Signing on for a tour is a big decision and naturally, you want to know what you’re getting yourself into! Here are the most frequently asked questions to help you understand what it’s like to travel with us.
We live in Allerona, a small, picturesque village in northwestern Umbria, near the border with Tuscany and Lazio — which means that’s where you’ll stay during your tour with us. We house our guests in the walled medieval village, the origins of which date to the 1100s. From Allerona, we explore some of the most beautiful and fascinating sights in this little corner of Italy with a roughly 50-mile radius, including Orvieto, and locations in Tuscany and Lazio. Some of our tours include days in Rome, Venice, or on the beautiful coast of Tuscany.
Villaggio Tours guests stay in our very own Six Keys Guesthouse, a lovingly renovated village home dating to at least the 1400s. The guesthouse combines modern comforts with the wamr embrace of centuries of history, and respect for ancient materials. All rooms at Six Keys have en suite bathrooms, king or two twin beds with quality mattresses and bedding, individually controlled a/c and heat, and free, fast WiFi.
For more photos and info, follow Six Keys on Instagram, or check out our website, Six Keys Umbria.
We’ve got you covered! On the morning your tour begins, we offer a group transfer from Rome’s Leonardo da Vinci/Fiumicino Airport (FCO) to your base in Allerona. We can also arrange pick-up from central Rome on the first day of your tour, or at Orvieto train station, which is 20 minutes from Allerona. For other airports, cities and arrival dates and times, please contact us to discuss transfer arrangements.
On the day of your departure, we provide a group transfer to FCO, central Rome or the Orvieto train station.
When you choose a tour that includes overnights in Rome, Venice, the Tuscan Coast or other destinations, you’ll stay in comfortable 3- or 4-star hotels that are locally owned and managed and fully vetted by us. We can also recommend hotels for your pre- or post-tour travels.
Though country walks and hikes and harvest activities are optional, all our tours require some walking every day, often on uneven or fairly steep cobblestone streets and up and down steps. Some days, we’ll start early in the morning and go until after dinner. The activity level is not strenuous, but you do need to be in physical condition to keep up with the rest of the group. You also need to be able to carry or roll your own luggage and, in some cases, carry it up a flight of stairs.
Closer to the date of your tour, we’ll send a detailed packing list that includes clothing and gear suggestions based on the time of year you’re visiting. But at any time of year, you’ll want to pack comfortable, casual clothes, good walking shoes and a travel-size umbrella. You’ll also need EU-compatible power adapters for phones, laptops and other devices. If you want to get a headstart on wardrobe planning, download our free 4-season packing guide.
That’s what we’re here for! Liz or another guide will translate for the group when necessary. And communicating with Italians and making friends across language barriers is a big part of the fun of traveling with Villaggio Tours.
We provide plenty of non-alcoholic beverage options, and there’s never any pressure to drink wine or other alcoholic drinks.
The Umbrian diet is generally very meat-, dairy- and carb-heavy. That said, we can accommodate vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free diets though with gluten-free, we cannot guarantee against cross-contamination.
In all cases, please advise us in advance to your dietary restrictions and preferences, so we can be prepared when you arrive.
We take care of tips for all restaurants and guides. If you wish to leave something for hotel/guesthouse cleaning staff or for your driver at the end of the trip, it’s entirely optional and will certainly be appreciated.
We try to leave you some downtime every day, whether that’s to rest, read, go for a walk or enjoy a glass of wine in our village bar. Some mornings we’ll get an early start and other days, you’ll be able to sleep in for a while. Our Umbria tours allow for a free afternoon of shopping and sightseeing in Orvieto, and when we visit Rome or Venice, you’ll have time on your own to explore those cities (in addition to our scheduled experiences).
The short answer is yes! Our small group tours include a maximum of 12 guests and are suited to solo travelers, couples, and groups of friends or family members. We welcome kind, friendly travelers of every background to join us. If you’re traveling solo, we’ll make sure you don’t feel left out.
Our current slate of tours includes long lunches and dinners, wine tastings, lots of walking and guided tours, and are geared to adult travelers. If you want to include your minor children in a Villaggio Tours experience, contact us to develop a customized itinerary for a personal tour for your family only.
If you see a tour here you like but the dates don’t work, let’s talk! We may be able to arrange customs dates for your small group. Alternatively, we can help you plan an escorted or unescorted tour anywhere in Italy, where we look after the following:
All cancellations must be made in writing (via email). In the event that you have to cancel within 90 days of the tour, we will apply your funds, minus a $250 cancellation fee, to a future tour booked within the next 12 months. If you cancel 90 days or more prior to the tour start date, we’ll issue a full refund minus a $250 cancellation fee.
Cancellations within 90 days due to medical or family reasons can only be covered by your travel insurance carrier. We cannot issue full or partial refunds for delays or cancellations due to inclement weather, airline issues or global events. We strongly advise that you purchase travel insurance to protect yourself in the event that you need to cancel your reservations. No refund will be made for any unused portion of the tour or vacation.
In the unlikely event that we have to cancel a tour due to lack of enrollment or other reasons, you will receive a complete refund of your tour fees. Villaggio Tours will not assume any other liability and is not responsible for any personal expenses as a result of a tour cancellation, such as airline tickets or personal hotel reservations — another reason we strongly encourage you to purchase travel insurance.
We strongly, strongly encourage our guests to purchase comprehensive travel insurance that includes CFAR (cancel for any reason) coverage, including compensation for canceled or delayed flights that may affect your tour. We do not recommend a particular insurer, but you can compare policies and costs at InsureMyTrip.com. When you decide to buy, be sure to read all the fine print and fully understand the coverage.
We say that traveling with Villaggio Tours is like coming to visit your friends, who just in happen to live in an enchanting medieval village in Umbria. Our tours are in tune with the rhythm of daily life in small-town Italy — in fact, we know of no other tour company in Italy that offers guests the chance to really experience life in a medieval village and get to know local families, merchants and townspeople. Expect to be welcomed like friends and embraced like family when it’s time to say “arrivederci.”
While the term “authentic” does get overused in relation to travel, Villaggio Tours and our tiny village of Allerona are the real deal. Many of the people who live here are our near or distant relatives, and still more are family friends. The community is invested in fostering sustainable tourism, and people are very welcoming. That means when you travel with us, you really are going to our aunt’s/cousin’s/sister’s house, and really being treated as if you were our extended family. The people you’ll meet aren’t in the service industry or working for tips — they are local residents who are happy to welcome new friends for a few days or a week. There’s no distinction between “tourists” or any other kind of visitor here. When you’re with us, you’re one of us.
That depends on your definition of luxury! We don’t offer accommodations in 5-star hotels, and while we do dine out in some nice restaurants, most meals are casual and many more are family style free-for-alls. The “luxury” of our tours is the fully-escorted, high-touch experience we offer, the exclusive access to private homes, palaces and cantinas, and experiences you just won’t find on your own. Once your tour begins, we cover nearly everything, including all meals (except where noted in the tour itinerary), transportation, tours and attraction tickets. And we’re never stingy with wine refills or second helpings of dessert! Read more about what’s included with your tour.
Other questions? Ask away! We’re always happy to chat about whether Villaggio Tours is right for you.
Download Liz’s free guide:
5 Roadblocks to an “Authentic” Italy Trip
(…plus how to avoid them, from someone who’s lived here for 17 years).