Local Tours
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Day 1 | Arrival at Venice Airport. One of our representative will be waiting for you outside the baggage claim area. |
day 2 | Discover the art of creating your very own Venetian mask which will surely rival those featured in famous movies like Phantom of the Opera, Romeo and Juliet, and Eyes Wide Shut! Guided by an expert atelier learn to cut and shape the paper in ancient stone moulds to get the perfect shape for your very own souvenir mask! |
day 3 | Together with your guide, you will explore Murano and visit one of oldest glass blowing factories where you will remain in awe as you watch the incredible craftmanship of the glass-blowers creating a myriad of incredible yet fragile objects. You will stop in Mazzorbo, a small town close to Burano where you can easily enjoy a more authentic Venice away from the crowds. Enjoy a delicious full course lunch in a famous starred restaurant for a Venetian meal. |
day 4 | Check out of Venice and head onto Garda with a tasty stop en route. You will discover a beautiful UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Prosecco Valley, during a panoramic driving through the vineyards, a perfect spot for souvenir photos. After a visit to the scenic Asolo area in Valdobbiadene and to an amazing Palladian villa, you will have prosecco tastings and enjoy some appetizers in two of the best wineries that produce this world-famous wine. Check in to a 4 or 5 star accommodation in Garda for a two night stay. |
day 5 | Today you will explore Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake. Ringed by mountains to the north, the area enjoys a very mild microclimate. The region is carpeted with vineyards and is home to some of the country’s classic wines. Stop at a local winery and savor various typical wines accompanied by a light lunch. Later in the afternoon watch the sun slip into the hills during a private evening cruise on Lake Garda. |
day 6 | Check out of Garda and head onto Bologna with a stop in Verona en route. Visit Verona, an ancient city with a history stretching back to Roman times also known as “The city of lovers”, opera and romance in northern Italy, during a 2 hour guided tour with a professionally licensed English speaking guide. Check in to a 4 or 5 star accommodation in Bologna for a three night stay. |
day 7 | Full day guided tour of Bologna, world-famous for its porticos, medieval squares, the Torre degli Asinelli, the Garisenda and especially for its gastronomic tradition such as: cotoletta bolognese, tagliatelle al ragù or tortellini in broth. |
day 8 | Today you will have the opportunity to discover the unique Parmigiano Reggiano cheese. During the guided tour of the dairy you can learn the secrets of cheese making and taste the final product. |
day 9 | Check out of Bologna and head onto Florence with a stop in Pisa and Lucca en route. You will have time in Pisa, a Tuscan town that is a perfect blend of modern and ancient. Don’t miss Piazza dei Miracoli, where you can visit the medieval Duomo, the Baptistery, and the world-famous Leaning Tower. You will stop in Lucca, “the city of 100 churches”. You will get a taste of an Italian medieval town thanks to its cobbled streets, historic buildings and artistic treasures. Another must see is the old city wall, which still encircles most of the historic old town. Check in to a 4 or 5 star accommodation in Florence for a two night stay. |
day 10 | Full day in Florence. Private tour of Florence with a professionally licensed, English speaking guide. |
day 11 | Check out of Florence and head onto the Tuscan countryside with a stop in a prestigious winery en route. The visit will take you through the past, present and future of a long-standing passion for wine, allowing you to admire the vineyard that covers the roof of the cellar and the wine production areas. The your will be deliciously followed by wine tastings and light lunch. Check in to a 4 or 5 star accommodation in the Tuscan countryside for a three night stay. |
day 12 | Enjoy a bird's-eye view of the Tuscan countryside on this hot air balloon flight, discover the Tuscan hills from another perspective. An experienced captain will take you through the air for 600 meters. Admire unparalleled views of Tuscany's olive groves and vineyards, quaint villages and beautiful castles. The pilot and crew will guide you on the balloon excursion taking off from the farm fields in the heart of Tuscany. A hot air balloon trip a few kilometers from Florence, flying over the treasures of this beautiful region, a unique and unforgettable experience. Discover the Tuscan countryside in a delightful, unusual and somewhat adventurous way… on horseback! Stroll through vineyards and flower-studded fields. |
day 13 | Meet your driver and head onto Bolgheri, a relatively young yet prestigious Italian town located in the Maremma on the Tuscan coast. |
day 14 | Check out of Tuscany and head onto Rome with a stop at the world-known thermal baths of Saturnia. |
day 15 | Day tour of Rome part 1. |
day 16 | Day tour of Rome part 2. |
day 17 | Day at your leisure for shopping, relaxing or sightseeing in Rome. |
day 18 | Check out of Rome and head onto Sorrento with two stops en route. |
day 19 | Private boat tour to Capri aboard a luxury yacht. |
day 20 | Discover the Amalfi Coast and its golden treasure, its majesty, the Lemon! |
day 21 | Have your breakfast at the hotel, meet your driver. |
*Seasonal service. During off season or not favorable weather conditions, a private, professionally licensed guide will accompany you to Capri via hydrofoil and provide a guided walking tour of the island. |
The currency in Italy is the Euro (€). You can exchange money at banks, exchange offices ("cambio"), or ATMs. Banks offer competitive rates but may have higher fees. Exchange offices are convenient but compare rates. ATMs are widespread with favorable rates, but watch for bank fees. Major credit cards are accepted, but carrying cash for small purchases and emergencies is advisable.
Whether you need a visa to travel to Italy depends on your nationality and the purpose of your visit. Citizens of many countries, including those in the European Union, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, can enter Italy visa-free for short stays as tourists
In Italy, hotel taxes, known as "tassa di soggiorno" or tourist tax, are fees charged by local municipalities on guests at accommodations like hotels, B&Bs, and vacation rentals. These taxes vary based on location and accommodation type, usually calculated per person per night. They're not typically included in the room rate and are paid directly to the provider upon check-out, often in cash or added to the final bill. Exemptions may apply for certain guests, such as children or those with disabilities.
Greetings in Italy are typically warm and involve a handshake. It's common to greet people with a friendly "Ciao" or "Buongiorno" (good morning) during the day. In the evening or when meeting someone for the first time, "Buonasera" (good evening) is more appropriate. Italians value politeness, so don't forget to use "Grazie" (thank you) and "Per favore" (please) when appropriate.
In Italy, traditional business hours are observed, with most shops opening around 9:00 am and closing for a few hours in the afternoon (usually between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm). Shops then reopen at around 5:30 pm. Some smaller businesses may close on Sundays, so it's advisable to plan shopping accordingly.
While major credit cards are generally accepted, it's advisable to carry some cash, especially in smaller establishments. Notify your bank of your travel dates to avoid any issues with card transactions.
Gratuities are not mandatory and never included, but if you've been pleased with the service, it's customary to show appreciation, and workers are very thankful. Generally speaking, gratuities can be 100€ full day guides, 50€ half/partial day guides, driver 75-150€ on full day use of vehicle, skipper 150-250€ for full day tours, hotel porters 3-5€ per bag, restaurants 10-20% on the total, guest ambassadors, based on service received, 1-5% on rhe total amount. Gratuities in Italy run anywhere from 10-25% depending on the services and your satisfaction with them.
If you intend to visit religious sites, please have knees and shoulders covered (both men and women).
Our custom three-week tour through Italy with Joe Banana was the trip of a lifetime! Milena arranged an amazing itinerary that covered everything on our wish list, even a private kayak experience in Sorrento. Our driver, Stefano, picked us up in Tuscany, and kept us laughing as we travelled to Cinque Terre, Sorrento, Amalfi, Positano and Rome, to name a few of the spots we visited. A highlight of the trip was our private boat tour around Capri. We loved the Parco dei Principi in Sorrento and wish we had allowed for more down time to enjoy our time there. I can't speak highly enough of the fabulous service we received and the attention to every detail. I only wish Joe Banana had offices at every destination on our travel list!
We took a 21 day private tour of Italy. Everything was perfectly planed and executed: We have traveled the world using tours from A&K and Tauck.The Joe Banana's Tour was better than both. Our travel coordinator Milena and our driver Rafaela were both professional and personable. We were well taken care of for the whole 21 day trip. We would highly recommend them to our family and friends.
Best guided tour in italy: We enjoyed a 10 day private tour of Venice, Florence, Rome with day trips to numerous smaller cities for wonderful experiences like balsamic and wine tasting, cooking classes and gondola rides. Our driver Giuseppe’s was fantastic and the van was very luxurious. All aspects of the trip were delightful with plenty of down time, personal requests attended to and highly knowledgeable guides who enriched our experiences immensely. Our guides ensured we saw all the highlights in the many museums and churches we toured and helped us to understand ancient and Italian history and art. Would definately use Joe Banana again and highly recommend to anyone traveling to Italy. The entire experience was professional and excellently planned and carried out
My wife and I had a personal driver tour of Italy for a once in a lifetime adventure, and Joe Banana's did not disappoint. Our trip included Rome, Naples, the Amalfi Coast, Assisi, Venice, Florence, and Cinque Terre. We had private tours of Rome, Venice, Florence, and Cinque Terre. Our driver was engaging and entertaining as we drove from place to place. We had a private tour of a cheese factory and a cooking class, but the highlight was a private tour of a family run balsamic vinaigrette that included a meal up in the hillside. From working with their staff, to the all the details they took care of, we would highly recommend using this company for your Italian Tour needs.
I highly recommend Joe Banana and his crew for any of your vacation needs in Italy! We booked a 13 day tour with them and it was fantastic. From our first contact with Melana our entire trip was handled without us having to worry. She planned the perfect vacation for the 6 of us. All of our local tour guides were phenomenal and offered the best recommendations. Our driver Giuseppe was great and went above and beyond to make sure everything was taken care of. Wouldn't hesitate to book another trip with them!
Our family of four just finished a three week European vacation which was organized and executed by JBL Tours. This was the best travel experience we have had so far. This was our fourth trip with JBL but first one to include other countries besides Italy. The arrangements were complex but Cindy and Milena were awesome at meeting all of our specific needs including hotels, tours, guides and any thing else we requested. Our trip started in Paris and France, went thru Switzerland and then Italy from Lake Como to the Amalfi coast. Our driver, Antonio, picked us up at the Paris airport and served as our driver and sometimes guide managing all the details with local English speaking guides, tours, restaurant recommendations and multiple cruises over a three week period. Thanks to him and all the JBL staff, we never had to worry about any details. Antonio feels like part of our family now. We had the pleasure of meeting Joe in Sorrento and saw his dedication to individualized travel experience. We will definitely be using JBL in our future European travel.
Our private tour through Italy with Joe Banana was incredible. They arranged a beautiful journey with stays in Rome, Florence and Venice, as well as side trips to Naples, Pompeii, Orvieto and Modena. Milena helped us craft a perfect itinerary and was always readily available, when we wanted to make changes. Our driver, Giulio was an absolute pleasure to be around, and he took such great care of us. The guides in each city were so fun and knowledgeable, that we were always sad to only have a day or two with each. I cannot recommend Joe Banana highly enough. There was always someone there to help us. We wanted for nothing. This was truly a trip of a lifetime!
We built a customized tour with Joe Banana that was centered around Sorento / Amalfi / Pompei / Rome / Vatican City. It was an INCREDIBLE trip. Everyone we interacted with from Joe Banana was great. Our main driver Raffaele and main contact Milena were always above and beyond and the fact that we found our own VRBO places to stay and Joe Banana worked that in so easily made it even better! Our local guides in Rome and Pompei were extremely pleasant and knowledgeable and we even planned a private boat day with our Captain Luigi out to Capri (HUGE BONUS)! All in all would HIGHLY recommend Joe Banana and will absolutely use them again for our next visit to a different part of Italy!
Anna at JB was amazing at helping me plan a whirlwind tour of a ton of Italy. She tailored the trip to be everything I asked for and more. Their communication throughout the trip was perfect, and we had 10 days of amazing adventures that I will never ever forget. A trip of a lifetime. I am already plotting my return to Italy, now that I have a taste of so much of it. I couldn't recommend Joe Banana more. Nothing will ever be perfect, but they are as close as it comes. I don't think anyone else would have helped me cram so much in, in the timeframe we had. We were never left without communication or a guide. From the start to the finish- TOP NOTCH planning and communication. Trust me, and use JB for your Italy travel. They KNOW Italy!
We searched for the right tour and the right company to help us celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. We reached out to Joe Banana based on reviews we had read and started planning a trip for August 2023. Milenia was the best person to ask all my questions and make suggestions. She calmed my fears when I was “nervous” about things and let me know she would always be in contact with us. We spent two weeks in Italy visiting Venice, Florence/Tuscany region, Sorrento/Amalfi Coast and finally Rome. We planned all private tours and drivers and none of them disappointed. They were all fabulous. At the end of the tours we felt like family. Milenia always checked in every afternoon and asked how things went. Some days we suggested a slight change for the next day and she would always try to accommodate. All do the tours guides were phenomenal and so knowledgeable about the areas. All the drivers were friendly and great. I would 1000% recommend them to anyone and should we find ourselves back in Italy I would not hesitate to work with them again.
18 days Lakes & Central Italy Tour
13 days in Naples - Positano - Ravello - Amalfi - Pompeii - Mt. Vesuvius - Capri - Sorrento - Rome - Tivoli - Lake Bracciano - Cerveteri
16 days in Milan - Bellagio - Lake Como - Lake Garda - Verona - Venice - Murano - Modena - Florence - Assisi - Rome - Tivoli - Naples - Pompeii - Sorrento - Capri - Positano - Amalfi - Ravello
