Best of Italy 10 Day tour from $2024

an Insight Vacations luxury tour

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Tour Highlights

Hotels

Modern hotels in Rome: the Crowne Plaza St.Peters with its magnificent garden  setting close to the Vatican, & the Sheraton Roma in the EUR district. Traditional  hotels in the other centres including the 15th century Continental in Venice overlooking  the Grand Canal.

Fellow Passengers

This tour particularly attracts the first time visitor to Italy who wishes to  see the major highlights of this beautiful country in 10 days. Also appeals to those  with a love of history, art, architecture, Italian cuisine and 'la dolce vita'.

Highlights

The ancient historic and religious sights of Rome, the touching beauty of Assisi,  the unique waterscape of Venice, the artistic heritage of Florence epitomised by the original statue of David and the stunning scenery of Capri, the Island of Dreams.

 Excursions & Sights

• Guided visit of St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican City
• Visit  inside the Colosseum, scene of gladiatorial conquest
• See the Roman Forum & visit  the Trevi Fountain in Rome
• Visit the Basilicas of St Francis & St Mary of the Angels in Assisi Cruise, with commentary, to St Mark's Square in Venice
• See the  Bridge of Sighs, Doges' Palace & St Mark's Basilica
• Scenic Brenta Canal drive  past the summer mansions of the Venetian nobility
• See the Leaning Tower of Pisa, Cathedral & Baptistery
• See Florence's Duomo, 'Gates of Paradise' & Signoria  Square
• Visit the Commonwealth Cemetery at Cassino
• Cruise to Capri Island & funicular ride up to Capri Town
• Guided tour of the buried Roman town of Pompeii
• Demonstration of traditional Florentine leather-work, Demonstration of 'Intarsio' marquetry inlay woodworking in Sorrento
• Demonstration of traditional glass-blowing in Venice
• Scenic Apennine Mountains drive
• Cliff-top drive from Sorrento to Naples overlooking the Bay of Naples

Guided City Tours

In depth sightseeing tours in Rome, Assisi, Florence & Pompeii, Orientation tours of Venice, Sorrento & Isle of Capri

Insight's First Class Services

• Escorted by a professional Tour Director
• Luxury air-conditioned coach with onboard toilet
• First Class hotels with all service charges, taxes and porterage
• Complimentary arrival transfer on Day 1 and departure transfer on Day 10

Quality Dining

Highlight Dinner of local cuisine with entertainment in Rome

9 buffet breakfasts and 5 three course table d'hote dinners, or buffets, plus tea or coffee.

Tour Itinerary

Tour Pace

This tour has a well balanced pace with two night stays in three of the five cities - Rome, Venice and Naples - with overnight stays in Assisi and  Venice. The driving days are of a comfortable length with several stops en route, both for refreshment and photography.

DAY 1 ROME AT LEISURE

On arrival at Rome's Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport, there are complimentary transfers to your tour hotel. After checking in, there's time at leisure to explore or relax. Perhaps spend some time in the boutiques of the Via del Corso or the elegant designer stores in the neighbourhood of the Spanish Steps? Tonight, we get together with our Tour Director for a Welcome Drink. Hotel: Crowne Plaza St Peters.

DAY 2 ROME SIGHTSEEING

This morning we enjoy an in-depth sightseeing tour with a local guide which takes  us inside the Vatican Museums to gaze upon the treasures of the Popes. We also see  Michelangelo's famous ceiling inside the Sistine Chapel. Next we tour St Peter's  Basilica to wonder at another of his works, the emotive 'Pieta'. Now we cross the Tiber to visit the Colosseum, scene of many gladiatorial contests and we also overlook  the Roman Forum. The rest of the day is at leisure to continue sightseeing or shop? (BB)

DAY 3 ROME - ASSISI

We leave Rome this morning, following the valley of the River Tiber until we reach the hills of Umbria, which form part of the Apennines. Our destination today is the peaceful hilltop town of Assisi, the home of St Francis. First, we visit  the Basilica of St Mary of the Angels, built on the site of the original Porziuncule  Chapel foundations. Then we continue up Mount Subasio to the town, where we visit the Basilica of St Francis with its magnificent frescoes by the artist Giotto. Hotel:  Subasio. (BB,D)

DAY 4 ASSISI - VENICE

A pleasant drive brings us to the romantic city of Venice. What better way to  see Venice than from our own private launch? We cruise past Palladian churches and 13th century palaces to St Mark's square where we disembark to see the Doges' Palace,  connected to the prisons by the Bridge of Sighs. It was from here that Casanova  made his daring escape! Around the corner we admire the mosaics of the Basilica and then watch one of the few remaining Masters blow molten glass into a unique  creation at a Venetian glass-blowing factory. Now relax and enjoy the atmosphere as we cruise along the Venetian canals by gondola. Hotel: Continental. (BB,D)

DAY 5 VENICE - TUSCANY

Leaving magical Venice this morning, we drive along the scenic Brenta Canal with its magnificent Palladian villas, once the summer residences of Venetian nobility.  We then cross the plain of the Po River and traverse the Apennines, the hilly backbone  of Italy, to reach the Arno valley. We now follow the river westwards to the coastal town of Pisa. Here we see the famous Leaning Tower, where elaborate steps have been taken to prevent this landmark from falling over! There is also time to admire the  white marble cathedral and Baptistery, before we continue to the Tuscan spa resort  of Montecatini for our two night stay. Hotel: Francia & Quirinale. (BB)

DAY 6 FLORENCE SIGHTSEEING

This morning we drive to the Tuscan capital, Florence, where we are joined by  a local guide. Our walking tour begins with a highlight visit inside the Academy Gallery to see Michelangelo's monumental figure of David. Now we continue to the multi-coloured marble Cathedral of Santa Maria dei Fiore, where we see Giotto's belltower, and 'Gates of Paradise'. We also visit the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence. The area around nearby Santa Croce Basilica is  famous for the high quality of its luxury goods, and so we are treated to a demonstration  of leatherwork, where this craft first established itself. Then, there's free time  to shop for Florence's finest or continue sightseeing! (BB,D)

DAY 7 TUSCANY - NAPLES

Today the smooth motorway takes us south through the rich volcanic hills of Frascati to Cassino. Here we visit the Commonwealth Cemetery, overlooked by the austere monastery of Montecassino - headquarters of the Benedictine order. Now we spend two fabulous  nights at our hotel in the heart of Naples. Hotel: New Europe. (BB)

DAY 8 ISLE OF CAPRI EXCURSION

We cross the Bay of Naples this morning to reach the sun drenched Island of Dreams,  Capri - a rock rising sheer from the Mediterranean. We take the funicular train up to the main village (Capri Town), then time to explore the narrow alleyways,  browse in the exclusive boutiques, and enjoy fabulous views over the Mediterranean Sea. Perhaps join an optional tour to Anacapri, where you can visit the Villa San  Michele? This afternoon we cross back to the mainland to Sorrento where we visit  a workshop to observe the local craft of marquetry inlay woodworking. Later, we  take the dramatic clifftop drive back to our hotel in Naples. (BB,D)

DAY 9 NAPLES - ROME

Only a short drive from our hotel lies Pompeii. This fascinating Roman city was  preserved in its daily life by layers of ash from the eruption of the nearby Mount Vesuvius in AD79. With a local guide, our walking tour of the excavations brings the ancient, ill-fated city to life. Now the smooth motorway brings us back to the  'Eternal City' of Rome. Tonight we stop by the beautifully illuminated Trevi Fountain (to drop the traditional coin or three!) on the way to our special highlight dinner  of local cuisine with entertainment. Hotel: Sheraton Roma. (BB,HD)

DAY 10 - ROME

Arrivederci Roma! Our memorable tour ends this morning with a transfer to Rome Airport. (BB)