10 days Easy Pace Italy
Discover three of Italy's most appealing and profoundly cultural cities. Savour every part of Rome's rich heritage. Soak up the Renaissance atmosphere of Florence and look beyond the canals and gondolas to gain a deeper understanding of Venice. Effortless with Insight.
| Day | Location | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome | Rome is one of the world's most historic cities, filled with classical antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Transfers to your hotel depart Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport at 09:30, 12:30 & 15:30. Then this historic city is yours to discover. At 17:30, join your Travel Director for a uniquely Roman Welcome Dinner. Get to know your travelling companions over a relaxed evening of dinner and wine. Hotel: Veneto Palace, Rome Dinner with Wine |
| 2 | Exploring The Vatican City | In the morning enjoy the very best of the city’s highlights including visiting the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican with your Local Expert. Venture to Castel Gandolfo to explore the artistic treasure of the Villa Barberini Gardens. Ride an electric train along the pathways to marvel at the intricately designed mosaic flower beds and fountains.Then there is free time, why not head to the Colosseum to learn about the city’s ancient past? In the afternoon, enjoy special fast-tracked VIP entry into the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Admire the Papal art collection and enter the Sistine Chapel to marvel at Michelangelo’s masterpiece on its ceiling. Observe the stunning Museo Gregoriano Profano which documents various moments and themes in classical art, from Ancient Greece through to the late Imperial Roman age. After, dine in the Vatican's elegant Cortile del Giardino Quadrato, should weather permit, where you will enjoy incredible views of the cupola of St. Peter's during your private VIP Highlight Dinner. Hotel: Veneto Palace, Rome Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine |
| 3 | Rome at Leisure | This morning enjoy visiting the magnificent St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City with your Local Expert. Then there is free time, why not head to the Colosseum to learn about the city's ancient past? In the afternoon check out boutiques of the Via del Corso and Via Nazionale or visit the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps. Or why not, embark on a leisurely walking exploration to see the Trevi Fountain and Pantheon. Then there is time to relax and absorb the atmosphere of Piazza Navona. As night falls, why not sip a glass of prosecco at a sidewalk cafe in Piazza Navona, the 'Living Room of Rome', and enjoy life's pageantry pass by? Hotel: Veneto Palace, Rome Buffet Breakfast |
| 4 | Under the Tuscan sun to Assisi | Journey through Umbria and up the foothills of the Apennine Mountains to reach delightful Assisi, a stone-built town spilling over the steep hillside. With a Local Expert, visit the tomb of St. Francis and see the beautiful frescoes by Giotto in the great basilica. Continue through the picture-perfect scenery of the Tuscan hills, where deep-green cypress trees pierce blue skies and olive groves hug the rolling hillsides to reach Renaissance Florence. Hotel: Hotel Athenaeum Florence. Meals: Breakfast |
| 5 | Relaxed Start Florence, Birthplace of the Renaissance. | Walk on to the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Visit Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune as well as Hercules and Cacus, along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. The area around Santa Croce Basilica is famous for the quality of its luxury goods of gold and leather and there's free time to shop or continue exploring with the rest of the day at leisure. Perhaps join a local historian to see Michelangelo's David in the Accademia Museum? Hotel: Hotel Athenaeum Florence. Meals: Breakfast |
| 6 | Pisa and the Tuscan Countryside | After a leisurely morning in Florence, explore the nearby town of Pisa with a Local Expert and see the baptistery with its intricate marble facade, the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the cathedral and of course the famous Leaning Tower. On return to Florence, stop at the il Poggio organic farm for a guided walk through the vineyards and olive trees, learning about the production of olive oil and wine. On the veranda, take in beautiful views of the rolling Tuscan hills as you enjoy tasting the farm's freshly-produced wines and olive oil, in addition to an authentic Italian meal prepared with locally-sourced ingredients. Hotel: Hotel Athenaeum Florence. Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine |
| 7 | Verona and Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. | Passing the city of Bologna, a highlight stop is the elegant city of Verona, legendary home of Shakespeare's star-crossed lovers. Walk with your Tour Director past the Roman Arena to the reputed famous balcony in the courtyard of the Capulet home. After free time to explore, take the autostrada east to Venice, ‘Queen of the Adriatic'. Your luxurious hotel gazes out over the Giudecca Canal and an unforgettable views of the city skyline. Hotel: Molino Stucky Hilton, Venice Buffet Breakfast |
| 8 | Relaxed Start Venice and the Magic of La Serenissima. | (Relaxed Start) Wake up ready to embrace the most sensuous of cities. Admire the art of glassblowing on a visit to a traditional arts centre. Then board your private launch, sit back and enjoy your introduction to this unique city of ornate palaces, bridges and gondolas. Disembark and stroll to the Bridge of Sighs before turning the corner to stand in awe at the marble arcades of Piazza San Marco. St. Mark’s Basilica, with its dazzling domes, occupies the corner next to the clock tower. Beside it stands the pink and white marbled Doge’s Palace. In the afternoon, there will be plenty of time to explore the museums, galleries and churches or browse through the shops on the Rialto Bridge. Perhaps cruise out to some of the other islands in the lagoon to experience the age-old lifestyle of Venetian fishermen and lace-makers. Hotel: Molino Stucky Hilton, Venice Buffet Breakfast |
| 9 | Relaxed Start Venice at Leisure. | (Relaxed Start) Who could refuse another day to take in the unique atmosphere of this wonderful city? Lose yourself in the back lanes and ‘campi' (small squares), where tourists seldom tread and the Venetians go about their daily lives. Maybe visit some of the 90 churches that house masterpieces of Venetian art or explore the modern artworks in the Guggenheim? Relax a while at a canal-side cafe and sip the local wine or sample delicious lagoon-fresh fish. Later, board a traditional gondola for a serenade through the romantic canals. Toast your travels with fantastic food, great wine and wonderful company during your Celebration Dinner in this magical setting. Hotel: Molino Stucky Hilton, Venice Breakfast, Dinner with wine |
| 10 | Arrivederci Venice | Bid farewell to this enchanting city today. Your departure transfers arrive at Venice Airport at 08:00 and 09:30. Buffet Breakfast |