Best of Italy - Premium Small Group

Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Get to know your Travel Director and small group over dinner of Roman specialities during dinner at a local restaurant.

Step into the Eternal City with a Local Specialist who will guide you through the Vatican museums, moving through galleries filled with centuries of craft. You’ll visit the Sistine Chapel, where Popes are elected, to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling, and see the beautiful exterior of St. Peter's Basilica. Next, cross the Tiber River and continue through Rome’s archaeological heart where you'll hear about the legends of the Circus Maximus and Arch of Constantine, then visit the Colosseum with your Local Specialist. The afternoon and evening remain open to wander Rome’s bustling squares and quiet corners at your own pace.

Travel north through the Tuscan countryside, where the lush Chianti Hills rise gently on either side of the road. You’ll pass by vineyards, stone farmhouses and rows of cypress trees before arriving in Florence, the Renaissance city. This evening, gather with your fellow travellers at a local restaurant for a dinner full of Florentine flavours as the city’s warm light fades.

It’s your choice how to explore Florence. Maybe visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. After, continue on foot to admire the multicoloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Continue into the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe.

Journey to the coastal town of Pisa and see the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles, as well as the baptistery behind the cathedral. Relax and enjoy the scenery as you cross the spectacular Apennine Mountains, passing through the Emilia-Romagna region, one of Europe's most intensely farmed and fertile plains. Continue through the marshes of the Venetian Lagoon before crossing the causeway into the enchanting floating city of Venice. As evening falls, day-trippers leave the city to return to the mainland, allowing you to appreciate the peace and tranquillity of Venice from your centrally located hotel. Tonight, indulge in a delicious dinner, savouring the unique flavours of Venetian cuisine.

Glide through Venice by private boat, passing centuries-old churches and palaces that showcase the city's rich architectural legacy. Arrive near St. Mark's Square and admire the exterior splendour of St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs — once the path of Casanova's daring escape from the city's most secure prison. Then, enjoy a romantic gondola ride through the canals. Later, you'll visit a Venetian glassblowing workshop. See how beautiful, handcrafted glass is made by expert artisans, preserving time-honoured techniques and traditions.

Today, you’ll leave the lagoon behind and travel through the Veneto and into the green folds of Umbria. The road rises toward the peaceful town of Assisi, nestled on the slopes of Mount Subasio and renowned for its medieval churches, vibrant frescoes and sun-dappled courtyards. In the valley, see the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, revered as the place of St. Francis’ passing. Then meet your Local Specialist at the upper town and step inside the monumental Basilica of St. Francis - a 13th-century marvel whose frescoes by Giotto marked a turning point in European art. Afterwards, enjoy free time to stroll along Via San Francesco, lined with quaint stone buildings offering artisan foods, devotional keepsakes and locally crafted wares.

Italy stretches south today as you leave Rome behind and travel through changing countryside towards the Bay of Naples. Pass Cassino, remembered for one of the pivotal battles of the Second World War, before Mount Vesuvius rises ahead. At Casa Barone, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience on a family-run farm, where Piennolo tomatoes grow in the volcano’s mineral-rich soil. Hear why generations have cultivated this distinctive variety on Vesuvius’ slopes, then taste produce grown around the farm over a Farm-to-Table lunch. Continue along the coast towards Sorrento, with the Bay of Naples beside you, before settling into your hotel with the afternoon free to enjoy at leisure.

Cross the Bay of Naples to the stunning Isle of Capri, a dramatic rock rising from the Mediterranean. For over 2,000 years, Capri has drawn visitors from Emperor Tiberius to Gracie Fields. Arrive by boat at Marina Grande, then ascend to Capri town, where a Local Specialist will guide you through its charming alleyways. Browse elegant boutiques and take in sweeping views over the Tyrrhenian Sea before descending by funicular railway and returning to Sorrento. The rest of the day is yours — perhaps explore the pastel-hued beauty of Positano along the Amalfi Coast.

Continue to Pompeii, preserved beneath volcanic ash following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. With your Local Specialist, walk streets once lined with villas, shops and public buildings, revealing details of Roman life that survived for almost 2,000 years. See the Forum, once the civic and commercial centre of the city, before travelling north to Rome. This evening, dine at a Roman restaurant as a private performance brings some of Italy’s best-known opera music to the table.

As you leave Italy, its ancient cities, storied landmarks and changing landscapes remain vivid in your mind. So do the smaller moments: meals shared, flavours savoured and the final notes of opera over dinner in Rome.