Highlights of Italy Featuring Tuscany & Venice

Your tour of Italy's highlights begins in Venice, where you arrive independently at our hotel. After settling in here, there's time to enjoy the hotel amenities or explore the colourful neighborhood, the local ambiance and stunning setting before dinner.

This evening, meet the Tour Manager and the rest of your traveling group before sitting down to dinner at our hotel. Overnight Venice.

• Dinner

Today we set out on a walking tour of Venice after breakfast. Accompanied by an expert guide, we explore the most beloved sights of this city which holds 1,000 years of history, while hearing stories and little-known facts.

Venice is known for its unique light and its luminescent water. Crossing over small bridges of singular design, we see typical Venetian scenes of gondolas passing beneath and gliding along the canals. Highlights of the tour include Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Campo Santa Margherita Square and Marco Polo House. At St. Mark's Square we view the Grand Canal, the ornate Doge's Palace, and the exquisite St. Mark's Basilica.

The rest of your day is free to continue sightseeing, on foot or by gondola. Maybe visit the Rialto market and sample some local fish and fresh produce, enter one of the enchanting churches, see Renaissance art or visit the Peggy Guggenheim collection. Venice has water taxis, known as vaporettos to take you to the nearby glass-crafting island of Murano, to the lace-making island of Burano or to the Venice Lido, a popular beach. Overnight Venice.

• Breakfast

This morning is another chance to soak up the local sights, or maybe to shop for souvenirs, before transferring to the Santa Maria station in Venice and catching the train to our next destination, Montecatini Terme. Traveling via Florence, our journey takes us through the olive groves and orchards of Tuscany to this historic spa resort, established in the 16th century.

On arrival in the picturesque town, we check in to our hotel in the lower part of Montecatini Terme, while on the hill above us is the Old Town of Montecatini Alto (reachable by funicular). After some free time to settle in and familiarise yourself with our surroundings, dinner is served at our hotel.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Following breakfast at our hotel, we walk to Montecatini's train station to board the morning train to Florence. Magnificent buildings and an ambiance unique to this part of Italy greet us as we head straight out on a guided tour of the city. Our excursion begins in Santa Maria Novella Square, from where we venture through the city's medieval center to Signoria Square. Gaze upon renowned landmarks, including the city's famous centerpiece - the Duomo - then visit Palazzo Vecchio, Loggia dei Lanzi before passing the Uffizi Gallery. The tour ends after taking in scenic views over the Arno River from the 14th-century Ponte Vecchio, and you are then free to continue exploring Florence, the world capital of Renaissance art, at leisure. Please note, if you would like to visit the Uffizi Gallery in your free time it is advisable to book tickets ahead.

Later, we travel to the oldest restaurant in Tuscany, the gorgeous Renaissance-era Il Borgo Machiavelli. Once home to the famous political philosopher, Niccolò Machiavelli, it's now a 'home museum'. We look around the museum and the fascinating cellar of this historical home before indulging in drinks and dinner in a glorious alfresco setting. Overnight Montecatini Terme.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today's excursion features sparkling blue seas and colorful seaside villages as we visit the Cinque Terre, five medieval towns studded along the rugged coastline of the Italian Riviera. Traveling first by coach to the town of La Spezia, we are joined by an expert guide as we spend the day hopping between two of the villages, Monterosso and Vernazza, by boat.

The multi-hued buildings of these quaint fishing villages seem to stack up on one another and some of the five are only accessible from the sea or by ancient clifftop footpaths. There is time to explore Monterosso then later Vernazza, to wander their car-free streets and historic piazzas before we return to the water. Experiencing the Cinque Terre from the sea gives us a unique perspective on these medieval settlements brimming with history.

Returning to Montecatini Terme by coach, this evening is free to explore or relax. The golden hues of sunset are magical here, and you could admire them while riding the funicular railway up to Montecatini Alto, where there are many tempting restaurants. Overnight Montecatini Terme.

• Breakfast

After walking to the nearby railway station we join the train to Florence where we change trains and continue to Italy's buzzing capital, Rome. Known as the Eternal City, this dynamic city was the seat of one of the world's most powerful empires, and is now a melting pot of art, history and religion, with ancient sights around every corner.

Arriving into Rome mid-afternoon, after checking in to the hotel you are free to start to become acquainted with Rome's historic sights and stylish culture before dinner this evening.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Today's tour starts at the awe-inspiring Colosseum. Built nearly 2,000 years ago, the largest amphitheatre ever to be constructed is believed to have hosted around 50,000 spectators during gladiatorial contests. We enter to see the tunnels which the gladiators walked down to meet their fates, and view the battlefield at the center of the arena. We have just over an hour to explore here before continuing a three-hour city tour.

Along our walking route, we learn about the powerful governing centre of ancient Rome and its emperors as we view the exteriors of the Roman Forum and the Roman Pantheon. Our expert guide brings to life the history of this great city, before a coffee stop near the iconic Trevi Fountain.

After our tour, you are free to spend the rest of the day sightseeing at leisure. For dinner this evening, you could search out a trattoria or pavement café to enjoy an authentic Roman specialty, such as gnocchi, pizza al taglio, or pasta alla carbonara. Overnight Rome.

• Breakfast

This morning is at leisure in Rome, which you can continue to explore as you wish. Maybe start with a cappuccino at a café near Piazza Navona, stroll to the Pantheon, marveling at its ancient architecture or simply wander through the cobbled streets and soak up the atmosphere. Alternatively, visit the Vatican City (payable locally) where you can experience some of its most impressive features including the breathtaking art of the Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums.

This afternoon, we leave Rome to catch the train to Naples, the gateway to the Amalfi Coast. Here we are driven by motorcoach to Agriturismo La Sorgente for our first taste of the region. This traditional farmhouse of a large agricultural farm, has been run by the same family for generations, and here we're served a delicious early dinner of fresh produce from the estate, including homemade limoncello and mozzarella. The terraces of the farmhouse offer an oasis of peace, surrounded by ancient olive groves, lemon orchards and vineyards. 

Later we check in to our hotel and you are free to enjoy the evening in this magical setting. Overnight Sorrento.

• Breakfast, Dinner

Crystalline blue water, glorious sunshine, and some of the most magnificent vistas you could imagine lie ahead after breakfast today. After driving to Sorrento port, we embark on a cruise along the glistening Amalfi Coast. Our first stop is Amalfi where you have two hours to uncover its beauty and possibly seek out lunch independently. You could lounge on the beach or at the harbor and admire the contrast of faded classical buildings against vibrant green mountains and azure waters. The town has a 9th-century cathedral, as well as many shops and eateries.

Our cruise continues to Positano, one of the region's most beautiful and popular towns, and approaching by boat gives us a great view of the multi-colored buildings seemingly layered on top of one another. Brightly-painted stucco homes are set beside steep and narrow streets, and there's free time here to stroll along the beach or sip a coffee or glass of wine at the waterside.

Arriving back at our hotel this evening you are free to dine independently in the beautiful town of Sorrento. Overnight Sorrento.

• Breakfast

After a morning transfer by rail, we arrive at the fascinating preserved city of Pompeii. Here, we uncover layers of history on a guided tour of this extraordinary destination. Alongside an expert, we learn about the daily activities carried out by the citizens of this great city, witnessing a moment captured in time due to the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79AD. Wandering among the homes, bathhouses, religious and government buildings that once formed the city, we hear stories from our guide and take an up-close look at ruins preserved with incredible detail, as a result of the ash that rained upon the city following the volcano's eruption.

Returning to Sorrento, this evening we take part in a hands-on pizza-making experience at a local restaurant. Led by a master pizzaiolo, we discover the secrets to this dish before sitting down to dine on our creations.

• Breakfast, Dinner

This morning there is a transfer available from the hotel to Naples airport, arriving there at around 9am. Alternatively, you can transfer there independently at your leisure for your return flight home. Please be sure to book your own flights and make your travel plans accordingly today.

Bursting with iconic destinations, from world-famous cities to spellbinding scenery and much-loved cuisine, this exploration of Italy has provided many unforgettable moments. On this once-in-a-lifetime journey, we have explored Rome's ancient history, the Renaissance architecture of Florence, and Venice's timeless canals. Sun-baked coasts have showcased Italy's laid-back charm, from the colorful villages of the Cinque Terre to the fragrant hills and elegant towns of the Amalfi Coast. We also savored the country's celebrated cuisine on visits to Il Borgo Machiavelli, a Sorrento agriturismo and at a local pizza-making lesson. After breakfast in Sorrento this morning, your Italian adventure comes to a conclusion.

• Breakfast