Discover Italy (11 Day Tour)
Tour Description > View Itinerary
The perfect introduction to Europe’s most visited destination, this amazing trip to Italy travels the length of this diverse country, providing our guests an opportunity to explore the most beautiful and intriguing parts of Italy, from vibrant cities like Rome and Venice, to sprawling countryside to its most breathtaking coastal areas including the Amalfi region.
When you take our Discover Italy tour, you can rest assured that your trip to Italy will be a perfectly balanced blend of sightseeing, guided touring and private leisure time. This tour is ideal for travelers of all experience levels, from the novice European visitor to seasoned travelers who’ve already scoped out their favorite parts of this remarkable country. Discover Italy is also an ideal tour for those exploring group travel deals. If you are planning your first trip to Italy with friends or family, this comprehensive 11 day tour will give you everything you and your companions could want. From beginning to end, this tour will provide you with memories that last a lifetime, all wrapped up in one neat little package – Italy!
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Itinerary
ITINERARY AT A GLANCE
Day 1: Rome
Day 2: Rome – Assisi – Siena – Florence
Day 3: Florence
Day 4: Florence – Bologna – Venice
Day 5: Venice
Day 6: Venice – Montepulciano – Rome
Day 7: Rome
Day 8: Rome – Pompei – Sorrento
Day 9: Sorrento – Capri
Day 10: Sorrento – Rome
Day 11: Rome
Day 1: Rome
Welcome to Italy! Get ready to embark on an unforgettable experience. Upon arrival, you will make your way to the hotel. Benvenuti a Roma! After your arrival at the airport, make your own way to your hotel. Hop on hop off daily ticket at disposal. Visit Rome by riding one of the Open-top Hop on Hop off Gray Line buses (I Love Rome City Tour) and spot your favorite city landmarks from a different point of view! Our open-top panoramic buses allow you to enjoy a spectacular view of the most iconic monuments of the Eternal City. All you have to do is jump on board and relax, listen to the audio commentary and get on and off at any of the eight stops available along the route. The bus ticket included will be valid for a day.The bus will make eight stops and will provide you with an on-board audio commentary in 12 languages. Return to the hotel on your own and overnight stay.
Day 2: Rome – Assisi – Siena – Florence (Breakfast, Dinner)
Rise and shine for an early departure from Rome via deluxe motor coach to your next destination, Assisi. Today, you will meet your tour guide and get to know your fellow guests. Relax, enjoy the ride, and welcome to the “Discover Italy” tour!
Arrive in Assisi, in Italy’s Umbrian region, and enjoy some leisure time in this tiny town surrounded by ancient walls and graced by grand castles and historic ancient churches. A visit of the Basilica of St. Francis, a World Heritage Site, will provide visitors with a chance to view the frescoes of Giotto and Cimabue as well as many other beautiful works of art.
Departure from Assisi to Siena, A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Tuscan hill town includes magnificent cathedrals, pretty botanical gardens, Gothic palazzos, and the shell–shaped Piazza del Campo, the town square and favored gathering place, home to the Palio horse race, an excellent art museum, and plenty of opportunity for people-watching.
Departure from Siena to our destination of the evening, magnificent Florence.
Arrive at your hotel in Florence. Enjoy a leisurely dinner and comfortable overnight accommodations.
Day 3: Florence (Breakfast, Lunch)
After breakfast, we’ll spend the morning exploring this popular city of Etruscan- Roman origins, which flourished in the Middle Ages as a free commune. Now the most populated city in Tuscany, Florence is recognized as the birthplace of the Italian Renaissance and is lauded for its magnificent sites. You’ll visit the architectural gem of Florence, the domed cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, better known as The Duomo (outside visit). This 14th century masterpiece is visible throughout the city and is the most-visited attraction in Florence. The tour will then proceed to the Campanile (bell tower), partly designed by Giotto, and the accompanying Baptistery, graced with spectacular bronze doors that artist Michelangelo dubbed “The Gates of Paradise.
Lunch in a typical restaurant in Santa Croce Square.
Enjoy an afternoon at leisure, with the option of visiting nearby Pisa (46 euros per person to be paid directly to the tour guide). Known, of course, for its famous Leaning Tower, Pisa achieved notoriety as one of Italy’s four 11th century Maritime Republics and was the birthplace of physicist/astronomer Galileo. While in Pisa, we’ll take time to admire the Square of Miracles where we’ll find the lovely Duomo, the quirky Leaning Tower, and many other notable sites.
Upon return to Florence, settle in for an overnight stay
Day 4: Florence – Bologna – Venice (Breakfast, Local Food Experience)
Start the day with a delicious breakfast and then depart for Bologna.
Upon arrival, the charming city center, adorned with its iconic porticos, awaits your free-time exploration. Begin your walking tour at Piazza Malpighi, leading to the heart of the city at Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore. Here, you can marvel at the historic Palazzo Podestà as well as the Basilica of San Petronio, the largest Gothic church in the world built with bricks. We will then show you why Bologna is often hailed as Italy’s gastronomic capital as you delve into its vibrant street food scene, which is as rich and diverse as its culinary heritage. Meandering through the city’s medieval streets, you will encounter a delightful array of food stalls and markets, each offering a mouthwatering selection of both traditional and contemporary treats. As you explore the charming alleys and bustling piazzas, you will immerse yourself in a culinary adventure that goes beyond just a meal. With a street food light lunch experience at a local eatery offered by us, this is your chance to savor the authentic flavors and unique dishes that define Bologna’s renowned gastronomic identity. Later in the afternoon, we continue our journey to Venice (Mestre).
Enjoy an overnight stay in the city the New York Times called “undoubtedly the most beautiful city ever built by man.”
Day 5: Venice (Breakfast)
Eat breakfast and then transfer by vaporetto to St Mark Square. You’ll tour the square and see some famous sights such as St Mark’s Cathedral and Doge’s Palace (outside), a symbol of the glory and authority of Venice, former residence of the Dukes, and seat of the government and the Court of Justice. We’ll cross the famous Bridge of Sighs, where it is said prisoners would catch their last glimpse of Venice before being incarcerated in the attached prison.
After the walking tour, allow us to treat you to a spritz or a prosecco, as a delightful conclusion to your visit to the highlights of Venice, in the company of your tour leader. While you sit comfortably and savor your drink, you will also have the opportunity to enjoy a taste of the famous “cicchetti,” a Venetian variation of tapas (light lunch).
Enjoy an afternoon at leisure and the chance to visit numerous other Venetian sites such as Ca d’Oro – one of the city’s most magnificent palazzi, or the Basilica de Santa Maria della Salute.
At the end of the day return to the hotel on your own and overnight.
Day 6: Venice – Montepulciano – Rome (Breakfast, Lunch)
Breakfast and departure by motor coach from Piazzale Roma to the Chianti Region of Tuscany, known for its wines, and then on to Montepulciano, a Renaissance hill town known for its churches and palazzos.
A great place to explore on foot, Montepulciano is famous in Italy for its Vino Nobile, considered one of the best wines in the country and available in many locations throughout the town. Lunch in a typical restaurant. Spend the afternoon exploring Montepulciano at your own pace.
Use your free time to enjoy a glass or two of wine or perhaps visit the 16th century church of Santa Maria delle Grazie.
In the evening, arrival in Rome and overnight.
Day 7: Rome (Breakfast)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and depart at approximately 7:30 am for a walking tour of Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica and jump the lines! No stress to reach the area: upon arrival, your guide will lead you into the museums where you will visit one of the most important art collection in the world.
Admire the beautiful spiral stairway, the gallery of tapestries and geographical maps, before arriving at the famous Sistine Chapel. The tour also includes the visit of St. Peter’s Basilica.
After lunch, meet the group by the Colosseum for an afternoon guided tour. The Romans built an empire of truly gigantic proportions. The testimony of its greatness is still visible in the places where the city was built, more than 2772 years ago, by the legendary twin brothers Romulus and Remus.
To see it with your own eyes, join us and our professional guide on this 3- hour-tour: we’ll provide you with a pocket radio receiver and earphones, and let you access the Colosseum skipping the long line. You’ll walk inside the Flavian Amphitheater, seeing the places where the Ancient Romans used to watch a variety of events, such as gladiatorial shows or staged animal hunts, and you’ll learn more about the way Romans used to enjoy their leisure time.
You’ll stroll around the Palatine Hill, the place where Rome was founded and where Roman emperors used to live: the view is spectacular from here, so get your camera ready for some perfect shots from above! You’ll also reach the Roman Forum, the pulsating heart of ancient Roman life, to see some very
well preserved ruins of that time: let the tour guide take you back in time and try to imagine how it was like to be a Roman citizen.
Spend the rest of the afternoon at leisure exploring more sites, eating gelato, or hobnobbing with the friendly locals.
Day 8: Rome – Pompei – Sorrento (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and depart at approximately 7:00 a.m. Departure by coach heading south crossing the regions of Lazio and Campania. Once you reach the town of Pompeii, you will have lunch with the real Neapolitan pizza! After lunch, you will enter into one of the most important archaeological sites in the world: a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruins of Pompeii, with Skip the Line entrance and a guided tour. Visit the haunting ruins of Pompeii, traveling back in time to the tragic days in 79 AD when the silent Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupted, covering the prosperous Roman city in deadly volcanic ashes and poisonous gases, leaving this prosperous city crystallized until our days. You’ll learn how people lived at that time, visiting houses and “bars” of the time, admiring frescoes and mosaics to imagine how rich and prosperous was the city before the dreadful day. After the visit, you will drive along the Sorrentine Coast, arriving in Sorrento for dinner (dress code: jacket for men) and an overnight in your new hotel.
After a delicious dinner, you’ll turn in for the evening.
Day 9: Sorrento – Capri (Breakfast, Dinner)
After breakfast, get ready for an exciting excursion to the island of Capri: one of the most exclusive summer destinations of the Mediterranean! Depending on weather and sea conditions, you will admire the dreamy Blue Grotto on a small rowboat. Afterward, free time for lunch (lunch not included) and then roam the island at your own pace. Once back on the mainland, return for dinner and your last overnight in Sorrento. Dinner included.
Day 10: Sorrento – Rome (Breakfast)
Breakfast at your hotel. Time at your leisure going for shopping or tasting some nice Limoncello. As an option, you may go for a short excursion to the Amalfi coast (not included). In the afternoon, at around 4:00 pm, departure back to Rome. Check in at your hotel and overnight stay.
Day 11: Rome (Breakfast)
Breakfast at the hotel and end of services. Not ready to go home yet? Having too much fun exploring magnificent Italy? Your travel specialist will review all the options available to you at the end of the trip, including an extended opportunity to explore the country or the option of spending an extra night in Rome. If you must go, you’ll head to the airport for your return home. Remember, we are always eager to help you create the travel experience you desire, so don’t hesitate to ask if you’d like to keep your travel options open!
Hotel Accommodations :
*4 star hotels pricing available
Additional Information
The tour includes:
- Transportation by deluxe motor coach
- Multilingual tour guide and escort
- Accommodation at the hotels
- Meals as per itinerary
- Guided visit with entrance tickets to the Colosseum, Roman Forum and Palatin Hill
- Hop-on Hop-off Bus Ticket in Rome
- Panoramic visits as per itinerary
- Tour of Pompeii with entrance tickets
- Blue Grotto visit
- Luggage service: 1 piece of luggage per person in Florence and Venice
- Taxes and fees
- 24 hour emergency hotline
li> Guided visit with entrance tickets to the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Church
The tour does not include:
- Transfers to/from airport
- Tips
- Drinks and extras in hotel
- Entrance fees to monuments and museums not included in the itinerary
- Everything that is not mentioned in “The tour includes” section
- Extra luggage may incur an additional fee
- Rome Hotel Taxes (6 euros per person per day) paid to hotel
- Florence Hotel Taxes (7 euros per person per day) to be paid directly to hotel
- Venice Hotel Taxes (4.50 euros per person per day) to be paid directly to hotel
- Sorrento Hotel Taxes (3.50 euros per person per day) to be paid directly to hotel
Pricing and Dates
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