Buongiorno! Rome kicks off your epic Italian trilogy. After checking in to your hotel, spend the rest of the day relaxing or pound the pavements to discover why Rome so deserves its title, the ‘Eternal City’. Later, you’ll meet up with your Travel Director and fellow travellers for a glimpse into what lies ahead. There’s even time for a leisurely stroll to one of the city’s thronging piazzas to people-watch or to join an Optional Experience dinner in a Roman trattoria. Embrace life lived the Italian way – to the fullest.
Hotel: Ergife Palace
CHOICE OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:
Roman Delights with Dinner – Make the most of your Roman holiday, living la dolce vita as the locals do with a relaxed dinner in a characteristic trattoria. Soak up the atmosphere of the charming city as you dine, sampling typical Italian cuisine and drinks as you enjoy live music. This is the Italian experience you’ve been dreaming of!
Adult: 60.00 EUR
With so much to see and do, you could explore Rome for an eternity without getting bored. Why not join an Optional Experience to Michelangelo’s famous Sistine Chapel and the Vatican Museums? Get to grips with the city’s main attractions, joining a Local Specialist at Vatican City, the world’s smallest country. Stand in St. Peter’s Square, sharing your space with devoted pilgrims. Visit St. Peter’s Basilica and view one of Michelangelo’s greatest works, the sorrowful Pietà. Cross the Tiber next, to view the mighty Colosseum and the countless other ancient sites which featured prominently in the days of the powerful Roman Empire.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Ergife Palace
CHOICE OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:
Inside the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel – Join us for an extension to your included sightseeing tour, which gives you a chance to see the artistic masterpieces collected and commissioned by the Popes. With our Local Specialist, we’ll visit the Tapestry Gallery, Gallery of Maps and the Sistine Chapel. Michelangelo spent four years preparing the vault and altar wall, and we’ll give you plenty of time to admire just how much painstaking work went into his creations.
Adult: 64.00 EUR
Piazzas and Fountains – Discover the most charming areas of the city as you explore quintessential Italian piazzas and fountains with a Local Specialist. Wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets and beautiful squares in Rome’s historic centre, stopping to marvel at highlights such as the Trevi Fountain, The Pantheon and hidden corners of the Eternal City.
Adult: 41.00 EUR
Set your sights firmly on Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance and a city that has inspired poets, authors and artists for centuries. But first, a mesmerising journey through the rolling vineyards and olive groves of Tuscany awaits. Visit Pisa and its Square of Miracles, one of the most beautiful architectural complexes in the world. Yield to peer pressure and snap a few strategic photos featuring you and the extraordinary Leaning Tower of Pisa. You’ll have some time for souvenir shopping before continuing to Florence. This evening, there’s an opportunity to head into the Tuscan Hills for dinner on an unforgettable Optional Experience.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: President
CHOICE OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:
Traditional Dinner, Wine and Music in the Tuscan Hills – Make your Florentine travel dreams a reality as we dine at a delightful regional restaurant, set among pine and cypress trees. After a scenic drive through the stunning Tuscan countryside, we’ll enjoy a meal of delicious specialties from the area, accompanied by local wines and music.
Adult: 69.00 EUR
There are few cities in the world with an artistic legacy equal to that of Florence. Now’s your chance to experience it in all its glory with your Local Specialist at your side. Lace up your walking shoes and view the city’s most iconic sights on foot – the Baptistery, Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower and Ponte Vecchio. You’ll visit Piazza della Signoria and witness a demonstration revealing the centuries-old Florentine trade of leatherwork, followed by some time to explore on your own. Later on, why not visit San Gimignano as part of an Optional Experience? If you’re in the mood for some shopping, consider buying some of the high-quality leather goods you’ve just witnessed or shop for 18-carat gold jewellery. This evening, you’ll enjoy dinner at your hotel.
Meals: Breakfast
Dinner Hotel: Miro|President
CHOICE OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:
You will be offered one of the following two optional experiences depending on availability:
Discovering Michelangelo’s Masterpiece – Enjoy an insight into the world of Michelangelo and his masterpiece, David.
We’ll visit the Academy of Fine Arts and its Michelangelo collection, where you’ll learn all about the life and works of this immortal Renaissance genius through the expert commentary of our Local Specialist.
Adult: 54.00 EUR
* This optional is subject to availability and involves reservations and entrance prepayments. If you decide to cancel this optional, a 50% cancellation fee will be incurred.
** You will be offered one of the following two optional experiences depending on availability:
Discover the Medici Legacy at Palazzo Vecchio – Marvel at the legacy of the Medici as you visit Palazzo Vecchio, the symbol of Florence’s political power for over seven centuries. With our Local Specialist we’ll visit the wonderful “Hall of the Five Hundred”, dedicated to the Medici popes. We’ll also visit rooms decorated with masterpieces by famous artists of the
Renaissance like Michelangelo and Donatello.
Adult: 46.00 EUR
* You will be offered one of the following two optional experiences depending on availability:
Visit To San Gimignano – Join us for a panoramic drive to the nearby hilltop town of San Gimignano. Known as ‘Medieval Manhattan’ this magnificently preserved town from the Middle Ages is one of the most beautiful destinations to visit in
Italy – a true gem to add to explore on your holiday. You’ll also enjoy a delicious local gelato.
Adult: 40.00 EUR
Journey across the dramatic Apennine Mountains to Verona, the home of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers. View the vast Roman Arena, where concerts are still held several centuries after it was built to entertain the citizens of this fair city. Juliet’s Balcony is a further highlight, revealing the tragic story of the Montague and Capulet family feud. Your journey continues to Venice, your home for the next two nights. Time on your own means an opportunity to explore one of the world’s most romantic cities, watching the busy traffic on its canals over a crisp glass of Aperol Spritz, or to embark on an Optional Experience gondola ride along Venice’s narrow waterways. Salute!
Meals: Breakfast
Dinner Hotel: Antony
CHOICE OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:
Gondolas & the Grand Canal – Join us for a breath-taking cruise by private water taxi along Venice’s Grand Canal, catching glimpses of impressive sights such as the Palazzi Barbaro, Rialto Bridge and St Mark’s Square. Later on, you’ll glide gracefully on a gondola along Venice’s dreamy, narrow waterways, discovering the irresistible charm of the world-famous canals.
Adult: 84.00 EUR
Cruise by private launch to St. Mark’s Square, in the heart of Venice. All the main attractions are within walking distance of the Piazza so you’ll have easy access to view the Byzantine Basilica of St. Mark, which you could visit as part of an Optional Experience. Spend your time wandering the calle of Venice then watch talented master craftsmen at work engaged in the same craft as their ancestors from centuries ago. Witness the beautiful glass creations, that are characteristic of Venice, being made during a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience. Consider an Optional Experience cruise across the lagoon to the colourful island of Burano.
Meals: Breakfast
Hotel: Antony
CHOICE OPTIONAL EXPERIENCES:
Venice’s Secrets and St. Mark’s Basilica – Explore the hidden maze of streets that make up this unique city as your Local Specialist gives you a fascinating insight into Venice’s past and present. You’ll visit the majestic Basilica of St Mark, where you’ll have a chance to view some of the prized trophies looted by the Venetians in their rise to power.
Adult: 42.00 EUR
Venetian Farewell – Join us as we discover the Venetian Lagoon by private boat. You will enjoy a delicious farewell dinner with a selection of drinks on the fishermen’s island of Burano, famous for its multi-coloured houses – a real photographer’s paradise.
Adult: 82.00 EUR
Brief but jam-packed, this memorable encounter with Italy’s favourite cities has been brimming with culture, history and culinary delights. We hope you tossed a coin in the Trevi Fountain to secure your speedy return to Rome, but if you didn’t, you’ll have a heart full of fond memories that will stay with you forever. For now, it’s arrivederci, but not farewell forever as you say goodbye to your Travel Director and newfound friends. Find out more about your available transfers at costsavertour.com/transfers.
Meals: Breakfast
