Small group escorted tours Italy for seniors.

Italy has a single time zone, Central European Time. The nation observes daylight saving time from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.

If you’re on an Odyssey tour, we take care of tipping. So, when you’re with the group, you don’t need to give it a second thought. However, in your free time, or if travelling independently, it’s essential that you make sure you tip an appropriate amount for services, as is the case throughout much of Europe. It’s customary to tip 10% of the bill at restaurants, or 1 to 3 euro at a more casual establishment. It’s polite to round a bill up to the nearest whole figure or leave the change when buying drinks.

Internet is easily accessible, and most hotels and many cafes will be able to offer it.

It maybe patchy in the more rural parts of Italy.

Check with your cell phone provider to see whether you’re able to make calls and use data while in Italy. Many providers will allow you to pay a daily fee that allows you to make calls and check the internet while only being charged your regular rates. However, be certain to inform your provider that you’re heading overseas, because just like a bank they can turn off your service as a result of unusual activity.

Odyssey offers easy, convenient, and relaxed escorted small group tours across Western Europe and beyond. We explore Italy’s incredible natural beauty, its ancient Roman heritage, its World Heritage Sites, and world famous cities, all with some truly spectacular scenery along the way. This and more is all waiting to be explored on one of Odyssey’s small group tours of Italy, designed for the senior traveller, and led by experienced, and enthusiastic like minded people

Many travellers ask us how best to prepare for their Odyssey Traveller programs, seeking out advice on clothing, medication, insurance, among other concerns when travelling overseas. This article shares some of what we have learned from years of accumulated experience in leading small group tours to assist you when travelling overseas what to pack.

Whether you are looking for small group arts tours Italy, or historic and cultural tours, scenic and culinary explorations, or a combination of each, our number of flexible Italian tours can meet your demands. For participants on Odyssey’s Italian small group tours it is this flexibility in thinking and approach as a tour company that makes for a truly memorable Italian tour with like minded people

Odyssey’s tours to Italy ranges from 12-26 days.

Italy truly has something for all on an escorted small group tour with a well-planned itinerary. On small group arts tours Italy you can immerse yourself in the splendour that is the art of Italy. Much of the music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, philosophy, law, and politics which we in the West enjoy today derives from Italy and is absolutely foundational to Western culture. Experience some of the most important sights and sounds of Italy for lovers of art, opera, history and literature.

On Odyssey’s small group escorted tours of Italy, we offer many experiences off the beaten track, from ancient villages to music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, philosophy, law, and politics. You will experience some of the most important sights and sounds of Italy for lovers of art, opera, history and literature.

Italy’s food culture is fiercely local, with each region having its own mouth-watering specialty for you to try as you tour the beautiful Italian landscape.

The best time to visit Italy is during spring (March-May) and autumn (September-November), when the temperatures are comfortable and there are fewer crowds.

Italy is on standard time – Central European Time: UTC/GMT +1:00 hour.

Odyssey’s small group tours for seniors include all accommodation, transport, most meals, applicable entry fees and services of local guides, tipping and gratuities, services of an Odyssey Tour Leader Detailed tour information booklet.

Odyssey’s small group tours cover a wide range of destinations that will spoil you for choice. An always popular main attraction is Florence, the city of important artists and thinkers such as poet Dante Alighieri and political philosopher Niccolò Machiavelli and home of the powerful Medici family, which gave birth to the Renaissance with both men and women of influence and left behind a legacy that shaped the Italy we know today. On small group tours Venice also sticks out as a memorable highlight. The city-state emerged on a lagoon from the ruins of the Roman and Byzantine empires in the 9th century and grew to become the greatest seaport in late medieval Europe and an important centre of commerce linking the continent to the East, whilst Genoa to the west championed Banking and the completion against Venice. And of course, on your small group tours Rome always features as a particular highlight – who can resist the beauty of the Eternal City? All these are places that you can expect to be highlights of small group escorted tours Italy whether travelling as a couple or solo traveller on a group tour with Odyssey.

Italy truly has something for all on an escorted small group tour with a well planned itinerary. On small group arts tours Italy you can immerse yourself in the splendour that is the art of Italy. Much of the music, painting, sculpture, architecture, literature, philosophy, law, and politics which we in the West enjoy today derives from Italy and is absolutely foundational to Western culture. Experience some of the most important sights and sounds of Italy for lovers of art, opera, history and literature.

Odyssey Traveller’s escorted small group tour for senior travellers to the South of Italy, limited to 16 people this educational tour appeals to like minded couples and solo travellers. We traverse the lesser known islands and southern regions of the country. When you ask people about the must-see sights for tours of Italy, more often than not one of the first places they mention is the capital city, Rome, the submerged streets of Venice, or the sights of Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance. But there is more to Italy than its northern region. Head south from Rome and you’ll find that the crowds begin to thin and life starts to move at a slower pace. Here you will see the cave dwellings of Matera; the ruins of Pompeii; Mount Vesuvius, the only active volcano in mainland Europe; and the gorgeous Amalfi Coast.

We go beyond the typical Southern Italy itinerary on our trip. During our educational tour, you will witness the dramatic, rugged countryside of the lower part of Italy’s “boot” as we explore the ancient ruins, unique treasures, and diversity of Southern Italy. We learn about the influence of the early Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Saracens, Normans, Angevins and Aragonese while we search for evidence of their colonisation. We will also enjoy wine-tasting and a sampling of Southern Italian cuisine.

The fastest way to travel by ferry from Italy to Greece is by taking a ferry from the port of Brindisi. Brindisi is the closest Italian port to Greece and is connected to Igoumenitsa, with up to 2 daily ferry routes.

The Colosseum complex (which includes the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill) and the Vatican Museums are two destinations that can have horrendous lines in high season (roughly Easter through the end of October), and even lines over the winter.  “Skip the line” tickets, which can easily be booked online, are highly recommended.  For both the Colosseum and the Vatican Museums, you can book through their official websites:

https://www.coopculture.it/en/poi/colosseum/

https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home

Odyssey’s Northern tour of Italy is a 22-day journey designed for the mature traveller.

This small group tour of Italy is set to draw you into one of the most fascinating regions of this country, including the Cinque Terre and northern Italy’s lakes and alps. On this trip, we will teach you about the history of Northern Italy while giving you time to relax and take in the region’s fabulous natural beauty.

The stunning lakes of Northern Italy have long attracted the world’s rich and famous but there is still plenty for the senior or mature-aged couple or solo traveller to enjoy.

Odyssey offers private tours at a minimum of 6 participants, please enquire here.

Odyssey traveller specialises in educational small group tours, for seniors, typically groups between 6 to 12 people, and no more than 16 travellers. Odyssey has been offering this style of adventure and educational programs, since 1983.

Odyssey typically includes all breakfasts and most lunches and dinners. Please see each tour’s inclusions section for more information.

On Odyssey’s tour to Northern Italy, you will visit the food capital of Bologna- the bustling, historic capital of the region of Emilia-Romagna. Located in the northern part of the country, some of the world’s favourite ingredients originally came from this region and it is also the birthplace of one of the best Italian dishes of all time.

In major cities, Odyssey stays in centrally located 3-4 star hotels, with easy access to public transport. In smaller towns or rural areas, we usually stay in family-run hotels or guesthouses. On our long-stay tours, during which you spend the length of the tour in a single location, we use serviced apartments.

Rome has thousands upon thousands of accommodation options and it can get overwhelming.

• Campo de’ Fiori – great for first-time visitors with an easy walk to major sights.
• Piazza di Spagna – home to luxury hotels and high-end shopping. Being close to the gardens at Villa Borghese means this area of Rome is also great for families
• Trastevere – charming neighborhood close to the historic center known for small cobbled streets and a thriving restaurant scene
• Colosseum  – an interesting combination of ancient sites and bohemian neighborhoods.

Colorful Trastevere is a funky, bohemian area that clings to its centuries-old, working-class roots. It’s known for traditional and innovative trattorias, craft beer pubs and artisan shops, as well as simple B&Bs and budget hotels.

Italy is part of the Schengen area with many other European countries. This means you can enter Italy without a visa in some cases.

In other situations, get a visa before you travel.

Entry and exit conditions can change at short notice. Contact the nearest embassy or consulate of your destination country for details about visas, currency, customs and quarantine rules.

Odyssey specialises in educational small group tours tours for solo travellers or those travelling with their partner, exclusively for senior travellers, typically for groups of between 6 to 12 people, and no more than 16 travellers. Odyssey’s package holidays are tailored for the reasonably active senior traveller. Odyssey has been offering this style of adventure and educational programs to since 1983, not just as small group escorted tours of Australia but all around the world.

You can find all Odyssey Itlay tour itineraries, departure dates and tour costs here.

Besides food (pizza, pasta, gelato, risotto) and wine, I would talk about its archaeological sites and buildings, its spectacular natural scenery, its small, cobblestone traditional villages, its stunning architecture, friendly smiling people and fascinating ancient history.

Being Travel fit for mature and senior travellers remains an important element of enjoying a small group tour. This page shares tips about diet, solo travel, packing tips and footwear to help you plan you vacation to Europe, United Kingdom, Australia or New Zealand for example