Italy’s Eternal Cities (air included)

From $2829
Travel between September 12, 2024 - March 9, 2025

Our classic escorted tour of Italy’s most iconic cities! Discover the capital city Rome, hilltop town Assisi, fascinating Orvieto, Florence and the Renaissance, historic Bologna, ancient Padova and the stunning canals in Venice.

Inclusions

• Airfare to Rome and return from Venice
• 7 night partially guided vacation
• 7 nights in 4-star hotels
• Breakfast daily
• Transfers in air-conditioned vehicles as indicated in the itinerary.
• Visits and entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary.
• Guided walking tours in Florence and in Venice and a panoramic view on the bus in Rome
• Tour Leader from day 2 to day 8. Guided visit to the Colosseum, Roman Forum & Palatine Hill in Rome

Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal
Sep 12, 29, 2024	from $3429
Oct 17, 2024	from $3229
Nov 28, Dec 1, 2024	from $2829
Jan 28, Feb 25, 2025	from $3329
Mar 9, 2025	from $3529
Single occupancy add from $660
Winnipeg: add from $100 more Victoria: add from $300 more

Dates, prices and promotion are subject to change without notice.
Other departure cities are available – please call for more details!

Not Included: hotel tax (approximately €6 per person, per night in Italy), tips and other services not mentioned in the itinerary.

Itinerary

Day 1: Canada – Night on board
Pack your bags and head to your departure airport, ready for a flight to the eternal city of Rome.* Night on board.

* If either your outbound or inbound flights depart in the early hours (before 4:00 a.m.) you must arrive at the airport the night before the indicated departure day.

Day 2: Rome
Land in Rome, the Italian capital known as the Eternal City. Transfer to your hotel. Depending on your arrival time, the remainder of the day is free to begin exploring this romantic, historic city. The evening is the most magical time of day in Rome when the streets take on an even more charming character, wander around the quaint streets and charming piazzas while you indulge in their world-famous gastronomy. Overnight stay in Rome.

Day 3: Rome 
Breakfast at the hotel. Your guide will greet you at the hotel in the morning. Today, enjoy a panoramic view on the bus and discover the eternal city. Learn about the history of this empire, from its birth to the gladiatorial fights in the Colosseum with a guided tour, and appreciate the preserved corners of ancient Rome in the Forum and the Palatine Hill. We recommend the optional dinner at an authentic Italian restaurant*. Overnight stay in Rome.

Optional Authentic Italian Dinner at a restaurant in Campo Di Fiori ($): Enjoy an evening of authentic Italian cuisine in beautiful Campo Di Fiori Square, nestled in the heart of historic Rome. Soak up the atmosphere as you indulge in Italian dishes at a local restaurant.

Day 4: Rome 
Breakfast at the hotel, today enjoy a day at your leisure in Rome. Perhaps visit the Vatican, trace the footsteps of the greats in the ancient streets of the old city or simply indulge in some delicious Italian ice cream. However you choose to spend your day, Rome is sure to delight you with its old-world charm and unbeatable sights. We suggest taking the optional Guided tour of Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel. Overnight stay in Rome.

Optional Skip-the-line Guided Tour of Vatican Museums, St. Peter’s Basilica and Sistine Chapel ($): Explore the priceless treasures held within the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel! Visit the Pio Clementino Hall, Laocoon and Apollo Belvedere, Maps Gallery, Candelabra Gallery, Tapestries Gallery and the incredible Sistine Chapel. Afterwards, discover the incredible St. Peter’s Basilica and the atmospheric St. Peter’s Square, dominated by Michelangelo’s imposing Cupola!

Please note: Optional tour available Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays afternoon, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays only. Sundays are closed. If you depart for Italy on a Sunday, the optional Skip-the-line Guided Tour of the Vatican Museum, St. Peter’s Basilica and Sistine Chapel, will take place on the following Wednesday evening as of 2024. If you depart on a Thursday, it will take place on Saturday.

Optional Rome by Night – Baroque Rome, with Dinner excursion ($): A nocturnal view of Rome, with the splendid squares illuminated and away from the daytime bustle. The charming Plaza de España with its spectacular staircase, the fairytale frame of the Trevi Fountain, the majesty of the Pantheon and the baroque Piazza Navona, a route structured to go back in time and evoke the times of the “Dolce Vita” fellini. The tour will end with a typical Roman dinner.

Day 5: Rome – Orvieto – Assisi – Florence
Breakfast at the hotel. Leave Rome early this morning to transfer to the beautiful city of Florence. To break up this journey, stop in Orvieto*, a quaint town especially known for its renowned Duomo, European Gothic architecture and the San Patrizio Well, a masterpiece of hydraulic engineering in which you can immerse yourself, descending into the bowels of the earth. Next, take a break in Assisi, a majestic hilltop town known for its medieval architecture and the Basilica of St. Francis, a huge 2-level church. In the early evening, arrive in Florence, the heart of the Italian Renaissance, and enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure exploring the city and the Italian cuisine in this gourmet paradise. We recommend an evening excursion of the city lit up that includes a delicious dinner**. Overnight stay in Florence.

*Upon arrival at Orvieto you’ll need to take a funicular to reach the hilltop meeting point as it’s not accessible by bus. We advise you to take cash to pay for your ticket upon arrival at the station.

** Optional Illuminated Florence Tour with Dinner excursion ($): Depart from the hotel and stop at Piazzale Michelangelo where you can admire Florence from the best hill of the city with the most interesting viewpoint, continue to the center from where a night walk will begin to enjoy the illuminated city. The walk will end with a typical Florentine dinner.

Day 6: Florence 
Breakfast at the hotel. Today head to the Historic Centre for a guided walking tour of Florence and discover the hidden secrets of the Tuscan capital. Start discovering the up-market Piazza Repubblica, before heading to Loggia del Mercato Nuovo, a building within which a local market takes place.

Keep exploring the streets of Florence before arriving at the beautiful and well-known Ponte Vecchio, the most iconic bridge in the city and one of its main symbols. You will then walk through the Piazza della Signoria, the heart of Medieval Florence with the imposing Palazzo Vecchio. End the tour admiring Piazza San Giovanni, home to the impressive Florence Cathedral, with its iconic Brunelleschi cupola and the famous Giotto Belltower.

Enjoy the rest of the day at your leisure to continue exploring the captivating sights of Florence. Why not explore the city in more depth with one of our optional excursion to either the Uffizi* or the Leaning Tower**? Overnight stay in Florence.

*Optional excursion to The Uffizi ($): The Uffizi Gallery, designed in the mid-sixteenth century by Giorgio Vasari, consists of 90 museum rooms that host the most important and famous paintings in the history of art: works by Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli, in addition to numerous paintings by Flemish and Dutch painters exhibited in chronological order. A visit to this museum is a real journey through time by means of art.

Please note that this activity can de purchased up to 30 days before departure of your trip. This option is not available on Mondays.

**Optional Half-Day Tour to Pisa & The Leaning Tower ($): No trip to Italy is complete without a photo at the iconic leaning tower, so don’t miss your chance to take a day trip to Pisa! Enjoy a guided walking tour of Piazza dei Miracoli and its monuments before spending time at the legendary Leaning Tower of Pisa, learning all about the history of this University city along the way.

Day 7: Florence – Bologna – Padova – Venice Mestre 
Breakfast at the hotel. Today leave Florence early this morning to transfer you head to the city of Venice. During the journey, stop in Bologna and discover this lively, historic capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, free time before continuing with your journey. Make another stop in Padova, a city rich in beauty, which retains traces of its glorious past, and one of the most important cultural capitals during the fourteenth century.

Finish the day in the historic and enchanting Venice Mestre, the mainland town connected to Venice by rail and road bridges over the lagoon. Spend the night at your leisure and embrace the convenience of numerous transportation options, such as the frequent trains/buses to Venice center. The train station/bus stop is at walking distance from your hotel and it will take you to the iconic Venice center.

Venice built across more than 100 small islands, Venice is a pleasure to explore on foot as you get lost in the labyrinthine streets, stumbling across hidden cafes and cultural gems along the way. Get out and discover the plentiful delights of this eternal city, such as the immense Piazza San Marco. Overnight stay in Venice Mestre.

Day 8: Venice 
Breakfast at the hotel. Today, embark on a walking tour of Venice to discover all the beauty this city has to offer. Enjoy a guided walking tour through the City of Canals to learn about the history, culture and artistic heritage. Stroll through the most emblematic neighborhoods, see Venice’s famous markets and pay a visit to the iconic Rialto Bridge.

The rest of the day is at your disposal to continue discovering this unique city at your own pace. Alternatively, we recommend taking part in one or both of the following optional activities: first, you can enjoy a quintessentially Venetian gondola ride* and then you can take part in an excursion to Murano and Burano islands**. Overnight stay in Venice Mestre.

*Optional Gondola Ride Experience excursion ($): One of the most well-known characteristics of Venice are its historic gondolas. You can be a part of this legacy! Experience an unforgettable gondola ride through the charming waterways of Venice including the iconic Grand Canal. The quintessential Venetian experience! Note: Please note that it is a shared gondola (up to five people for each one) so you might have to share it with other people.

**Optional Half-Day Murano and Burano excursion ($): Discover the most beautiful islands in Venice, enjoying the enchanting scenery of the Venetian lagoon. The tour includes two stops to visit Murano and Burano and discover their typical artisan products: the centuries-old glass processing in Murano, the fine lace in Burano. Enjoy the original colorful buildings as you tour this enchanting area.

Day 9: Venice – Canada 

Breakfast at the hotel*. At the indicated time, transfer from Venice Mestre to the airport for your return flight.

* Depending on the return flight schedule and the hotel breakfast service, you may not be able to enjoy the included breakfast on the last day.

** Depending on the return flight schedule, you may arrive in the Canada the next day and the total duration of the trip would be 10 days.