Classic Italy tour
Day 1 Overnight flight
Day 2 Rome
Benvenuto in Italia! Arrival at Rome airport. Meet your local driver and tour escort, who will accompany you into the city centre. Your Italian journey starts at the Piazza Navona, the largest square in Rome and definitely the one with the most grandeur. In the midst of street artists, painters and musicians , there are also three ornate fountains, a lot of restaurants and the Baroque church of Sant Agnese in Agone to see at the square. Your tour escort will accompany you to the Pantheon and the famous Trevi Fountain, where you can throw a coin and make a wish. From here it is only a short walk to the Spanish Steps and the Piazza di Spagna. Check in at the hotel and have some time to relax before dinner.
Welcome dinner and overnight in Rome.
Day 3 Rome
Meet your local guide for a guided visit of the Holy See’s independent city state. Vatican City, full of fascinating history and artistic masterpieces. Visit the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica, with its dome designed by Michelangelo, Bernini’s bronze Baldacchino and Michelangelo’s statue of the Pieta. Highlights also include the collections of Classical Antiquities, Gallery of Maps, the Round Room, and the Hellenistic art in the Belvedere Courtyard. This impressive tour ends at Saint Peter’s Square. Afterwards you will have lunch together at a local restaurant. The afternoon is free to explore this stunning city on your own.
Overnight in Rome.
Day 4 Rome
After breakfast you will be met by your local guide. Today’s program includes a walking tour of Ancient Rome. You will start at the impressive Colosseum. Walk through this 49 meter high Amphitheater and imagine yourself in Roman antiquity. Especially the countless Doric, Ionic and Corinthian capitals in the half columns make the history tangible. Continue to the Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills of Rome. This is the place where the city was founded and where roman emperors lived. Step back in time, hear stories and centuries-old urban myths about everyday life in Ancient Rome. Walk along the Via Sacra, the main road to access the Roman Forum. Forum means square, so this was the center of public life in Ancient Rome, the square where all important events in Rome took place. This evening, conclude your stay in the ‘Eternal City’ in style, with a traditional Italian dinner and live music.
Overnight in Rome.
Day 5 Rome – San Gimignano – Florence
This morning you will leave Rome and head to Florence. Before doing so, you will first make a short de-tour to visit San Gimignano. The town is beautifully perched between the rolling hills of Tuscany, surrounded by green fields and vineyards. The fourteen remaining towers, dominate the silhouette of this settlement and can be seen from afar. San Gimignano is one of the best preserved Medieval towns in Italy and UNESCO World Heritage listed not without a reason. In the 13th century the city consisted out of about seventy towers. The towers served as a residences and fortifications, but mainly as prestige objects for rival families. Discover this charming town at your own pace. Do not forget to taste a delicious Italian ice cream at the gelateria on the central square, Piazza della Cisterna. Travel onwards to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance and home to many of the world’s greatest art treasures.
Overnight in Florence.
Day 6 Florence
A full day of Florence sightseeing is on the program today. Get carried away by this enchanting city of grandeur. Your local expert guide will show you the highlights of Florence on a guided walking tour. You will see the Piazza del Duomo with a visit to the Baptistery dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. In the historical centre you will stop at the Piazza della Repubblica and the Strozzi Palace. Continue to the city’s vibrant and main square, Piazza della Signoria. As you proceed, the impressive Basilica di Santa Croce appears. On your way to the Oltrarno quarter you will cross the river Arno, via the famous and photogenic Ponte Vecchio bridge. In this characteristic neighbourhood , you will see various local craftsmen shops and the beautiful Augustinian Santo Spirito Church and Convent. During this tour you will also visit to the renowned Galleria dell’Accademia to see Michelangelo’s famous statue of David. Remainder of the afternoon and evening at leisure. Overnight in Florence.
Day 7 Florence – Padua
After breakfast you will leave Florence and travel to Padua, the city. The oldest city of Northern Italy with its Medieval palaces, churches and cobbled streets. Upon arrival you will enjoy lunch together at a local restaurant. Padua is one of the most important Italian cities of art and is marked by centuries of history. There are numerous monuments to visit, particularly those built between the 13th and 15th centuries, the most flourishing period from the artistic point of view. A local guide will show you some of the best sights such as Scrovegni Chapel, the Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta and Baptistery. Remainder of the afternoon at leisure to explore this marvelous city on your own.
Overnight in Padua.
Day 8 Padua – Venice – Padua
Today you will visit Venice, a legendary city built on 117 islands, which are separated by 150 canals and 400 bridges. From the Venezian Tronchetto you will travel by boat to San Marco Square. Waterfront palaces and lavishly decorated facades give the feeling that you are sailing through the Grand Canal as if you were passing through a painting. Venice is without a doubt one of the most intriguing and romantic cities in the world. Meet your local guide at the famous San Marco Square with its iconic red-brick Bell Tower. During a guided walking tour you will visit the Byzantine Basilica of Saint Mark and the Doge’s Palace which was seat of government, the law court, and a prison as well. See the Bridge of Sighs, the former path of prisoners from the Doge’s Palace to the adjacent prison. The afternoon is free to explore the winding canals, the famous Rialto Bridge, the elegant shops and many art galleries and museums on your own. You will conclude this wonderful day with a dinner in atmospheric Venice. Overnight in Padua.
Day 9 Padua – Verona – Lake Garda, Sirmione – Milan
Following breakfast, you will travel to Verona, the second most important art center in the Veneto region after Venice. Explore Verona during a guided walking tour. You will see the Arena, and the Duomo with its 12C Romanesque chancel, a Gothic nave and a Classical-style tower. Verona was the setting of the apocryphal drama of Romeo and Juliet in 1302 when political conflict raged. The tragic young couple immortalized by Shakespeare belonged to rival families. During the guided tour you will see the famous balcony of Romeo and Juliet. Afterwards you will travel to the charming village of Sirmione on Lake Garda (largest Lake of Italy) which is surrounded by mountains and therefore has a nice temperate climate. A local guide will take you on a walking tour to see some historical monuments like the Scaliger Castle and Grotto di Catullo. Scaliger Castle is built in the 13th century to defend Sirmione against intruders it guards the only footbridge into town. Grotto di Catullo, now ruins of a Roman villa built at the beginning of our era and situated on the north end of the Sirmione peninsula. After this visit you will continue your way to the outskirts of Milan. Overnight in Milan Malpensa Airport area.
Day 10 Departure
After breakfast departure to Milan Malpensa Airport for you flight back home.