Highlights
- Follow a local guide to Venice's best canalside bacari (wine bars)
- Visit hill towns and wineries on a scenic day trip into the Tuscan countryside
- Watch the sunset over the Tyrrhenian Sea from a cliffside Amalfi village
- Cruise over to Capri to explore the enchanting "Isle of the Sirens"
- See some of the greatest masterpieces of the Renaissance in the Vatican Museums
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Venice, Evening Food Tour | Venice |
| Day 2 | Venice Walking Tour: San Marco Basilica, Palazzo Ducale & Bridge of Sighs | Venice |
| Day 3 | Train to Florence, Evening Tuscan Food Tour | Florence |
| Day 4 | Day Trip to Tuscany: Chianti Wine Tasting & Medieval Hill Towns | Florence |
| Day 5 | Train to Naples, Transfer to Amalfi Coast, Positano Sunset Cruise | Amalfi |
| Day 6 | Day Trip to Capri, the "Isle of Sirens" | Amalfi |
| Day 7 | Train to Rome, Afternoon Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour | Rome |
| Day 8 | Rome Highlights Tour: Vatican, Sistine Chapel & More | Rome |
| Day 9 | Depart Rome |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Venice, Evening Food Tour
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 palazzo-lined Venetian Lagoon. Upon arrival at the airport, you'll transfer to your centrally located hotel by private vaporetto (water taxi), where you can unwind and relax before this evening's tour.
Later on, you'll head to the Cannaregio quarter (the city's former Jewish Ghetto) for a delicious guided stroll. Hop between the hip neighborhood's traditional bacari (wine bars), where locals flock after work to savor mouthwatering cicchetti (Venetian tapas) alongside small glasses of wine or the excellent locally produced Prosecco. Savor some of the Veneto's best red and white wines, such as valpolicella ripasso, amarone di valpolicella, and the lesser-known refosco, while seeing authentic Venetian life unfold with the city's unique equivalent of aperitivo hour. Buon appetito!
Day 2: Venice Walking Tour: San Marco Basilica, Palazzo Ducale & Bridge of Sighs
Join an expert local guide this morning for a relaxed walking tour around some of Venice's most important sites. Start in Piazza San Marco, the heart of the city's cultural and administrative district, flanked by two Venetian institutions: Caffè Florian and Gran Caffè Quadri, splendid neo-Baroque 18th-century coffeehouses 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, featuring exquisite art, gold, mosaics, and marble floors.
You'll skip the queues and venture inside the adjacent Palazzo Ducale (Doge's Palace), built in 1340 for the Doge of Venice, where your guide will reveal the history behind Titian's splendid frescoes and other Renaissance masterpieces. Then, walk over to the Grand Canal side of the palace for a look at another iconic spot in Venice: the Bridge of Sighs. This ornate, Baroque-style bridge connected the palace with its first-floor prison and was used to transfer its prisoners.
After parting ways with your guide, continue weaving your way through the atmospheric streets and glimmering architecture to the Ponte dell'Accademia, one of the best spots to capture a picture-perfect view of Venice and the Grand Canal as the sun sets. Then, do as the locals do and savor a glass of wine or an Aperol spritz alongside plates of cicchetti at a local bar.
Day 3: Train to Florence, Evening Tuscan Food Tour
Bridges span the Arno River in Florence, Italy's "Cradle of the Renaissance"
It's time to continue your Italian adventure, heading to the station to catch a high-speed, two-hour train to Florence, known for its Renaissance art and architecture. After settling into your hotel, take a stroll to get your bearings in Tuscany's regional capital. Start in the Piazza del Duomo, where the magnificent Cattedrale di Santa Maria del Fiore (Il Duomo) and its mighty terracotta dome attract visitors from all over the world. Don't miss the nearby Uffizi Gallery, which houses works by Leonardo da Vinci and Botticelli, and the Galleria dell'Academia, which displays Michelangelo's famous David.
If you've worked up an appetite with your exploring, you're in luck. This afternoon, you'll join a local guide for a flavorful introduction to Tuscany's culinary delights. Learn more about the region's gastronomy, culture, and history as you seek out the best off-the-beaten-path gelato and coffee shops, and sample wares from city markets as you chat with vendors. Try local specialties like truffle panini, fresh-pressed Tuscan olive oil, and handmade chocolate focaccia, finished with a glass of chilled Prosecco or Chianti.
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Day 4: Day Trip to Tuscany: Chianti Wine Tasting & Medieval Hill Towns
This morning, you'll embark on a tour of the gorgeous Tuscan countryside and towns dotted along the rolling hills outside Florence. Admire the landscape filled with olive groves, cypress trees, and farms as you approach one of the region's gems—the medieval village of San Gimignano. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is known for its 14th-century Torre Grossa, which, at 177 feet (54 m), stands as the tallest of the town's 14 towers. Explore the beautiful squares and stop for award-winning gelato in Piazza della Cisterna or a glass of local Vernaccia di San Gimignano white wine.
Your next stop is a winery in the Chianti Hills, where you'll tour the vineyards and cellars behind the region's eponymous wine. Made from a minimum of 80% sangiovese grapes, Chianti Classico is produced from vineyards within a distinct area that stretches between the cities of Florence and Siena. Learn about the centuries-old production process, then sit down to a tasting of various vintages accompanied by a Tuscan lunch of cured meats, cheeses, a primo (usually a pasta course), and a choice of dolce (dessert).
After lunch, you'll visit nearby Siena and tour the town's Duomo, a magnificent Romanesque-Gothic cathedral known for its intricate marble inlay floor and treasures, including works by Bernini, Pisano, and Donatello. Roam the narrow cobbled backstreets until you reach the vast Piazza del Campo, the town's central square and site of the famous Palio di Siena horse race. It's a great spot for an aperitivo and to catch your breath before finishing the day with a visit to the medieval fortress of Monteriggioni and heading back to Florence for the evening.
Day 5: Train to Naples, Transfer to Amalfi Coast, Positano Sunset Cruise
Glitzy Positano is known for its designer boutiques, traditional pottery, and lemons (including the famous limoncello)
Wave goodbye to Florence this morning and catch a high-speed train south to Naples. It's just under a three-hour journey, so sit back and relax as you zip through the regions of Tuscany and Lazio until you reach Campania and its capital. Upon arrival, you'll meet your driver and transfer to your hotel on the Amalfi Coast. This stretch of coastline south of Naples is renowned for its exceptional beauty, with colorful cliffside fishing villages perched above the Tyrrhenian Sea and lemon groves and sprawling summer villas clinging to the rocky coastline.
Later in the afternoon, you'll spend your first evening in Amalfi in style with a sunset cruise along the coast to the sophisticated resort town of Positano. Relax on deck with a glass of Prosecco and savor the views as the soft light envelops Capri and the Li Galli islets. Gently sail across the smooth sea, and you'll see the twinkling, whitewashed Amalfi villages come to life after dusk. Disembark in Positano for a romantic dinner with ocean views (try a pasta dinner with fresh seafood, paired with a glass of fruity falanghina wine), then return to Amalfi for the night.
Day 6: Day Trip to Capri, the "Isle of Sirens"
Set off for the "Isle of Sirens" this morning as you head to Sorrento's port, board a ferry, and cruise down the coast to Capri. You'll arrive at the Marina Grande harbor, where the day is yours to explore the island at your leisure. Head first to the quaint village of Anacapri, perched toward the top of the island. Here, you'll be met with the sweeping views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius that prompted Emperor Tiberius to build twelve villas on the isle.
Stroll Piazza Vittoria and stop for a gelato before taking the chairlift from Anacapri to Mount Solaro. At 1,932 feet (589 m) above sea level, it's the island's highest point and offers astonishing views across the bays and over to the Calabrian mountains. When you're ready, make your way back down and enjoy lunch overlooking the coastline. After a wander around Capri's chic Old Town, don't miss a trip to the Gardens of Augustus. These beautifully manicured Mediterranean gardens provide the world-famous shot of the dramatic Faraglioni Rocks below, and make a perfect last stop before you catch the ferry back to Amalfi.
Day 7: Train to Rome, Afternoon Colosseum & Roman Forum Tour
It's time for a change of scene—this time heading north to the Italian capital. After a transfer to Naples, you'll catch a one-hour, high-speed train north to Rome. Check into your hotel to freshen up, then head out to start exploring the "Eternal City" with an expert guide. You'll focus on the history of the Roman Empire today, following in the footsteps of gladiators with a tour of the Colosseum, the world's largest amphitheater. Continue your step back in time with a short walk to Palatine Hill, once an exclusive neighborhood for political leaders and emperors, where you'll see ruins of the sprawling palaces.
Admire the umbrella pine-dotted views toward the Vatican, Circus Maximus, and the Roman Forum—the focal point of political life in Ancient Rome and your final stop. Explore the forum's vast 2,000-year-old excavations that reveal the temples, squares, and religious sites used by the empire's noble citizens. Meanwhile, your guide will bring the ruins to life with fascinating stories of the political power plays conducted here.
Finish your afternoon in Monti, a great local neighborhood near the Colosseum. Do as the locals do, and sip a spritz or caffè in the Piazza della Madonna dei Monti and indulge in the Italian spirit of dolce far niente (the sweetness of doing nothing). You'll also find plenty of trattorias here to sit down and grab dinner as the sun starts to set and the piazza fills with locals gathering to socialize.
Day 8: Rome Highlights Tour: Vatican, Sistine Chapel & More
Start the day Roman-style with a caffé and a cornetto semplice (croissant) at one of the neighborhood bars, then meet your guide at the Vatican for an in-depth city tour, starting at the Vatican Museums. Founded by Pope Julius in the early 16th century, the museums are renowned as some of the world's most splendid, with classical sculptures and Renaissance masterpieces that have fascinated countless generations.
You'll pass through 45 galleries and the Raphael Rooms before arriving at the Sistine Chapel, famous for its frescoed ceiling and Michelangelo's The Last Judgement. Take a moment to appreciate the extraordinary setting inside St. Peter's Basilica and see Michelangelo's dramatic La Pietà, a depiction of the Virgin Mary holding the dead Christ in her arms. You'll also have some free time to explore the Basilica on your own, where you can view the Papal Tombs, climb to the top of the dome, and, afterward, stroll around Bernini's celebrated Piazza San Pietro.
Afterward, you'll leave the Vatican and stroll east, following your guide through a maze of alleyways and cobblestone streets toward the dramatic silhouette of the 2,000-year-old Pantheon. Stop for a gelato and continue to Bernini's Trevi Fountain, where a coin tossed inside is said to seal your return to Rome. Your tour concludes in Piazza Navona, a grand square abuzz with sidewalk artists and musicians. Soak up the atmosphere with an aperitivo at one of the bars that line the piazza, then head to dinner in the elegant Jewish Quarter, established in 1555 CE and famed for its leafy cobbled streets and terrific gastronomy.
Day 9: Depart Rome
Say goodbye, or ciao, to Italy for now. Take advantage of any extra time with one last morning stroll around Rome before transferring to one of the capital's two airports, where you'll catch your flight home or continue your European adventure. Safe travels!
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