Europe Sunshine Tour: Venice, Tuscany, Rome, Amalfi Coast & Santorini

Day 1: Welcome to Italy!

Experience magic as soon as you arrive in Italy with a private water taxi transfer from the airport to your hotel in the heart of Venice. In the afternoon, you will enjoy a private ride through Venice’s iconic canals aboard a traditional gondola. On this classic Venetian experience, you can soak up famous sights, such as the Rialto Bridge and the ornate Ca’ d’Oro Palace, while your expert gondolier navigates the beautiful handmade boat through the Grand Canal and other waterways. A friendly local guide will accompany you on the 30-minute ride to share interesting facts about Venetian history and architecture along the way.

Day 2: Leisure day

This will be a full day for you to explore Venice at leisure.

Day 3: Discover Tuscany

It’s time to say goodbye to the wonderful Floating City of Venice as today you will travel into the heart of Tuscany. In the morning, our professional water taxi driver will come to pick you up from your hotel and take you to the train station. We include first-class train tickets as standard, allowing you to enjoy comfort of your high-speed train journey from Venice to Florence. Upon arrival in Florence, our smartly dressed driver will be waiting for you at the station and will whisk you into the heart of Siena, where you can settle in at your centrally-located hotel. After some time to relax, our private guide will come to meet you at your hotel and will take you on a VIP tour of Siena, showing you iconic sights, such as the Cathedral and Piazza del Campo, where the famous Il Palio horse race is held.

Day 4: Wine-tasting tour of Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano

Treat your senses to a decadent tour through the Chianti wine region, featuring rolling hills of green, vineyards glowing in the Italian sunshine and a picturesque landscape decorated with ancient castles and quaint farmhouses. On this full-day tour, you’ll stop by charming villages, such as Montepulciano, and also enjoy world-famous red wine on a local wine estate. There will be plenty of time to discover the lush greenery that this region is known for and see rare architecture in several Tuscan villages as this tour takes you to Montalcino, Pienza and Montepulciano - gems of the Chianti region. This excursion truly is a beautiful opportunity to capture memories to treasure from your dream Italy and Greece vacation.

Day 5: Ciao Firenze!

After enjoying the enchanting charm of Siena, today you will travel to the Renaissance jewel of Florence via high-speed train. Widely regarded as the most beautiful city in the world, Florence has a wealth of glorious architecture to discover, as well as enriching art galleries. Upon arrival in Florence, you will have the opportunity to immerse yourself in the Renaissance with a two-hour private guided tour of the Gallerie dell’Accademia, which is where you’ll find the glorious and imposing sculpture of “David” by Michelangelo. This statue is a symbol of the power and invincibility of the Florentine Republic and is an unmissable attraction on your vacation to Italy and Greece.

Day 6: Exclusive tour of Florence

On your first full day in Florence, we will treat you to a full-day tour of the city, allowing you to appreciate the rare beauty of this Renaissance gem. Not only will you have the opportunity to discover iconic architecture, such as the Cathedral and the iconic Pontevecchio Bridge, but this Florence tour also includes a visit to and private tour of the glorious Uffizi Gallery, which is one of the most important art museums in the world. With a private guide, you can marvel at masterpieces by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Giotto, Cimabue, Masaccio and many other famous artists before reflecting on all the delightful things you have seen with a glass of wine at an authentic Florentine winery.

Day 7: Cooking class with a professional Florentine chef

On your last full day in Florence, you will have the opportunity to learn the secrets of Tuscan cuisine with a group cooking class. As a part of this fun experience, you will visit a Florentine market with a professional chef to learn how to select the best ingredients for Italian cooking. You'll be able to see (and taste!) a vast selection of mouth-watering products, including fresh buffalo mozzarella, Tuscan ham, roasted porchetta and fresh olives. After discovering the market, your cooking class will begin with an introduction to Italian cuisine and an interactive demonstration. You will have every opportunity to join in and help prepare a decadent meal, which you will then enjoy with your new friends.

Day 8: Step back in time

It’s time to say goodbye to your retreat in the Renaissance jewel of Florence and take your reserved seat on a first-class train heading south to the captivating city of Rome. Our professional driver will be waiting to greet you at Rome station and will whisk you to your elegant and centrally-located hotel in the heart of the Eternal City. After some time to settle in, you’ll be treated to a VIP guided tour of this incredible city, featuring Piazza del Quirinale, Piazza Colonna, the Column of Marcus Aurelius, intricate fountains in Piazza Navona, the immense Pantheon and the extravagant Trevi Fountain. What a wonderful way to discover Rome!

Day 9: Absorb the spiritual majesty of Vatican City

On your first full day in Rome, you will join our expert tour guide on a wonderful journey to the world’s smallest sovereign state and one of the most important stretches of land in the Catholic religion as you cross the border into Vatican City. Start your adventure at the door of St Peter’s Basilica, one of the largest religious buildings in the world and a crowning example of Renaissance architecture, where, once inside, you can discover spectacular art from Michelangelo and Bernini. After enjoying the delights of St Peter’s, you’ll enter the Vatican Museums, which are filled with rare artefacts and priceless masterpieces, including ancient Greek statues and Renaissance frescoes that are simply waiting for you to discover them. At this point, you may feel that the Vatican couldn’t get any more glorious, but we have saved a grand finale! On the last part of this Vatican City tour, as you cast your gaze to the heavens, you will witness the unmatched genius of Michelangelo in the sensational Sistine Chapel. This is a building unlike anything else on Earth, so be sure to take some time to savor it as your detailed tour of the Vatican comes to an unforgettable end!

Day 10: VIP tour of the Colosseum and Roman Forum

After a morning of leisure, our expert guide will take you on a journey back in time on a tour of Rome’s ancient sights, including the Fori Imperiali, Roman Forum, Augustus Domus and, finally, the epic and glorious Colosseum. Here, you will enjoy two hours of special access as your private guide takes you to little-seen parts of the Colosseum, including the upper tier and fascinating underground level. There will be plenty of time to ask questions about this iconic landmark so that you can truly appreciate the history of ancient Rome.

Day 11: Recline in serenity on the Amalfi Coast

It is time to bid farewell to the Eternal City, as today you will be whisked to the glorious Amalfi Coast - a highlight of South Italy and a place where you can completely relax and reconnect with nature. Our professional driver will be waiting to greet you from your first-class train at Naples station and will take you in a modern, luxury car to your hotel in Positano on the glorious Amalfi Coast. Here, you can settle in and be lulled into tranquillity with sun-kissed views of the coast and glistening sea from your quality hotel.

Day 12: Step back in time in Pompeii

On your first full day on the Amalfi Coast, we will take you on a journey back in time with a small group tour of Pompeii. This historic city was lost for nearly 1500 years beneath a blanket of ash following an ancient volcanic eruption. The ash served to preserve the city and, since its rediscovery, it has been acknowledged as one of the world's most important archeological sites. In Pompeii, you will enjoy a two-hour group guided tour, yielding an unprecedented opportunity to see how people lived 1500 years ago through the careful excavations and exhibits. As a part of this memorable tour, you will stop in a local factory to see craftsmen make cameos and corals to gain an understanding of modern Pompeii.

Day 13: Welcome to Greece!

The morning of day 13 on this Europe packaged tour sees you leave Italy on your flight from Naples Capodichino Airport to Santorini (Thira) National Airport. The sights, sounds, tastes and experiences of the past week will no doubt flood over you as you enjoy the luxury of a private transfer from your Positano hotel to the airport. The scents and memories of Italy now leave space to jump into the heart of Mediterranean culture with some time spent relaxing in one of Greece's most exclusive vacation resorts: the idyllic island of Santorini. You will be greeted at the airport by our professional driver, who will whisk you in luxury to your elegant hotel in the heart of Santorini. You will then have the evening free to discover the delights of this unique Mediterranean gem, including its whitewashed villas, stunning sea views and secret alleys.

Day 14: VIP Oia Village private tour with wine tasting

Oia, pronounced la, is the most famous of all villages on Santorini. It is known throughout the world for its quiet life and fantastic sunset, and is certainly the most beautiful and picturesque village of this part of Greece. The village is situated on top of an impressive cliff and offers a spectacular view over the volcano island of Nea Kameni and the island of Thirasía, making this day trip a real treat if you want to witness some of Santorini's world-famous, spectacular scenery. There will also be plenty of time to enjoy the traditional village, with its charming houses, blue-domed churches and sun-soaked verandas. This fascinating tour also includes wine tasting in one of the local wineries.

Day 15: Leisure day

This will be a full day for you to explore Santorini at leisure.

Day 16: And so your dream Italy and Greece vacation reaches its end

Today sees you leave Greece, but we will treat you to one last luxury with a private car transfer from your hotel to Santorini National Airport, allowing you to reflect on the lifelong memories you have made on this exclusive Italy and Greece packaged tour.