Italy is an extraordinary feast of heart-thumping, soul-stirring art, food and landscapes rivaled by few and coveted by millions. With a heady mix of haunting sights, awe-inspiring art and vibrant street life, Italy's Eternal City of Rome is one of the world's most beautiful and inspiring capitals. Walk around the centre and without even trying you’ll come across masterpieces by the giants of the artistic pantheon – sculptures by Michelangelo, canvases by Caravaggio, Raphael frescoes and fountains by Bernini. Ancient icons such as the Coliseum, Roman Forum and Pantheon recall Rome's time as the fearsome hub of the Roman Empire, while St. Peter's Basilica is the greatest of the city's monumental basilicas. A trip to Rome is as much about lapping up the dolce vita lifestyle as gorging on art and culture. Pass away hours at street side cafes, people-watch on pretty piazzas, or enjoy the Roman pastime of eating out for dinner. Surprisingly small as it is, the riverside city of Florence is magnetic, romantic and busy. Its urban fabric has hardly changed since the Renaissance, its narrow streets evoke a thousand tales, and its food and wine are the global standard of quality. Imagine the audacity of building a city of marble palaces on a lagoon – and that was only the start of how Venice came to be. Garden islands and lagoon aquaculture yield specialty produce and seafood you won’t find elsewhere – all highlighted in inventive Venetian cuisine, with tantalizing traces of ancient spice routes. Ride a gondola through the canals, stop by a restaurant for a happy hour, and fall in love with a true gem of a city. Starting at $1,599 per person.
Day 1: Rome
Welcome to Rome! After a meet & greet at the airport, you will be transferred to your hotel (Transfer included!!!). Overnight stay.
Day 2: Rome > Assisi > Siena > Florence
Departing at 7:15 am from your hotel by a deluxe coach, you will arrive in Assisi, ready to explore, at your own leisure, this tiny town surrounded by walls, built in the Middle Ages. Take your time to visit the basilica of St. Francis,where you will see masterpieces by Giotto and Cimabue and, then, have free time for lunch (not included). Board on the bus to reach Siena, a Unesco World Heritage Site, world-known for the Palio, the historical horse race around the shell-shaped town square: Piazza del Campo. Next, you will continue on to Florence, where you will check in at your hotel before enjoying dinner and a well-earned night of rest.
Day 3: Florence
After breakfast, you will spend the day venturing around beautiful Florence, the “Cradle of Renaissance, where, with the help of Michelangelo, Italian art reached its pinnacle.Based on etruscan-roman origins, the city flourished in the Middle Ages as a free “Comune” and was further refined during the Renaissance. You will be fascinated by the uncountable monuments, churches and buildings as Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly referred to as the Duomo. On your visit, you will be amazed by its magnificent dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi. Cross a small piazza to see the “Campanile” tower (partly designed by Giotto) and the Baptistery, with its bronze doors where Michelangelo imagined the “Gates of Paradise.” In the heart of the city, you will see Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio), and the Basilica of Santa Croce. Lunch in a typical Tuscan restaurant in Piazza Santa Croce. Spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional), one of the four main historical Marine Republics of Italy. There, you will tour the Piazza dei Miracoli with the Duomo, Pisa’s symbol “the Leaning Tower” and the Baptistery. Dinner at leisure, overnight stay in Florence.
Day 4: Florence > Bologna > Padua > Venice
After breakfast in Florence, departure to Bologna. There, you will discover the elegant city centre with its “porticos”, it’s shopping streets and so on. From Piazza Malpighi you will walk to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore (Neptune square and Major square) in the heart of the city, then King Renzo’s Palace; Palazzo Podestà and the basilica of San Petronio, one of the biggest in the world. Bologna it’s a real gourmet’s heaven…don’t miss a tasty meal at your own leisure! In the afternoon, continue toward Padova, with Sant’Antonio Basilica: one of the most visited churches by pilgrims of the catholic world.Later in the afternoon, arrival in Venice: the City of Love, one of the most romantic cities of the whole world and, undoubtedly the most beautiful city built by man! Check in at your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Venice
After breakfast, enjoy your private water-taxi transfer to Piazza San Marco, with “skip the line” tickets to visit the splendid St.Mark’s Basilica and, after this, check out the most iconic places of the “Floating City”: the Palazzo dei Dogi, symbol of Venice’s glorious past, the legendary “Bridge of Sighs”. Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel for dinner and overnight.
Day 6: Venice > Montepulciano (Tuscany wine region) > Rome
After breakfast, departure from Piazzale Roma heading to Tuscany, world-known for its landscapes, its churches and castles and its delicious wines. You will proceed to Val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a medieval town rich in history and art. Known for its “Nobile” wine, on purchase in local wine houses, Montepulciano also hosts an annual jazz and wine festival every July. Spend the afternoon discovering Montepulciano at your own pace, enjoying free wine tastings in many wine shops and free time for shopping. In the evening, you will arrive in Rome to check in into your hotel.
Day 7: Rome
Between 7:45 - 8:00 am, after breakfast, departure from the hotel for the included tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters’s Basilica with our exclusive “Skip the Line” access! No stress to reach the area: upon arrival, your guide will lead you into the museums where you’ll visit one of the most important art collections of the world. Walk along the beautiful Galleries of Tapestries and Geographical Maps before admiring Raphael’s Rooms and, then, the amazing Sistine Chapel. After this incredible masterpiece, you will be taken by a privileged door to St. Peters’s Basilica: the biggest church in the world! The tour ends on St.Peter’s Square: enjoy the rest of the day to explore the city at your own leisure or get any one of our selected tours for the afternoon or at night! Overnight stay.
Day 8: Rome
After breakfast, transfer to the airport. Arrivederci!
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| Departure Dates | Land & Air *
Miami | Land & Air *
New York | Land & Air *
Boston | Land & Air *
Los Angeles | Land Only * | Single Supplement |
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Rates includes:
- Round trip airfare from New York City, Boston, Miami and Los Angeles, via regular airlines coach class
- Transfer in and out from Rome airport
- Transportation by deluxe motor coach
- Monolingual tour-escort in English
- Accommodation as per itinerary:
- 1 night in Rome
- 2 nights in Florence
- 2 nights in Venice
- 2 more nights in Rome
- Meals as per the itinerary: Breakfast Daily, 1 lunch, 3 dinners
- Visit Assis, Bologna, Sienam, Padova & Tuscany Wine Region
- Entrance tickets to Vatican Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica with “Skip the Line”
- Visits with local expert guide as per itinerary (Rome, Florence, Venice)
- Entrance to the St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice with “Skip the Line”
- All taxes and service charges except for city tax to be paid directly to the hotel
Rates do not include
- City tax is not included and needs to be paid directly to the hotel
- Drinks are not included with meals
- Any expenses of personal nature such as tips, laundry, table drinks, telephone calls, etc.
- Optional Travel Insurance
- Any item not mentioned above
Remarks
- Book by December 15, 2017
- If hotels or airlines are not available at the time of reservation, alternative hotels at the same category or airlines could be used. Prices may differ.
- During trade fairs season, some hotels may require surcharges. The prices may increase.
- Ticket(s) must be issued and full payment must be received 90 days prior to departure
- Air tickets are not refundable or transferrable
- Major credit cards accepted; credit card authorization required
- Change and cancellation penalties ($250-$800 per person) apply once ticketed; Pacific Holidays’ general cancellation policy applies
- Hotel upgrades, air upgrades, additional hotel nights, extensions to all other destinations, and add-on air fares from various US cities are available
For more information of these hotels, please click the hotel name.
