Essential Provence Wine Tour
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Explore the contrasts of this magical country visiting some of Italy's most important artistic & historical sites before discovering the unique Cinque Terre. 8-day Small Group Tour from $2619 person!
READ MORE...This is, by far, the most popular itinerary requested by travellers who want to discover the main attractions of Italy. Enjoy 16 days to immerse yourself in everything Italian - the food, the history, fashion, culture the list goes on and on!
Benvenuti in Italia! Arriving at Rome's Fiumicino Airport, you'll be happy to find that your private driver is waiting for you in the arrivals area and is ready to bring you comfortably to your hotel in central Rome. Check in to your hotel and then enjoy the remainder of the day relaxing or set out to start getting acquainted with the Eternal City.
After breakfast at your hotel, you'll be collected from your hotel to join us on a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel & St Peter's Square. The Vatican Museums are one of the richest and most beloved art collections in the world: they display around 20.000 pieces of art. With such a huge amount of artwork, it’s easy to feel lost. That’s why a professional guide can make a difference. After meeting your professional guide, you’ll be given a headset and reach the Vatican Museum’s entrance, in a group of no more than 20 people. This less-stress guided tour will grant you a real skip-the-line, faster access through the exclusive official partners’ entrance, saving you the hassle of waiting in line for several hours. You’ll tour the gallery, visiting all those main spots you’ve heard about like the Gallery of Maps, the Gallery of Tapestries, the Borgia Apartments. The guide will tell you everything about the Raphael Rooms and their exceptional frescoes, including The School of Athens, and will bring you to the Sistine Chapel, whose ceiling is one of the cornerstone works of High Renaissance art. The tour wouldn’t be complete without St. Peter’s Square, the open space which lies before the basilica, redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini, and which is itself an architectural masterpiece of the Baroque age. You’ll admire St. Peter’s Basilica (outside) which isn’t only the largest church in the world but also contains several pieces of fine art: think the canopy designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini or the Pietà by Michelangelo. The tour ends in St. Peter’s Square and the afternoon is free to pass as you choose. (B)
Enjoy the morning to pass as you choose and then this afternoon you'll enjoy a Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill Tour. The Romans built an empire of truly gigantic proportions and testimony of its greatness is still visible in many places where the city was built, more than 2772 years ago, by the legendary twin brothers Romulus and Remus. To see it with your own eyes, join us and our professional guide on this 3-hour tour: we’ll provide you with a pocket radio receiver and earphones, and let you access the Colosseum by skipping the long line. Walking inside the Flavian Amphitheater, you'll see the places where the Ancient Romans used to watch a variety of events, including gladiatorial shows or staged animal hunts, and learn about the way Romans used to enjoy their leisure time. You will stroll around Palatine Hill, the place where Rome was founded and where Roman emperors used to live. Make sure to get your cameras ready for some perfect shots as the view from up here is spectacular. Then admire the well-preserved ruins at the Roman Forum, the pulsating heart of ancient Roman life. Let the tour guide take you back in time and try to imagine what it was like to be a Roman citizen. Unforgettable! The tour which has a duration of 3 hours ends inside the Roman Forum and you can decide to remain inside the Forum and then make your own way back to your hotel at your own pace. (B)
Today, at a time to suit your departing train, make your way to Rome's Termini Railway Station to board a high-speed train to Naples. At the end of this comfortable journey of just over 1 hour and 10 minutes, you'll find your driver waiting in the railway station to bring you to your hotel in Sorrento. The remainder of today is yours to relax and enjoy as you choose. (B)
Today enjoy a spectacular small-group panoramic drive tour along the picturesque villages of the Amalfi Coast with breathtaking views of the sea. Magically suspended between the blue sky and the iridescent colored sea, the Amalfi coast seems to be born from the palette of a painter who wanted to use warmer color gradients for creating a landscape that enchants the visitor at the first shot. There are 13 towns spreading across a strip of land kissed by the sun and declared by UNESCO "World Heritage Site" - Let’s go to visit the 3 highlights! The first stop is Positano: developed vertically within a tangled overlay of streets, alleys, and shops that expose the colorful Positano fashions well-known all around the world. In the town center is the Parish Church of Santa Maria Assunta which shows up with its large dome, tiled in majolica, and sheltering some precious works like polychrome marble altars. The next stop is Amalfi: dominated by the majestic Cathedral dedicated to Sant'Andrea (St. Andrew), Amalfi proffers innumerable testimonies of its glorious past as a Maritime Republic. Lastly, we reach another pearl of the coast, Ravello: an elegant and refined village dipped in green and characterized by luxurious villas. The heart of Ravello is represented by Piazza Vescovado, framed by the architecture of Palazzo Rufolo and the Cathedral with its magnificent portal and 10-foot-high bell tower. Ravello is also famous all around the world for its Festival, in the garden of Villa Rufolo, where an evocative setting and the emotion of listening to great music create an experience of extraordinary intensity. You'll enjoy free time to explore all 3 villages on your own. After this final stop, transfer back to Sorrento and drop off at your accommodation or nearest meeting point. (B)
No Amalfi Coast vacation would be complete without visiting Capri and today you'll enjoy an unforgettable small-group cruise tour of this evocative island. You will be picked up from a central meeting point and transferred to the port of Piano di Sorrento, where you will board an exclusive Gozzo Sorrentino boat for a panoramic boat trip that will take you along the Sorrento coastline and Capri. Along the way, you can admire the ancient fishermen's village of “Marina Grande”, the ruins of a roman villa near “Bagni della Regina Giovanna”, the natural waterfall that flows from the rock, and other interesting spots of the Gulf. The skipper will take you on a tour around the island with stops by the Marvellous Grotto, the White Grotto on the east coast and the tunnel-like Green Grotto on the southwest coast. You'll be amazed by the stunning views of the Natural Arch, the Villa Curzio Malaparte, the iconic Faraglioni rocks, and the Lighthouse of Punta Carena. There will be a stop for swimming & snorkeling, or you can just enjoy a relaxing break with small snacks & drinks offered on board. Finally, we reach Capri's Marina Grande port where you'll have approximately 3-5 hours of free time to explore the island of Capri as you wish and enjoy lunch on your own. Return to Piano di Sorrento by boat enjoying a happy hour with Limoncello tasting onboard and transfer to the original meeting point. Please note stop at the Blue Grotto is not included in the itinerary and swim stops are subject to weather & sea conditions. Capri landing tax is payable locally. (B)
Travel today by high-speed train from Naples to Florence. Your private driver will collect you from your hotel in Sorrento and bring you to the railway station of Naples to begin this journey. Arriving in Florence, you'll find that your hotel is within easy walking distance of the railway station and of Florence's most important sites. (B)
This morning immerse yourself in the history of Florence and the art of Michelangelo, by visiting the city centre and the unique Accademia Gallery. Skip the line to enjoy, at your own pace, the beautiful Accademia Gallery, one of the most famous art galleries in the world. Among other wonderful masterpieces, you will be able to admire works of art by Michelangelo including his most famous work, David, as well as other important works of art such as“I Prigioni” and “San Matteo”. Then discover the best of Florence during a 1.5 hours guided walking tour. Starting from the very heart of Florence, your guide will take you on an exciting journey through time, revealing the history, anecdotes & secrets kept in this wonderful city from the still visible traces of the Roman foundation of the city (in 59 BC), to the Middle Ages and up to the glorious Renaissance, a period in which Florence was ruled by the powerful Medici family. You will admire the most iconic squares and monuments of Florence among noble palaces and artisan shops. Discover the spectacular Piazza della Signoria dominated by the majestic Palazzo Vecchio, the Renaissance Palazzo Strozzi, the iconic and picturesque Ponte Vecchio, the district of the Medici family with the ancient Basilica of San Lorenzo, the Medici Chapels, and Palazzo Medici-Riccardi, their first residence. You will surely be left breathless by the beauty of the monumental complex of the Duomo, with the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the famous Dome by Brunelleschi, the elegant Giotto's Bell Tower, and the beautiful Romanesque Baptistery of San Giovanni. Along with the guided walk, you can also enjoy the audio guide provided by an APP included in your tour. From your own mobile device, you will have unlimited access to the mobile city guide allowing you to explore other aspects of the city and suggested itineraries in total freedom and at your own pace! (B)
Today is yours to pass as you choose to enjoy Florence at your own pace. (B)
Today enjoy a memorable journey starting with the charming San Gimignano, world famous walled town located on a hilltop, which remained intact through the centuries, renowned for its tall towers, wonderful frescoes, and many other valuable works of art: here the tour leader will lead you to the historical center, where you will have around 2 hours of free time for a fascinating discovery. A short distance from San Gimignano we will stop at the charming historical hamlet of Monteriggioni, an amazing small medieval village enclosed by its famous walls, which remained standing to this day. Free time to explore. From Monteriggioni, crossing the gently Chianti rolling hills, a short ride will take you to a cozy Winery, where you can relax and enjoy the fantastic world of Chianti with its wine and typical products. You'll taste three fine wines, and balsamic vinegar and enjoy a Chianti-style lunch: 3 courses with “zero food miles” products which ends with "cantucci e vin santo". Later on, getting to Siena, you will meet your professional local guide who will lead you on a comprehensive walking tour of the historic center. Starting from Basilica of San Domenico, a jewel of Renaissance art built in the 13th century and dedicated to St. Catherine of Siena, you'll stroll along the narrow medieval streets of the city, flanked by splendid palaces and historic shops, to reach the famous Piazza del Campo, of which the Palazzo Pubblico (Town Hall) is the focal point. The walk continues to the spectacular Cathedral of the 12th century (inside visit if option selected), of which you can admire the magnificent architecture and the splendor of the polychrome marbles. You will also have some free time to end your perfect day enjoying the unique atmosphere of this amazing city, before the return to Florence in the evening. (B.L)
Monterosso, one of the five villages of the Cinque Terre is your next stop. Travel by train from Florence and find your hotel located within walking distance of the railway station. Check-in and enjoy the remainder of the day. While in Cinque Terre we suggest the purchase of a Cinque Terre Card. These convenient & economical passes can be purchased from any railway station and offer several services such as shuttle buses and usage of the trekking trails in the national park. (B)
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast at your hotel while planning how to pass your day. Should you follow one of the many hiking trails or simply relax on Monterosso's beach - the choice is yours! (B)
Another day to enjoy all that the Cinque Terre has to offer (B)
Last stop on your One & Only Italy Tour is Venice and you'll travel there today by train. On arrival make your way to your hotel and then spend the remainder of the day getting lost in the many lanes, alleyways, canals & bridges that make up the city of Venice. (B)
This morning an experienced guide will escort you through the millennium of life of the Serenissima Republic. Your tour starts with a historical introduction to St. Mark’s Square, and its architectural delights, allowing you to discover the history of the majestic St. Mark’s Basilica, the illustrious Doge’s Palace, once the seat of the power of the Republic of Venice, and the extraordinary, renaissance clock tower. Leaving the square, you will be guided into the residential Castello area, allowing you to discover this part of Venice in all of its elegance, through its labyrinth of narrow alleys - “calli”, many bridges, winding canals, and wide picturesque squares - “campi”. You can expect to discover the Santa Maria Formosa Square, one of the largest squares in Venice with its church, named after its visitation of the Holy Virgin; the Saints Giovanni and Paolo Square where you will be able to admire the famous church, the resting place of several Doges; and the equestrian monument of Bartolomeo Colleoni, an Italian mercenary Captain. The former residence of Marco Polo, probably the most famous Venetian merchant, and the Malibran theatre are also part of the itinerary. After this 1.5-hour walk, you will head to the Doge's Palace, formerly the seat of power of the Republic of Venice, for a guided tour. Once inside the Palace, you will visit the halls where the Duke (Doge) and his Council controlled the fate of the Serene Republic, whilst surrounded by hundreds of artistic masterpieces, and discover the political history of Venice and its people. You will be able to admire the paintings realized by some of the most important artists of the Italian Renaissance, amongst them, the world's largest oil painting by Tintoretto. Passing through the famous Bridge of Sighs, you will reach the new prisons before the tour concludes in the courtyard of the Doge's Palace. The remainder of the day is free to pass as you please, perhaps selecting an optional excursion to visit the famous islands of Murano, Burano & Torcello, or a gondola ride through Venice's canals. (B)
Today marks the end of your wonderful One & Only Italy Tour. At a time to suit your departing flight, make your way to the airport to begin your journey home. Arrivederci! (B)
Some excursions included in this Rail Tour do not operate daily and the itinerary will be modified to suit your departure date.
This One & Only Italy Tour can be customised to suit your ideal Italy vacation.