Absolute Italy

Vacation Code: STTAB0708

9 Days and 8 Nights

12 Meals: (8 Breakfasts, 1 Lunch, 2 Dinners)

Tour Description > View Itinerary

Absolute Italy brings you the very best of Italy packaged especially for small group travel. The perfect introduction to three of the most visited cities in Italy, the tour will touch on every facet of this amazing country. From the ancient ruins of Rome to the breathtaking artworks of Florence and on to the culture and romance of Venice. Absolute Italy tour offers a well-rounded introduction to everything that Italy has to offer. The package is comprehensive and designed to make booking and traveling simple and pain-free.

Our Commitment is to guarantee any departures even with 2 participants. For groups traveling with a minimum of 7 people, a tour leader will escorted the group from the arrival until departure. In case of the number of people traveling will be less or equal to 6, the tour will be operated by a tour host. The tour host will visit daily the guests and will assist them at check-in in any single hotel. The tour host will escort the guest to the restaurants when the dinner is included. The tour host is available 24 hours by phone. The passengers are provided at their arrival with a Travel Packet with information, maps and an itinerary with details, tips and emergency toll free number.

Itinerary

ITINERARY AT A GLANCE

Day 1: Rome
Day 2: Rome
Day 3: Rome
Day 4: Rome – Montepulciano- Montalcino – Florence
Day 5: Florence
Day 6: Florence
Day 7: Florence – Venice
Day 8: Venice
Day 9: Venice – Home

Day 1 (Friday): Rome

(Welcome Dinner)

Welcome to Italy! Upon arrival at Rome airport collect your luggage and meet the driver to be transferred to your hotel. We’ve left the rest of your day free to explore the Eternal City. Return to your hotel in time for an evening meeting with your tour host (around 6:30 pm), who will provide an overview of the destinations you will visit on the tour. This is your opportunity to learn all about the tour program, receive tour literature and ask questions. At the end walk to the restaurant and enjoy a tasty Welcome Dinner. Overnight in Rome.

Day 2 (Saturday): Rome

(Breakfast, Dinner with cooking class)

After breakfast, meet your driver and your guide and reach the Vatican Museum by private van. 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 Pinecone Courtyard, St. Peter’s Basilica. At 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 amazing cooking 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.

Day 3 (Sunday): Rome

(Breakfast)

Eat Breakfast at the hotel. Today you will have the whole day to explore Rome at your leisure. Overnight in Rome.

Day 4 (Monday): Rome – Montepulciano – Montalcino – Florence

(Breakfast, Lunch with wine tasting)

Private transfer from Rome hotel to Florence hotel with stop in Montepulciano and Montalcino.

In Montepulciano, you will meet the guide for for a walking tour of the town. Later, transfer to Montalcino for lunch and wine tasting. Arrive in Florence in the early afternoon.

Day 5 (Tuesday): Florence

(Breakfast)

Start your exploration of Florence from the unknown and most picturesque sides of the city. Visit the fresh market of San Lorenzo where is possible to find the food arriving fresh everyday from the Tuscany Countryside.

It’s a great opportunity to taste many varieties of cheeses, fruits and vegetables, breads, etc. Free time for lunch (not included).

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), Ponte Vecchio. Our walk through Florence will end with a visit to the Accademia to admire, among the many masterpieces, the jewel of Michelangelo: the statue of David.

Day 6 (Wednesday): Florence

(Breakfast)

After breakfast the day is at your leisure. You can just relax and take a walk on the beautiful streets of Florence, visit the Boboli Gardens and Pitti Palace or opt for an excursion to Pisa, Siena and San Gimignano, Assisi and Cortona and many others.

Day 7 (Thursday): Florence – Venice

(Breakfast)

Enjoy an early breakfast at your hotel before your transfer to the Railway Station in Florence. Your travel day begins with the excitement and emotion of riding the high speed train to Venice.

Travel by train in Italy is fast, comfortable and convenient. Relax and enjoy the experience.

Your tour assistant will meet you upon arrival at Venice Railway Station, and accompany you for transfer to the hotel. Free time to explore Venice on your own.

Day 8 (Friday): Venice

(Breakfast, Dinner)

Start your last full day in Venice with a hearty Italian breakfast. In the afternoon, guided visit of Venice followed by a gondola tour.

Afternoon is the best moment to enjoy Venice, when most of the visitors leave the city, the cruise boats depart from the pier and the narrow streets became again fascinating and mysterious , a secret path to the Past.

Our guide will help you to visit the main sights of the city but also to discover the real soul of Venice spending some time outside of the main tourist areas, places that you can reach by yourself only if you get lost.

The tour will end with a Gondola ride. In the evening, enjoy a Venetian Dinner. Overnight in Venice

Day 9 (Saturday): Venice

(Breakfast)

Rise early and enjoy a hearty Italian breakfast before leaving the hotel for your transfer to the Airport or Railway Station (not included). End of Services.

Featured Properties (All 4 stars hotels)

Hotel in Rome: Hotel Villa Glori, Hotel Degli Aranci or similar.
Hotel in Florence: Hotel Executive, Hotel Palazzo Castri or similar
Hotel in Venice: Hotel Palazzo Veneziano, Palazzetto Madonna or similar
Hotel may be substituted with similar according to availability. Hotels will be confirmed up to 21 days prior to the arrival.

Additional Information:

The tour includes:

• Transfer from Rome airport to hotel
• Tour Escort/Host
• 3 nights in Rome
• 3 nights in Florence
• 2 nights in Venice
• 1 welcome Dinner upon arrival
• Visit of the Vatican, entrance fees included
• Cooking Experience followed by dinner in Travestere
• Visit of the Heart of Rome
• Transfer from Rome to Florence via Montepulciano and Montalcino by luxury minicoach
• Guided visit of Montepulciano followed by lunch and wine tasting in Montalcino
• Fresh Market Tour in Florence
• Walking tour of Florence with Academia Gallery
• 1st class train from Florence to Venice with transfers to/from hotel hotels
• Guided visit of Venice + Gondola Ride, St Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace
• Farewell dinner in Venice

The tour does not include:

• Porterage at airport in Rome and train stations
• Transfer from Venice hotel to airport or train station on Day 9
• Tips
• Beverages and Meals not mentioned in the program
• Travel Insurance
• Optional Excursions
• Rome City Tax: 7.50 euros per person per day to be paid directly to the hotel in cash at check-out
• Florence City Tax: 6 euros per person per day to be paid directly to the hotel in cash at check-out
• Venice City Tax: 4.5 euros per person per day to be paid directly to the hotel in cash at check-out