Discover all the magnificences of Italy. From Naples (South) to Venice (North). Explore the cities, taste the .... and enjoy your private experiences.
Arrive in Naples and transfer to your hotel. Welcome dinner.
Embark on a walking tour of Sorrento, a Belle époque treasure of elegant streets with a stunning view across the Bay of Naples. Travel the famously scenic Amalfi coast, pausing in Positano, a town built into the cliff face, before continuing to delightful Amalfi. Visit the 10 th-century Duomo fronted by a beautifully colored 13th-century façade.
Start your journey this morning with a cruise by hydrofoil to the Mediterranean island paradise of Capri. You may visit the town of Capri via cable car, and also take a boat to the iridescent Blue Grotto. This afternoon make an artisan connection, when you meet a local mozzarella producer and learn how the cheese is made before enjoying a sample.
Travel north this morning to Rome, stopping en route in the ancient city of Pompeii, which was buried in volcanic ash and essentially frozen in time when Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. The excavated city now offers incredible insights into Roman life. A specialist local guide joins you to bring this extraordinary place to life. After lunch, resume your journey north, arriving in Rome in the late afternoon. This evening explore the Trastevere district with a local resident, ending with a wine-tasting an dinner.
Journey through history today with a visit to the Imperial Roman Forum, the ancient political, commercial and religious center of Roman life. Afterward, visit the Colosseum where gladiators fought pitched battles with each other and wild beasts before crowds of over 50,000 spectators. Continue to Vatican City, View the treasures of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel with its unparalleled frescoes by Michelangelo. Visit St. Peter’s Basilica, with its elaborate interior of marble, mosaic, gilt and bronze.
Visit the Piazza Navona and the remarkable Fountain of the four Rivers, and continue to the Pantheon, one of the most widely copied buildings in the Western world. Later stop at the iconic Trevi Fountain and then continue to the charming Campo de Fiori, whose local food market delights the senses. Spend your afternoon exploring at leisure.
Travel north this morning to the famed region of Tuscany, stopping en route in the scenic Tuscan town of Siena. Here your local guide introduces you to the Piazza del Campo, one of the finest main squares in Italy, and the Palazzo Pubblico, which has served as Siena’s town hall since the 14th century. In the afternoon visit Siena’s Duomo, one of the finest Gothic cathedrals in Italy. Continue through the Tuscan countryside to Montecatini Terme.
Discover the extraordinary beauty of the Cinque Terre ( Five Lands), five scenic villages built along the steep coastal cliffs of Liguria on the Italian Riviera. Board the local train at Levanto and visit Vernazza, a beautiful village consisting of tall, colorful houses and a church clustered together at the head of a sheltered cove. Manarola is a fishing village set amid terraced vineyards where you can walk to view the coast and visit other neighboring villages. Time permitting, you may also visit Riomaggiore, a medieval village set in a narrow valley. Continue to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance.
Florence is a vast and beautiful monument to the Renaissance, and Michelangelo Botticelli and Donatello were its artist laureates, transforming the city into one of the world’s greatest centers of fine art. A specialist art guide accompanies you on visits to the Uffizi Gallery. Later visit Villa Castelloand Villa della Petraia, home of two outstanding terraced gardens created by the Medici family.
Savor the sights of the San Lorenzo market halls before enjoying a three hour culinary class, where your chef shares the secrets of Florentine cooking. Enjoy the fruits of your labor for lunch. Later in the day, explore Florence on your own.
Travelling by coach to Venice, stop en route this morning to enjoy a gastronomic treat: a private tasting of balsamic vinegar in an acetaia owned by a renowned balsamic vinegar producer and his family. Hear the history of vinegar making, and then join the family for a light lunch of local specialties. Then continue to Venice.
Visit St. Mark’s Basilica, with its rich decorations of marbles and golden mosaics, and the Doge’s Palace before continuing to the bustling Rialto district. By special arrangement visit the atelier that crafts Venice’s iconic Carnival costumes, housed in a place still occupied by of one of the oldest families in Venice. Tour the palace, and then learn the history of the costumes and how they are made.
Transfer to the airport for your flight home.
