Rome, Florence & Venice
Day 1: Rome
Your driver will pick you up at the airport or train station and take you to your boutique hotel in the historic center of Rome. This afternoon, meet your guide in the lobby of your hotel and enjoy a walking tour of Rome's highlights. You will stroll to nearby Piazza Farnese and take a look at the stunning renaissance masterpiece of Palazzo Farnese. Then make your way to the Palazzo Spada where you can see the intersting trompe-l'oeil mural and gallery by Francesco Borromini. Then on to Piazza Campo de' Fiori, a vibrant square with much history, which hosts a morning open-air food market every day except Sunday. You will continue on to Piazza Navona, originally laid out in A.D. 86 as a stadium by Emperor Domitian and then embellished during the Renaissance into the lavish baroque form you see today. From here you'll stroll on to the Pantheon possibly stopping along the way at the interesting churches of Santa Maria della Pace with its frescoes by Raphael, San Agostino with its strange tromp l'oeil dome and Caravaggio or San Luigi dei Francesi with its noteworthy series of frescoes by Caravaggio. Finally you will arrive at the Pantheon, the best-preserved ancient monument in Rome. Originally a temple dedicated to all the gods, it was transformed into a church in A.D. 609. Your guide will tell you the fascinating history of these buildings and monuments while helping you get oriented to this multi-layered city.
Tonight, discover some of Italy's hidden wines in this three-hour
stroll of traditional enoteche (wine bars) located around the Campo
di Fiori.
In the company of a trained sommelier, you will sample both Italian
wines and Italian wine-bar culture.
In our first stop we will taste two little-known but amazing whites.
Then, after a lesiurely stroll though nearby Campo di Fiori, we will
visit a second, quiet enoteca where we will sample a round of reds.
Our aim is to introduce clients to wines that may not be familiar or
that are hard to find outside of Italy, while at the same time explaining
some of the basics of Italian wine appreciation. One basic tenet we
will explore is how Italian wines are all tailored to specific foods;
and, thus, at each tasting we will enjoy a plate of appetizers designed
to work with whatever we're drinking.
Day 2: Rome
Whatever your faith, we believe you’ll be impressed by the Vatican! Your private guide will meet you at your hotel and accompany you to the Vatican Museums, home to some of the world’s most precious and spectacular art pieces. The Sistine Chapel alone makes the visit worthwhile. Learn about this magnificent collection and the state that shepherds it. Then, move on to St. Peter’s Basilica and its magnificent piazza. You’ll become acquainted with how the power and influence of the Church translated into the patronage of the world’s most influential artists and architects. The afternoon is yours at leisure to relax or shop.
This evening, meet your guide at 7:30 p.m. for a tour of Rome by night. You'll stroll the beautiful piazzas of the historic center and see some of Rome's iconic sights which evoke the "dolce vita", Piazza del Popolo, the Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. Throw in a coin to ensure your return to the Eternal City.
Day 3: Rome
Today, get to know ancient Rome, the stuff of “Gladiator.” Walk with your guide on a private tour starting at the Campidoglio—the Capitoline hill, the seat of ancient Roman government. Take in the sweeping views of the Forum and Colosseum.Then, proceed down into the Forum and learn about the empire that changed the world forever. Follow the history of the emperors to the Colosseum and see the ancient stage of gladiators, mock naval battles and displays of wild animals. Afterward, visit the Church of San Clemente where almost 2000 years of history lies preserved in layers from the first century until today.
Day 4: Rome
This morning your driver will pick you up at your hotel and take
you to Pompeii. In Pompeii, our guide will take you on a
2-3 hour walk through the site, discussing the history of the city
and the excavations. Then we transfer
to Naples (by car) where we will have lunch in a small, non-touristy
restaurant in the city center, followed by a short (one-hour) walking
tour/stroll through the center, poking our head into a few churches
and discussing the history of the city.
We finish our tour of Naples with a visit to the extraordinary collection
of Roman artifacts in the Archeological Museum of Naples, where we
will find a wealth of the pottery, sculpture, and architectural materials
taken from Pompeii, Herculaneum, and other ancient cities on the
slopes of Mt. Vesuvius. Many consider the Naples Archaeological Museum
to be one of the most important museums in all of Europe; certainly
it is an invaluable component to a visit to Pompeii, providing a
counterpoint to everything we see there. In the evening your driver
brings you back to your hotel in Rome.
Day 5: Florence
A Private transfer will bring you to your hotel in the historic
center. This afternoon your guide will meet you in the lobby of your
hotel.
Explore the most famous sights of Florence’s ancient center.
Tread in the tantalizing footsteps of over 2000 years of tumultuous
history.
Find
out who was
buried alive near the Duomo. Why Michelangelo never forgave Leonardo
da Vinci. How the ‘Bill Gates of Florence’ used famous
artists to amaze everyone with their extravagance during the Renaissance.
Discover why Florence became one of the greatest art centers the world
has ever seen. See fabulous masterpieces. Hear about astounding events
that shocked the Florentines. Immerse yourself in history and listen
to medieval stories with a three hour stroll around Florence’s
essential sights
You will see famous sculptures, frescoes & paintings in the Duomo,
Santa Trinita, and Orsanmichele. You will also see the Baptistery,
Bell Tower, Gates of Paradise, Brunelleschi’s Dome, Vasari’s
Corridor, Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo Vecchio, Medieval towers,
Ponte Vecchio, Renaissance Palaces, famous shopping streets and other
sights.
Day 6: Florence
This morning your guide will meet you in the lobby of your hotel and
take you to tour the Uffizi Gallery, one of the most important art
galleries
in the world - no standing in line with your advance reservations!
Enjoy actually understanding
the masterpieces in this world famous Museum with great stories about
the artists that changed art forever. Find out how Michelangelo out-smarted
a famous skinflint. Hear about the mysterious and stunningly beautiful
models in paintings like Botticelli’s famous “Birth of
Venus”. Experience the flowering of Leonardo Da Vinci’s
genius. Listen to techniques that will change the way you look at art.
Hear why these famous artworks and the gallery were created. All this
and more when you discover the highlights of the Uffizi Gallery with
our fascinating and exclusive introduction to Renaissance art and famous
artists. Afternoon is free for you to shop and decompress or maybe
stroll up to Piazza Michelangelo to take some photos of the famous
Florence skyline.
Day 7: Florence: Cooking Class
This morning meet your small group in Florence for your transfer to the estate of a breathtaking renaissance villa. After a wine-tasting, you will head to a century old monastery where you will start the hands-on cooking lesson and prepare homemade ravioli and tagliatelle from scratch. Then your guide-chef will set the table and serve antipasti and other local treats for your enjoyment. After lunch, relax on the lawn, chat at the table while having espresso the Italian way. In the late afternoon you will be transferred back to Florence for a final evening of shopping and dining or strolling along the Arno river.
Day 8: Venice
Travel by train or private transfer to Venice. Upon arrival your private
water taxi will be waiting to take you to your hotel.
Your
guide
will
meet
you
in
the
lobby
of
your
hotel
and
take you on a wonderful walking
tour.
The best approach to Venice if you are there for the first time is
an introductory tour which includes some important sights. The tour
starts with a visit to St. Mark's Square, the former political center
of the Venetian Republic, and St. Mark's Basilica, a must for anyone
visting Venice. Afterward take a walk "backstage" to discover
the urban development of the city: bridges, narrow alleyways, and large
and small squares. Passing imposing churches and ancient palaces the
tour ends in the busy area of the Rialto.
This evening take a gondola ride to explore the the canals from your
own private boat.
Finish up with a drink and appetizer and learn about the Venetian
tradition of cicheti.
Day 9: Venice
Today you'll tour some of the "real" Venice: the Dorsoduro "sestiere" or neighborhood.Starting from the small campo of Santa Maria del Giglio we'll catch a gondola across the Grand Canal in order to visit the Dorsoduro district. This edge of the district is shaped like the prow of a boat and offers vistas on Giudecca and Grand Canal as they merge into St.Mark Basin. There we visit the most famous Baroque church of Venice, Santa Maria della Salute. This church houses the paintings of Titian, Salviati and Tintoretto. Passing the house of Peggy Guggenheim, today a world class modern art museum, we continue in the direction of the Zattere, the most popular place for a promenade in Venice . From there we'll reach an ancient gondola workshop. On the lively campo of Santa Margherita stands the Medieval church of the Carmelites which preserves a couple of Venetian masterpieces by Lorenzo Lotto and Cima da Conegliano. A few steps away we'll visit the church of San Sebastiano, decorated entirely with frescoes by Paolo Veronese, where the tour will end.
Day 10: Venice
Today explore Venice's master artisan workshops. Over the centuries Venice has provided superior quality handmade products that were exported all over the world for the use of the priveleged few. Today the simple word "Venice" still conjures up an atmosphere of sensuous luxury, sophisticated elegance and a myriad of joyful visual and tactile sensations. Far from the beaten tracks, with the assistance of your guide, you will discover and make yours the "pearls" of Venice's top handicraft tradition. Velvets, brocades, marbelized paper, books and leather bindings, paper mache Carnival masks, gold and silver jewelry, beads, glass and other wonders.
Day 11: Departure
Today a private transfer will take you to the airport or train station for your journey home or on to your next destination.