Three Unforgettable Tours In Northern Italy

THREE UNFORGETTABLE TOURS IN NORTHERN ITALY

best tours in Northern Italy, Cinque Terre, Vernazza

VERONA WALKING TOUR

The whole purpose of our stopover in Verona was to see Elton John in concert. It was not to be sadly; Elton fell ill and cancelled his concert. This left me to ask myself if I would have gone out of my way to visit Verona if I didn’t have a concert to attend. The answer is an enthusiastic yes!

Best Tours Northern Italy, Verona, LivItaly

Verona, like many city centres in Italy is rich with culture and history but it is not quite as busy as Rome or Venice which is a major plus. There’s also a lot to see, with the most notable being Casa di Giulietta.

Best Tours Northern Italy, Casa Di Giulietta, Verona

This attraction was a smart marketing ploy by the city of Verona in 1905. The city designated this building, said to inspire Shakespeare’s fictitious play Romeo & Juliet, as her home and the rest as they say is history. It’s definitely worth the quick stop on this tour to grab a picture in front of Juliet’s balcony, but our expert guide from LivItaly could tell our group wanted more and didn’t dwell there. With small groups your guides can adjust according to your likes and interests.

Porta Borsari, Verona, best tours in Northern Italy, LivItaly Tours

Perhaps the most fascinating building in all of Verona is the arena built in 1 A.D. This Roman amphitheatre is still being used today and was where we were supposed to rock on with the Rocketman. Used for operas and rock concerts, this marvel of engineering is one of the best preserved arenas in the world, and well worth the visit, concert or no concert.

There is no doubt that you could get yourself around to the big attractions on your own in Verona but it’s the small details you’d miss. Our guide was able to point out things like an ancient gravestone that was “repurposed” as a brick for a building, the watermarks on the walls from flooding from the Adige, and the unique frescoes you’ll find on random buildings throughout the tour. These are the things only a guide who truly knows the city would know and makes the tour worth it.

the banks of the Adige, best tours in Northern Italy, Verona, Italy, LivItaly Tours, private tours Verona

What you need to know: This is a great tour to start your visit to Verona, as your LivItaly tour guide can point out restaurants, shopping, and attractions not included in the tour you shouldn’t miss. The tour is 79€ per person, to a maximum of six people and will take you two hours. The meeting spot is in Piazza Brá in front of the Victor Emanuelle statue. Be sure to wear practical shoes for navigating around on cobblestone streets.

VENICE SMALL WALKING TOUR WITH ST. MARKS

Venice could be the poster child for reasons you need a tour guide. With approximately 65,000 tourists a day visiting the floating city, it’s almost impossible to figure it out on your own.

Grand Rialto, Venice, Best Tours in Northern Italy

Our LivItaly guide Pamela was able to expertly navigate the six of us through big tourist draws like the Grand Rialto and St. Mark’s, but also find us quiet spaces to explore. And not just quiet spaces, fascinating spaces, like the courtyard of Marco Polo’s family home. Sidenote: Italians have no idea where that Marco Polo game in the water came from. Another fun fact from our guide.

Tours in Venice, Best Tours in Northern Italy, Venice, Marco Polo

Pamela also led us to one of the world’s prettiest bookstores, Libreria Acqua Alta. There is no doubt in my mind that left to our own devices we would have never found either of these spaces.

world's most prettiest bookstore, Libreria Acqua Alta, Venice, LivItaly Tours, Best tours in Northern Italy

We were in Venice on June 2 which is noteworthy for two reasons. First, it was the day that a cruise ship plowed into a river cruise ship making headlines around the globe. It was also Festa Della Sensa, which is a traditional event in Venice and symbolizes the marriage between the sea and Venice.

Our guide Pamela knew exactly when to get us to St Mark’s Square on Festa Della Sensa, because there are four wooden statues that make one of their semi-annual appearances in the clock tower that day. Pamela found us a great viewing spot, and it was not lost on me that there were thousands of tourists around us who had absolutely no idea what was about to happen. Another example of expert knowledge that LivItaly guides have.

best tours in Northern Italy, St. Mark's Square,

What You Need to Know: The Venice Small Walking Tour is a great way to familiarize yourself with the city if you’re spending a few days. I highly recommend you book this for your first day. Venice is HOT if you’re visiting in the summer so pack something for shade (hat, umbrella), a water bottle, and sunscreen. You’ll also need to have your shoulders and knees covered for entrance in to St. Mark’s so pack or wear something with that in mind. Cost is 99€ per person and the tour is 2 hours.

CINQUE TERRE TOUR – HIKE, BOAT, TRAIN, AND SIGHTSEE

The Cinque Terre Tour is an absolute must-do in my opinion. This full day tour is for two people only, and allows you to take in all five villages in Cinque Terre in a day by train, boat, and on foot. It’s the perfect tour when time is tight.

We met our guide Marcella at the La Spezia train station and instantly hit it off with her. I can’t overstate this enough, because when you’re spending an entire day with a guide, you want them to be personable. Marcella was outstanding with her knowledge, but also fun and outgoing in personality—a winning combination.

Best tours in Northern Italy, LivItaly Tour Guide, Marcella, Cinque Terre

Car traffic is strictly prohibited in Cinque Terre to residents only, so if you’re visiting the area you need to hop on a train at La Spezia. We headed directly to Riomaggiore and started our day sightseeing there. The first thing we learned is that the residents in this area have got to be the hardest working people on the planet. How can they not be when you look at the farms they have on the hillsides and the incredibly steep stairs they take everywhere?

Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre, LivItaly Tours, best tours in Northern Italy

Our tour through Riomaggiore led us through winding streets and up and down incredibly steep stairs, so it’s worth noting that your physical fitness level matters on this trip, particularly for the hike from Vernazza to Monterosso.

Steep stairs in Riomaggiore, Cinque Terre

From Riomaggiore, we hopped on a boat to view Manarola and Corniglia by sea.

Boat ride from Riomaggiore to Vernazza passing Manarola and Corniglia at sea, tours in Northern Italy

It’s a wonderful perspective viewing three of the towns of Cinque Terre from sea. The colourful buildings, rough landscape, and surrounding sea all lend to the beauty of the journey.

Vernazza, Cinque Terre, Italy, tours in Northern italy, LivItaly, harbour in Vernazza

We docked in Vernazza for more sightseeing and a break for lunch. Lunch is not included in the price of your tour, and your guide can help you find a place based on budget. If you’re looking for great views, food, and highly entertaining staff though, get your guide to take you to the Belforte Restaurant. You’ll also want to do a little carb-loading here because the next part of your tour is a strenuous 2 hour hike. Oh, and go easy on the wine.

Belforte Restaurant, Vernazza, Cinque Terre, tours in Northern Italy

The next part of the Cinque Terre tour is entirely on foot, and while it’s strenuous, it’s absolutely worth it. The views are outstanding and for me, coming into Monterosso at the end of it was the icing on the cake. This view brought me tears to my eyes. The perfect way to end a perfect day.

What you need to know: Pack a backpack for this trip and load it up with a light sweater/windbreaker, sunscreen, and water. Also, you’ll need to bring hiking shoes for the trek from Vernazza to Monterosso, flips flops are strictly forbidden. I wore my super sexy Birkenstocks for most of the day, and changed into my hiking shoes just before we left Vernazza. Cost for this tour 599€ for two people.

Disclosure: I worked with LivItaly tours for the second year in a row. Tours were either discounted or complimentary. All opinions remain mine.

By CANDACE SAMPSON

Candace is founder and editor-in-chief of Life in Pleasantville which isn’t half as fancy as it sounds. You can find her sharing travel stories on What She Said Radio and on CTV Ottawa Morning Live.

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THREE UNFORGETTABLE TOURS IN NORTHERN ITALY

VERONA WALKING TOUR

VENICE SMALL WALKING TOUR WITH ST. MARKS

CINQUE TERRE TOUR – HIKE, BOAT, TRAIN, AND SIGHTSEE

By CANDACE SAMPSON

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