ITALIAN ESCAPADE (CLASSIC GROUP)

• Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and baroque churches.
• Settle in before joining your Travel Director for a visit to Trastevere, Rome’s bohemian quarter.
• Enjoy a private visit to Farmacia of Santa Maria della Scala, the oldest pharmacy in Europe.
• Gain historic insights from a Carmelite friar as you admire the Farmacia and explore the adjoining 16th-century church.
• Take in the vibrant atmosphere of this charming neighbourhood as you indulge in a Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant.

Arrival Transfer: Depart Leonardo da Vinci airport (FCO) at 09:30, 12:30, 15:30

• A Local Expert leads you through the priceless art collection of the Vatican Museums, culminating beneath Michelangelo’s famous ceiling in the Sistine Chapel.
• Later, continue to St. Peter’s Basilica, then cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome.
• See the incredible Circus Maximus, come up close and personal with the beautifully preserved Arch of Constantine, walking on the ancient pavement.
• Discover the history, the construction and the legends of the iconic Colosseum as you stroll around the exterior of this amazing structure.

• Travel north to medieval Siena and stroll through the winding stone-paved streets to the vast Piazza del Campo, where the Palio horse race takes place amid great festivities.
• See the Fountain of Joy and then walk up to the hilltop cathedral, striped with marble.
• Continue through the cypress-clad hills and vineyards of Tuscany to Florence.
• Enjoy a traditional Bistecca alla Fiorentina steak dinner paired with delicious local wine, a speciality not to be missed.

• Explore Florence with Insight Choice.
• Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David.
• After, continue on foot to admire the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory.
• Continue into the 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, Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio.
• Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café, where you will be in the perfect spot to admire the basilica, indulge in people-watching the elegant Florentines and pamper yourself shopping for luxury goods like gold and leather.

• Stop in Pisa to see the incredible Leaning Tower from which Galileo is said to have conducted experiments on velocity and gravity, as well as the splendid cathedral and baptistery, decorated with mosaics and designs in solid marble.
• Your journey continues, past the marble quarries at Carrara, used since the time of Ancient Rome, through the dramatic Apennine Mountains to the fertile valley of the River Po.
• Continue to your lakeside resort on beautiful Lake Maggiore. As night time draws in, why not work up an appetite before dinner with a traditional evening stroll, or passeggiata as they say in Italy?

• Today is set aside for you to relax and enjoy all the fantastic sights of this beautiful lakeland area.
• For your Dine-Around Evening, choose from a selection of hand-picked restaurants for your dining pleasure.

• Follow the southern fringes of the European Alps to the vineyards of the Franciacorta wine region near the shores of Lake Iseo.
• Here, winemaking traditions run deep.
• Taste the delicious vintages produced with a master vintner at a family-owned estate.
• Continue to the unique city of Venice and step back in time to the 16th century.

• A private boat ferries you to St. Mark’s Square.
• See the basilica, Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs.
• Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts centre, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills.
• Enjoy being serenaded with traditional songs on a gondola ride, gliding through the city canals in romantic awe.
• Spend the afternoon as you wish.
• As night falls, why not savour the magic of St. Mark’s square with its orchestras and al-fresco cafes?

• Skirt the Venetian Lagoon and cross two of Italy’s most important rivers, the Adige and Po.
• The scenery will then change dramatically as you drive through the wild Apennines.
• Your destination is the stone-built, hilltop town of Assisi, home of St. Francis.
• See the Church of St. Mary of the Angels before continuing up Mount Subasio.
• Then, with our Local Expert, visit the beautiful Basilica of St. Francis.

• Journey along the clifftop road to the picturesque resort of Sorrento, perched upon the southern cliffs of the Bay of Naples and looking out to Mount Vesuvius.
• With the evening at leisure, why not try some of the local specialities during a regional dining experience?

• In the morning, cruise to Capri, known as the Isle of Dreams.
• With your Local Expert, explore the narrow alleyways of Capri town, browse in exclusive boutiques and wonder at the views over the Tyrrhenian Sea.
• Descend to the port by funicular railway and return to Sorrento for some relaxation time.
• Perhaps join an optional visit to Positano and the Amalfi Coast?

• Journey north to the ancient Roman city of Pompeii, eerily preserved by the eruptions of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79.
• Your Local Expert walks you through cobbled streets to explore some of the shops, villas and temples.
• Witness the colourful frescoes that were hidden for centuries.
• Continue beneath the striking hilltop monastery of Monte Cassino and back to Rome where your journey reaches its zenith in the evening.
• In the heart of The Eternal City, you are treated to a quintessential Italian experience.
• Fine food, wine, music and a private performance of enchanting operetta for your Celebration Dinner.

• Bid farewell to the glories of Italy.
• Departure transfers arrive at Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport.

Departure Transfer: Arrive at Leonardo da Vinci airport (FCO) at 07:00, 09:30