Tour Northern Italy

country:	Italy
location:	Umbria, Cinque Terre
trip type:	A small group adventure
departures:	Departs most Mondays Apr - Sep 2010
price:	From £2185 (21 days) excluding flights. We can arrange flights from the UK.
vouchers:	Gift vouchers can be used with this holiday

read 1 travellers review

Holidays in Italy here

Cinque Terre holidays here

Umbria holidays here

the amazing things you'll be doing

Experience the very best of northern Italy on this superb adventure. Wander through medieval villages and along rugged coastlines. Explore ancient wonders in eternal cities, cycle through the rolling hills of Tuscany and feast on Umbrian delicacies. From Rome, north to Venice and back again - join us to experience the true essence of Italy.

day-by-day itinerary

Day 1:	Rome. Wander through lively piazzas and linger over a gelato in the Eternal City.
Days 2-3:	Florence. Climb to Piazzale Michelangelo to watch the sunset across the rooftops.
Days 4-6:	Lucca/Pisa. Cycle through scenic Tuscan landscapes and feast on local produce. Travel to Pisa and learn why the Leaning Tower does just that.
Days 7-8:	Cinque Terre. The coastal path between Italy's Cinque Terre offers breathtaking views of the mountains, the Mediterranean and the villages nestled in between.
Days 9-10:	Piedmont. After a stop in ritzy seaside Portofino, tickle those tastebuds in Piedmont, home to the white tartufo and some excellent local wines.
Days 11-12:	Milan/Italian Lakes. After a spot of shopping in Milan, travel to Lake Como. Take the ferry to Bellagio then wander through the lakeside villages of Varenna, Cadenabbia or Villa Carlotta.
Days 13-15:	Venice. Beautiful and inspiring, Venice is a city of canals, piazzas, ornate churches and elegant eateries. Explore the sights or just soak up the old-world atmosphere.
Days 16-17:	Gubbio. Take the cable car up to the Basilica di Sant'Ubaldo to enjoy breathtaking views across the Umbrian countryside. Hike to tiny hillside towns and indulge in some local pecorino cheese.
Days 18-19:	Assisi/Spello. Follow the footsteps of pilgrims in Assisi, home of St Francis and St Clare. Stop in at an enoteca to sample local wines on a day trip to Spello.
Days 20-21:	Rome. The journey comes full circle when the train pulls back into Rome. There is time to take in some more sights, or to perhaps sample the city's exciting nightlife.

travellers' tales

Every destination was exciting to experience but my favorites were the Cinque Terra, Lake Como, and the bike ride in Lucca. (more)

small group adventure holiday

This is a 'small group adventure' - on our group trips you'll be with a maximum of 11 like minded travellers and you'll have a group leader with you. Whether you are travelling alone or with friends it's good value, and a great way to meet new people! While itineraries are pre-planned there is some flexibility and you'll have plenty of privacy. This trip will appeal to travellers of all ages who enjoy meeting people from other parts of the world as well as seeing new places! (more)

highly commended

This tourism business was Highly Commended in our 2007 Virgin Holidays Responsible Tourism Awards - the largest awards of their kind in the world, and organised by responsibletravel.com in association with The Times, World Travel Market and Geographical Magazine, of the Royal Geographical Society.

Since 2004, the Awards has recognised individuals, companies and organisations in travel making a big commitment to the culture and economies of local communities and helping to conserve biodiversity.

how this holiday makes a difference

We are committed to a style of travel that is environmentally, culturally and socially responsible. With your participation we aim to travel in a way that conserves the areas we visit and bring positive benefits to local communities. Basically we ask all our travellers to respect local rules and values. This means different things in different countries so be as informed as possible about the country you visit before you arrive - try to learn some of the local language and read about the religion and culture. This will improve your travelling experience. With a little effort on your part you will find yourself coming away with a greater sense of understanding of other cultures and feeling pleased to have left a positive mark on the country you visited.

With three whole weeks to explore the magic and culture of Italy, you will have countless opportunities to interact with the friendly local people, to absorb the mellow yet passionate culture, discover the rich history, and to gain great insight into the Italian way of life.

Our travel style involves:

Grass roots travel using local public transport where possible - minimises demand for special tourist vehicles and fuel.
We choose small-scale locally owned accommodation and homestays where available and local restaurants and markets for dining, retaining revenue in local communities.
Our leaders facilitate communication of our values to travellers and local communities, educating them in sustainable tourism practices.
We employ local guides to aid travellers' understanding of local culture and etiquette.
Small groups allow travellers to experience cultures at first hand, offering greater opportunity for cross- cultural understanding.

Tourism can be good and bad for destinations & local people.

We carefully screen every holiday against our criteria for responsible travel.

'Look behind the brochure' to find how each holiday makes a difference (see left).

We don't claim to be perfect - there is no global accreditation - but we've led the way since 2001 and screened 1000's of holidays.

We invite every traveller to write a review about their experiences and responsible tourism.

This valuable feedback is sent to the people who run the holidays. We keep a very close eye on it and take off holidays that don't live up to our standards.