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Destination
Northern Italy Tours
Northern Italy tours linking Milan, Verona, Bologna, the Italian lakes and Cinque Terre in one carefully planned journey.
Why travel to Northern Italy
Northern Italy tours work especially well as multi-region journeys. Milan, Verona and Bologna form a practical route across the north, while Lake Garda, the Dolomites and the Cinque Terre add very different landscapes without requiring domestic flights. Our own coaches connect the main stops, and local guides join the group in each city.
Milan is usually the gateway, with direct flights from North America and fast links across Lombardy. From Piazza del Duomo and Leonardo's Last Supper, a tour can continue east to Verona's Roman arena and medieval centre, south to Bologna's porticoes and food markets, or north towards the Italian lakes.
The cities are close enough to combine but not interchangeable. Verona introduces the Veneto through Roman history and the landscape of the Adige; Bologna is known for medieval streets, historic university buildings and the cooking of Emilia-Romagna. Longer tours of northern Italy can then turn west towards Liguria and the five coastal villages of the Cinque Terre.
A seven-day escorted itinerary gives time for Milan, Verona and Bologna. Ten days allows the route to include the Ligurian coast, Pisa and Florence, while a tailor-made programme can add Lake Garda or the Dolomites. Spring and early autumn bring comfortable city temperatures; May, June, September and early October are the most balanced months for a journey combining cities and the coast.
- Where
- Lombardy, Veneto, Emilia-Romagna and Liguria
- Best for
- City touring, art, food, multi-region itineraries
- When to go
- April to June and September to October
- Gateways
- Milan Malpensa and Linate, Verona, Bologna airports
What to see in Northern Italy
Milan
Italy's northern gateway combines the marble Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper with neighbourhoods shaped by design and contemporary culture. It is the natural starting point for Northern Italy tours arriving by air.
Verona
The Roman Arena stands at the edge of a compact historic centre crossed by the Adige. Piazza delle Erbe, Castelvecchio and the riverside bridges can be explored on foot, while Lake Garda lies less than an hour to the west.
Bologna
Kilometres of covered porticoes lead through one of Italy's best-preserved medieval centres. Bologna brings a different rhythm to a northern itinerary, with the Quadrilatero market, the Two Towers and the food traditions of Emilia-Romagna.
Cinque Terre
Five villages sit between terraced hills and the Ligurian Sea, linked by local trains and walking paths. Adding the Cinque Terre gives a multi-city itinerary a slower coastal chapter after Milan, Verona and Bologna.
Tours in Northern Italy
Price on request
Cinque Terre
Northern Italy: frequently asked questions
Which cities does a northern Italy tour cover?
Milan, Verona and Bologna as the core, with Pisa, Florence and the Cinque Terre added on the longer itineraries.
How do we travel between the cities?
By our own coach, with a tour manager throughout. Luggage stays with the group and the route can include places the trains do not serve.
How many days do I need?
A week gives one to two nights in each city, which is enough for a guided visit and free time in each centre.
When is the best time to go?
April to June and September to October. Northern Italy is humid in high summer and foggy in the depths of winter.
Planning a trip to Northern Italy?
Our team in Italy builds each itinerary from scratch, for private travellers and for travel agencies.