Rome & Tuscany

Day 1 - Monday - Depart USA
Boarding your overnight flight, you’re off on the adventure of a lifetime.

Day 2 - Tuesday - Arrive in Rome, Afternoon at Leisure, Dinner in Hotel
Benvenuti a Roma! We are pleased to offer complimentary transfers from the Rome airport to your hotel at scheduled times. Your Perillo representative will be at the airport to greet you.

There will be time to relax or take a stroll this afternoon before a dinner at our hotel. D

Day 3 - Wednesday - Rome, Colosseum, Dinner Out
Hail Caesar! All aboard our chariot for a panoramic tour of Imperial Rome including the Roman Forum, Largo Argentina (where Caesar was stabbed by Brutus) and the Circus Maximus.

Then we’ll enter the Colosseum, reliving the brutal entertainment of the gladiators and the lions, refereed by the Emperor himself.

Tonight, we enjoy a fun dinner. You’ll get a taste of Italian cuisine in a family-style restaurant in the characteristic district of Trastevere, one of the centers of Rome’s nightlife, including wines fit for the Roman Gods! This lively area is just what one imagines Italy to be like, with tiny cobblestone streets and music-filled trattorias on every corner. BB, D

Day 4 - Thursday - Rome, Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Basilica*
This morning, it’s a ten-minute drive to another country—Vatican City. With our expert local guide we’ll tour the Vatican Museums, a massive collection of ancient Greek sculptures, medieval tapestries and Renaissance paintings.

Our visit culminates in the Sistine Chapel, renowned for its Renaissance art, especially the ceiling which was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. This room, which attracts more than five-million visitors each year, is also where the Pope is elected.

Next we visit St. Peter’s Basilica*, by far the largest church in Christendom. We’ll see Michelangelo’s Pietà, sculpted when he was just 24, as well as Bernini’s seven-story bronze canopy above the main altar.

Tonight, we thought you’d enjoy a dinner on your own. Ask your tour guide for a nearby recommendation, or venture out and explore the lively restaurants in Rome! Be sure to try Pasta casino e pepe—pasta in a creamy olive oil, pecorino cheese and black pepper sauce— a specialty of Rome. BB

* Please note that the visit of St. Peter’s Basilica is subject to availability based on the events planned for the Jubilee 2016.

Day 5 - Friday- Rome's Trastevere District, Jewish Ghetto, Lunch
This morning we get away from the hub of the main tourist attractions and we visit some of the oldest areas of Rome. A walking tour around the ancient area of Campo de’ Fiori with its colorful fruit and vegetable markets will give you a chance to take a look at real Roman life. We’ll visit the site of Rome’s Jewish Ghetto, which is located near the Tiber River.

There’s been a Jewish community in Rome since the 2nd Century BC. But it was Pope Paul IV who ordered them into a walled-off section of town in 1555. At night, the gates were locked on three sides, while the Tiber River blocked off the fourth side.

But in 1870, the Papal States lost control, Italy became unified, and the Jews were free to leave the Ghetto!

All this walking will make us hungry… So we’ll enjoy a traditional lunch in one of the best restaurants in the Ghetto and, hopefully, we get to enjoy Carciofi alla giuda, Jewish style artichokes, one of the signature dishes of Roman Jewish cooking (seasonal).

Tonight, you get to enjoy dinner on your own. Be sure to try another specialty of Rome: Bucatini all’Amatriciana. Bucatini, thick spaghetti with a hole running through the center, are arguably the most Roman of all pasta shapes; with amatriciana sauce made of tomatoes, guanciale (pig’s cheek), peperoncino and grated Pecorino Romano. My mouth is watering right now! BB, L

Day 6 - Saturday - Rome, Florence
This morning, it’s an enjoyable ride through the Tuscan countryside on our way to Florence. Our deluxe motorcoach navigates the rolling hills, scenic vineyards and postcard-perfect vistas of Tuscany.

Your tour leader will give you some useful information on this beautiful region while you relax and enjoy the scenery. Tonight, enjoy a Florentine dinner with local wines at our hotel. BB, D

Day 7 - Sunday - Florence City Tour
Florence—the fountainhead of the Renaissance, awaits our inspection! Our day of sightseeing includes the majestic Duomo built in 1296, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery with its renowned Gates of Paradise doors.

We follow the medieval streets to the most striking square in Florence, Piazza Della Signoria, home of Santa Croce Church, Michelangelo’s final resting place.

“Breathtaking” is the only word to describe one’s first view of Michelangelo’s David. Yes, it’s quite large and detailed. But the real magic is in how Michelangelo transformed a lifeless rock into a man—full of pride, wary of his adversary, yet quietly confident. All with just a hammer and chisel!

Tonight, enjoy dinner on your own at a local Florentine restaurant. Be sure to try Ribollita, one of Florence’s most delicious specialties. This hearty soup is made from cannellini beans, vegetables, red cabbage and chunks of pane (bread). BB

Day 8 - Monday - Florence, Lucca, Pisa, Florence
This morning, after breakfast, we drive to Lucca, also known as “the city of 100 churches.” These churches can be found inside the famous walls that surround the city, which were fortified to protect the city from attacks in the Middle Ages. We will visit the famous Duomo, the Amphitheater and the impressive Church of San Frediano.

This afternoon we travel to Pisa, known for its famous leaning tower. The Piazza del Duomo, also known as Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) is recognized as one of the main centers for medieval art in the world. It features four great religious edifices: the Cathedral, the Campanile (the Leaning Tower), the Baptistery and the Camposanto.

I'll enter the Cathedral which is dedicated to St. Mary of the Assumption. Inside the Cathedral is a big candelabrum near the altar. It’s said that Galileo Galilei tested his laws of the pendulum using this candelabrum!

Next we enter the Baptistery, the largest in all of Italy, made entirely of marble. This building, which is dedicated to St. John the Baptist, took 211 years to construct! It is famous for its perfect acoustics.

Tonight, we enjoy dinner out with a typical Tuscan meal including delicious Bistecca Fiorentina (Florentine steak)! BB, D

Day 9 - Tuesday - Florence, Siena, San Gimignano, Chianti, Florence
Today we travel back in time to the middle ages: Siena, a beautiful city with a historical center that has been declared an UNESCO World Heritage site.

We visit the famous Piazza del Campo, one of Europe’s greatest medieval squares and the site of Siena’s famous horse race, the Palio di Siena. We visit Siena’s town hall, Palazzo Pubblico, a beautiful gothic building which sits on Piazza del Campo by the bell tower, and the enchanting Duomo featuring the most ornate mosaic floor in all Italy.

Next, we drive through the beautiful Chianti landscape with its rolling hills, then proceed to San Gimignano with its 13 towers that dominate the skyline of this medieval town.

Finally, you’ll get to visit a local winery and meet our dear friend, Pierluigi Giachi, the world’s most entertaining sommelier. You’ll enjoy an early light dinner and wine tasting at the Tenuta Torciano! Salute! BB, D

Day 10 - Wednesday - Flight Home to USA
This morning you board your flight home, arriving in the USA the same day. While we say “arrivederci” to Italy, we realize we’re taking a little piece of it back home with us.

Thanks for traveling with the Perillo family, and please return soon. BB