Benvenuto in Italia! Your Italian tour begins on arrival at Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE), where you’ll be greeted and transferred to your hotel in the heart of Venice.
Romance and revelry meet in explosive colour along the shady canals and labyrinthine alleys of this spectacular city. Fine seafood, artfully arched bridges and glorious sunsets are just some of the reasons visitors flock to Venice each year.
Arrive early and settle in before meeting your tour director in the evening.
Spend today exploring the magnificent floating city of Venice. Follow you guide as you walk the narrow alleys and cross picturesque bridges over peaceful canals to discover the city's most beautiful sites, including the lively Piazza San Marco with its miraculous Byzantine basilica, the grand Doge’s Palace and the spectacular Rialto Bridge, which arches over the Grand Canal.
Later, you're free to explore this glorious city's twisting streets at leisure, perhaps paying a visit to the legendary Bridge of Sighs – a beautiful structure, so-named for its tragic history.
In the early evening, climb into a gondola for a magical ride along the canals on your way to a decadent dinner at a local restaurant.
Optional Activity:
- Murano & Burano Venitian Lagoon cruise (surcharges apply).
Gather your energy with a filling breakfast, then head south to beautiful Bologna. Soaring towers, stunning churches and lengthy porticoes paint a picture of rich architectural heritage. Take a guided tour of this warm and welcoming city and visit the Archiginnasio, home to the historic Anatomical Theatre. This awe-inspiring palace was formerly part of the University of Bologna – opened in the 11th century and thought to be the oldest university in the world.
Continue to Florence, the capital of Tuscany and known as the birthplace of the Renaissance. Spend your evening in your comfortable hotel and choose to step out into the glittering streets by night.
Rise and shine with a refreshing breakfast, then join a guided walking tour through the storied streets of this marvellous jewel of the Renaissance. With its extensive cultural heritage and far-reaching influence, Florence is a living expression of one of Italy’s most enduring artistic movements.
Admire the beautiful bustle of the Piazza della Signoria, the elegant grandeur of Florence Cathedral and its eye-catching red duomo and soaring bell tower, the octagonal oddity of the Battistero and the medieval Ponte Vecchio bridge, spanning the Arno River.
Spend the afternoon freely wandering the city of arts, perhaps choosing to visit the Uffizi Gallery for a chance to witness Botticelli’s masterpiece, 'The Birth of Venus’.
Wake to a hearty buffet breakfast and enjoy a day at leisure. Choose to wander the cobbled streets in search of ultra-delicious gelato, sit down for a plate of tagliatelle funghi porcini e tartufo (fresh mushroom pasta) or step into the Galleria dell'Accademia di Firenze to see the statue of David, Michelangelo’s masterpiece (surcharges apply).
Alternatively, decide to join an optional full-day excursion to nearby Pisa, where you can see the famous leaning tower, and the Renaissance-era structure of Lucca, an Italian ‘City of Art’ (surcharges apply).
Optional activities:
- Day tour of Pisa and Lucca (surcharges apply).
Waste no time this morning as you set out on the road to Chianti. The heart of Italy’s wine country, Chianti is an idyllic landscape of gently rolling hills and bucolic stone villages.
Above all, Chianti is known for its titular wine, produced primarily with red Sangiovese grapes. Let vibrant fruity notes and contrasting herbal tones dance across your palate as you join a tasting at one of the region’s best vineyards.
Continue to Siena, an historic city encircled by walls constructed in the Middle Ages. Follow your local guide through the streets to immerse yourself in the art, culture and traditions, then stop for an ‘aperitivo’ of local wine and light lunch in the renowned Piazza del Campo.
Later, depart for Perugia, where you’ll check in at your hotel and spend the evening at leisure.
Start your day exploring the university town of Perugia, famed for its arts festivals and cultural events. As the capital of Italy’s central Umbria region, this city boasts medieval palaces, a Gothic cathedral and Renaissance artwork aplenty.
Continue on to Assisi where Saint Francis, founder of the Franciscan Order, was born. Gaze upon the 13th-century basilicas of Saint Francis and his contemporary Saint Clare, who together established the ‘Poor Clares’ as a branch of the Franciscan Order.
This afternoon, depart for Rome and check in at your hotel. Spend the rest of your day acquainting yourself with this nonstop metropolis at your own pace.
No where does romance like Rome – this city is a buzzing blend of contemporary culture and rich history.
Step out on a morning discovery tour, marvelling at the cobbled alleys and impressive sites that pepper this urban landscape. Your tour culminates at enormous Saint Peter’s Square, right at the doorstep of Saint Peter’s Basilica and Vatican City. Join your guide as you enter the jaw-dropping Sistine Chapel. Turn your eyes to the heavens and survey the profoundly moving ceiling fresco, painted by the inimitable Michelangelo.
Later, choose to spend your leisure time absorbing the views at Piazza Navona and the incredible Pantheon. Don't miss your chance to throw a coin into the legendary Trevi Fountain and make a wish.
Indulge in a buffet breakfast at your hotel, then set about on a day of discovery at leisure.
Choose to view the masterworks of Caravaggio, Canova and Raphael at the Borghese Gallery, watch the playful resident cats of Largo di Torre Argentina leaping and lazing around the temple ruins, or cool off with a scoop at hidden gem Gelateria del Teatro.
Perhaps you’ll decide to join an optional art walk, visiting Basilica di San Giovanni in Laterano and witnessing the grand sculpture of Moses at San Pietro in Vincoli (surcharges apply).
In the early evening, regroup with your fellow travellers for a sumptuous farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
Optional activities:
- Cathedral art excursion (surcharges apply).
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, then relax as you watch the Italian countryside roll by on your way to historic Pompeii.
Mark your arrival with a tour of the remarkable ruins and learn about their epic history. Wander the bones of this long-dormant city, eerily preserved in volcanic ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 BCE.
In the afternoon, savour a light lunch at a local vineyard and taste the full-bodied and fruity flavour of Lacryma Christi, made from volcanic soil-grown grapes, from the slopes of Mount Vesuvius.
Spend the evening as you desire and recline at your opulent hotel.
Fill up with an energising breakfast at your hotel, then spend your day freely exploring. Return to the eerie silence of the ruins for a deeper dive into history or stop at one of Pompeii’s many cafes and restaurants for fresh seafood or perhaps some delicious ragu.
Alternatively, choose to take an optional early tour to the exclusive island of Capri for a traditional lunch and a visit to a limoncello factory (surcharges apply).
Optional activities:
- Capri day tour (surcharges apply).
Prepare for a full day cruising the incredible Amalfi Coast, sailing between the beloved towns of Positano and Amalfi.
This UNESCO World Heritage-listed region is renowned for its colourful houses and terrace towns that climb the steep cliffside. The coast is home to hidden gems such as the natural swimming hole of Bagni Regina Giovanna, and Li Galli, the legendary home of the sirens. Stop at idyllic Positano and walk along the beautiful beach, then later disembark for a chance to explore the rainbow of structures, covered passages and the awe-inspiring Piazza del Duomo.
Later, return to your hotel for a well-earned dinner and a relaxing evening in comfort.
Tuck into a buffet breakfast before making your way to sweeping Caserta. The astounding detail and architecture of the Royal Palace offer wonders both micro and macro as you stroll the grounds of the largest former royal residence in the world.
Later, continue to Rome for your final evening in Italy. Dust your hands with flour and put your kneading to the test at a memorable pizza-making masterclass, then dine with your fellow travellers at an unforgettable farewell feast.
After breakfast, it’s time to wave goodbye as you transfer to the airport (FCO) and say arrivederci to your Italian experience.