The recent hit movie “The Bucket List,” starring screen legends Jack Nicholson and Morgan Freeman, is about two men, who, after finding out they are terminally ill, set out to have a series of travel and adventures together before they die. Fortunately, in the “real” world, many people are foregoing traditional vacations and are no longer waiting until it’s almost too late to experience first hand the drama and exhilaration of action adventure travel.In the last several years, the action adventure travel agency industry has grown several times over as people seek to surpass their physical and, sometimes, emotional comfort zones to learn what life is like on a road less traveled. It’s not just macho thrill-seekers going to expensive, out of the way fantasy “training” camps to play out James Bond, “Mission: Impossible” or covert-ops style scenarios under supervision. These travel agencies clients are also families spending precious vacation time on “mission trips,” going to places like Mexico, Thailand and Africa to volunteer in communities that have been hard hit in a natural disaster. It’s also people, individually or as groups, embarking on conservational, spiritual and even genealogical journeys to understand the earth and their place on it.According to these travel agency experts, the latest trends in adventure travel are volunteer and charity vacations, expeditionary travel and cruising, “soft” adventure trips centering on a theme like yoga, culinary or wine-tasting in different parts of the world, action-packed trips for physical endurance and mental challenges, and “roots” vacations to follow DNA and natural ancestry. Insiders also say that currently one of the most requested packages is the “girlfriend getaway,” with more than 50 percent of adventure travelers being women between the ages of 41 and 60. They are leaving men at home to explore the world with other like-minded women, making these travel agencies more and more successful and useful.With global environmental awareness increasing, agency reports show that more people are traveling to more obscure places like Alaska, Antarctica and the Galapagos while others go gorilla tracking in Uganda and Rwanda or climb Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Parents are sending their recent high school graduates on backpacking-type walkathon tours in foreign countries to help raise money for charity through that famous action adventure travel agency.Although baby boomers are still the biggest action adventure travel agency clients and patrons, travel agency experts say that the fastest growing demographic in the past 18 months is the age 20 (and younger) group, many of whom have already enjoyed a deeper bonding with their families through a prior experience.The internet is a great place to begin a search for the perfect travel agency or package. These agencies can take the time and uncertainty out of planning your trip so that you can just enjoy the experience. But be careful to do your homework since in many places disreputable operators are still a risk, both to the success of your trip and your safety. Play safe now and enjoy your adventure to the fullest later.

Venice is without a doubt, one of the most beautiful cities in the world, as evidenced by the countless literary masterpieces that the city has inspired. It is for this reason that private tours to Venice are so popular, especially for those who want to experience the city’s infectious romantic vibe. The Floating City, Venice is best known for being built on water. In fact, no car can access the city and canals lead to everywhere you want to go. Venice comprises of some 118 islands, interconnected with countless bridges and winding canals.

Private tours to Venice are even more enjoyable with at least a few hours spent on a Gondola ride. These small canoes are ubiquitous in the city and they are definitely the best way to get around, especially if you want a unique view of the city through the waterways. This said, walking tours of the city’s centuries old streets are also very common, especially for those who want to admire Venice’s rich collection of Gothic architecture that dates back as early as the Byzantine and Ottoman periods. Ca’d'Oro the Doge’s Palace, and Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti are only among the must-see architectural marvels in the city.

Surrounded by water, it is no surprise that Venice is also a huge seafood haven. If you want to try a different side of Italy’s cuisine, Venice is definitely a great place to sample its seafood delights. The city doesn’t run out of fresh supply of fish, shellfish, and other seafood favorites hauled out from nearby lagoons.

Private tours to Venice are also not complete without a visit to the Burano Island, which is one of the most iconic fishing villages in the region, known for its floating houses that paint a rainbow-colored backdrop for your excursion. Another interesting island to spend a tour in is Lido or the Golden Island, which is best known for its private beaches and golden dunes.

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Italy Luxury Tours is the go to source for Exclusive Private Luxury Tours of the Italian Peninsula and its Islands. We provide Italy Private Tours, Enogastronomic Food and Wine Private Tours in most Italian Regions, Italy Off The Beaten Path Private and few selected Sport and Adventures Tours. All our Tours are fully customizable to suite your travel needs, interests and dates. Italy Luxury Tours specializes in delivering Italy Custom Tours where we will create your itinerary from scratch.