Grand Italian Experience

Blaze a trail through la bella Italia – your epic journey begins in Rome, once the powerful capital of the world and yours to explore before meeting your travel companions and Travel Director for a light supper.

Join a Local Specialist for an included sightseeing tour to introduce you to life in modern day Rome and how Romans lived in ancient times. Tour the extraordinary Vatican Museums with a Local Specialist, including views of Michelangelo's magnificent frescoed ceiling in the Sistine Chapel. While in Vatican City, you'll pause to admire the majestic exterior of St. Peter's Basilica and its grand square. Then venture into Ancient Rome to see Circus Maximus, where the thundering noise of chariot races once filled the air. The afternoon is yours to explore at leisure. Stroll down the Spanish steps or sit in an outdoor cafe on the famous Via Veneto, or continue your encounter with Ancient Rome on Palatine Hill to see the Temple of Apollo and Flavian Palace, among other excavations. Occasionally, access to the Vatican Museums is limited. If tickets are unavailable, you’ll instead explore the Capitoline Museums, home to iconic Roman art and archaeology.

• Study the Masterpieces of the Vatican Museums
• Rome Orientation

Travel east through the mountains of Campania to the orange and olive groves of Puglia on the Adriatic coast, your home for the next two nights. This evening, enjoy a delicious local dinner at your hotel.

Enjoy a morning at leisure. Consider an Optional Experience or relax with a swim at your hotel. This afternoon, the conical limestone houses of Alberobello take center stage during our guided tour with a Local Specialist. Here, you’ll see the UNESCO-listed collection of almost 1,500 trulli dating back to the 14th century. This evening, enjoy a Be My Guest experience. Meet the Rotolo family for dinner on their Alberobello farm where you can taste seasonal produce, including fresh almonds, cherries, tomatoes and olive oil.

• Dine with the Rotolo family
• Tour Alberobello

You’ve got the day to explore Pompei your way. Take it slow with time to relax in town or join an Optional Experience to the Amalfi Coast. This scenic drive shows off southern Italy’s bold coastline, with a stop in Positano. Known for its steep streets and local shops, it’s a great spot to pick up a souvenir or enjoy a bite by the sea before heading back for dinner.

Cruise the deep blue waters of the Tyrrhenian Sea to the beautiful Isle of Capri. Enjoy a guided tour of Capri town with a Local Specialist. After, explore or sip cappuccino in the glamorous piazzetta.

• Tour Capri Town

Explore the tragic history of the ancient lost city of Pompeii with a Local Specialist. Gain a deeper understanding of what life was like in this Roman settlement that lay buried for centuries after Mount Vesuvius erupted. Continue your journey through the rolling green and golden fields of Umbria, arriving at the mystical hilltop town of Assisi. Meet your Local Specialist for a visit of the stunning Basilica of St. Francis, featuring exquisite frescoes by Giotto. You'll stay at one of Trafalgar's Stays With Stories - a fully renovated old Franciscan monastery.

• Visit the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi
• Stays with Stories

Venture to the Adriatic coast on your way to Venice. A city like no other, you'll explore its canals and waterways during your time on the islands of the Venetian Lagoon, home to the artistic tradition of blown glass.

This morning start the day by observing the delicate art of Venetian glassblowing, which spans centuries. You'll watch in awe as masters of the craft transform molten glass with remarkable precision and skill. Next you’ll glide by private launch along busy waterways to view the Bridge of Sighs, Doge's Palace and St. Mark's Basilica, before exploring the city on your terms. Stroll beside the Grand Canal, nibble on delicious cicchetti at a cozy 'bacaro' (tavern) or cross the lagoon for an Optional Experience to the colorful fishermen's island of Burano.

• Learn about the History and Ancient Skills of Venetian Glassblowing

Celebrate the epic tale of Romeo and Juliet during this morning's visit to the fair city of Verona and view the Roman arena built in the 1st century and famously used for opera these days. Later, experience the fashion capital of Milan. Enjoy free time to explore on your own after an orientation of the city's iconic sights. See the exquisite Gothic Duomo, La Scala Opera House and the Galleria, one of the world's oldest shopping malls. This afternoon, you’ll have free time to explore further, relax at your hotel or choose to join an Optional Experience with a Local Specialist for a deeper look at Milan, including a visit inside La Scala.

• Verona Orientation

Head north to Lake Maggiore and stop in the elegant lakeside town of Stresa. Enjoy free time to explore its boutiques and gardens, or join an Optional Experience to the Borromean Islands, cruising to Isola Bella to tour its Baroque palace and terraced gardens with a Local Specialist. Continue to Como, where you can explore at your own pace or choose to join a Local Specialist to hear the stories behind the grand estates lining the shore. Return to Milan after a day among Italy’s lakes.

Travel to Genoa, once a powerful maritime republic and still one of Italy’s great port cities. The day is yours to explore at your own pace, from the UNESCO-listed Old Town and restored harbourfront to the views from Spianata Castelletto and the house where Christopher Columbus is said to have been born. You could also join an Optional Experience to Rapallo and Portofino for another look at the Ligurian coast.

Enjoy another day in Genoa with the option to discover more of the Ligurian coast. You may choose to join an Optional Experience Cinque Terre Coastal Highlights. Explore with a Local Specialist, taking in seaside views and colorful harbor towns. Alternatively, stay in Genoa to explore more of its Old Town or relax at your hotel. This evening, come together with your fellow travelers to share stories and enjoy dinner in the city.

Traveling south through the scenery of Tuscany, you'll arrive in Pisa to view its famous Leaning Tower before continuing to the Renaissance city of Florence. This afternoon is yours at leisure to wander through the grand squares and labyrinthine lanes of Florence, whose connection with the Medici family saw this city become one of the world's most cultural centers. Consider a visit to the Academy of Fine Arts to see the Michelangelo's statue of David, amble along the Arno River or ascend the stone steps up to Piazzale Michelangelo for spectacular views of the city.

Join a Local Specialist this morning to view the city's finest masterpieces – the magnificent Duomo, Giotto's Bell Tower and the 13th-century Santa Croce Basilica, the final resting place of Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli. Later, learn about the quality and workmanship of two of this city's historic industries at demonstrations of Florentine leathercraft and 18-carat gold. Then, spend the rest of the afternoon as you wish. Walk across the Ponte Vecchio which has straddled the Arno River for almost 700 years, or wander through the Renaissance Boboli Gardens, stopping for a slice or two of schiacciata along the way.

• Florence City Tour

Today journey past the sprawling vineyards of Chianti and beneath the hill-towns of Umbria before arriving in Rome. This evening, savor an Italian dinner and raise a glass to your journey with signature Roman dishes crafted from family recipes passed down through four generations.

Your epic encounter with Italy has come to an end. Say arrivederci to Rome and your newfound friends at the end of your Grand Italian Experience.