Italy, like the Caribbean, is a perennial favorite for travelers, and Tour Crafters (tel. 800/482-5995; www.tourcrafters.com) has an early bird spring break package for travel at the end of March starting from $489 for four nights of accommodations and round-trip airfare. The purchase-by deadline is March 18 for travel March 15-31, so make sure you click on the "book by March 18 Alitalia" box.
The starting price reflects travel to Rome, but other Italian cities are included, too -- $519 for Florence and $619 for Venice -- based on departures from New York. Daily buffet breakfast, taxes and service charges are included, but fuel surcharges and airport taxes are not and will add approximately $300 to the total package price. Hotel upgrades are possible but the entry-level price for Rome reflects the three-star Hotel Brasile near Porta Pia and the most expensive is Michelangelo, a four-star property priced from $860, near Saint Peter Square and the Vatican. In Florence, the least expensive hotel is the four-star Villa Gabriele d'Annunzio, a former monastery located outside the city center, and options range all the way up to Bernini Palace from $779, which is within easy walking distance to the Uffizi and Bargello Museums. If you opt for Venice, Hotel Malibran, a three-star property, is located near Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's Square and is the least expensive option, but you can upgrade to Palazzo Stern, which overlooks the Grand Canal. The price, though, reflects that view and the property's general vibe -- it's priced from $1,079.
