Rome and Tuscan Highlights

Welcome to Rome

Ciao Roma! Italy opens its doors for an unforgettable jaunt through Rome, Tuscany, and two millennia of culture, history and fiery Italian verve. Spend the afternoon exploring the city before meeting your Travel Director and fellow travellers for dinner. Embark on an orientation drive past some of Rome's icons and unexpected highlights, including the Circus Maximus, once the site of exhilarating chariot races which attracted thousands of enthusiastic spectators.

Midas Palace

• Rome

Journey to the Tuscan Hills

Your journey through Rome begins in the centre of Christendom, where you'll join a Local Specialist on an included sightseeing tour to visit St. Peter's Basilica and Michelangelo's much-admired Pietà. This afternoon, enjoy a leisurely drive through the scenic Tuscan hills to Montecatini, the largest and most famous spa town in Italy and your home for the next six nights.

Columbia Wellness and Spa Montecatini Terme

• Rome
• Montecatini Terme

Explore Renaissance Florence

Your Local Specialist will reveal the history of Renaissance Florence during your walking tour. View the magnificent Duomo and visit Piazza della Signoria. In your free time, perhaps take a walk across the beautiful Ponte Vecchio. Dating back to the 16th century, a decree mandated that the only businesses allowed to ply their trade on this bridge were goldsmiths and jewellers, and to this day, some of the city's most prestigious jewellery shops can be found here. Or, enjoy an Optional Experience that provides insight into the world of Michelangelo and his masterpiece, David, by visiting the Academy of Fine Arts and its Michelangelo collection. Here, you'll learn all about the life and works of this immortal Renaissance genius through the expert commentary of your Local Specialist..

Columbia Wellness and Spa Montecatini Terme

• Montecatini Terme
• Florence
• Montecatini Terme

Montecatini Your Way

Relax in the spa atmosphere of Montecatini on your day at leisure or join an optional experience to Cinque Terre, whose quaint pastel-hued villages cling to the rugged Ligurian cliffs.

Columbia Wellness and Spa Montecatini Terme

• Montecatini Terme
• Cinque Terre
• Montecatini Terme

Discover Pisa and Vinci Dive Into Culture Connect with Locals

Journey to Pisa, where you'll join a Local Specialist to view the famous Leaning Tower, the finely sculpted marble Cathedral and the ornate Baptistery, said to be the largest in Italy. Continue through Tuscany, arriving in Vinci where you'll join a Local Specialist at the Museo Leonardiano to gain a deeper understanding of the life of this talented master. Admire Leonardo da Vinci's machines and models, sketches, and handwritten notes, as well as interactive exhibits during your visit. Tonight, enjoy a Be My Guest experience at the Agriturismo Borgo Vigna Vecchia surrounded by vineyards and olive groves.

Columbia Wellness and Spa Montecatini Terme

• Montecatini Terme
• Pisa
• Vinci
• Montecatini Terme

Off to Siena and San Gimignano

Saunter through the beautifully preserved medieval city of Siena to see the 13th-century marble cathedral and the shell-shaped Piazza del Campo, home to the biannual Palio horse race. Then venture to the walled medieval town of San Gimignano, renowned for its towers. Enjoy some free time strolling through its narrow lanes and discover the artistry of the local, handmade ceramic on a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where you will see Tuscan pottery created by an artisan, before shopping for locally-produced delicacies—the alluring aromas of pecorino cheese and cured meats tempting you at every turn.

Columbia Wellness and Spa Montecatini Terme

• Montecatini Terme
• Siena
• San Gimignano
• Montecatini Terme

Tuscan Lifestyle Experience

Feast your eyes on the vibrant colours and busy stalls heaving with fresh produce at a local food market where you'll join a Local Specialist professional chef for a tasty introduction to Tuscan cuisine. Learn how to cook like only an Italian mamma can, selecting your fresh produce from the market and preparing lunch which you will enjoy with a delicious glass of local wine. The tastes of Tuscany still lingering after an unforgettable lunch, we return to our hotel in the Tuscan hills for the night.

Columbia Wellness and Spa Montecatini Terme

• Montecatini Terme

Onwards to Rome and the Vatican City Dive Into Culture

Departing Tuscany, travel south to Rome. This afternoon, we Dive Into Culture with a Local Specialist for a guided tour of the Vatican Museums, including a visit to Michelangelo's magnificent frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. This evening, toast your travels in a historical restaurant over a selection of signature Roman dishes.

Midas Palace

• Montecatini Terme
• Rome
• Vatican
• Rome

Journey Home

Bid a fond farewell to your newfound friends and an epic experience as you depart from Rome.

• Rome