Best of Italy in Autumn: 14-Day Romantic Tour

What to expect on this itinerary
This 14-day tour of Italy is designed to reacquaint you with the benefits of journeying at this time of year. Enjoy the November light as it reflects off the mirror of Lago Maggiore, truffle hunt through the changing colors of the Piedmont countryside, and indulge in a multitude of other adventures designed to capitalize on this bracing time of year. Autumn in Italy creates the perfect setting to enjoy the quieter and cozier side of this storied country.
Customizable Itinerary
Stresa – An Alpine Initiation
After arriving at Milan’s international airport, you will exchange the urban crowds for the rural spaciousness of the alpine foothills. Waiting curbside, a private driver will transfer you beyond the sprawl and congestion of Milan. Your destination is the Lake District of the Italian Alps, which is where many James Bond films have been made. Soon, you will arrive at the lakeside community of Stresa in style, and the splendor of the natural world around you will only add to the brilliance of your first-class accommodation.
What's Included:
Stresa – In the Footsteps of Napoleon
Turin – Rendezvous in Northern Italy
Turin – Hunting Truffles in Piedmont
Turin – The City’s Royal Past
Florence – The Jewel of Tuscany
Florence – Exclusive Duomo Tour
Florence – Tuscany’s Finest Export
Florence – A Walk through the Renaissance
Rome – Immersion in the Eternal City
Rome – Italian Jazz
Rome – St. Peter’s and the Vatican Museums
Rome – Rome’s Republican Origins
Rome – Departure
Trip Highlights
Detailed Description
Autumn in Italy could very well be its own country. Gone are the hordes of August, and what remains is a distillation of all the cultural, historical, and artistic artifacts that drew you to this brilliant nation in the first place. This a 14-day tour of Italy has been tailored to the bold traveler who wishes to acquaint themselves with what many would describe as the real Italy.
After arriving in Milan, the Lake District in the Italian Alps will provide a picturesque introduction to this season of change. The stunning peaks and glacial valleys that typify this region contain stories and secrets that are waiting to reveal themselves to you. After a brief detour to the region of Piedmont to participate in an annual truffle festival, you will make your way further to lower elevations and the birthplace of the Renaissance. In Florence, you will enjoy a crash course in Tuscan winemaking and the breathtaking artwork of masters, such as Michelangelo and Caravaggio. Your tour will conclude in the Italian capital of Rome. Whether walking the steps of Vatican City or contemplating the lives of gladiators at the Coliseum, your November arrival will ensure shorter lines and a quieter setting.
With peak season long gone, a November tour of Italy will reveal a side of the country that is seldom seen by tourists but is still very much a part of Italian life. Much of this itinerary includes seasonal festivities, and this should not discourage you from participating in additional activities that you want to experience or sites that you wish to visit.
Starting Price
$6,300 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
The starting price is based on travel during the low season for a minimum of two travelers staying in shared 3-star accommodations. Please inquire for a custom trip quote based on your travel preferences and travel dates.
Verified Traveler Reviews
Based on 737 reviews
Zicasso’s tour operator planned the most amazing trip to Italy for us! My requirements were culture, romance, and relaxation. She delivered on every aspect. Although we missed our tour of the Vatican due to the Pope's funeral, my husband and I actually attended his funeral!! Our hotel, though planned many months before, was next to the basilica where Pope Francis was laid to rest. Talk about being a part of history!
We stayed in a beautiful converted villa to boutique hotel in Florence; got whisked away through the Tuscan countryside in a vintage Fiat 500; took cooking classes; sipped lovely wine, accompanied by excellent lunches on our winery tours; soaked in Italy's rich culture and museum scene; and even ticked the relaxation box by spending time by the pool, in the spa, and resting on our large deck overlooking the Amalfi coastline.
Every tour guide was extremely knowledgeable and personable, and it was evident they loved their jobs. Between memories of the boat ride along the Amalfi Coast, tips from the cooking classes I have already started using at home, and the cases of wine we are eagerly awaiting delivery of, my husband and I will forever hold Italy in our hearts and la dolce vita it provided us.
Talk with our tour operator; you will be glad you did!
See more
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.
See more
We've taken many family vacations over the years, but we all agreed this was the best one yet!
The team at Zicasso’s travel company did an exceptional job tailoring the perfect trip for our family. Every detail was thoughtfully planned, making the entire experience seamless and truly enjoyable from start to finish.
We had wonderful drives and knowledgeable, engaging tour guides who made each destination come to life. Some of our favorite highlights include a hands-on cooking class in Florence, exploring the beautiful Tuscan countryside, and having effortless access to iconic sites like the Vatican and the Colosseum.
The experiences were unforgettable, from the best food tour in Rome to a fun and unique golf-cart tour through the city. We also loved visiting a Parmigiano-Reggiano factory and a Parma ham producer, along with an extra-special stop at the Ferrari Museum that was such a memorable surprise.
Every moment felt thoughtfully curated and we came home with incredible memories that we will cherish for years to come. We highly recommend the travel company to anyone looking for a truly personalized and exceptional travel experience.
See more
Zicasso set us up with a wonderful travel agent. The process of choosing and communicating through the Zicasso system was easy and helpful.
The travel specialist and her team planned a wonderful 15-day trip, with nine days in Rome and four days in Florence. She found us great accommodations that included a kitchen, which was a must for us. Other travel agents were not able to provide such accommodations.
The drivers we had were professional and picked us up on time. The guides were experts in their field and generally had taught at universities. The guides were very personable and tailored the tours to our interests.
She arranged all the necessary skip-the-line tours. We went to the Vatican with three different tours: the Sistine Chapel, the Gardens, and the necropolis to see St. Peter's tomb.
There were a couple of hiccups in this perfectly planned itinerary. Each time, the travel specialist and her staff were immediately available and guided us through solutions, such as trying to get to the Colosseum during the Roman Marathon.
See more
We had a great trip to Florence, Tuscany, and Rome. One of the best parts about the trip was our travel company. Zicasso's travel specialist took care of booking everything we needed and doing so within budget. I didn't have to worry about keeping up with tour tickets and schedules because he had already taken care of all that. He was also available for quick questions and updates while we were on our trip. We couldn't have asked for better!
See more
This was possibly the best trip of my life!
Once I arrived in Venice and put myself in the hands of Zicasso’s tour company, I was supremely well taken care of.
I left my passport on the plane, so I was held up in the airport for probably two hours. This was the first time I used the emergency number (or the chat app). The communication was answered immediately and we were able to let my first guide know I was being held up. I thought the first person who helped me was just someone to get me to the hotel, but she was also a guide in the sense that she described many of the things we saw on the way to the hotel. A very pleasant and gracious guide who made sure also that I was prepared for where to be the next day. It was a very great first experience of the tour company’s service.
Throughout this adventure, the guides were outstanding, the hotels were located practically on top of the interesting sites (especially in Rome) and very pleasant to be in.
Also, I continued to use the emergency number or the chat app multiple times. They were very responsive, very pleasant, and perfectly helpful each time. I don't know if I was high-maintenance compared to other clients the tour company has had, but though I felt like it in my mind, I was treated completely graciously each time.
I loved every destination and I loved having a structured tour, combined with a good portion of free time to explore on my own. Perfect.
I was very well guided on each travel day, being met by drivers to drop me off and to pick me up, and the train travel was very fun.
I think there was only one guide who I thought was just going through the motions, but all the other guides were the height of professionalism. I loved being met by our guides at Doge's Palace, which was absolutely outstanding. Walking around old Florence was great fun! The drive out to San Gimignano and Siena was well-planned and well-guided! In Rome, the guide who took us to the Colosseum and Palatine Hill was outstanding, and it was a great outing. (I had also already pretty much visited all the sights since my hotel was practically in the middle of it all.)
The trip to the Vatican was a whole other story. Unfortunately, I forget that guide's name. This guide was also excellent—entertaining, informative, approachable, and professional. The trip to the Amalfi Coast was a long train ride, followed by a very long car ride, but it was worth it. What a beautiful setting! My trip to Capri was absolutely fulfilling and I was a little sad to say goodbye to the guide—we connected with him so well. The next day was our boat tour from Sorrento to Amalfi and Positano. I absolutely enjoyed being guided by our guides! On the way back after that beautiful excursion, we were just cruising along the water, 1970s music playing, wind rushing by and I had a peak moment of happiness. Truly.
This trip was as if the tour company had read my mind and provided even more than I had imagined. I come away deeply grateful.
See more





