Italy Express: the best of Italy

Enjoy your breakfast before heading out on a guided walking group tour of Venice. Discover the major monuments of the city. Start with the impressive San Marco Square. See Doge’s Palace and the famous Bridge of Sighs, the latter of which was crossed by prisoners before their execution. Your tour guide will also show you the lively part of the city, taking you to explore markets and artisan workshops. Finally, visit the majestic Golden Basilica. You can also visit the Basilica of San Marco after the guided tour is over (tickets included). In late morning or afternoon join a group tour to the islands of Venice in the afternoon. This tour will give you the opportunity to visit the beautiful islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello. While Murano is world-renowned for its glass products, Burano is known for its lace and colorful houses. Similarly, Torcello is famous for being the first settlement in Venice. For dinner (or aperitivo) we suggest you try the traditional "cicchetto" in a local Bacaro while in Venice. The Bacari are very small restaurants in the small street of Venice, where you can eat very small food (cicchetti) drinking delicious wines. Ask us the best place to enjoy the perfect cicchetti and we will help you find the place.

Check out of your hotel in Venice after breakfast and transfer to Florence by "Frecciarossa" or "Italo" the famous and comfortable bullet train, travelling over 196 miles/h (or Comfortable bus depending on the group number) Check into your accommodation before heading for a half-day guided group tour of Florence. Explore the most famous squares and streets of Florence. A pleasant walk in Florence is just what you need to familiarize with this fascinating City! Discover the magnificence of one of the most fascinating cities in the world, and its centuries-old heritage. Meet Giulia or Lisa your Private native Guide, she will give an entertaining presentation of Florence: beginning since prehistoric times, then ancient age of Etruscan culture and Roman. The Middle Ages, when Florence became famous. In the Renaissance Florence enjoyed a period of peace and prosperity. In that period was born the most important art masterpieces. The result was right what you admire today: enchanting art masterpieces and unique architecture sites. Follow your guide and admire Piazza della Signoria, dominated by the striking Palazzo Vecchio, Florence's Cathedral - the Duomo - with the adjacent bell tower (the Tower of Giotto) and the Baptistery with its famous, magnificent gold paneled "Gates of Paradise". After walking briefly along the river, you will arrive at the Ponte Vecchio, the world's most celebrated bridge. Once across the bridge you are in the Oltrarno area, renowned for its picturesque atmosphere, artisan workshops and shops. You will meet for sure some street food. A nice occasion to taste the local excellences. Finally visit the magnificent the Uffizi Gallery with your Private Guide, where you can stand and admire the unique Renaissance masterpieces of great Italian artists like Leonardo, Giotto, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Raphael. You can stay inside the museum even after the guided tour is over if you want to.

Departure from Florence for a captivating daily group tour. Explore Cinque Terre by boat or mini-train (depending on the season and the weather conditions), and on foot during a full-day guided tour. Enjoy the most astonishing views of the seaside villages from land and sea and hike through its fabulous trails (if open and available including the famous via dell’Amore). The tour includes roundtrip transfer bus, ferry/train tickets and a guided tour of Le Cinque Terre with an English-speaking guide. In winter or particular periods of the year the Cinque Terre is not suitable for tour visit. The Cinque Terre will be replaced with a day group tour discovering the Tuscany contryside, its villagest and the local wines.

After breakfast, Transfer from Florence to Rome by high speed bullet train Frecciarossa or Italo (or Comfortable bus depending on the group number). Check into your accommodation upon reaching the capital city and go out on a guided group tour of the Colosseum and imperial Rome. See the Arch of Constantine, the biggest and one of the best preserved triumphal arches in Rome. From here your guide will take you inside the Colosseum (skip-the-line entrance tickets included), a must-visit in Rome. Learn more about the history of the Roman empire from your Private native Guide. Leave the Colosseum behind and head for surrounding monuments such as Palatine Hill and the Roman Forum archeological area (skip the line service). Also see the House of the Vestals, the Senate House, the Capitol Palace the Sacred Way and the Triumph Arches along with various temples (the tour itinerary can vary depending on the season).

Discover Pompeii during a 13-hour daily shared tour. Pompeii is the most compelling archaeological site in Europe, and its appeal goes beyond tourism. Much of its value lies not in the fact that it was an ancient settlement but in the fact that it was buried under a layer of lapilli (burning pumice stone), as Pliny the Younger describes in his celebrated account of the eruption. The drive from Rome to Pompeii lasts about 3 hours and will be carried out by comfortable coach. A native tour guide will lead your group. Also included is the entrance tickets to the ruins of Pompeii and headsets while inside the excavation area. Today you will also get the chance to enjoy a typical Italian lunch with soft drinks.

In the morning Explore the Vatican Necropolis and discover the catacombs underneath Saint Peter's Basilica during a 90-minute tour. In order to preserve this exceptional historical and archaeological site and due to limited space around the venerated tomb of the Apostle Peter, only around 250 visitors per day are permitted to enter. (AVAILABLE AS ADD ON only for travel reservation at least 12 months in advance) Groups are composed of approximately 12 people and divided according to the guiding language. Each group is accompanied by a Vatican guide. Kindly note that conditions will be different underground, with a possible increase of temperature and humidity. Those who suffer from physical ailments that might be triggered or made worse by a place like this should avoid this tour. Finally the enchanting variety of mastepieces at the Vatican Museums, visit the Sistine Chapel and the Basilica of Saint Peter before heading back to your hotel.

Join us on a half-day group tour of Rome after breakfast and explore the most important sites of the city. Visit Campo dei Fiori, certainly one of the most characteristic squares in Rome with its open-air market, as well as Piazza Farnese, which takes its name from the imposing Palazzo Farnese. See Palazzo Spada, the brilliance of forced prospective introduced by the famous architect Borromini, before heading for the famous Piazza Navona, one of the most famous squares in the world. Piazza Navona is built upon the ruins of the ancient stadium of Domitian that was built in 89 AD. The symbol of the square is the Fountain of Four Rivers, designed by Gian Lorenzo Bernini. Also see Piazza della Rotonda and the Pantheon. Once inside the Pantheon, your expert guide will be glad to give a short explanation about the history and the architectural secrets of one of the gems of ancient architecture. Head for Piazza Colonna, named after the second-century marble column celebrating the victories of Emperor Marcus Aurelius over the Germanic populations. At the present, the square is the centre of Italian political life. Trevi Fountain, probably the most famous fountain in Rome, is on the itinerary next. Admire this monumental masterpiece and don’t forget to throw a coin in the fountain. End the tour in Piazza di Spagna (fron of the Spanish Steps), a paradise for fashion-conscious shoppers where you can find the most famous Italian and international fashion brands. You are free in the afternoon after the tour is over.