Taste Of Italy Christmas
Taste Of Italy Christmas
$1650
Taste Of Italy Christmas
8 Days Starting and ending in Hotel in Rome
Visiting: Rome, Italy, Orvieto, Venice, Lake Garda, Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Pisa, Tuscany, San Gimignano, Siena
Tour operator:
Tour code:
ITTXMAS
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
10 - 51
Age range:
10-99
Special diets catered:
Vegetarians
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Welcome to an Italian Christmas! Start this 8-day holiday in Italy with the top ancient architectural sights in Rome. Experience a majestic Venetian gondola ride and take in the splendour of Renaissance artworks in Florence. Traverse the breathtaking Italian countryside, Tuscany and Lake Garda. Visit the vibrant Cinque Terre on Christmas Eve and admire the Leaning Tower of Pisa! Taste authentic Italy with mouthwatering local cuisine and traditional Christmas recipes. There's so much to explore in Italy, from ancient hilltop towns and contemporary cities to iconic historical and cultural sites!
Highlights
Itinerary
Day 1: Start Of Tour In Rome
Location: Rome
Meals Included: Dinner
Welcome to day 1 of this exciting Italy tour! After arriving at the hotel in Rome, meet up with your tour leader and new travel companions for a quick outline of the activities planned for the tour. Next, embark on a walking tour of the city with an expert guide. Explore some of Rome's top attractions, like the Spanish Steps, the Pantheon and the Roman Forum. Explore some more at leisure and after, join the tour group for an included welcome dinner.
Discover Rome on a walking tour
Welcome dinner in Rome
Day 2: Rome - Orvieto - Venice
Location: Italy, Rome, Orvieto, Venice
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today, say goodbye to Rome and continue the journey to Venice! On the way, traverse the Umbria region with its striking mountains, known for incredible local produce and traditional cuisine. Next, visit Orvieto, a small city atop a volcanic rock with some of the most spectacular views! Journey to the city centre at the top and discover the town's main street, Corso Cavour, with some free time. Don't miss out on the impressive 14th-century Orvieto Cathedral and the awe-inspiring Albornoz Fortress. Arrive in Venice, the majestic floating Italian city. This evening, enjoy free time to relax and explore or opt for the Venice by Night optional excursion and join your tour leader for a cruise along the breathtaking Venice canals.
Visit Orvieto, a historic city perched on a rocky cliff
Day 3: Venice: Free Day
Location: Venice
Meals Included: Breakfast
This morning, join your tour leader for an orientation tour after breakfast. Then, explore at leisure for the rest of the day. Consider enjoying one of Venice's top activities - an iconic gondola ride! To set out on this optional excursion, simply arrange with your tour leader. Another unmissable optional excursion is the trip to the colourful islands of Murano and Burano. Explore the islands respectively known for blowing glass and making lace. Otherwise, enjoy the free day and see more of the top sights in Venice, like the Bridge of Sighs and Doge’s Palace, or simply stroll around and take in the majesty of Italian Christmas decorations.
Experience the magic of Venice
Day 4: Venice - Lake Garda - Florence - Tuscany
Location: Venice, Lake Garda, Florence, Tuscany
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Say goodbye to Venice today and journey towards the Tuscany region of Italy. En route, enjoy a stop at Sirmione, a resort town on the Lake Garda banks, for some incredible photos! Upon arrival in Florence, set out on a guided tour with an expert local guide. Learn more about the “Jewel of the Renaissance” as Florence is known, thanks to its impressive Renaissance artworks, as well as the ancient Roman ruins. Once the tour concludes, explore at leisure and see more sights such as the Florence Cathedral, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Vecchio and the Basilica of Santa Croce. Enjoy an included dinner in Florence before travelling onwards to the Tuscan town of Montecatini for tonight’s accommodation.
Discover Florence on a guided tour
Day 5: Cinque Terre - Pisa - Tuscany (Christmas Eve)
Location: Cinque Terre, Pisa, Tuscany
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today, journey to one of Italy's most spectacular regions and enjoy an Italian Christmas Eve! Continue to La Spezia this morning, the entryway to Cinque Terre - five scenic coastal villages along the robust Italian Riviera. The towns of Monterosso, Vernazza, Corniglia, Manarola and Riomaggiore are lovely to explore by walk or rail since motorcycles and cars are prohibited. Head back to the Tuscan region this afternoon and stop in Pisa on the way. Make the most of the opportunity to take photos with the Leaning Tower of Pisa, an 800-year-old Italian must-see! Choose to spend the evening exploring the town of Montecatini and enjoy a Christmas Eve dinner when you join the optional excursion.
Explore the colourful villages of Cinque Terre
See the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Day 6: San Gimignano - Siena - Rome (Christmas Day)
Location: San Gimignano, Siena, Rome
Meals Included: Breakfast
Buone Feste!Have a merry Christmas morning travelling through the spectacular sights and captivating countryside of Tuscany! Take in the splendour as Tuscan farms, stunning vineyards and gorgeous olive groves roll past. Next up is the quaint medieval hilltop town of San Gimignano in Tuscany. Marvel at the impressive skyline of preserved medieval towers and explore the Romanesque and Gothic architecture. This afternoon, savour a wine tasting paired with antipasto. Then, continue the Tuscan journey to the city of Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city is renowned for its biannual Palio horse race which takes place in the medieval Piazza del Campo. End the day with a group Christmas dinner back in Rome.
Visit San Gimignano, a medieval hilltop town
Explore the Tuscan city of Siena
Enjoy a Tuscan wine tasting
Day 7: Rome: Free Day
Location: Rome
Meals Included: Breakfast
Spend the free day in Rome exploring at leisure! Roam the Italian streets to discover more top sights. From the ruins of ancient Rome and medieval buildings to luxury shops and contemporary restaurants, the options are endless. Join the Colosseum & Roman Forum tour to embark on a guided tour of Rome’s most iconic ancient sites! This excursion is extremely popular and must be booked prior to the start of the tour. Consider exploring Vatican City today, home to the Pope and especially popular over Christmas for its impressive tree and captivating Nativity scene. Otherwise, enjoy some retail therapy to pick up some final souvenirs or wander around and grab a refreshment at a local café.
Day 8: End Of Tour In Rome
Location: Rome
Meals Included: Breakfast
Today, this 8-day Italy Christmas tour comes to an end after breakfast. Bid your new travel companions“addio”and remember to exchange contact details to keep in touch. Expat Explore hopes you had a memorable Christmas filled with life-enriching experiences!
What's Included
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Accommodation
7 nights in 2, 3 & 4* hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms
Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability) -
Transport
Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard
Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days) -
Meals
7 Breakfasts, 3 Dinners
*Vegetarian options available for all meals on request -
Tour Leader
Fully guided tour with experienced tour leader
Tour leader will accompany group throughout and manage all logistical details
What's Not Included
International flightsTravel to the start point and from the end point is not included. We recommend using Skyscanner to find the best deals on international flights.Travel insuranceFor a relatively small price, travel insurance provides you with peace of mind so that you can enjoy your tour without any worries.
All passengers travelling on an Expat Explore tour are required to have valid travel insurance cover and you are responsible for arranging your own insurance.
Mode of Transport
Modern air-conditioned coach with reclining seats and toilet onboard
Any public transport used as part of the tour (excludes free days)
Accommodation
7 nights in 2, 3 & 4* hotel accommodation in twin rooms with private bathrooms
Single travellers have the option to pay a single supplement to ensure a private room (subject to availability)
Traveller Comfort - *COACH* tours
We welcome all travellers on our tours but we would like to ensure that you are as comfortable as possible. In light of this, please ensure that you are happy with the below information and level of fitness required.
Expat Explore tries to be as accommodating as possible, however, our tours are unfortunately not designed for people travelling with wheelchairs or severe mobility issues.
Our tours are fast paced because they are designed for you to see the most a destination has to offer. We also want to ensure that you explore as much as possible, which may require long periods without stops on the coach as we drive to a new destination.
We offer walking tours in most cities (up to 3 hours), and a wheelchair is not always a practical option as there are often cobbled streets and stairs on these tours.
For travellers in wheelchairs, you will only be able to store your wheelchair under the coach with the other luggage. Thus, on the long drives between cities you will not necessarily have access to your wheelchair if we make a quick bathroom stop along the way. Please note that travelling with a wheelchair could prove difficult as our coaches don't have wheelchair lifts, as such you will need to be able to board and alight the coach on your own.
With regards to our accommodation, not all hotels have lifts and this means potentially having to carry bags up and down stairs.
For more information regarding traveller fitness please see our Terms and Conditions.
Experiences
Discover Rome on a walking tour
Welcome dinner in Rome
Visit Orvieto, a historic city perched on a rocky cliff
Experience the magic of Venice
Discover Florence on a guided tour
Explore the colourful villages of Cinque Terre
See the Leaning Tower of Pisa
Visit San Gimignano, a medieval hilltop town
Explore the Tuscan city of Siena
Enjoy a Tuscan wine tasting
Check out our Q&As
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Is there a supplement for solo travellers?
There is an optional single supplement/private room upgrade available for single travellers who wish to have a private room. This can be added at the time of booking or by contacting our customer services team. Please note that the room provided may be a single room with a single bed.
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Are all the relevant entry visa’s included in the price of the tour?
No, visas are each traveler’s personal responsibility, and we recommend that plenty of time is allowed for visas to be applied for. When applying for your visa, please ensure that the proper research is carried out before you apply, and that you deal directly with the embassies or certified agents with regard to acquiring correct and timely information. We cannot take responsibility for customers
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
All our tours are conducted in English.
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Are children permitted to take part in the tour?
Our tours are not suitable for young children, so we set a minimum age limit of 10 years old.
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What is the standard of the hotels on this tour?
We have searched and invested in excellent accommodation options, either located in cities or well placed with public transport connections. Clean linen, towels is always included. Toiletries (shampoo, shower gel etc) and hair dryers are not always included, so you may wish to bring these with you. Accommodation is provided in twin share en-suite rooms. We use a mix of mostly 2, 3 & 4-star hotels.
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
Yes, As detailed in the itinerary
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Are vaccinations required for this tour?
We are committed to curating excellent travel experiences and to do so we need all of our travelers to feel safe.
In order to ensure the peace of mind and safety of our travelers and staff on board the coach, we are still requesting that all travellers, regardless of their vaccination status, produce a negative Covid test. This test can be a PCR test -
Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?
Due to weight and space limitations, you are allowed to bring one main piece of luggage weighing no more than 20kg, and one small soft bag for hand luggage weighing a maximum of 7kg. On all tours, you will have to carry your own luggage (e.g. into hotels and up to your room if hotels don’t have elevators). Please bear this in mind when you are deciding what to pack
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Are all entrance fees included in the price?
No, entrance fees are not included.
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Do you operate a “single share” option and how does it work?
If you are travelling alone there is no compulsory charge - you will share a twin room with another passenger of the same gender. There is an optional single supplement/private room upgrade available for single travellers who wish to have a private room. This can be added at the time of booking or by contacting our team.
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Children on tour?
Our tours are not suitable for young children which is why we have a minimum age limit of 10 years old. However, at the discretion of Expat Explore we may consider younger children on certain tours if they meet certain criteria and a request is received in writing via email. Minors (between 10 and 18 years of age) must be accompanied by a parent or guardian who accepts full responsibility for them. Unaccompanied minors will not be accepted on tour. Expat Explore reserves the right to decline any booking at our discretion. Any minor (between 10 and 18 years of age) is priced the same as an adult.
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What policies are in place for Covid-19?
The health and safety of our travellers and employees are our top priority. Which means, when you travel with us, our enhanced hygiene protocols will ensure you do so in a safe and responsible way - ask for details of current policies.
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How long has the tour company been trading?
Since 2005
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What Ethical Travel credentials does the tour company have?
At Expat Explore we value responsible travel and are committed to exploring the world consciously and kindly. We are proud to make responsible travel possible with a number of our sustainable travel practices!
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Am I contributing to any charity by booking the tour?
Relate is a South African based not-for-profit organisation that Expat Explore supports. The group aims to help those less fortunate create better lives for themselves through a variety of fundraising initiatives. On our South Africa tours, each passenger will receive an Expat Explore branded Relate bracelet. We donate the cost of these bracelets to our chosen Relate charity: the Nelson Mandela Sc
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1 Select your preferred date
Friday - Friday
Dec 20, 2024 - Dec 27, 2024Book with Confidence
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Free Date Changes
Expat Explore Travel allows you to make 5 free date changes, as long as the change is made at least 91 days before the start of the tour.
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Low Deposit
Expat Explore Travel requires a minimum deposit of 10% or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 60 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of expat explore travel charges.
Up to 60 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 59 days before tour starts: Forfeit 20% of booking price.
At 44 days before tour starts: Forfeit 40% of booking price.
At 29 days before tour starts: Forfeit 70% of booking price.
At 14 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.