☼  Highlights for Italy on a Shoestring

★ Enjoy a special timed entry to the ancient Colosseum and Roman Forum, admission ticket included
★ Relish walking tours of the historical centers of Florence and Venice
★  Partake in an optional excursion to the famed Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel
★ Teste your taste buds at an included multi-course dinner at a marvelous local restaurant in Venice.
★ Delight in an optional voyage to the Piazza dei Miracoli, the “Square of Miracles” in Pisa, including the famous Leaning Tower, which is actually the bell tower for the medieval Pisa Cathedral  
★ Enjoy the included high speed train rides between destinations

  What’s Included for Italy on a Shoestring 

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   ACCOMMODATION       6 nights of accommodation at good, well placed hotels.  All hotel taxes are included.

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   TRANSPORTATION       Train journeys between cities.  Occasional light walking will be required between train stations and hotels.  

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   MEALS      7 meals:  6 breakfasts, 1 dinner.

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   EXCURSIONS AND ENTRANCE FEES       Guided tours of the historical centers of Florence and Venice.  Extended visits to the Roman Colosseum and Roman Forum, timed entry ticket included.

Optional excursions include a timed entry to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel and an excursion to the Piazza dei Miracoli, home of the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.

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   TOUR LEADER       A Blue Onyx Tour Leader to handle all logistical aspects of the tour, offer valuable information, and guide your group from start to finish.

 
   Itinerary for Italy on a Shoestring (7 days)

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DAY 1:  ARRIVE IN ROME
Arrive at your centrally located hotel.  Meet in the hotel lobby at 7 p.m. where there will be a brief orientation with your Tour Leader.  Proceed to your Welcome Dinner at a lovely Roman restaurant.

   ACCOMMODATION:   Casa San Giuseppe (2 nights)

DAY 2:   TIMED ENTRY TO COLOSSEUM AND ROMAN FORUM, OPTIONAL TIMED ENTRY TO THE VATICAN MUSEUMS/SISTINE CHAPEL
Constructed of travertine, tuff, and concrete, the monumental Roman Colosseum, also known as the Flavian Ampitheatre, took just eight years to complete.  This morning, your tour leader will guide your group on foot from your hotel to see this major architectural work which still wows visitors from around the globe.  Afterwards, you will be able to look around the Roman Forum, the epicenter of political and cultural life in ancient Rome.   In the afternoon, you will have the option to visit the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel with a special timed entry.

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:  Timed entry to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel (subway ride included both ways) – $40 per person

  MEAL:  Breakfast

DAY 3:  TRAIN TRIP TO FLORENCE, GUIDED TOUR
Today, you will enjoy a high speed train trip to Florence, the core of the Italian Renaissance.  After checking into your hotel, you will experience a walking tour of Florence’s famous piazzas and walkways, led by a Local Expert.

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:  Timed entry to the Galleria dell Accademia to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece of sculpture, David – $25 per person

  MEAL:  Breakfast          ACCOMMODATION:   Hotel Bodoni (2 nights)

DAY 4:   FREE DAY IN FLORENCE AND/OR JOURNEY TO PISA
In the morning, you’ll have the option to visit the famous Square of Miracles in central Pisa along with its outsized cathedral and famously leaning belltower.  Should you decide to partake in this optional excursion, you will still have plenty of time to explore Florence as this excursion will have you back in Florence around 2 p.m.

OPTIONAL EXCURSION:  Train trip to Pisa to see its historical center – $65 per person.  Included are round-trip train tickets between Florence and Pisa, and a timed entry to all sections of the Pisa Cathedral, including the Leaning Tower.  Please note that there will be quite a bit of walking.

  MEAL:  Breakfast

DAY 5:   ARRIVAL IN VENICE, WALKING TOUR
Today, you will arrive in the vibrant, canal-filled city of Venice.  After hotel check-in, you’ll enjoy an in-depth walking tour of this incredibly vivid locale, led by a Local Expert.  The rest of the day is yours to get lost in Venice’s myriad walkways, alleys, and piazzas.  Don’t miss a visit inside St. Mark’s Basilica with its astonishing gold mosaics.

  MEAL:  Breakfast         ACCOMMODATION:   Hotel Villa Rosa (2 nights)

DAY 6:  FREE DAY IN VENICE, FAREWELL DINNER
The day is yours to continue to explore this wondrous city of waterways.  Perhaps a boat trip to the nearby island of Murano to watch authentic glassblowing is in order.  At 6 p.m. your group will meet in the lobby of our hotel where your Tour Leader will direct you to a lovely three-course farewell dinner.

  MEALS:  Breakfast, Dinner

DAY 7:   TRAIN TO ROME, END OF TOUR
Today, your group will be departing Venice to catch the train back to Rome Termini station.  From there, you have the option of going to the airport or extending your vacation.   The great thing is that you will get to pick and choose whatever time frame you want for your included train trip.  Keep in mind, however, that it’s unlikely that you will be able to reach Termini station before 10 a.m., no matter how early you depart Venice.   In any case, we sincerely hope you enjoyed your tour of Italy!  Arrividerci! 

  MEAL:  Breakfast

 
   Optional Excursions for Italy on a Shoestring

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DAY 2:   Optional Excursion:  Timed Visit to Vatican Museums/Sistine Chapel

Enjoy a special timed entry to the Vatican Museums without having to wait in line for hours on end.  Behold masterworks by Michelangelo, Perugino, Botticelli, Rafael, and others at your own pace.   (Price: $40 per person).

DAY 3:  Optional Excursion:  See Michelangelo’s David

Receive a timed entry to the Galleria dell Accademia museum to see Michelangelo’s masterpiece of sculpture, David  (Price: $25 per person)

DAY 4:  Optional Excursion:  Half Day Trip to Pisa

Train trip to Pisa to see its historical center.  Included are round-trip train tickets between Florence and Pisa, and a timed entry to all sections of the Pisa Cathedral, including the Leaning Tower.  Please note that there will be quite a bit of walking. (Price: $65 per person).

*Please note that optional excursions must be reserved well ahead of time.  Payment is expected on the first day of the tour.  Contact us about reserving your spot on an optional excursion.

 
   Dates & Prices for Italy on a Shoestring

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June 14 – 20, 2023  (Wed – Tues)                         $999                      Book Now

 
   What to Expect for Italy on a Shoestring

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  The Weather

Generally speaking, weather in Italy during the summer is very warm.  Highs tend to reach the 80’s and lower 90’s.  Although it is mostly sunny in Italy during the summer, there are occasional rain showers.

We advise our guests to bring sunscreen and an umbrella with them on this tour.

  Bugs and Pests

There can be mosquitoes in Italy during the summer.  We advise our guests to bring insect repellent with them.

  Physical Activity of Tour

On a scale of 1 to 10, the level of physical activity of this tour is 8, which is high.  Although some days will incur only a modicum of walking, during most days our group will walk at least 2 or 3 miles, often up and down stairs and over uneven ground.  

  Potential Issues

We urge our guests to use common sense on our tours.  Be wary of strangers offering you something or trying to sell you something.  Keep guard of your important belongings, such as purse, wallet, keys, and cell phone.

Pickpocketing is a problem in Europe and Rome and other places in Italy are no exception to this phenomenon.  A common scam that occurs is where one person will walk up to you, pretending to ask directions, while his or her partner in crime will slip past you from another direction entirely, casually taking your wallet or cell phone.  Be aware of your belongings at all times.

We also urge our guests to use extra caution while crossing the street.  Walk defensively and look in every direction before crossing.  Don’t walk distracted.

  What to Bring

We urge our guests to pack light.  As previously stated under our Terms and Conditions, all of our guests are allowed one carry-on measuring 45 linear inches (22 x 14 x 9) and a personal item, such as a laptop bag or purse.  We strongly recommend bringing travel size toiletries.

  Journeys Between Destinations

Journeys between destinations on this particular tour tend to be short, with the exception of days 4 and 7.  We will use a combination of private minibus transfer and train trips for much of the transportation between destinations on this tour.  In most of the cities on this tour, the hotels will be within a three minute walk of the train station.

  Your Hotels

We always book hotels that are centrally located, highly rated, and close to major attractions.   The service level of this tour is Standard, which means that the hotels are upscale, in the 3 and 4 star range, and usually include a full breakfast.   

Having said that, there are a couple of things that one should understand about hotels in Europe, especially if one is from the United States.  More often than not, hotel rooms in Europe are smaller than hotel rooms in the United States. Additionally, hotel rooms in Europe may not have the exact same amenities that our American guests may be used to seeing.  For instance, many European hotels do not have elevators.

On the other hand, for our American guests who are traveling to Europe for the first time, the breakfasts that are offered at European hotels are a breath of fresh air.  There is usually an abundance of protein sources in the form of cold cuts, cheeses, eggs, milk, and yogurt, along with an assortment of fresh fruit, pastries, cereal, fruit juice, tea, and coffee.  Occasionally, some European hotels will serve a hot breakfast as well and this often consists of scrambled eggs, bacon or sausage, and pancakes or waffles.

  Your Restaurants

We strive to treat our guests to lunches and dinners at high quality restaurants with interesting settings and this tour is no exception to that concept.  

  
  
  Currency Exchange and Credit Card Usage

The Tour Leader will be able to tell you where to exchange currency and there will usually be a place to do so within walking distance of your hotel.  Most major banks will be able to exchange any currency that you have brought with you, for a small fee.

In most European countries (Italy included), the best exchange rate can be obtained by simply withdrawing money from a standard bank ATM using your debit card (not to be confused with your credit card).  For instance, let’s say it’s your second day in Athens and you need withdraw some euros. Just go to a local bank which has an ATM machine (often in a small, enclosed lobby-style room) and withdraw the amount of money you want.  Nearly all standard ATM machines worldwide have the capacity to issue instructions in English, so English speakers should have no problem at all understanding how to use them.

When we tell you to seek out standard bank ATM machines, we mean it.  Avoid the omnipresent stand-alone ATMs which are not part of a bank.  Euronet, Moneybox, Travelex, and Cashzone are examples of independent ATM machines which have very unfavorable exchange rates.  If you have any questions at all while on tour, just ask your Tour Leader to point you the direction of a standard bank ATM. Now it’s true that your home-based bank, such as Wells Fargo, will charge a small fee ($5) for this transaction, but the European bank will not. 

But wait, why don’t I just use my VISA credit card for all my shopping and for the fancy dinner, you may ask?  That’s fine, but there’s usually a 3% foreign transaction fee (or higher) for these types of transactions. And there might even be an additional transaction fee from the store or restaurant in which you’re using your VISA card.  Dollar for dollar, withdrawing cash from a standard bank ATM in the country you’re visiting is the most cost-effective way to exchange currency.

  The Tour Leader

All of our Tour Leaders must undergo a rigorous training course designed to help them handle not only the ups and downs of a tour group situation, but also the disparate personalities that they might encounter.  All of our Tour Leaders are thoroughly background checked and must adhere to a strict code of conduct at all times.  You can rest assured that we are placing you with a Tour Leader who has your best interests at heart.

Reviews from other Blue Onyx tours:

★★★★★
“The southern Italy tour was fantastic.  Engaging, educational, and enriching.  Thanks for the sights, the places, the history, and the accommodations.  I will remember this always!”

-Tom, Maple Grove, MN

★★★★★
“Thinking about all the fabulous places we saw and went to, the incredible food and restaurants – it was mind-blowing.  It required a fairly large amount of walking for my 75-year old frame, but well worth it.  I think that was the best tour I’ve ever been on.”

-Lucy, Omaha, NE

★★★★★
“The tour was a life-changing experience.  Wonderful.”

-Janet, Sioux Falls, SD