Highlights of Italy [REI]

Day 1 : 2 Rome

After breakfast at your hotel, meet at 0900 am and enjoy a guided morning sightseeing tour around Rome's historic highlights. Stroll through the heart of medieval Rome to see the glorious squares of Piazza Navona and Piazza Farnese, and ogle the Pantheon, the 2nd-century Roman temple crowned by a vast dome. Throw a coin into the famous Trevi Fountain for luck, and view the Spanish Steps, a sweeping staircase designed by Francesco de Sanctis and Alessandro Specchi in the 1700s. After your tour, enjoy the remainder of the day free to continue your own sightseeing or simply soak up the exciting atmosphere of the city. Tonight, take your pick of Rome's countless restaurants for dinner.

Day 2 : 3 Rome - Assisi - Siena - Florence

Leave Rome after breakfast and drive to Assisi, the religious heart of Italy that was once home to St. Francis, the country's patron saint. Here, join our orientation tour of the walled city, and visit the serene Basilica of St. Francis, where you will view the world-famous Renaissance artworks by Giotti and Cimabue. Your tour then continues to Siena, whose medieval center is one of the best-preserved in Europe. Admire the Municipal Palace and exquisite, fan-shaped Piazza del Campo, site of the town's fabled Palio horse race, before arriving at your hotel Florence in time for dinner tonight.

Day 3 : 4 Florence

Today begins with a guided tour of beautiful Florence, the âCradle of the Renaissanceâ. Straddling the Arno River, Tuscany's capital is brim with stunning architecture and art by masters such as Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Brunelleschi. Visit the Piazza della Duomo to see the Duomo, Giotti's Bell Tower and the Baptistry, and behold the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore and gothic Santa Croce Church, home to Cimabue's âCrucifixâ. This afternoon is yours to explore as you wish, perhaps indulging in shopping or more sightseeing. Alternatively, you may wish to join our optional half-day excursion to Pisa to see the extraordinary Leaning Tower on the city's iconic Field of Miracles square. This evening, join us for dinner at a local restaurant in Florence.

Day 4 : 5 Florence - Padua - Venice

This morning, admire the classic rolling hills of Tuscany as we drive toward romantic Venice, sometimes dubbed âLa Serenissimaâ or the âmost serene.â Along the way, stop at the charming city of Padua to see its famous Basilica of St. Anthony, fronted by Donatello's âGattamelataâ equestrian statue. Continue through the scenic Emilia-Romagna province, home of Italy's much-loved âprosciuttoâ and Parmesan cheese, and on arrival in Venice, enjoy a panoramic walking tour of its key landmarks, taking in St. Mark's Square and St Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs, so named for the mournful sighs of prisoners who once crossed it on the way to death, incarceration or torture.

Day 5 : 6 Venice

Enjoy the whole day to discover more of entrancing Venice, a city whose beauty is almost beyond superlatives. Have your camera ready for a morning boat tour, taking in a stretch of the Grand Canal and cruising across Venice Lagoon to the island to Murano, known for its colorful, hand-blown glass. Be mesmerized by the skill of the glass blowers as they fashion their delicate glass pieces, and take the opportunity to peruse and buy some of the intricate glassware. Later, enjoy the afternoon free to explore Venice independently, perhaps seeking out its quieter canals, enjoying lunch at a hidden piazza or taking a serenaded gondola ride.

Day 6 : 7 Venice - Verona - Sirmione - Lake Como - Milan

Say a fond goodbye to Venice after breakfast and drive by the lush hills and Palladian villas of the Veneto region to Verona, the fictional setting of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. View the 13th-century building known as Juliet's House and stupendous Roman Arena before traveling to Lake Garda. Admire the sparkling lake framed by picturesque towns and olive groves, and visit Sirmione, home to a picturebook castle. Take a tour of the charming town before relaxing with free time for lunch and driving on to gorgeous Lake Como. Ogle the sumptuous scenery, grand villas and waterfront towns that fringe the glittering lake on a panoramic tour, and then continue to Milan for the evening and overnight.

Day 7 : 8 Milan

After breakfast at your hotel, enjoy a morning panoramic tour of Milan, Italy's fashion and commercial capital, where medieval history and designer glamor go hand-in-hand. Admire top attractions such as the striking Duomo with its striped marble façade, Sforza Castle, and the iconic 19th-century Vittorio Emanuele II shopping arcade, with its soaring glass roof. Tour ends at 11:00 am at the central railway station (transfer to airport or hotel in Milan is not included)

Day 8 : 1 Rome, Italy

Meet your representative at Rome airport and transfer to your hotel in this magnificent city. Enjoy the rest of the day at leisure to either ease down at your hotel or begin exploring the âEternal City.â Perhaps take in the iconic Colosseum, once the scene of blood-curdling gladiatorial combats, sample some of the many tempting restaurants, or enjoy some retail therapy along the Via del Corso, one of Rome's most popular shopping streets.