Italy Explorer – 9 Day

9 days of la dolce vita, pronto. This one is pure Italian travel, covering all the big bucket-list destinations of Venice, Florence & Rome, plus have the free time to check out the smaller charms of Pisa, Verona, and Siena. We'll ooh and aah over antipasto & chianti, dine on regional specialties in local trattorias, boat through the canals and islands of Venice, and explore the architecturally magnificent city of Florence. Expect comfy hotels and plenty of world-famous espresso & pizza on the way.

Day 1: Rome, IT - Arrival Day

Today is arrival day where once you land you will meet your Local Host who will meet you at the airport and take you to the starting hotel. Your Local Host will also be available to provide you with recommendations while on vacation to help you make the most out of your free time. Today is a day at leisure.

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 2: Rome

Your morning guided sightseeing, with headset, includes inside visits of the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel, with Michelangelo’s The Last Judgment and his famous ceiling paintings. Enter monumental St. Peter's Square and Basilica, built in 313 AD above St. Peter the Apostle’s tomb, and cross the Tiber River to visit the iconic Colosseum and Roman Forum. (Please note the Vatican Museums are closed on Wednesdays and Sundays, therefore if your included sightseeing falls on those days, your alternate sightseeing will include Trevi Fountain, a true masterpiece and icon of Rome, Palazzo Chigi, the heart of Italian political life, an inside visit of the Pantheon, and world-renowned Piazza Navona. You end the tour with a visit of the Colosseum and Roman Forum.)

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 3: Rome

A full day at leisure to enjoy a variety of activities—your Local Host will have many suggestions. There is just so much to see in this beautiful city.

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 4: Rome - Florence

Travel by high-speed train (first class) to Florence and enjoy a day at Leisure. Your Local Host will guide you to and from the trains and your hotels.

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 5: Florence

Morning guided sightseeing, with headset, includes a visit to the Academy of Fine Arts with Michelangelo’s original David (the Academy is replaced with the Duomo Museum on Mondays and on the first Sunday of each month). Walk through Piazza del Duomo; sculpture-studded Piazza della Signoria, the center of the city’s political life since the 14th century; and Santa Croce Square. Also admire medieval Ponte Vecchio, the arched, stone merchant bridge spanning the Arno River.

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 6: Florence

A full day at leisure to enjoy a variety of activities—your Local Host will have many suggestions. There is just so much to see in this beautiful city.

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 7: Florence - Venice

Travel by high-speed train (first class) to Venice and enjoy a day at Leisure. Your Local Host will guide you to and from the trains and your hotels.

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 8: Venice

Morning guided sightseeing, with headset, features St. Mark's Square and Basilica with its exceptional gold mosaics. Visit Doge's Palace and the poignant Bridge of Sighs. Watch skilled glassblowers fashion their delicate objects in the age-old manner, and learn why glass-making was so important in Venetian history. Entrances to Marciana Library, and the Correr and Archaeological Museums are included; ask your Local Host for details.

Accommodations: 3-4 Star Hotel, Option to upgrade available

Day 9: Venice / Departure Day

Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning and your Local Host will take you to the airport as you head to your next destination wherever it may be!

Meals included: Breakfast