Why Italy, Why Cooee?
Italy is Not One Country
It is Many
Rome's imperial grandeur, Venice's Byzantine opulence, the Amalfi Coast's cliff villages, Tuscany's Renaissance perfection — each region is a distinct civilisation. We help you choose wisely and experience deeply.
We secure timed-entry permits at booking. The Vatican queue in high season takes 2–3 hours without advance booking. Our guests walk past it and start the tour immediately.
Rome's Colosseum, the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel are profoundly different at 8:30 AM than at noon. We schedule major monuments at first entry. It changes the entire encounter.
Our guides choose restaurants by quality, not commission. A Trastevere trattoria chosen by our local guide for 20 years of consistency — not because they take tourist bookings. That is a completely different dinner.
Rome + Amalfi + Tuscany + Venice is a natural 14–18 day circuit. We arrange every transfer — high-speed trains, private coastal transfers, everything connected.
The Italy Collection
Regions of Extraordinary Italy
Each Italian region is a distinct world. Our packages let you explore one deeply or link several across the country.
Rome & The Vatican
Colosseum, Forum, Pantheon, Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel — 2,700 years of Western civilisation in one city.
From $3,490 ppVenice & the Lakes
St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, Murano glass, Burano lace and the Italian Lakes.
From $3,690 ppAmalfi Coast
The world's most scenic coastal road, Capri by boat, Ravello's gardens, Pompeii and Sorrento's lemon groves.
From $2,990 ppTuscany & Florence
The Uffizi, Michelangelo's David, Chianti estates, Siena's Piazza del Campo and rolling Crete Senesi.
From $3,290 ppCinque Terre
Five improbably colourful villages on a coast accessible only by boat or trail — Italy's most photographed coastline.
Extension from VenicePompeii & Vesuvius
The Roman city frozen in AD 79 — streets, frescoes, bakeries and houses preserved in volcanic ash for 2,000 years.
Day extension from RomeCore Italy Packages
Featured Italy Travel Packages
Rome & Vatican Discovery
Colosseum with arena floor access, Roman Forum, Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel at first entry, St Peter's Basilica, Baroque piazzas, Trastevere evenings and Mercato Centrale's artisan producers.
Venice & Northern Lakes
St Mark's Basilica, Doge's Palace, Murano glass studios, Burano's lace-makers, Rialto Market cicchetti, Italian Lakes boat cruise and the extraordinary gardens of Villa del Balbianello.
Amalfi Coast Escape
Sorrento base, Capri by boat with the Blue Grotto, the breathtaking Amalfi drive to Ravello's Terrazza dell'Infinito, coastal cooking class, family limoncello producer and optional sunset private boat cruise.
Tuscany & Florence — 6 Days
Uffizi and Michelangelo's David, Chianti and Barolo estate tastings, Siena's medieval Piazza del Campo, hill-town wandering through the Crete Senesi.
Best of Italy Grand Tour — 14 Days
The definitive Italy itinerary — all the classics connected by high-speed trains and private coastal transfers, with time to breathe in each city. Italy from north to south, done properly.
Day by Day
Italy Package Itineraries
Three of our most popular Italy journeys written in full — so you can taste the espresso and feel the cobblestones before you decide.
Go Further
Optional Extensions
Every Italy package can be extended with one of these optional day-trips or multi-day add-ons, arranged at time of booking.
Pompeii & Vesuvius
Full day from Rome — 240km south to the city frozen in AD 79. Expert guide included. Optional Vesuvius lower slopes. Approximately 10–12 hours; significant walking on volcanic stone. Essential comfortable footwear.
Cinque Terre
Day-trip or overnight from Venice or Florence. Train to La Spezia, then the five villages by coastal trail or boat. Ligurian pesto pasta for lunch. Warning: the coastal paths involve steep uneven steps.
Tuscany Wine Experience
1–3 day extension from the Amalfi Coast heading north. Chianti or Montalcino wine estates, Barolo and Brunello tastings, local cheese and salumi pairings, overnight in a farmhouse or boutique villa.
Lake Como Private Boat
A private motorboat on Lake Como for the afternoon — Varenna, Bellagio, Tremezzo and Villa del Balbianello without the ferry schedule. Shared between your group only. Arrange at time of booking.
Compare & Choose
All Italy Packages
| Package | Duration | Key Highlights | Best For | From (AUD) | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🏛 Rome & Vatican Discovery+ Optional Pompeii Day-Trip | 6 Days | Colosseum, Forum, Vatican, Sistine Chapel, Trastevere | History lovers, first-timers | $3,490 pp | View › |
🚣 Venice & Northern Lakes+ Optional Cinque Terre or Lake Como | 6 Days | St Mark's, Doge's Palace, Murano, Burano, Italian Lakes | Romantics, photographers | $3,690 pp | View › |
🌊 Amalfi Coast Escape+ Optional Tuscany Wine Extension | 5 Days | Capri, Amalfi drive, Ravello, cooking class, limoncello | Food & wine, coastal lovers | $2,990 pp | View › |
🍷 Tuscany & FlorenceChianti · Siena · Montalcino | 6 Days | Uffizi, David, Chianti estates, Siena, hill towns | Art lovers, wine enthusiasts | $3,290 pp | View › |
🇮🇹 Best of Italy Grand TourRome · Naples · Florence · Venice | 14 Days | Rome, Pompeii, Amalfi, Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Venice | First-timers doing it properly | $6,490 pp | View › |
💡 Prices per person AUD. International flights from Australia not included — Qantas and ITA Airways both fly from Australian capitals to Rome Fiumicino. High-speed Frecciarossa trains connect Rome–Florence in 90 minutes and Florence–Venice in 2 hours — we arrange all inter-package rail transfers. Optional extensions are costed and confirmed at time of booking. Single supplement applies.
Before You Go
Essential Italy Travel Information
Key practical details for Australians visiting Italy.
Best Time to Visit
Spring (April–June) and autumn (September–October) are the ideal seasons — mild temperatures, manageable crowds and the harvest or bloom seasons. Summer is warm but crowded, particularly on the Amalfi Coast and in Venice. Winter offers the quietest cities and best museum access, though the Amalfi Coast slows from November to March.
Visas & ETIAS
Australian passport holders enter Italy and the Schengen Area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. The EU ETIAS pre-registration was expected to be implemented — check Smartraveller.gov.au for current status before booking. We provide complete entry requirement guidance at time of booking.
Packing for Italy
Comfortable, worn-in walking shoes are the single most important item. Rome, Venice, Florence and the Amalfi villages are all cobblestone. Bring a lightweight layer for the Vatican — shoulders and knees must be covered for entry. Smart-casual for restaurants. A light waterproof jacket for spring and autumn in the north.
Currency & Costs
Italy uses the Euro. Cards are widely accepted in cities but carry cash for markets, smaller trattorie and taxis. Budget approximately AUD $100–150 per day above your tour costs for personal expenses, gelato, wine and the things you cannot resist. The best experiences in Italy — a glass of Barolo at a Piemontese cantina, a cornetto from a 6 AM bakery — rarely cost very much.
From Our Travellers
Italy Travel Reviews
From Australians who have explored Italy with Cooee Tours.
"The guide in Rome took us to a trattoria in Trastevere with no menu in English and no English on the sign outside. It was the best meal of my life. The transfers were seamless — I never had a moment of uncertainty across two weeks in Italy. That is what Cooee gives you."
"Pompeii was extraordinary — not just the ruins, but the guide who explained what each building meant. A bakery with the bread still in the oven. A fast-food counter with the menu still on the wall. A city frozen mid-morning in AD 79. I have been to many ancient sites. This one is different."
"The Amalfi Coast boat day felt exclusive because it was — our group, our boat, our schedule. We swam at a cove the guide has been going to for thirty years that doesn't appear on any map. My husband took a photograph that became my phone screensaver for six months."
Common Questions
Italy Travel Packages FAQ
The questions Australians ask before booking Italy with Cooee.