Boutique Travel Perfected
Unique, private Italy tours. Whatever your interest,Your Own Italy has you covered; Italian art, ancestry, history & culture, authentic wine tastings, artisanal cooking classes & made-in-Italy shopping excursions.
The Heart and Soul of Italy
Distintive, premier vacations throughout Italy, featuring Private Walking Tours, Day Long Tours and Excusrions. Bask in the History, Arts, Food and WineItaly thtough the eyes of a local.
The Art of Emotions
Experiences that transform you, private guided tours of Venice, Rome, Florence, Naples, Amalfi Coast. See all that Italy offers..
Make Italy Your Own
Create unforgettable vacations, with the custom vacation that makes your trip unique. Whatever your heart desires, experience the History, Art, Museums, Churches, Culture or Fun of Italy with one of our Italy Tours..
Private Italy Tours, Vacations, Shore Excursions throughout Italy
If you are looking for a vacation that goes beyond the ordinary, you will love our tailor-made private vacation packages, shore excursions and private tours in Italy. These are not just trips or tours, but immersive experiences that will let you discover the true essence of Italy with your loved ones.
You will have the opportunity to see Italy’s most amazing sights with private tours led by local experts. You will learn about Italy’s rich history, art and culture, and enjoy authentic activities such as wine tastings, cooking classes and shopping for Italian products. You will travel in comfort and style with your own driver and guide, who will make you feel like a local.
You will also have the freedom to customize your vacation with the help of our Tour Designer, who is more than a travel agent. Your Tour Designer is your personal assistant who can arrange everything for you, from booking tickets to finding the best restaurants. Whether you want to see a live opera, have a romantic dinner, or discover hidden gems in Italy, we can make it happen. You can choose from our ready-made packages or create your own from scratch. Whatever you choose, we will ensure you have a memorable experience in Italy.
YOUR OWN ITALY
PRIVATE VACATION PACKAGES
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Amalfi Coast Adventure
Experience authentic Italy, unchanged, unaltered
Rome - Sorrento Discover the gems of Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. Set sail on a romantic tour of Capri on your private boat with a bottle of prosecco. Scout the ancient city of Pompeii and view the entire region from the pinnacle of Mt. Vesuvius. Wind through the heights and depths of the Amalfi Coast. This is your Amalfi Coast adventure of a lifetime.
Read moreDesign Your Own Italy Vacation
Make Italy Your Own
This is private travel, perfected. Your Own Italy is proud to offer unique, tailored vacations throughout Italy for couples, families, and friends. We seek to create unforgettable vacations customized to make your trip unique. Our clients are travelers who want to be guided during their time in Italy but do not want to be part of a group. Our experience of over 30...
Read moreThe Three Cities of Art
Rome, Florence and Venice
Rome - Florence - Venice If everyone weren't speaking Italian, you'd be forgiven for thinking you were in three different countries when you visit Rome, Florence, and Venice. Rome is wide, broad, and majestic. Its baroque piazzas are the size of small ball fields and even in its historic center, which in some places dates back to the Middle Ages, the buildings are...
Read moreSicily and the Amalfi Coast
Sorrento, Syracuse and Taormina
Sorrento - Syracuse - Taormina This 10-night trip takes you to where the sun always shines! With three nights in Sorrento, three in Syracuse, and three in Taormina, you will visit Pompeii, lunch on Mt. Vesuvius, travel along the Amalfi Coast, cruise to Capri, and take a cable car up Mt. Etna. As a grand finale, you will experience Taormina, Sicily's most gracious...
Read moreThe Soul of Sicily
Experience the Pageantry
Palermo - Trapani - Agrigento - Syracuse - Taormina This tour of Sicily last almost two weeks and hits all the high spots. From Palermo, Sicily's largest city, to the fishing village of Cefalu’ … from the archeological treasures of Segesta to the beautiful city of Trapani … from salt pans to olive oil … and that’s just the first few days! There's also the Valley of...
Read moreItaly's Heart and Soul
Rome and Florence
Rome - Florence Here is the perfect tale of two cities: Italy's "art" and "soul." Rome, once the capital of the western world, remains the secular capital of Italy and the seat of the Catholic Church, and as such should be on the bucket list of anyone who wants to understand western civilization. When Florence began flexing her muscles in the fifteen century, she...
Read moreThe Eternal, the Spirit and the Art of Italy
Rome, Sorrento and Florence
Rome - Sorrento - Florence With English-speaking guides throughout your trip, you’ll start right in the middle, in Rome, where you’ll explore history, art, religion, and more, with private visits to The Vatican Museums and Saint Peter’s Basilica. Then you'll head south into "il Mezzogiorno," where you’ll visit Pompeii, lunch on Mt. Vesuvius, settle into Sorrento,...
Read moreThe History, the Shore and the Romance of Italy
Rome, Sorrento and Venice
Rome - Sorrento - Venice If you are looking for maximum diversity in your Italian vacation, this 11-day trip is the one you want. With the history, religion, art and architecture of Rome, the blue waters of the Amalfi Coast and Capri, and the romance and shopping opportunities of Venice and its nearby islands, you will experience the best Italy has to offer, all...
Read moreThe Glory of Rome, the Gems of Amalfi
Rome and Sorrento
Rome - Sorrento If you don't believe Italy runs the gamut of human endeavor, try this week-long adventure! It begins with the glory, pomp, and majesty of Rome, ancient, baroque, and modern; takes you through incredible Pompeii and Mt. Vesuvius; and concludes on the Amalfi Coast with the tiny urban gems of Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello and a romantic boat tour of...
Read moreThe Lakes and Villages of Northern Italy
Milan, Lake Como, Verona and Venice
Milan - Lake Como - Verona - Venice A trip to Northern Italy is a trip to one of Italy’s most beautiful and romantic regions. Milan, Italy's second-largest city, is a world capital of art and design. Whether experimenting with better ways to lay paint on walls, as with The Last Supper (an experiment that, admittedly, was not entirely successful) or developing...
Read moreThe Complete Italian Experience
The Grand Tour of Italy
Venice - Milan - Monterosso - Florence - San Gimignano - Sorrento - Rome This is it: your Grand Tour of Italy. Seventeen days/sixteen nights touring the major regions of our amazing country! Beginning in the northeast, you’ll take in exotic, romantic Venice, then head west to chic and sophisticated Milan, world capital of fashion and design and home of Leonardo da...
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see all toursVatican Under the Stars
Your guide will pick you up at your accommodations and accompany you to the Vatican for this enchanting stroll through the galleries of The Vatican Museums after dark! On select Friday evenings you can enjoy ancient sculptures, iconic paintings, and centuries of history brought to life by your private guide, and in the former palaces of the Pope you'll have the opportunity to view sculptures from antiquity that inspired Michelangelo almost 2,000 years later. You'll view the fantastic frescoes in the Raphael Rooms and the Borgia Apartments, named after the private chambers of Borgia Pope...
The Three Basilicas of Rome
Your guide and driver will pick you up at your accommodations and accompany you on a tour to visit the three great patriarchal basilicas of Rome. The Basilica of St. John Lateran, the oldest and most important, has been set aside for use by the Pope as his own parish. The famous church is topped with impressive statues along the outer face and full of beauty inside. The main walls are covered in beautiful frescos from the Renaissance age and the main nave, restored four centuries ago, will leave you in awe! Built between 422-432 under the instruction of Pope Celestine the 1st, the lovely...
Introductory Tour of Rome
Your guide will meet you at your accommodations and will accompany you on your “Dolce Vita” Tour. You’ll uncover the secrets locked in Bernini’s work, marvel at the Pantheon (ancient Rome's best-preserved monument), toss a coin in the Trevi Fountain to ensure your return to the Eternal City, and simply enjoy Rome’s charming streets in a leisurely Italian fashion. By the end of the tour, you will realize that your guide has not only shown you around Rome, but has taught you how to get around Rome as if you were a native.
Rome by Night Tour
Your guide will meet you at your accommodations and accompany you on an enchanting tour of the Eternal City. Rome is an entirely different place at night: it glows in the warmth of amber streetlights and shimmers with the golden flames of candles on cafe tables. The stones of ruins and bricks of piazzas take on a surreal and breathtaking quality in the evening that can only be described as romantic. The leisurely late stroll will include many of the most important sights in the city, such as the Pantheon, the Capitoline Hill, the Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona.
The Colosseum and Roman Forum Classic
Your guide will pick you up at your accommodations and accompany you on a journey back in time. At the Colosseum, one of the largest structures of the ancient world, Romans once gathered to watch gladiator games, animal contests, and even reenactments of sea battles. A massive stone amphitheater which seated an estimated 60,000 spectators, it was built in only eight years. Your guide will tell you about its design and construction, political purposes, fighters (both willing and unwilling), and eventual demise as an arena. At the Imperial Roman Forum, you will hear about the myths and...
Jewish Rome
Your guide will pick you up at your accommodations and accompany you on a lively tour of Jewish Rome. Ancient Rome, like contemporary New York City, was a sprawling area of diverse people trying to live and do business together. They were Greek, North African, Sicilian . . . and Jewish, many of whom went to Rome to work but ended up settling among their compatriots, building homes, raising families, and becoming vital parts of the Roman community for centuries. Jews have lived in Rome more or less continuously for over two millennia, making Rome’s Jewish community among the oldest in the...
In the Footsteps of the Medici Family
The glory of the Medici family began in the first half of the fifteenth century under the leadership of Cosimo de' Medici. Despite being expelled from the city twice, the family returned each time more determined than before to leave legacies of their absolute power in the form of the visual image. The tour begins at the San Marco Monastery and Museum, housing the world's largest collection of the works of Fra Angelico, an early Renaissance painter whose talent Vasari described as "rare and perfect." The monastery was nurtured by Lorenzo the Magnificent, and its magnificent library contains...
Florentine Food Markets and Tastings
The San Lorenzo market is comprised of two separate markets, but your tour will concentrate on the Central Market ("mercato centrale"), a two-level indoor food market with fresh local produce on the ground floor and restaurants and gourmet shops upstairs. On the other side of town, the slightly smaller market of Sant' Ambrogio retains more of a local flavor. With both outdoor and indoor stalls, it is a colorful place to get a taste of Florentine life any time of year. At both markets, you will enjoy tastings of olive oils, balsamic vinegars, cheeses, meats, and other local delicacies, and...
Cannaregio and the Jewish Ghetto with Chichetti
Your guide will meet you at your accommodations for a journey through winding streets, small squares, and picturesque bridges to the ghettos vecchio, novo, and novissimo (old, new, and newest). The Venetian word “ghetto” referred to its officially-mandated Jewish enclosure, a 16th century mixture of imposed ordinances, lively everyday life, and generally tolerant cosmopolitanism. The Cannaregio area’s open air markets are where Venetians do their food shopping, and the tour will include a break with a before-meal cocktail spritz and a cicheto (Venetian hors d’oeuvres) at a popular Jewish...
The Ca’ Rezzonico Museum, Accademia Gallery, and Peggy Guggenheim Collection
Your guide will meet you at your accommodations. The collections in these museums are among Venice's greatest, ranging from Byzantine and Gothic paintings through Renaissance masters to contemporary art. The opulent, marble-faced Baroque palazzo of the Ca’ Rezzonico Museum, on the Grand Canal, houses art works and objects of 18th century Venice, including paintings by Pietro Longhi, Canaletto, and Francesco Guardi; a collection of Murano glass; and furnishings from an antique Venetian pharmacy, including majolica canisters containing 18th century remedies. A boat will take you to the...
Introductory Tour of Hidden Venice and Gondola Ride
Your guide will meet you at your hotel and accompany you to Piazza San Marco where your tour will begin with a walk around the square, with special attention to the outside of St. Mark’s Basilica, its Byzantine mosaic renditions of scenes from the life of Christ, and the history of the relics within the basilica. From there you will pass through narrow streets and small squares to La Fenice, Venice’s great opera house. Your tour ends with a private gondola ride.
Boat Tour to Murano and Burano
If you are looking for a unique and memorable experience in Venice, you should not miss this private boat tour to Murano and Burano, two islands famous for their handicrafts and architecture. Your guide will pick you up at your hotel and will accompany you to your private boat. You’ll speed along the Venetian Lagoon and enjoy the stunning views of the city and its surroundings.
Florence in a Day from Rome
Your driver will pick you up at your accommodations and take you directly to Rome's train station to board the high-speed train to Florence, where your tour guide will be waiting for you. Among the sights you'll see before lunch are the Piazza della Signoria and its beautiful outdoor sculptures, symbols of the rise of municipal power, and the Piazza della Repubblica, originally the old Roman forum and later the site of the main markets and Jewish ghetto. The tour will continue to the Piazza del Duomo, the location of the cathedral complex, which includes the Baptistery, Giotto's Campanile,...
Excursion to the Town of Asolo and the Venetian Villas
Your guide will meet you at your accommodations and accompany you to meet your driver. This region was, for most of its history, an independent republic, beginning life at the close of the Roman Empire as an outpost of refugees fleeing barbarian invaders; by the early Renaissance, thanks to some strategic looting and a location at the head of the Adriatic Sea, it had become an independent "republic" and one of the richest and most powerful cities in Europe. It did not become part of Italy until the 19th century. This tour begins with the beautiful 16th to 18th century villas along the Brenta...
Excursion to Vicenza and Verona
Vicenza and Verona are small cities, but between them is archeological, architectural, and artistic evidence of just about every significant period in Italy's history. In Vicenza, the emphasis is on the elegant and extremely influential work of sixteenth century architect Andrea Palladio, whose rediscovery of the building styles of the ancient Greeks and Roman changed the appearance of Europe forever and greatly affected construction design in the New World, as well. The city's beautiful historical center and environs boast numerous Palladio buildings, including his Olympic Theater and Villa...
The Roman Countryside Tour
Your driver will pick you up at your accommodations and accompany you to Tivoli, a historic hill town lying east of Rome in the breathtaking Monte Tiburtini hills. Your guide will meet you at the Villa d’Este, a former Benedictine convent considered to be one of the most enchanting villas of the late Renaissance period. You'll discover how the building was created as a lavish home for the son of Lucretia Borgia, that scandalous Italian duchess who created so much drama in 15th century Italy. The famous Fountain of Neptune is only one of the villa’s 500 fountains; its other outdoor delights...
Excursion to Pisa and the Town of Lucca
Your private driver will pick you up at your accommodations and accompany you to Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa where you will meet your guide. You’ll visit the splendid Cathedral complex comprised of the Duomo, completed in 1092, the marble Baptistery, a majestic circular-plan Romanesque building completed in 1153, and the Leaning Tower - one of the most beautiful and famous bell towers in the world. With a reserved ticket, you can reach the top of the tower for a truly memorable experience. Your driver will then take you to the nearby town Tuscan town of Lucca, known for its cobblestone...
Pompeii in a Day from Rome
If you must see Pompeii - and you must - but had not intended on venturing further south than Rome, let Your Own Italy handle the logistics. You will be driven in a private car directly from your accommodations to the world’s most well-preserved ancient town, Pompeii where your private guide will be waiting for you. Your guide will lead you through its wealthy dwellings, whose residents enjoyed vivid wall frescoes and airy courtyards, as well as the more plebeian residences, whose inhabitants ate on the go, groomed at public baths, and attended the 500-person amphitheater in the shadow of the...
Featured Vacation Package
See all vacationsThe Lakes and Villages of Northern Italy
Milan, Lake Como, Verona and VeniceMilan - Lake Como - Verona - Venice A trip to Northern Italy is a trip to one of Italy’s most beautiful and romantic regions. Milan, Italy's second-largest city, is a world capital of art and design...
Read moreCarmen's Corner
Read Carmen's CornerCarmen Carbonell
Carmen Carbonell is founder and President of Your Own Italy. Carmen was born in the United States. Following college, she married an Italian and moved to Rome, where she raised 4 sons. She also developed a passionate love for Italy – its art, its architecture, its cities, its countryside, its culture and cuisines, and its people. Now, after nearly 30 years living in Italy, Carmen wants to share her love for Italy with American travelers who...
Blog
Read All BlogsFit for Emperors & Popes
Rome's Castelli towns make for relaxing getaways from the city First Roman emperors, then pontiffs. Throughout the ages, when the powerful and the privileged wanted to escape the summer heat of Rome, they headed for their villas in the hills -- the Alban Hills, that is, southeast of Rome...
Read moreWhat Our Clients Say
Read All TripAdvisor ReviewsThe winery and food tours were unbelievable. We received special treatment at one of your recommended restaurants in Venice, Ristorante Antico Pignolo. Not only was the food great, but the hospitality was also over the top. The manager Juri took us on a tour of the restaurant and gave us his phone number and asked if we needed anything during our stay in Venice to contact him. The other shout out goes to the The Garden Restaurant in Ravello, what an amazing view for lunch and the food was tremendous. Finally, the restaurant in Siena, Casa Tua was beautiful and staff very gracious and gave us a tour of the wine cellar.
A special thanks goes out to Alberto, Angelo and Simon who we had the privilege as our personal drivers’ multiple times. Angelo took us on our day tour of the Amalfi coast, Simon drove us to a winery and San Gimignano and Alberto drove us to my wife’s mom’s hometown of San Sossio Baronia where she was able to meet several of her cousins for the very first time. They were so happy to see her. What a magical moment. Alberto was translating for us and did a wonderful job!
Again, thank you so much for everything. We already have referred several of our friends to Your Own Italy and expresses the great job you do in putting together an awesome itinerary.
April 2024
We had an absolutely Fantastic trip!! From our very courteous, punctual drivers, our kind, knowledgeable, attentive tour guides, the amazingly fresh and delicious food at the pre-arranged restaurants – let’s not forget the wonderful wine! -, the beautiful, comfortable accommodations, a perfect itinerary, to the patient, responsive staff! The professionalism and willingness to accommodate our needs was outstanding! We learned SO much and were truly spoiled. We felt very safe everywhere we went, which made for relaxing excursions enabling us to soak in the beauty and focus our attention on our guide’s wealth of information. Our only slight hiccup was not realizing that there are two train stops in Rome, so we exited at the wrong stop. An unfortunate mistake, but Marco, our driver, was graciously understanding.
Please pass our sincere gratitude along to each member of your staff who assisted us on our own Italian holiday. We made wonderful memories of a once-in-a-lifetime experience and are genuinely grateful.
March 2024
Firstly, the team with Your Own Italy was outstanding and did such an incredible job of managing our itinerary. They were on top of everything and we loved having them as a resource for us throughout the trip. We visited 8 cities in all!
The tour guides they provided were exceptional and so knowledgeable. The restaurant selections were excellent and activities amazingly unique providing us with memories of a life time.
We are so happy and grateful for the expert advise and carefully selected experiences. The trip exceeded our wildest expectations.
Our wish is that we have this company in every country in Europe so we can have that level of service for future trips. We plan to return to Italy again and will definitely use them again. We highly recommend them!!! Our favorite places were Sorrento, Florence, Tuscany county side and Lake Como.
October 2023
Thank you Carmen! We are definitely sad to be back in the states after an incredible few weeks in Italy! We cannot thank you and your team enough for curating an insanely memorable experience and certainly a trip of a lifetime. From start to finish our experience was seamless and nothing but enjoyable. Each and every guide and driver enhanced our experience and made this a trip we will never forget. Aside from having to cancel our boat tour of Capri due to weather, our agenda was perfect throughout. Our experience far exceeded our expectations, Thank you!
While there were plenty of highlights, I do have to mention Vittoria who was so great to work with every day. She was proactive and responsive and made our experience stress free. Beginning with our Captain in Como, Carlo and our driver down the Amalfi Coast, Alberto Cocacola:), Gabby in Capri, Stefania, Yevgen and Marco (such a cool tour) in Rome, Antonella in Venice and Mirella in Milan, the entire team provided us with a once in a lifetime experience. If there is anywhere else you would us to leave a review, please let me know as we would be more than happy to do so.
Lastly, the one portion of our trip we booked directly was a private wine experience throughout Tuscany with Tom De Vries of Sommelier’s Choice. If you are ever looking for a partner in that region or specific to vineyard tours/experiences, I would highly recommend Tom. This too was another incredible highlight as we stayed in the gorgeous town of Cortona and visited 8 vineyards over 2.5 spectacular days in Tuscany. I would be happy to connect you via email if you have an interest.
Thank you again! We will definitely be in touch when we plan our return trip to Italy
October 2023
We had the dream trip of a lifetime thanks to Yourownitaly.com. Carmen planned and Melissa executed a flawless vacation for 6. We were met promptly each morning, had great specialized guides at each location (Pompeii, Mt. Etna, Capri specifically). The accommodations were perfectly located and the trip while very active was not exhausting. We loved our cooking class with Gilda. Again thanks to Carmen, Melissa and the Yourownitaly team for an unforgettable vacation!!
October 2023
We had such a great and memorable experience.
All the guides were great! Friendly, knowledgeable and patient. We are so glad we decided to use your company. It was the best decision we could have made!
Having each day scheduled, with all the arrangements made, was absolutely the best way to go. All the areas we visited (Rome, Amalfi Coast & Venice) were incredible and seeing each for 3-4 days was ideal for us.
Thank you for everything! And thank Marco, Yvgeny, Antonella, Monica and all the drivers.
October 2023
October 2023
The entire trip was sensational. Highly recommend this agency.
October 2023
October 2023
We are so pleased with our experience with Your Own Italy. A big thank you to Carmen and her team for designing a wonderful trip to Italy for us. We had the opportunity to visit Rome, Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi coast, Florence, Tuscany and Venice and loved every minute of it!
All of our accommodations were fantastic – rooms with views, breakfast buffet, friendly staff, quiet, convenient locations.
We’d like to thank each of our tour guides, Marco Lori, Maria Rosaria, Andrew (Pompeii), Gabby and Roberto (Capri), Amal and Lisa (Florence), Elio (Siena) and Antonella, for great experiences. Our guides were knowledgeable as well as friendly. We learned so much! We have some great photos and memories of each city we visited.
All of our drivers were prompt and professional. We’d especially like to thank our Amalfi coast driver Angelo and our Florence-to-Tuscany driver Timothi, who made sure that we enjoyed our drives with special views, stops and wonderful conversation.
All details, including restaurant reservations, were handled by Your Own Italy and everything went smoothly. Each evening Vittoria would update us with details for the following day. So nice to know she was available to help us and this made it so easy for us to relax and enjoy our day.
Some trip highlights – food & wine walking tour in Trastevere, wine tasting at Bosco de Medici Winery (the wine was great, the food was sooo good), Amalfi coast tour with lunch in Ravello, Capri boat tour (a lot of fun), food & wine at Villa Machiavelli, a stay at the beautiful agriturismo Mormoraia, gorgeous views from Siena, gondola and water taxi rides in Venice, and guided visits to Murano and Burano. And we had the most delicious food every day!
In summary, we were thrilled with our trip to Italy! So many memories. We definitely recommend Your Own Italy to any of our friends/family planning to travel to Italy.
October 2023
We had such a great and memorable experience.
All the guides were great! Friendly, knowledgeable and patient. We are so glad we decided to use your company. It was the best decision we could have made!
Having each day scheduled, with all the arrangements made, was absolutely the best way to go. All the areas we visited (Rome, Amalfi Coast & Venice) were incredible and seeing each for 3-4 days was ideal for us.
Thank you for everything! And thank Marco, Yvgeny, Antonella, Monica and all the drivers.
October 2023
Venice, Italy, October 2023
Rome to Sorrento and Amalfi
First time using an agency to customize a vacation and YourOwnItaly was absolutely amazing. Every aspect from the original planning to in-country support was handled in a professional manner with drivers, tour guides, accommodations, and activities flawlessly executed. We had a small group of four and everyone agreed we would not only recommend YourOwnItaly but use them again for any future Italy vacations.
Date of experience: October 2023
Rome to Sorrento and Amalfi, Oct. 2023