14 Days Best of Italy Holiday

Overview

This tour takes you to Milan, Padua and Veneto region where you will visit the beautiful Cathedral of San Marco. We will visit the museum of glass and learn how some of the most beautiful glass pieces are made. We then continue to Burano, a picturesque fishing village with colorful houses, known for its lace craft. In additions, we take a half day excursion to the beautiful city of Verona, the largest city of the mainland Veneto rich with Roman sites and streets of pink-hued medieval buildings. We will meet our Local Guide who will take us on a delightful walking tour of Verona where we will discover one of Europe’s secret jewels. We will view the 2,000 year old Arena, built by the Romans and is still in use today for Opera performances and popular concerts. We will also see Piazza Bra, Piazza delle Erbe and tomb of the renowned Scaliger family and of course, one of the most famous balcony of all, Giulietta’s (Juliet’s) balcony (Romeo and Juliet).

Tour Padua, Lucca,Tuscany where you will enjoy the Etruscan work which is still visible in the foundations of Lucca’s massive stone walls. It’s the more than 2000 years of history that make Lucca one of the most fascinating and characteristic of Italian cities. Visit Florence, the Birth Place of the Renaissance and Shopper’s World. You’ll see the tragic fossils of people attempting to escape and also the ‘secret room’ at Sorrento. This advance civilization came to an abrupt end by the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.

Finally, visit the Vatican in Rome as well as a tour to Raphael’s rooms which have been magnificently decorated with frescoes. Raphael’s paintings inspired the revolutionary style of the high Renaissance. But the highlight of our tour is the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s famous frescoes are to be seen in new splendor after their recent renovation.

Day 1: Milan / Padua- Veneto Region (Venice)

Arrival as mentioned above. Once luggage is retrieve on own, we will meet and proceed to our motor coach. Before long we are on our way. Once we arrive at our hotel and check in, you will have time to settle in and have the remainder of the Day free to either rest or discover Padua on your own. This free time will be a perfect opportunity to visit the Basilica of St Anthony’s. Tonight we enjoy a Welcome Dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D)

Day 2: Venice

This morning, we will be joined by our Local Guide for an all day excursion starting in San Marco’s Square, for a bautiful walking tour. Time permitting, you may visit the beautiful Cathedral of San Marco on your own. Then we are off to visit 2 nerby islands – Murano and Burano. Our first stop is Murano which is famous for its blown glass. We will visit the museum of glass and learn how some of the most beautiful glass pieces are made. We then continue to Burano, a picturesque fishing village with colorful houses, known for its lace craft. Lunch will be on your own. After our bellies are full and we have enjoyed the sites of Venice, we depart Burano to return to the Hotel. Early dinner on Burano Island (included). (B/D)

Optional Tour: Gondola Serenade.

Day 3: Padua / Verona / Padua

After a bright and early breakfast, we will board our motor coach for a ½ Day excursion to the beautiful city of Verona, the largest city of the mainland Veneto rich with Roman sites and streets of pink-hued medieval buildings. We will meet our local guide who will take us on a delightful walking tour of Verona where we will discover one of Europe’s secret jewels. We will view the 2,000 year old Arena, built by the Romans and is still in use Today for Opera performances and popular concerts.

We will also see Piazza Bra, Piazza delle Erbe and tomb of the renowned Scaliger family and of course, one of the most famous balcony of all, Giulietta’s (Juliet’s) balcony (Romeo and Juliet). Lunch will be on your own in Verona. With our heart content and our tastebuds charmed, we return to our hotel in Padua for the balance of the Day free. Dinner will be on your own. (B)

Day 4: Padua / Lucca / Tuscany

Today we depart bright and early after breakfast from Padua, after breakfast for the Tuscan region of Italy. Our southerly scenic drive will bring us to beautiful city of Lucca, a cultural and artistic hub in Tuscany, which was formerly an Etruscan city. Here we will stop here for a guided tour with a Local Guide to enjoy the Etruscan work is still visible in the foundations of Lucca’s massive stone walls. It’s the more than 2000 years of history that make Lucca one of the most fascinating and characteristic of Italian cities. Then we’re are off to the Tuscan region. Lunch will be on your own. After some leisure time (time permitting), we will continue to Tuscany to check in at a local hotel. This evening, Dinner at the hotel (included). (B/D)

Day 5: Florence Birth Place of the Renaissance and Shopper`s World

Today we depart bright and early after breakfast, to meet our Private Local Guide. The tour begins with a visit of the Academia Museum, where we’ll see Michelangelo’s original statue of “David”, the Florentine symbol of courage and independence. Our next stop is in the Piazza del Duomo, where we will visit the Church of Santa Maria delle Fiore; capped by Brunelleschi’s magnificent dome, the Baptistery with its “Gates of Paradise” bronze doors by Ghiberti and Giotto’s Bell Tower.

We will continue to the Piazza Signoria, the political center of the city, where we’ll see the Loggia della Signoria and the Palazzo Vecchio where the powerful Medici’s once held office. Our tour concludes at the Church of Santa Croce, which contains the tombs of Michelangelo, Machiavelli, Galileo and other great Florentines. This is the City of lots and lots of Gold Jewelry shopping, leather and more. Lunch will be on your own. After we spend all of our money, we return to our hotel. Dinner at a Local Restaurant (included). (B/D)

Day 6: Tuscany / San Gimignano / Tuscany 

Today we drive through the beautiful countryside to San Gimignano, an attractive town often bypassed by travelers. This small, medieval town has kept its appearance virtually unchanged throughout the centuries. We will meet our Local Guide and tour this beautiful town most renowned for it towers which were best used in the yester-years for detecting enemy troops advancing for an attack.

We’ll have some time to walk through the narrow, cobbled streets, now lined with craft shops and boutiques and enjoy lunch on your own. We return to our hotel in Tuscany in the late afternoon. This evening, Dinner at a local Winery (included). (B/D)

Day 7: Tuscany / Pompeii / Sorrento

This morning we depart bright and early after breakfast for Sorrento. We journey through the rolling hills, the scenic vineyards and post-card perfect scenery of Tuscany as we make our southerly drive towards Sorrento. Along the way, we will stop for lunch on your own., location to be determined. After lunch, we continue towards Sorrento with a stop in Pompeii, where we will be joined by our Local Guide. Imagine, an entire city perfectly preserved as it was on that fateful day almost 2,000 years ago, when ash and lava literally stopped it in its tracks.

You’ll see the tragic fossils of people attempting to escape and also the ‘secret room’. This advance civilization came to an abrupt end by the violent eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. After our beautiful visit, we continue to Sorrento which sits high on a beautiful plateau where we are greeted by the sapphire blue gulf of Naples and the Majestic Mount Vesuvius. Tonight after we get settled, we will have a relaxing Dinner at our Hotel. (B/D)

Day 8: Sorrento / Positano / Amalfi / Sorrento

Today we depart bright and early, after breakfast to meet our local guide who will show us a Day we will remember for a lifetime. Our coach will take us to a wonderland of small villages, via the spectacular “Amalfi Drive”, the most famous road in Italy, affording spectacular views of the sea and coastline. Our first stop will be Positano, where we can stroll the village and have a sip of Expresso or Gelato. From there, we will visit the beautiful town of Amalfi. We’ll stop to relax and have a nice lunch on your own. After lunch, we can stroll through the cobbled streets, and either to do some shopping, sip a cappuccino or just watch the passerbyers. As the sun sets, we’ll return to Sorrento, filled with the warm memories and dreams of “Bella Italia”. Tonight, we enjoy dinner at our hotel. (B/D)

Optional Show (After Dinner): a viewing of Neapolitan theatre, “the Tarantella Show” at Teatro Tasso.

Day 9: Sorrento / Capri / Sorrento

This morning, after breakfast, a private Local Guide will join us as we board the high speed hydrofoil to the fabled island of Capri. After a scenic funicular ride and a tour of the “Gardens of Augustus”, we will have lunch on your own. There will be time for shopping in the town of Capri before we board the hydrofoil back to Sorrento. Tonight we enjoy a Dinner at the hotel. (B/D)

Optional Tour: a private boat around the Island of Capri with a tour Guide. Anacapri included if this optional is taken.

Day 10: Sorrento

Spend the whole day free to do whatever you want. Revist any of the islands, explore Sorrento or just lounge around and get ready for your departure tomorrow. Lunch and Dinner on your own (B)

Day 11: Sorrento / Santa Maria A Vico / Faicchio / Rome

This morning we depart bright and early after breakfast traveling north along the “Highway of the Sun” to the eternal city of Rome. En route, we will stop in Santa Mara a Vico, Yolanda’s home town for a sip of expresso. We then journey to the small village of Faicchio and have lunch hosted by Yolanda. After lunch, we continue to our final destination – Rome.

Upon checking into our hotel, Dinner will be on your own. (B/L)

Day 12: Rome

Today, we depart our hotel this morning, bright and early, after breakfast, for a very special, privately guided tour with a Local Guide of the priceless collection of art, maps and tapestries of the Vatican. We’ll tour Raphael’s rooms, decorated with frescoes by the artist, Raphael, whose paintings inspired the revolutionary style of the high Renaissance. But the highlight of our tour is the Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s famous frescoes are to be seen in new splendor after their recent renovation.

The scene on the ceiling is literally a painted Bible and the story of humanity, a task that took four years of mental and physical anguish. The scene of the “Last Judgment” painted 30 years later behind the main alter, is a powerful and dark expression of the moment of final judgment. We return to our hotel, where the balance of the Day is free. Lunch will be on your own. Dinner at a local restaurant. (B/D)

 Day 13: Rome – Walking Tour

This morning we will meet our local guide for a walking tour in the center of Rome. We will visit Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Piazza di Spagna, and Via del Corso. Lunch will be on your own. During the course of the Day, we will also visit the Trevi Fountain where you will have the opportunity to throw some coins in the water and make a WISH to visit Italy and its splendors again soon. Farewell Dinner is at a Local Restaurant. (B/D)

Day 14: Departure

After your morning breakfast, we transfer you to the airport for our return flight home.