Day tour of Ravenna recommendation?

Hello we are planning a drive from Taormina to Palermo in a few days and would like to make a full day trip out of it by stopping at sites on the way. Do you have any recommendations or a recommended tour route for this trip?

I will be staying in Arezzo for 4-5 days in mid-September 2021. I would like to take a wine tour in Montepulciano and/or Montalcino, but I don’t want to drive myself because I don’t want to drink and drive. Can anyone recommend a wine tour leaving from Arezzo or a driver/guide? Or is there a different option, ie., taking a bus and visiting a winery or enoteca without a tour? Thanks!

We are visiting Venice this month and would like to schedule a private sunset boat tour. There will be 4 of us. I welcome all recommendations. Thank you, Cherie

We were notified today that we were able to get a reservation for a scavi tour on Friday, September 3! While excited, because the time is assigned by the excavations office, it has impacted the schedule originally planned. Originally we had a large gap between basilica and museums to return to hotel and rest a bit/eat but now the schedule is tighter.

Scavi tour is at 12:30 - so we need to be to excavation office by 12. Tour lasts 1.5 hours which takes is to 2:00 pm

We have Happy Hour tour tickets for the museums at 5pm, so need to get there ~4:30pm.

Question 1 - That means we have a 2.5 hour gap. Weighing going back to hotel (campo d’ fiori) to rest/eat vs finding a restaurant around the Vatican - recommendations?

Question 2-4 - we had planned to get to Basilica before 8am to get in. Do the Dome climb first and then self tour of basilica. With the lines - anticipate this take us until 11 (depends on lines)? Leaving a small gap between that and scavi tour.

- recommendations for a restaurant to have a snack/sit in?

- more a comment/question - I assume the lines (including dome climb) would be too long to do basilica between the scavi tour and happy hour?

- we planned trotting basilica ourselves with audio guide, but give. The scavi tour, would we be better to book a tour (ie walks of Italy) to guarantee quicker access

Thanks for your thoughts on the above

I sort of geek out on financial & economic history (think "Ascent of Money" if you have ever seen the documentary). Venice has played such an important role in the history in areas of trade, banking, bond markets, shared ownership/shareholders, insurance underwriting, currency exchange, public/private partnerships, joint ventures, negotiation, original/unique government systems/structures, and a lot of innovation over the years. I would regret going to the city and not being able to experience a tour that covered at least some of this. I understand this is a fairly specific request/interest, but I feel like its the equivalent of someone into political science showing up in Athens or Rome without any tours doing a deep dive into those early significant political institutions. .... Does anyone know a tour that may remotely fit with this? Or even a friend that really knows there way around some of these subjects that wouldn't mind playing tour guide for a day?

Long story short, I had two other trips in planning that my teen daughter eventually vetoed :)

She has requested a culture/sightseeing/city trip over the 'nature' and 'beach' options. She's had a really tough year and with all the anxiety about heading into high school, I would love to make this happen for her. I have about a month to plan this trip, so here's my first attempt at an itinerary. We will be flying in and out of Rome (only option for a direct flight), which we'll be skipping as we have previously visited:

Day 0: overnight flight into Rome, arrive 7:30 am

Day 1: Rome to Naples via high speed train, Napoli, Overnight in Napoli

Day 2: Pompeii tour, Overnight in Napoli

Day 3: Amalfi coast tour (bus tour or private driver), Overnight in Napoli

Day 4: Napoli in the morning, leave for Florence via high speed train, Overnight in Florence

Day 5: Florence, Overnight in Florence

Day 6: Tuscany day trip (bus tour or private driver), Overnight in Florence

Day 7: Train to Cinque Terre w/ stopover in Pisa, Overnight in CT

Day 8: Cinque Terre, Overnight in Cinque Terre

Day 9: Train to Milan, Overnight in Milan

Day 10: Milan in the morning, train to Venice, Overnight in Venice

Day 11: Venice, Overnight in Venice

Day 12: Venice in the morning, Venice to Rome via high speed train or flight, Overnight Rome near airport

Day 13: fly home

Would love to hear your thoughts:

- We like fast paced, but is it too fast paced? Any suggestions?

- I feel like Milan is a bit of a 'detour' and I wonder if it's worth just for one day?

- Should we get TrainItalia passes? Which one?

- I would love to have some flexibility and not prebook hotels in case we want to linger in one area more - is this too much of a risk? (I wouldn't have considered it but i feel like we could 'wing it' this year?)

- Is there anything else I need to pre-book? (ie. tours, transportation, admission tickets, etc).

Thanks all in advance!

We are staying in Montepulciano, but will be doing day trip to Montalcino. I LOVE Brunello.

I realize there are so many to choose from. We will hit Enoteca la Fortezza to taste, but I want to do one vineyard tour. However, we want an experience. I've heard Banfi is large, impersonal - that's not what we are looking for. Yes, I want a good Brunello (is there one that isn't?) but I want more of an experience. We want a beautiful cellar (the older the better), views and a family feel. If I could compare it to Napa/Sonoma in CA - we loved Kuleto (not a very good tour, but the views were unbelievable) and Pride (amazing tour and in the cellars showed us the wines at different ages), but our favorite was a little vineyard in Alexander Valley where a family ran it. As one of the brothers told us stories and even gave us some vegetables from the garden.

We won't want to just taste wine - we want to remember the place, the people, the food, the wine and tell the story for years to come. I've read on TripAdvisor that Tornesi is family run and you can have a meal - seems right up our alley. Pordere il Cocco looked interesting.

What's the one experience/tour that you would recommend ???

We are arriving in Venice on the 19 th, 4 nights. Then on the 23 rd transferring to Florence for 5 nights.

We would like to do the Bologna food tour which starts at 7 am. The train schedules now are little help. Is there normally an early morning high speed train from Florence? Would it be better to do the tour on the 23 rd, leaving Venice very early? If so is there somewhere to store our luggage in Bologna?

Thank you.

My husband and I are planning a car trip along the Adriatic Coast later this fall. We will fly to Brindisi and stay in or near Lecce for a few days. I'd like to visit Ostuni, Matera (a bit out of the way, I know), Bari, Vieste, Urbino, Ravenna and end in Milano.

First, is this too busy of a trip? We will have approx 16 days but we like to travel slowly.

Second, is the Vieste to Urbino drive too long of a stretch? Should we stop along the coast somewhere? Any recommendations?

Finally, any B&B, vacation rental, hotel or agriturismo recommendations along in or near these cities be greatly appreciated.

I found the viaggiareinpuglia.com website and a couple other sites but would love to hear your recommendations.

Has anyone book this tour and can give me some tips on the do and fonts or any addy information