TREASURES OF ITALY - 11 days, 10 cities, 2 countries

Day 1 | Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome

Welcome to Rome, a glorious city lled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Settle in before joining your Travel Director for a visit to Trastevere, Rome's bohemian quarter. Enjoy a private visit to Farmacia of Santa Maria della Scala, the oldest pharmacy in Europe. Gain historic insights from a Carmelite friar as you admire the Farmacia and explore the adjoining 16th-century church. Take in the vibrant atmosphere of this charming neighbourhood as you indulge in a Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant.

Meals: Dinner with Wine

Hotel: Hotel Romanico Palace, Rome.

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Day 2 | Vatican City and Rome with a Local

The day is devoted to the Eternal City. Join a Local Expert for an in-depth visit to the Vatican Museums, full of priceless art treasures collected by the Popes. Visit the Sistine Chapel, where Popes are elected, to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling. Continue to St. Peter’s Basilica, to wonder at another of his works, the emotive ‘Pietà,’ and stand beneath the dome completed after his death. Cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome. See the incredible Circus Maximus. Come up close and personal with the beautifully preserved Arch of Constantine, walking on the ancient pavement. Discover the history, the construction and the legends of the iconic Colosseum as you stroll around the exterior of this amazing structure. Later, perhaps continue your exploration of Rome to see the Pantheon, toss a coin in Trevi Fountain and enjoy free time around Piazza Navona?

Meals: Breakfast

Hotel: Hotel Romanico Palace, Rome

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:

• Piazzas & Fountains - With our Local Expert, let's take a "passeggiata" (stroll) to enjoy the backstreets and secrets of pedestrian Rome. Be amazed at sights such as the fascinating Pantheon and the beauty of 17th-Century fountains and beautiful piazzas. Come and enjoy the Rome of the Romans.
  Adult: 44.00 EUR
• Roman Dinner Party - Enjoy an evening of delicious Roman cuisine with drinks and a great Italian ambiance.
  Adult: 73.00 EUR 

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Day 3 | Ancient Pompeii and on to Sorrento

Journey to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, frozen in time when it was engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Walk with a Local Expert through cobbled streets to learn about Roman life in the rst century before enjoying a refreshing lemon granita. Then continue to your hotel in the charming town of Sorrento. The afternoon is yours to explore as you wish, or perhaps join an Optional Experience to the artist's paradise of Positano.

Meals: Breakfast

Hotel: Hotel Isabella, Sorrento

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:

• Amal Coast Drive & Positano Visit - Drive along the clear blue waters and picturesque resorts of the Amal Coast, arguably the most glamorous and scenic stretch of coast in Europe. Minibuses wind their way down serpentine roads to the exclusive artists' paradise, Positano. Explore elegant shops, watch artists at work, or enjoy an aperitivo in a beachside cafe.
  Adult: 68.00 EUR
• Sorrento Evening - A chance to enjoy a delicious dinner of local specialities. We arrive at one of the area's unique local restaurants for an incredible dining experience featuring some of the famous dishes of this region!
  Adult: 74.00 EUR 
  

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Day 4 | The Isle of Dreams

Enjoy a morning in the town of Sorrento before heading o to the port to board your jetfoil to the Isle of Capri. Enjoy a scenic drive by open-top taxi past orange and lemon groves to your hotel, then appreciate the glorious vistas over the rugged coastline and sparkling sea. Visit Capri town, with its whitewashed houses, winding alleyways and small cafes. A Local Expert escorts you to the lush Gardens of Augustus for views of the Faraglioni rocks. As the glow of twilight descends and the day-trippers have returned to their mainland hotels, the island is yours to saunter along scenic paths, gather with the locals in the piazzetta or relax with a glass of wine at an alfresco restaurant.

Meals: Breakfast

Hotel: Hotel Regina Cristina, Capri

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:

• Tour of Capri - Experience the spectacular clis and famous turquoise waters of Capri during a relaxing cruise to the most beautiful part of the island, the southern side. You descend to the port by funicular with your local expert and board your private boat to view the beautiful grottoes and unique coastline!
  Adult: 55.00 EUR
  * This optional experience is weather dependent and may be replaced by a minibus tour of the Island with a visit to Anacapri and the Villa San Michele. 

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Day 5 | The Autostrada del Sole to Florence

Descend to the port and take the jetfoil across the bay to Naples. Follow the Autostrada del Sole north passing Rome and continuing through the region of Umbria. Journey through idyllic Tuscan landscapes to Florence, centre of art and culture, and the heart of the Italian Renaissance. Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. After, continue on foot to admire the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Continue into the 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 and Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local caè, where you will be in the perfect spot to admire the basilica, indulge in people-watching the elegant Florentines and pamper yourself shopping for luxury goods like gold and leather.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Hotel: NH Firenze, Florence

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Day 6 | Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance

See how the local leatherwork is created with a demonstration of the craft and learn about the artistry of the goldsmiths who are famous in the city of Florence. In your free time wander Florence on your own, shop or opt to explore the medieval hilltop town of San Gimignano on an Optional Experience. In the evening, why not sample ne Florentine cuisine of tasty starters and typical Tuscan dishes accompanied by Chianti.

Meals: Breakfast

Hotel: NH Firenze, Florence

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:

• San Gimignano Excursion - A wonderful excursion with our Local Expert to Tuscany's most famous hill-top town! Visit San Gimignano, considered a medieval Manhattan, due to its towers which dominate the skyline. Soak up the unique atmosphere of this ancient gem which has remained intact since the 14th century and today is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
  Adult: 40.00 EUR

You will be offered one of the following two optional experiences depending on availability:

• Tuscan Dinner at Villa Machiavelli - Through the Chianti hills, we'll drive past vineyards to a delightful hamlet. Our destination is the ancient stone house of Machiavelli, where the great political theorist wrote his immortal work, ‘The Prince'. After a welcome drink and a visit of the villa and its wine-cellars, we'll enjoy the best of Tuscan cuisine accompanied by great music and drinks, including of course, Chianti from the Villa's own vines.
  Adult: 74.00 EUR
• Tuscan Dinner & Cooking Demonstration - Florence and Tuscany are renowned for their rich gastronomic heritage. Tonight we'll travel into the hills near Florence to the northernmost part of the Chianti, where a local chef will introduce you to the dishes that make Tuscan cuisine famous throughout the world. This wonderful cooking demonstration, with superb food and wine, will provide warm and genuine Tuscan hospitality.
  Adult: 76.00 EUR

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Day 7 | Cinque Terre and Portono to Santa Margherita

The famous Italian Riviera and the Cinque Terre are a highlight of your journey as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Italy’s most beautiful landscapes. With a Local Expert, appreciate the views as you approach one of the picturesque shing villages by boat. Spend some time exploring the old medieval quarter or the popular sandy beach. Our journey continues to the elegant seaside village of Portono, epitome of la dolce vita. Admire the colourful houses, browse the boutiques or stay a while in the cafe bars on the piazzetta, watching the yachts moored in the harbour.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Hotel: Best Western Regina Elena, Santa Margherita Ligure

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Day 8 | Lake Maggiore

In the morning, journey north to the beautiful Italian Lake District, a favourite retreat of the rich and famous where alpine scenery combines with lush subtropical vegetation. Relax and enjoy an afternoon at leisure at this popular resort and beautiful lake or perhaps take a cruise out to the lovely Borromean Islands? For your dining pleasure, you are invited to choose from a handpicked selection of local restaurants for your Dine-Around Evening.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Hotel: Hotel Simplon, Baveno

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:

• Isola Bella - The premier attraction of Lake Maggiore is the Borromean Islands. We'll take a private boat over to Isola Bella, the most famous island, renowned for its incredible palace and stunning Botanical Gardens. Our Local Expert will take us on a guided tour of this privately-owned palace, with free time to admire the gardens. A must!
  Adult: 61.00 EUR

* This optional is only able to be operated between mid-March and the end of October

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Day 9 | To Venice With Wine Along the Way

Follow the southern fringes of the Alps to the Franciacorta wine region near Lake Iseo. Over 100 vineyards produce the famous sparkling wine of the region and winemaking traditions run deep. Taste the delicious vintages produced with a master vintner at a family-owned estate. Continue to the unique city of Venice and step back in time to the 16th century.

Meals: Breakfast

Hotel: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:

• Magical Venice - Venice can be Europe's most romantic city in the evening, oering dramatic landscapes with buildings that dazzle as the sun sets and the lights go on. Sit back and take it all in as private water taxis take you to the centre of it all, Piazza San Marco, where we have seats reserved outside a famous Venetian cafe, in front of a live orchestra and in view of those illuminated St Mark's sights. Our private water taxis will also take us the length of the Grand Canal, under the Rialto Bridge, seeing Venice at its most magical.
  Adult: 61.00 EUR 

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Day 10 | Venice and the Magic of La Serenissima

Visit St. Mark’s Square where the city’s former wealth and power is evidenced by the riches of St. Mark’s Basilica and admire the Doge's Palace with its adjoining Bridge of Sighs. Take your seat on a gondola and be serenaded through the myriad of beautiful canals, passing water-lapped doorways and Rococo palaces. The rest of the afternoon is yours to discover Venice at leisure. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts centre, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. Cruise the Venetian lagoon to Burano and sit down to a sumptuous Celebration Dinner with wine, sampling the local specialities. 

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Hotel: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice

OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:

• Hidden Venice - To only experience Venice's big set pieces is to miss out on a hidden world full of surprises! Join a Local Expert for a fascinating walk through some of the lesser known quarters of Venice. The back lanes and ‘campi’, small squares, where tourists seldom tread are full of history and great places to sample local life.
  Adult: 37.00 EUR

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Day 11 | Arrivederci Venice

Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo Airport.

Meals: Breakfast