The Ultimate Grand Tour of Italy (26 Days)

Private 26-day luxury tour of all Italy, departing whenever you like, with visits to Agrigento, Amalfi Coast, Armerina, Assisi, Capri, Catania, Erice, Florence, Lucca, Naples, Orvieto, Palermo, Perugia, Piazza, Pisa, Pompeii, Reggio Calabria, Rome, San Gimignano, Siena, Sorrento, Syracuse, Taormina, Tivoli, Torgiano, Vatican City, Venice, Verona & Villa d’Este.

This private tour is yours to enjoy as you wish, beginning on any date you wish. The itinerary given below is a proposed program. You may add or omit stops, or spend more or less time, according to your personal preference. We will make all the arrangements for you accordingly. Compare with the 10-day edition or the two weeks version.

Day 1 – Welcome to VENICE! Daily Arrival!
Our representative meets you at Venice Airport and assists with the transfer to your hotel by private boat. Welcome to Venice, your base for three nights. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you wish, wandering the serpentine paths, bridges and canals of this magical city.

Day 2 – VENICE and its ISLANDS
After breakfast, your local English-speaking guide meets you at your hotel and takes you on a tour of St. Mark’s Square, once called the “gathering place of Europe.” You enter and tour its two outstanding landmarks: St Mark’s Basilica, a triumph of Byzantine-style architecture nicknamed the “church of gold,” and the Palace of the Doges, with it famous arcades.

Time for lunch. What will it be? Whatever you wish! Your guide can suggest good restaurants in a variety of styles, or you can sit down in any place that catches your fancy.

In the afternoon, your boat takes you on a private tour of the islands of the Venice lagoon, including Murano, famous for its glass-blowing artistry and Burano, known for the making of fine, delicate lace. After your visit to the islands, your boat returns you to your hotel through the canals of Venice, with the evening free to enjoy as you wish.

Day 3 – VERONA
Our representative meets you at your hotel after breakfast and assists in your transfer by private boat to Venice’s Piazzale Roma, where your private air-conditioned vehicle awaits you. Your English-speaking driver takes you through the Italian countryside to Verona.

Arriving in the fabled city of Romeo and Juliet, you meet your English-speaking guide, who shows you Verona’s extremely well-preserved Roman amphitheater; the Arena, still used for performances of opera; Piazza dei Signori, the medieval square; Piazza delle Erbe, the center of Veronese life in Roman times, and the city’s oldest square; and the famous Giulietta balcony, straight out of Romeo and Juliet’s love scene.

Sample the cuisine of Verona as you wish at lunch, choosing a restaurant with the help of your knowledgeable local guide. In late afternoon, you return to Venice and your hotel, with the evening at leisure.

Day 4 – Introduction to FLORENCE
Our representative meets you at your hotel after breakfast and assists with your transfer by private boat to Piazzale Roma and Venice Railway Station, where you board a high-speed train, take your seats in First Class, and enjoy the ever-changing panorama of the Italian countryside as the train takes you to Firenze (Florence), a trip of about two hours. At the Firenze railway station, you rendezvous with our representative who assists with your transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel, your home for the next four nights.

Lunch is as you wish, as usual. Dine at your hotel, or ask the concierge for suggestions of a good place nearby.

In the afternoon, your local guide meets you at your hotel and takes you on a half-day tour of Florence. You visit the Academia Museum, with its sublime statue of David by Michelangelo; admire the magnificent façade of the Duomo, Florence’s cathedral, and the famous bronze doors of the Battistero di San Giovanni (Baptistery). You continue to the Piazza della Signoria, the hub of Florence; and the best-known bridge crossing the River Arno, the much-photographed Ponte Vecchio, lined with shops as in medieval times.

The evening is yours to enjoy as you like, relaxing at your hotel or wandering the beguiling streets of Florence.

Day 5 – The ART of FLORENCE
This morning you concentrate on Florence’s claim to fame: some of the history’s greatest works of art. You visit the Uffizi Gallery, home of Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation, and then pay homage to some of Italy’s greatest artists, scientists, authors and musicians with a visit to the beautiful Basilica of Santa Croce, the burial-place of Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli and Rossini.

You’ve heard of culinary delights with “Florentine” in their name. Here’s your chance to find your own delights: wander through Florence on your own, find the restaurant of your choice, and sit down to a memorable Florentine mid-day repast, followed by an afternoon on your own, exploring or resting as you like.

Day 6 – LUCCA and PISA
After breakfast in your Florentine hotel, you drive in air-conditioned comfort to the quaint walled city of Lucca, the birthplace of Puccini, arriving mid-morning. You meet your private local English-speaking guide and proceed to the city’s historical center for your tour of Lucca’s top sights.

After lunch on your own, where you can explore the differences between Luccan and Florentine cuisine, you depart for the one-hour drive to Pisa.

In Pisa, you visit the famous Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles) dominated by the Duomo (Cathedral) (outside view); its Baptistery (outside view) and of course, the Campanile (Bell Tower) also known as the Leaning Tower of Pisa (outside view). With images of this world-famous landmark in your head—and in your camera—you return to Florence by private vehicle in time for dinner and an evening at leisure.

Day 7- SIENA and SAN GIMIGNANO
After breakfast, drive through the Italian countryside for less than two hours to Siena, one of Italy’s most beloved cities. Your local guide will show you all the points of interest in its historic center, including the plaza that is the site of Siena’s most famous event, the biennial horse race known as the Palio. Siena is famous among Italians for its cuisine. Sample it yourself today as you enjoy lunch, with restaurant suggestions from your guide.

After lunch we depart for the charming hillside town of San Gimignano, known for its medieval architecture and encircling fortress-like walls with numerous towers. After strolling along its historic streets and squares, and enjoying views of the countryside from this hillside vantage point, we return to Florence in time for dinner and an evening at leisure.

Day 8 – FLORENCE TO PERUGIA or TORGIANO VIA ASSISI
Depart for Assisi after breakfast, and after a drive of just over two hours through the countryside, meet your local guide in the center of Assisi. Take a leisurely walking tour of the town’s historic center, the “birthplace of the Franciscan order,” visiting the San Francesco Basilica (a World Heritage Site), and the massive Gothic Santa Chiara Basilica. For lunch, find any restaurant that appeals to you, assisted by restaurant suggestions from your guide.

In early afternoon, depart for Perugia (or Torgiano, if you prefer), about an hour’s drive, to enjoy its famous hilltop views, narrow winding streets, and “Baci” chocolates. Tour the historic city center, including the elegant Renaissance Palazzo Capitano del Popolo on the Piazza Matteotti, and the 14th-century Cathedral. In late afternoon, return to Florence, and your hotel, for a restful evening.

Day 9 – FLORENCE & VICINITY AS YOU WISH
After breakfast—always included at your hotel—enjoy today as you wish. Your private air-conditioned vehicle and private English-speaking chauffeur are at your disposal from 9 AM until 6 PM for any touring or shopping you wish to enjoy.

Day 10 – PERUGIA or TORGIANO TO ROME VIA ORVIETO
Meet your driver after breakfast and depart for the one-hour drive to the dramatically-situated Umbrian town of Orvieto, surrounded by sheer cliffs. Your local guide shows you the historic town center, including the Romanesque and Gothic Cathedral which holds Luca Signorelli’s frescos of the Last Judgment; the Torre del Moro, the “Tower of the Moor” (named after a figure on the building’s coat of arms) which gives sweeping views of the city; and the Piazza del Popolo, followed by some time to wander around on your own and enjoy this charming setting. After lunch on your own, as you like, you depart for the 2-1/2-hour drive to Rome, arriving in the Eternal City, and your hotel, in the late afternoon.

Day 11 – FULL DAY TOUR OF ROME – VATICAN CITY, PLAZAS & FOUNTAINS
After breakfast, your guide conducts you to the Vatican Museum, one of the greatest in the world, featuring some of the most important masterpieces of Renaissance art; the Sistine Chapel to see Michelangelo’s crowning artistic achievement, the ceiling frescoes; the massive and spectacular St. Peter’s Basilica, the holiest of Catholic sites and the greatest building of its age. After lunch on your own—lots of great restaurant choices in Rome!—your guide takes you on a tour of Rome’s Plazas & Fountains. You visit Piazza Navona, built on and following the shape of a 1st-century stadium; the famous Baroque Trevi Fountain; the Spanish Steps, the widest staircase in Europe and Rome’s most popular gathering-place; and the vast Piazza del Popolo, which was once the traveler’s first view of Rome. The evening is yours to enjoy as you wish.

Day 12 – HALF DAY TOUR OF ANCIENT ROME
Today you tour the timeless classics of ancient Rome: the Coliseum; the Roman Forum, meeting-place of ancient Rome and now a site of archeological wonder; and the Basilica of San Pietro in Vincoli (St. Peter in Chains), the home of Michelangelo’s statue of Moses.

Now that you know your way around Rome a bit, after lunch at a restaurant of your choice, on your own, the rest of the afternoon is yours for your own explorations.

Day 13 – ROME AS YOU LIKE IT
Today is yours to design as you wish. Return to a landmark for a closer look, plunge into Rome shopping, or take an excursion out of the city. Your private air-conditioned vehicle and private English speaking chauffeur are at your disposal from 9 AM until 6 PM for any touring or shopping you wish to enjoy today.

Day 14 – FULL DAY TOUR OF TIVOLI
After breakfast, drive for about an hour to Tivoli for a full-day tour. You reach Tivoli around 10 AM to visit the famous Villa Adriana, a huge archaeological complex built originally as a retreat for the Roman Emperor Hadrian.

After lunch on your own at your pleasure, you visit the magnificent Villa d’Este a stunning Renaissance palace complete with spacious gardens and numerous fountains. You return to Rome and your hotel in the late afternoon, with the rest of the day at leisure.

Day 15: VIA POMPEII TO SORRENTO
Today your driver takes you on an excursion to Pompeii, less than three hours’ drive from Rome. Your private local guide shows you the historic town, preserved as it was in 79 AD when Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried it in volcanic ash. The extensive ruins are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and give a glimpse into the life of the ancient Roman Empire.

Lunch is on your own, with your guide’s suggestions. In the early afternoon you proceed to Sorrento, about an hour’s drive, and check in at your hotel, with plenty of time to enjoy this charming Italian paradise.

Video by Simply Cande

Day 16 – CAPRI ISLAND
From Sorrento harbor, your guide escorts you by hydrofoil to the Isle of Capri, where you board a private motorboat for a cruise by the hidden caves and along the island’s rugged coastline. You cruise by the famous Faraglioni rocks and land at Marina Piccola, a small fishing village, where your private Capri taxi takes you on a panoramic ride up to Anacapri on the western side of the island.

Lunch is on your own, as you like it, with lots of choices, and recommendations from your knowledgeable local guide. After lunch, your guide escorts you to La Piazetta, Capri’s famous little square and popular gathering spot; and the beautiful Augustus gardens. You then drive back to Capri Harbor in mid-afternoon to catch the hydrofoil to Sorrento, and the ride back to your hotel. The evening is yours to enjoy as you like.

Day 17 – AMALFI COAST
Your guide meets you and you drive along the Amalfi coast for an hour to the picturesque town of Positano, where you’re free to wander the winding streets of this charming little village. From Positano you head to the beautiful seaside town of Amalfi, a short 45- to 60-minute drive.

In Amalfi you visit the marvelous 13th-century Cathedral, whose bell tower is visible from the sea, then wander the streets of this famous coastal resort. Lunch is on your own, as you choose, followed by visits to the Villa Rufolo, a 13th-century palace built on a ledge in Ravello, where Richard Wagner found the inspiration for his opera Parsifal. In late afternoon you return to Sorrento for an evening of relaxation or active fun, as you choose.

Take a Journey Along the Amalfi Coast | National Geographic

Day 18 – SORRENTO TO REGGIO CALABRIA VIA NAPOLI
Today you drive to Naples, southern Italy’s leading city, about two hours away. You meet your local guide in late morning for a tour of the city, once called the “Paris of the South.” In the afternoon, you board a high-speed train at Naples Railway Station for your First-class trip to Reggio Calabria, on the “toe” of the “boot” of Italy. When you reach Reggio in the evening, our representative will be waiting with a sign bearing your name, and will assist with the transfer by private air-conditioned vehicle to your hotel.

Day 19 – REGGIO CALABRIA TO TAORMINA
Your guide escorts you to the Archeological Museum of Reggio Calabria, after which you board a ferry for the short 30-minute voyage to Sicily.

Arriving at noon in Messina, you enjoy a brief tour of the beach-side town, then drive to Taormina, a town overlooking the Ionian sea, popular for its warm-water beaches, lively cafes and fine restaurants. After check-in at your hotel, and lunch as you choose, your local guide meets you for a walking tour of the town, including its ancient Greek theater, and notable churches and plazas. You return to your hotel before dinnertime for an evening at leisure.

Day 20 – TAORMINA – SYRACUSE – TAORMINA
With your guide, you depart for the 2,700-year-old city of Syracuse, once described by Cicero as “the greatest Greek city and the most beautiful of them all.” Visit the archeological zone, including the ancient Greek Theater, one of the largest ever built; and the huge limestone Dionisio Cave, known as the “Ear of Dionysius” because of its shape. Mid-day you head for Ortigia, the historic old town in the center of Syracuse, to visit the Cathedral, which was once a Greek temple; and the Fonte Aretusa, a freshwater spring that is supposedly the embodiment of the nymph Arethusa.

After lunch (on your own, as you wish), your guide takes you back to Taormina along the scenic route with panoramic views of Catania, one of Renaissance Italy’s most important cultural centers, at the foot of Mount Etna. Dinner and the evening are as you wish.

Day 21 – TAORMINA – HALF DAY ETNA VOLCANO TOUR (trekking dress)
Today is an exciting one, as you and your guide ascend by jeep one of the world’s most active volcanoes: Mount Etna. Your tour begins with the impressive Valley of the Ox, a massive depression left from an eruption in 6000 BC, where you see a lava cave, one of the hundreds of lava tubes on the slopes of Mount Etna.

Luncheon refreshments are available in the local refuge, as you like. After your lunch break, you continue to the marvelous Alcantara Gorge, a beautiful river gorge cut deep into narrow rock cliffs. By mid-afternoon you are on your way back to your hotel for rest and any evening activities you like.

Day 22 – TAORMINA – PIAZZA ARMERINA – AGRIGENTO
Your guide takes you on a tour of Piazza Armerina, a town famous for the Roman mosaics in its Villa Romana del Casale. After the tour, your guide takes you to a local farmhouse for Sicilian cooking lessons and lunch (included). Enjoy some leisure on the farm in this bucolic setting before departing, in late afternoon, for Agrigento, renowned as the site of the ancient Greek city of Akragas. Arriving in Agrigento, you check in at your hotel and enjoy the evening as you like.

Day 23 – AGRIGENTO – CEFALU’ – PALERMO
The Valley of Temples, an Italian national monument and one of the finest remaining examples of ancient Greek art and architecture, is first on your program today. Then you drive to the lively beach town of Cefalu’ for lunch (on your own) and, after lunch, a visit to the fortress-like Cathedral (1131) and this historic town’s winding medieval streets. In the late afternoon you’re off to Palermo, where you check in at your hotel by dinnertime.

Day 24 – PALERMO
This morning your guide takes you to see the sights of Palermo, including the Cathedral, with its numerous architectural styles and the Palatine Chapel, built in 1132 and known for its superb mosaics. Then it’s off to the quaint town of Monreale for a look around, especially at its stunning cathedral. After lunch (on your own) you head back to Palermo, with the rest of the day to spend as you like.

Day 25 – PALERMO – ERICE – PALERMO
A half-day tour of Erice, a town on top of Mount Erice, 2,400 feet above sea level, is your morning adventure. You visit the Chiesa Madre, a 15th-century church known for its Baroque alters; and the Venus Castle (outside view), built atop a Temple of Venus, before heading back to Palermo for an afternoon at leisure in that city.

Day 26 – DEPARTURE – Palermo – Sicily\
After breakfast, your English-speaking escort assists with your private transfer from your hotel to Palermo Airport for your onward or homeward flight. Bon Voyage! Compare with the two weeks version.

RATES per person in USD $
	Ultra Deluxe	Category A	Category B
Triple	$ 27,570. USD	$ 25,478. USD	$ 20,037. USD
Double	$ 28,968. USD	$ 25,988. USD	$ 20,466. USD
Single	$ 36,550. USD	$ 33,955. USD	$ 28,850. USD

Child: Younger than 12 year of age at time of travel must share with 2 adults to enjoy a 15 % discount.

Prices include:

• Locally private guided sightseeing and all ground transportation always on a private basis (deluxe private air conditioned vehicle) as indicated, private chauffeur.
• An English speaking tour escort.
• American or buffet breakfast daily, plus 1 lunch.
• Accommodation including tax, and service charges.
• All Entrance fees.
• First-class, reserved-seat train tickets as indicated.
• Ferry tickets as indicated.

Not Included:

• Personal expenses, beverages, and meals not specifically included.
• Gratuities for local personnel porterage.
• Drinks/beverages.
• Travel insurance
• International airfares from/ to home country.

 

Hotels or similar
	Ultra Deluxe	Category A	Category B
Roma Rome	ST. Regis Grand Hotel. Deluxe room The Westin Excelsior Grandluxe room Hotel Eden Deluxe Room	Intercontinental De La Ville. Deluxe room Hotel Majestic Rome Superior room	Palazzo Manfredi Galadiatori Hotel Rome. Prestige room Hotel Art By The Spanish Steps in Rome Del Borgognoni Hotel in Rome
Napoli Naples	Vesuvio Grand Hotel Naples. Room vista mare	Parker’s Grand Hotel in Naples Deluxe room vista mare	Palazzo Caracciolo Hotel in Naples. Superior room
Taormina Sicily	Atlantis Bay Hotel Classic room Hotel San Domenico DI Taormina Deluxe room with Balcony	Atlantis Bay Hotel Classic room Hotel San Domenico DI Taormina Deluxe Room	Mazzaro’ Sea Palace Hotel Classic room Timo Grand Hotel Classic room
Palermo Sicily	Villa Igiea Hilton Deluxe room	Excelsior Hilton Palermo	Excelsior Hilton Palermo
Florence Firenze	Four Seasons Hotel Firenze. Premier room	Grand Hotel Villa Medici Deluxe room The Westin Excelsior Hotel Florence. Deluxe room Lungarno Hotel Florence Classic room	Santa Maria Novella Hotel Square view Room
Venezia Venice	Hotel Danieli Venice Deluxe room (Lagoon view) Bauer IL Palazzo Hotel Venice Deluxe room with view	The Westin Europa & Regina Hotel Venice Premier deluxe room	Metropole Hotel Venice Classic room Bella Venezia Hotel Classic room Carlton on the Grand Canal Hotel Venice Classic room or Canal View room
Sorrento	Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria Sorrento. Deluxe Room. Sea view	Hilton Sorrento Sea View room	Hilton Sorrento Sea View room
Reggio Calabria	Hotel AltaFiumara Reggio Calabria	Hotel AltaFiumara Reggio Calabria	Hotel AltaFiumara Reggio Calabria
Agrigento	Villa Athena Agrigento Deluxe Room	Villa Athena Agrigento Superior Room	Villa Athena Agrigento Superior Room
Torgiano / Perugia	Hotel Brufani Palace Perugia Junior Suite	Hotel Brufani Palace Perugia Double Room	Le Tre Vaselle Hotel Torgiano. Deluxe Room
Milan Milano	Four Seasons Hotel Milan Deluxe room Bulgari Resort	Park Hyatt Milan Park room	The Westin Palace Milan Double room Manzoni Hotel Milan Deluxe room Sheraton Diana Majestic Hotel Milan. Classic room

 

Hotel Danieli Venice (5 star Deluxe Hotel)
Located in one of the most prestigious locations in Venice, just a few steps from Saint Mark’s Square, overlooking the lagoon and its myriad islands.

Florence: Grand Hotel Villa Medici (5 star Hotel)
An historical residence located in the center of Florence, walking distance from all major art sites and shopping.

Torgiano /Perugia: Hotel Brufani Palace (5 star Deluxe hotel)
Situated in the heart of Medieval Perugia in a panoramic position.

Torgiano /Perugia: Le Tre Vaselle Hotel (5 star hotel)
This 17th century building rises within the medieval wall of Torgiano, a peaceful village in the hearth of Umbrian countryside.

Rome Hotel Eden (5 star Deluxe Hotel)
Just a few steps away from the hotel you will discover such attractions as Via Veneto, the Spanish Steps and Via Condotti.

Rome Hotel Majestic (5 star Hotel)
Prestigious location in the heart of the Eternal City on Via Veneto.

Sorrento Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria (5 star Hotel)
A historic Grand Hotel with a unique location, overlooking the sea and facing Mount Vesuvius

Reggio Calabria Hotel Alta Fiumara
Historical palace located in the Scylla district, a few steps from the sea and a 2-minute walk from the town’s little harbor

Scilia / Reggio Calabria Hotel Principe Di Scilia (Historical residence)
Historical palace located in the Scylla district, a few steps from the sea and 2 minute walk from the town’s harbor

Hotel San Domenico DI Taormina (5 star Deluxe Hotel)
Centrally Located, approximately 10 minutes’ walk from the city center

Agrigento Villa Athena Hotel (5 star Hotel)
Right in the Valley of the Temples archaeological park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, Villa Athena is situated only 200 meters from the Concordia Temple, an ancient Doric masterpiece and one of the best-preserved Greek temples outside of Greece.

Palermo Villa Igiea (5 star Deluxe Hotel)
Hilton Villa Igiea is located in the Acquasanta district of Palermo, overlooking the bay and at the foot of Monte Pellegrino. The hotel is approximately 3 kilometres from Palermo’s historic city centre.