Wonders of Italy

Begin our journey to Italy with meals and beverages served on board our flight.

We’ll be met by our guide and taken to our hotel for check in.  We will then enjoy a panoramic tour of The Eternal City and walking tour of the historic center of Rome including the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Piazza Novana, and the Pantheon.  D

This morning we visit the Vatican Museums and St Peter’s Basilica.  The Vatican Museums contain masterpieces of painting, sculpture and other works of art collected by the popes through the centuries.  We will also see The Sistine Chapel and Michelangelo’s masterpiece “Creation of the World.”  St. Peter's Basilica is one of the holiest sites in Christendom, standing on the traditional site where Peter - the first pope - was crucified and buried.  After lunch on our own we will have a guided tour of the Ancient Roman sites such as the Colosseum, The Roman Forum and The Palatine Hill.  Back to the hotel to freshen up before a wonderful Roman dinner at a local restaurant.  B | D

After breakfast we depart for the beautiful Renaissance City of Florence in the Tuscan countryside.  On the way will stop for a wonderful Tuscan farmhouse lunch and wine tasting.  Upon arrival in Florence we will check in at our hotel and enjoy an afternoon and evening at leisure to explore this beautiful city.  B | L

Today we will have a personalized guided tour that will give us a local insight into the real history and hidden gems the city has to offer. We'll visit the Ponte Vecchio, the famous Piazza della Signoria, the elegant palaces and fashionable shops, and the charming narrow medieval streets.  We will then tour the famous Duomo Santa Maria dei Fiori (UNESCO listed) and the impressive Cathedral Square with Brunelleschi's imposing dome.  After lunch we will proceed with our guide to the Accademia Gallery where we will have the chance to view Michelangelo's David.   Dinner tonight at a local restaurant.  B | D 

Starting from Florence, we will visit Siena.  We will enjoy a guided walking tour of this compact city, discovering the Piazza del Campo, the main central square where the famous Palio horse race takes place every year, as well some of the quieter backstreets.  Learn everything about the Contrade, the 17 medieval city districts that compete against each other in the Palio race. The journey continues to San Gimignano, famed for its medieval skyscrapers, high walls and narrow streets that exemplify most people’s image of a Tuscan hill town. San Gimignano is unique in the preservation of about a dozen of its tower houses, which, with its hilltop setting and encircling walls, form an unforgettable skyline. After some free time in San Gimignano, gaze in awe at a marvelous sunset on the Tuscan hills accompanied by a typical Tuscan dinner. You will then be taken back to Florence and if time permits, you will end this beautiful day with a stop at Piazzale Michelangelo to get the best view over Florence.  B | L | D

This morning we depart Florence for Venice.  After check in at our hotel, we’ll be met by our guide and commence on our tour.  Strolling through Venice, we will admire the gothic Doge’s Palace, as well as the Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri), connecting the palace to a former prison. Up next is the Marciana Library, the Loggetta, the Bell and Clock towers, part of the Cathedral next to Doge’s Palace. and the Grand Canal to the Rialto area where the tour will end. B | D

Today we set out on a half-day tour into the world of Venetian glass and lace. We will take a water taxi across the Venetian Lagoon to the enchanting islands of Murano and Burano. For hundreds of years the glass factory on Murano has been producing some of the world’s greatest and most coveted glass creations. During a tour of the factory, we'll get an opportunity to marvel at the traditional glass-blowing techniques used in this very factory for centuries. After, we'll travel to the magnificent island of Burano, for a tour of its renowned and marvelous lace production.  Return to Venice for evening at leisure. B

TRANSFER to AIRPORT for DEPARTURE.