Now that Italy’s struggling flag carrier Alitalia seems to be out of the woods (for the moment), it doesn’t seem crazy to look at the vacation packages Alitalia Vacations has on offer. The one that caught my eye today is a trip that includes airfare plus five nights in hotels split between two cities (Rome plus your choice of Venice or Florence), all for $699 per person.

What you’ll get for the money:

• Round-trip airfare from New York to Italy (other departure cities available for a fee)
• Connecting flights within Italy
• 5 nights in hotels
• Breakfast each day

Also included in the $699 price is all the airline surcharges. You’ll still have some taxes and fees to pay, but this is still an exceptional deal. There are different departure dates from December 2008 through March 2009, depending on whether you’re going with the Rome-Florence combo or the Rome-Venice combo, so be sure to check the dates to see which one suits your schedule best. And, as always, don’t forget to read all the rules on this package before you book!