Best of Italy:
Rome, Florence, and Venice
This is the classic "Grand Tour" of Italy with visits of Rome, the Eternal City, Florence, the grand city of the Renaissance, and Venice, famed for its canals and the Piazza San Marco. Better still, these three cities feature some of our favorite hotels, sightseeing, and fine dining. Best of all, with this tour you have plenty of free time to explore, shop, or relax without feeling rushed.
ACCOMMODATIONS
• 3 Nights Rome
• 3 Nights Florence
• 3 Nights Venice
INCLUSIONS
• Private Arrival & Departure Transfers Per City
• Small Group Rome Panoramic Tour
• Small Group Florence Walking Tour with Academy
• Private Gondola Ride
• One Traditional 3-Course Dinner Per City
• 1st class Rail Between Cities
• TripBuilder CityGuides Per City
• Daily Breakfast
ARRIVE ROME
You'll be met coming out of baggage claims and passport control by your driver holding a sign with your name on it for your private transfer from Fiumicino airport to your hotel in central Rome. (Accommodations, Rome)
ROME
After breakfast, meet your driver for your Panoramic Rome Tour. Your English-speaking driver acquaints you with all the main monuments, including St. Peter's Square, the Colosseum, the Forum, Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, and Trevi Fountain. Tonight you'll dine with reservations at a traditional Roman restaurant. (Breakfast, Accommodations, Dinner, Rome)
ROME
After breakfast, you have the day at leisure, or you can choose from a number of optional tours that are sure to excite and inform.
Optional Tour:
Private Jewish Ghetto and Trastevere Tour
The Jewish community in Rome is known to be the oldest Jewish community in Europe and also one of the oldest continuous Jewish settlements in the world, dating back to 161 BC. Your guide and driver will meet you at your hotel and take you to Teatro Marcello, where the walking tour begins. You will see Portico d`Ottavia, which was built during the Roman Empire and then became a fish market during the Middle Ages. Proceed to Piazza delle Cinque Scole, where there were the five Talmud schools, five synagogues used as schools. Piazza Mattei with the charming fountain of the Turtle from the 16th century and the Synagogue built at the beginning of the 20th century, housing the Jewish Community Museum. Crossing the river through the Tiber Island you will reach the Trastevere district and visit the first Synagogue of Rome, dating back to the 1st century, where the inscription of the Rabbi is visible. (Breakfast, Accommodations, Rome)
ROME TO FLORENCE
After breakfast, you have a private car transfer to the rail station for your travel by rail to Florence in first-class, reserved seats. Upon arrival in Florence, you are met on the platform at the rail station by your driver for a private transfer to your hotel. (Breakfast, Rome; Accommodations, Florence)
FLORENCE
After breakfast, your walking tour will start from Piazza della Signoria, a beautifully preserved square where the guide will show you its highlights - among which are the Loggia dei Lanzi arcade and Palazzo Vecchio. By walking through the medieval streets of this renaissance city, you will reach Piazza del Duomo, with the magnificent Duomo Complex. The final tour destination is the Academy Museum, where, among other masterpieces by Michelangelo, you will admire the statue of David, a symbolic representation of Florentine Renaissance art. (Breakfast, Accommodations, Florence)
FLORENCE
After breakfast, you have the day and afternoon at leisure before dinner in a traditional Tuscan trattoria this evening.
Optional Tour:
Private Cooking with Stefania in Montefioralle and Chianti Tour
Meet your driver in the hotel`s lobby and head for Montefioralle, a lovely hamlet made of cobbled streets, stone walls and climbing flowers, where time seems to have stopped.
Stefania, your host, chose to settle here after she was enchanted by an approach to life that was respectful of the changes in the seasons and of the natural succession of things. Her cooking classes unveil a world made of passion for simple ingredients, of tastes and flavors able to trigger old memories of family gatherings and bursts of laughter.
Join her in her kitchen, follow her example and then chop, slice, stir, and sip, in a culinary crescendo that culminates in a delicious meal, accompanied by local wine, witty conversations and entertaining company. After lunch, a relaxing drive through Chianti`s beautiful scenery will be the best conclusion for such a day out. (Breakfast, Dinner, Accommodations, Florence)
FLORENCE TO VENICE
A private transfer will take you to the Florence rail station to catch your train to Venice. Upon arrival at Santa Lucia station, your host will meet you on the platform and escort you to the private boat for transportation to your Venice hotel. En route, you will be oriented to the main sights along the Grand Canal then personally escorted into your hotel. (Breakfast, Florence; Accommodations, Venice)
VENICE
After your breakfast, you have your morning and early afternoon at leisure before enjoying an iconic and fun gondola ride through the canals of Venice. (Breakfast, Accommodations, Venice)
VENICE
After breakfast, you have your entire day at leisure to shop, explore on your own, or take advantage of an optional tour. This evening you'll enjoy a delicious dinner in one of our favorite Ristorantes. (Breakfast, Dinner, Accommodations, Venice)
DEPART VENICE
After your breakfast, a private boat, driver, and escort will meet you at the appointed time in your hotel's lobby for a transfer to either the Venice rail station or airport to continue to your next Avanti destination!
(Breakfast, Venice)
** Itinerary and inclusions are subject to change