Italy: Tuscany, the Alps & the Riviera
Overview
Highlights
- Discover Rome
- Explore Tuscany
- Visit the hilltop town of Orvieto
- Embark on a walking tour of Florence with an expert local guide
- Stroll through Piazza Signoria, the busy square that was the ancient center of city life during the days of the Medici
- Visit the Accademia Museum where you'll have an opportunity to see Michelangelo's famous statue of David
- Explore the Piazza dei Miracoli
- Enjoyan excursion to Portofino
- Enjoy a scenic boat ride along Lake Garda the largest lake in Italy
- Visit the Casa Guidi, Elisabeth Barrett-Browning's home in Florence
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Details
Travel Themes
Destinations
Attractions
Activities
Trip includes
- hoose to purchase Grand Circle's airfare, and your airport transfers, government taxes, fees, and airline fuel surcharges are included. Or, make your own air arrangements
- Accommodations for 13 nights in comfortable rooms with private baths
- 23 meals: 13 breakfasts, 4 lunches, and 6 dinners (including 1 Home-Hosted Dinner)
- 15 included features: 9 guided tours and 6 exclusive Discovery Series events: Italian With & Without Words language lesson • The Art of the Renaissance discussion • Home-Hosted Dinner • Soccer school visit • Immigration in Italy Today discussion • History of South Tyrol discussion
- Exclusive services of a local Grand Circle Program Director (assigned to no more than 42 travelers)
- Gratuities on your main trip for local guides and motorcoach drivers
- Personal headset for all included and optional tours on your main trip
- Private motorcoach land travel
- Baggage handling for 1 piece of luggage per person, including tips
- 5% Frequent Traveler Credit applicable toward your next Grand Circle trip—an average of $249
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Itinerary
Begin your travel to Italy as your flight departs this evening.
Meals: Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Victoria or similar
A Grand Circle representative will meet you at the airport and assist you to your hotel, where you'll set off on an orientation walk of the area. Tonight, meet your fellow travelers, including those...
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Albani Firenze or similar
After breakfast, begin your journey to Florence, stopping along the way to visit the hilltop town of Orvieto.
Set upon the flat crown of a steep volcanic butte, Orvieto has...
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Albani Firenze or similar
This morning, embark on a walking tour of Florence with an expert local guide. To begin, you'll marvel at the exterior of the beautiful Duomo. This elegant church with its remark...
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Albani Firenze or similar
Today is free for you to visit some of Florence's famous sites on your own. The historical center of Florence is full of striking buildings and piazzas and is recognized as a UNESCO World H...
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Albani Firenze or similar
Your day is free to spend as you please.
Or, take advantage of a full-day optional tour to Siena. A local guide will take you on a walking tour to discover this medieval walled city,...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodations: Hotel Jolanda or similar
Today marks the end of your time in Tuscany, and the beginning of your stay in the Italian Riviera.
After breakfast, travel to Santa Margherita—stopping along the way in Pisa, where ...
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Hotel Jolanda or similar
After breakfast, enjoy a morning at leisure including lunch on your own.
This afternoon, join an included excursion to Portofino featuring a scenic boat ride (depending on the season and we...
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodations: Hotel Jolanda or similar
Take advantage of a full day to savor the delights of the Italian Riviera according to your own interests. Perhaps you’d like to take a walk along the seafront and explore a traditional...
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Accommodations: Parkhotel Luna Mondschein or similar
After breakfast, begin your journey to Bolzano. Along the way, stop at Lake Garda—the largest lake in Italy. Surrounded on all sides by stunning natural vistas, this ...
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodations: Parkhotel Luna Mondschein or similar
After breakfast, learn about the History of South Tyrol during exclusive Discovery Series discussion that spans from the Middle Ages to modern life in this part of Northern Italy.
...Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodations: Parkhotel Luna Mondschein or similar
This morning, drive through the Dolomite Mountains, and witness some of the most amazing alpine scenery in Europe.
You'll stop to visit picturesque Lake Carezza and ta...
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodations: Parkhotel Luna Mondschein or similar
Spend your day at leisure. You may choose to explore the historical streets, shop at the traditional fruit market, or relax at a local cafe.
Or, you can journey farth...
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Accommodations: Continental Hotel or similar
Travel to Venice this morning, where you'll experience a local form of transportation known as a vaporetto (a small ferry), which will take you to your hotel.
This afternoon,...
Meals: Breakfast
You'll be escorted to the airport after breakfast for your flight home. Or, extend your stay with our Venice, Italy post-trip extension.
Want a tailor-made trip instead?
Your trip, your way, planned by an expert:
- You choose budget, destinations, activities, transport & lodging type
- Expert designs the itinerary for you, and once approved, takes care of logistics
Dates & Availability
Check Current Availability, prices, specials with Grand Circle Travel.
The total tour cost includes the tour price (regular or promotional) and the compulsory local payment. The promotional price is subject to change. Check directly with the operator for the latest price offer. The tour operator requires you to pay only the tour price to purchase your travel. The compulsory local payment will be paid when you join the trip. All prices are based on double, twin or triple share occupancy. Solo passengers will be accommodated in a double, twin or triple room according to availability with a passenger(s) of the same gender. Single supplement only needs to be paid if the passenger does not want to share and requests their own room. Discounts can only be applied at the time of booking and cannot be added at a later date, regardless of any changes made to the original booking.
Prices may vary due to local taxes and trip seasonality. Click "Request Info" to inquire directly with the tour operator for the final trip price.
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value and service outstanding
I've traveled with this company 4 times and find the value and service outstanding. If you are on a slim budget try the " last minute" opportunities. We got an inc...
each one has been wonderful
Have taken 12 trips overseas with this company and each one has been wonderful.
Excellent service
Excellent service on ship, considerate of their clients, wonderful discovery trips.
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Tour Operator
Grand Circle Travel offers distinctive international vacations for older Americans. Established in 1958 by Ethel Andrus, educator and founder of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), we view world travel as a powerful lever for lifelong learning. We make it accessible through trips that deliver unmatched discoveries, leisurely pacing, more travel choices, and comprehensive value.
Our values are the foundation upon which our company is built. They are what our beliefs and actions are derived from. Our values shape our decisions, give direction to our growth, and allow us to measure our progress.
Teamwork: We believe in groups of people who work together to create excellent results, solve difficult problems, support each other personally and professionally, and recognize their success. In a fast-paced and rapidly changing environment each member of the team is critical for success. Empowered teams are committed to taking the necessary actions to ensure that the team will reach its goals. Every member must be fully accountable for the team’s and one’s own personal results.
Thriving in Change: In these times of rapid change, global competition, and high volatility in the travel industry, we must be prepared to change course and move forward. Being well organized may sometimes be less important than moving quickly. The goal is for each of us to maximize our effectiveness, and ultimately our success, in an unpredictable and ever-changing environment.
Quality: Our decisions must be made and actions taken in accordance with high standards of quality and service. Quality can be subjective, and in our business quality often involves a compromise between speed and perfection. When the level of quality required is in question, we will operate to the high standards expected by our customers. Excellence in our quality will continually enhance our repeat business and ultimately our financial performance.
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Accommodation
Hotel Victoria
Rome, Italy Rating: Superior First Class
Located in the heart of Rome overlooking the Villa Borghese Park, this Superior-First-Class hotel is the perfect place to relax after exploring the city. Perhaps you’ll take advantage of the indoor and outdoor pools, or health club, or enjoy views from the panoramic terrace. The hotel’s on-site restaurant, the Belisario, is known for its regional Italian cuisine. Your air-conditioned room features a TV, wireless Internet access, and refrigerator.
Hotel Albani Firenze
Florence, Italy Rating: Superior First Class
Conveniently located just steps from Florence's historical city center, this Superior First-Class hotel presents modern and Florentine furnishings. Each of the 102 air-conditioned rooms contains satellite TV, a telephone, refrigerator, and private bath. You'll be provided with on-site access to a fitness center and sauna, while refreshments will be on offer at the American Bar, wine cellar, and their Italian restaurant, Bernini.
Hotel Jolanda
Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy
The elegant Hotel Jolanda is situated close to the seaside, and not far from major sights along the Italian Riviera, like Portofino and Cinque Terre. The hotel features an on-site restaurant offering regional cuisine, a fitness center, sauna, as well as well-tended gardens. Each well-appointed, air-conditioned room includes a private bathroom, hair dryer, minibar, and a safe.
Parkhotel Luna Mondschein
Bolzano, Italy Rating: Moderate First Class
The Moderate First-Class Parkhotel Luna Mondschein is located in the historical center of Bolzano, and has been family-owned since 1798. It is within close distance of the Dolomites, and the South Tyrol Museum of Archaeology. During your stay here, you’ll have an opportunity to go bicycling or jogging on the trails nearby, or dine in one of three on-site restaurants. Each room features a TV, wireless Internet access, telephone, and minibar.
Continental Hotel
Venice, Italy Rating: Moderate First Class
Located in the center of Venice, the Moderate First-Class Continental Hotel Venice is the former home of a noble Venetian family. Besides overlooking the Grand Canal, you’ll be within easy reach of many main attractions, as well as in close proximity to the railway station. Your air-conditioned room features a TV, wireless Internet access, balcony, and safe.
If you need to cancel your trip for any reason, please call us as soon as possible, and follow up in writing. You are also required to return any airline tickets that may have been issued to you. Cancellation refunds will be calculated as of the date we receive your written cancellation. We will issue your refund in the manner in which we received your payment. If you paid your deposit by credit card and your balance by check, your refund will be divided accordingly. Refunds are generated manually by our accounting department to ensure accuracy. Please allow for a 30-day processing period before receiving your refund
Cancellation Charges for Land Tours
Prior to departure and Charge
90 days or more will be charged $300
89-60 days will be 10% of selling price or $300—whichever is greater
59-30 days is of 65% of selling price
29 days–departure is of 100% of selling price
13 Breakfasts, 4 Lunches and 6 Dinners
While we specialize in vacations for travellers over 50, you can bring children aged 13 and older on Grand Circle trips. Please note, however, that our land-based programs often include lengthy motor coach sightseeing tours that may not be enjoyable for younger travellers.
Trip provides you an amazing post-trip extension: Venice, Italy
3 nights from only $845
Cap off your Italian sojourn in Venice, an architectural masterpiece famous for its 150 canals and more than 400 bridges. Venezia is a city steeped in centuries of history and culture, and there are discoveries to be made—quite literally—around every corner and down its many side streets. You'll spend three nights in this romantic city, and enjoy ample time to explore on your own or discover the city with us on optional tours.
It's Included:
- Accommodations for 3 nights
- 4 meals: 3 breakfasts and 1 dinner
- 2 included tours: Cannareggio & Dorsoduro, Rialto Markets & San Polo
- Exclusive services of a Grand Circle Program Director
- Gratuities for local guides and motorcoach drivers on your extension and all optional tours
- All transfers
Pacing
5 locations in 14 days, including 2 single-night stays
Physical Requirements
- Walk 3 miles unassisted and participate in 3-5 hours of physical activities daily, including stairs
- Balance and agility are required to board vaporetto (small ferry) in Venice
- Not accessible for travelers using wheelchairs or scooters
- Travelers using walkers, crutches, or other mobility aids must travel with a companion who can assist them
- Program Directors reserve the right to modify participation or send travelers home if their limitations impact the group’s experience
Terrain & Transportation
- 1 full day at altitudes between 3,000-6,000 feet
- Uneven walking surfaces, unpaved paths, hills, stairs, and cobblestones
- Travel by 45-seat motorcoach, 100-seat ferry boat, and vaporetto
Climate
- Daytime temperatures range from 51-89°F during touring season
- June-August are the warmest months
- March and November weather can be unpredictable and change quickly
- Expect strong, cold winds in the Dolomite Alps in April-May and September-October
Become a member
- Save up to $700 per person
- Access members-only specials
- Personalize trip recommendations