Italian Showcase
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15 Days
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Italy
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Steady pace
A whirlwind intercity adventure that takes in winding lanes of medieval towns, world-famous works of art and architectural treasures in Italy’s best-loved cities.
Your journey starts here
Most popular
Highlights
| VIP private home pick-up service |
| Flights |
| Transfers |
| Services of a tour director |
| Accommodation |
| Selected meals |
| Porterage |
| All airport taxes |
| Single share option |
| VIP private home pick-up |
VIP private home pick-up
Book a 2018 holiday before 31 July and our home pick-up service is doubled to 100 miles.
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Overview
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
Day 8
Day 9
Day 10
Day 11
Day 12
Day 13
Day 14
Day 15
Your detailed itinerary
Tour departing on 29th October 2017
Meals included: 14 breakfasts, 1 lunch, 7 dinners
Overview
A whirlwind intercity adventure that takes in winding lanes of medieval towns, world-famous works of art and architectural treasures in Italy’s best-loved cities.
At a glance
- Florence Explore the city’s architectural treasures on a guided walking tour.
- Greve Enjoy a hearty lunch at the Vicchiomaggio Wine Estate.
- Chianti Classico Valley Enjoy a wine cellar and lunch tasting
- Pisa Tour the world-famous Square of Miracles.
- Verona Gaze up at the 13th century balcony where Juliet is said to have stood.
- Venice canal boat ride See the Palazzos, the Bridge of Sighs and St Mark's Square.
- Rome Visit the largest colosseum ever built as part of your guided city tour.
Day 1
UK - Rome
Fly to Rome where you will be met by our representative and transferred to your hotel for the night.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 2
Rome - Orvieto - Tuscan Hills
Drink in the Umbrian countryside as you head for Orvieto, a winemaking town on a high volcanic outcrop. Admire its black and yellow 14th-century cathedral, which took 300 years to build and overflows with frescoes and works of art. Afterwards, drive through classic Tuscan landscapes past the hill towns of Chianti before arriving at your hotel for four nights.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 3
Tuscan Hills at leisure
Spend today relaxing at leisure or take our optional excursion to two of Tuscany's most enchanting towns. With its pepperpot-shaped towers, cobbled streets and tall townhouses, hilltop San Gimignano looks as if it has bypassed time itself. Another medieval masterpiece, Siena's narrow lanes and russet-painted mansions cluster around its famous Piazza del Campo. Shaped like a scallop, this café-lined square is the setting for its fabled Palio horse race.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 4
Tuscan Hills - Florence - Tuscan Hills
Brimming with artistic and architectural treasures, Renaissance Florence is heaven for culture vultures. Your full day excursion makes the most of this glorious city, ruled over for centuries by the Medici family. Enjoy a guided walk around its architectural treasures.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 5
Tuscan Hills - Greve - Pisa - Tuscan Hills
This morning we visit one of the celebrated wine estates in the Chianti Classico valley to see the magnificent environment in which the wine is created, and where we enjoy a wonderful lunch. Afterwards, we drive to Pisa to see its world-famous Square of Miracles, home to the Leaning Tower. Building started in 1173, this extraordinary tower started to lean soon afterwards due to poor foundations, before being completed in the 14th century. Admire the nearby Duomo, Baptistry and Campo Santo cemetery.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 6
Tuscan Hills - Verona - Venice area
Travel through the Po Valley to Verona on the River Adige. Laid out in a grid by the Romans, Verona, called the 'Pink City' serves up a wealth of sights, including 'Juliet's Balcony', which Shakespeare had Romeo climb to meet his lover. Take in all of the city's sights with a guided walking tour before continuing your travels to the Venice area.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 7
Venice
After a short drive and a boat trip along the Giudecca Canal, arrive in what is arguably the world's most beautiful city, Venice. An independent state and major maritime power during the Middle Ages, its narrow canals, ornate footbridges and exquisite architecture never fails to impress. Enjoy a simply unforgettable canal boat ride and a demonstration of the historic Venetian delicate art of glass blowing. Get to know this magical city at your will, exploring piazzas, palazzos and churches.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 8
Venice area - Ravenna - San Marino
This morning, depart the Venice area and begin your journey to San Marino. En-route make a stop in Ravenna, known for its domed churches before arriving in San Marino, Europe's third smallest independent state.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 9
San Marino - Urbino - Gubbio - Assisi area
Today the first stop is Urbino, the birthplace of Raphael. Nestling on a hillside, this walled town is dominated by a twin-towered Ducal Palace, the setting for 15th century Europe's most illustrious court. Next, carry on to medieval Gubbio, whose fairytale Palazzo Dei Consoli commands sweeping views over its rooftops and countryside beyond. Finally, drive towards Fuego, the birthplace of St Francis.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 10
Assisi area - Naples
Your day begins at the major Catholic pilgrimage site of Assisi. Admire Giotto's frescoes in its breathtaking 13th century Basilica, before crossing the Apennines to the Mediterranean coast for three nights in historic Naples.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 11
Naples - Capri by Ferry - Naples
Depart Naples and cross into Capri by way of ferry. Stroll through this island's pretty piazza's and exclusive avenues studded with boutiques and restaurants. Return to Naples this evening for to overnight stays.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 12
Naples - Pompeii - Sorrento - Naples
Get to know bustling Naples on an orientation drive before heading for Pompeii. Walk with your guide to its astonishing archaeological sites before spending the evening in colour Sorrento.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 13
Naples - Montecassino - Rome
Leave Naples this morning and stop in Montecassino. This famous hilltop Benedictine Abbey, was the site of a important World War II battle. Continue to Rome, where you'll have free time to acquaint yourself with the 'Eternal City'. Alternatively, dig deeper into the city on one of our optional sightseeing tours.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 14
Rome
With its ancient monuments, Renaissance art and grand fountains and palaces, Rome spans the millennia like no other city on earth. Today's included sightseeing takes in its greatest sights, from St Peter's Square to the inside visits of the Roman Forum and majestic Colosseum - the largest ever built in the Roman Empire. Afterwards, there's time to explore on your own or take one of our optional excursions.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Day 15
Rome - UK
Transfer to the airport for your flight to the UK.
Meals included
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Dinner
Hotels
- Rome: Buenos Aires or Holiday Inn Express S Giovanni
- Tuscan Hills: Aquaviva at Casole d'Elsa or Toscana Ambassador Poggibonsi
- Venice area: Poppi at Mira or Holiday Inn at Marghera
- San Marino: GHSM Group
- Assisi area: Holiday Inn Express at Foligno
- Naples: M Gallery Palazzo Caracciolo or Holiday Inn
- Rome: Buenos Aires or Holiday Inn Express S Giovanni
Notes
Accommodation as stated or similar
Latest customer reviews
17/08/2016
Would have liked to have known this involved a lot of walking, but the locations visited on this tour were fantastic.
20/07/2016
Enjoyed the tour and the variety of places we visited, some of the hotels were basic and the food provided was not good and this was an issue especially as most of the hotels were remote location, this led to us really having no choice but to take up on the meal excursions which were pricing when you did them all, all the hotel staff were however friendly and helpful and this did help. The tour director and driver were very good and professional but friendly and approachable. The local tour guides were excellent except for one. The overall trip was a little rushed and would perhaps benefit with slightly less on the itinerary and more time is some of the places e.g. Verona. Excursions this was a little of an issue for me - e.g. when booking you were not given the full details for example the length of time these excursions take e,g the Vatican was only 2.5 hours with only about 1 hour in the museum this was 60 euro per head and I might not have taken the excursion if I had know this. However, saying that the local guide was excellent and very interesting. Finally a complaint the Capri tour was awful and I paid 60 euro each for me and my son what amounted to a very uninterested guide and the people who didn't take the excursion saw more of the island at very little cost.