Northern Italy - Departing September 19, 2022

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Experience all the amazing sights, tastes and experiences that northern Italy has to offer.  We will be visiting Rome, Florence, Tuscany, Cinque Terre, Lake Como and finish off our tour in Venice.   

Day 1 – Arrive in Rome        D

Welcome to Italy! Arrive at Rome’s Fiumicino airport, where the tour leader awaits to escort you to the private bus that will bring you to your hotel. According to the arrival time, there’s the possibility to include some sightseeing. 

Enjoy a welcome dinner at a local trattoria, featuring saltimbocca alla romana and Frascati wine 

Inclusions: 

• Private coach transfer from FCO Rome airport to your hotel 
• Welcome 3-course dinner at a traditional Trattoria, incl. ½ water and ¼ wine 

Accommodation: Hotel Imperiale 4* or similar for 2 nights 

Day 2 – Classic Rome Tour        B/L

Breakfast at hotel.  

Enjoy a classic Rome tour through the sights of the Dolce Vita Romana (Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Fontana di Trevi etc.), including a stop for the best espresso in the city or a cappuccino. Break for a pizza lunch before continuing on the sightseeing with the Ancient Rome tour (Imperial Forums, Coliseum etc.). Back to the hotel and time to freshen up before an aperitivo at sunset, a Rossini/Bellini with snacks.  

Inclusions: 

• FD private coach hire for Classic and Ancient Rome tour 
• 8-hour licensed English-speaking guide for classic and ancient Rome 
• Admission to the Coliseum, Palatine Hill and Imperial Forums 
• Coffee break in the city centre 
• Pizza lunch including a soft drink pp 
• Aperitif at sunset accompanied by salty snacks 

Day 3 – Rome- Florence        B

Breakfast at hotel.  

This morning you’ll have a guided tour of the Vatican including the Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. After the visit, transfer to the train station for your journey to Florence on a High-speed train (1H40M). Once arrived in Florence, after check-in formalities at the hotel, meet your local guide to take a walking tour. 

Inclusions: 

• HD private coach hire for Vatican Museum and to Termini train station 
• 4-hour licensed English-speaking guide for Vatican Museum 
• Admission to the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St Peter's basilica 
• 2nd class high speed train from Rome to Florence 
• 3-hours private walking tour in Florence with local licensed guide 

Accommodation: Hotel Delle Nazioni 3* or similar for 2 nights 

Day 4 – Day tour of Tuscany       B/L

Breakfast at hotel. 

Reach the heart of the Chianti Valley, pay a visit to one of the villages and shop with the chef at the fresh markets. Now you have the ingredients to cook an Italian meal at a local estate and have lunch. Visit of San Gimignano with a delicious gelato tasting and Volterra before heading back to Florence 

Inclusions: 

• FD private coach hire for Chianti, San Gimignano & Volterra 
• Cooking class experience & lunch with your own prepared dishes 
• Gelato tasting in San Gimignano 

Day 5 – Florence – Cinque Terre       B

Breakfast at hotel.  Transfer to the Cinque Terre (ca 230 KM|3H15M on the coach) with a stop in Lari to visit the smallest pasta factory in Europe (possibility to shop) and on to Pisa for a guided tour. 

Inclusions: 

Private coach transfer from Florence to Sestri Levante 

2-hours private walking tour in Pisa with local licensed guide 

Accommodation: Grand Hotel Villa Balbi 4* or similar for 2 nights 

Day 6 – Excursion to the Cinque Terre       B/L

Breakfast at the hotel.  Today you’ll enjoy a Cinque Terre excursion with a combination of trains and boats according to the weather conditions. Stop for lunch at a local restaurant and taste of the typical pasta al pesto. 

Cinque Terre is a string of centuries-old seaside villages on the rugged Italian Riviera coastline. In each of the 5 towns, colorful houses and vineyards cling to steep terraces, harbors are filled with fishing boats and trattorias turn out seafood specialties along with the Liguria region’s famous sauce, pesto. The Sentiero Azzurro cliffside hiking trail links the villages and offers sweeping sea vistas

Inclusions: 

• FD private coach transfer to/from Levanto 
• FD local English speaking guide for the Cinque Terre excursion 
• Train ride from Levanto to Manarola 
• Train ride from Manarola to Riomaggiore 
• Boat ride from Riomaggiore to Monterosso 
• Train ride from Monterosso to Levanto
• Lunch with dish of Pasta al Pesto including glass of wine and water 

Day 7 – Cinque Terre to Lake Como      B/D

Breakfast at hotel.  Transfer to Lake Como with a detour in the Langhe region for Barolo wine and truffle tasting (ca 330 KM|4H30M on the coach). Enjoy a boat ride on Lake Como and dinner at a local restaurant overlooking this beautiful lake. 

Lake Como, in Northern Italy’s Lombardy region, is an upscale resort area known for its dramatic scenery, set against the foothills of the Alps. The lake is shaped like an upside-down Y, with three slender branches that meet at the resort town of Bellagio. At the bottom of the southwest branch lies the city of Como, home to Renaissance architecture and a funicular that travels up to the mountain town of Brunate.

Inclusions: 

• Private coach transfer from Sestri Levante to Como with stop in Barolo 
• Truffle and Barolo wine tasting at a farmhouse in the Langhe Region 
• Boat ride on Lake Como 
• 3-course dinner at a local restaurant with Lake view, drinks extra 

Accommodation: Hotel Metropole Suisse 4* or similar for 1 night 

Day 8 – Lake Como to Venice        B

Breakfast at hotel.  Transfer to Venice (320 KM|3H30M on the coach) with a stop along the prosecco road (Padua area) for prosecco and grappa tasting. Upon arrival in Venice-Tronchetto a private taxi boat will take you to the hotel. The balance of the day is at leisure. 

Inclusions: 

• Private coach transfer from Como to Venice 
• Prosecco wine tasting with snacks at a local winery 
• Grappa tasting 
• Private taxi boat ride from Tronchetto to your hotel (1 luggage pp) 

Accommodation: Hotel al Sole 3* or similar for 2 nights 

Day 9 – Venice Sightseeing        B/D

Breakfast at hotel. This morning you’ll enjoy a Venice city tour with a local guide and time at leisure for shopping, gondola ride etc. 

Later, enjoy a Bacaro tour experience with taste of typical “Cicchetti” and local products, before your farewell dinner at a local ostaria. 

Venetians think that a Bacaro tour is much more than eating and drinking, is actually a kind of ritual. The bacari are more than simple wine-bars, they are institutions where locals go to socialize, relax and have fun.
You will learn (and taste) what 'Cicchetti' are (and why you don't have to call it tapas !) and why we call 'ombra' a glass of wine.
The tastiness of Cicchetti will delight your palate, the variety of wines will tickle your soul and the local atmosphere will win you over.

Your Bacaro tour will be followed by a farewell dinner at a local osteria (3 courses with wine & water)

Inclusions:

2-hours private walking tour in Venice with local licensed guide 

Bacaro tour experience with taste of typical Cicchetti and local products 

Farewell 3-course dinner at a local Osteria including wine and water 

Day 10 – Departure          B

Breakfast at hotel. With a head full of memories, leave for home. 

Inclusions: 

Private taxi boat ride from your hotel to Venice airport (1 luggage pp)