Venetian Carnival mask making in Italy

"Made in Italy" Tour

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Italy

Places Visited

Milan, Piedmont, Lake Como, Bologna...

See all

Suggested Duration

11 Days

Immerse yourself in the unparalleled Italian mastery of artisanal crafts, fashion, cars, food, and wine. Your personalized 11-day Italy tour celebrates the intricate details of artisan studios specializing in glassblowing, silk, wine-making as well as the handcrafted marvels of world-renowned luxury brands of extravagant cars and couture fashion. Whether sampling Parmesan cheese inside the factory, mixing aromas to create a personalized perfume, or hearing the first roars of a Ducati straight...

Customizable Itinerary

Expand All

Trip Highlights

  • Witness the skilled techniques needed to master the fine art of glassblowing with a demonstration on the historical island of Murano in the Venetian Lagoon
  • Meet an artisan cobbler in Florence known for designing, crafting, and perfecting leather shoes, which can be shipped directly to the patron’s home
  • Create a personalized aroma at the hands of a master perfumer during a perfume-making lesson in Florence
  • Learn about the historic silk trade in the Lake Como region during visits to a silk factory and luxury shops that provide materials to famous fashion designers
  • Delight in the bold flavors and production of Italian wines on a private tour of the majestic wine region of Barolo
  • Take ­in the unparalleled beauty of Italian fashion with an exclusive tour of the Armani Silos in Milan, followed by a visit to the celebrated fashion district of Quadrilatero della Moda, accompanied by a personal shopper
  • Indulge in the decadent pleasures of white truffles during a truffle hunt in the countryside of Alba, Piedmont
  • Witness the illustrious history and the precision needed to craft the unique blend of engineering and design at the Ducati and Ferrari museums
  • Discover the secrets of making decadent chocolates with one of the oldest artisan chocolate makers in Italy
  • Taste the captivating flavors of Parma ham, balsamic vinegar, and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese when discovering the renowned culinary region of Emilia Romagna
  • Learn to make Venetian Carnival masks under the guidance of an artisan during an optional class

Detailed Description

Your exclusive Italy tour does more than just observe the historic machinations of the artisans who have shaped production across Europe. The development of machinery has only deepened the level of sophistication needed to complete handmade works of internationally renowned in the tradition of Italian artisan craftsmanship paying careful attention to intertwining beauty and function. Engage in the charm, passion, and splendor of the intricacies of Italian heritage involved in making different products by hand from start to finish to craft world-famous products. The exploration begins with your arrival at Malpensa Airport in Milan. A full day of fashionable discovery awaits you in the city known for its fashion-forward ideas. Follow your guide on a private tour of the Armani Silos, which represent more than 40 years of the iconic brand started by designer Giorgio Armani before venturing through the Fashion District with a personal shopper on Via Monte Napoleone, the most famous shopping street in Milan’s fashion district, to discover the newest chic, modern styles with classic designs.

Travel to the charming shores of Lake Como for a day as seamless as silk. The town of Como hosts one of the world’s most highly-sought silk trades, which host factories, stores, and a museum dedicated to the technique and material in Como and their evolution over time. Wander the factory grounds and spend time perusing the offerings in the factory shops before returning to Milan. Truffles are nearly synonymous with Italy, especially in the region of Piedmont. Delight in a half-day tour combing through the countryside of Alba on a guided hunt for white truffles. As the white truffle capital of the world, a lunch here highlights the delicacy and showcases the ways fresh truffles can accentuate flavors. The remainder of the day leads you through the Barolo wine region where you can sample the magnificent wines cultivated on family-owned vineyards.

Italy is known for its attention to the cuisine, paying special attention to simple yet captivating flavors with few regions better known for their culinary influence than Emilia Romagna. Visit a Parma ham farm to learn about the methods used to create the perfect prosciutto and follow the traditional process of crafting seductive balsamic vinegar. Indulge in the crumbly, grainy texture of Parmesan cheese after learning about the entire cheese-making process, from milking the cow to aging the wheel, and even cutting open the cheese properly for continual quality control.

While the Emilia Romagna region might best be known for its gastronomy, it is also home to Italy’s “Motor Valley,” the headquarters of prominent Italian racing brands such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati. The exclusive luxury motorcycle brand Ducati allows you to witness the insight and artistry that engineers and designers use in shaping power, speed, and style. Explore the intricacies of Italian cuisine at Eataly, the theme park focused on the regional recipes and famous delicacies of the country, allowing visitors to view the process of crafting pasta, cheeses, and specialty dishes. Pasta lovers can even visit the Barilla Pasta Factory, the largest pasta factory in the world, and discover how the Italian staple is made as the scent of freshly made pasta surrounds them.   

The region of Emilia Romagna also hosts the Ferrari Museum, in which you can roam through over 70 years of design while enjoying interactive exhibitions. When in Motor Valley, you have a variety of options to explore beyond just one luxury Italian racing brand. You could tear through a private race track in a Ferrari, visit the Pagani or Lamborghini museums, which also offer access to their respective factory floors, or you could choose to forgo spending time with Italy’s famous luxury cars to indulge in a private cooking class in which you will visit a local market and learn the traditional methods of crafting regional pasta, appetizers, and desserts.

Florence is a city of Renaissance beauty and medieval walls but still manages to a sense of its artisanal spirit, as demonstrated in the neighborhood of the Oltrarno, which means “beyond the Arno.” Follow your guide through the winding cobblestone streets on a city tour that reveals the leather stores and jewelers around the Ponte Vecchio and San Lorenzo districts. You could also explore the artisan shops of the Oltrarno before meeting with a master perfumer who will help you experiment and concoct your own personalized fragrance.

Continue your journey of interacting with artisanal masters by meeting jewelers who have shaped their own distinctive styles on the Ponte Vecchio. Traverse the galleries of the fashionable Ferragamo Museum, which displays the trends of the notable designer Salvatore Ferragamo, spanning from the 1920s to 1960. You will also spend time with an artisan shoemaker who works with patrons to design, shape, and construct a custom shoe to the guest’s specifications. On the way to Venice, you stop in the town of Arzignano, a well-known area for historical tanneries offering insight into the value of the traditional tannery process and how the methods have evolved over the centuries.

Venice hosts a multitude of islands within the eponymous lagoon, including the islands famous for the artisan crafts of glassblowing and hand embroidery, the islands of Murano and Burano. They contrast the greater island of Venice in their subtle, quiet charms emanating from the continued artworks that have become cultural staples over time. Take your time visiting the islands and participating in the demonstrations of the craft before returning to Venice with time to stroll over the iconic bridges arching over the canals.  

Starting Price

$6,300 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

What's Included

  • Accommodations
  • In-country transportation
  • Some or all activities and tours
  • Expert trip planning
  • 24x7 support during your trip

Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.

Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service

4.9 stars based on 5986 reviews.

Italy Trip Review: Guides, 9 Nights

Zicasso's travel agent created an itinerary and experience that was simply perfect. Every hotel experience, guide, and driver was excellent. She was kind, patient, knowledgeable, and made the perfect suggestions. I loved working with her! Thank you to our agent, the tour operator, and Zicasso for a wonderful trip!

Reviewed By Anita L.

Italy Tour Review: Pompeii, Capri, 10-Day Trip

The trip was wonderful. Zicasso's travel agent and her staff planned the perfect 10-day trip. The accommodations, the drivers, the guides, and the restaurant recommendations were perfect. The communication was excellent and timely. They went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and happy. The staff were very attentive and flexible, even when we wanted some small changes, such as pick-up times for the drivers. They adapted and made it all work. This travel agent is absolutely terrific.

Reviewed By Marci M.

Italy Vacation Review: Tuscany, Siena, Rome, Amalfi, Capri,...

Our Italy trip with Zicasso’s travel partner was nothing short of spectacular! Referred by a friend who had an amazing experience, we decided to give it a try and were not disappointed. Our agent was fantastic, always ready with answers to our questions and providing excellent support throughout our journey.

In Tuscany, we visited beautiful wineries and enjoyed a delightful lunch with the vintners, who were incredibly warm and welcoming. Her attention to detail was evident when she adjusted our plans due to weather changes and even checked in on us when we were slightly delayed for a tour.

Siena was breathtaking and our hotel in Rome was perfectly located, allowing us to walk to all the major sites. One of the highlights was a small boat tour around Capri from Amalfi—perfect weather and stunning waters made it unforgettable. The cooking class on the Amalfi Coast, set on the side of a cliff, was exceptional and having personal tours just for the two of us was an unexpected and delightful bonus.

We can't express enough how much we enjoyed our Italy trip. The travel partner exceeded our expectations and we highly recommend them for a truly memorable experience!

Reviewed By Kent S.

Italy Anniversary Travel Review: Tuscany, Local Cuisine,...

Zicasso’s trip coordinator and her team did a fantastic job, not only in planning the trip to meet our needs and wants, but also in personalizing it as needed. They were also available as we needed them to adjust things, such as pickups, and even made some dinner reservations for us. With our budget, they set us up in excellent hotels that fit our desire for the trip to be a wonderful anniversary getaway. Her staff were also very helpful. We would strongly recommend them for a trip to Italy!

Reviewed By Rajesh J.

Italy Family Trip Review: Lake Como, Amalfi Coast, 2 Weeks...

Zicasso's travel planner and her staff did a perfect job for our family of six. She made our trip seamless!

Everything she planned was perfect and no detail was left out. I would use them again and again for my travels to Italy.

Reviewed By Sally F.

Switzerland, Italy Solo Vacation Review: Zurich, Lucerne,...

My first solo trip was something I had dreamed about for years. I wanted it to be more than sightseeing. I wanted adventure, comfort, safety, and freedom without the stress of planning it all alone. Through Zicasso, I was connected to two specialists and Zicasso's travel consultant stood out immediately. She delivered an itinerary that gave me everything I asked for and more: maximum cities, maximum fun, and maximum value, all without compromise.

Before deciding, I researched and compared tours, packages, and individual prices online. The travel consultant’s proposal came out on top for value and content. While the other agent offered fewer cities and activities at a higher price, her plan was ambitious without being overwhelming. She booked my trains, arranged private transfers where needed, and selected boutique-style hotels that exceeded expectations. I was honestly surprised at how good they were. I stayed at hotels in Interlaken, Florence, and Sorrento. Each was clean, comfortable, and perfectly located for exploring. I had prepared myself for budget trade-offs, but instead, I found thoughtfully chosen hotels that balanced affordability with real quality.

Every document, train ticket, and activity confirmation was uploaded into the app. It became my lifeline throughout the trip, with every detail at my fingertips. The structure gave me confidence, while still leaving me free to explore.

Switzerland came first: Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, and Zermatt. Each city felt like stepping into a postcard. Interlaken gave me the adrenaline rush of skydiving, while Zermatt charmed me with its close-knit magic and alpine beauty. Italy unfolded with equal ease: Lake Como, Venice, Florence, Sorrento, Amalfi, and Rome. Every destination felt curated, yet natural, from gondola rides in Venice to boat tours on the Amalfi Coast.

What I loved most was the balance between structure and freedom. Pre-booked activities and restaurant reservations gave me a strong framework, but I could just as easily decide to spend an afternoon wandering Florence, eating gelato, or sitting in a piazza. The rhythm of the trip was perfect, structured enough to tick off bucket-list highlights, yet relaxed enough to feel like a real vacation.

Food was freestyle, but memorable. Highlights included a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant in Zurich with its elegant Japanese-Peruvian flavors, a different Japanese restaurant, a restaurant in Como with its modern fusion menu, an Indian restaurant for comforting classics, and international favorites like those in one of the restaurants in Rome. Between those meals and plenty of gelato and crepes, every stop added its own flavor to the journey.

As a solo traveler, safety mattered. I felt comfortable walking around in the evenings and was usually back in my hotel by 1am to stay rested for the next day. What really gave me peace of mind was the travel consultant’s constant support. Communication was fast and responsive. I never had to wait long for answers, whether through the app or email. There was a moment when I made a mistake with the trains and missed an activity. She immediately stepped in and worked to reschedule it or secure a refund that same day.

Earlier in the planning process, I also had a card issue due to an address error. Even though policy would not normally allow it, she and her team patiently waited until I received the refund before finalizing the booking, just weeks before my trip. That flexibility and care spoke volumes.

The difference was clear. She used my budget to its fullest potential, giving me more destinations, more experiences, and better hotels than the alternative option. She managed to combine the efficiency of a fully organized tour with the freedom of independent travel. Everything was planned, yet everything was still mine to shape.

This trip was everything I wanted: good food, beautiful views, safety, and absolute reliability. It was an organized journey with freestyle flexibility, which is exactly what solo travelers dream of. The travel consultant’s planning let me chase adventure while always knowing I had a safety net. Switzerland and Italy gave me memories I will never forget, but it was the behind-the-scenes planning that made it possible. If you want a trip that is your way, your budget, your pace, but without the endless hassle of managing it yourself, the travel consultant at this agency is the person who can make it happen. My first solo trip became my dream trip and that is the highest praise I can give.

Reviewed By tasmia S.

Your Dream Vacation

in 3 simple steps

  1. 1

    Describe your dream trip

  2. 2

    Get matched with top travel specialists

  3. 3

    Book the trip

Free service - no credit card required