3 nights Rome
3 nights Chianti
3 nights Florence
All roads lead to Rome and this is where we begin our fascinating escorted tour in Italy. Our expert guide will give us an insider’s view into Vatican City with the intrigue, history and scandal all revealed. We will travel to Chianti where the quintessential medieval walled towns of the south of Florence will be discovered along with the delicious food and delectable wine of the area. The magnificent surroundings of a wonderful Chianti winery and castle will be explored where we will savour the wine, tour the cellars and enjoy a gastronomic lunch. We will experience the amazing hospitality of our family run hotel in a quaint Chianti village and discover the wonderful characters and atmospheric towns of the area. Renaissance Florence will delight with its stunning architecture and priceless art treasures, fascinating history, shopping and more.
See Map of Rome
Rendezvous at our central Rome hotel in the afternoon for an orientation tour of the surrounding area finishing at the Trevi fountain. We visit a local bar for an aperitivo before dinner to get to know our ‘Indulgence’ travelling companions, then off to a local family restaurant to savour great Roman cuisine. The brothers create wonderful traditional dishes, beautifully and skillfully prepared.
Dinner included
The Vatican will be explored today with our expert guide revealing the lives of the Popes, artists, saints and Emperors who are behind the creation of the Roman Catholic State. The legends, myths, intrigue and scandal will be discussed along with the secrets of the world’s smallest country. We will admire the magnificent works of one of the world’s best-known artists in the iconic Sistine Chapel, and discover the many wonderful museums. In the afternoon you might visit the Pantheon, the Spanish Steps or the beautiful Trevi Fountain or just sit in a quiet piazza with an aperitivo.
Breakfast included
We start our day with a visit to the Piazza Campo de’ Fiori, home to a lively fruit and vegetable market where we can sample some delicious panino from one of Rome’s famous bakeries Antico Forno. Today we visit the Colosseum, built in 72 AD to learn of its bloody and colourful history along with the Forum, Capitoline Hill and Venice Square. In the afternoon we might wander along the Via Del Corso for some window shopping and the obligatory gelati.
Breakfast
We will travel through Umbria until we reach the most spectacularly sited hill town of Orvieto which was founded by the Etruscans and after visiting the impressive duomo (church) and wonderfully quaint shops specialising in home made paper products, distilled perfumes and lace, we will head to our next destination, the beautiful town of Siena. Il Campo, the fan like square, is the centre of this bustling town and it is here where we discover the magnificent architecture or just relax with a glass of wine over lunch. The verdant and undulating landscape will be revealed in our journey to our picturesque country hotel, our home for the next 3 nights.
Breakfast, Dinner included
We journey through the rolling landscape of Tuscany to the breathtakingly beautiful San Gimignano, a stunning walled town with 14 or its original 72 towers still intact. Here we will wander the small alleyways and village squares to admire the lovely architecture and quaint buildings. It is possible to shop for leather or taste the local Vernaccia wine produced in the area. We will visit the duomo to view the magnificent frescoes by Ghirlandaio, Michelangelo’s fresco teacher. We venture on to Volterra, a lesser-known walled town built on a high plateau - a hidden gem! The history of the ancient Etruscan core and the Roman amphitheatre are a backdrop to this functioning medieval village .
Breakfast, Lunch included
In the centre of Chianti we will discover a historic castle and typical Chianti winery in a picturesque location overlooking the patchwork of vineyards. Here we will tour the cellars and taste the local produce, and then partake in a gastronomic lunch. In the afternoon, we might choose to take a short walk to a quaint nearby village of Montefioralle, the ancestral home of Amerigo Vespucci, the navigator for whom America was named, the cobbled-stoned streets and stone houses give stunning views across the vineyards.
Breakfast & Lunch included
This morning we discover Greve, a lovely Chianti town, filled with quaint shops displaying the crafts of the area, we also visit one of the oldest butcher shops in Chianti and taste the wonderful produce and wine. In the afternoon as we journey to our Florence hotel, we will take some time to visit other lovely towns in Chianti. We will wander the streets and alleyways of these delightful places before we find our way to the birthplace of the Renaissance, Florence (Firenze). It was here that an outburst of activity from the 14th to the 16th century changed forever this small Tuscan town and the world, and where we find so much wonderful art and architectural treasures. Dinner tonight in a wonderful restaurant in the San Lorenzo district.
Breakfast and Dinner included
The day begins with a fascinating walking tour of Florence concentrating on Michelangelo – his life and passion. His masterpieces will be admired at the Medici Chapels and the New Sacristy. Guided tour of the Uffizi, home to the Medici’s famous collection of 14th to 18th century
Italian art,our guide is an expert! At a local wine bar/restaurant owned by a winery, we might try the freshest focaccia ever, with wonderfully diverse and unexpected ingredients, washed down with a glass of Chianti, of course. After lunch, at leisure, explore the Duomo, Giotto’s tower and more to learn about the history of these and other monuments.
Breakfast and Lunch included
This morning we are off to the Accademia to view Michelangelo’s iconic David. In the afternoon, walk along the Ponte Vecchio, the oldest occupied bridge in the world also home to Florence’s gold market, or just shop until you drop at San Lorenzo, the best open air leather market in Italy. This is a chance to buy that leather coat you have always wanted. This evening, our last night, we make our way over the bridge to Oltrano, the artisans’ district, to dine at a lovely open-air restaurant where the food is simply prepared and delicious.
Breakfast & Dinner included
Maybe an early morning stroll along the Arno to say goodbye to Florence. You might decide to extend your tour of Italy to other parts from this point…Venice, Milan, Verona. The options are endless; please contact us for more information. Breakfast included
Our itineraries are carefully planned and well thought out but touring Italy can sometimes offer wonderful surprises. The magic of travelling in such a small group allows us to cater for this spontaneity and it is sometimes these unplanned occurrences that can be the most memorable. The rich tapestry of experiences and the characters you meet along the way will make this tour of Italy something special.
• Superior first class hotels, 3 and 4 star, twin share in the historic centres
• Breakfast each day
• Meals as indicated in each itinerary
• Wine (1 glass with meals)
• Water at meals
• Bottled water when travelling in transport
• Transportation – small Mercedes minibus, or similar
• Taxis may be used at times
• Professional and registered drivers
• Entrance fees into museums and art galleries when accompanied by Guide/Tour Manager
• Professional local tour guides in towns and villages as indicated in itinerary
• Tour manager for the entire period of the tour
• All hotel taxes and gratuities
• Airfares
• Items of a personal nature
• Insurance
Please see our full Terms and Conditions
Rome to Florence/printer friendly
Specialists in: small group travel to Italy, group tours to Italy, escorted tours to Italy, guided tours to Italy, Indulgent tours to Italy, guided small group tours to Italy, travel Italy, tours to Italy, small group tours to Italy,
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Insiders’ private tour of the Vatican
Wine tasting and gastronomic lunch in ancient castle
Florence tour concentrating on the works of Michelangelo
Visits to local markets
Wine and food tasting
Private guided tours to the Uffizi, Accademia and more
Tours of the medieval wall towns of Tuscany
Wonderful local restaurants and wineries
Knowledgeable and charming local guides
Rome
Florence
Easy - Moderate
$5350
twin share accommodation
single supplement applies
contact us
4 day Venice Tour
$1980
Contact us for details
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