Perfect Italy Vacation for Senior Travelers

St. Francis of Assis Basilica in Umbria, Italy

What to expect on this itinerary

The sights of Italy abound with mystery and legend throughout the breathtaking odes to history. Begin with Da Vinci in Milan, and then explore Michelangelo in Florence and the Vatican, continue to Assisi, Venice, Pisa, and Siena.  See Signorelli’s frescoes, Brunelleschi’s Dome and Bernini’s baroque, the canals of Venice and Bellagio on Lake Como. All of these are just the start on this handcrafted sightseeing tour for seniors as you will delve beneath the surface with expert guides to living the history that is often felt far beyond what any words can explain.

Countries Visited

Italy, Vatican City

Places Visited

Milan, Bellagio, Santa Maria delle Grazie, Pinacoteca de Brera, Venice, Florence, Cinque Terre, Tuscany, Siena, Il Campo, Assisi, Umbria, Rome, Pantheon

Suggested Duration

17 Days

Customizable Itinerary

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Day 1

Bellagio – An Opulent Town on Lake Como

Soak in Italy’s quieter side as you touch down in Milan and transfer to Lake Como. Mountain peaks shimmer in the glassy water surface, their rugged shapes contrasting reflections from colorful villas. Everything is narrow and mazy in the town, stores, and cafes spilling into one another yet maintaining a peaceful atmosphere. Your base is Bellagio, the most famous and most luxurious of the Lake Como towns. Check into your vintage hotel on the water and rest. You have more than two weeks in Italy, so it will be wise to slow down and work out any jet lag before setting off for the highlights and sights.

What's Included:

Transfer
Accommodation
Breakfast
Day 2

Bellagio – Cruising the Lake and Admiring the Vistas

Day 3

Milan – Seeing the Hidden Gem of Lombardy

Day 4

Milan – Discovering Leonardo Da Vinci

Day 5

Venice – Alleys and Canals of Venice

Day 6

Venice – Historical Walking Tour and an Evening Church Concert

Day 7

Florence – Michelangelo’s David and Brunelleschi’s Cathedral Dome

Day 8

Florence – All the Iconic Renaissance Sights

Day 9

Cinque Terre – An Unmissable Tower and Coastal Charm

Day 10

Cinque Terre – Free Day in the Mediterranean Villages

Day 11

Siena – The Magical Heart of Tuscany

Day 12

Siena – Stained-Glass Workshop and Dazzling Medieval History

Day 13

Orvieto – St Francis and Exploring Umbria

Day 14

Orvieto – Signorelli’s Frescoes and Colorful Pottery

Day 15

Rome – The Vatican Museums After Hours

Day 16

Rome – The Eternal City and All the Baroque

Day 17

Rome – Departure

Trip Highlights

  • Marvel at Da Vinci’s The Last Supper and explore the artist’s history in Milan
  • Discover the best of Rome from the Colosseum to Bernini’s baroque style
  • Rest and relax on the shores of Lake Como, with Bellagio the first stop on this itinerary
  • Drift down the Venetian canals in a gondola and get to know the city’s key highlights
  • Brunelleschi’s cathedral dome and Michelangelo’s David are just two sightseeing highlights from your time in Florence
  • Experience the St Francis story in Assisi and step back in time with a day in Bergamo
  • Indulge in the blissful heart of Tuscany with a two-night stay in Siena
  • Learn the artistic history of Orvieto, a quiet gem in the Umbria region
  • Take a boat between the villages of Cinque Terre, the classic way to see this colorful Mediterranean coastline
  • Visit the Vatican Museums after hours and be alone in the Sistine Chapel

Detailed Description

The sights of Italy are not just for your eyes. As Robin Williams tells Matt Damon in the 1997 movie Good Will Hunting, “you can’t tell me what it smells like in the Sistine Chapel.” The magical element of travel in Italy is how the sights and cities can make you feel. A church bell chiming as you gaze up at Da Vinci’s The Last Supper, the sense of spirituality that envelops Assisi, the sound of paddles, and chatter down Venice’s Grand Canal cannot so much be described as they are felt. The best of Italy’s sights are legendary pieces of Western history that cover art, architecture, Christianity, civilizations, and republics and make for history that you need to experience for yourself.

From Signorelli’s frescoes in Orvieto to Brunelleschi and Bernini, this tour discovers the very best of Italy as you delve beneath the surface on your 17-day journey. There are eight overnight destinations with two nights in each, and the itinerary has been designed for senior travelers to minimize travel time and keep walking to manageable levels while still covering a large part of the country. Various stops are incorporated into the journeys, like Bergamo en route to Milan and Pisa on the way to Cinque Terre. Accommodation is in the heart of towns and cities, so you are never more than a few hundred yards away from grand sights and restaurant choices. Local guides lead the way in each destination, their understanding of their home helping you look far beyond the postcard photos.

Kick-off in relaxed style on Lake Como with two nights in Bellagio easing you into the vacation. Explore Bergamo before moving to Milan, where day four is dedicated to the religious art and influence of Leonardo Da Vinci. Take the train to Venice, a city that crams so many sights into a tight area. You will travel on a gondola here of course, as well as experiencing an evening church concert. Florence is next, with Michelangelo’s David just one of the famous highlights. There is an incredible history here, and you will follow the artistic trail through all the domes, piazza, and palazzos.

Check out Pisa on route to two days in the Cinque Terre for a good place to unwind and reenergize halfway through the tour. Here you can take a boat to old fishing villages and spend plenty of time in the cafes as the Mediterranean glistens below. Siena is next as the heart of Tuscany is revealed from the paleo horse ring to a hands-on stained-glass workshop. From Tuscany to Umbria, you will stay in traditional Italy with destinations like Assisi and Orvieto practically untouched over the last two centuries. Rome will be your final stop, and you will experience the Vatican Museums after hours and without the crowds, discover what remains of ancient Rome, and travel forward through the city’s baroque and neoclassical styles on a tour of sights for an unforgettable place to finish.  Consider reading some of our travelers’ Italy for Seniors tour reviews for more ideas to perfect your dream Italy vacation.

Starting Price

$7,000 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.

4.9

Verified Traveler Reviews

Based on 5670 reviews

Grace B.
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My husband and I went through Zicasso to plan our honeymoon to Italy and Greece. This was the best decision ever! We worked closely with our travel specialist to plan our trip and she was absolutely phenomenal. This was our first international trip outside of the US, so we were a bit nervous at first! However, our specialist ensured every aspect of the trip was organized and that we were taken care of every step of the way.

The biggest relief was transportation. We did not have to give a second thought as to how we were getting places; we had drivers set up at every destination and for nearly every activity. Also, we had 24/7 support if anything were to go wrong, which gave us peace of mind.

If you are hesitant to use Zicasso for your next trip, I want you to know that I was too, but it was the best decision! We were able to personalize and tailor our trip to our needs without the hassle of dealing with the details.

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I was very pleased with the entire planning of the trip. The communication with Zicasso's tour company was excellent. The meals that were pre-arranged by them were fantastic and we probably would not have found them on our own.

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The trip was amazing all around. Incredible. The service and itinerary were perfect. We highly recommend Zicasso's travel company.

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Our trip was absolutely amazing! This was the trip of a lifetime. Zicasso and our trip planner were incredible. He was repeatedly helpful, offering personalized attention to our needs. He booked amazing tours for us and seemed to really grasp what we wanted. Everything was incredible.

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Robert K.
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It was a great pleasure working with Zicasso's tour agency. Our travel designer and her staff were attentive to the kind of trip we wanted and planned a great itinerary. The hotels, restaurants, and drivers were all top-notch. For us, the acid test was the quality of the guides, and they excelled there as well. We would happily have them plan another trip for us.

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Danielle S.
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My husband and I had a great time on our trip to the northeast Adriatic Coast of Italy. We have very specific tastes as far as where we like to stay and the private tours we like to have during the trip. Zicasso's travel company did a great job, giving us fantastic hotels, and all of our tour guides were top-notch.

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Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist.

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