Along the Italian Trail

Day 1

Rome, Italy

Meet and assist at Rome International Airport by our representative and transfer to the selected hotel. Assistance through check in and installation in the room

Evening free at leisure and overnight at the hotel

Day 2

Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence

Check out after breakfast at the hotel

Departure by motor-coach to Assisi where you will be free to explore, on your own, this tiny town surrounded by walls, built in the Middle Ages. Take your time to visit the Basilica of St. Francis, where you will see masterpieces by Giotto and Cimabue and, then, have free time for lunch.

After lunch time, you will board the bus to reach Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, world-known for the Palio, the historical horse race around the shell-shaped town square: Piazza del Campo.

Continue the drive to Florence where you will check in at your hotel

Overnight at the hotel

Day 3

Florence

Breakfast at the hotel

You will spend the day venturing around beautiful Florence, the “Cradle of Renaissance”, where, with the help of Michelangelo, Italian art reached its pinnacle. Based on Etruscan-Roman origins, the city flourished in the Middle Ages as a free “Comune” and was further refined during the Renaissance.

You will be fascinated by the uncountable monuments, churches and buildings as Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly referred to as the Duomo. On your own visit, you will be amazed by its magnificent dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi. You will cross a small piazza to see the “Campanile” Tower (partly designed by Giotto) and the Baptistery, with its bronze doors where Michelangelo imagined the “Gates of Paradise”.

In the heart of the city, you will see Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio), and the Basilica of Santa Croce. You will spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional tour with supplement), one of the four main historical Marine Republics of Italy.

There, you will tour the Piazza dei Miracoli with the Duomo, Pisa’s symbol “the Leaning Tower” and the Baptistery.

Lunch and dinner on your own that day

Overnight at the hotel in Florence

Day 4

Florence, Bologna, Padua, Venice

Check out after breakfast at the hotel

Departure to Bologna. There, you will discover on your own the elegant city centre with its “porticos” and shopping streets.

From Piazza Malpighi, you will walk to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore (Neptune square and Major square) in the heart of the city, then King Renzo’s Palace; Palazzo Podesta and the Basilica of San Petronio, one of the biggest in the world.

 

In the afternoon, continue towards Padua, with Saint Antonio’s Basilica: one of the most visited churches by pilgrims of the Catholic World.

Later in the afternoon, you will arrive in Venice: the City of Love, one of the most romantic cities of the whole world and, undoubtedly, the most beautiful city built by man!

Check in, installation in the room and overnight at the hotel

Day 5

Venice

Breakfast at the hotel

Day on your own to enjoy your private water-taxi transfer to Piazza San Marco, with “skip the line” tickets to visit the splendid St. Mark’s Basilica and, after this, check out the most iconic places of the “Floating City”: The Palazzo dei Dogi, symbol of Venice’s glorious past, the legendary “Bridge of Sighs”.

Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s Canals at your leisure

Overnight at the hotel

Day 6

Venice, Montepulciano (Tuscany wine region), Rome

Check out from the hotel after breakfast

Departure from Piazzale Roma heading to Tuscany, world-known for its landscapes, its churches and castles and its delicious wines.

You will then proceed to Val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a medieval town rich in history and art.

Known for its “Nobile” wine, on purchase in local wine houses, Montepulciano also hosts an annual jazz and wine festival every July. Spend the afternoon discovering Montepulciano at your own pace, while enjoying free wine tastings in many wine shops and free time for shopping.

In the evening, your motor-coach will transport you to Rome; assistance for the check in and installation in the rooms.

Rest of evening at leisure and overnight at the hotel

Day 7

Rome, Italy

Breakfast at the hotel

Departure for a half day sightseeing tour visiting the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters’s Basilica with our exclusive “Skip the Line” access!

No stress to reach the area: upon arrival, your guide will lead you into the museums where you will visit one of the most important art collections of the world.

Walk along the beautiful Galleries of Tapestries and Geographical Maps before admiring Raphael’s Rooms and then, the amazing Sistine Chapel. After this incredible masterpiece, you will be taken by a privileged door to St. Peters’s Basilica: the biggest church in the world!

The tour ends on St. Peter’s Square where you will enjoy the rest of the day exploring the city at your own leisure or get any of our selected tours (optional with supplement) for the afternoon!

Overnight at the hotel

Day 8

Rome, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento

Check out after breakfast at the hotel

Departure by motor-coach heading South crossing the regions of Lazio and Campania. Arrival in Naples, and short panoramic sightseeing tour to contemplate sites such as Mergellina, Castel dell’Ovo and Santa Lucia.

Head to Pompeii and lunch at a local restaurant before arriving the city.

After lunch, proceed to visit the ruins of the famous Roman City destroyed by the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D.

Leaving Pompeii, you will drive along the Sorrentine Coast until your arrival to the hotel in Sorrento

Assistance for check in and installation in the rooms;

Evening free at leisure and overnight at the hotel

Day 9

Sorrento, Rome

Check out after breakfast at the hotel

Free time to discover Sorrento on your own; or, if you want, you may opt for a visit to the Island of Capri (optional with supplement) or take an Amalfi Coastal excursion (optional with supplement).

In the afternoon, around 16:00hrs, departure by motor-coach back to Rome.

Assistance for check in and installation in the rooms;

Evening free at leisure and overnight at the hotel

Day 10

Rome, Italy

Check out after breakfast at the hotel

Transfer to Rome International Airport for departure flight to final destination

 

 

Distance between cities
Rome – Assisi	340 KM	211 MI	3 hrs
Assisi – Siena	270 KM	167 MI	2 hrs
Siena – Florence	100 KM	52 MI	1:50 hrs
Florence – Bologna	140 KM	86 MI	2 hrs
Bologna – Padua	140 KM	124 MI	1:50 hrs
Padua – Venezia	200 KM	142 MI	1 hr
Water taxi to Venice			30 minutes
Venice-Montepulciano	350 KM	217 MI	4:50 hrs
Montepulciano- Rome	170 KM	105 MI	3 hrs
Rome - Naples	230 KM	142 MI	3 hrs
Naples - Pompeii	25 KM	15 MI	40 minutes
Pompeii - Sorrento	25 KM	15 MI	1:50 hrs
Sorrento - Rome	270 KM	167 MI	5 hrs