Delightful Italy: Rome, Florence, Milan & Lake Maggiore

Day 1: Welcome to Italy!

Your first day in Italy's historic cultural heart begins with a luxury private car transfer from the airport to your centrally located hotel in central Rome, where you can relax before enjoying a half-day walking tour, led by a private guide who will give you incredible insight into Classic Rome and its history, culture and continuing global importance. This tour includes special landmarks, such as the Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Piazza Navona and the Trevi Fountain, as well as Piazza Farnese, Marco Aurelio Column, Piazza della Repubblica and the Fountain of the Nayads. It's a wonderful way to start your multi-center vacation in Italy!

Day 2: Journey back in time to discover Rome's Colosseum and the eerie catacombs

Today you will enjoy Rome's famous ancient monuments on a private in-depth tour, featuring the magnificent Colosseum and Roman Forum, as well as the Fori Imperiali and Piazza Venezia. After some free time for lunch, you will spend the afternoon exploring Rome's secret basilicas and catacombs, where you can peel back the layers of time to discover an era when Christianity was considered a cult and whose members were executed as pagans and buried as martyrs. After your day unveiling Rome's turbulent history, you will be returned to your hotel, where you can relax and reflect on all you have discovered!

Day 3: Unveil the secrets of the Vatican

Today you will be treated to a VIP guided tour of the stunning Vatican City with an art historian, who will take you on a fascinating journey through the museums, which are considered to be among the most important in the world. Here, you will discover some of the greatest masterpieces of all time, precious artefacts of the past and intricate sculptures in Borgia’s Apartments, the Carriages Rooms and Raffaello’s Rooms. This four-hour extensive tour also features St Peter's Basilica, St Peter’s Square and, as a grand finale, the unmistakably magnificent Sistine Chapel!

Day 4: Travel to Florence - the Jewel of the Renaissance

After enjoying a continental buffet breakfast at your hotel you can bid your final fair well to the ancient capital and recline on a first-class train to Florence. Our polite driver will be waiting at Florence station to greet you and will take you to your centrally located hotel in the heart of the city, where you can settle in. The rest of the afternoon is yours to explore historic Florence, known for its Renaissance art, intricate architecture and vibrant Italian culture.

Day 5: VIP tour of Florence, including the Accademia and Uffizi galleries

Today you will enjoy a full day private tour of Florence with our knowledgeable tour guide, including the bustling Piazza della Signoria and the imposing Palazzo Vecchio. You will also take in the splendor of Giotto’s campanile, and the multi-colored facade and crowning dome of the Duomo of Florence, one of the greatest architectural feats of the Renaissance era. After delighting in Florence's architectural treasures, it is time for the highlight: in-depth guided tours around the Uffizi and Accademia art galleries, which provide a sanctuary to some of the most important art collections in the world. At the Accademia you can spend time marvelling at Michelangelo’s iconic statue of David while your knowledgeable guide tells you all about this incredible piece, which is surely one of the finest examples of Renaissance humanism in the world, as well as the artist’s tortuous—and sometimes tortured—life.  After free time for lunch you can make your way to the Uffizi Museum, where you will spend two hours with a specialist guide, who will point out the finest art of the Renaissance time.

Day 6: Tour of Tuscany's hidden gems, with wine tasting

Today will surely be one of the memorable highlights of your magical multi-city vacation in Italy as you enjoy a tour of Tuscany's hidden gems, featuring the beautiful hill-top town of Montalcino and the Val d'Orcia, which is a picturesque and lush region of Italy known for its rolling hills of green, decorated with quaint villas, authentic farmhouses and ancient churches. On this tour there will be plenty of time to relax admiring the views in Montalcino while enjoying a sampling of wines and local snacks. After wine tasting in an authentic winery, one of our specialist tour leaders will take you on a tour of the village, including the ancient fortress. Then you will visit Pienza and Montepulciano, two artistic jewels that are representative of the glorious landscape of Val d’Orcia. While Pienza brings the perfect combination of architectural beauty and harmonious landscape, Montepulciano will fascinate you with its Renaissance buildings and the refined beauty of its churches. Whilst in Montepulciano you will have the opportunity to sample its local wine, Nobile di Montepulciano, which is a symbol of the city as well as delight to your palate!

Day 7: Relax on the Cinque Terre

Spend an unforgettable day relaxing on the Cinque Terre on a trip devoted to one of the most amazing and enchanting landscapes in the world. The Cinque Terre is made up of five fishing villages, which are nestled delicately between the sea and land, providing a place where you can immerse yourself in paradise! Our visit includes Riomaggiore, which dates back to the early thirteenth century and is famous for its historic character, cobble-stone alleyways and local wine; Manarola, where you can walk the famous “Via dell’Amore” (The Path of Love) and admire picturesque buildings clinging to the ravine; Monterosso, known as “The Pearl of the Cinque Terre” thanks to its enchanting beaches and the lush vegetation that encircles the little town; and, finally, Vernazza, which is a glorious seaside town, where you can enjoy swimming in the crystal waters. After your day tour of the Cinque Terre, you will be taken back to your hotel in Florence.

Day 8: Day tour of Venice – Italy's Floating City

As a special day trip, today you will enjoy the delights of Venice, which frequently finds itself in travel magazines as a "must-see" destination. A private car will pick you up from your hotel and take you to Florence station, where you can recline in a first-class seat on a fast train to Venice. Our guide will be waiting to meet you in Venice at the train station and will take you on a glorious four-hour journey through this magical city. As a part of this unmissable tour, you will delight in iconic sights, including the Doge Palace, St Mark's Square and the Basilica, and the Bridge of Sighs. After the tour, you will enjoy a luxury train ride back to Florence, where our driver will pick you up for a private transfer to your hotel.

Day 9: Discover the magic of the Italian Lake District

It is time to say goodbye to the vibrantly artistic city of Florence as today you will escape to nature for four nights of relaxation on the banks of Lake Maggiore. In the early morning, our driver will collect you from your hotel in Florence and take you to the station, where you can enjoy a journey through the Italian countryside in a first-class carriage to Milan. Our tour guide will meet you at the station in Milan and take you on a glorious tour of Lake Como and Bellagio, which is a heavenly region of Italy, featuring glistening waters set against a mountain backdrop decorated with alpine woodland. After the tour, our driver will take you by car to your luxurious hotel in Stresa on the banks of the grand Lake Maggiore, where you can relax in the natural landscape.

Day 10: Zermatt and the Matterhorn

Today you will experience the contrasting diversity of Italy's landscape, with an Alpine tour of Zermatt. This group tour takes you through the Ossola Valley, which winds gracefully up towards the Alps, leading you to the famous Simplon Pass, where you can take in unbeatable 360° panoramic views of the Swiss and Italian Alps. Your journey continues through Brig (with its Stockalper castle), Visp and along the Matter Valley, leading you into the heart of the Alps, where you can take the rack and pinion railway up to Zermatt itself. Situated at 5,315 ft above sea level, Zermatt is surrounded by some of the most famous peaks in the Alps, including the Matterhorn, Monte Rosa and the Gornergrat. It is the most picturesque of the Alpine villages and is completely pedestrianised, allowing you to wander freely and safely, admiring the boutiques and quaint village sights. You will have plenty of free time to explore Zermatt - why not take a journey up into the mountains on the Sunnegga Mountain Metro or tour the village in a traditional horse-drawn carriage? It is simply a delightful place to discover and once you have absorbed the Alpine culture, you can reflect on your day of discovery on your group transfer back to Stresa.

Day 11: Island hopping in the Italian Lake District

After enjoying panoramic mountain scenes yesterday, today you will be treated to a day of island hopping through the Borromean Islands by boat. On this exclusive tour, you will stop in Isola Pescatori, which is a charming island with quaint houses lining the cobbled lanes and fishing boats bobbing around gently in the harbor, and Isola Bella, which is the most famous of the Borromean Islands. On both islands you will have free time to discover the best attractions - be sure to stop by the famous Palazzo on Isola Bella, where you'll find magnificent gardens, as well as the ancient amphitheater.

Day 12: Leisure day in Stresa

Day 13: Ciao Milano!

After relaxing and rejuvenating in the Italian Lake District you will return to Italy's fashion capital of Milan, where you can explore the fashionable streets with our tour guide, who will show you all the iconic sights, including the Gothic Cathedral. This tour also includes an unmissable visit to see da Vinci's The Last Supper, which is one of the greatest masterpieces of all time - it is highly protected and can only be viewed by appointment, meaning a trip to see it is an exclusive treat for any art lover!

Day 14: Arrivederci Italia!

Today sees you leaving this remarkable country but you can still enjoy one last luxury with a private transfer from your hotel in Milan to the airport for your flight home.