Treasures of Italy - Small Group

Tour Type: Regional
Brochure Type Europe & Britain Premium 2025 v1

Experience Italy on an 11-day guided tour. Explore the Eternal City with a Local Expert, who will whisk you to the Vatican Museums for a tour of the Pope's art collection. Later, see the infamous Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. Cruise to Capri, where you'll take an open-top taxi to the top of the island for unparalleled views of the rugged coastline and sparkling sea - then walk the Caesar Augustus Gardens and see the Faraglioni rocks with a Local Expert. In Venice, walk through St. Mark's Square and see its basilica of the same name; later, allow yourself to be serenaded as a gondolier glides you through the city's canals. Sail to the candy-colored island of Burano, where you can toast to a fantastic trip at a celebration dinner featuring wine and freshly-caught specialties.

Additional Included Highlights
  • Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
  • If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, y
  • Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
  • Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
  • From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
  • We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
Authentic Dining
  • Italian Lakes For your Dine-Around Evening, you are offered a selection of hand-picked local restaurants to choose from, each with its own distinctive ambience and cuisine.
  • Lake Iseo Learn about this historic winery, passed down through the generations, and taste its latest vintages.
  • Burano Cruise to the charming fisherman's island of Burano to enjoy a delicious Celebration Dinner with wine and new-found friends.
Choice Highlights
  • Choose between two carefully selected activities
  • Florence Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe.
  • Florence Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
Dining Summary
  • 10 Breakfast (B)
  • 5 Dinner with Wine (DW)
Insight Experiences
  • Rome Enjoy an exclusive visit to the oldest pharmacy in Europe, Rome's Antica Spezieria di Santa Maria della Scala, also known as the ?Pharmacy of the Popes.' Discover this hidden gem during a private audience with a friar of the Carmelite order, who rev
Make Travel Matter
  • Venice Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblow
Top Rated Highlights
  • Cinque Terre Led by your Local Expert, visit this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, tucked away on the mountainous Italian Riviera coastline. Explore one of the five charming fishing villages for some memorable pictures.
  • Florence See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
  • Capri Explore Capri town with your Local Expert and see the whitewashed houses, winding alleyways, small cafes, fashionable boutiques and artisans studios.
  • Portofino Visit this elegant fishing village and admire the colored houses and yachts moored in the harbor.
  • Florence Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe.
  • Florence Enjoy a stroll through Renaissance Florence and admire the medieval buildings that gave birth to this new style of architecture.
  • Pompeii Walk with a Local Expert through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the 1st century.
  • Capri Discover the luxuriant Gardens of Augustus with a Local Expert and admire views of the Faraglioni rocks.
  • Florence Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
  • Rome Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a passionate local. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, and stand beside the Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.
  • Venice Delight in the magic of this charming city as you are serenaded, traveling through the atmospheric canals by gondola.
  • Venice With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
Well-being
  • Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical
  • Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Call 410-638-5822 for more information or to book today! Mention code 18546158

Tour Operator
Insight Vacations
Duration
11 Days
Escorted
Escorted - Yes
DayDestinationDescription
Day 1RomeWelcome to the Eternal City of Rome: Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Settle in before joining your Travel Director for a visit to Trastevere, Rome's bohemian quarter. Enjoy a private visit to Farmacia of Santa Maria della Scala, the oldest pharmacy in Europe. Gain historic insights from a Carmelite friar as you admire the Farmacia and explore the adjoining 16th-century church. Take in the vibrant atmosphere of this charming neighborhood as you indulge in a Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant.

Accommodations: Hotel Romanico Palace, Rome.
Day 2VaticanVatican City and Rome with a Local: The day is devoted to the Eternal City. Join a Local Expert for an in-depth visit to the Vatican Museums, full of priceless art treasures collected by the Popes.  Visit the Sistine Chapel, where Popes are elected, to admire Michelangelo's famous ceiling. Continue to St. Peter's Basilica, to wonder at another of his works, the emotive ?Pietà,' and stand beneath the dome completed after his death. Cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome. See the incredible Circus Maximus. Come up close and personal with the beautifully preserved Arch of Constantine, walking on the ancient pavement. Discover the history, the construction and the legends of the iconic Colosseum as you stroll around the exterior of this amazing structure. Later, perhaps continue your exploration of Rome to see the Pantheon, toss a coin in Trevi Fountain and enjoy free time around Piazza Navona?

Accommodations: Hotel Romanico Palace, Rome.
Day 3SorrentoAncient Pompeii and on to Sorrento: Journey to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, frozen in time when it was engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Walk with a Local Expert through cobbled streets to learn about Roman life in the first century before enjoying a refreshing lemon granita. Then continue to your hotel in the charming town of Sorrento. The afternoon is yours to explore as you wish, or perhaps join an Optional Experience to the artist's paradise of Positano.

Accommodations: Hotel Isabella, Sorrento.
Day 4CapriThe Isle of Dreams: Enjoy a morning in the town of Sorrento before heading off to the port to board your jetfoil to the Isle of Capri. Enjoy a scenic drive by open-top taxi past orange and lemon groves to your hotel, then appreciate the glorious vistas over the rugged coastline and sparkling sea.Visit Capri town, with its whitewashed houses, winding alleyways and small cafes. A Local Expert escorts you to the lush Gardens of Augustus for views of the Faraglioni rocks. As the glow of twilight descends and the day-trippers have returned to their mainland hotels, the island is yours to saunter along scenic paths, gather with the locals in the piazzetta or relax with a glass of wine at an al-fresco restaurant.

Accommodations: Hotel Regina Cristina, Capri.
Day 5FlorenceThe Autostrada del Sole to Florence: Descend to the port and take the jetfoil across the bay to Naples. Follow the Autostrada del Sole north passing Rome and continuing through the region of Umbria. Journey through idyllic Tuscan landscapes to Florence, center of art and culture, and the heart of the Italian Renaissance. Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo's David. After, continue on foot to admire the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Continue into the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local caffè, where you will be in the perfect spot to admire the basilica, indulge in people-watching the elegant Florentines and pamper yourself shopping for luxury goods like gold and leather.

Accommodations: NH Firenze, Florence.
Day 6FlorenceFlorence, birthplace of the Renaissance: See how the local leatherwork is created with a demonstration of the craft and learn about the artistry of the goldsmiths who are famous in the city of Florence. In your free time wander Florence on your own, shop or opt to explore the medieval hilltop town of San Gimignano on an Optional Experience. In the evening, why not sample fine Florentine cuisine of tasty starters and typical Tuscan dishes accompanied by Chianti.

Accommodations: NH Firenze, Florence.
Day 7Santa Margherita LigureCinque Terre and Portofino to Santa Margherita: The famous Italian Riviera and the Cinque Terre are a highlight of your journey as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Italy's most beautiful landscapes. With a Local Expert, appreciate the views as you approach one of the picturesque fishing villages by boat. Spend some time exploring the old medieval quarter or the popular sandy beach. Our journey continues to the elegant seaside village of Portofino, epitome of la dolce vita. Admire the colorful houses, browse the boutiques or stay a while in the cafe bars on the piazzetta, watching the yachts moored in the harbor.

Accommodations: Best Western Regina Elena, Santa Margherita Ligure.
Day 8Lake MaggioreLake Maggiore: In the morning, journey north to the beautiful Italian Lake District, a favorite retreat of the rich and famous where alpine scenery combines with lush subtropical vegetation. Relax and enjoy an afternoon at leisure at this popular resort and beautiful lake or perhaps take a cruise out to the lovely Borromean Islands? For your dining pleasure, you are invited to choose from a hand-picked selection of local restaurants for your Dine-Around Evening.

Accommodations: Hotel Simplon, Baveno.
Day 9VeniceTo Venice With Wine Along the Way: Follow the southern fringes of the Alps to the Franciacorta wine region near Lake Iseo. Over 100 vineyards produce the famous sparkling wine of the region and winemaking traditions run deep. Taste the delicious vintages produced with a master vintner at a family-owned estate. Continue to the unique city of Venice and step back in time to the 16th century.

Accommodations: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice
Day 10VeniceVenice and the Magic of La Serenissima: Visit St. Mark's Square where the city's former wealth and power is evidenced by the riches of St. Mark's Basilica and admire the Doge's Palace with its adjoining Bridge of Sighs. Take your seat on a gondola and be serenaded through the myriad of beautiful canals, passing water-lapped doorways and Rococo palaces. The rest of the afternoon is yours to discover Venice at leisure. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience during a visit to a traditional arts center, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. Cruise the Venetian lagoon to Burano and sit down to a sumptuous Celebration Dinner with wine, sampling the local specialties.

Accommodations: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice
Day 11VeniceArrivederci Venice: Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo Airport.

Accommodations:
Dates/Pricing

Click Quote or call 410-638-5822 to get additional information on your chosen travel date. Special offers or competitive pricing may be available!

DatePrice / DescriptionQuote
03/24/2025$6,850.00* (USD) / Land PriceQuote
04/28/2025$6,950.00* (USD) / Land PriceQuote
05/19/2025$6,950.00* (USD) / Land PriceQuote
07/07/2025$7,175.00* (USD) / Land PriceQuote
08/04/2025$7,095.00* (USD) / Land PriceQuote
09/01/2025$7,025.00* (USD) / Land PriceQuote
Disclaimer
Twin prices are per person.

- These prices are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking.
- All tour information is correct at time of tours going live, however is subject to change, please confirm all details at time of booking.
- For full terms and conditions, please refer to our Conditions page.
- Hotel Class Key: D: Deluxe SF: Superior First Class F: First Class
  
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