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11 Day Italy Tour to Venice, Florence & Sorrento | Operated by InsightVacations

  • 11 Days

  • 2 Countries

    Italy, Vatican City
  • 11 Cities

    Rome, Vatican, Florence, Pisa, Venice, Umbria, Assisi, Sorrento, Capri, Pompeii, Mount Vesuvius
  • 16 Meals

    5 Dinner with Wines, 10 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch with Wine
  • Pace: Comfortable

    Mainly 2–3-night stays in each location. Comfortable travel days with numerous stops. Requires 1-3 miles of walking per day that might involve some uneven surfaces, such as cobblestones and stairs.

Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Welcome 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 the Basilica of Saint Praxedes, welcomed by the Rector of the basilica. Admire the stunning 9th-century Byzantine mosaics illuminated for this exclusive visit as you view the legendary well and renowned chapels. End the day getting to know your fellow travelers over Roman specialties during a Welcome Dinner with wine at a local restaurant. 

Hotel: Hotel Mediterraneo
Included Meals: Dinner with Wine
Authentic Dining: Rome Welcome Dinner Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers at a uniquely Roman local restaurant.
Insight Experiences: After-hours Visit to the Basilica of Saint Paxedes Enjoy exclusive access to the Basilica of Saint Praxedes during an after-hours visit. This 9th-century basilica’s simple facade guards the best-preserved Byzantine mosaics in Rome. Enter through the main door, normally reserved for weddings, for a private audience with the Rector of the basilica. Admire the interior’s treasured collection, including the renowned mosaics, illuminated for your visit.
Notes
Day 2: Vatican 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. Admire 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, the stunning piazzas and fountains of Rome.

Hotel: Hotel Mediterraneo
Included Meals: Breakfast
Top Rated Highlights: Rome City Tour 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.
Notes
Day 3: The Chianti Hills to Florence

Drive to the Chianti Hills and the city of Florence. On arrival, you will be privy to the secrets of traditional Florentine leatherwork and see a gold demonstration. This evening, indulge in a delicious meal at a local restaurant.

Hotel: NH Firenze
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Top Rated Highlights: Florence Leather Demonstration See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
Notes
Day 4: Florence, Birthplace of the 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. In the afternoon, perhaps visit medieval San Gimignano?

Hotel: NH Firenze
Included Meals: Breakfast
Top Rated Highlights: Enjoy a Local Treat 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 café.
Top Rated Highlights: Florence Accademia Museum Visit 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.
Top Rated Highlights: Florence Orientation Enjoy a stroll through Renaissance Florence and admire the medieval buildings that gave birth to this new style of architecture.
Notes
Day 5: Pisa to Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic

Journey to the coastal town of Pisa and see the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles, as well as the baptistery and colonnaded bell tower behind the cathedral. Relax and enjoy the scenery as you cross the spectacular Apennine Mountains, through the Emilia-Romagna region - one of Europe's most intensely farmed and fertile plains. Continue through the marshes of the Venetian Lagoon before crossing the causeway into the floating city of Venice. As evening falls, day-trippers desert the city to return to the mainland. Appreciate the peace and tranquility of Venice from your centrally located hotel.
This evening, indulge in a delicious dinner at a local restaurant.

Hotel: NH Venezia Santa Lucia
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Top Rated Highlights: Pisa Orientation During your orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurches behind the 11th century cathedral - the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Notes
Day 6: Venice and the Magic of La Serenissima

Cruise by private boat past historic churches and 13th-century palaces to arrive close to St Mark's Square. Stroll along the waterfront past the Bridge of Sighs and the Doge's Palace. It was from here Casanova made his daring escape. Turn the corner into St Mark's Square and admire the basilica. Afterwards, board a traditional gondola for a serenade along the romantic canals. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to the island of Murano. See how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills.

Hotel: NH Venezia Santa Lucia
Included Meals: Breakfast
Make Travel Matter: Venice Artisan Glassblowing Demonstration 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 glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft.  The workshop advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Top Rated Highlights: Venice Orientation With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
Top Rated Highlights: Venice Gondola Ride Delight in the magic of this charming city as you are serenaded, traveling through the atmospheric canals by gondola.
Notes
Day 7: Assisi

Journey to the peaceful town of Assisi, dotted with medieval churches, colorful frescoes and shady courtyards. In the valley, see the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, much venerated as the place of St. Francis' death, then continue up Mount Subasio to the upper town. With your Local Expert, step inside the huge Basilica of St. Francis, built in the 13th century. The frescoes painted by Giotto here heralded a new era in Italian art. Arrive at your hotel, located in the heart of the medieval Old Town. Enjoy the tranquility of the historic old town during free time.

Hotel: Hotel Giotto Assisi
Included Meals: Breakfast, Dinner with Wine
Top Rated Highlights: Assisi City Tour See St. Mary of the Angels Church and join your Local Expert to walk through the cobbled streets and beautifully preserved medieval laneways of this quaint town.
Top Rated Highlights: Assisi Basilica of St Francis Visit With a Local Expert, find out why the Basilica of St. Francis is considered one of the crowning achievements of Europe.
Notes
Day 8: Sorrento on the coast

Travel south passing Cassino, the scene of a fierce battle during World War II. Follow the spectacular clifftop road to the picturesque resort of Sorrento, overlooking the Bay of Naples to Mount Vesuvius. After checking in to your hotel, spend the rest of the day at your leisure.

Hotel: Hotel Isabella
Included Meals: Breakfast
Notes
Day 9: Capri, the Isle of Dreams

Cross the Bay of Naples to reach the beautiful Isle of Capri, a rock rising sheer from the Mediterranean! For 2,000 years, Capri has beckoned visitors from Tiberius to Gracie Fields. Arriving at the Marina Grande by boat, ascend to Capri town. A Local Expert joins you for an exploration of the narrow alleyways. Browse in deluxe boutiques and wonder at the views over the Tyrrhenian Sea. Descend to the port by funicular railway and return to Sorrento, where you are at leisure for the rest of the day. Perhaps head to Positano for an exploration of the colorful Amalfi Coast?

Hotel: Hotel Isabella
Included Meals: Breakfast
Top Rated Highlights: Cruise by Jetfoil to the Isle of Capri Cruise by jetfoil to this famous isle through beautiful blue Mediterranean waters to meet your Local Expert.
Top Rated Highlights: Isle of Capri City Tour Explore Capri town with your Local Expert and see the whitewashed houses, winding alleyways, small cafes, fashionable boutiques and artisans studios.
Top Rated Highlights: Isle of Capri Open-top Taxi Ride Relax and enjoy the views as you are driven in an iconic open-top taxi.
Notes
Day 10: Pompeii, frozen in time and on to Rome

Continue to Pompeii, the opulent Roman town which was preserved by layers of ash from the disastrous eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. A walk with your Local Expert through the cobbled streets and extensive excavations reveals the daily life of ancient Roman civilization. Visit the Forum and peer into shops and patrician villas, decorated with colorful wall paintings. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience in Vesuvius National Park and visit Casa Barone. This small family-run farm on the slopes of the volcano is one of the world’s only producers of Piennolo tomatoes, an endangered fruit that only thrives in the fertile volcanic soil. Each harvest is sustainably farmed and cared for by the extended Barone family, who all work here. Be sure to savor the unique flavors of this rare tomato during a truly unique Farm-to-Table lunch. Your journey continues to Rome. In the evening, enjoy an elegant four-course Celebration Dinner with local wine at a Roman restaurant. As you dine, enjoy a private performance of popular songs and arias from some of Italy's best-loved operas.

Hotel: Kolbe Hotel Rome
Included Meals: Breakfast, Lunch with Wine, Dinner with Wine
Make Travel Matter: Enjoy a Farm-to-Table lunch at a Family-Run Farm in Vesuvius Visit Casa Barone, a small family-run farm on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius and one of the world’s only producers of Piennolo tomatoes. Learn about their commitment to sustainability and taste the flavors of this special tomato during your Farm-to-Table lunch. Casa Barone cultivates the endangered endemic food species of Piennolo tomato as well as other traditional elements of the classic Vesuvian Countryside, using cultivation methods with low environmental impact. Through their production the farm prevents the local biodiversity from disappearing. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.
Top Rated Highlights: Pompeii City Tour Walk with a Local Expert through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the 1st century.
Authentic Dining: Rome Celebration Dinner Enjoy a Celebration Dinner of delicious Italian cuisine and wine, accompanied by the rich tremolo of some of Italy's best loved songs.
Notes
Day 11: Arrivederci Roma

Bid farewell to the glories of Italy. Departure transfers arrive at Rome’s Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport.

Included Meals: Breakfast
Notes
This itinerary is for reference only. Upon booking with GET, guests will receive tour documents which will list all confirmed hotels and itineraries based upon the guest's departure date.

Price Includes

Dining Summary
  • - 5 Dinner with Wines (DW)
  • - 10 Breakfasts (B)
  • - 1 Lunch with Wine (LW)
Authentic Dining
  • Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers at a uniquely Roman local restaurant.
  • Enjoy a Celebration Dinner of delicious Italian cuisine and wine, accompanied by the rich tremolo of some of Italy's best loved songs.
Insight Experiences
  • Enjoy exclusive access to the Basilica of Saint Praxedes during an after-hours visit. This 9th-century basilica’s simple facade guards the best-preserved Byzantine mosaics in Rome. Enter through the main door, normally reserved for weddings, for a private audience with the Rector of the basilica. Admire the interior’s treasured collection, including the renowned mosaics, illuminated for your visit.
Top Rated Highlights
  • 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.
  • See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
  • 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 café.
  • 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.
  • Enjoy a stroll through Renaissance Florence and admire the medieval buildings that gave birth to this new style of architecture.
  • During your orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurches behind the 11th century cathedral - the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
  • With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
  • Delight in the magic of this charming city as you are serenaded, traveling through the atmospheric canals by gondola.
  • See St. Mary of the Angels Church and join your Local Expert to walk through the cobbled streets and beautifully preserved medieval laneways of this quaint town.
  • With a Local Expert, find out why the Basilica of St. Francis is considered one of the crowning achievements of Europe.
  • Cruise by jetfoil to this famous isle through beautiful blue Mediterranean waters to meet your Local Expert.
  • Explore Capri town with your Local Expert and see the whitewashed houses, winding alleyways, small cafes, fashionable boutiques and artisans studios.
  • Relax and enjoy the views as you are driven in an iconic open-top taxi.
  • Walk with a Local Expert through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the 1st century.
Make Travel Matter
  • 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 glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft.  The workshop advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
  • Visit Casa Barone, a small family-run farm on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius and one of the world’s only producers of Piennolo tomatoes. Learn about their commitment to sustainability and taste the flavors of this special tomato during your Farm-to-Table lunch. Casa Barone cultivates the endangered endemic food species of Piennolo tomato as well as other traditional elements of the classic Vesuvian Countryside, using cultivation methods with low environmental impact. Through their production the farm prevents the local biodiversity from disappearing. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.

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 & Fountains (Available on Day 2)

With our Local Expert, let's take a "passeggiata" (stroll) to enjoy the backstreets and secrets of pedestrian Rome. Be amazed at sights such as the fascinating Pantheon and the beauty of 17th-Century fountains and beautiful piazzas. Come and enjoy the Rome of the Romans.

Adult Price: €44 Roman Dinner Party (Available on Day 2)

Enjoy an evening of delicious Roman cuisine with drinks and a great Italian ambiance.

Adult Price: €71 Rome of the Ancient Christians (Available on Day 2)

Outside the ancient Roman city walls we visit the early Christian Catacombs, underground cemeteries carved out of soft Tufa Stone. Nearby, we also visit one of the major basilicas of Rome, St Paul Outside the Walls. The burial place of St Paul the Apostle, famous for its Byzantine Mosaics.

Adult Price: €43 San Gimignano Excursion (Available on Day 4)

A wonderful excursion with our Local Expert to Tuscany's most famous hill-top town! Visit San Gimignano, considered a medieval Manhattan, due to its towers which dominate the skyline. Soak up the unique atmosphere of this ancient gem which has remained intact since the 14th century and today is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Adult Price: €40 Tuscan Dinner at Villa Machiavelli (Available on Day 4)

Through the Chianti hills, we'll drive past vineyards to a delightful hamlet. Our destination is the ancient stone house of Machiavelli, where the great political theorist wrote his immortal work, ‘The Prince'. After a welcome drink and a visit of the villa and its wine-cellars, we'll enjoy the best of Tuscan cuisine accompanied by great music and drinks, including of course, Chianti from the Villa's own vines.

Adult Price: €74 Tuscan Dinner & Cooking Demonstration (Available on Day 4)

Florence and Tuscany are renowned for their rich gastronomic heritage. Tonight we'll travel into the hills near Florence to the northernmost part of the Chianti, where a local chef will introduce you to the dishes that make Tuscan cuisine famous throughout the world. This wonderful cooking demonstration, with superb food and wine, will provide warm and genuine Tuscan hospitality.

Adult Price: €76 Magical Venice (Available on Day 5)

Venice can be Europe's most romantic city in the evening, offering dramatic landscapes with buildings that dazzle as the sun sets and the lights go on. Sit back and take it all in as private water taxis take you to the center of it all, Piazza San Marco, where we have seats reserved outside a famous Venetian cafe, in front of a live orchestra and in view of those illuminated St Mark's sights. Our private water taxis will also take us the length of the Grand Canal, under the Rialto Bridge, seeing Venice at its most magical.

Adult Price: €61 Hidden Venice (Available on Day 6)

To only experience Venice's big set pieces - St Mark's Square; the Rialto; the Grand Canal - is to miss out on a hidden world full of surprises! Join a Local Expert for a fascinating walk through some of the lesser known quarters of Venice. The back lanes and ‘campi’, small squares, where tourists seldom tread are full of history and great places to sample local life.

Adult Price: €37 Burano Excursion & Meal (Available on Day 6)

Leave the hustle of St Mark's Square behind on a delightful private cruise around the islands of the Venetian lagoon. Alight at the island of Burano, a photographer's paradise, famous for its candy colored houses, artisan lace makers and leaning bell tower that would give Pisa a good run for its money. Enjoy a superb meal sampling the local specialties with wine included. An excursion not to be missed!

Adult Price: €82 Sorrento Evening (Available on Day 8)

A chance to enjoy a delicious dinner of local specialties. We arrive at one of the area's unique local restaurants for an incredible dining experience featuring some of the famous dishes of this region!

Adult Price: €74 Island Tour of Capri (Available on Day 9)

Experience the spectacular cliffs and famous turquoise waters of Capri during a relaxing cruise to the most beautiful part of the island, the southern side. View the beautiful grottoes and unique coastline before ascending to Capri town. This optional experience is weather dependent and may be replaced by a minibus tour of the Island with a visit to Anacapri and the Villa San Michele.

Adult Price: €52 Amalfi Coast Drive & Positano Visit (Available on Day 9)

Drive along the clear blue waters and picturesque resorts of the Amalfi Coast, arguably the most glamorous and scenic stretch of coast in Europe. Minibuses wind their way down serpentine roads to the exclusive artists' paradise, Positano. Explore elegant shops, watch artists at work, or enjoy an aperitivo in a beachside cafe.

Adult Price: €66