Tour Description

Experience the very best of Italy with your Small Group - from ancient ruins to Renaissance masterpieces and sun-soaked coastlines. You’ll enjoy fast-tracked entry to the Vatican, walk through time in Pompeii, and savour a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® experience of a farm-to-table lunch on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius. In Florence, admire Michelangelo’s David with a Local Expert or enjoy a relaxed Italian treat. Sail to the glamorous Isle of Capri, cruise Venice’s canals by gondola and even witness artisan glassblowers preserve centuries of tradition. Your tour ends with an evening of local food and wine as the warm tremolo of Italy’s best-loved songs fill the air.

Priced From:

$ 11895pp ^*

From: 2027-04-15

To: 2027-10-28

Start Location: Rome, Italy

End Location: Rome, Italy

Trip Type: Small Group

Tour Advisors

Beccy Hayes

Travel Specialist

Tiffany McCrea-Lennon

Managing Director

Russell Mein

Travel Specialist

Caitlin Lennon

Travel Coordinator

Gaylyn Murdoch

Administration Manager

Holly Skene

Travel Co-ordinator

Kim Thomas

Broker

Itinerary

Welcome to the Eternal City of Rome

Day 1

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram

Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Get to know your Travel Director and small group over dinner of Roman specialities during dinner at a local restaurant.

Vatican City and Rome with a Local

Day 2

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram

Step into the Eternal City with a Local Expert who will guide you through the Vatican museums, moving through galleries filled with centuries of craft. You’ll visit the Sistine Chapel, where Popes are elected, to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling, and see the beautiful exterior of St. Peter's Basilica. Next, cross the Tiber River and continue through Rome’s archaeological heart where you'll hear about the legends of the Circus Maximus and Arch of Constantine, then visit the Colosseum with your Local Specialist. The afternoon and evening remain open to wander Rome’s bustling squares and quiet corners at your own pace.

The Chianti Hills to Florence

Day 3

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Starhotels Tuscany, Columbus Urban Resort, Florence

Travel north through the Tuscan countryside, where the lush Chianti Hills rise gently on either side of the road. You’ll pass by vineyards, stone farmhouses and rows of cypress trees before arriving in Florence, the Renaissance city. This evening, gather with your fellow travellers at a local restaurant for a dinner full of Florentine flavours as the city’s warm light fades.

Florence, Birthplace of the Renaissance

Day 4

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Starhotels Tuscany, Columbus Urban Resort, Florence

Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. After, continue on foot to admire the multicoloured 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 enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe.

Pisa to Venice, the Queen of the Adriatic

Day 5

Duration: 1

Accommodation: NH Venezia Santa Lucia, Venice, Avani Rio Novo Venice

Journey to the coastal town of Pisa and see the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles, as well as the baptistery behind the cathedral. Relax and enjoy the scenery as you cross the spectacular Apennine Mountains, passing through the Emilia-Romagna region, one of Europe's most intensely farmed and fertile plains. Continue through the marshes of the Venetian Lagoon before crossing the causeway into the enchanting floating city of Venice. As evening falls, day-trippers leave the city to return to the mainland, allowing you to appreciate the peace and tranquillity of Venice from your centrally located hotel. Tonight, indulge in a delicious dinner, savouring the unique flavours of Venetian cuisine.

Venice and the Magic of La Serenissima

Day 6

Duration: 1

Accommodation: NH Venezia Santa Lucia, Venice, Avani Rio Novo Venice

Glide through Venice by private boat, passing centuries-old churches and palaces that showcase the city's rich architectural legacy. Arrive near St. Mark's Square and admire the exterior splendour of St. Mark's Basilica, the Doge's Palace and the Bridge of Sighs — once the path of Casanova's daring escape from the city's most secure prison. Then, enjoy a romantic gondola ride through the canals. Later, you'll visit a Venetian glassblowing workshop. See how beautiful, handcrafted glass is made by expert artisans, preserving time-honoured techniques and traditions.

Venice to Assisi

Day 7

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Giotto, Assisi

Today, you’ll leave the lagoon behind and travel through the Veneto and into the green folds of Umbria. The road rises toward the peaceful town of Assisi, nestled on the slopes of Mount Subasio and renowned for its medieval churches, vibrant frescoes and sun-dappled courtyards. In the valley, see the Church of St. Mary of the Angels, revered as the place of St. Francis’ passing. Then meet your Local Expert at the upper town and step inside the monumental Basilica of St. Francis - a 13th-century marvel whose frescoes by Giotto marked a turning point in European art. Afterwards, enjoy free time to stroll along Via San Francesco, lined with quaint stone buildings offering artisan foods, devotional keepsakes and locally crafted wares.

Sorrento on the coast

Day 8

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Isabella, Sorrento

Travel south, passing Cassino, the site of a pivotal World War II battle, before continuing towards Mount Vesuvius. At Casa Barone, join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience on a family-run farm where rare Piennolo tomatoes are cultivated in the volcano’s mineral-rich soil. Discover why this variety has been grown around Vesuvius for generations before sitting down to a Farm-to-Table lunch featuring produce from the surrounding land. Continue along the coast towards Sorrento, with views across the Bay of Naples, before settling into your hotel for an afternoon at leisure.

Capri, the Isle of Dreams

Day 9

Duration: 1

Accommodation: Isabella, Sorrento

Cross the Bay of Naples to the stunning Isle of Capri, a dramatic rock rising from the Mediterranean. For over 2,000 years, Capri has drawn visitors from Emperor Tiberius to Gracie Fields. Arrive by boat at Marina Grande, then ascend to Capri town, where a Local Expert will guide you through its charming alleyways. Browse elegant boutiques and take in sweeping views over the Tyrrhenian Sea before descending by funicular railway and returning to Sorrento. The rest of the day is yours — perhaps explore the pastel-hued beauty of Positano along the Amalfi Coast.

Pompeii and Rome

Day 10

Duration: 1

Accommodation: NH Roma Centro, Rome

Continue to Pompeii, preserved beneath volcanic ash following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in A.D. 79. With your Local Expert, walk streets once lined with villas, shops and public buildings, revealing details of Roman life that survived for almost 2,000 years. See the Forum, once the civic and commercial centre of the city, before travelling north to Rome. This evening, dine at a Roman restaurant as a private performance brings some of Italy’s best-known opera music to the table.

Arrivederci Roma

Day 11

Duration: 1

Bid farewell to the glories of Italy, savouring the memories of its enchanting cities, historic landmarks and stunning landscapes. Italy's unique allure will linger in your heart long after you leave.

Dates & prices

Start Date: 2027-04-15

End Date: 2027-04-25

twin

Child Price: 11020

Adult Price: 12250

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14110

Start Date: 2027-04-29

End Date: 2027-05-09

twin

Child Price: 11245

Adult Price: 12475

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14495

Start Date: 2027-05-13

End Date: 2027-05-23

twin

Child Price: 12800

Adult Price: 14030

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 16050

Start Date: 2027-05-27

End Date: 2027-06-06

twin

Child Price: 11565

Adult Price: 12795

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14690

Start Date: 2027-06-10

End Date: 2027-06-20

twin

Child Price: 11065

Adult Price: 12295

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14195

Start Date: 2027-06-24

End Date: 2027-07-04

twin

Child Price: 11020

Adult Price: 12250

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14110

Start Date: 2027-07-08

End Date: 2027-07-18

twin

Child Price: 10945

Adult Price: 12175

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 13945

Start Date: 2027-07-22

End Date: 2027-08-01

twin

Child Price: 10945

Adult Price: 12175

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 13945

Start Date: 2027-08-05

End Date: 2027-08-15

twin

Child Price: 10845

Adult Price: 12075

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 13795

Start Date: 2027-08-19

End Date: 2027-08-29

twin

Child Price: 10845

Adult Price: 12075

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 13795

Start Date: 2027-09-02

End Date: 2027-09-12

twin

Child Price: 11190

Adult Price: 12420

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14320

Start Date: 2027-09-16

End Date: 2027-09-26

twin

Child Price: 13045

Adult Price: 14275

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 16175

Start Date: 2027-09-30

End Date: 2027-10-10

twin

Child Price: 11190

Adult Price: 12420

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14320

Start Date: 2027-10-14

End Date: 2027-10-24

twin

Child Price: 11145

Adult Price: 12375

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 14275

Start Date: 2027-10-28

End Date: 2027-11-07

twin

Child Price: 10665

Adult Price: 11895

single

Child Price:

Adult Price: 13755

Best of Italy – Small Group

Tour Advisors

Itinerary

Dates & prices