A Week In... Venice, Florence & Rome

If you are a U.S. citizen traveling internationally, you will need a passport valid for six months beyond the completion of your Tauck journey for entry into Italy. You will not require a visa for the short duration of this tour.

If you are a citizen of another country traveling internationally, you should contact a consulate or embassy of Italy to determine what travel documentation is required.

Please note that longer stays abroad for any purpose may require additional travel documentation.

We recommend that you make at least two photocopies of all the travel documents that you bring with you. Include copies of the photo page of your passport that contains the date of issuance, the date of expiration and your citizenship. Secure one set of copies in the safe in your room while traveling and leave one set behind with someone at home who will assist you in the event your documents are misplaced, lost or stolen.

To facilitate Travel Requirements, destinations are increasingly utilizing online forms that require digital proof that you've successfully completed your submission (via an email, QR code, etc.) To ensure smooth travels and peace of mind, we strongly recommend all guests carry a personal smart phone and sign up for international data plans before traveling overseas.

Please Note: The City of Venice has introduced a new 5 euro entry fee that day-trip tourists visiting Venice on 54 specific dates between April 18, 2025 and July 27, 2025 must pay. This fee does not apply to tourists staying overnight in Venice, meaning all Tauck travelers are automatically exempt from this new requirement. However, Tauck travelers who will be in Venice on these specific dates must still complete an online exemption form which will generate a QR code as proof of staying overnight in Venice. Each travel party only needs to complete the form once. Children under the age of 14 do not need to have a QR code.

Travelers are required to keep this QR code readily accessible while in Venice in case authorities request to see it. Failure to do so may result in fines. Like all entry requirements, compliance with this regulation is solely the responsibility of the traveler.

Venice Visitor Fee Exemption Request Instructions

• Go to the Exemption Request page on the City of Venice's website: https://cda.veneziaunica.it/en.
• Under "Reason for requesting exemption" select "I am a guest of an accommodation facility located in the municipality of Venice."
• Select "Request exemption."
• Enter the dates you'll be entering and leaving Venice. (These dates can be found in the personal travel documents you received via email from Tauck.) Hit "Next."
• Enter your personal details. (For "Date of birth," click on the blank field. A calendar page showing the current month and year will appear. Click repeatedly in this header area to navigate to the century of your birth, then select the appropriate decade, year, month and day.) You will also enter your place of birth, email and home residence.  For "Residence," enter your home address in the USA
• Under "Accommodation and address name," search for or manually enter the name and address of your hotel in Venice. Please note: The name and address of your Venice hotel will be detailed in the personal travel documents you will receive from Tauck 60 days prior to your departure date. Read the Privacy Policy by clicking the link (this will activate the check box), then check the box and select "Next."
• If you are traveling with friends or family, select "Add Holder" and fill out their details. Complete this step for everyone in your travel party, then select "Next."
• On the Contact Information page: If you select PHONE you will need to enter your phone number and then make a toll-free call to the number listed on the subsequent page, within the indicated time. If you select EMAIL you will need to enter your email address, and you will then receive an OTP code via that email address to enter on the subsequent page of the application. 
• Verify that all the information you've entered is correct, then click "Confirm."
• You will then be brought to a page where you can download the required QR code for your visit to Venice. (We recommend emailing the QR code to yourself, to ensure easy access to it later.) 

Travelers are required to keep this QR code readily accessible while in Venice in case authorities request to see it. Failure to do so may result in fines. Like all entry requirements, compliance with this regulation is solely the responsibility of the traveler.

Deposit Information:

The deposit and the fees for the optional Protection Plan or Cancel Fee Waiver [CFW] coverage are due at time of booking. Your deposit is CAD $750.

At the time of booking, please have the following information ready:

• Tour Name and Departure Date Desired
• Traveler Name(s):  Please have first and last names as they appear on the passport or driver's license.
• Traveler's Address(es)
• Traveler's Phone Number(s)
• Emergency Contact Information: This would be a relative or friend whom we could contact during the tour in the event of an emergency. Please provide their name and phone number(s).
• Interest in purchasing a travel protection product (US and Canada)
• Interest in extending your trip by staying in a Tauck recommended hotel before your trip begins or after it ends
• Interest in our specially negotiated airfares.

Regarding your final payment:

Final Payment for Land Journeys is due at Tauck's Wilton Woods, CT office 60 days before departure. Any bookings without full payment at this time may be subject to cancellation without notice.

Effective for plans purchased as of July 2021:

Tauck's Guest Protection

Tauck's Guest Protection provides you with cancellation protection before your journey begins as well as insurance benefits while you are traveling. Guest Protection includes the following:

Cancellation Waiver – Provided by Tauck:

Under Tauck's Cancellation Fee Waiver you can cancel your tour for ANY REASON up to the day before departure and receive a money-back refund (except in Extreme Circumstances*) on the land tour cost, based on your original method of payment.

*Extreme Circumstances: In the event of an act of God, war (whether declared or undeclared), terrorism, accident, natural disaster, outbreak of disease, or other event or circumstance beyond our control that contributes to or results in cancellation rates above our historical cancellation rates in the absence of such event or occurrence, Tauck reserves the right to issue a credit to you in lieu of a money-back refund, applicable to a future Tauck journey.

Travel Insurance Benefits – Underwritten by United States Fire Insurance Company.

• Trip Cancellation – If you must cancel your tour due to a covered reason, the plan provides coverage for the amount you paid for your travel arrangements. Since the non-insurance cancellation waiver takes care of the land package cancellation fees already, this benefit reimburses the airfare cancellation charges up to the value of your original airfare purchase.
  
  
• Trip Interruption – If you have to interrupt your tour for covered reasons, the plan provides reimbursement to catch up to your tour or return home.
  
  
• Travel Delay – Provides reimbursement for missed, prepaid travel arrangements if you are delayed by a common carrier, natural disaster, unannounced strike, or other reasons as cited in the plan.
  
  
• Medical Expense – Reimburses covered medical expenses incurred in the event you become injured or sick during your trip. 
  
  
• Baggage / Personal Effects Protection – Provides reimbursement in the event your luggage or personal effects are, lost, stolen, damaged or delayed during your trip.

• Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services – Provided by Carefree Travel Assistance; 24-hour emergency telephone assistance hotline for medical and travel related problems.

The cost of Tauck's Guest Protection (CAD) is:

$390 per person – Costa Rica tour

$549 per person – Most Tauck Bridges Europe land tours

$585 per person – A Week In... Europe tours

$699 per person – Most Europe land journeys

$849 per person – New Zealand: A North & South Island Adventure; Australia Adventure: Adelaide, Tasmania & Sydney

$865 per person – Tanzania: A Grand Family Safari

$975 per person – Asia land tours

$995 per person – Africa land tours; Israel and Jordan; Egypt and Jordan land tours; Grand Australia and New Zealand; A Portrait of India; Northern India & Nepal

This protection provides insurance coverage that applies only during the covered trip. You may have coverage from other sources that provides you with similar benefits but may be subject to different restrictions depending upon your other coverages. You may wish to compare the terms of this policy with your existing life, health, home and automobile policies. If you have any questions about your current coverage, call your insurer, insurance agent or broker.

This optional Guest Protection must be requested at time of booking and fee must be included with initial payment. Fees are based on costs as of July 2021, and are subject to change. Details will be provided with written confirmation of your tour reservation. Guest Protection does not protect travel agent commissions. Reimbursements will be made according to original method of payment. The amount of any refund shall be reduced by any recoveries obtained by you from any third parties.

The Guest Protection plan waives cancellation fees outlined below, provided we are notified of cancellation before your tour departs. Tour cancellation fees are waived regardless of reason, without written notice, and Tauck will refund land tour cost.

If You Have to Cancel

Cancellations Fees – Regardless of reason, cancellations result in costly charges from our travel and hotel providers covering penalties and fees incurred by canceling confirmed bookings. Therefore, the following fees apply.

Guests choosing to purchase Tauck's Guest Protection will incur cancellation penalties as follows:

Loss of Guest Protection fee, per person

Guests choosing not to purchase Tauck's Guest Protection will incur cancellation penalties per person as follows:

60 days or more before departure:

$450 per person – Costa Rica tours

$750 per person – Africa land tours; Asia land tours; Australia / New Zealand land tours; Israel and Jordan; Egypt and Jordan land tours; Europe land tours

$1,250 per person – A Portrait of India; Northern India & Nepal

59-8 days before departure:

Loss of 15% of cost of tour per person, not including air (if applicable)

7-1 days before departure:

Loss of 25% of cost of tour per person, not including air (if applicable)

Time of cancellation will be when notice is received in our Wilton Woods, CT office.

In the event of an unforeseen circumstance beyond our control, Tauck reserves the right to amend the cancellation terms outlined herein.

Note: All Guests, regardless of residency, who book a Tauck journey have the option of purchasing the Cancellation Waiver provided by Tauck in the event they need to cancel their trip after making their reservations. Tauck's Guest Protection, which includes both the Cancellation Fee Waiver and the Travel Insurance Benefits and Assistance Services described above, is not available to residents of Puerto Rico.

To obtain your state-specific Certificate of Insurance that contains the complete terms, conditions, limitations and exclusions of the certificate, visit http://www.affinitytravelcert.com/docs/TACGPPINTL

AIRFARE: Airfare to and from this destination is not included in the journey cost. If purchasing your air elsewhere, it is very important to provide us with your confirmed arriving and departing flight information no later than 3 weeks before your arrival date. Flight information can be submitted to Tauck (or verified, if you've already provided it) in the My Account section of Tauck.com.

TAUCK AIRPORT TRANSFERS are included at the start and end of the journey between the airport and the Tauck hotel. Airport transfers are available for any pre tour or post tour hotel stays immediately consecutive to the tour, providing flight information is received in the Tauck office no later than three weeks in advance. Details on locating your transfer upon arrival to the tour start city will be included in your final documents.

AIRLINES and CHECKED LUGGAGE: Due to space limitations during your Tauck journey, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one average-size suitcase per person. Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and are free to revise luggage policies without notice. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies. PLEASE NOTE that if you are booked on a tour that includes on-tour flights, the checked luggage weight restrictions for these flights may be lower than the weight restrictions for your international flights.

Checked Luggage – General

Due to space restrictions, we ask that you please limit your checked luggage to one suitcase per person weighing no more than 50 pounds (23 kg) and with overall dimensions (length + width + height) not exceeding 62 inches (158 cm).

Besides complying with the Tauck restriction noted above, you should also be sure to research and comply with all airline baggage restrictions relating to your flights to and from your Tauck journey. Airlines have become much more strict in enforcing size and weight limits in recent years, and luggage exceeding airline standards for size or weight may result in expensive overage fees or other consequences.

Airlines are free to revise luggage policies without notice, and certain airlines have different baggage allowances for different classes of service. Researching and complying with airline luggage restrictions is the responsibility of the guest, and Tauck cannot be held responsible for any costs or disruptions to travel caused by the failure to research and comply with airline policies.

Tauck luggage tags will be provided by your Tauck Director on Day 1 of your itinerary. Please do not attach a Tauck luggage tag to any carry-on items, as the Tauck tags designate luggage that is to be handled and transferred by ground operators and hotel staff during your journey.

Carry-on Luggage - General

Although oversize bags and wheeled, carry-on luggage are popular for airline travel, they are often not convenient or appropriate for motor coach travel or for many on-tour flights. Most modern sightseeing motor coaches offer limited space for numerous or larger items. Space under seats or in the overhead rack is typically small, and designed to accommodate items like coats, hats, purses, and small camera bags, etc.

For your day-to-day travel while on tour, we recommend that you limit your hand luggage to a small, soft-sided carry-on piece, and that you bring only those items you need handy during the day such as make-up, medications, cameras, film, etc. Items too large to fit under the motor coach seat or on the overhead rack must be stored in the luggage bays beneath the motor coach, and may be inaccessible during daytime travel.

HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS

While drinking water is generally safe at all our hotels, bottled water will be available wherever the local water is not fit to drink. We also provide bottled water on the motor coaches.

Please check with your health insurance provider to determine whether you are covered while traveling. If you will not be covered under your current policy, we strongly suggest that you arrange for adequate coverage while on tour.

If you have a medical condition that might limit your participation in activities, please consult your physician for pre-departure health advice and notify us as soon as possible, if you have not already done so. We will advise your Tauck Director accordingly.

VACCINATIONS 

If you are a resident of the U.S. traveling internationally, no vaccinations are currently required for travel to Italy. For complete vaccination and inoculation information, contact your physician, the public health service in your area, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. The Travelers' Health Section of the CDC operates a 24-hour "Travelers' Health Hotline" at 800-232-4636 (toll-free in the U.S.). You may also log on to the CDC website by clicking here.

If you are a resident of another country traveling internationally, please contact an embassy or consulate of Italy to determine what vaccinations may be required for you to visit.

SPECIAL DIETARY REQUESTS

The restaurants, hotels, caterers and numerous other partners we work with all do their best to accommodate special dietary requests from Tauck guests. However, given the diverse nature of those food providers (from small wineries to grand hotels to world-famous restaurants in more than 70 countries worldwide), some of our partners are better able than others to accommodate such requests. We therefore cannot guarantee that all dietary requests can be accommodated at every meal. Also, please note that where dietary requests can be accommodated, choices will frequently be limited.

MOBILITY

To enjoy this tour, you should be in good health and able to walk reasonable distances, often over unpaved and uneven surfaces. Some of the most memorable sightseeing can only be accomplished on foot. The amount of walking you do, however, is at your discretion. Italy is home to innumerable historic buildings and sites, some dating from antiquity. Therefore, roads, walkways and architecture will present difficulties for some guests with physical limitations. You will encounter cobblestone streets, narrow passageways, and some steep and winding staircases.

PLEASE NOTE:  We regret that this Tauck itinerary cannot accommodate wheelchairs or motorized scooters.  Likewise, we regret that we're unable to provide individual assistance to guests with walking difficulties or other personal needs.  The responsibility of the Tauck Director who accompanies your trip is to ensure that the larger group enjoys a relaxing and informative journey, and he or she cannot be relied upon to provide ongoing individual assistance to any one guest.  Guests requiring such individualized assistance must be accompanied by an able-bodied companion who can provide it.

We have compiled a reading list of recommended books to give you more information about the destinations you will be traveling to on your upcoming journey!

You can view the reading list here.

The weather in Italy is temperate and unpredictable. Generally, spring and fall average high temperatures in the regions explored on this journey range from 53 to 81 °F (12 to 27 °C) and summer high temperatures range from 76 to 88 °F (24 to 31 °C), though temperatures are frequently over 90 °F (32 °C) in summer. Rain falls evenly throughout the year in Venice, but more seasonally in Rome, where summers are dryer than winters. Venice experiences very high humidity, with hot weather in July and August. Due to its location on the Adriatic coast, Venice often experiences thunderstorms and rain showers which, particularly in spring and autumn, tend to cause flooding, known as the "acqua alta". Rainfall in Florence is twice that in Rome.

To read about current weather conditions, we suggest you log on to by clicking here.

Bringing the right clothing for your trip is important – we've partnered with Necessary Gear who provide an "easy-to-use, one-stop shop" for your Tauck travel needs, specifically selected for this trip. Click here to visit their site.

When packing for your trip to Italy, it is important to keep in mind the time of year you are traveling and the current weather conditions for that time. The weather in Italy is temperate and unpredictable. Your journey is designed with leisure in mind. Dress for comfort and convenience with a wardrobe that is adaptable and allows for layering. Generally, during the day, casual, comfortable, cotton clothing is recommended. Cool weather at higher elevations or at night will require warmer, layered clothing.

In Europe, especially in finer restaurants, it is generally customary to dress somewhat formally. Slacks or a dress for women and a jacket for men are acceptable dining attire. It is advisable to avoid wearing jeans, sneakers or shorts for dinner. You may also wish to dress up a bit for the welcome reception and the farewell dinner, but by all means be comfortable.

Most Catholic churches in Italy require that your knees and shoulders be covered when you enter, even during the hot days of summer. This is particularly important when you visit St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, where shorts, tank tops and other off-the-shoulder tops are not allowed.

You will find a hair dryer located in your hotel guest room. By law in Italy, irons and ironing boards are not made available to guests at hotels. Valet laundry and dry cleaning services are also available for a fee.

We recommend that you pack an adequate supply of your prescription medication in its original container to last through your entire journey, together with a copy of your doctor's prescription or a letter from your health-care provider on office stationery explaining that the medication has been prescribed for you, a list of the generic names of your medication, your travel documents and a change of clothing in your carry-on bag to avoid any inconvenience in the event that your flight or luggage is delayed.

We suggest that you pack the following items your journey:

• Casual daytime wear – shorts, slacks, long and short-sleeved shirts
• Optional: Jacket and tie for men
• Optional: Casually elegant evening wear for ladies
• Sunglasses, sunscreen, hat
• Swimwear
• Gym wear
• A light sweater or jacket for higher elevations or a breezy night
• Binoculars (7x50 preferably)
• Insect repellent
• Camera, lenses, batteries, memory cards and chargers
• Lightweight, comfortable, sturdy walking shoes that have already been broken-in
• Travel alarm clock/cell phone with alarm function 
• Rain poncho and collapsible umbrella
• Reusable zipper-lock bags or other waterproof bags
• Daypack for camera equipment
• Sundries and toiletries that may be difficult to find en route
• Copies of your travel documents that should be secured in the safe in your hotel room while traveling