EASY PACE ITALY

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From the Vatican to Venice: See the Best of Italy on this 10-Day Guided Tour

Italy's top highlights await you on this 10-day guided tour. Stop by the Colosseum in Rome before heading to the Vatican Museums, where a VIP dinner awaits. Here you will feast in the Pope’s secret garden beneath the iconic dome of St. Peter's Basilica. In Florence, see Piazza della Signoria, an open-air art gallery where Renaissance masterpieces are housed. Join a Local Expert in Pisa for an informative tour of its infamous leaning tower, then stop at an organic farm in the Tuscan hills, where fields of vegetables give way to lines of olive trees, and you’ll feast on an authentic Italian meal. In Venice, board a private boat that will whisk you past the city’s ornate palaces and beneath its bridges to the marble arcades of Piazza San Marco.

Venice Artisan Glassblowing Demonstration

Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. The workshop advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Vatican Visit with Priority Entry

Gain priority access into the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and view the splendid dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Package Price:

Start from USD 2,998 per person

Click HERE to view the dates & prices

RM 2,825

per person

Reserve Now

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Day 1

Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome

Dinner with Wine

Veneto Palace Hotel

Activity

Rome is one of the world’s most historic cities, filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Transfers to your hotel depart Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport at 09:30, 12:30 and 15:30. Then this historic city is yours to discover. At 17:30, join your Travel Director for a uniquely Roman Welcome Dinner. Get to know your travelling companions over a relaxed evening of dinner and wine, as you join your local host for a truly Italian, home-cooked meal.

Day 2

Rome Sightseeing and Dinner in the Vatican

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Veneto Palace Hotel

Activity

In the morning enjoy the very best of the city’s highlights including visiting the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican with your Local Expert. Cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome. See the incredible Circus Maximus famous for its chariot races, and the iconic Colosseum. In the afternoon, enjoy special fast-tracked entry into the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Admire the Papal art collection and observe the stunning Museo Gregoriano Profano which documents various moments and themes in classical art, from Ancient Greece through to the late Imperial Roman age. Enter the Sistine Chapel to marvel at Michelangelo’s masterpiece on its ceiling. Then you'll be privileged to an exclusive Highlight Dinner at the Vatican's Cortile del Giardino Quadrato, whilst enjoying views of the cupola of St. Peters, or inside the Ethnological Museum, should weather permit.

Day 3

Rome at Leisure

Breakfast

Veneto Palace Hotel

Activity

Spend another day enjoying Rome at your own pace. Stroll to the boutiques of the Via del Corso and Via Nazionale or visit the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps. Perhaps take an Optional Experience south to the ill-fated town of Pompeii? As night falls, why not sip a glass of prosecco at a sidewalk cafe in Piazza Navona and enjoy life's pageantry pass by?

Day 4

On to Florence

Breakfast

Hotel Roma

Activity

Drive to the Chianti Hills and the city of Florence.

Day 5

Florence, Birthplace of the Renaissance

Breakfast

Hotel Roma

Activity

Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo's David. Alternatively, wander through the market stalls on a shopping tour, enjoying all the Italian treats and finery on offer. Walk on to the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Visit 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 as well as Hercules and Cacus, along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Famous for the quality of its luxury goods like gold and leather, Piazza Santa Croce is also the perfect spot to see the basilica. Later, use your free time to shop or continue exploring at your leisure.

Day 6

Pisa and the Tuscan Countryside

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Hotel Roma

Activity

After a leisurely morning in Florence, explore the nearby town of Pisa with a Local Expert. See the Leaning Tower, baptistery and the colonnaded bell tower, lurching out from behind the cathedral. Visit the organic farm il Poggio and join a guided walk, exploring olive oil and wine production. After taking in beautiful views of the rolling Tuscan hills, enjoy tasting the farm's fines wines and olive oil, in addition to an authentic Italian meal prepared with locally sourced ingredients.

Day 7

On to Venice

Breakfast, Lunch with Wine

Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

Activity

Today we travel through the Emilia-Romagna region, and stop to sample the flavours of the region and learn about Italian food culture over a delicious lunch with wine. Take the autostrada east to Venice, Queen of the Adriatic. Your luxurious hotel gazes out over the Giudecca Canal and an unforgettably romantic city skyline.

Day 8

Venice and the Magic of ‘La Serenissima’

Breakfast

Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

Activity

Your private boat takes you past historic churches and 13th century palaces to St. Mark's Square. The first sight is the pink marble of the Doge's Palace, connected to the prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. It was from here that Casanova made his daring escape. Turn the corner, and the gilded regalia of St. Mark's Basilica comes into view. Afterwards, board a traditional gondola for a serenade along the romantic canals. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts centre. See how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. This afternoon there is plenty of time to explore the museums, galleries and churches or browse through the shops on the Rialto Bridge. Perhaps cruise out to some of the other islands in the lagoon to experience the age-old lifestyle of Venetian fishermen and lace-makers.

Day 9

Venice at Leisure

Breakfast, Dinner with Wine

Hilton Molino Stucky Venice

Activity

Who could refuse another day to take in the unique atmosphere of this wonderful city? Lose yourself in the back lanes and quiet squares, where tourists seldom tread and the Venetians go about their daily lives. Maybe visit some of the 90 churches housing masterpieces of Venetian art or explore the modern artworks in the Guggenheim? Perhaps relax at a canal-side cafe sipping local wine or sample delicious lagoon-fresh fish? Later, board a traditional gondola for a serenade through the romantic canals. This evening, stroll past the entrance doors of the famous Opera House to La Fenice restaurant for a magical Celebration Dinner. Indulge in traditional Venetian dishes that are enriched with inspiration from seasonal produce.

Day 10

Arrivederci Venice

Breakfast

Activity

Alas, you must bid farewell to this enchanting city. Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo Airport at 08:00 and 09:30.

Start from

RM 2,825

per person

Reserve Now

includes

Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.
Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Our Well-Being Directors take a proactive approach to your welfare ensuring all well-being regulations are met (available on tours with 21 or more guests).
Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
Experience enhanced hygiene protocols to align with the latest guidance following COVID-19.All Travel Directors, Well-Being Directors and Drivers have completed training in enhanced well-being and hygiene protocols.
We only work with establishments we are confident will consistently adhere to our high well-being standards, which include hotels, restaurants and sight-seeing venues.
Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

excludes

All international / domestic flights, taxes & fees
All personal expenses & porterage
Travel visa application (if needed)
Gratuities / Tipping & Travel insurance coverage
High season surcharge (if applicable)