Best of Italy and Greece
10 Day Italy & Greece Tour of Rome, Venice | Operated by Trafalgar
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10 Days
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3 Countries
Italy, Vatican City, Greece -
10 Cities
Rome, Vatican, Florence, Venice, Milan, Athens, Meteora, Kalambaka, Delphi, Mykonos -
14 Meals
5 Dinners, 9 Breakfasts -
Pace: Active
Faster paces with mix of 1–2-night stays in each location. Typically features 4+ miles of walking on some days and may involve steep hills and uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones.
Trip Itinerary
Benvenuti a Roma! Open your heart to a whirlwind of antiquities and local flavors. Join your Travel Director for an introduction to the 'Eternal City' on an orientation drive to Basilica Santa Maria in Cosmedin for a private after-hours visit to the Mouth of Truth. See the church, crypt and relics of the famous saint of love, Valentine, and learn about the legend of the Mouth of Truth. This evening, enjoy a light supper with your travel companions.
See the Circus Maximus where chariot races were held and enjoy an orientation around the walls of the Colosseum. Later, visit St. Peter's Basilica and view Michelangelo's Pietà with a Local Specialist. There's time afterwards to explore the city on your own or simply relax and watch the world go by.
This morning, head to the Vatican Museums with a Local Specialist. Admire Michelangelo's frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. Later, drive north to Renaissance Florence in Tuscany. Tonight, Connect With Locals at a Be My Guest experience in the Chianti countryside.
Your Local Specialist reveals Florence's rich cultural heritage during your walking tour. Visit Piazza della Signoria, with its impressive sculptures, and imposing palazzi. View the marble Duomo and the famous Baptistry, renowned for its bronze doors with relief sculptures and the Ponte Vecchio. Learn about the quality and workmanship of one of this city's historic industries at a demonstration of Florentine leathercraft. Then travel through the Apennines and cross the Veneto plains to Venice. This evening, you may choose to take a gondola ride along the city’s enchanting canals.
Cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square to see the Bridge of Sighs, St. Mark's Square, St. Mark's Basilica and the ornate Doge's Palace. Later, you’ll enjoy a memorable MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience where you’ll witness the ancient Venetian tradition of glassblowing. You’ll learn how the talented master craftsmen are using the same techniques their forefathers once did and how your visit helps to preserve this delicate art for generations to come. Don’t resist the urge to buy a souvenir to remember the special experience before enjoying the rest of the day to explore Venice your way. You could choose to spend a lazy evening watching the traffic on the busy waterways with a Venetian Spritz, or consider taking an Optional Experience to one of the islands in the lagoon.
Today we travel through Lombardy. The region is Italy's commercial powerhouse bordering Switzerland with lakes and mountains in the north and plains to the south. Later we board our flight to Athens.
Travel north to Kalambaka and the astonishing UNESCO-listed monasteries of Meteora. These are some of the largest and most important complexes of Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Greece. Your Local Specialist will guide you on a visit to two of the six monasteries built on sandstone rocks that tower above the town.
Drive south towards Mount Parnassos and Delphi, where we will stay overnight. Join a Local Specialist and see the site of the most important oracle in the classical world and walk the Sacred Way to the Temple of Apollo where athletes competed in the Pythian Games. Join a fun, interactive Greek Culinary Optional Experience and taste your creations along with other dishes prepared by your cheery chef.
We depart the 'navel of the earth' today and travel to Athens where we'll discover the city's rich heritage during our morning sightseeing tour with a Local Specialist. Marvel at the Agora, the Royal Palace, the Temple of Zeus and the Acropolis. See Hadrian's Arch and the stadium where the first modern Olympics took place in 1896. Indulge in a Farewell Dinner to celebrate the end of your trip.
Say goodbye to your fellow travelers and Travel Director after an unforgettable journey.
Price Includes
What's Included- - An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- - Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- - All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- - All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- - Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- - Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- - Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- - Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- - European flight from Milan to Athens
- - Optional Experiences and free time
- - Four-night Aegean Cruise
- - On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized.
- - 5 Dinners (D)
- - 9 Breakfasts (B)
- During an orientation with your Travel Director see the medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches scattered throughout the city.
- Discover Rome on a driving orientation and after-hours visit to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin. Get up close to the legendary Mouth of Truth, an ancient Roman marble mask said to bite any liar who places their hand in the mask’s mouth. Dare to test the legend yourself and take one of the city’s most coveted photos.
- Visit Vatican City and tour St. Peter's Basilica with a Local Specialist. Witness the early genius of Michelangelo as you take in the Pietà.
- Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a Local Specialist. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, and stand beside the Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.
- Be inspired by the magnificence of Michelangelo and da Vinci at the Vatican Museums.
- Join a Local Specialist to view the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square.
- See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods, and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
- With a Local Specialist, visit one of the remarkable centuries-old monasteries of Meteora, teetering on towers of rock and arguably the most spectacular place to visit in Greece.
- With your Local Specialist, walk to The Sacred Way once lined with offertory temples. See the reconstructed Athenian Treasury and pass the superb Polygonal Wall to reach the Temple of Apollo, where people once sought divine wisdom from the mysterious Oracle.
- Delve into Athens with a Local Specialist. See the iconic highlights of this ancient city, from the Acropolis to the site of the first modern Olympics.
- Eight generations of history with plenty of stories to tell. Enjoy a local Tuscan Be My Guest dinner with Count Miari Fulcis on his 15th-century organic olive oil estate in the Tuscan hills, used as a location for many famous films like 'Room with a View' and 'Tea with Mussolini'.
- Learn about the history and ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing, playing your role in ensuring the survival of this traditional craft through your visit.
Optional Experiences
Optional Experiences are subject to change. Your Travel Director will supply you with a final list of Optional Experiences available on your trip. Optional Experiences cannot be booked online; they can be purchased during your trip through your Travel Director.
Piazzas and Fountains (Available on Day 2)Discover the most charming areas in the city with a Local Specialist. Wander through the labyrinth of narrow streets and beautiful squares of Rome's historic center, leading to highlights such as the Trevi Fountain, as well as hidden corners of the Eternal City.
Adult Price: €46 Delights of Rome with Dinner (Available on Day 2)Spend an evening getting to know Rome. We’ll take you via coach where you’ll have the chance to see some of the city’s much-loved sights. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a delicious light dinner of Italian specialties, alongside local music and drinks.
Adult Price: €63 Michelangelo's 'David' & Accademia (Available on Day 4)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 Price: €54 Discover Palazzo Vecchio (Available on Day 4)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 Price: €46 Gondolas & the Grand Canal (Available on Day 4)Join us for a breathtaking cruise by private water taxi along Venice's Grand Canal. You'll admire the magnificent palazzi, catching a glimpse of the Rialto Bridge and St. Mark's Square. Later on, you'll glide gracefully on a gondola along Venice's dreamy, narrow waterways.
Adult Price: €85 Venice's Secrets (Available on Day 5)Explore the hidden maze of streets which make up this unique city as your Local Specialist gives you a fascinating insight into Venice's past and present. You’ll discover tucked away squares and back streets local Venetians use to side-step the tourist throng and give you a sense of authentic life on the island of Venice.
Adult Price: €42 Lagoon Cruise to Burano with Food and Drinks (Available on Day 5)This afternoon, discover the Venetian Lagoon by private boat. You'll enjoy a delicious meal, with a selection of drinks, on the fisherman's island of Burano, famous for its multi-colored houses - a photographer's paradise.
Adult Price: €82 Greek Culinary Experience (Available on Day 8)This evening enjoy a fun interactive Greek cooking lesson; try your hand at preparing various famous local dishes under the expert direction of your warm and hospitable chef and hosts.
Afterwards relax in the lovely surroundings and enjoy a scrumptious dinner including the dishes you have prepared!