UNMISSABLE ITALY

• 4-nights accommodation in Rome in a 4* hotel.
• 2-nights accommodation in Florence in a 4* hotel.
• 2-nights accommodation in Venice in a 4* hotel.
• 2-nights accommodation in Sorrento in a 4* hotel.
• 2-nights accommodation in Palermo in a 4* hotel.
• 1-night accommodation in Agrigento in a 4* hotel.
• 1-night accommodation in Ragusa in a 4* hotel.
• 2-nights accommodation in Taormina area in a 4* hotel.
• 1-night accommodation on board.
• Transportation by deluxe bus.
• Visit Rome, Assisi, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Padua, Venice.
• Visit Montepulciano, Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Capri.
• Visit Palermo, Erice, Saline della Laguna, Agrigento.
• Visit Piazza Armerina, Ragusa, Noto, Syracuse, Taormina.
• Entrance tickets to Vatican Museums & St. Peter’s Basilica with “Skip the line”
• Venice city tour with a typical Vencian Chicchetto ( aperitif)
• Visit of Pompeii with “Skip the Line” ticket and a “Neapolitan pizza” lunch and a drink.
• Visit to the Blue Grotto in Capri.
• Entrance tickets to the archaeological sites as mentioned in the itinerary.
• Daily breakfast (except for when on board) and 13 meals
• Ferry boat tickets Tirrenia/Sanv – Palermo
• All transfers as mentioned in this itinerary.
• 24/7 Emergency phone line.

DAY 1

When you arrive in Rome, also known as the Eternal City, a private vehicle will be ready and waiting to welcome you and take you to your hotel.

As you journey to the hotel, you’ll get a glimpse of why Rome is considered the epitome of historical richness in the Western world. You have the rest of the day free to unwind and enjoy the Italian capital at your leisure.

DAY 2

In the morning, at 07:15 AM, and after a tasty breakfast, you will depart from Assisi on our luxury bus. Assisi is a small medieval city, attractive and full of surprising buildings. Due to its welcoming character and its great historical importance, it is visited every day by many visitors.

The recommendation is to visit the magnificent Basilica di San Francesco, decorated with frescoes by many late medieval painters, such as Giotto and Cimabue. It has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2000.

You will have free time for lunch (not included) at any of the eating places dotting the main streets.

In our luxury coach, you will head towards Siena, one of the most beautiful walled medieval cities in the world. You will visit the historic center with its medieval streets and Piazza del Campo, a uniquely round-shaped piazza, which hosts the twice-annual Palio race.

The race attracts locals and tourists alike for an incredible festival-like experience where neighborhoods of Siena race against one another. Here you will also find the mesmerizing Siena Duomo, with its incredibly intricate facade and its black and white striped columns, which give it a luxurious feel.

Finally, you will continue your journey to Florence, where you will have dinner and rest.

DAY 3

After a delicious breakfast, you will visit the magnificent city of Florence, the “city of arts”. You will start with a panoramic tour of the historic center, the exterior of the Cathedral complex: Giotto’s Tower, the Baptistery with the famous Door to Paradise, and the Duomo of Florence, with the spectacular Brunelleschi dome.

Later, you will continue to Piazza de la Signoria, which was the political heart of the Florence of the Medici, and finally the Church of Santa Croce, in Gothic style, which is the largest Franciscan church in Italy and holds the tombs of notable Florentines such as Galileo and Michelangelo. You will then have lunch in a typical Tuscan restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will have free time and the option to go on a panoramic tour of Pisa, one of the most famous cities in the world and the birthplace of Galileo Galilei.

Once there, you will visit the Square of the Miracles, a World Heritage Site, its famous 60-meter Leaning Tower, which, after the recent restoration, is estimated to maintain its stability for another 300 years, and the Duomo, a Romanesque-style masterpiece, with the golden coffered ceiling and the gigantic columns as well as the imposing baptistery with its excellent acoustics.

You will then return to your hotel and rest.

DAY 4

After a delicious breakfast, you will depart to your next destination, Bologna, known as the “cultured (la dotta), red (la rossa) and fat (la grossa) city” for being the headquarters of one of the oldest universities in Europe, because of the color of the buildings and roofs and for its richly delicious gastronomy.

Bologna is one of the best preserved historical cities and has the second largest medieval old town in Europe, after Venice. It is also a perfect example of coexistence between the past and its traditions (such as architecture and Italian gastronomy) and modernity (such as prestigious cultural events and exhibitions).

The tour will start at Piazza Malpighi to marvel at the famous arcades and porticoes until reaching Piazza de Neptuno and Piazza Maggiore, the epicenter of the old town.

Around the squares, there are the most representative buildings that have been preserved since medieval times: the 16th-century Neptune Fountain (they say that if you go around it twice it will bring you good luck), the Communal Palace, the Palace of King Enzo, the Palazzo di Podestá and the Basilica di San Petronio, the oldest church and it was going to be the largest in the world, but it remained in fifth place.

Then you will continue your trip with a visit to the city of Padua, famous for its university and for having one of the most beautiful and beloved churches in Italy, the Basilica of Saint Anthony, known locally as “il Santo”. Finally, you will travel to Venice, a magical city that amazes all who are fortunate to visit it.

DAY 5

After a tasty breakfast, you will head to the impressive Piazza San Marco, under the Clock Tower, from where you will start your tour at around 09:00 hrs.

Venice is a fascinating maze of narrow streets, charming squares, elegant palaces and imposing churches. On this walking tour we will ensure that you do not miss any of the most emblematic places that have marked the history of the city. It is the ideal route for both art lovers and those who visit the city for the first time.

The rest of the afternoon will be free for you to continue enjoying Venice at your own pace.

DAY 6

After a delicious breakfast, you will leave on our luxury bus to Montepulciano in the region of the Valle di Chiana in Tuscany famous for its wonderful wines. You will pass through landscapes full of vineyards that will remain engraved on your retina.

Then, you will visit Montepulciano, a picturesque medieval town located on a hill in the center of Italian Tuscany protected by 16th-century Etruscan walls, rich in medieval and Renaissance buildings, and famous for producing one of the oldest and best wines in Italy, the “Nobile di Montepulciano“.

Stands out for their beauty: the Plaza Grande, the heart of the town, located at the highest point of the city with its magnificent Duomo accompanying it, the Tarugi Palace, with its marble-covered facade, and the Church of Santa María dei Servi, one of the symbols of Renaissance art.

You will have lunch in a traditional restaurant and then have some free time to enjoy Montepulciano at your own pace.

After the visit, you will return to your hotel in Rome.

DAY 7

After a refreshing breakfast in the Italian capital, considered the highest expression of the historical, artistic, and cultural wealth of the Western world and therefore a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you will leave between 07:45 and 08:00 hours to visit the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Basilica.

Together with the guide and the exclusivity of skipping the lines, you will start with the Vatican Museums, one of the most important art collections in the world. You will see the fantastic Gallery of Geographical Maps, decorated by Gregorio XIII, the Gallery of Tapestries, a collection of different manufacturers from the 16th and 17th centuries, and the Raphael rooms.

Then you will know the incredible Sistine Chapel, one of the most famous and visited monuments in the world, commissioned in the 15th century by Pope Sixtus IV. Thanks to the genius of Miguel Ángel, you will enjoy an unforgettable experience where the frescoes surround the entire space: The Creation of Adam and the incomparable Last Judgment stand out, located on the wall of the altar.

Finally, it will be the turn of the monumental St. Peter’s Basilica, whose works lasted no less than 160 years and in which first-rate artists such as Maderno, Michelangelo, and Bernini worked. The tour will end in Plaza San Pedro.

Then you will have the afternoon free, to continue enjoying the last day in the “Eternal City” at your own pace.

DAY 8

After enjoying a delightful breakfast, you’ll have the entire day to explore Rome at your own pace. With countless options at your fingertips, you can choose to wander around on foot, visit magnificent monuments, indulge in shopping, or savor the local cuisine, which offers a wide array of pasta, vegetable, meat, and fish dishes.

Rome holds a special place as the epicenter of the Catholic religion and boasts the highest concentration of historical and architectural treasures in the world. In 1980, Rome, along with the extraterritorial properties of the Holy See within the city and the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, was rightfully inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list.

DAY 9

Early in the morning and after a tasty breakfast, you will travel in a luxury bus to southern Italy. Before arriving in Naples you will pass through the regions of Lazio and Campania. Upon your arrival you will go on a panoramic tour of what was the Capital of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, starting from  Vomerese Hill, one of the upscale neighborhoods of Naples, overlooking greater Naples, Mount Vesuvius, the Bay of Naples, the Tyrrhenian Sea and the island of Capri, full of bars, restaurants and pizzerias. Here you will have free time to enjoy the expansive views and take some great photos. You will climb down to the port of Mergellina, passing along the promenade, where you will admire the Castel dell’ Ovo, an imposing castle that rises out of the sea on a small island connected to the mainland by a footbridge, until you reach Santa Lucía, the old fishing district.

Your next stop will be Pompeii, where you will taste the authentic and delicious “Neapolitan pizza”. After lunch, you will enter the archaeological zone, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Buried under a layer of ash and lava by an unforeseen eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79, Pompeii came back to light after almost 1,700 years and the everyday life of an ordinary day in the first imperial era, as if by magic, was left captured in the gestures, in the secrets and in the panic of his last moments. Your guide will explain how people lived at that time until the tragic moment of the fateful eruption of Vesuvius. You will visit the houses that still preserve the frescoes and mosaics of the time.

After the visit, you will travel by bus along the wonderful Sorrentine Coast until you reach the city of Sorrento, a picturesque town, built on a cliff, with the charm of a fishing village and the comforts of a tourist destination. Here you will have dinner (dress code: jacket for men) and rest at your hotel.

DAY 10

After enjoying a delicious breakfast, together with your local guide, you will embark on a short but magical sailing excursion to the well-known Island of Capri, chosen as a vacation destination by the Roman upper class since ancient times. The crossing lasts about 20 minutes and your arrival will be at the port of Marina Grande. Weather permitting, you will join a motorboat trip to the Blue Grotto, the most famous cave in Capri known since Roman times, with an intense blue color that is reflected on its walls and ceiling.

At noon you will enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then explore the island at your own pace.

After you return back to Sorrento you will enjoy dinner at your hotel and a good night’s sleep.

DAY 11

After having breakfast at your hotel, you can start exploring the city of Sorrento at your own pace.

In the afternoon, you will head for the port of Naples, where you will board on the Tirrenia/Snav ferry to Palermo. You will have sleep overnight on the ferry (please note breakfast and dinner are not included onboard).

DAY 12

After your arrival in Palermo, you will be transferred to your hotel. You will enjoy a lovely dinner and enjoy a good rest that will prepare you for the next day’s adventures.

DAY 13

After enjoying a delicious breakfast at your hotel, you will head for a morning tour to Monreale, inluded in the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, an ancient royal town famous for its almonds, olive oli, citrus fruits and its fine Norman Architecture. You will visit the Cathedral of Monreale, and then have some free time to shop local delicatessen and souvenirs.

When you return back to Palermo, you will join a walking tour of the city wandering around the Old Town and learning about the its 3,000-year history. You will walk through the impressive Cathedral, and admire its arches, cupolas amd mosaics.

You will have some free time in the late afternoon before returning to your hotel for dinner and a good rest.

DAY 14

Early breakfast and departure to Erice, a medieval village stacked into the side of Monte San Giuliano. Many say that little has changed in the village since the sixth century, and its labyrinth-like twist of lanes is perfect for a cool and pleasant morning amble. Continue to visit the Saline, an extraordinary lagoon, where history, nature, archeology find a perfect synthesis and allow the visitor to try different, unique and charming experiences. Afterwards, we’ll set off to Marsala, whose lands are known for its Marsala wine. You’ll take part in a sensorial experience, for you will visit a traditional tavern and taste regional products during a light but unforgettable lunch. Return to your coach and travel to Agrigento, your final destination of the day. Visit Ancient Greek monuments and ruins at the Valley of Temples (entrance included) – a UNESCO World Heritage site – and learn about archaeological relics like the Classical Temple of Concord the Temple of Hercules; the Temple of Jupiter, one of the largest Doric-style buildings. Check in to your hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight

DAY 15

After enjoying breakfast, you will head to Piazza Armerina, one of Sicily’s most frequented tourist spots, to visit the worldwide known Villa Romana del Casale. It was built in the middle of the 4th Century AD as a hunting lodge by a Roman patrician and home to some of the best preserved and extensive examples of Roman mosaics. It was almost completely covered by a landslide in the 12th Century and its magnificence partly rediscovered in the 19th century. It is now a UNESCO Heritage site, thanks to its well-preserved mosaics depicting mythological themes and hunting scenes.

You will then depart for Ragusa, and visit the historical center “Ibla” full with baroque palaces and churches, also listed among the UNSECO World Heritage Sites. You will visit the old gate of San Giorgio, the Giardini Iblei and then you will walk to Piazza Pola to visit the church of San Giuseppe, considered the gem of the area. You will also have the chance to admire the Church of the Souls in Purgatory and the magnificent Cosentini Palace. 

You will arrive at your hotel in Ragusa for an overnight stay and enjoy a delicious meal.

DAY 16

After breakfast you will head to Noto, a picturesque fishing town popular for it’s Baroque architecture. You will visit the Cathedral of San Nicolo and then walk around the center.

You will then continue to Syracuse, and visit the famous “Parco Archeologico della Neapolis”, where you have the opportunity to admire a huge collection of Geek and Roman ruins from all over Sicily. Also you will visit the Greek Amphitheater and the Ear of Dionysius – an artificial cave. After this tour you will visit the island of Ortygia – home to Baroque churches and medieval palaces.

Late in the afternoon, you will arrive at your hotel in Taormina, enjoy a delicious dinner and a good night’s sleep.

DAY 17

After enjoying a delicious breakfast at your hotel, you will travel to Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy. The beauty of this place, an icon of Sicily, is based on the fact that for centuries the volcano has created a place where nature, culture and history have come together to give rise to a unique place in the world. Weather permitting, you will have the chance to climb at 1,800m.

After the tour is over, you will return to Taormina and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. In the evening you will enjoy a lovely dinner at your hotel.

DAY 18

After a delicious breakfast we will be transfer to Catania airport.

After spending some fantastic days with Greca, we hope to see you again to enjoy some wonderful moments that will remain forever in your memory.

Have a good trip! Or as you say: “Buon Viaggio!”