The food, the architecture, la dolce vita: Italy, like a good Barolo, only gets better with age. It is a destination that rewards life experience and the appreciation for the finer things that come in your golden years.
(Courtesy Bookmundi)
Below, we’ve handpicked a selection of tours specifically with over 60s in mind. Some offer a broader introduction to this wonderful peninsular, while others really dig under the soil of some of its most beguiling regions. Rest assured, whichever you choose refinement, renaissance art, and really good pasta await.
13-Day Italy Sightseeing Tour of Rome, Lake Como and Sorrento
A heaving antipasti platter of a tour, which offers a comprehensive introduction Italy’s highlights. Starting in the nation’s ancient, hectic capital, be prepared to dip down to the sun-drenched glamour glamor of Capris, then up to the sacred heights of the monastery at Assisi. After, it’s on to peerless Venice, to the pinch-yourself beauty of the Lakes, to the fashion houses of Milan, and finally, the museums of Florence. A tour to leave you wondering just how one country could contain so much. From 3,105 euros
Small Group Food & Wine Tour of Sicily
(Courtesy Bookmundi)
Even on your own, it can be tough to find a bad meal in Italy, so imagine how well you’ll eat with a guide taking you to the source of so many of the country’s mouth watering produce. Not least one in Sicily – the volcanic island of the tip of the peninsula’s boot, where even Italians go on holiday to eat well. Expect street food in Sicily’s capital Palermo, wines from the slopes of Mount Etna, and some of the most mind blowing trattoria dishes you’ve ever tasted – all taken at your own pace; a part of your very own private tour. From 2,295 euros
Ultimate Italy
Starting in Rome and looping its way elegantly toward Venice, really this tour should be called Ultimate Northern Italy. You’ll have time to unwind in the Tuscan Hills, to explore Florentine museums, and to marvel at the wild and colourful coastline of Cinque Terre – a slightly off-the-beaten track destination loved by the Romantic poets of old. With boat trips on Como before your final destination, it’s a trip marinaded in relaxed sophistication with hotels to match. From 2,379 euros
Lakes & Lagoon, Como, Lake Garda & Venice 6 days private tour
There’s a lot of hyperbole in travel writing, but in this case it’s no exaggeration to suggest that this tour takes in more natural and manmade beauty than any other of a similar length anywhere on Earth. Like in a dream made of water, light, and Venetian Gothic you’ll float across crystalline lakes under mountains, along achingly evocative narrow canals, and out into the great waterborne carnival of the Grand Canal itself. A truly superlative experience, and that’s before you even consider the food. From 6,829 euros
Taste of Italy
(Courtesy Bookmundi)
Proof that having a good time doesn’t have to be expensive, this budget tour hits a whole ring of Italy’s better and lesser known sights, from Rome to Oviedo, Venice to Cinqe Terre, in whiplash succession. Expect a whole lifetime of memories to be crammed into no more than eight days in which no fewer than ten separate destinations will get visited. Take a big SIM card and enough pictures to convince friends you’ve been away for a whole month! From 1,084 euros