Italy · HISTORICAL TOURS

15 Historical Tours in Italy Worth Booking

24 tours  ·  from $12 a head

Good historical tours fill up weeks ahead and the great ones go first. Below: the 15 to book early, what each includes and how they differ.

Venice: St. Mark Basilica Ticket, Audioguide+History Gallery - Entering the Basilica with priority access
Historical Tours, Museums, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours in Venice

Venice: St. Mark Basilica Ticket, Audioguide+History Gallery

1.St. Mark Basilica Ticket, Audioguide+History Gallery

★★★★★★★★★★3.9 · 4,780 reviews · from $23Our pick

Enter St. Mark’s Basilica with priority access, then explore its gold mosaics with a downloadable audio guide or selected escorted tour. Add a VR journey through Piazza San Marco across the centuries, with guides such as Valentina, Andrea, Elena, and Francesco appearing on some departures. The visit lasts about an hour.

“A must! It was so beautiful inside! The skip the line ticket is worth it. Pay the extra to go on top! Well worth it!”

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Venice's Best: Basilica, Doge's Palace, Gondola & History Gallery - Inside St. Mark’s Basilica for about 45 minutes
Doge's Palace & St Mark's Tours, Gondola Rides, Historical Tours, Museums, Tour Reviews, Tours in Venice

Venice’s Best: Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Gondola & History Gallery

2.Venice’s Best: Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Gondola & History Gallery

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 2,478 reviews · 3 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $129

Spend about 3.5 hours seeing Venice’s big sights with skip-the-line entry to St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace, a guided visit, shared gondola ride, square museums, and a short VR history experience. English guides such as Lucia, Valentina, Giada, and Alexander have led highly praised departures, though the gondola timing can vary.

“Valentina was great! Extremely knowledgeable, really made it a great experience. Would highly recommend.”

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Historic Milan Tour with Skip-the-Line Last Supper Ticket - Sforza Castle and the first stretch of the walk
Historical Tours, Last Supper Tours, Skip the Line, Tickets, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Milan

Historic Milan Tour with Skip-the-Line Last Supper Ticket

3.Historic Milan Tour with Skip-the-Line Last Supper Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 1,976 reviews · 3 hours (approx.) · from $111

Meet an art historian at Santa Maria delle Grazie for timed entry to Leonardo’s Last Supper, then walk through central Milan to Sforza Castle, Via Dante, the Galleria, La Scala, and the Duomo. The tour lasts about three hours, ends at Piazza del Duomo, and is offered in English for groups of up to 34.

“Our tour guide - Rose, I believe, but sadly my memory can't recall, was outstanding. Her art knowledge of the Last Supper and its artist, his technique, and the story it depicts was informative and thought provoking. As our tour continued through the streets of Milan to the Sforza Castle, she helped to provide our group with insights and details that gave history and context to our visit in Milan. The learning will continue beyond our tour as our granddaughter continues to research the sights and work of da Vinci. Thank you for an amazing experience!”

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Venice: City Center Historical Guided Walking Tour - Walking the calli and campi
City Tours, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Venice, Walking Tours

Venice: City Center Historical Guided Walking Tour

4.City Center Historical Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 1,873 reviews · 1 - 2.5 hours · from $14Best value

Walk Venice with a live guide through St. Mark’s Square, quiet calli, Teatro La Fenice, and Rialto Bridge. Add a gondola ride for a water-level view, plus a short VR visit showing how Venice changed over time. Guides speak English, Italian, French, German, or Spanish, and private or small-group options are available.

“The weather was awful but they did a great job, very kind and we learned a lot!”

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Verona: History and Hidden Gems Guided Walking Tour - Starting in Piazza Bra beside the Arena
Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Verona, Walking Tours

Verona: History and Hidden Gems Guided Walking Tour

5.History and Hidden Gems Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 1,379 reviews · 2 hours · from $41Top rated

Walk Verona with Fabio Massimo Rapanà, a licensed guide born and raised in the city. In two hours, you’ll connect the Arena, Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, Castelvecchio, the Adige River, and Juliet’s balcony with lesser-seen streets, buildings, and stories. Groups stay small, with headsets, and the route works in rain or shine.

“Even though we were the only ones who had booked the tour, the guide did not cancel and kindly went ahead with it, which we truly appreciated. Our guide Fabio, who was born and raised in Verona, had clearly prepared a very rich and well-structured two-hour tour. He answered all of our questions patiently and with great enthusiasm. Thanks to Fabio’s deep knowledge of the city’s history, we were able to explore the beautiful corners of Verona in a much more meaningful way. As the saying goes, you see more when you know more — after the tour, historical details that we had completely overlooked before suddenly stood out everywhere.…”

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Palermo: Street Food and History Walking Tour - Starting near the old town’s main sights
Food, Food & Drink, Food Tours, Food Tours in Palermo, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Palermo, Walking Tours

Palermo: Street Food and History Walking Tour

6.Street Food and History Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 1,294 reviews · from $54

Spend three hours walking Palermo’s old town with Fabrizio or another local guide, combining five street-food tastings with landmarks such as the Cathedral, Quattro Canti, and Capo Market. Try sfincione, panelle, crocché, arancine, cannolo, and one drink while learning how food and history shape Palermo.

“The tour itself was the perfect mix of some historic locations and tasty street food. Fabrizio was an enthusiastic and knowledgable guide. Glad we booked.”

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Rome: Ancient History and Colosseum Underground Tour - Entering Through the Separate Colosseum Entrance
Catacombs & Underground Tours, Colosseum & Roman Forum Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Rome, Underground Tours in Rome

Rome: Ancient History and Colosseum Underground Tour

7.Ancient History and Colosseum Underground Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 996 reviews · from $104

Meet your English-speaking Tours of Rome guide near the Colosseum for a small-group visit to the arena floor and underground chambers, where animals and gladiators once moved through hidden passages. You will then enter the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill independently. Guides such as Laura and Christina have been praised for vivid storytelling, but underground access can occasionally change.

“The original tour of the underground was canceled but the new tour was very informative and excellent.”

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Rome: Forbidden History Walking Tour & Pub Crawl with Drinks - Meeting in Piazza della Madonna dei Monti
Drinking Tours, Historical Tours, Nightlife, Pub Crawls, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Rome, Walking Tours

Rome: Forbidden History Walking Tour & Pub Crawl with Drinks

8.Forbidden History Walking Tour & Pub Crawl with Drinks

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 688 reviews · 3 hours · from $61

Join guides such as Michelle, Autumn, Ana, Michal, or Irene for a three-hour evening through Monti. You’ll hear stories about gamblers, gangsters, and sex workers, stop for wine, spritz, sambuca, and other Italian drinks, and finish near Piazza Venezia. Non-alcoholic drinks are available.

“More fun than i expected. Michal was a lot of fun. Lots of drinks included.”

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Genoa: 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour of the Historical Center - Starting on Via Garibaldi
2-Hour Experiences, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Genoa, Walking Tours

Genoa: 2-Hour Guided Walking Tour of the Historical Center

9.2-Hour Guided Walking Tour of the Historical Center

★★★★★★★★★★4.2 · 605 reviews · 2 hours · from $16

Walk Genoa’s Caruggi with an English and Italian guide, passing San Matteo Square, San Lorenzo Cathedral, the Doge Palace, Opera House, and UNESCO-listed Via Garibaldi. Your $16 ticket also includes same-day entry to the Strada Nuova and Sant’Agostino museums for independent visits.

“We took the 3-hour guided tour in English and Italian and the guide was very knowledgeable about the places and history behind the buildings and alleys.”

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Palermo: UNESCO World Heritage Sites Guided Walking Tour - Teatro Massimo and Palermo’s grand opening scene
Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Palermo, Walking Tours

Palermo: UNESCO World Heritage Sites Guided Walking Tour

10.UNESCO World Heritage Sites Guided Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 548 reviews · 3 - 5.5 hours · from $41

Walk Palermo’s UNESCO center with a licensed English or Spanish-speaking guide. See Teatro Massimo, Vucciria Market, Martorana Church, Piazza Pretoria, Quattro Canti, the Cathedral, and the Norman Palace exterior. The standard tour includes Cathedral entry and a Sicilian sweet. An optional longer booking adds the Norman Palace and Palatine Chapel.

“Peter did a great job explaining Sicily’s history!”

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Naples: Street Art & History Tour in the Spanish Quarters - Starting at Piazzetta Matilde Serao
Historical Tours, Street Art, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Naples

Naples: Street Art & History Tour in the Spanish Quarters

11.Street Art & History Tour in the Spanish Quarters

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 540 reviews · from $24

Walk Naples’ Spanish Quarters with a local guide such as Manuela, Simone, Stefano, or Valentina. Expect murals, Maradona tributes, tucked-away churches, artisan corners, wartime stories, and plenty of local advice. The two-hour route is offered in English, Italian, Spanish, or French, with a small group and a relaxed pace.

“I am so happy I booked the Spanish Quater street art tour!!! Eva provided a fantastic tour guiding us through the history of Naples and the quarter, and all you need to know! Gracias Eva!”

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Palermo: Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments - Teatro Massimo, grand scale and ghost stories
Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Palermo, Walking Tours

Palermo: Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments

12.Walking Tour of Historic Markets and Monuments

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 478 reviews · 3 hours · from $35

Follow an Italian-speaking guide such as Claudio or Fabrizio through Palermo’s old center, from the Cathedral and Quattro Canti to Teatro Massimo and Capo market. You’ll hear tales of Santa Rosalia and the Beati Paoli, then have the chance to sample Sicilian street food and pastries. Entry tickets and food purchases are extra.

“Esperienza interessante e piena di fascino!!La nostra guida Claudio davvero professionale , piena di entusiasmo , ironica e divertente . Tre ore sono volate tra le strade e i monumenti principali di Palermo!! CONSIGLIATISSIMO!!”

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Matera's Sassi Walking Tour - History & Culture - Starting at Via Lucana 106
Alberobello, Matera & the Trulli Towns, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Matera, Walking Tours

Matera’s Sassi Walking Tour – History & Culture

13.Matera’s Sassi Walking Tour – History & Culture

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 476 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $30

Spend two hours walking through Matera’s Sasso Barisano, Civita, and Sasso Caveoso with local guides such as Antonio and Giorgia. Expect clear English commentary, stories about daily life, an ancient cave church with frescoes, and a useful introduction before exploring the Sassi on your own.

“Georgia was a terrific tour guide. She knew so much about the Sassi and was engaging with the history. Highly recommend the tour!”

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Guided Tour, Historic Center Sassi Rock Churches and Cave House - Seeing Sasso Barisano from the viewpoint
Alberobello, Matera & the Trulli Towns, Guided, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Matera

Guided Tour, Historic Center Sassi Rock Churches and Cave House

14.Guided Tour, Historic Center Sassi Rock Churches and Cave House

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 461 reviews · 2 hours (approx.) · from $26

Walk from Piazza Vittorio Veneto through Matera’s Sassi Barisano and Sasso Caveoso with an English-speaking local guide. Visit Santa Maria de Idris rock church and a furnished Casa Grotta, hear about daily life in the caves, and enjoy wide views over the old town. Guides have included Patrizia, Anna Maria, Annalise, Lorena, and Lorenza.

“Brilliant tour with a brilliant guide! So passionate about Matera, extremely knowledgeable, perfect English, so friendly and responsive to questions, slow-paced with plenty of time for photos and questions. Only 8 in the group so extremely easy and enjoyable. Doing this tour is a must if you really want to see the things that matter and learn the full story of Matera. Absolutely loved it!”

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Lecce History and Street Food Tasting Small Group Tour - San Matteo and Lecce’s theatrical Baroque
Food, Food & Drink, Food Tours, Historical Tours, Tour Reviews, Tours, Tours in Lecce

Lecce History and Street Food Tasting Small Group Tour

15.Lecce History and Street Food Tasting Small Group Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 288 reviews · 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.) · from $65

Walk Lecce’s old town with guides such as Antonella or Moana, stopping for local savory and sweet treats while learning about Roman ruins, Baroque churches, city gates, and the traditions behind the food. The 2.5-hour English tour is capped at 12 people, begins at Porta San Biagio, and ends in Piazza Sant’Oronzo.

“The tour guide Antonella is very knowledgeable and made our experience very interesting. We had a small group of 8 people and Antonella connected with each one . The food was delicious. We highly recommend this tour to everyone.”

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New in Historical Tours

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