Grand Italian Odyssey Cultural Wonders and Scenic Splendours - 17 Days

Welcome to Rome – on arrival, we’ll transfer you to your hotel. You’ll have free time to settle in or explore nearby at your own pace. In the afternoon, please check the information board at hotel reception for details about the start of your tour. Please note: This tour may have travellers joining or departing at various points along the route, meaning group composition can change during the tour. Please also be aware that depending on group composition, guiding may be in additional languages as well as English.

This morning we set out on a guided tour of the Eternal City lasting around three hours – a blend of a walk through Imperial Rome and a panoramic coach drive. We take in the Arch of Constantine, the exterior of the Colosseum and the Imperial Forums, the Circus Maximus, the Baths of Caracalla, the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, the Pyramid of Cestius and Castel Sant’Angelo. The tour ends at Vatican City at around 11:00 am. Afterwards, you can join an optional visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel offered by our guide. This evening, we include a transfer from the hotel to Trastevere – a favourite district for its cosy restaurants and lively atmosphere – with return to the hotel at around 8:30 pm.

A full free day in Rome to explore at your own pace – continue discovering the city’s historic streets, seek out hidden corners steeped in history, or simply relax in a piazza and soak up the atmosphere. No scheduled activities today, so you can shape the day exactly as you wish.

We leave Rome for Umbria, travelling first to Orvieto, a medieval city set high on a flat summit. We pause at a viewpoint to take in the skyline, then ride the escalators that link the lower town with the medieval centre to reach the cathedral – a key work of Italian Gothic. We continue to Castiglione del Lago on Lake Trasimeno, where you have time for a stroll and lunch. After lunch, we head into Tuscany and arrive in Siena, renowned for Piazza del Campo and the Duomo, where we spend the afternoon.

We depart Siena for Monteriggioni, a compact medieval village encircled by ancient walls, then continue to San Gimignano, famed for its skyline of medieval towers. After lunch, we travel on to Florence, arriving in the early afternoon in the Vittorio Veneto neighbourhood, where we begin our walk into the historic city centre.

You can spend your free time soaking up the Florentine atmosphere or visiting one of its major museums – the Uffizi Gallery, considered the finest art museum in Italy, or the Accademia Gallery, home to Michelangelo’s original David – both closed on Mondays. Due to city traffic regulations, tourist buses cannot access the centre, so our coach drops us in the Vittorio Veneto area and we walk from there – comfortable shoes recommended. The transfer to the hotel departs at 7:30 pm, and dinner is included.

After a photo stop at the Michelangelo viewpoint for panoramic city views, we walk into the historic centre for a guided tour of Tuscany’s capital – often called the cradle of the Renaissance – that inspired Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Raphael. We admire the Gothic Cathedral – the Duomo di Firenze – the ancient stone bridge Ponte Vecchio with its goldsmiths’ shops, and Piazza della Signoria – the city’s political heart with its medieval town hall. After the tour you have free time to continue exploring at your own pace. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

We travel to Pisa and ride the tourist train to Piazza dei Miracoli – home to the Leaning Tower of Pisa. From here we continue to the Ligurian Riviera to visit the Cinque Terre, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of five coastal villages, historically hard to reach by road and now largely dependent on tourism. We arrive by train – tickets included – to one of the villages, usually Vernazza; on busy dates it may be Manarola or Corniglia. You’ll have time for lunch. We then take the train to Levanto and rejoin our coach to continue to Genoa, where you’ll have free time to explore the historic centre, a reminder of its standing as a powerful republic in the Middle Ages.

Please note: the Cinque Terre trains are regular commuter services – during peak periods there may be queues, no seat reservations and, at times, standing room only.

We continue along the Ligurian coast to Santa Margherita Ligure and board the boat to Portofino. In Portofino, you can enjoy a relaxed seaside stroll and time at leisure. After lunch, we travel to Milan – an emblem of modernity and culture in northern Italy – where you have free time to explore. You may wish to visit the Gothic Duomo in Piazza del Duomo and the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, built in honour of the first king of a unified Italy.

From 30 May to 2 November, tourist buses cannot access Santa Margherita Ligure; during this period we stop in Rapallo and board the boat to Portofino there. The boat crossing to Portofino – whether from Santa Margherita Ligure or Rapallo – may be suspended in adverse weather or during winter.

Today we explore one of Europe’s most scenic areas – the Italian Lakes. From Milan we travel to Lake Orta and the village of Orta San Giulio, where we take a train to the medieval centre and a boat to San Giulio Island, home to a monastery. We then continue to Lake Maggiore and stop in Stresa, where you can join an optional visit to the Borromean Islands – the highlight is Isola Bella with its palace and gardens, which are closed in winter. You’ll have time for lunch before we continue to Verona.

Enjoy time this morning to explore Verona – the city of Romeo and Juliet – before we set off for Venice, arriving at around 1.00 pm. We include a boat ride to St Mark’s Square and a guided walking tour of the city, along with a visit to see Murano glasswork. Afterwards, you’ll have free time – you might choose a gondola ride or simply explore at your own pace. Overnight in the Mestre district.

We travel to Padua to visit the Saint’s Basilica, a major pilgrimage site. Continuing along the Adriatic coast, we reach San Marino – an independent country set on a fortified mountain – where you have time for lunch. After lunch, we cross the Apennines and pause in Gubbio, a beautifully preserved medieval town known for the Palazzo dei Consoli and its 12th–century cathedral. We then continue to Perugia.

This morning we take a panoramic tour of Perugia with a local guide, ascending the moving walkways across the rocky outcrop to explore its atmospheric medieval underground city before strolling the stone‑paved streets and squares – Perugia is also known for its chocolate. We then continue to Assisi, where you have time for lunch, and we visit the Basilica of St Francis. In the afternoon we travel south – we may make a brief stop in Rome to drop off passengers – arriving in Naples in the evening.

After breakfast, we head to the port of Naples to board the ferry to Capri – on arrival, you can take the funicular up to Capri Town to stroll and take in the views. After lunch, we reboard the boat and continue to Sorrento, a coastal town set below the cliffs – you’ll have free time to wander at your own pace. We then travel along the Gulf of Salerno to stay in Salerno.

We travel south through Cilento National Park, taking in classic southern Italian landscapes en route to Paola on the Tyrrhenian coast. Here we visit the Sanctuary of St Francis of Paola, then you have free time for lunch in the historic centre. We continue to Villa San Giovanni to board the ferry for a short crossing to Sicily. On arrival in Messina, you have time to wander by the cathedral before we carry on to Taormina. Dinner is included. Accommodation is normally in the Taormina area – on some dates it may be in Messina.

At the foot of Mount Etna, Taormina awaits – described by Churchill as the most beautiful place on earth. Early this morning we head to Giardini Naxos, the first Greek settlement in Sicily (founded in 734 BC), to take in its seafront promenade and popular beaches. Afterwards, you can wander Taormina’s lively old town – home to the Greek Theatre with unforgettable views. After lunch we continue to Villa Romana del Casale – entrance and guided visit included – a UNESCO World Heritage Site where mosaics from the 4th century decorate almost every room and the villa’s architecture from that era is preserved, with these mosaics considered the most beautiful in the Roman world. We then cross the mountainous heart of the island to Palermo, arriving by the end of the day. Dinner included.

Today we join a guided tour of Palermo with a local expert. We visit the cathedral – noted for its blend of styles and royal tombs – with admission included, and see the Palazzo dei Normanni, the former royal palace, as well as the city’s fountains, markets and gardens. We then continue to Monreale to visit its cathedral – admission included – a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its golden mosaics that cover the interior. The afternoon is yours to spend at leisure. Note: For smaller groups, this programme may operate as a regular excursion run by local companies rather than a private tour.

After breakfast, we conclude our journey in Palermo – we hope you leave with lasting memories.