Visit tourcrafters.com, where there are several other Italy offers as well, or call 800-492- 5995.
Book a tour from VBT Bicycling Vacations by Sept. 30 and you can save as much as $300 a couple. For instance, on the 11-day Sicily-Aeolian Islands trip, cyclists explore temples, volcanoes, fishing villages, and vineyards. With the discount, prices from Boston begin at $2,795, including airfare, lodging, and 16 meals.
Visit vbt.com or call 800-BIKE-TOUR (245-3868).
For many, staying in a villa is an excellent way to enjoy the country. Italian Vacation Villas has a new website listing villas that the company's owners have visited, with representative low-season prices ranging from $1,330 to $5,920 a week. The site also features tips on traveling to Italy.
Visit villasitalia.com or call 202-333-6247.
Wimco, based in Newport, R.I., is a leader in villa rentals, with 170 properties in Italy, 100 of them in Umbria. Representative off-season prices range from $1,690 to $9,360 weekly. Visit wimco.com or call 800-932-3222.
Even after summer ends, lines to the Vatican's attractions can be long. Viator has a way to skip the lines - for a price, of course - with private tours. For example, a two-hour private viewing of the Sistine Chapel and Vatican museums is being offered the evening of Oct. 12 for about $335. The group will be limited to a maximum of 30 people at a time.
Visit viator.com.
From a Concord reader comes a recommendation for Bluone Cooking Tours in Italy, run by a husband-wife team for groups of four to 10. A six-night Food Lovers Cooking Adventure in Bologna features excursions, lessons, and all meals; sessions available Nov. 4-10, Dec. 2-8, and Feb. 18-24. The price is about $3,500, airfare not included. Visit bluone.com.
Perillo Tours, a specialist in Italy, has at least 10 fully escorted tours at varying prices that include meals, and will send you a free DVD about them. Visit perillotours.com or call 800-431-1515.
