Compare Our Italy by ITM Journeys vs Country Roads of Italy - Small Group by Insight Vacations
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| Trip |
0 | Poor
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 9 days | 17 days |
| Price From | $ 3,189 | $ 6,675 |
| Price Per Day | $ 354 | $ 393 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Standard | Standard |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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N/A |
| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Ground transport included | Airfare included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included |
8 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch and 2 Dinners |
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| Description |
Travelling through Italy in a small group, being the charming boutique hotels and savouring gourmet food is the best way to discover the country. |
Journey across the Italian peninsula in this 16-day guided tour that stretches from the sapphire waters of the Amalfi Coast to the calming canals of Venice. Step outside Rome to Vatican City, where you’ll be treated to a behind-the-scenes viewing of the winding Bramante Staircase. Before reaching Sorrento, stop at Castel Gandolfo to ride an electric train past its papal gardens, marveling at the mosaic flower beds. Sail to the rock isle of Capri, where you can climb nearly 2,000 feet by an open-top taxi for unrivaled views of the Tyrrhenian Sea. In Perugia, learn the art of loom-weaving from a Local Expert. And in Venice, cruise along the canals and to Burano, an idyllic, colorful island in the Venetian Lagoon where you’ll toast to a fantastic trip and indulge in local specialties. |
Day 1: Arrival
Meals: Dinner
Accommodation: Savoy, Hotel Dei Mellini or similar
Arrival
Welcome to Italy!
Independent arrival at your hotel in the heart of Rome.
Late afternoon meeting with your Tour Leader in the hotel. You will learn more about your tour and familiarize with the travel companions. At the end, walk to the restaurant and enjoy a tasty welcome dinner.
Overnight in Rome
Day 2: Vatican & Heart of Rome
Meal: Breakfast
After breakfast, meet your driver and your guide and reach the Vatican Museum by private van.
Access the Museum easily with your skip the line tickets. Your visit will be memorable: our guides have drawn up a route to include all the major sights as well as some unexpected surprises. See the Belvedere Courtyard with Apollo Belvedere & Laocoön & His Sons, Raphael Rooms, the Galleries of the Candelabra, of the Maps and of the Tapestries, the Sistine Chapel Pinecone Courtyard, St. Peter’s Basilica .
At the end, exit on the St. Peter’s Square and enjoy the magnificent view of the imposing Cathedral.
You will return to your hotel to relax after a challenging morning.
Late afternoon meet your tour leader for a walking tour of the Baroque Town with Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna, the Italian Parliament and the fascinating narrow streets of ancient Rome.
Return to hotel with your tour leader or enjoy a dinner in the very heart of the eternal city.
Overnight in Rome
Day 3: Rome
Meal: Breakfast
Today will be free at leisure.
This tour has been designed to offer the best of each city visited combined with some free time to customise your travel experience as well as take your time to relax.
There are many available experiences. Among these, we like to suggest to explore the Imperial Rome with Colosseum and Forii, to visit one of the most beautiful are collection in Europe at Palazzo Borghese or the near Tivoli with the astonishing Villa Hadriana, built by the Emperor Hadrian and Villa d’Este, masterpiece of Italian gardening.
Alternatively, you may want visit Capri or Pompeii taking advantage of the new high speed train connecting Naples and Rome in just 1hr or enjoy a wine tour in Viterbo area.
Overnight in Rome
Day 4: Experience True Tuscany
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Accommodation: Palazzo Castri 1874 or similar
Experience True Tuscany
Today we will continue to Tuscany our tour.
Meet your tour guide at hotel in Rome and transfer to Florence by coach with an en route stop in Siena.
The ride itself is a magnificent opportunity to enjoy the beautiful Tuscan hills, the view of small enchanting villages as well as the vineyards and castles the pointed the region.
Upon arrival in Siena, enjoy a wine & food experience in the heart of the old town.
In the ancient times, there was only one city that competed against Florence for power, wealth and artistic beauties: Siena.
Here you will enjoy a walking tour to discover Piazza del Campo, the main central square where the famous Palio horse race takes place every year, as well as exploring quieter backstreets and learning everything about the Contrade, the 17 medieval city districts that compete against each other in the Palio.
Continue to Florence where you will arrive later afternoon. Time permitting, en route stop in Monteriggioni.
Overnight in Florence.
Day 5: Magnificent Florence between Food & Arts
Meal: Breakfast
Start your exploration of Florence from the unknown and most picturesque sides of the city: visit the market of San Lorenzo where it’s possible to see the food arriving from the Tuscan countryside. It’s a chance to taste lots of varieties of local cheeses, fruits, vegetable, and breads. If you”re still hungry, there’s free time for lunch.
In the afternoon, meet your guide in the hotel and get ready to explore the heart of the town.
Lorenzo de Medici transformed Florence into the cradle of the Renaissance by attracting the best artists, architects and writers of the time; Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Botticelli who he commissioned to produce various works of art and architecture. We’ll visit Piazza della Signoria, walk by the Palazzo Vecchio, , the Duomo with Giotto's bell tower ( from outside), Ponte Vecchio. Our walk through Florence will end with a visit to the Accademia to admire, among the many masterpieces, the jewel of Michelangelo: the statue of David.
Overnight in Florence
Day 6: Optional Cinqueterre
Meals: Breakfast
Today is free at leisure. Why do not join a small group tour to Cinqueterre?
You will discover the most beautiful villages of Cinque Terre, enjoy a relaxed escapes from the crowds, through luxuriant panoramic seaside vineyards and Savour a delicious fresh Seafood typical lunch including Cinque Terre wine and experience an amazing boat trip to take the most beautiful pictures of Cinque Terre from the sea
Overnight in Florence
Day 7: Welcome to Venice
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: Hotel Monaco & Grand Canal, Palazzina G or similar
Welcome to Venice
After breakfast, you will be transferred to Florence train station.
Board your train to Venice. Enjoy the ride by high-speed train to Venice.
The city does not have roads and cars but only boats and canals. It is built on several small islands linked by hundreds of bridges.Arrival late morning and transfer to hotel in the Laguna. Free time to explore Venice on your own.
Overnight in Venice.
Day 8: Enjoy "La Serenissima" Venezia
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
In the afternoon, guided visit of Venice followed by a gondola tour.
Afternoon is the best moment to enjoy Venice, when most of the visitors leave the city, the cruise boats depart from the pier and the narrow streets became again fascinating and mysterious , a secret path to the Past.
Our guide will help you to visit the main sights of the city but also to discover the real soul of Venice spending some time outside of the main tourist areas, places that you can reach by yourself only if you get lost.
The tour will end with a Gondola ride. In the evening, enjoy a Venetian Dinner.
Overnight in Venice
Day 9: Departure
Meals: Breakfast
Independent Transfer to Airport or Railways Station
Day 1: Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome
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 at 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30. Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director at 17:30, and get to know your fellow travellers over a delicious Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Veneto Palace Hotel, Rome.
Dinner with Wine
Day 2: Vatican and Rome with a Local
Today is devoted to The Eternal City. Join a Local Expert for an in-depth visit to the Vatican Museums, full of priceless art treasures collected by the Popes. Insight has arranged special priority entry to gain behind-the-scenes access to the Bramante Staircase, a marvel of renaissance architecture, normally off-limits to visitors. Visit the Sistine Chapel, where the Popes are elected, to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling. Continue to St. Peter’s Basilica, to wonder at another of his works, the emotive ‘Pietà,’ and stand beneath the dome completed after his death. Cross the Tiber river to enjoy views of ancient Rome. See the incredible Circus Maximus and the legendary Colosseum. There’s free time to do as the Romans do, or perhaps join a walking tour and toss a coin into the spectacular Trevi Fountain, see the Pantheon, the best preserved monument from the Roman period, and enjoy free time in Piazza Navona.
Veneto Palace Hotel, Rome.
Breakfast
Day 3: Castel Gandolfo
Venture to Castel Gandolfo to explore the artistic treasure of the Villa Barberini Gardens. Ride an electric train along the pathways to marvel at the intricately designed mosaic flower beds and fountains. After our visit to the former papal gardens our journey continues on south past Naples to the resort town of Sorrento.
Majestic Palace Hotel, Sorrento.
Breakfast
Day 4: Capri, the Isle of Dreams
Meet your Local Expert and cross the Bay of Naples to reach the beautiful Isle of Capri, a rock rising sheer from the Mediterranean! For 2,000 years, Capri has beckoned visitors from Tiberius Caesar to Gracie Fields. Arriving at the Marina Grande by boat, ascend to Capri town by one of the island's iconic open-top taxis. Explore the narrow alleyways, browse in exclusive boutiques and wonder at the views over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Descend to the port by funicular railway and return to Sorrento, where you are at leisure for the rest of the day.
Majestic Palace Hotel, Sorrento.
Breakfast
Day 5: The Picturesque Amalfi Coast
Travel along Italy’s finest coastline, the Amalfi Coast. Board minibuses and stop to admire a view of the terraced houses of the artist's paradise of Positano, clinging to the cliff face. Take time to be tempted by the local boutiques.
Majestic Palace Hotel, Sorrento.
Breakfast
Day 6: Pompeii and Orvieto
Journey to the ancient Roman city of Pompeii and explore with your Local Expert. Travel into the heart of Italy to enjoy free time in Orvieto, located on a rock pedestal overlooking a vineyard-covered plain. Savour the distinctly medieval ambiance during your orientation and admire the richly decorated facade of the cathedral in Piazza del Duomo. Take in the flavours of the region and enjoy a Highlight Dinner at a local restaurant with a glass of Orvieto Classico wine - a magical culinary experience!
Aquila Bianca Hotel, Orvieto.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 7: Assisi and on to Perugia Relaxed Start
Cross the River Tiber to see the church of St. Mary of the Angels. Under the dome is a small medieval chapel and the spot where St. Francis died. In Assisi see St. Clare’s Church and the cathedral. Continue to walk down the Via San Francesco and visit the huge Basilica of St. Francis with a Local Expert. Journey to beautiful Perugia - the jewel of Umbria. Your guided walking exploration begins in the main street of Perugia's Old Town. See the Collegio del Cambio, the splendid Priors' Palace, the Cathedral and the finely sculptured Great Fountain in the magnificent main square. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience as you visit an artisanal workshop and meet Marta, a recipient of a TreadRight Foundation grant. Learn how Marta and her weavers are preserving the ancient craft of loom-weaving.
Sangallo Palace Hotel, Perugia.
Breakfast
Day 8: Perugia, the Jewel of Umbria Relaxed Start
The entire day is at leisure for you to explore this gem of a town on your own. Perhaps visit Cortona, one of the oldest hill towns in Tuscany. On this Optional Experience, journey to a recently unearthed Etruscan Temple before a guided exploration through the town's historic centre with views of Lake Trasimeno and the Val di Chiana. In the evening there is the option to discover the edible treasures of a traditional Umbrian kitchen, accompanied with wines of the region.
Sangallo Palace Hotel, Perugia.
Breakfast
Day 9: Siena and Radda in Chianti Relaxed Start
Drive past Lake Trasimeno to Siena. Explore Siena with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the medieval Cathedral or alternatively, sample panforte, a traditional Tuscan dessert. Travel through the cypress-clad hills and vineyards of Tuscany to your elegant hotel. On arrival, enjoy a delicious exploration of Tuscany's red wines, discovering their robust flavours and absorbing history.
CDH Hotel Radda, Tuscany.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 10: Renaissance Florence
Journey to Renaissance Florence where on arrival you will walk with a Local Expert to see the marble-clad cathedral, bell tower and Gates of Paradise on the baptistery. Enjoy time at leisure to explore Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at the fountains and sculptures along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Wander the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods of gold and leather.
CDH Hotel Radda, Tuscany.
Breakfast
Day 11: San Gimignano and on to Lucca Relaxed Start
Visit the hilltop town of San Gimignano. Enjoy a tasting with award-winning, master gelato maker, Sergio Dondoli whose great inventions include innovative and mouth-watering flavour combinations. Continue to Lucca, to view its churches, squares and palaces that are perfectly preserved within encircling medieval ramparts. Pause a while and taste the lavish loaves of buccellato, Lucca's sweet raisin anise bread, said to be a favourite of the ancient Roman army. Later, perhaps explore Pisa?
Hotel Villa La Principessa, Lucca.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 12: Exploring the Cinque Terre
Get ready to explore the Cinque Terre, or five villages, which for years were only accessible by foot. This UNESCO World Heritage site is one of Italy's most beautiful landscapes. Join a Local Expert in one of the picturesque fishing villages, before cruising along the rugged coastline (weather permitting). There is plenty of time to explore the old medieval quarter and popular sandy beach before returning to your hotel in Lucca.
Hotel Villa La Principessa, Lucca.
Breakfast
Day 13: Modena and on to Parma
Visit one of Modena's top producers of authentic, traditional, artisan balsamic vinegar and take a master class to understand what makes this vinegar as expensive as top-rated wines. Continue to the beautiful university town of Parma, world-famous for its local ham and cheese. Meet one of the locals, Paolo. Learn about the process of making Parmigiano-Reggiano as Signor Paolo shares with you his passions for Italian food, especially excellent quality Parmesan cheese. Taste samples of the famous Parmigiano-Reggiano, accompanied by a glass of wine.
Starhotels Du Parc, Parma.
Breakfast
Day 14: Onto Venice
Continue on through the Soave vineyards past Padua to Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. To the tune of accompanying musicians, you will be serenaded through the atmospheric canals as you glide by gondola, past water-lapped doorways and rococo palaces.
Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice.
Breakfast
Day 15: The Magic of La Serenissima
Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts centre, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. Visit St. Mark’s Square where the city’s former wealth and power is evidenced by the riches of St. Mark’s Basilica and admire the Doge's Palace with its adjoining Bridge of Sighs. The waterways of Venice are renowned for gondolas that drift by. In the evening, cruise the islands of the Venetian Lagoon to arrive at Burano, famous for its candy coloured houses. Sit down to a sumptuous Celebration Dinner with wine, sampling the local specialities.
Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice.
Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Day 16: Arrivederci Venice
Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo Airport at 08:00 and 09:30.
Breakfast
