Description

Day 1 – Arrival in Rome

Welcome to Rome.

Upon arrival, meet your driver and transfer to your hotel.

Enjoy a Hop-on Hop-off sightseeing experience aboard the Gray Line open-top bus. This panoramic tour offers a relaxed introduction to the Eternal City, with multiple stops and onboard audio commentary in 12 languages. Admire iconic landmarks from a unique vantage point and explore at your own pace.

Evening at leisure.

Day 2 – Rome (B)

After breakfast, join a guided tour of Ancient Rome.

Meet your professional guide at the designated meeting point and begin your journey through history. Equipped with a personal radio receiver and earphones, you’ll step inside the legendary Colosseum, exploring the iconic Flavian Amphitheater where Ancient Romans gathered to witness epic gladiator battles and dramatic wild animal hunts. Discover how these events shaped Roman entertainment and social life.

Continue to the Palatine Hill, the mythical birthplace of Rome and once home to its emperors. From here, enjoy sweeping views of the city – perfect for unforgettable photos.

The tour concludes at the Roman Forum, once the bustling center of Roman political, religious, and commercial life. With your guide’s vivid storytelling, you’ll be transported back in time to imagine daily life in ancient Rome.

The rest of the day is at your disposal to explore the city at your own pace, do some shopping, or simply relax.

Day 3 – Rome > Assisi > Siena > Florence (B, L)

Depart early for Assisi.

Upon arrival in Assisi, explore 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.

Enjoy lunch in Assisi (included).

Back on road 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 well-earned night of rest.

Day 4 – Florence (B, L)

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.

Day 5 – Florence > Bologna > Venice (B, Local Food Experience)

After a delightful breakfast in Florence, we depart for the elegant city of 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 light lunch at a local eatery, offered by us, you will have the chance to savor the authentic flavors and unique dishes that define the renowned gastronomic identity of Emilia-Romagna.

Later in the afternoon, we continue our journey to Venice. Upon arrival, check in at your hotel for a restful overnight stay.

Day 6 – Venice (B, Local Food Experience)

After breakfast, enjoy your transfer to Piazza San Marco, and visit the most iconic places of the “Floating City”: the Palazzo dei Dogi, symbol of Venice’s glorious past, the legendary “Bridge of Sighs”.

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).

Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel and overnight.

Day 7 – Venice > Verona > Franciacorta (Light Lunch and Wine Tasting) > Bergamo (B, Light Lunch & Wine Tasting)

After breakfast, reach “fair Verona”, a museum en plain air. A local professional will be waiting for you and take you on a guided tour. The fascinating mix of historical periods and cultures (both classical and Germanic) is a blend of Nordic as well as Mediterranean influences that is both ancient and modern.

A walk through its narrow streets will allow you to get in touch with Verona’s varied and fascinating past: traces of its splendid Roman origins, its medieval structures, its magnificent renaissance palaces, as well as the impressive fortifications protecting it. The combination of art and history will amaze you. Two of William Shakespeare’s plays are set in Verona: “Romeo and Juliet” is by far the most famous one. We suggest taking a look at the so-called Juliet’s home (and its balcony, said to have been the legendary balcony of the famous “O Romeo, Romeo” tragedy’s scene). It is a medieval building located in via Cappello. Capello is the name of a family who resided in the edifice in the 14th century.

After the Verona tour, you will drive toward the territory of Franciacorta, whose soil consisting of gravel and sand over limestone is ideal for the cultivation of grapes and for winemaking. This is why we chose this place for your next stop. This is where you will enjoy a light lunch and taste some local food as well as the renowned local wine.

After this experience, you will head for Bergamo, where you will have the first overnight in Bergamo.

Day 8 – Bergamo > Sirmione > Desenzano del Garda > Bergamo (B, D)

Lake Garda is the largest lake in Italy.

After breakfast at your hotel, you’ll embark on a panoramic tour of the lake’s west coast, immersing yourselves in the breathtaking natural landscape. This includes the Brenta Dolomites (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the gentle slopes of the Moraine Hills of Lower Garda. You’ll be surrounded by lush vegetation, from lemon trees to oleanders, magnolias, and bougainvillea.

Upon reaching Sirmione, where Lake Garda and its surroundings are at their finest, you’ll see the sun reverberating on the lake’s blue waters, the tree-lined shores, Sirmione Castle, as well as the ruins of Catullus’s villa also known as the Grottoes of Catullus – during a scenic boat tour.

Once you’re through, you will have some free time for lunch before departing for Desenzano del Garda with its elegant lakeside promenade and historical center that reflects traces of Venetian influence.

Dinner and overnight stay in Bergamo.

Day 9 – Bergamo > Como > Bellagio > Milano (B)

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and then prepare for a short visit to Como, a tourist destination for its vicinity to Lake Como and the Alps. Amazing views over the lake and the alpine valleys are guaranteed! The lake itself, sometimes called Lario, has long been famous for its Y-shape and for Bellagio, that you will reach by boat.

This little gem town lies at the intersection of the lake’s two southern arms, with the Alps dominating the horizon to the north, and is home to some of the most charming landscapes in Italy.

Spend some time exploring this picturesque village and its small streets, luxury hotels, villas, and gardens, and have lunch at your leisure in one of the many restaurants or cafés.

Later, continue by boat to Cadenabbia, where you’ll meet your driver and continue onward to Milan. Check in at your Milan hotel and overnight.

Day 10 – Milan > Bernina Express > Milan (B)

This is the day of your Bernina Express experience, on board the “train that snakes its way up to the mountain peaks.”

After breakfast at the hotel, meet your private driver and head toward St. Moritz, where you’ll have some free time to explore this luxurious Alpine resort town.

Then, board the Bernina Express, a century-old World Heritage train, and embark on one of the most scenic rail journeys in the world. As the train climbs through the Alps, you’ll be treated to unforgettable views: dramatic mountain passes, alpine lakes, picturesque villages, and a marvel of engineering that blends beautifully with nature.

Enjoy the breathtaking ride through the Bernina Pass, reaching up to 2,253 meters, all the way down to Tirano.

Once in Tirano, your driver will meet you for the return journey to Milan.

Overnight stay in Milan.

Day 11 – Milan (B, Local Food Experience)

After breakfast, enjoy your morning at leisure to explore Milan at your own pace. You could go shopping in the Fashion District, relax at a café, or stroll around the city center.

In the afternoon, meet your professional local guide at the hotel for a three-hour walking tour of Milan’s historic highlights. Begin along Via Spallanzani, reaching Porta Venezia, one of the city’s ancient gates, steeped in history and legend.

From here, proceed to Corso Venezia You will proceed toward Corso Venezia and walk through the Giardini Indro Montanelli, pass by the Galleria d’Arte Moderna and continue along Viale Manzoni. From the outside, see the iconic Teatro alla Scala and admire the majestic façade of the Milan Cathedral (Duomo).

Your final stop will be the Castello Sforzesco, a magnificent 15th-century fortress built by Duke Francesco Sforza. Nearby, we’ve selected a refined Milanese bakery where you’ll relax and enjoy a typical aperitivo, the city’s signature early evening ritual. At the end of the tasting experience, enjoy some free time before heading back to the hotel on your own.

Day 12 – Milan Departure (B)

After breakfast, transfer to the airport.

Arrivederci!