Highlights
- Discover Rome's art treasures at the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel
- Delve into Italy's ancient past at Pompeii, the Colosseum, and the Forum
- See Florence's iconic sights, including the Cathedral and Michelangelo's "David"
- Discover the medieval Tuscan town of San Gimignano and try local foods in Chianti
- Explore the canals of Venice and view a glass-blowing demonstration on Murano
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Rome | Rome |
| Day 2 | Enjoy Rome: Cooking Class and Walking Food Tour | Rome |
| Day 3 | A Day in Pompeii | Rome |
| Day 4 | The Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & Tiber River Boat Tour | Rome |
| Day 5 | Rome to Florence | Florence |
| Day 6 | Florence City Tour | Florence |
| Day 7 | Chianti Tour: Olive Oil, Wine, and Beer Tasting & San Gimignano Visit | Florence |
| Day 8 | Florence to Venice by train | Venice |
| Day 9 | Venice, Murano & Wine Tour | Venice |
| Day 10 | Depart Venice |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Rome
Your Italian adventure begins in Rome. Transfer from the Leonardo da Vinci Airport to your hotel in the city center. Today is a free day; you can rest, explore, and get to know the "Eternal City" on your own.
Day 2: Enjoy Rome: Cooking Class and Walking Food Tour
Today you'll meet a local chef in Piazza Farnese to walk through the open-air market in Campo dei Fiori for your ingredients. You'll then go to the chef's workshop in the Trastevere neighborhood and cook your five-course lunch. The chef will offer tips while you measure flour for homemade pasta or check the oil temperature for your sauce. He might talk about traditional Italian cooking techniques, the history of each recipe, or the best ways to pair wine and food. At the end of the cooking class, you will enjoy the meal you have just prepared.
Your day continues with a late-afternoon walking food tour. Starting with a tasting of white sparkling wine in one of Rome's best wine bars, you'll learn about Italian winemaking traditions while enjoying the atmosphere of this unique venue. Then it's off to the heart of the neighborhood to savor samples of local pizza bianca, cheese, and cold cuts, paired with local wine. Walking through the narrow Roman streets with views of the ancient Colosseum and the Forum, you'll sample homemade pasta and a traditional Roman codfish carpaccio.
Day 3: A Day in Pompeii
After an early breakfast, you'll travel by Metro to meet your tour guide for your day in Pompeii. You'll journey by motorcoach to the ancient city, which was buried by Mount Vesuvius's eruption in 79 CE. This eruption killed many of Pompeii's residents, but it also acted like an archaeological time capsule by preserving many of the city's buildings. One of the most popular destinations in Italy, with well-preserved excavated ruins, Pompeii is both haunting and fascinating. Discover this ancient, legendary city with a two-hour guided tour as your expert guide shares the tragic story of Pompeii's destruction.
After your tour, you will have two more hours to explore the city on your own. Your imagination will come to life as you walk through the streets and villas, with Mount Vesuvius looming in the background. On the comfortable ride back, you can reflect on a memorable visit to Pompeii, the buried city that is frozen in time. You'll arrive in Rome at approximately 7:00 pm, just as the restaurants open for dinner.
Day 4: The Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & Tiber River Boat Tour
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
In the morning, head to the Vatican Museum to tour the celebrated Sistine Chapel and Saint Peter's Basilica to see the masterpieces of Michelangelo and Bernini. Afterward, hop on a tour boat to explore the city banks from the Tiber River. You'll float past Rome's most famous bridges, including the Umberto I Bridge, Regina Margherita Bridge, Sant'Angelo Bridge, Mazzini Bridge, Sisto Bridge, and the Garibaldi Bridge.
In the evening, head out into the city for more sightseeing and a romantic rooftop dinner.
Day 5: Rome to Florence
After breakfast, you'll have some free time for shopping or sightseeing before your private car transfers you to the train station to catch a train to Florence. Check in to your hotel and then enjoy free time to explore the city.
Florence is Tuscany's regional capital and most populous city. Long considered a cultural capital and the "Jewel of the Renaissance," Florence is home to many masterpieces of Renaissance art and architecture, including the iconic Duomo with its terracotta-tiled dome and the Galleria dell'Accademia, which displays Michelangelo's "David" sculpture. If you prefer, you can arrange a VIP experience with a private transfer from Rome to Florence that includes a stop for a guided tour in Civitas Bagnoregio and a second stop at a farmhouse near Siena for food and wine tasting.
Day 6: Florence City Tour
After breakfast, you will meet your guide in the hotel lobby. You'll spend the day exploring the city's top sites, starting with a guided half-day walking tour. Stops include the iconic Duomo, the Galleria dell'Accademia, where you'll see Michelangelo's "David," and San Lorenzo Church, the former parish church of the powerful Medici family. The tour will finish with an aperitif and a light lunch.
In the afternoon, you're free to visit a museum, go shopping, or board the Hip Hop bus to explore the hills around Florence.
Day 7: Chianti Tour: Olive Oil, Wine, and Beer Tasting & San Gimignano Visit
After breakfast, you'll meet your driver in the hotel lobby and head out to explore the romantic region of Chianti. This region is located between Florence and Siena and is famous for its unparalleled beauty and peaceful countryside. Each part of the Chianti region is full of vineyards, wineries, medieval towns, and winding rural roads. Chianti is renowned for producing delicious red wine of the same name, and the region's unique characteristics and local climate have made the area ideal for growing wine grapes. Chianti wine, made primarily of Sangiovese grapes, is the local staple.
You'll visit an agriturismo (agricultural village) to taste the wine, olive oil, and beer produced here. Next, you'll enjoy lunch at a winery outside San Gimignano, a city famous for its many medieval stone towers. After lunch, you'll have some free time to explore San Gimignano before returning to Florence in the late afternoon.
Day 8: Florence to Venice by train
After breakfast and check out, transfer to the Santa Maria Novella Station for a ride to Venice on the high-speed train. Once in the city, a water taxi will transport you to the town center and your hotel. Venice is famous for both industry and tourism. With nicknames like "Queen of the Adriatic," "City of Water," and "The Floating City," it is clear that the city's many canals are its main draw. Stretching across 117 small islands in the marshy Venetian Lagoon, the city has long been a commercial and cultural hub, thanks to its strategic location, gaining wealth during the Middle Age for its trade in silk, grain, spices, and art.
Venice is well known for several artistic movements, particularly from the Renaissance. The city's many musicians, including Antonio Vivaldi, helped to shape symphonic and operatic music. Numerous artists have called Venice home, and their work continues to draw visitors worldwide. The city is also famous for its many historical attractions, such as Saint Mark's Square, Saint Mark's Basilica, the Grand Canal, and the ornate Doge's Palace. The Lido de Venezia is a popular luxury destination on a barrier island that hosts a famous film festival and is known for its beaches.
A romantic cruise down Venice's canals on a historic gondola is a great introduction to the city. This is a relaxing cruise that allows you to take in the city from the water. In the evening, you'll head to the Cannaregio District, the former Jewish Ghetto site, for a walking food tour. The area is filled with restaurants and shops offering kosher Venetian specialties, a Jewish museum, and several tourist-friendly synagogues. Eat and drink your way through regional specialties as you learn about the Jewish and Kosher influences on Venetian cuisine and sample cicchetti (tapas), creamy risottos, sweet pastries, and local wines. Buon appetito!
Day 9: Venice, Murano & Wine Tour
This morning you are free to explore Venice. Make the most of your time in the city. You can discover art at the Peggy Guggenheim Collection and La Biennale di Venezia Art Museum or explore San Giorgio Maggiore, one of Venice's smaller islands. Then tour the Teatro La Fenice, one of the world's most famous opera houses, followed by enjoying a coffee or an aperitif in Piazza San Marco.
In the afternoon, you'll depart for the island of Murano via private boat to discover the magic art of glassblowing. You'll see a glass-working demonstration, visit a glass showroom, and return to Saint Mark's Square. Next, you'll travel by vaporetto (waterbus) to the Venissa Wine Resort, where you will have a private wine tour, visit the vineyard and taste a glass of Venissa wine. The evening will continue with a romantic dinner. You'll take the vaporetto back to Saint Mark's Square at the end of a beautiful evening.
Day 10: Depart Venice
Today is your last day in Italy. After breakfast, you'll have time to pack and relax before heading to the airport by shuttle.
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