Grand Italy & Sicily (Summer, Small Groups)

Highlights

• Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a passionate local. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, and stand beside the Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.
• Pisa: Your Local Expert will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the 11th century cathedral and of course, the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles.
• Cinque Terre: Led by your Local Expert, visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site with dedicated time to explore two of the five charming fishing villages.
• Portofino: Visit this elegant fishing village and admire the colored houses and yachts moored in the harbor.
• Lake Maggiore: Step out with your Travel Director to experience the charming traditional social ritual of la passeggiata. All across Italy, in cities, towns and villages people leave their houses to gently walk streets, from babies in strollers to the most senior citizens. Savor a gelato or glass of wine along the way and observe, as new romances, new babies and new shoes are all put on display. Note the ever-stylish Italians love to dress up for the occasion so feel free add a touch of flair to your outfit!
• Venice: With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
• Venice: Delight in the magic of this charming city as you are serenaded, traveling through the atmospheric canals by gondola.
• Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
• Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café.
• Florence: Join a Local Expert to view the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square. See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods.
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What's this trip about?

Art, food, and scenery combine in this 17-day guided tour through Italy. Revel in Renaissance artwork housed in the Vatican Museums and gaze at Michelangelo’s famous ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. See Rome’s iconic Colosseum as a Local Expert shares its history. In coastal Cinque Terre, stop in two fishing villages and cruise the rugged Ligurian coast, admiring the colorful homes perched on the cliffs. See statues of Neptune, Hercules and Cacus, and feast on a steak dinner and local wine in Florence. In Sorrento, meet a Local Expert for a cruise to Capri, where you take an open-top taxi to Capri town for an unapparelled view of the Mediterranean Sea. In the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Alberobello, meet a restaurateur who will share his farm-to-table philosophy and serve you freshly made orecchiette pasta.

Accommodation