Italy Bellissimo

Take time to embrace the Italian passion for life on this grand adventure that starts and ends in the 'Eternal City' of Rome. Spend the day exploring on your own before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers this evening for a light meal.

Begin your journey through Rome at the Vatican Museums, where you’ll join a Local Specialist to see Michelangelo’s frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel and his Pietà inside St. Peter’s Basilica. Explore the landmarks of Ancient Rome, viewing the Circus Maximus and visiting the Colosseum. This afternoon is yours to explore — relax in a lively piazza with a coffee or visit one of the city’s world-class museums. On some departures, access to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Vatican Museums may be restricted. You'll still enjoy the atmosphere of St. Peter's Square during your visit to the Vatican City, and if tickets are unavailable to the Vatican Museums, you'll instead explore the Capitoline Museums, home to iconic Roman art and archaeology.

• Discover the work of Michaelangelo at the Vatican Museums
• Ancient Rome
• Visit St. Peter's Basilica
• Rome Orientation

Venture south towards the ancient city of Pompeii which remains frozen in time since it was covered in ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius centuries ago. Here, you'll join a Local Specialist who will share insights into the city's tragic history. Continue to the clifftop town of Sorrento.

• Visit Pompeii

Cruise to the captivating Isle of Capri this morning and explore its glamour on a walking tour with a Local Specialist that will include views of the marina and Augustus Gardens. Venture to the heart of the island and the legendary Piazzetta, where the locals come to people-watch. Spend free time shopping at elegant boutiques or perhaps join an Optional Experience and explore the rugged coastline and hidden grottos by private motor launch.

• Tour Capri Town

Venture north to the historic city of Perugia. Here we'll Make Travel Matter and discover Italy's weaving tradition during an impressive MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience at our visit to Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti, a TreadRight and Join Trafalgar Heritage Initiative project. Explore one of the last remaining traditional wooden frame hand-weaving workshops in the country, before continuing to the ancient hilltop town of Assisi.

• Visit the Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti Museum in Perugia

Join a Local Specialist to explore the Basilica of St. Francis, known for its striking stained glass and Giotto’s famous frescoes. Travel north past hilltop villages and through open farmland towards Venice, the ‘Queen of the Adriatic’. Enjoy a free evening watching the sunset over Venice or join an Optional Experience cruising by boat along the Grand Canal and through winding canals by gondola. For tonight’s Stays with Stories, you’ll check in to a restored 19th-century flour mill on Giudecca Island, offering a unique perspective of the city.

• Stays with Stories – Hilton Molino Stucky
• Visit the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
• Scenic Drive Through Emilia-Romagna

The Winged Lion of Venice is your constant companion as you travel by private launch to a Venetian glassblowing workshop. You'll watch master craftsmen use techniques dating from the 13th century to shape the delicate glass pieces Venice is famed for. Next up is St. Mark's Square to view the Basilica, the ornate Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, so named because of the sound prisoners made as they took one last look at their beloved city from the bridge before meeting their fate. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore and wander in the footsteps of Casanova and Marco Polo. You’ll want to relish every second spent in this enchanting city.

• Learn about the History and Ancient Skills of Venetian Glassblowing

Wondering what's next on our Italy trip itinerary? This morning, travel to Pisa and visit its Field of Miracles to view the famous Leaning Tower before arriving in the spa-resort of Montecatini Terme in Tuscany, your home for the next two nights.

• See Pisa's Landmarks

Explore one of the world's most cultural cities today - the former home of great masters and a testament to the ambitious legacy of the Medici family. Your Local Specialist shares all the sights, including views of the magnificent marble Duomo and Baptistery. Visit Piazza della Signoria, the heart of this flourishing city with its statues and stunning palazzi, then view the Ponte Vecchio. Later, enjoy some free time to stroll around the city and embrace this Renaissance gem. Tonight, you'll enjoy a Be My Guest experience at the Agriturismo Borgo Vigna Vecchia surrounded by vineyards and olive groves.

• Florence City Tour
• Florence Leather Demonstration
• Enjoy an Exclusive Dinner at the Agriturismo Borgo Vigna Vecchia in the Tuscan Hills

Admire the medieval beauty of San Gimignano today, walking to the triangular Piazza della Cisterna, the hub of this historic town. See the extraordinary architecture of this hilltop 'medieval Manhattan', shop for local products or relax with a gelato at a pavement cafe. This evening, celebrate a magnificent Italian adventure with newfound friends at dinner.

• Visit San Gimignano

After breakfast, say a fond farewell to Italy and prepare to return home after a memorable Italian journey of discovery.