Italian Elegance - Small Group

Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Transfers depart from Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport for your hotel. Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director, and getting to know your fellow travelers over a delicious Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant.

In the morning enjoy the very best of the city’s highlights including visiting the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican with your Local Expert and see the Colosseum and Circus Maximus.  In the afternoon, enjoy fast-track entry into the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Admire the Papal art collection and observe the stunning Museo Gregoriano Profano which documents various moments and themes in classical art, from Ancient Greece through to the late Imperial Roman age. Enter the Sistine Chapel to marvel at Michelangelo’s masterpiece on its ceiling. Then you'll be privileged to an exclusive Highlight Dinner inside the Ethnological Museum.​

Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. After, continue on foot to admire the multi-colored 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 café, 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.

Spend time exploring the maze of alleyways and admire scenic views across the valley. Ascend serpentine alleyways to the artisan gelato parlour of world champion gelato maestro, Sergio Dondoli, for a taste of his finest frozen treats.

Drive through the patchwork of vines, olives and cypresses that typify the Chianti hills before continuing to the delightful town of Lucca. Taste the lavish loaves of buccellato, Lucca's sweet raisin anise bread. Head for Pisa and see the incredible Leaning Tower, from which Galileo is said to have conducted experiments on velocity and gravity. See the splendid cathedral and baptistery, decorated with mosaics and designs in solid marble. Next, cruise along the rugged Ligurian coast to the elegant seaside village of Portofino, the epitome of la dolce vita (should weather permit). Continue along the coast to the pretty seaside resort of Santa Margherita Ligure.

Head for the port of La Spezia for a highlight of your travels and one of Italy's most beautiful landscapes, the Cinque Terre. With a Local Expert, appreciate the views as you approach one of the picturesque fishing villages by boat. For lunch, enjoy a delicious Sea-to-Table dining experience. Enjoy leisure time to admire the colored houses, browse the boutiques or simply stay a while in the cafe bars on the piazzetta, watching the yachts moored in the harbor.

Head north to the beautiful Italian Lake District, a favorite retreat of the rich and famous where Alpine scenery combines with lush vegetation. Relax and enjoy an afternoon at leisure at this popular resort and beautiful lake.

Travel through the stunning northern Italian countryside to one of the world’s most breath-taking wine regions. Protected by the Alps to the north, and caressed by the warm breezes from the Adriatic, the vineyards around Conegliano Veneto produce Italy’s most prized sparkling wine. Great care is taken to ensure these hand-picked grapes produce the world's finest prosecco and you see how production differs from its more famous French counterpart, champagne. Be tempted with a taste of the crisp and aromatic flavors and learn how to make the perfect bellini. Continue through the Dolomites, to the mountain resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo.

The whole day is free for you to explore the colorful peaks and sheer valleys of the Dolomites, one of the most impressive mountain ranges in the Alps. During summer, once the snow and ice have melted away, a breathtaking landscape is revealed. There are a number of walking tracks through pristine Alpine wilderness for the adventurous to explore, or for a more relaxed pace, perhaps take a thrilling Optional Experience to the summit of one of the peaks for breathtaking panoramic views?

Descend through the mountains to the romantic city of Venice.  A private boat glides you past canals lined with ornate palaces to St Mark’s Square. See the basilica, the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, before checking into your luxurious hotel.  With the afternoon at leisure, why not cruise the Venetian Lagoon to the island of Burano for a meal of local specialties and wine?

Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts center, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. Then there is free time to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this incredible city at your own pace. Mingle with the locals at the open air markets near the Rialto Bridge and explore the back lanes and squares where Venetians go about their day. Later, on your romantic gondola serenade, glide along the atmospheric canals exploring the intimate and hidden parts of this unique city while musicians set the mood with traditional songs. This evening, stroll past the famous Opera House to our restaurant for a magical Celebration Dinner.

Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo Airport.