Fantasia All Italy

Departing at 7:15am by a deluxe coach, you will arrive in Assisi, where you can explore this tiny town, surrounded by walls built in the middle ages, at your own leisure. Make time to visit the basilica of St. Francis, where you will see masterpieces by Giotto and Ciambue, and to have lunch (not included). Board the bus for Siena, a medieval town surrounded by ancient walls that is known for the Palio, an annual summertime horse race around the shell-shaped town square, Piazza del Campo. Next, you will continue on to Florence, where you will check in to your hotel before enjoying dinner and a well-earned night of rest.

After breakfast, you will spend the day venturing around beautiful Florence, the “cradle of renaissance, where, with the help of Michelangelo, italian art reached its pinnacle. Based on etruscan-roman origins, the city flourished in the middle ages as a free “comune” and was further refined by the renaissance. You will be fascinated by its numerous monuments, churches, and buildings, as Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly referred to as the Duomo. On your visit, you will be amazed by its magnificent dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi. Cross a small piazza to see the campanile tower (partly designed by Giotto) and the baptistery, with its bronze doors that Michelangelo dubbed the “gates of paradise.” In the heart of the city, you will see Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio), and the basilica of Santa Croce. Lunch in a typical Tuscany restaurant in Santa Croce square. Spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional), one of the four main historical marine republics of Italy. There, you will tour the square of miracles, which houses the Duomo, the leaning tower, and the baptistery. Overnight stay.

Depart for Bologna after breakfast in Florence. There, you will wander through the city’s 38 kilometers worth of elegant arcades (or porticos), for which Bologna is famous. From Piazza Malpighi, we will walk to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore (Neptune square and Major square) in the heart of the city, where you will find Neptune fountain; King Renzo Palace; Podestà Palace; and the basilica of San Petronio, one of the biggest in the world. In the afternoon, continue toward Padova, with its original Sant’Antonio basilica. Later, you will arrive in Venice, world-renowned for its classic gondola boats and its elegant, refined art. Check in to your hotel and enjoy your first venetian dinner and overnight stay.

Hit the water after breakfast as you board a private water bus to enjoy St. Mark’s square, interior visit of the splendid cathedral, the Dogi palace, a symbol of the glory and authority of Venice as it housed the seat of the government and the court of justice. Nearby you will see the legendary bridge of sight. Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel for dinner and relaxation.

Once you eat breakfast, depart from Piazzale Roma to Tuscany, known for its romantic churches and castles and its infamous wines. You will proceed to val di chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a medieval town rich with history and art. Known for its “nobile” wine, which can be pur- chased in wine houses in town, Montepulciano is also the host of an annual jazz and wine festival every July. Spend the afternoon getting to know Montepulciano at your own pace. Free wine tasting in many shops and free time for shopping. That evening, you will check in to your new hotel in Rome.

Between 7:45 – 8:00 am, after breakfast depart from the hotel and Take the tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peters’s Basilica and jump the queue! No stress to reach the area: upon arrival, your guide will lead you into the museums where you’ll visit one of the most important art collection of the world. Admire the beautiful spiral stairway, the gallery of tapestries and geographical maps, before arriving at the famous Sistine Chapel. The tour includes the visit of St. Peters’s Basilica. Explore the rest of the city at your own leisure until you decide that you can’t do any more walking. Return to the hotel to give your feet some rest.

Be sure to eat breakfast at your hotel before spending the day exploring Rome on your own or during an independent day excursion. Return to the hotel for your last overnight in Rome.

After breakfast at your hotel, a coach bus will depart at 7:00am, taking the highway “of the sun”through the regions of Lazio and Campania, where you will see a picturesque view of the abbey of Montecassino. Upon arriving in Naples, you will go on a short panoramic walking tour, seeing si- tes such as the Mergellina neighborhood, castel dell’ovo, Plebiscito square, the Royal palace, Maschio Angioino, and the port. Have lunch in a restaurant en route to Pompeii and then visit the excavations of the famous roman city, des- troyed by the eruption of mount Vesuvius in 79 a.D. Leaving Pompeii, you will drive along the Sorrentine coast, arriving in Sorrento for dinner and an overnight in your new hotel.

Board a boat for the island of Capri after breakfast. Depending on weather and sea conditions, you will enter the infamous blue grotta in a small rowboat. After, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then roam the island at your own pace. Return to the mainland for dinner and your last overnight in Sorrento.

Spend a leisurely morning eating breakfast at your hotel and then exploring Sorrento. That afternoon, depart for Naples harbor, where you will board the Tirrenia/Snav ferry to Palermo. Let the waves rock you to sleep. Please note, dinner and breakfast are not included on the boat.

Arrive in Palermo and make your own way to your hotel. That night, have dinner in the hotel and rest up for the adventure that lies ahead.

Relax over breakfast, and then head out on a morning excursion to Monreale an ancient royal town famous for its almonds, olive oil and citrus fruits, as well as its fine Norman architecture. Visit the elaborate Cathedral of Monreale or perhaps shop for local produce to take home. Back to Palermo and continue with a walking tour of the city. Wander the streets of the Old Town, hearing tales of Palermo’s 3,000-year history and discovering attractions like Palermo Cathedral. Walk inside the impressive looking place of worship and marvel at its arches, cupolas and mosaics – amassed from each of the city’s successive rulers. Enjoy free time in the late afternoon and return to your hotel for dinner. Overnight.

Rise early for breakfast and departure to Erice, a medieval village stacked into the side of Monte San Giuliano. Many say that little has changed in the village since the sixth century, and its labyrinth-like twist of lanes make for a pleasant morning amble. Continue to Marsala, a pretty coastal town on the westernmost point of Sicily. Explore at leisure, perhaps shopping for a bottle of local Marsala dessert wine to take home. Return to your coach and travel south, passing Mazara del Vallo – the closest Sicilian city to Africa – before stopping in the town of Agrigento, your final destination of the day. Visit Ancient Greek monuments and ruins at the Valley of Temples(admission included), a UNESCO World Heritage site, and learn about archeological relics like the Classical Temple of Concord the Temple of Hercules, and the Temple of Jupiter, one of the largest Doric-style buildings. Check in to your hotel in the evening. Dinner and overnight.

Breakfast at the hotel and travel to Noto, a picturesque fishing town that’s popular for its stately Baroque architecture. Visit Cathedral of San Nicolò, a recently renovated structure, and then stretch your legs on a walk around the center. Continue along the south coast to Syracuse, on Sicily’s southeastern tip. Visit Parco Archeologico della Neapolis, Syracuse’s famous archeological zone that’s home to a vast collection of Greek and Roman ruins from all over Sicily. Head inside to see impressive excavations such as the Greek theater, Roman amphitheater and the Ear of Dionysius – an artificial limestone cave. After the visit, cross one of the city’s bridges for a visit to the island of Ortygia, home to a wealth of Baroque churches and medieval palaces. In the late afternoon arrive in Taormina, check in to your hotel and enjoy dinner.

Breakfast at your hotel and then head off to Mount Etna, the largest active volcano in Europe and the highest mountain in Italy. Learn about volcanic activity and marvel at the old lava fields and black magma rock that comprises Etna’s landscape. If weather permits, you have a chance to climb to the summit (1800 m). After, return to Taormina, the beautiful and romantic town located on Mount Tauro. Relax over dinner and then get some well-deserved rest. Return to Taormina in the afternoon and spend the rest of your day at leisure. Dinner and overnight.

After breakfast travel to Savoca and Forza D’Agrò a pretty hillside villages where Francis Ford Coppola filmed some of the immortal scenes of Godfather’s trilogy. A visit for lovers of this movie but also even if you aren’t a fan, this stop is a fascinating way to visit these unspoiled and typical Sicilian hill towns a real insight into the island and the heart of its people. A stop for a lemon granita at Bar Vitelli is a must for any visitor in town. It is still run by the family who owned it at the time of filming and exhibits a collection of photos taken when Francis Ford Coppola shot some scenes of The Godfather II. We also leave you time to explore further and really soak up the atmosphere of this hidden, not-for-tourists Sicilian hilltown. Everything here is just like in the movie. After the visit depart to Catania. Afternoon free time to explore Catania’s UNESCO-listed historical center with his Baroque palaces and Roman ruins. See Piazza Dante and the Fountain of the Elephant, carved from volcanic rock. Dinner at the hotel and overnight.

Enjoy one final breakfast before the tour comes to an end.