we had in returning the car in Florence, our travel company was kind enough to buy us dinner at an wonderful restaurant in Venice, which was one of the highlights of the trip. 

Our family had a wonderful experience and the trip was so well planned and organized. I will be using our travel company for future trips and, on behalf of my family, I would like to thank you for the time of our lives!

Overall, we had an incredible trip! Zicasso's travel planner made our travels smooth and easy to navigate. She responded to all of our questions in a timely manner. The itinerary was detailed and easy to read. It was so nice having our train tickets in advance. The sights were beautiful (Venice, Florence, Cortona, Cinque Terre) and we had fun on our tours. Our villa and hotel accommodations were lovely. Everyone was friendly. We highly recommend our travel planner and her company!

We had the pleasure of working with Zicasso’s travel agents to create the perfect Italian adventure. I had quite a few specific requests, from travel logistics to hotel preferences, and they were incredibly patient and collaborative, offering multiple variations of the itinerary until it matched exactly what we envisioned.

Our journey began in Venice, where we were seamlessly picked up by a private driver, transferred to a water taxi, and dropped directly at our hotel. After a wonderful stay, we were taken by private driver to the train station for our ride from Venice to Florence, our one and only train trip, as we opted (based on their smart recommendation) for private transportation for the rest of our travels to avoid potential delays and enjoy added convenience.

From Florence, we were driven into the Tuscan hills, where we experienced magical wine tastings, vineyard tours, olive oil tastings, and unforgettable meals with wine pairings. 

Next, our private driver brought us to Pompeii, where we enjoyed a fascinating tour with our private guide, and then continued on to Rome. In Rome, we loved the private golf cart tour of the city’s major landmarks, as well as a delightful cooking class that was arranged for us; it was a real highlight!

Finally, we traveled by private driver to Sorrento. From there, we had a breathtaking driving tour of the Amalfi Coast, a lemon farm tour, and an amazing day trip to Capri. Every detail was thoughtfully planned and executed.

Summary:

Planning and Itinerary Creation: Zicasso’s consultants made the entire process easy and stress-free. They worked closely with us to perfect the itinerary and were always receptive to changes and feedback.

Hotels: My sister and I requested adjoining rooms and were provided with beautiful family suites throughout the trip. Each hotel was ideally located, comfortable, and well-appointed, with all the amenities we needed.

Transportation: Every transfer was smooth and punctual. The private drivers were professional, friendly, and knowledgeable. (A special shoutout to our driver in Florence/Tuscany – he was the best!)

Communication: Throughout our trip, the travel company’s team was always accessible. Whether we needed to make adjustments or had a question, they handled everything promptly, allowing us to relax and fully enjoy our vacation.

We spent just over two unforgettable weeks in Italy and it was absolutely perfect, all thanks to the hard work, attention to detail, and excellent communication from Zicasso’s travel company! I highly recommend them and would not hesitate to use them again for future adventures.