Italy Bellissimo - Escorted Tour

Day 1   Rome

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

Hotel:  Grand Hotel Tiberio Rome
Dinner included

Experiences included:
- Rome orientation

Day 2   Rome and the Vatican City

Enjoy a captivating journey through Rome, beginning at the Vatican Museums where you’ll join a Local Specialist and admire Michelangelo's magnificent, frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel and his sorrowful Pietà in St. Peter's Basilica.  Soak up the coffee culture in one of Rome's lively piazzas or discover the masterpieces of Rome in one of the city's many museums.

Hotel:  Grand Hotel Tiberio Rome
Breakfast included

Experiences included:
- The works of Michaelangelo and the Vatican Museums
- Ancient Rome tour
Additional experiences available at additional cost

Day 3   Pompeii & Capri

Go back in time and discover the ancient city of Pompeii which remains frozen time capsule since it was covered in ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius centuries ago. Here you will join a Local Specialist who will share insights into the city's tragic history. Cruise across the Bay of Naples next, where you will arrive at the Isle of Capri.

Hotel:  Regina Cristina Capri
Breakfast included

Experiences included:
- Visit Pompeii with a local specialist

Day 4   Capri
Explore the glamour of Capri on a walking tour with a Local Specialist that will include views of the marina. Spend free time shopping at elegant boutiques or perhaps join an Optional Experience to explore the rugged coastline and hidden grottos by private motor launch.

Hotel:  Regina Cristina Capri
Breakfast and dinner included

Experiences included:
- Tour of Capri
Additional experiences available at additional cost

Day 5   Assisi

It’s now time to sale back across the Mediterranean to Naples venture to the historic city of Perugia.  Discover Italy’s weaving tradition during an impressive visit to the Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti.  Discover one of the last remaining traditional wooden frame hand-weaving workshops in the country, before continuing to the ancient hilltop town of Assisi.

Hotel:  Grand Hotel Assisi
Breakfast included

Experiences included:
- Laboratorio Guiditta Brozetti Museum visit
Additional experiences available at additional cost

Day 6   Venice

Visit the Basilica of St. Francis, famous for Giotto's exquisite frescoes and 13th-century stained-glass windows.  Enjoy a free evening watching the sunset over the lagoon or consider joining an Optional Experience before retiring at your Stays With Stories hotel, once a beloved home-away-from-home for Romantic poet, Robert Browning.

Hotel:  Albergo Quattro Fontane Lido Venice
Breakfast and dinner included

Experiences included:
- Stays with Stories
- Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi visit
- Scenic drive through Emilia-Romagna region
Additional experiences available at additional cost

Day 7   Venice

The Winged Lion of Venice is your constant companion as you cruise by private launch for a memorable bringing to life of the 13th-century tradition of Venetian glassblowing.  Watch the talented master craftsmen use the same techniques that have been passed down through the generations, perhaps inspired to buy a souvenir or two to remind you of your visit. Next, you’ll continue on to St. Mark's Square where you’ll view the Basilica, the ornate Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore this enchanting city.

Hotel:  Albergo Quattro Fontane Lido Venice
Breakfast included

Experiences included:
- History and ancient skills of Venetian glass-blowing
Additional experiences available at additional cost

Day 8   Pisa and Tuscany

Travel to Pisa and 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.

Hotel:  Minerva Palace Montecatini
Breakfast included

Experiences included:
- Pisa’s Landmarks
Additional experiences available at additional cost

Day 9   Florence

Discover one of the world's most cultural cities - the former home of great masters and a testament to the elaborate legacy of the Medici family. Your Local Specialist shares all the sights, including views of the magnificent marble Duomo and Baptistery. We visit Piazza della Signoria, the heart of this flourishing city with its statues and stunning palazzi then view the Ponte Vecchio. Learn about the quality and workmanship of two of this city's historic industries at demonstrations of Florentine leathercraft and 18-carat gold. Later, enjoy some free time to stroll around the city and embrace this Renaissance gem.

This evening you’ll have the opportunity to dine with the Callistri family at their borgo in the Hamlet of Limonaia for a delicious Italian dinner, olive oil tasting and leisurely walk through their olive groves and lemon orchards.

Hotel:  Minerva Palace Montecatini
Breakfast and dinner included

Experiences included:
- Dinner with the Callistri family
- Florence City Tour
- Florence Leather demonstration
Additional experiences available at additional cost

Day 10   San Gimignano and Rome

Admire the medieval beauty of San Gimignano today, walking to the triangular Piazza della Cisterna, the hub of this historic town. Shop for local products or relax with a gelato at a pavement café. This evening, celebrate a magnificent Italian adventure with newfound friends at a Farewell Dinner.

Hotel: Shangri-La Rome
Breakfast and dinner included

Experience included:
UNESCO-listed San Gimignano

Day 11   Departure

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