The Great Beauty
2 days in Venice, 1 day in Verona, 1 day in Florence, 2 days in Orvieto & 3 days in Rome
OHH! ITALY delight your sense to the full with this exclusive tailor made experience, guided by our English speaking guides.
Arrival Airport: MARCO POLO
code: VCE
city: VENICE
Departure Airport: LEONARDO DA VINCI
code: FCO
city: ROME LEONARDO DA VINCI-FIUMICINO APT
DAY 1
La Fenice – Take a journey in the history of music
On DAY 1, after the welcome and the check in at the hotel, you will discover the secrets of Venice. Take a journey in the history of music in the Museo della Musica, an exhibit dedicated to one of the artistic expressions that has contributed to the greatness of Italian culture: the making of stringed instruments. Venice was a workshop for great violin makers. Their excellent craftsmanship was evident in the experimentation and production of the musical instruments, always perfectly responsive to the new requirements of the sonorities which came to define those times. The collection, housed in the beautiful Church of San Maurizio, covers a time span of 300 years of Italian violin making and includes splendid examples of the different regional schools.
Then you will discover, hidden in its own little courtyard, the elegant staircase Contarini Del Bovolo. It is an example of transition from Gothic to Renaissance style architecture in Venice with its peculiar spiral (‘bovolo‘ in Venetian dialect) stairs going up the outside of the building instead of the inside. From the top there is a lovely view of Venetian roofs and spires. The tour continues with the visit of the world-famous La Fenice theater. Founded at the end of the 18th century, La Fenice quickly became the go-to theatre for the opulent premieres of some of the most famous operas in the world. With a seating capacity for over 1,000 people, La Fenice boasts excellent acoustics, a 98-member orchestraand 66-person opera chorus, a dedicated local audience and a large international following. The tour will end with a 1-hour boat ride on the Grand Canal of Venice, where you will see dozens of palazzos, mansions, churches, and iconic bridges that span the waterways as well as a romantic sunset that you will never forget.
DAY 2
Murano, Burano and Torcello
On DAY 2, we will guide you through the secrets of Venice’s islands. This fascinating lagoon trip offers you a Murano, Burano and Torcello full-day sightseeing tour: the total duration is six hours. The first stop will be the island of Murano, known throughout the world for its ancient and extraordinary art of glass making. The excursion then continues to the bustling Venetian island of Burano, famous for its colourfulhouses and the hand-crafted needle lace, true works of art that can be purchased at local shops or street stalls. For lunch, stop at the famous Osteria Gatto Nero that has served authentic Venetian dishes for more than 40 years.
In the late afternoon travel to Verona in our luxury Mercedes minivan (about 1,5 hours).
DAY 3
Verona all day tour
On DAY 3, head to the stunning Villa Mosconi Bertani, a picturesque estate and grounds dating back to the 18th century in the heart of historic Valpolicella, birthplace of the legendary wines of Valpolicella and Amarone and just minutes away from Lake Garda. The Villa and its cellars have played a significant role in the history of winemaking in Verona. Today Gaetano Bertani and his sons continue their centuries-old family tradition in the same historic location. Wine tasting at the Villa Mosconi Bertani offers visitors the opportunity to discover and compare a variety of wines with an accompaniment of food produced in the Verona area. Each tasting is a complete sensory experience, with wines chosen especially for you, including a tour of the villa, park and winery.
In the afternoon, after a light lunch at Villa Mosconi Bertani, visit a small gem of a town suspended in the middle of the lower Lake Garda \u2013 the town of Sirmione. It is situated at the northern end of a long and narrow peninsula that is in fact an island, as it is separated from the mainland by a navigable moat, and accessible only by a bridge. Start from the historic town center and stop to admire the Villa Callas, home of the celebrated soprano Maria Callas. At the halfway point of the walk enjoy a splendid view of the famous Grotte di Catullo, built between the first century B.C. and the first century A.D., the most magnificent example of Roman villas in northern Italy. Before finishing the tour, stop near the famous thermal water spring of Sirmione, valued for its health benefits as an aid for physical fitness. Conclude this pleasant excursion at the Sirmione Castle, passing under the picturesque drawbridge before visiting the major point of interest of this town.
DAY 4
Florence and its beauties
On DAY 4, after the transfer from Verona to Florence with our luxury Mercedes minivan (about 3 hours) you will discover the city from a different angle! This private tour begins with a visit to the Uffizi Gallery, one of the most famous museums in the world for its extraordinary collections of paintings and ancient statues, including masterpieces such as Botticelli’s Spring. The Uffizi, together with the Vatican Museums in Rome, are the top two most visited museums in Italy. From there your guide will take you through the Vasari Corridor, the Medici’s secret way across the Arno, to the Pitti Palace. The corridor was built to allow the Grand Dukes to move safely without bodyguards from their private residence to the government palace. The Pitti Palace contains a collection of portraits and important collections of paintings from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries.
DAY 5
Pisa Romanesque Architecture
On DAY 5, take a walk in Pisa with our professional guides on a tour of the Piazza dei Miracoli and its monuments, known as “miracles” because of their incredible beauty and uniqueness. Be dazzled by this marvelous square that is dominated by the Cathedral, where you will visit theinterior of the distinctive Pisa Romanesque architecture, the round-shaped Baptistery surrounded by its suggestive columned arcades and itsCamposanto, originally a cemetery, an extraordinary quadrangular cloister. The commentary of your guide will be particularly focused on theLeaning Tower, one of the wonders of the world. The guided tour will end by the magnificent Tower, where you can enjoy the interior and climb its 294 steps to the top. Let yourself be enthralled by the history and the leaning structure of the Tower which stirs the imagination of all visitors; and marvel at the unique phenomenon caused by the weak and unstable subsoil. This is guaranteed to be an amazing experience!
In the late afternoon travel to Orvieto with our luxury Mercedes minivan (about 2 hours).
DAY 6
Gorgeous Orvieto
On DAY 6, you will spend the morning discovering the gorgeous Orvieto. Known for its vast countryside, olives, and wine, Orvieto was an important city during the Etruscan era and even the Pope resided there during the 11th century. Its narrow streets and ancient houses are delightfully rustic, but the monumental cathedral boasts a fanciful fa\u00e7ade of travertine and basalt, and an impressive interior with frescoes. After a stop for lunch, continue to the hilltop village of Civita Bagnoregio. Founded by the Etruscans more than 2,500 years ago, today the population varies from about 12 people in winter to over 100 in the summer. It perches on a plateau overlooking the River Tiber and its crumbling architecture gives it a lovely aspect. You will explore the Church of Saint Donato, the ivy-clad houses of the narrow streets and the surrounding area.
DAY 7
Gorgeous Orvieto
In the morning of DAY 7, travel to Rome in our luxury Mercedes minivan (about 2,5 hours). After a light lunch in downtown Rome, discover why the fusion of fashion and cinema makes Rome the leading shopping destination in Italy. With the establishment of Cinecittà, Rome became an important point of reference for international show business; and also for high-end fashion with the appearance of great fashion houses like Fernanda Gattinoni and the Fontana sisters. The Italian cinema has been closely tied to fashion from its very beginning. In fact, clothing plays a fundamental role in expressing the essence of its on-screen characters. That role of fashion is no different for us – we too find ourselves on the set of our lives, and how we dress makes the first impression. Shopping in the capital offers us some of the most authentic examples of Made In Italy. Our experts will guide you on a shopping spree tailored for your needs, and our Personal Shoppers know how to best advise you on everything concerning your look.
DAY 8
Gorgeous Orvieto
On DAY 8, your English-speaking guide will pick you up for your full day tour of Rome. Visit Capitoline Hill to enjoy the spectacularpanorama of ancient temples, triumphal arches, the Palazzo Senatorio, basilicas and the Via Sacra, which surround the old Roman Forum. The Forum was the hub of political, religious and commercial life during republican and imperial days, and now forms one of the most historical archaeological complexes in the Western world. With our Rome in One Day tour, visit the nearby Piazza del Campidoglio, the elegant renaissance square designed by Michelangelo for Pope Paul III and adorned by the bronze equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius, father of the infamous emperor-gladiator Commodus. See the Circus Maximus of Ben Hur fame with its impressive views of the sprawling ruins of the Emperors’ Palaces on Palatine Hill. Your tour continues to visit the Colosseum and hear about the bloody gladiator combats, the wild animal games and astonishing events held there to satisfy the 70.000 excited Roman spectators. Circle around Piazza Venezia, dominated by the massive “wedding cake” marble monument erected in 1885 in the honor of King Victor Emmanuel II and drive to the Quirinal Palace, originally built by Popes in the 1580’s as their splendid summer residence, nowadays the official residence of the Italian President. Descend to the cascading waters of the Trevi Fountain, the grandest of Rome’s baroque fountains, still fed by an ancient 19 B.C. Roman aqueduct, and toss a coin into its gushing sprays to propitiate a sure return to the Eternal City. Stroll by the Spanish Steps, the favorite spot of European nobles on their Grand Tours as well as a haunt of poets, writers, and painters during the Romantic period. Pass Palazzo Chigi, seat of the government, and the nearby Italian Parliament as you make your way to Piazza Navona, the most loved meeting place of Romans today, embellished by Bernini’s fountains and the Pamphili Palace. After a visit inside the awe-inspiring Pantheon constructed by Emperor Hadrian in 120 B.C., spanned by a solid concrete dome, the largest in the world, enjoy a light lunch in one of the most characteristic restaurants of downtown Rome.
Continue the tour by visiting the fascinating remains of the patrician domus of the powerful families of the imperial era, complete with mosaics, wall decorations, polychrome floors, paving blocks, recreated with virtual reconstructions, graphics and videos. Visitors can take a virtual tour of a great domus of ancient Rome and see walls, rooms, peristyles, kitchens, baths, furnishings and decorations all come back to life. A new important sector has been added to the archaeological zone and museum. In the underground area opposite Trajan’s Column, visitors can admire the remains of a recently excavated monumental building: a great concrete platform, walls made of large blocks of travertine and tuff, remains of colossal columns made of single grey Egyptian granite blocks (the biggest to be found in ancient Rome), and bricked rooms with vaulted ceilings dating from the early years of the emperor Hadrian’s reign, according to stamps on the bricks. Finally, a virtual reconstruction of the Column gives you a close-up look at the bas-reliefs and the story they tell of Trajan’s military campaign: the conquest of Dacia, present day Romania \u2013 an extraordinary chapter of history that ended with the death of King Decebalus and the Roman emperor’s triumph.
DAY 9
Departure
On DAY 9, our expert guide will accompany you on a private walking tour of Villa d’Este, in the town of Tivoli (approximately an hour’s drive from the center of Rome). Its beautiful garden and palace complex are listed as UNESCO’s World Heritage. The villa was built in 1560 and was the vision of Cardinal Ippolito II d’Este (who narrowly failed to become a pope). The villa is famous for its magnificent terraced garden, which is an artistic and natural marvel built on different levels: among the trees, the statues, the green and the fountains, from each terrace you will enjoy the beautiful view of the surrounding landscape. Cardinal d’Este died in 1572. By then the work on the garden and the interior painting of the villa was mostly complete. Over the centuries the Villa d’Este and its gardens have been remodeled, left to decay, renovated, bombed (during World War II) and finally put into the hands of the Italian government, who opened the complex to the public. The cardinal also breathed new life into the Villa Adriana (Hadrian’s Villa), the extensive residence of Emperor Hadrian dating back to the 2nd century A.D.
Once back in Rome, in the late afternoon, you will first have a chance to sip an Italian aperitif and then enjoy an amazing dinner at the best rooftop restaurant in Rome. The chef Andrea Fusco and his restaurant Giuda ballerino! are new shining stars on the most beautiful terrace in Rome and offer a journey for the senses which, like a game, is full of surprises: an explosion of unexpected flavours, and a sense of wonder. Let the game begin!
DAY 10
Departure
On DAY10 our private luxury Mercedes minivan will be available for transfer you to the airport. Lunch and Dinner are included if purchased.