From Amalfi to Venice, Private Tour, 11 days
Day 1: Tour to Pompeii & Arrival to Amalfi CoastWelcome to Naples! Upon arrival, you are met by your private driver and guide to start your tour of ancient Pompeii*. Pompeii is renown worldwide for the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius that happened in 79 A.D. The archaeological wonder is still well-preserved, so you have a great chance to explore the former prosperous Roman city with its ruins once buried in meters of ash and pumice.
Note: To arrange your tour to Pompeii the recommended time of arrival to Naples is before 3:30 pm from April 1 to October 31 and before 1 pm from November 1 to March 31 After the tour in Pompeii you are transferred to the hotel on the Amalfi Coast (or Sorrento) for check-in. The rest of the day is at your own leisure to relax after the trip. Day 2: Free Day in Sorrento or Optional ToursToday following breakfast at your hotel you have a free day to continue enjoying fascinating Sorrento at your leisure. You can join one of our carefully planned optional tours.
Optional tour: Trip to Capri Island Optional tour: Gastronomic Tour, Sorrento Day 3: Coastal Exploration of Amalfi & Train to RomeAfter breakfast you check-out from the hotel on Amalfi Coast (or Sorrento), meet your private guide and driver at the hotel lobby and start a scenic sightseeing tour through the coastline.
Today you get to experience the breathtaking beauty of the Amalfi Coast and the surrounding area. You also discover the picturesque towns of Positano and Amalfi from a local perspective, and take in the local history and culture. During the tour you enter to Cloister of Paradise, an open-air cloister which presents an influence which both Arabs and Romans had on Amaifi. After the tour you are transferred to the train station in Salerno to board the train to Rome. Upon arrival to the magnificent Italian capital your driver meets you and takes to your downtown hotel for overnight. Day 4: Ancient Rome Sightseeing & ColosseumFollowing breakfast in your hotel meet your guide for a stroll through the very heart of Rome. Today in about 4 hours you see the most famous attractions and hidden treasures of the Eternal Cty. You explore the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the famous Fountain of the Four Rivers, as well as witness the masterpieces by Bernini, Borromini and many others.
The highlight of your day is a tour of the most well-recognized sight of Rome - the Colosseum. Taxi fare to travel between the sites with your guide is included. After the tour you return to your hotel and enjoy the rest of the day at leisure. Day 5: Vatican SightseeingIn the morning after breakfast meet your guide and head to a walled enclave and the world’s smallest independent state - Vatican*. When inside the Vatican, you visit private apartments of Julius II, Pinecone Courtyard, Gallery of the Maps, Gallery of the Tapestries and Gallery of Candelabra.
Next you proceed to the Sistine Chapel, where you have enough time to admire Michelangelo's famous frescoes and learn about the intense relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo that drove the artist to create the greatest work of art the world has ever known. Your tour continues in the vast open spaces of St. Peter’s Basilica where you see a stunning Pieta - a world-famous work of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo, and Bernini's impressive Papal Canopy, a legacy left to the Basilica by the Barberini family. The ending point of your tour is St. Peter’s Square, where you can admire Michelangelo's Dome and the gorgeous colonnades designed by Bernini. After the tour, you are transferred to your hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the beauty of Rome on your own. Please note: the Vatican is a sacred religious site thus the dress code for visiting it is applied just as when you visit any church in Italy: no shorts – no uncovered knees and shoulders, no backpacks. Day 6: Train to Florence & SightseeingToday you check-out from the hotel in Rome. Your driver takes you to the rail station to board the train which takes you to Florence.
Upon arrival you are transferred to the hotel for the check-in and after some rest have a sightseeing tour of the city. Today's program includes exploration of the Piazza del Duomo with a visit to the Baptistery dedicated to St. John the Baptist. Your ticket to the Grande Museo del Duomo allows you to visit the other magnificent monuments of Piazza del Duomo in your free time within 72 hours: the Cathedral itself, the Dome and its famous Bell Tower. As you proceed to the main square of the city - Piazza della Repubblica - you pass by the touristic area of the Strozzi Palace a bustling shopping street, via Tornabuoni. Then you enter in Oltrarno where you see numerous local craftsmen shops and beautiful Santo Spirito Church and Convent, built for the Agostinian monks. In this very part of the city you can find the first official work of Michelangelo dating back to the age when he was 17 years old. We also visit the Galleria dell'Accademia to see the famous Michelangelo's statue David as well before ending the tour on the Ponte Vecchio. After the tour you return to your hotel and enjoy evening at your own leisure. Day 7: Optional Tuscany Wine TrailToday is free for you to savor magnificent Florence on your own or join one of our carefully planned optional tours to ancient and scenic destinations, located about a one-hour drive away from Florence.
Optional tour: Tuscany Wine Trail, Florence Day 8: Day Trip to Cinque Terre CoastThe first village you visit is Vernazza which has a natural pier with an amphitheater shape making it perhaps the most picturesque village of the Cinque Terre. Vernazza was a Roman installation and had big strategical importance during the age of the Maritime Republics of Genoa. It was also famous for its carpenters.
Then you continue to Manarola. The village is surrounded by vines and is situated along a stream. The wine of Manarola is very famous and the "Via dell'Amore" starts here: an easy to walk, paved path a distance of two kilometers, connecting Manarola to Riomaggiore. Since 1997 you can admire in Manarola a giant nativity scene during the Christmas period. After the tour, you are transferred back to your Florence hotel and have the rest of the evening at your own leisure. Day 9: Transfer to Venice & SightseeingFollowing breakfast you check-out from the hotel and your driver transfers you to the train station to board the train to Venice. Upon arrival you check-in at the centrally-located hotel, meet your private guide at the lobby and enjoy a wonderful walking city tour of all the must-see places of Venice.
We’ve carefully chosen the stops on this tour to give you a real insight into the city. You see the Rialto Bridge (and Rialto fish market), walk past the quiet streets, peaceful canals and go beyond the areas that visitors usually see. This is where Venice is hiding its best architecture and secret stories – and that’s what we’re out to explore. Among many sights you discover are the iconic St. Mark's Basilica, where you see the astonishing Pala D'Oro altar. You go up to Loggia dei Cavalli to enjoy the best panoramic views of St. Mark's Square. After the tour you return to your downtown hotel and have the rest of the day at leisure. Day 10: Free Day or Optional Murano & Burano Boat TourToday is a free day for you to explore and savor Venice! If you would like to have a scheduled itinerary for that day, we have prepared an optional tour to one of the most fascinating day-trips from Venice - to the islands of Murano and Burano. Located in the Venetian lagoon, Burano Island is famous for its lace making production and Murano is well-known for its glass blowing traditions.
Optional tour: Murano & Burano Boat Tour, Venice Day 11: Departure from VeniceThis is the last day of your amazing tour to Italy! After breakfast your driver meets you at the hotel lobby and takes you to the airport for your flight back home. We wish you a safe flight and hope to work on your future vacations!
Not included: international flights, multiple arrival/departure transfers, other meals not mentioned in the program, optional tours and services, all personal expenses. Save $200 per traveler by choosing the flexible hotels option.
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Superb tour to Italy! You really deserve a round of applause - Regina Mayer about her trip with us
You gave us a chance to really experience the places, people, art, history and architecture! - Trisha King about her trip with us
This trip will always be a once in a lifetime highlight for us - Ramon & Nancy Rodriguez about their trip with us
Thank you very much for making our trip a most enjoyable journey - Karoline Myrtle about her trip with us
Our accommodation where excellent in every city we visited. The guides were very knowledgeable and I learned a lot of history - Annika Wilkes about her trip with us
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