Italy: Renaissance Cities

Connections: Authentic travel at a great value.

• Download Trip PDF
• Send this Trip to a Friend
• Print This Trip

Itinerary

Day 1: ARRIVE IN ROME

Arrive and transfer to your hotel. Later, meet your fellow guests for a welcome dinner.

Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora   |   Meals: D

Day 2: ROME / City of Empire

Explore the seat of the former Roman Empire, visiting the Roman Forum and Palatine, the Colosseum and the theatrical Piazza Navona, once a Roman racetrack and now the setting for Bernini's awe-inspiring sculptures. Rome also gave its name to romance, and nowhere is that more apparent than at the spectacular Trevi Fountain. You also visit the Pantheon, originally a Roman temple to the gods, and the magnificent Castel Sant'Angelo, which overlooks the Tiber River.

Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora   |   Meals: B L

Day 3: ROME / The Vatican

This morning, visit Vatican City and explore the treasures of the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel with its famous frescoes by Michelangelo. Continue to St. Peter's Basilica, a Renaissance and Baroque masterpiece. Explore the city at your leisure this afternoon, and tonight, learn the secrets of pizza making from an authentic Roman pizzaiolo.

Rome Marriott Grand Hotel Flora   |   Meals: B D

Day 4: FLORENCE / The Heart of Tuscany

Depart for Florence this morning, stopping en route for a visit to the scenic Tuscan town of Siena, built on three hills and enclosed by a series of walls and gates. Visit Siena's Duomo, considered to be one of the best Gothic cathedrals in Italy. Afterward, continue to a nearby farm for a light lunch and an opportunity to sample local honey and saffron. Arrive in Florence later this afternoon.

Hotel Brunelleschi   |   Meals: B L

Day 5: FLORENCE / Treasures of the Renaissance

Set out to discover this vast and beautiful monument to the Renaissance, a city transformed by artists such as Botticelli, Michelangelo and Donatello into one of the world's great capitals of the arts. A specialist art guide accompanies you on visits to the Uffizi Gallery, housing some of the world's most important art treasures, as well as the Bargello, which contains Italy's best collection of Renaissance sculpture. Enjoy a light lunch before visiting a traditional Florentine enoteca, where the owner conducts a tasting of the various regional wines.

Hotel Brunelleschi   |   Meals: B L

Day 6: VENICE / Europe's Drawing Room

Depart Florence this morning aboard a high-speed train to Venice. On arrival, transfer along the Grand Canal to St. Mark's Square, known as the "drawing room of Europe," for a walking tour of the square that includes St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. End the day with a Venetian spritz looking out over the Grand Canal.

Hotel Danieli   |   Meals: B

Day 7: VENICE / City of Splendors

This morning, enjoy a taste of local life with a visit to the market district around the Rialto Bridge. Visit the nearby Frari Church, considered one of the most imposing Gothic monuments in Venice, where you can admire timeless works by Bellini and Titian. End your morning with a special private visit to the long-serving atelier (workshop) for Venice's iconic carnival costumes, housed in a Venetian palace that is still home to one of the oldest families in the city. Tour the palace, and then learn about the history of the costumes and how they are made. Mark the end of your journey with a festive farewell dinner.

Hotel Danieli   |   Meals: B D

Day 8: DEPART VENICE

Transfer to the airport for your fliight home.

Meals: B