Art Viva Tours makes its home in Italy, and its guides are eager to show off their scenic backyard. Since 1996, the company has specialized in offering creative and cost-effective tours, a combination that's not always easy to find. Whether you're longing to see the treasures of Rome or dreaming of riding a gondola along the canals of Venice, Art Viva guides will be there to prove there's something really special about traveling with a guide. These local experts know the best way to see Italy's marvels, and they lead their tour in English. Traveling with a small group also is a ticket to VIP treatment, often with the chance to visit outside of regular operating hours or the chance to skip the line. You'll also get the chance to listen to the guides tell stories of treasured works of art, Renaissance buildings, or some other special facet of Italy.

Grand Canal Tour, Venice

Over the course of an hour, guides from Art Viva Tours spill the stories of movie stars and celebrities spotted around Venice. The water taxi drivers are happy to tell about the times they drove stunt cars in big blockbuster movies. Of course this tour is more than a just a tale of the Hollywood come to Italy. The guides dish on the palaces, carnivals, and intrigue that have made Venice and its canal truly grand indeed. The tour begins and ends at Saint Mark's Square. Discounts are available for groups between 6 and 12 members.

Original David Tour, Florence

Michelangelo was a genius, poet, and painter, but perhaps nothing has captured the world's imagination like his sculpting. One of his greatest creations, the David statue, is one of the treasures of Florence. It’s one of many of Michelangelo’s works on display at The Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence. This tour shows allows the chance to skip the line at the always-busy Accademia Gallery, while hearing stories about the magnificent statue and the artist who created it. This Art Viva tour is discounted for students. It kicks off in the city center of Florence at the Art Viva Tours office and includes a small amount of walking.

Italy Map

Uffizi Gallery + Vasari Corridor Tour, Florence

Filled with treasures of art and architecture, this tour combines a visit to Florence locations. The Uffizi gallery, with few rivals, features a collection of art gathered from the Medeci Family collection. Masters with names like Caravaggio, Raphael, and Titan are well represented. Guides from Art Viva Tours know exactly where to find the most iconic places of art, and they know the stories behind the artists who painted them. After seeing the artwork, the tour steps outside to see the Vasari Corridor. Known as Italian as the Corridoio Vasariano, this structure is an elevated walkway joining the gallery with other grand buildings in Florence. 

Original Masterpieces of the Vatican and St. Peter’s, Rome

Expert tour guides also know where to find the treasures of Rome and the Vatican. With so many treasures to be found, it can be difficult to find them on your own, so booking this tour is a great solution to the problem. This Art Viva tour gives an overview of the masterpieces in Rome and the Papal enclave. It takes about three hours to follow the guides through the museums and history sites, starting just outside of the entrance to the Vatican Museum.