Absolute Italy 2024
Family Holiday | Culture Immersion | Small Group JourneyThis tour is a leisurely paced, small group journey through the iconic cities of Italy - Rome, Florence, and Venice, led by an expert and discreet tour leader. The tour leader ensures every detail is perfect, offering a smooth and seamless experience. The journey begins in Rome, where you delve into the city's rich history and participate in a hands-on cooking class. The adventure continues to the wine regions of Montepulciano and Montalcino, en route to the Renaissance city of Florence. Here, you have the opportunity to explore the city's art and architecture, with an optional excursion to the stunning Cinque Terre. The tour concludes in the romantic city of Venice, complete with a gondola ride and exploration of its historic landmarks. The small group setting ensures a personalised and intimate experience, allowing you to fully immerse yourself in the beauty and culture of each location.
Itinerary
Day 1 - Arrival & Rome Walks
Welcome to Italy!
Meet your private driver upon arrival in Rome and transfer to your hotel in Rome. Early afternoon meeting with your Tour Host in the hotel. You will learn more about your tour and familiarize yourself with travel companions. Later enjoy a walking tour of the Baroque Town with Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna, the Italian Parliament and the fascinating narrow streets of ancient Rome. In the end, walk to the restaurant and enjoy a tasty welcome dinner. Overnight in Rome.
Meet your private driver upon arrival in Rome and transfer to your hotel in Rome. Early afternoon meeting with your Tour Host in the hotel. You will learn more about your tour and familiarize yourself with travel companions. Later enjoy a walking tour of the Baroque Town with Piazza Navona, Pantheon, Spanish Steps, Piazza di Spagna, the Italian Parliament and the fascinating narrow streets of ancient Rome. In the end, walk to the restaurant and enjoy a tasty welcome dinner. Overnight in Rome.
Meals : Welcome Dinner
Day 2 - Vatican & Cooking Experience
After breakfast, transfer from your hotel to the Vatican Museum to meet your guide.
Access the Museum easily with your skip the line tickets. Your visit will be memorable: our guides have drawn up a route to include all the major sights as well as some unexpected surprises. See the Belvedere Courtyard with Apollo Belvedere & Laocoön & His Sons, Raphael Rooms, the Galleries of the Candelabra, of the Maps and of the Tapestries, the Sistine Chapel and the Pinecone Courtyard. In the end, exit on the St. Peter’s Square and enjoy the magnificent view of the imposing Cathedral.
You will return to your hotel to relax after a challenging morning.
Spend the early evening diving into the secrets of pasta-making in a cooking class with a local chef. After some sips of beautiful Prosecco and a bite or two of Roman *aperitivi*, get a crash course on making authentic pasta that you can recreate at home. Dust the flour from your fingertips and cleanse your palette with the perfect wine while you sit down with your fellow classmates to enjoy your meal. In the end, return transfer to your hotel Overnight in Rome.
Access the Museum easily with your skip the line tickets. Your visit will be memorable: our guides have drawn up a route to include all the major sights as well as some unexpected surprises. See the Belvedere Courtyard with Apollo Belvedere & Laocoön & His Sons, Raphael Rooms, the Galleries of the Candelabra, of the Maps and of the Tapestries, the Sistine Chapel and the Pinecone Courtyard. In the end, exit on the St. Peter’s Square and enjoy the magnificent view of the imposing Cathedral.
You will return to your hotel to relax after a challenging morning.
Spend the early evening diving into the secrets of pasta-making in a cooking class with a local chef. After some sips of beautiful Prosecco and a bite or two of Roman *aperitivi*, get a crash course on making authentic pasta that you can recreate at home. Dust the flour from your fingertips and cleanse your palette with the perfect wine while you sit down with your fellow classmates to enjoy your meal. In the end, return transfer to your hotel Overnight in Rome.
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Day 3 - Rome
Today it will be free at leisure.
This tour has been designed to offer the best of each city visited combined with some free time to customize your travel experience and relax.
There are many available experiences. Among these, we like to suggest exploring the Imperial Rome with Colosseum and Forum, to visit one of the most beautiful are collections in Europe at Palazzo Borghese or the near Tivoli with the astonishing Villa Hadriana, built by Emperor Hadrian and Villa d’Este, a masterpiece of Italian gardening.
Overnight in Rome.
This tour has been designed to offer the best of each city visited combined with some free time to customize your travel experience and relax.
There are many available experiences. Among these, we like to suggest exploring the Imperial Rome with Colosseum and Forum, to visit one of the most beautiful are collections in Europe at Palazzo Borghese or the near Tivoli with the astonishing Villa Hadriana, built by Emperor Hadrian and Villa d’Este, a masterpiece of Italian gardening.
Overnight in Rome.
Meals : Breakfast
Day 4 - Rome to Florence
Private transfer to your hotel to Florence passing along Montepulciano and Montalciano.
In Montepulciano, you will meet your guide for a walking tour of the town.
Later, move to Montalcino for a wine tasting and lunch.
Arrive in Florence late.
Overnight in Florence
In Montepulciano, you will meet your guide for a walking tour of the town.
Later, move to Montalcino for a wine tasting and lunch.
Arrive in Florence late.
Overnight in Florence
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5 - Magnificent Florence with Accademia
Start your exploration of Florence from the unknown and most picturesque sides of the city: visit the market of San Lorenzo, where it’s possible to see the food arriving from the Tuscan countryside. It’s a chance to taste many local cheeses, fruits, vegetables, and bread varieties. If you are still hungry, there’s free time for lunch. In the afternoon, meet your guide in the hotel and get ready to explore the heart of the town. Lorenzo de Medici transformed Florence into the cradle of the Renaissance by attracting the best artists, architects, and writers of the time; Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Botticelli, who he commissioned to produce various works of art and architecture. We’ll visit Piazza della Signoria, walk by the Palazzo Vecchio, the Duomo with Giotto's bell tower ( from outside), and Ponte Vecchio. Our walkthrough of Florence will end with a visit to the Accademia to admire, among the many masterpieces, the jewel of Michelangelo: the statue of David.
In the afternoon, you can join an option tour of Siena & San Gimignano with dinner in a boutique winery.
Overnight in Florence.
In the afternoon, you can join an option tour of Siena & San Gimignano with dinner in a boutique winery.
Overnight in Florence.
Meals : Breakfast
Day 6 - Optional CinqueTerre
Today is free at leisure. Why not join a small group tour to Cinque Terre?
You will discover the most beautiful villages of Cinque Terre, enjoy a relaxing escape from the crowds through luxuriant panoramic seaside vineyards and Savour a delicious fresh seafood lunch, including Cinque Terre wine and experience a fantastic boat trip to take the most beautiful pictures of Cinque Terre from the sea.
Overnight in Florence.
You will discover the most beautiful villages of Cinque Terre, enjoy a relaxing escape from the crowds through luxuriant panoramic seaside vineyards and Savour a delicious fresh seafood lunch, including Cinque Terre wine and experience a fantastic boat trip to take the most beautiful pictures of Cinque Terre from the sea.
Overnight in Florence.
Meals : Breakfast
Day 7 - Welcome to Venice
After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Florence train station. Board your train to Venice. Enjoy the ride by high-speed train to Venice.
The city does not have roads and cars but only boats and canals. It is built on several small islands linked by hundreds of bridges. Arrive late morning and transfer to the hotel in Laguna. Free time to explore Venice on your own.
Overnight in Venice.
The city does not have roads and cars but only boats and canals. It is built on several small islands linked by hundreds of bridges. Arrive late morning and transfer to the hotel in Laguna. Free time to explore Venice on your own.
Overnight in Venice.
Meals : Breakfast
Day 8 - Enjoy “La Serenissima” Venezia
Start your day early in the morning near the Rialto Bridge, where you'll learn how the city grew from the lagoon mud. You'll learn to identify how its sea-borne origins have impacted its history and culture. Begin your stroll from the bustling Rialto Fish Market, where professional chefs mix with home cooks, competing for some of the freshest fish you'll ever see. You will then pass through the backstreets of Venice, passing quiet piazzas and picturesque bridges, occasionally stopping at landmarks like the childhood home of Marco Polo.
Later, enjoy a 30-minute gondola ride that takes you through busy thoroughfares and quieter residential canals.
After a break for lunch, you'll meet again in St. Mark's Square and stroll into St. Mark's Basilica with pre-reserved, skip-the-line tickets. Learn how a Byzantine-style building became Venice's most significant landmark while pointing out some of the more remarkable stories featured in the golden mosaics that cover the ceilings.
Finally, enter the Doge's Palace, once the political nerve center for an empire stretched across the Mediterranean and Asia. In this building, the Doge, or Duke of Venice, lived where he lorded over an empire of immense wealth but almost no actual land. In the end, return to your hotel on your own.
In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in a lovely restaurant. Overnight in Venice.
Later, enjoy a 30-minute gondola ride that takes you through busy thoroughfares and quieter residential canals.
After a break for lunch, you'll meet again in St. Mark's Square and stroll into St. Mark's Basilica with pre-reserved, skip-the-line tickets. Learn how a Byzantine-style building became Venice's most significant landmark while pointing out some of the more remarkable stories featured in the golden mosaics that cover the ceilings.
Finally, enter the Doge's Palace, once the political nerve center for an empire stretched across the Mediterranean and Asia. In this building, the Doge, or Duke of Venice, lived where he lorded over an empire of immense wealth but almost no actual land. In the end, return to your hotel on your own.
In the evening, enjoy a farewell dinner in a lovely restaurant. Overnight in Venice.
Meals : Breakfast, Dinner
Day 9 - Departure
Independent Transfer to the Airport or Railways Station.
Meals : Breakfast
Photo Gallery
Other Information
- Tour Code : SG0124
- Duration : 8 Nights/9 Days
- Departure City : Rome, Italy
- Ending City : Venice, Italy
- Type : Small Group Fully Escorted
- Departure : Guaranteed Departure
- Grade/Difficulity : Easy To Moderate
- Transport Mode : Various
- Children Allowed : Yes
- Max Group Size : 12
- Language Offered : English
Departure Dates
May 2025 - 9
Tour Includes
- 3 nights in Rome
- 3 nights in Florence
- 2 nights in Venice
- Daily Breakfast
- Arrival Private Transfer
- Welcome briefing & Tour Escort service
- Walking along the heart of Rome
- Welcome dinner in Rome
- Guided visit of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel, and St.Peter Basilica
- Skip the line tickets to Vatican Museum & Sistine Chapel
- Cooking Experience followed by dinner in Trastevere, Roma
- Transfer from Rome to Florence via Montepulciano and Montalcino by luxury minicoach
- Guided visit of Montepulciano followed by lunch and wine tasting in Montalcino
- Guided Visit of the heart of Florence, including Accademia with Michelangelo’s David
- Skip the line tickets to Accademia
- 1st Class High-speed Train Tickets from Florence to Venice, transfer from/to hotel included
- Guided visit of Venice with Gondola, St.Mark Basilica and Doge Palace
- Skip the line tickets to St.Mark Basilica & Doge Palace
- Farewell Dinner in Venice
Tour Excludes
- City Tax to be paid locally
- Drinks on meals
- Porterage in the stations
- Departure Transfer
Notes
- Featured Hotels
- Rome: Della Conciliazione / Orazio or similar
- Florence: Executive / Palazzo Castri or similar
- Venice: Indigo Sant’Elena or similar
The Absolute Italy tour package was truly remarkable! The hotel in Rome, conveniently situated near the Vatican, was a definite highlight. The included meals were exceptional, adding an extra layer of enjoyment to this incredible Italian experience. Highly recommended for an unforgettable adventure!
The Absolute Italy tour package exceeded all expectations! Rome, a marvel in itself, was made even more incredible by our knowledgeable guide whose passion for history brought ancient ruins to life. The hotel's quality was top-notch, ensuring comfort after days filled with enriching tours. Each excursion was meticulously planned, allowing us to explore Italy's gems seamlessly. From historical landmarks to cultural experiences, this package encapsulated the essence of Italy in an unforgettable journey!
Absolutely! The Absolute Italy tour was an incredible adventure. Alfredo, our guide, was a gem—warm, punctual, and a fountain of information. Although some days were jam-packed, having activities split over days would've been perfect. Nevertheless, exploring Italy's beauty was a joy. From iconic landmarks to lesser-known treasures, it was an authentic and unforgettable experience worth every moment!
Our experience was elevated by the fantastic cooking class in Rome, where we discovered the secrets of authentic Italian cuisine. The Vatican tour with our knowledgeable guide was awe-inspiring, thanks to their expertise. Myriam's warmth and attentiveness made our journey incredibly enjoyable, attending to our every need. Alfredo, our tour guide, was not only friendly but also impressively knowledgeable. A truly remarkable Italian adventure!
The guides, hotels, and services were top-notch. Despite a minor ticket issue, Alfredo, our amazing tour guide, swiftly resolved it, showcasing exceptional customer service. Overall, a fantastic journey filled with beautiful sights and seamless support. Highly recommended for an unforgettable Italian adventure!
The Absolute Italy Tour was an enchanting experience! The itinerary flawlessly combined cultural immersion and leisure time. While most hotels were fantastic, the distance of the Venice accommodation from the city center was a minor setback. However, the extra free days allowed for personalized exploration, making up for it! The tour's diverse activities, coupled with the ample free time, let us delve into Italy's wonders at our own pace. Overall, a splendid journey that offered a perfect balance between structured tours and independent adventures.
The Absolute Italy tour was a fantastic experience! The hotels, guides, and meals were great. Only wish there were more dinners included. Nonetheless, the trip was superb, showcasing Italy's beauty and culture. Highly recommend this tour for an unforgettable Italian adventure! Grazie for the amazing memories!
Exploring beyond the USA and India for the first time, hesitation faded as the tour became wonderfully comfortable. Alfredo guided us adeptly, sharing insights for self-exploration. Tasty meals, satisfying vegetarian options, and great stays, notably "The Executive" in Florence, made this trip truly memorable. Grazie!
The Absolute Italy Tour was a delightful experience! While the hotels were decent, a more central location would have been ideal. However, the meals included were fantastic, offering a true taste of Italy. The highlight was our guide in Venice – knowledgeable and incredibly friendly, she made exploring the city an absolute joy. Overall, the tour was enriching, filled with cultural immersion and memorable moments that made our Italian adventure truly special.
The Absolute Tour Package was an absolute delight! From the cozy hotels to the knowledgeable guide, every detail was on point. Alfredo, our guide, was exceptional—gentle, knowledgeable, and went the extra mile by treating us to the most fabulous Italian gelato experience! His insights and hospitality added a special touch to the journey. Highly recommend this package for an unforgettable and enriching adventure!
The hotels were comfortable, the guides knowledgeable, and traveling within a group added a wonderful dynamic to the experience. As a solo traveler, having a private room provided the perfect balance of personal space, while the shared adventures with newfound friends added an extra layer of enjoyment. The camaraderie formed during the journey made exploring Italy's treasures even more special. I highly recommend this tour for anyone seeking a blend of personal comfort and the joy of shared adventures in beautiful Italy!
The Absolute Italy tour package provided a satisfying experience. The diverse range of experiences and the transportation services met expectations. Among the accommodations, the Venice hotel stood out for its unique charm and amenities, adding a pleasant touch to the trip. If you're seeking a well-rounded tour with varied experiences and comfortable stays, this package offers a decent option for exploring Italy's treasures.
The Absolute Italy tour was a delightful journey through Venice, Rome, and Florence. The knowledgeable guides in each city added depth to the experience, though some were just okay. However, the centrally-located hotels were a highlight, making exploration effortless. Transportation services were efficiently coordinated, ensuring seamless travel between destinations. Overall, it offered a balanced mix of history, culture, and convenience. If you're seeking a well-organized tour with prime accommodations, this package delivers.
From charming hotels to knowledgeable guides, every aspect was top-notch. Alfredo, our tour guide, was an absolute gem—knowledgeable, personable, and truly made the trip exceptional. His insights enriched every stop, making history come alive. The itinerary was well-paced, offering a fantastic balance of sights. Overall, an unforgettable journey that beautifully captured Italy's essence. Highly recommend this tour for an immersive and enriching Italian adventure!