Itinerary
- Day 1
Rome
You'll arrive in Rome and get settled at your hotel. This evening, meet your Travel Director and the other people on the tour over dinner at a local restaurant that serves Roman specialities. It's a good chance to relax after travel and get to know everyone you'll be spending time with over the next two weeks.
- Meals
- Dinner (Dinner at a uniquely Roman restaurant, offering a perfect exploration of Lazio's typical flavours)
- Day 2
Rome
Start the day exploring Rome with a Local Expert who'll guide you through the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, where you'll see Michelangelo's frescoes up close. Then head to St. Peter's Basilica. After that, cross the Tiber to check out the ancient sites like Circus Maximus, the Arch of Constantine, and the Colosseum on a guided tour. If you have energy left, there's the option to walk through the Pantheon and wander around Rome's famous piazzas and fountains.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Vatican Museums visit
- Sistine Chapel viewing
- St. Peter's Basilica
- Circus Maximus
- Arch of Constantine
- Colosseum guided visit
Optional Activities
- Explore the Pantheon
- Visit Rome's piazzas and fountains
Landmarks/POIs Vatican Museums Sistine Chapel St. Peter's Basilica Circus Maximus Arch of Constantine Colosseum Pantheon - Day 3
Rome to Santa Margherita Ligure
You'll drive through the rolling Tuscan countryside, passing cypress trees, vineyards, and olive groves on your way to Pisa. There, a Local Expert will show you the Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles, plus the cathedral and baptistery with their marble decoration. Later, you'll continue to Santa Margherita Ligure, a seaside resort town where you'll settle in for the next few nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Leaning Tower of Pisa viewing
- Pisa Cathedral viewing
- Pisa Baptistery viewing
Landmarks/POIs Leaning Tower of Pisa Pisa Cathedral Pisa Baptistery - Day 4
Cinque Terre and Portofino
Head out to Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the Ligurian coast. Weather permitting, you'll approach one of the fishing villages by boat with a Local Expert. Then explore either Monterosso's medieval quarter or its sandy beach. From there, move on to Portofino with its colourful buildings and spend time browsing boutiques and cafes that overlook the harbour. Your day ends with a cruise along the coast back to Santa Margherita.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Cinque Terre UNESCO World Heritage Site visit
- Monterosso exploration
- Portofino visit
- Ligurian coast cruise
Landmarks/POIs Cinque Terre Monterosso Portofino - Day 5
Lake Maggiore
Travel north to Lake Maggiore in the Italian Lakes District and check into your hotel in Baveno, a charming town known for its narrow cobbled streets and central square. Spend the afternoon taking in the scenery around the lake. If you want to do more, there's an optional cruise to Isola Bella where you can explore the palace and Italian gardens.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Isola Bella palace and gardens cruise
Landmarks/POIs Lake Maggiore Isola Bella - Day 6
Venice
Drive north past Soave vineyards and through Padua on your way to Venice. You'll arrive and settle into your hotel, then gather with your travelling companions for dinner. It's a chance to rest and prepare for exploring the city over the next couple of days.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner
Landmarks/POIs Soave Padua - Day 7
Venice
Start with a private boat cruise through Venice's canals, passing churches and palaces built between the 13th and 18th centuries. You'll arrive near St Mark's Square and walk past the Bridge of Sighs and Doge's Palace, then enter St Mark's Basilica. After that, board a traditional gondola for a serenade through the romantic canals. Later, you'll watch expert glassblowers create handcrafted pieces using techniques that have been passed down for centuries.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Private boat cruise through Venice canals
- St Mark's Square
- Bridge of Sighs viewing
- Doge's Palace viewing
- St Mark's Basilica
- Traditional gondola ride with serenade
- Glassblowing workshop experience
Landmarks/POIs St Mark's Square Bridge of Sighs Doge's Palace St Mark's Basilica - Day 8
Venice to Florence
Leave Venice for Florence. You have choices here: visit the Accademia Museum to see Michelangelo's David, then walk to the multicoloured marble cathedral, bell tower, and baptistery with Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. You can also head to Piazza della Signoria to see Renaissance sculptures in the political heart of the city. Alternatively, grab a local Italian treat at a cafe with your Travel Director. By evening, you'll have dinner featuring Bistecca alla Fiorentina, the traditional Florentine steak, paired with local wine.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Traditional Bistecca alla Fiorentina steak dinner paired with delicious local wine)
Included Activities
- Accademia Museum visit with Michelangelo's David viewing
- Florence Cathedral viewing
- Bell Tower viewing
- Baptistery viewing
- Piazza della Signoria exploration
Optional Activities
- Stroll with Travel Director to local cafe for Italian treat
Landmarks/POIs Accademia Gallery Florence Cathedral Giotto's Campanile Florence Baptistery Piazza della Signoria - Day 9
Florence
This day is yours to explore Florence at your own pace. Walk through neighborhoods on your own, pop into shops, or sit at a cafe and watch the city go by. If you'd rather have some structure, there's an optional experience to the hilltop town of San Gimignano, which is about an hour away and worth the trip if you want something different.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- San Gimignano hilltop town exploration
Landmarks/POIs San Gimignano - Day 10
Florence to Sorrento
Travel south through volcanic hills to Pompeii, the Roman city that Mount Vesuvius buried in A.D. 79. A Local Expert will walk you through the preserved cobbled streets so you can get a sense of what daily life was like during the Roman Empire. Later, you'll follow the clifftop road to Sorrento, a resort town that sits above the Bay of Naples and will be your base for the next couple of days.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Pompeii guided walking tour
Landmarks/POIs Frascati Pompeii - Day 11
Capri
Take a boat across the Bay of Naples to Capri, an island with dramatic rock formations rising from the Mediterranean and 2,000 years of history behind it. You'll arrive at Marina Grande and then ascend to Capri town to explore its narrow alleyways. Later, ride the funicular railway back down to the port for your return to Sorrento. There's also the option to spend time exploring the Amalfi Coast if you're interested in something different.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Capri boat cruise
- Capri town exploration
- Funicular railway descent
Optional Activities
- Amalfi Coast exploration
Landmarks/POIs Capri Marina Grande - Day 12
Sorrento to Alberobello
After breakfast, you'll visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. First, spend time in Matera with a guided exploration of the Sassi, ancient troglodyte dwellings carved directly from rock. It's the most extensive example in the Mediterranean and was home to about 20,000 people until the 1950s. It was also used as the setting for 'The Passion of the Christ'. Then continue to Alberobello, where you'll stay for two nights.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Matera Sassi guided exploration
Landmarks/POIs Matera Sassi di Matera Alberobello - Day 13
Alberobello
Explore Alberobello, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, with a Local Expert who'll explain the iconic trulli, those circular structures with conical roofs built from local limestone without mortar. You'll wander through the town and get a real feel for how it's organized. This evening, you'll have a farm-to-table dinner with regional recipes and local flavours that reflect what people eat in this part of southern Italy.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Freshly prepared Farm-to-Table meal featuring recipes and flavours typical of the region)
Included Activities
- Trulli of Alberobello guided exploration
- Farm-to-Table dinner
Landmarks/POIs Alberobello Trulli - Day 14
Alberobello to Taormina
Head south along the Gulf of Taranto toward mountainous Calabria, following the Purple Coast to the very tip of Italy. Board a ferry to cross the Straits of Messina into Sicily. Once you land, continue to Taormina and visit the ancient Greek Theatre with your Local Expert. It's dramatically perched on a cliff and offers spectacular views of the surrounding landscape.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Ferry crossing at Straits of Messina
- Greek Theatre Taormina guided visit
Landmarks/POIs Straits of Messina Greek Theatre Taormina - Day 15
Taormina to Palermo
This morning, relax on Sicily's Dawn Coast if you prefer to take it easy. But there's also an optional experience to Mt. Etna, Europe's highest active volcano, where you'll drive through volcanic landscapes and see panoramic views from high up. Later, travel through Sicily's countryside to Palermo, the vibrant capital city full of history, culture, and architectural styles from different periods.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Optional Activities
- Mt. Etna excursion with volcanic landscape tour and panoramic views
Landmarks/POIs Mount Etna - Day 16
Palermo
With your Local Expert, explore Palermo's highlights including the cathedral with its mix of architectural styles. Visit the Palatine Chapel in the Palace of the Normans, where honey-coloured walls give way to glittering ancient mosaics inside. Spend the rest of your day at leisure checking out this fascinating city on your own. This evening, join the group for dinner featuring local cuisine and wine at a restaurant in the city.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Dinner (Experience local customs as you delve into tantalising flavours and rustic dishes served with local wine)
Included Activities
- Palermo Cathedral visit
- Palatine Chapel visit
- Palace of the Normans visit
Landmarks/POIs Palermo Cathedral Palatine Chapel Palace of the Normans - Day 17
Depart Palermo
Your grand tour of Italy and Sicily comes to an end. Departure transfers will pick you up and take you to Palermo Falcone-Borsellino Airport for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Landmarks/POIs Palermo Falcone–Borsellino Airport
