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Experience Our Italy

Our customized, private insider tours of Italy feature our favorite places and experiences in the country.

Famous for...

Great food, wine, art, architecture, landscapes and luxury. Italy is a consistent favorite with both experienced and novice travelers.

Memorable moment...

Seeing the beauty—and audacity—of Venice for the first time.

Summer afternoons...

There’s nothing better than relaxing poolside at one of Italy’s top resorts after a busy day of touring.

History comes alive...

During a private, insider-led tour of Rome’s layers of ancient ruins from the Colosseum to Trajan’s Market, or an exploration of Sicily’s Valley of the Temples and ruins in the Syracuse.

On the water...

Have us charter a private boat to spend a day visiting the island of Capri, enjoying the beaches along the Amalfi Coast, seeing the highlights of Lake Como, touring the Venetian lagoon, or traveling to the Cinque Terre.

For garden lovers...

Have us arrange access to Italy’s most impressive gardens, especially those near Tuscany and Rome, as well as important historic gardens such as Padua’s UNESCO-listed botanical garden.

Splurge on...

Truffles. Experience the truffle fairs of northern or central Italy in October or November. Artisans of Leisure can also arrange private truffle hunting excursions.

Local favorite...

Rome’s Campo de’ Fiori is a terrific spot both during the day, when it hosts an open-air fruit and vegetable market, and in the evening, when the market gives way to locals out for a drink or a passeggiata, the Italian evening stroll.

Plan ahead...

Advance reservations are necessary to tour top museums and art sites, including the Accademia di Belle Arti, Uffizi Gallery, the Vasari Corridor, and the Vatican in Rome. Artisans of Leisure can arrange private insider tours of these and other institutions.

Off to the races...

Every July 2 and August 16, the Tuscan town of Siena hosts the Palio, a spirited horse race around the town’s main piazza.

For wine lovers...

Italy is home to world-renowned wines from Aglianico to Vermentino. Artisans of leisure can arrange private wine tastings and vineyard visits in all of Italy’s major wine regions, including Nebbiolos in Piedmont, Super Tuscans in Tuscany and Primitivos in Puglia.

Incredible frescoes...

Before Leonardo da Vinci painted The Last Supper in Milan and Michelangelo decorated the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican, Giotto created the magnificent frescoes inside the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua. Our accomplished local guides can explain the history and iconography these masterpieces during touring.

What makes Sicily unique...

Sicily’s position at the crossroads of Europe and North Africa shows in its architecture, atmospheric towns and cuisine, which is rich with dried fruit and spices.

Pizza and Pompeii...

Marvel at the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii, then marvel at the well-preserved tradition of Neapolitan pizza in nearby Naples.

Italian countryside...

A pleasure of traveling in Italy is touring the rolling countryside in regions such as Piedmont, Tuscany, Umbria and Emilia-Romagna. Visit small hill towns, dine at excellent local restaurants, tour wineries, and experience Italian hospitality at luxurious local hotels.

A pasta for every place...

Sample mandilli di seta in Liguria, agnolotti in Piedmont, cappelletti in Emilia-Romagna, pici in Tuscany, orecchiette in Puglia and bucatini in Rome. Pasta in Italy is intensely local and regional, sometimes even varying from house to house.

Jewish heritage...

Italy is rich with sites related to Jewish history. We arrange visits to the Jewish ghetto in Venice, the synagogue in Florence and off-the-beaten-track towns with Jewish history such as Pitigliano. We also arrange opportunities to sample Italian Jewish specialties such as carciofi alla Giudia (fried artichokes) and anise-flecked cookies.

Off the beaten track...

Consider Puglia and its whitewashed towns, ancient ruins, Baroque cities, seaside resorts and superb culinary traditions.

Romance...

Consider a relaxed and luxurious tour that combines some of Italy’s top resort destinations, such as Portofino and Lake Como or the Amalfi Coast and Capri.

Experience Our Italy.

Contact Artisans of Leisure to start planning a private, customized tour.

 

Italy in Photos

  • Just Back: Exclusive Amalfi Coast & Capri
  • Puglia: Food, History, Luxury & Crafts
  • Just Back: Sicily
  • Sicily: Better than Ever
  • Just Back: Italy

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Italy on Our Blog

  • The Best of the Dolomites
  • Iconic Tuscany
  • An Insider Perspective on Piedmont with Giuditta Gallo
  • Ravello: A Luxurious Retreat on the Amalfi Coast
  • Insider Rome: Palazzo Doria Pamphilj
  • A Private Day Tour to Capri
  • Postcard from Sicily
  • A Day Tour to Mount Etna in Sicily
  • Oplontis: An Undiscovered Archaeological Gem in Southern Italy
  • Truffle Hunting in Italy
  • The Rich Culinary Heritage of Genoa
  • Just Back: Expo Milan 2015 – A Must For Architecture Lovers
  • Private Cooking Classes in Puglia
  • Beautiful Lake Como, Italy
  • Must Visit: Milan Expo 2015 (A World's Fair in Italy)
  • Exclusive New Sicily Tours for Foodies, Culture Lovers and More
  • Sicilian Food and Wine: A Delicious History
  • A Tour of Tivoli: incredible gardens, ruins and food
  • Luxury Family Tours of Italy
  • An interview with one of our Sicily insiders
  • Porticos of Bologna
  • A conversation with hotel designer Olga Polizzi, Rocco Forte Collection
  • The perfect dramatic opening to Venice
  • Padua: a perfect day trip from Venice

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In the Press

  • Departures
  • Conde Nast Traveler
  • The New York Times
  • Wall Street Journal
  • CNN
  • Travel + Leisure
  • Town & Country

Read our press...

Testimonials

My clients said it was the absolute best trip they have ever taken; it was flawless and fabulous. You delighted my clients in ways not previously attainable by other tour operators...
~ C.S., Seattle, WA

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