Easy Pace Italy - Small Group, Summer

Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director and getting to know your fellow travelers over a delicious dinner with wine.

Enjoy the very best of the city’s highlights including fast-tracked entry into the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Admire the Papal art collection before entering the Sistine Chapel to marvel at Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Afterwards, visit St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Later, cross the Tiber River to enjoy ancient Rome with your Local Expert. See the incredible Circus Maximus famous for its chariot races, and visit the iconic Colosseum.

Spend another day enjoying Rome at your own pace. Stroll to the boutiques of the Via del Corso and Via Nazionale or visit the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps. Perhaps take an Optional Experience south to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, buried in 79 AD by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, and explore one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. With your Local Expert, stroll into a 2,000-year-old town revealing fascinating discoveries preserved in time. With the dormant volcano of Vesuvius and panoramic views of the Bay of Naples in the background, you have a few treats in store along the way and then return to Rome, passing the formidable Abbey of Montecassino, one of the greatest shrines of Christendom and the site of an epic battle in 1944. As night falls, why not sip a glass of prosecco at a sidewalk café in Piazza Navona and enjoy life’s pageantry pass by?

Drive through Lazio and the rolling hills of Umbria, regarded as Italy's green heart. Admire the Medieval hilltop towns perched like crown jewels overlooking the valley's below. Journey to the Chianti Hills and the city of Florence. 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.

Indulge yourself this morning by exploring Florentine luxury goods. Learn about the craft involved in the local leatherwork during a demonstration and be entranced by the intricate creations of the goldsmiths art. Admire the rolling green hills of Tuscany and the impressive medieval towers of San Gimignano on an optional experience this afternoon. Dine with your fellow traveling companions tonight.

After a leisurely morning in Florence, explore the nearby town of Pisa with a Local Expert. See the Leaning Tower, the baptistery and the colonnaded bell tower, lurching out from behind the cathedral. Visit the organic farm Il Poggio and join a guided walk to learn about olive oil and wine production. After taking in beautiful views of the rolling Tuscan hills, enjoy tasting the farm’s fine wines and olive oil, in addition to an authentic Italian meal prepared with locally sourced ingredients.

Today we travel through the Emilia-Romagna region, and stop to sample the flavors of the region and learn about Italian food culture over a delicious lunch with wine. Take the autostrada east to Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. Your luxurious hotel has elegant Venetian touches and views over an unforgettably romantic city.

Your private boat takes you on a journey of discovery past churches and palaces reflecting the architectural history of Venice from the 13th to the 18th century. The first sight is the pink marble of the Doge's Palace, connected to the prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. It was from here that Casanova made his daring escape. Turn the corner, and the gilded facade of St. Mark's Basilica comes into view. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a glassblowing workshop. See how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. This afternoon there is plenty of time to explore the museums, galleries and churches or browse through the shops on the Rialto Bridge. Perhaps cruise out to some of the other islands in the lagoon to experience the age-old lifestyle of Venetian fishermen and lace-makers.

Who could refuse another day to take in the unique atmosphere of this wonderful city? Lose yourself in the back lanes and quiet squares, where tourists seldom tread and the Venetians go about their daily lives. Maybe visit some of the 90 churches housing masterpieces of Venetian art or explore the modern artworks in the Guggenheim? Perhaps relax at a canal-side café sipping local wine or sample delicious lagoon-fresh fish? Later, board a traditional gondola for a serenade through the romantic canals. This evening, indulge in traditional Venetian dishes that are enriched with inspiration from seasonal produce.

Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo airport.