Italy

Arriving in Venice and transfering to your hotel. Dinner and back to the hotel.

Dinner included.

After breakfast, guided tour of Piazza San Marco and the San Marco basilica (inside visit). See the great mosaics covering the ceiling. Set on gold it has given the church its nickname of Golden Basilica. You’ll also see Doge’s Palace (outside) the bell tower (outside), the Clock Tower (outside), the Bridge of Sighs, etc. Lunch-tasting at a bacaro, a wine bar, and cicheti tasting, a kind of tapas made of vegetables, cheese, cold cuts, etc. Plate of pasta and 2 glasses of wine. In the afternoon, stroll with your group leader in the popular neighborhoods to the Rialto bridge. Back to the hotel and dinner.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Day cruise on the laguna: a stop in Murano to visit the glass factory; a stop in Burano, the island dedicated to lace and colorful fishermen’s houses and a stop in Torcello to see its 9^th century Byzantine basilica (outside). Free time for lunch. Back to the hotel at the end of the afternoon for dinner.

Breakfast and dinner included.

After breakfast, leaving for Verona. Entirely built using local pink marble, Verona is one of the most beautiful cities of northern Italy. This city is a museum in itself where Roman, Gothic and Renaissance monuments abound and are standing witness of the city’s political and economic worth of past centuries. Guided tour of the main monuments: the Roman arenas, via Mazzini, and more (all seen from outside).

Free time for lunch.

The afternoon is dedicated to discovering the area of Lake Garda.  Stroll in the historical center of Sirmione, with view over its stylish Scaligero castle (outside), on the bank of the lake, the biggest of all Italian lakes. Red wine tasting and back to the hotel.

Breakfast and dinner included.

Leaving for the region of Emily Romagna. Visit amd tasting at a Parmigiano Reggiano cheese producer and a Parma ham producer. Lunch at the Parma ham producer. Continuing to Toscana and checking in at the hotel.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

After breakfast, leaving for Firenze. The morning is dedicated to a guided tour of the city and its main monuments: Santa Maria del Fiore cathedral all made of pink, green and white marble, its dome designed by Brunelleschi and its bell tower by Giotto. The visit continues with the baptistery and the great doors by Florentine artists such as Michel Angelo and Ghiberti, the façade of Vecchio palace and more (all outside visits). Free time for lunch.

Discovering the Chinati area in the afternoon. Great landscapes with vineyards and medieval villages. Stop at a farm to try local wine and cold cuts. Free time for dinner and accommodation at the Monotecatini baths.

Breakfast included.

Leaving for the toscan area and the medieval city of Sienna. Visit of its historic centre: Piazza de Campo, Mangia tower, Vecchio Palace, the cathedral (all seen from outside). Free time. In the afternoon, we’ll stop at a local winery. Visit of the vineyard and the cellar. Tasting with local cold cuts. Dinner and arriving at the hotel in Chianciano.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

After breakfast, leaving for Rome. Free time for lunch on the way. In the afternoon, visit of Ancient Rome: the Flavian amphitheater, also known as the Coliseum (outside), ancient forums (outside) centre of the politic and religious life in the Antiquity. Visit of the Circo Massimo and back to your hotel.

Brekafast and dinner included.

The morning is dedicated to Vatican City and a guided tour of Saint Peter Basilica. This sanctuary is an architectural masterpiece. Continuing with a guided tour of the Vatrican musuems and the Sistine Chapel. Freetime for lunch and in the afternoon.

Breakfast, lunch and dinner included.

Transfering to the airport for the flight back.

Breakfast included.