Assisi Skyline

BEST OF ITALY TOUR

On this tour you will have on an authentic  Italian adventure, travelers visit Florence, Rome and Sorrento for 11 days with excursions to some of Italy’s most compelling sites. From the splendors of the 4 Renaissance in Florence to the imperial vestiges extant in Rome and then bask in the sunny and balmy atmosphere of the Amalfi coastline amid the most marvelous marine landscapes. And what of the memorable sights…Michelangelo’s statue of David in Florence, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the crypt with St. Francis remains in Assisi, Rome’s Forum, Colosseum, Sistine Chapel, Vatican Museum’s treasures, St. Peter’s Basilica, the Great Synagogue, the unearthed ancient city of Pompeii, which volcanic lava covered 2,000 years ago, Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi, Ravello, the romantic isle of Capri and the Floral Gardens of Augustus and Villas Rufolo’s tropical gardens which inspired Wagner’s opera Parsifal. Be overwhelmed by works of great artists…Cimabue, Giotto, Michelangelo, Perugino and Botticelli to name a few. Shop for leather goods and antiques in Florence, at designers’ shops in Rome’s Via Condotti or at craft shops in the Amalfi’s area. Naturally in Italy, when it comes to its renowned and savory cuisine and wines, This itinerary packages to Italy will give you plenty of it and even add music or a castle as in a wine tasting. In this Best of Italy package travelers will get the overall satisfaction of discovering the true essence of Italy. This packages to Italy will leave you breathless. This itinerary will give you the maximum flexibility, make changes on the spot, and it is an itinerary for any number of travelers from 1 to any number.

Suggested Typical Itinerary

Day 1

Morning arrival into Florence’s Peretola Airport. Here you’ll be met and transferred to your hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure to allow you to get acquainted with the city where the Renaissance reached its highest point.

Day 2

Your morning tour takes you to Michelangelo Square for a panoramic view of the city, the Accademia to see Michelangelo’s original ”David” statue, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery with its ”Gates of Paradise” doors, Signoria Square and Santa Croce Church. Afternoon is free. Tonight enjoy a festive dinner with wine and music at a charming villa located on a beautiful Tuscan hillside outside Florence. (B, D)

Day 3

Today you will be taken on a full day excursion to Cinque Terre (Five Lands), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the best preserved natural and semi-natural parts of the Mediterranean. Hillside olive groves and vineyards perched along the coast are typical of this dramatic region where for over a thousand years people have lived cultivating the steep hillsides and fishing the blue waters. Your guided tour will explore the mustsees of the Cinque Terre from both land and sea, with a combination of easy walks, village visits, train rides and short boat trips between the villages. (B)

Day 4

Morning departure for Rome. Drive through the serene Tuscan and Umbrian countryside, passing by the shores of Lake Trasimeno with a stop at the Magione Castle, presently the private residence of the Prince and Grand Master of Sovereign Military Order of Knights of Malta. Here a wine expert will lecture on the vinification process that takes place at the castle, followed by a delicious tasting of the varieties of wines produced at the castle and light lunch. Continue to Assisi, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and enjoy your guided tour of St. Francis Basilica. Arrive in Rome in the late afternoon. (B, L)

Day 5

Rome is filled with monuments, fountains, antiquities and other sites worth exploring. Use this free day to discover, on your own, all the Eternal City has to offer, take an optional tour or discover why Roman trattorias are famous for their fine cuisine. (B)

Day 6

This morning experience a very special privately guided tour of the priceless collection of art and treasures in the Sistine Chapel and Vatican Museum. Then proceed to the Piazza Venezia and Roman Forum, with a stop at the Colosseum – a testament to the greatness of Rome’s past. Continue your full day tour by viewing the Arch of Constantine, Circus Maximus, the Great Synagogue, Isola Tiberina and Castel Sant’Angelo. Tonight bid arrivederci to Rome at a special dinner with wine in a lovely Roman restaurant. (B, D)

Day 7

This morning drive south to Naples for an orientation tour of the city. Before heading to Sorrento, stop in Pompeii, the ancient city covered by volcanic lava 2,000 years ago, for a guided tour of the remarkably preserved ruins of temples, houses, gardens and public buildings. Then drive along the spectacular coast road of the Bay of Naples to Sorrento, the famous resort town of orange and lemon groves. Dinner at your hotel restaurant is included. (B, D)

Day 8

Leave Sorrento in the morning for Positano. Brief stop at the Belvedere to enjoy a unique view of Moorish architecture blended with pastel colored houses. Weather permitting, board a motorlaunch and cruise along the coast to Amalfi for a walking tour of the old town. Continue to Ravello. Enjoy lunch at a restaurant with spectacular views of the Amalfi coast and the Bay of Salerno. Enjoy time for a stroll around the center of town before returning to Sorrento. (B, L)/dd>

Day 9

A morning jetfoil whisks you across the blue Bay of Naples to the fabled Isle of Capri, where you will ascend to the Piazzetta, visit the Floral Gardens of Caesar Augustus, and still have free time for lunch and some shopping before returning to Sorrento. Tonight dinner is at a local restaurant. (B, D)

Day 10

Morning transfer to Naples Capodichino Airport for your return flight home, or continue to your next destination. (B)