ITALY
Sep 19 – Oct 2, 2025
PRICE
$4,000
DURATION
14 Days | 13 Nights
GROUP MAX
8 People
PHYSICAL
Moderate
WEATHER
Fall-like, 65F-75F
TOUR OVERVIEW
Our staple Bella Italia tour enters its 21st year of operation. This two-week tour covers the best of beautiful Italy, starting in the Amalfi Coast, Sorrento, and Pompeii for three days before continuing on to the Eternal City of Rome for three days, Siena and Tuscany for two days, Florence and Pisa for two days, and ending with three days in the unique city on water, Venice.
TOUR LEADER
Terry Giansanti
TOUR PRICE
$4,000
6 SPACES LEFT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
DAY 1 • • •
You will be picked up from the airport and we will then depart for Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast. Afternoon orientation around Sorrento. Welcome dinner. Stay three nights near Sorrento.
DAY 2 • • •
Take a driving tour around the Amalfi Coast, visiting scenic towns such as Positano, Amalfi, and Ravello.
DAY 3 • • •
Take a private boat to Capri for the day, including a visit to the Blue Grotto, Augustus’ Gardens, and Capri town.
DAY 4 • • •
Transfer to Rome in the morning, stopping by Pompeii to visit one of the best preserved Roman towns in the world. Stay three nights in Rome.
DAY 5 • • •
Visit the Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) and St. Peter’s Church, the center of the Catholic world. Afternoon is free to shop and roam Rome’s old center.
DAY 6 • • •
In the morning we take an in-depth tour of Rome, including the Colosseum, Forum, Capitol Hill, and much more. Afternoon for the Pantheon, Trevi Fountain, and the site of the first deaf school in Italy.
DAY 7 • • •
Depart for the Val d’Orcia, one of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany. The Val d’Orcia is a UNESCO recognized site for its combination of natural and man-made beauty. We visit Montepulciano and Pienza. Continue on to Siena. Stay two nights in Siena.
DAY 8 • • •
Today we visit the beautifully preserved medieval town of Siena, and then take an afternoon side trip to San Gimignano. Have dinner at a farmhouse/winery.
DAY 9 • • •
Transfer to Florence. We take an orientation walk in Florence, covering the Accademia, Duomo, Baptistery, and Ponte Vecchio. We also visit Florence’s Renaissance masterpieces at the Uffizi. Stay near Florence for two nights.
DAY 10 • • •
Drive to Pisa in the morning to visit the Leaning Tower. Then visit the beautiful town of Lucca with a local deaf guide in the afternoon.
DAY 11 • • •
Depart for Verona in the morning to visit the famous Roman Arena and Juliet’s Balcony, and have some free time in the pleasant city center. Move on to Venice, arriving in the late afternoon. Stay three nights in Venice.
DAY 12 • • •
We visit the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s Church in the morning, plus the Correr Museum and the Bridge of Sighs. Afternoon free.
DAY 13 • • •
Take a boat tour to the islands of Burano and Murano. Farewell dinner. Prepare for departure.
DAY 14 • • •
Transfer to the airport for your flight back home.
- 13 nights in 3-star accommodations.
- 15 meals: Breakfast (13), Dinner (2)
- Services of a deaf Tour Leader on call 24 hours a day.
- Services of local deaf and/or hearing guides.
- All transportation expenses.
- All admission fees for attractions and museums mentioned in the itinerary.
- Most tips, except for your Tour Leader.
- Informative travel preparation packet.
- Pre-tour and/or post-tour itinerary consultation.
- $100 discount per person on your next regular tour.
- Domestic and/or international airfares.
- All other meals not mentioned in the itinerary and personal expenses.
- Travel Insurance.
- Any COVID-19 related tests.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MoreTOUR LEADER
Terry Giansanti
TOUR PRICE
$4,000
6 SPACES LEFT
Maximum 2 Travelers per Reservation
$500 deposit per person is required to reserve space. The availability of space is based on a first come, first serve basis.
100% of the balance is required 90 days before the first day of the tour.
Why do you need travel insurance?
LEARN DIFFERENT SIGN LANGUAGES!
Hands On Travel is a proud sponsor to Intersign University which provides sign language courses in many different countries.
Learn MorePRICE
$4,000
DURATION
14 Days | 13 Nights
GROUP MAX
8 People
PHYSICAL
Moderate
WEATHER
Fall-like, 65F-75F
GALLERY
Got a Question?
First, please scroll through our Frequently Asked Questions. If you have further questions or need help with a specific topic, feel free to contact us! Thank you.
RESERVATION
Spots are based on a first come, first serve basis. A $500 deposit per person is required to reserve your space and can be paid with a debit or credit card. Alternative payment options include personal check or wire transfer. After registration, you will receive an automatic email response with further instructions. Full payment is due 90 days before the start of your tour.
Absolutely yes! You can contact us by clicking this link and fill out the form and we will get back to you. Above all, we want to make your tour a memorable one for your group.
HOT is proud of the three distinct reasons that allow it to be different from other tour companies: they use sign language exclusively, travel in small groups which provide an intimate experience while also having more flexibility on their schedule, and spend time visiting places they love versus wasting time at places where there wasn’t much interest..
Generally, all tours will provide accommodations in double rooms with private bathrooms and breakfast, transportation expenses including lunch and dinner (depending on the itinerary), museum entrance fees along with a $100 credit towards your next full tour. In addition we provide you with information about each specific tour so that you can be fully aware of what is included.
We will be happy to assist you with a custom-designed tour, tailored towards your preferences. If not, stay up to date by joining our mailing list in order for us to provide you with any future tours that we may have availability for.
Did you know that we have travel consultants who can assist you? You can go to our Travel Consulting page for more information. The best way to accomplish this would be to seek out friends and/or family members (usually in order of 6 people) so they will lower the costs significantly, or advertise open spots on your tour publicly. We also have discounts, and some other advantages! What’s more- we are able to lower the level of accommodations as well as remove extras all together which make it feasible for a low cost.
It is often easier for us to permit single travelers when it comes time to sign up for our tours. If you are unable to find a partner and need assistance, please contact us as we may have singles available on the list- pending your approval first. There are some tours that allow exceptions for those seeking not only with partners but also without them too!
If somebody backs out, please register on our wait list or contact us directly so that we can put you on the wait list for a similar tour. We will also keep your name up to date with our latest tours and alerts about similar upcoming trips in order to give you a chance at joining them.
TRAVEL PROTECTION
Hands On Travel recommends that you purchase a travel protection plan to help protect you and your travel investment against the unexpected. Travel protection plans include coverage for Trip Cancellation, Trip Interruption, Emergency Medical and Emergency Evacuation/Repatriation, Trip Delay, Baggage Delay and more. To learn more about how to help protect you and your trip investment, visit the following link: TRAVEL PROTECTION
Don’t hesitate. We will stay in touch with you from the date of deposit until your arrival at the starting point of your tour, to make sure that all is well before departure. You can contact us via phone or e-mail any time for questions and we will remain in communication throughout your trip!
BILLING
No, we do not charge any extra fees or fuel surcharges. The listed price is the price you pay. Including tax.
You can find this under our Terms & Conditions. If you find it necessary to cancel your confirmed tour reservation, you must notify HOT about it by e-mail. You may transfer your space to another suitable person or request us to seek replacements. If your replacement is found, HOT will, at its discretion depending on the time frame, refund your deposits/payments or apply it towards a future Hands on Travel tour that is to be taken no more than 3 years after the dates of the original tour. If your replacement is not found, the cancellation of your reservation will become effective and the following charges will apply: (a) if cancelled more than 90 days before the first day of the tour, all installment or additional payments will be refunded to you minus the non-refundable deposit of US $500 per person and any non-refundable payments that HOT has made to suppliers. (b) if cancelled less than 90 days before the first day of the tour, no refunds will be made.
Since tour prices are quoted as a package, no partial refunds can be made for the unused portion of any tour including lodging, meals, or any other items that are included in the tour price. This does not apply to those who wish to participate in only a portion of a tour. In this case, we can pro-rate costs for the unused days.
After registration, you will receive an automatic email reply with further instructions. A $500 per person booking deposit is required to reserve your spot on the trip and can be paid by personal check, credit card and/or wire transfer. Full payment is due no less than 90 days before the start of the trip.
If you need to cancel or postpone your trip 3 or more months before the start, all monies paid will be refunded minus the $500 non-refundable deposit. You can also transfer the entire amount of your deposit to be used for a later trip if we are able to find replacements.
DURING THE TOUR
Big coach buses separate us from local people. We fail to experience or understand the “hands on” lives of locals.
We started out as a walking tour company. Walking offers close-up experiences with local people and hidden gems to discover.
It’s much easier to communicate full to everyone in semi-circle and make sign language 100% accessible. No more missing what is being said.
We’d be able to dine in smaller, cozier and unique restaurants that would offer a local culinary experience unlike large, tourist-oriented restaurants. And, we’d be able to stay at smaller accommodations in prime locations unlike large chain hotels outside the city limits.
We strive to include local guides for certain days to promote maximum cultural experience as well as exchange deaf-related insights.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
Most of our customers will gain insightful observations and deeper understanding on how Deaf people live on a local level.
