Italy and Spain Small Group Tours

Taking the train from Barcelona to Rome with a small group of 12-16 people opens up experiences you just can't get with larger tours. TourRadar customers tell us they love how these intimate groups can slip into family trattorias, chat with locals on train rides, and connect across three different countries. The personal touches make all the difference - from joining mushroom hunters in the Pyrenees, to learning traditional pesto-making in Cinque Terre, and following Van Gogh's path through Provence at a comfortable pace. One particularly creative tour manager even managed to get the group last-minute tickets to see Santana perform in an ancient Roman amphitheater in Nimes that's stood for 2,000 years. These Mediterranean journeys mix expert-led cultural visits with free time to explore, so you might spend your morning with a guide in Florence's galleries and then wander off to find hidden piazzas on your own. Some tours put food and wine center stage, with perfume-making on the Côte d'Azur and cellar visits in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, while others focus on walking through Cinque Terre and exploring medieval villages. Because the groups stay small, they can book rooms in boutique hotels and visit authentic local spots that big tour buses simply can't access.