Spend seven days exploring art and history in three of Italy's most beautiful cities with this luxury itinerary. Start in the north, touring the famous islands of Murano and Burano to see the master glassblowers and lace makers at work and exploring Venice's canals on a private gondola. Head south to see ancient ruins in Rome and Pompeii, then spend three days relaxing in fragrant Sorrento on the elegant Amalfi Coast.

Highlights

  • Glide past ornate Venetian palaces and medieval piazzas on a gondola
  • Explore the ancient streets and villas of Pompeii
  • Enjoy sunshine, cuisine, and shopping on the Amalfi Coast

Brief Itinerary

Day Highlights Overnight
Day 1 Arrive in Venice by Private Water Taxi Venice
Day 2 Boat Tour to Venice's Lagoon Islands, Gondola Experience Venice
Day 3 First Class Train to Rome, Explore the "Enchanted City" Rome
Day 4 Transfer to Sorrento, VIP Tour of Pompeii Sorrento
Day 5 Foodie Tour & Tasting of Sorrento's Artisanal Producers Sorrento
Day 6 Explore Sorrento at Leisure Sorrento
Day 7 Depart Italy  

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1: Arrive in Venice by Private Water Taxi

Arrive in Venice
Experience the majesty of Venice's Grand Canal with a private water taxi to your hotel

Benvenuti in Venezia! Enchanting visitors for centuries, Italy's "Floating City" is located in the country's northeast and comprises a unique network of ornate bridges and canals that form the elegant palazzo-lined Venetian Lagoon. Arrive in style at your centrally located hotel by private vaporetto (water taxi), where you can unwind and relax before heading out to explore. 

Start at Piazza San Marco, the heart of the city's cultural and administrative district and flanked by two Venice institutions, Caffè Florian and Gran Caffè Quadri, two splendid neo-Baroque 18th-century coffee houses that have attracted the city's writers and artists for 300 years. It's a fitting setting for the San Marco Basilica, one of the best-surviving examples of Italo Byzantine architecture, that features exquisite art, gold, mosaics, and marble floors.

While Venice is brimming with art and history that would take months to discover, take a moment to soak up the incomparable atmosphere of the car-free, canal-studded city. Do as the locals do and savor a glass of wine alongside plates of cicchetti (the Venetian version of tapas) at a local bar. While the city has its fair share of iconic bridges, the Ponte dell'Accademia gives a picture-perfect view of Venice and the Grand Canal. In the evening, dine on delicious seafood or pasta with fresh truffles at one of the city's renowned restaurants. 

Day 2: Boat Tour to Venice's Lagoon Islands, Gondola Experience

Burano
Wander Burano's colorful streets and visit lacemaking ateliers

Spend a morning touring three of Venice's famous neighbors—the islands of Murano, Burano, and Torcello, by private motorboat. Your first stop is Murano, known worldwide for its colorful, elegant glass-making. You'll get to see firsthand how the intricate pieces are made, using techniques passed down through the generations, with a visit to a local glass blower. Continue to Burano, a picture-perfect island known for its striking, colorful houses and elegant lacework, then boat over to nearby Torcello, where you'll enjoy a delicious lunch before returning to your hotel.

Later on, spend your last afternoon in Venice gliding through the evocative back canals of San Marco with the time-honored tradition of a gondola ride, the primary mode of Venetians for centuries. As your gondeliero navigates the city's narrow canals spanned by tiny romantic bridges, sit back and discover parts of the city only accessible by gondola.  In the evening, head to a local bacaro to sample cicchetti and local Veneto wine. 

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Day 3: First Class Train to Rome, Explore the "Enchanted City"

Piazza Navona
Relax with a spritz and admire the Baroque architecture in Piazza Navona

After one last leisurely stroll along the Grand Canal, your Italian trip continues this morning with a high-speed train to Rome. Travel first class, and in just over four hours you'll arrive in the "Eternal City" with its enticing mix of ancient history, art, culture, and la dolce vita lifestyle. Upon arrival at Termini station, your private driver will transfer you to your central hotel. Savor a glass of wine on the terrace before heading out to see the sights.

One of the city's most beautiful panoramas can be found at the top of the Spanish Steps, Europe's longest and widest staircase. It's the perfect spot to soak up the views over Rome's skyline and the Piazza di Spagna below, where you'll find the Baroque Fontana della Barcaccia. The city's main sights are easily navigated on foot, and it's a 15-minute stroll through picturesque alleyways and cobbled streets to the 2,000-year-old Pantheon, whose imposing silhouette dominates the Piazza della Rotonda.

Relax with a spritz or gelato at one of the café tables dotting the square, then continue to Bernini's Trevi Fountain, another Baroque masterpiece where a coin tossed inside is said to seal your return to Rome. As golden hour approaches, head over to Piazza Navona, famous for its Fountain of the Four Rivers and afterward head to dinner in the elegant Jewish Quarter, established in 1555 CE and famed for its leafy cobbled streets and terrific gastronomy. 

Day 4: Transfer to Sorrento, VIP Tour of Pompeii

Sorrento
Arrive at the Amalfi Coast in time for a spritz on the terrace and sunset views over the Bay of Naples

Spend a relaxed morning saying goodbye to Rome, then meet your driver and hit the road for a 3.5-hour scenic drive. Your destination is Sorrento on the Amalfi Coast, known for its pastel-hued houses perched along dramatic cliffs, scented lemon groves, bougainvillea-clad cobblestone streets, and terraced vineyards. Stop along the way for a private two-hour walking tour of the ruins at Pompeii, a city frozen in time when the ash and volcanic debris that flowed from the volcano in 79 CE preserved many of the town's structures entirely.

Hop back in the car and drive through a landscape dotted with farms and wineries—Sorrento's picturesque lemon-scented streets are an hour's drive away. Arrive at your hotel, and the evening is yours to spend at leisure. Wander the Piazza Tasso, framed by the Amalfi Coast's famous rugged cliffs, then head to one of the town's most elegant terraces to enjoy dinner and drinks while relishing in the Italian tradition of la dolce far niente (the sweet art of doing nothing).

Day 5: Foodie Tour & Tasting of Sorrento's Artisanal Producers

Tour Sorrento's fragrant lemon groves
Tour Sorrento's fragrant lemon groves and taste some of the coast's finest produce

Today, you'll embark on a private foodie tour around the colorful Amalfi coastline. Your driver will collect you from your hotel, ready for your first stop: a local olive oil mill where you'll learn how this centuries-old staple of Italian life and diet is harvested, pressed, and bottled. Sample the estate's extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) alongside delicious bread and snacks and discover the different flavor notes (grassy, floral, and spicy) that make the oil an essential ingredient in Italian cuisine.

Italian formaggi (cheeses) are some of the best in the world, and your next stop at a renowned dairy farm on the Sorrentine Peninsula will guide you through local cheese production with a master cheese maker. You'll learn the traditional cheese-making techniques handed down through generations and see perfectly preserved copper churns and manual machinery from the 19th century in the farm's small museum. Of course, there'll also be plenty of cheese to try, including the farm's famous Provolone del Monaco DOP, washed down with a glass of the local wine. 

Your last stop is a scenic lemon farm where you'll meander through lemon groves filled with Sfusato Amalfitano lemon trees. See the farmers at work and discover the special qualities of Amalfi lemons and how citrus fruits are used throughout Italian cooking in both salato (savory) and dolce (sweet) dishes. You'll end your tour with a delicious farm lunch using local produce and finish by tasting the farm's own artisanal limoncello (lemon liqueur).

Day 6: Explore Sorrento at Leisure

Sorrento
Spend your last day exploring the elegant streets and boutiques around Piazza Tasso

Spend a relaxed day exploring Sorrento at leisure. Soak up the sunshine in Piazza Tasso and wander the nearby boutiques on Corso Italia. Continue to Via San Renato and immerse yourself in local life with a stroll around the colorful open-air market, a great place to pick up fresh produce and delicious cheeses. Stop for lunch at the Marina Grande, Sorrento's fishing village famous for its seafood restaurants and gorgeous views. The nearby volcanic sand beach is the perfect spot to relax after a delicious meal with a cool drink. 

Spend the afternoon relaxing at your hotel's pool, or head out on a private tour. Oenophiles should opt for a sommelier-guided wine tour of the Irpinia region's prestigious estates, with the added attraction of tasting your way through some of the area's wonderful scenery and the rugged Apennine mountains. Spend your last night sampling delicious local specialties, such as gnocchi alla Sorrentina (tiny potato dumplings with tomatoes and bufala mozzarella) and scialatielli alle vongole (spaghetti-like pasta with clams), and raise a toast to your trip.

Day 7: Depart Italy

A la prossima, Italia!
A la prossima, Italia!

After one last cappuccino and pastry at breakfast, it's time to meet your driver and head to the airport for your flight home. Safe travels! 

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Map

Map of Luxury Venice, Rome & Sorrento - 7 Days
Map of Luxury Venice, Rome & Sorrento - 7 Days