Accommodation

11 nights in twin-share rooms at hand-picked hotels

Guide

Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe. From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination. Pisa: During your orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the 11th-century cathedral - the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa. Cortina d’Ampezzo: Enjoy the stunning scenery of the Cortina, a small town framed by magnificent alps as your Travel Director conducts an orientation.

Transport

Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available). If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport. Enjoy the comfort of Insight’s luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.

Hygieneprotocol

All guests travelling with Insight Vacations through December 31, 2022 are required to be fully vaccinated against Covid-19, which may include a booster shot to keep the vaccination status current and valid, depending on the travel destination. Children not eligible for vaccination and/or booster at the time of travel must provide a verifiable and negative Covid-19 test result, taken within 72 hours prior to the start of the tour (taking time zones into consideration) for all tours departing until December 31, 2022. While highly recommended, COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters are no longer required for guests traveling with us from January 1, 2023 onward. It is your client’s responsibly to comply with specific vaccine and/or booster requirements imposed by airlines and/or authorities in the destinations visited, as well as requirements for accessing restaurants and venues, which may be more restrictive than the above. No refunds will be given if they are unable to undertake some or all of their vacation due to failure to comply with these requirements.

Others

Choose between two carefully selected activities Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo’s monumental statue, ’David’, in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world’s most famous sculpture. Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert’s fascinating commentary. Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you’ll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels. We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door. Vatican: Visit the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and view the splendid dome of St. Peter’s Basilica. Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop’s master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. This workshop directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities. Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a passionate local. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, and stand beside the Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators. Florence: Enjoy a stroll through Renaissance Florence and admire the medieval buildings that gave birth to this new style of architecture. San Gimignano: Visit the medieval Manhattan of Italy. Portofino: Cruise from Santa Margherita and get a taste of the sweet life in this elegant resort. Cinque Terre: Led by your Local Expert, visit this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, tucked away on the mountainous Italian Riviera coastline. Explore one of the five charming fishing villages for some memorable pictures. Venice: Delight in the magic of this charming city as you glide along the canals by gondola. Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.

Meals

5 Dinner with Wine (DW) 11 Breakfast (B) 1 Lunch with Wine (LW) Rome: Savour regional flavours and embrace Rome’s rich culinary heritage as you toast to the Eternal City over your Roman dinner. San Gimignano: Ascend serpentine alleyways to the artisan gelato parlour of world champion gelato maestro, Sergio Dondoli for a taste of his finest frozen treats. Venice: Enjoy a special Venetian dinner, situated in the heart of this historic city.

Not included:

Optional

Other activities and services not included

Insurance

Insurance is not included

Others

Other activities and services not included

Flights

International flights are not included

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Day 1 Day 1: Welcome To The Eternal City Of Rome
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 1: Welcome To The Eternal City Of Rome

Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director and getting to know your fellow travellers over a delicious dinner with wine.
Day 2 Day 2: Rome Sightseeing And The Vatican
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 2: Rome Sightseeing And The Vatican

Enjoy the very best of the city’s highlights including entering the Vatican City and fast-tracked entry into the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Admire the Papal art collection before entering the Sistine Chapel to marvel at Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Afterwards, visit St. Peter’s Basilica. Later, cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome with your Local Expert. See the incredible Circus Maximus famous for its chariot races, and the iconic Colosseum.
Day 3 Day 3: Renaissance Florence
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 3: Renaissance Florence

Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. After, continue on foot to admire the Multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Continue into the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café, where you will be in the perfect spot to admire the basilica and indulge in people-watching the elegant Florentines. Marvel at the artistry during a demonstration of leather work and admire how the goldsmiths create their designs both famous luxury goods found in Florence.
Day 4 Day 4: The Flavours Of San Gimignano Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 4: The Flavours Of San Gimignano Relaxed Start

Spend time exploring the maze of alleyways and admire scenic views across the valley. Ascend serpentine alleyways to the artisan gelato parlour of world champion gelato maestro, Sergio Dondoli, for a taste of his finest frozen treats.
Day 5 Day 5: The Chianti Hills To Pisa, Portofino And Santa Margherita
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 5: The Chianti Hills To Pisa, Portofino And Santa Margherita

Drive through the patchwork of vines, olives and cypresses that typify the Chianti hills before continuing to Pisa and see the incredible Leaning Tower, from which Galileo is said to have conducted experiments on velocity and gravity. See the splendid cathedral and baptistery, decorated with mosaics and designs in solid marble. Next, journey to the sea and cruise along the rugged Ligurian coast to the elegant seaside village of Portofino, the epitome of la dolce vita (should weather permit). Continue along the coast to the pretty seaside resort of Santa Margherita Ligure.
Day 6 Day 6: The Cinque Terre And Portofino
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 6: The Cinque Terre And Portofino

Head to the port of La Spezia for a highlight of your travels and one of Italy’s most beautiful landscapes, the Cinque Terre. With a Local Expert, appreciate the views as you approach one of the picturesque fishing villages by boat. For lunch, enjoy a delicious Sea-to-Table dining experience. Enjoy leisure time to admire the coloured houses, browse the boutiques or simply stay a while in the café bars on the piazzetta, watching the yachts moored in the harbour.
Day 7 Day 7: Lake Maggiore Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 7: Lake Maggiore Relaxed Start

Head north to the beautiful Italian Lake District, a favourite retreat of the rich and famous where Alpine scenery combines with lush vegetation. Relax and enjoy an afternoon at leisure at this popular resort and beautiful lake.
Day 8 Day 8: Cortina D’Ampezzo
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 8: Cortina D’Ampezzo

Travel through the stunning northern Italian countryside to one of the world’s most breath-taking wine regions. The vineyards around Conegliano Veneto produce Italy’s most prized sparkling wine. Be tempted with a taste of the crisp and aromatic flavour of prosecco. Continue through the Dolomites, to the mountain resort of Cortina d’Ampezzo.
Day 9 Day 9: Experience The Dolomites Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 9: Experience The Dolomites Relaxed Start

The whole day is free for you to explore the colourful peaks and sheer valleys of the Dolomites, one of the most impressive mountain ranges in the Alps. During summer, once the snow and ice have melted away, a breathtaking landscape is revealed. There are a number of walking tracks through pristine Alpine wilderness for the adventurous to explore, or for a more relaxed pace, perhaps take a thrilling Optional Experience to the summit of one of the peaks for breathtaking panoramic views?
Day 10 Day 10: Venice, Queen Of The Adriatic Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 10: Venice, Queen Of The Adriatic Relaxed Start

Descend through the mountains to the romantic city of Venice. A private boat glides you past canals lined with ornate palaces to St Mark’s Square. See the basilica, the Doge’s Palace and Bridge of Sighs, before checking into your luxurious hotel. With the afternoon at leisure, why not cruise the Venetian Lagoon to the island of Burano for a meal of local specialities and wine?
Day 11 Day 11: Venice At Leisure Relaxed Start
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 11: Venice At Leisure Relaxed Start

Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts centre, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. Then there is free time to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this incredible city at your own pace. Mingle with the locals at the open air markets near the Rialto Bridge and explore the back lanes and squares where Venetians go about their day. Later, on your romantic gondola serenade, glide along the atmospheric canals exploring the intimate and hidden parts of this unique city while musicians set the mood with traditional songs. This evening, indulge in traditional Venetian dishes that are enriched with inspiration from seasonal produce during a magical dinner.
Day 12 Day 12: Arrivederci Venice
12:00 am - 11:59 pm

Day 12: Arrivederci Venice

Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo Airport.

12 days tour

Italian Elegance (Small Groups, 12 Days)

This tour includes:

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Itinerary of your trip Italian Elegance (Small Groups, 12 Days)

Day 1: Welcome To The Eternal City Of Rome

Day 2: Rome Sightseeing And The Vatican

Day 3: Renaissance Florence

Day 4: The Flavours Of San Gimignano Relaxed Start

Day 5: The Chianti Hills To Pisa, Portofino And Santa Margherita

Day 6: The Cinque Terre And Portofino

Day 7: Lake Maggiore Relaxed Start

Day 8: Cortina D’Ampezzo

Day 9: Experience The Dolomites Relaxed Start

Day 10: Venice, Queen Of The Adriatic Relaxed Start

Day 11: Venice At Leisure Relaxed Start

Day 12: Arrivederci Venice

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