Ultimate Italy
Ultimate Italy
$9925
Ultimate Italy
12 Days Starting in Rome and ending in Venice
Visiting: Rome, Pompeii, Capri, Umbria, San Gimignano, Florence, Pisa, Cinque Terre, Venice
Tour operator:
Tour code:
G200ZM20
Guide Type:
Fully Guided
Group size:
18 - 22
Age range:
5-99
Special diets catered:
Please advise request
Tour operated in:
EnglishTrip Styles:
Interests:
Activities:
Tour Overview
Enjoy the ultimate Italian experience during this 12-day guided tour. Sail to the sun-drenched island of Capri, where you will join a Local Expert for a tour of the infamous Faraglioni Rocks — three towering rocks jutting out from the Mediterranean Sea. At lunch, sit down to an Italian feast at the Michelin-starred Le Monzù, where you will have sweeping views of the Gulf of Naples while savouring dishes made from fresh, seasonal ingredients. See Florence your way with a choice of activities: Join an art historian and visit the Accademia to see Michelangelo's David or walk with a local food expert and taste this Tuscan town’s most decadent treats. In Venice, visit the Doge's Palace with a Local Expert and without the crowds — the expansive residence is yours alone to explore after hours.
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Assisi: Join a Local Expert for a guided visit to the imposing Basilica of St. Francis.
- Assisi: Treat your palate as you sample Umbrian specialties at an exclusive tasting experience. Sample fine wines, olive oil, local cheese, and truffle infused delicacies.
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Florence: Join an art historian to immerse yourself in Renaissance Florence. Visit the Accademia Museum and marvel at the statue of David, a Michelangelo masterpiece. See the impressive trio of the Duomo, Bell Tower and Baptistery before arriving to Piazza della Signoria, traditionally the political heart of the city.
- Florence: Join a local foodie and get to know Florence one bite at a time on your walking tour. Learn about Florentine specialities and sample a selection of gourmet highlights.
Make Travel Matter
Perugia: Meet Marta, fourth-generation weaver and recipient of a TreadRight Foundation grant at Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti. Discover how she and her weavers are preserving the medieval Umbrian tradition of loom-weaving at their artisanal workshop and sharing their own piece of a colourful history. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience Marta and her students help to safeguard the unique patterns while contributing to the protection of Umbria’s cultural heritage. The workshop is owned by women and actively empowers women and girls through its education and training programs.
Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing at a long-standing arts centre, where you can see the artisans create singular works of beautiful art. On this MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience discover more about this incredible craft that has been part of Venetian culture for several centuries. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft.
Exceptional Dining
Rome: As night falls, delight in the romance of the Eternal City before gathering for a delicious dinner of Italian cuisine and wine at a restaurant known only to locals, near Rome’s famous Pantheon. Watch the world go by as you savour a meal with new friends.
Capri: After your morning cruise, cool off from the Mediterranean sun with a refreshing local beverage, the lemon granita. Freshly made with sweet Sicilian lemons, this tasty drink will add zing to your day before more exploring.
Capri: Savour Mediterranean flavours in perfect Caprese style, created with passion from fresh, local produce at Michelin-starred Le Monzù restaurant.
San Gimignano: Get a taste of magnificence in gelato form. Ascend serpentine alleyways to the artisan ice cream parlour of World Champion Gelato maestro, Sergio Dondoli, for a taste of his creamiest treats. It may be difficult to leave.
San Gimignano: Explore Guardastelle with a wine expert to learn about the various grape varieties and visit the ancient cellars, where you will enjoy a wine tasting. Afterwards, indulge in a lunch of Tuscan specialties and beautiful views of the rolling hills and vineyards.
Florence: Enjoy dinner in an elegant Florentine villa, where you’ll dine on regional dishes including the famous local specialty 'Fiorentina' - a Tuscan beef steak, seasoned and grilled to perfection.
Tuscany: Immerse yourself in the culture of Tuscan food with a hands-on cooking class in the former hunting lodge of the Medici family. Source fresh ingredients from the blooming garden and learn how to roll your own fresh pasta with a professional Italian chef.
Venice: Enjoy a traditional Venetian meal in a local restaurant.
Itinerary
Day 1: Buongiorno Rome
Location: Rome
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento.
Meals Included: Dinner
2025 marks a Jubilee Year, a momentous Roman Catholic event celebrated every 25 years, turning Rome into a centre of celebration. As festivities unfold, itineraries may be adjusted to ensure you make the most of your time as you visit the Eternal City. Begin your Italy luxury tour journeying to your luxurious hotel by private chauffeur. Tonight, enjoy the ambience of the Eternal City strolling through cobbled streets before dining on fine Italian cuisine beneath the gaze of the Pantheon.
Day 2: Rome And The Vatican
Location: Rome
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: NH Collection Roma Palazzo Cinquecento.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Explore the Eternal City and Vatican Museums with the guidance of a Local Expert. Admire magnificent frescos and unlock religious history before crossing the Tiber to view the mighty Colosseum and the Roman Forum.
Day 3: Pompeii And The Isle Of Capri / Sorrento
Location: Pompeii
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Quisisana Hotel, Hotel Sorrento Palace (Seaview Executive Rooms).
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
At the foot of Mount Vesuvius, your Local Expert paints a vivid picture of the past at the ruins of Pompei. Journey south through dramatic coastal scenery and lemon groves to your luxurious hotel in Capri or Sorrento (date dependent) and enjoy an elegant dinner of local specialties.
Day 4: Explore The Isle Of Dreams Relaxed Start
Location: Capri
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Quisisana Hotel, Hotel Sorrento Palace (Seaview Executive Rooms).
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
For guests staying in Capri, indulge in a Relaxed Start. A private cruise shows off Capri’s dramatic coastline as you wind your way into hidden coves and visit the White Grotto. Enjoy a ride on the historic funicular to admire breathtaking scenery before strolling through the famous Piazzetta. Dine in style at Michelin-starred restaurant Le Monzù.
Day 5: Umbria, Assisi And Perugia
Location: Umbria
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Brufani, Perugia.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Journey through vineyards and olive groves discovering Umbria and personalise your day. View the 28 incredible frescos of the Basilica of St. Francis with a local historian. Or, with the help of your local gourmand, learn the roots of Umbrian cuisine and taste heavenly flavours including local olive oils and truffle-infused cured meats. Tonight stay in the heart of Perugia's medieval town.
Day 6: San Gimignano And Tuscany Relaxed Start
Location: San Gimignano
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Montebello Splendid, Florence.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Fourth-generation weaver Marta shares the art of medieval Umbrian tradition of loom-weaving on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Delight in a private wine tasting tour with the owners of Guardastelle Estate and lunch surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. Indulge in sensational gelato with World Champion Gelato maestro, Sergio Dondoli.
Day 7: Renaissance Florence
Location: Florence
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Montebello Splendid, Florence.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Personalise your morning in Florence with an art or gourmet exploration. Join an art historian to explore Renaissance Florence in the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s David, or explore markets and gourmet stores with a local food expert, illuminating Florentine specialties. Take a fascinating foraging trip for the region's aromatic truffles guided by an expert truffle dog. Dine on regional dishes including 'Fiorentina' — Tuscan steak seasoned and grilled to perfection — over dinner at a Tuscan Villa.
Day 8: Tuscan Cuisine And Pisa Relaxed Start
Location: Pisa
Accommodation: Hotel
Accommodation Name: Hotel Montebello Splendid, Florence.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch
Enjoy another Relaxed Start before exploring a former hunting lodge built in the 1200s by the Medici family. Using produce from the estate's vegetable and herb garden, do as the locals do, learning from a professional Italian chef how to roll pasta by hand. Sample the fruits of your labour accompanied by some of the estate's exquisite wines. In Pisa, marvel at the gravity-defying tower, Duomo and baptistery with a Local Historian.
Day 9: Exploring The Cinque Terre
Location: Cinque Terre
Accommodation: Resort
Accommodation Name: Grand Hotel Bristol Resort & Spa, Rapallo.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
At the UNESCO-listed Cinque Terre, join your Local Expert and visit the cliffside towns of Manarola and Monterosso. Here, colourful houses perched upon steep, rugged coastline overlook the sparkling Mediterranean. Reach Rapallo for your stay at your luxurious hotel.
Day 10: Venice And The Doge’S Palace
Location: Venice
Accommodation Name: Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice.
Meals Included: Breakfast
Cross the fertile plains of the River Po and arrive by water taxi. Cruise the elegant Grand Canal to view the luxurious palaces before sitting back in a classic gondola to ride through the quieter, hidden canals. Step behind the velvet ropes as you enter the Doge's Palace for an after-hours tour guided by a local art historian.
Day 11: The Magic Of Venice Relaxed Start
Location: Venice
Accommodation Name: Radisson Collection Hotel, Palazzo Nani Venice.
Meals Included: Breakfast, Dinner
Unlock the centuries-old craft of glassblowing and join a Local Expert to explore the hidden lanes of Venice, learning the secrets of its past and present. Delight in a celebratory evening of local delicacies this evening.
Day 12: Arrivederci Venice
Location: Venice
Meals Included: Breakfast
Your Italian voyage ends in style, with a private boat ride to Venice’s Marco Polo Airport.
What's Included
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Meals
As detailed in itinerary.
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Additional Services
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary, available on departures with 15 or more guests. Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
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Airport Transfers at Destination
Complimentary, airport transfers are included on start and end dates and when additional accommodation has been booked through Luxury Gold. Guests will be transferred with fellow Luxury Gold Travellers that arrive on the same flight. Complimentary, private train station transfers are included when train travel is included within the itinerary. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city of the itinerary, may be requested but are not guaranteed.
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Fully Guided
You will be escorted by one of our fine Travelling Concierges, handpicked to serve as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
What's Not Included
International Travel
Dining Summary
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 11 Breakfast (B)
- 3 Lunch (L)
Additional Included Highlights
- Enjoy seamless personal assistance throughout your journey. From securing exclusive reservations, to organising transportation, your Travel Concierge ensures every aspect of your travel is tailored to your tastes and preferences.
- In select destinations, our network of Local Expert Guides will illuminate your journey on a deeper level. ?
- Included at all hotels.
- Hotel taxes, porterage and tips, as well as tips for included dining experiences, are included.
- Enjoy breakfast every morning, and an array of incredible dining options throughout your journey, infused with discovery and adventure.
- On days where a Relaxed Start (RS) is indicated, you can select to indulge in breakfast in bed.?
- Enjoy complimentary hotel Wi-Fi. And, on select coaches, onboard Wi-Fi may also be available.
- Transfers are included on your journey start and end dates, and where additional accommodation has been booked in advance through Luxury Gold. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city as the itinerary, may be requested.
Curated Experiences
- Vatican: Enter the Vatican Museums and visit the Sistine Chapel on a tour with your Local Expert. Be awed by the frescoes that adorn the walls and roof, painted by masters such as Michelangelo, Botticelli and Ghirlandaio.
- Venice: Triumphantly enter the Doge's Palace as a guardian permits only you and your travelling companions to enter for an after-hours tour. Discover the art, culture and history of the Venetian Republic in a small, intimate group.
Magnificent Stays
- Capri: Overlooking Capri's central plaza, Quisisana Hotel is in prime position for exploring the Isle of Capri. Rooms are desigined with effortless Mediterranean elegance, matching perfectly with the idyllic backdrop of lush greenery and turquoise water.
Passport Moments
- Rome: Every side street has something to offer, as you’ll see on a guided exploration of the hidden sites of Rome with your knowledgeable Local Expert. Get away from the crowds and discover more culture and art in this living masterpiece.
- Pompeii: Walk with a Local Expert through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the 1st century, when a volcanic eruption engulfed the streets. Hear more about the lavish lives the locals lived and visit well-preserved ruins of baths and local shops.
- Capri: Arrive in style for your overnight stay as the jet-set do, travelling to your luxurious Capri hotel by open-top taxi. Don’t forget your headscarf or hat and sunglasses so passersby can speculate about the visiting VIP.
- Capri: Embark on a private cruise that takes you around the dramatic coast of Capri to seek out hidden coves and grottos that few get to see. The White Grotto is a dazzling sight with the stalactites that dangle over its entrance.
- San Gimignano: Visit this small hillside city and find out why it's called the 'medieval Manhattan of Italy'. Enter the exquisite Porto San Giovanni, the main city gate, that has stood the test of time since the 13th century. Explore well-preserved streets and beautiful ceramic stores.
- Pisa: Accompanied by your Local Expert, marvel at the gravity-defying Leaning Tower of Pisa and see the Duomo and baptistery.
- Cinque Terre: Experience some of the most awe-inspiring coastal scenery on earth at the UNESCO-listed Cinque Terre. Join your Local Expert and discover charming Manarola, a picturesque ?shing village, before travelling by train to the historic and colourful resort town of Rapallo.
- Venice: Take a private water taxi along the Grand Canal to make an elegant arrival at your luxurious hotel, which sits right by the water’s edge. Soak up the romance of this enchanting city as you experience a relaxing journey on the water.
- Venice: Enjoy a private cruise of Venice's Grand Canal, admire historical palaces, eastern architecture and daily Venetian life from your private water taxi cruising through the most famous of Venice's canals.
- Venice: Let yourself be swept away by romance with a ride on a traditional gondola through the canals of Venice. See hidden corners of the city and soak up the atmosphere while being serenaded by your gondolier.
- Venice: Join your Local Expert for an enriching exploration of the many wondrous sights of Venice. Admire St. Mark’s Basilica, a brilliant example of Italo-Byzantine architecture, and feel the whispers from the Bridge of Sighs, a historic passageway to the Doge's Palace.
Personalise your day
- Assisi: Join a Local Expert for a guided visit to the imposing Basilica of St. Francis.
- Assisi: Treat your palate as you sample Umbrian specialties at an exclusive tasting experience. Sample fine wines, olive oil, local cheese, and truffle infused delicacies.
- Florence: Join an art historian to immerse yourself in Renaissance Florence. Visit the Accademia Museum and marvel at the statue of David, a Michelangelo masterpiece. See the impressive trio of the Duomo, Bell Tower and Baptistery before arriving to Piazza della Signoria, traditionally the political heart of the city.
- Florence: Join a local foodie and get to know Florence one bite at a time on your walking tour. Learn about Florentine specialities and sample a selection of gourmet highlights.
Check out our Q&As
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Is there a limit to luggage that can be brought on the tour?
Each guest can bring a single bag measuring no more than 77.5cm (30.5in) x 56cm (22in) x 32cm (12.5in) and weight not exceeding 50 lbs. (23kg). You can also bring one hand luggage bag that is no bigger than 12”x11”x6” (30x28x14cm) to fit under your coach seat or in the small overhead compartment. Hand luggage cannot have wheels or a telescopic handle.
If you wish to bring a second item of luggage, please request this at time of booking. Additional charges will apply. -
Do you require a visa for this holiday?
Ensure you have a valid passport for all the countries you will visit or travel through; many countries require your passport to be valid for a longer period than the length of your stay (usually a minimum of 6 months), so check what applies to your itinerary. You might also need to obtain visas (depending on your nationality). Talk to your Embassy if you are unclear about what documentation you require.
It is a good idea to have copies of your passport details, insurance policy, visas and credit card numbers, keeping them separate from the originals and perhaps leaving an additional copy with someone at home. -
Will there be an escort accompanying this tour?
Yes
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Is there any free time to explore places during the tour?
As detailed in itinerary.
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Are the local guides on the tour English speaking?
Yes, English speaking tour guide on this tour.
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What is the maximum group size?
A max size of group is 22 guests.
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Are airport transfers included in this tour?
Complimentary airport transfers are included on start and end dates and when additional accommodation has been booked through Luxury Gold. Guests will be transferred with fellow Luxury Gold Travellers that arrive on the same flight. Complimentary, private train station transfers are included when train travel is included within the itinerary. Transfers to train stations or alternate hotels, in the same start or end city of the itinerary, may be requested but are not guaranteed.
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What is the tipping policy?
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
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Will the accommodation included meet local health and safety regulations?
Absolutely! We are very selective in who we work with and choose to only use hotels that take the health and well-being of our guests as seriously as we do and agree to meet expected guidelines and specifications. We only work with establishments that we are confident will consistently adhere to our standards.
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Which countries does Luxury Gold visit?
We offer incredible luxury trips in Europe, North America, South America, Hawaii, South-East Asia, the Indian sub-continent (including India, Nepal, Bhutan and Sri Lanka), Australia and New Zealand.
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What other modes of transport does Luxury Gold use?
A Luxury Gold tour will include touring on high-speed trains, alpine cable cars, hydrofoils, river cruisers and horse-drawn carriages, in addition to our high-deck luxury coaches with extra legroom.
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Who travels with Luxury Gold?
We are delighted to welcome guests who have a shared love of travel, adventure, entertainment and exploration. A mix of solo travellers, couples, and groups of friends and family join us from all over the English-speaking world.
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What is the role of the Well-Being Director?
Working closely together with your Travelling Concierge, the Well-Being Director* will help make sure all necessary protocols are followed to ensure the health and wellbeing of all our guests. This includes our enhanced screening and hygiene protocols, complying with distancing and other requirements set by government authorities. They are also there to support our guests & answer any questions.
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Low Deposit
Barrhead Travel requires a minimum deposit of 200 GBP per person or the full booking value, whichever is less, with the final balance not due until 98 days before departure.
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Cancellation Policy
We don't charge a cancellation fee, here is a summary of barrhead travel charges.
Up to 98 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of deposit.
At 97 days before tour starts: Forfeit 50% of booking price.
At 74 days before tour starts: Forfeit 75% of booking price.
At 28 days before tour starts: Forfeit 100% of booking price.
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Terms and Conditions
Why book with Barrhead?
Fully Protected
All our holidays are fully financially protected.
Your flight & hotel package is fully ATOL protected.
Range
Our bespoke holidays are tailor-made to suit your personal requirements.
We can book flights, rail journeys, accommodation, cruises, attraction tickets and much more.
Industry leading discounts, we won't be beaten on price.
Expert Knowledge
We know because we go – our Touring & Adventure specialists have travelled to over 55 countries.
Reliable & unbiased advice from our trusted travel experts.
Trusted Agent
Multi award-winning agency with almost 50 years experience.
Rated 4.9/5 on Trustpilot – the highest-rated high-street travel agent.
We look after you every step of the way.
