9-day Venice, Florence and Rome Small-Group Tour from Venice

Day 1 Arrival in Venice

1. 1

   Venice

   1 hour

   Welcome to Venice - one of the most charming cities of Italy. Upon arrival you meet your driver at the airport arrival hall. Private vehicle and water-taxi transfer to the hotel for the check-in.
   The rest of the day is at your own leisure to relax after the trip.

Day 2 Sightseeing in Venice

1. 1

   Ponte di Rialto

   2 hours

   After breakfast at the hotel, meet your guide in the lobby and enjoy a wonderful walking city tour of all the must-see places of Venice.
   We’ve carefully chosen the stops on this tour to give you a real insight into the city. You see the Rialto Bridge (and Rialto fish market), walk past the quiet streets, peaceful canals and go beyond the areas that visitors usually see. This is where Venice is hiding its best architecture and secret stories – and that’s what we’re out to explore.

2. 2

   Saint Mark's Basilica

   2 hours Admission ticket included

   Discover are the iconic St. Mark's Basilica, where you see the astonishing Pala D'Oro altar. You go up to Loggia dei Cavalli to enjoy the best panoramic views of St. Mark's Square.

Day 3 Free Day in Venice & Train to Florence

1. 1

   Florence

   2 hours

   In the afternoon you meet your private driver for a transfer to the railway station. In about 2 hours you reach your next destination, Florence. Upon arrival, you are met by your private driver at the train station, who transfers you to the hotel for the check-in. The rest of the evening is free for you to relax.

Day 4 Florence Sightseeing & Wine Tasting

1. 1

   Duomo

   1 hour 30 min

   After breakfast in your hotel, meet with your private guide and go on a comprehensive walking tour of Florence's highlights.
   Today's program includes exploration of the Piazza del Duomo with a visit to the Baptistery dedicated to St. John the Baptist.
   Your ticket to the Grande Museo del Duomo allows you to visit the other magnificent monuments of Piazza del Duomo in your free time within 72 hours: the Cathedral itself, the famous Dome, the Bell Tower, and the Cathedral Museum with works by Michelangelo and Donatello.

2. 2

   Piazza della Signoria

   1 hour

   As you proceed to the main square of the city - Piazza della Signoria - you pass through the heart of the historical center with its landmark sites like Piazza della Repubblica and the Strozzi Palace. Stroll down via Tornabuoni, one of the most beautiful streets of the city, famous for its fine shops.

3. 3

   Galleria dell'Accademia

   1 hour 30 min Admission ticket included

   During the tour, we also visit the Galleria dell'Accademia to see Michelangelo's famous colossal statue of David, a must-see in Florence.
   We will also cross over the Arno River on the Ponte Vecchio to enter the Oltrarno district where you see numerous local craftsmen shops and the beautiful Santo Spirito Church and Convent, built for the Augustinians. In this very part of the city, you can find an early work of Michelangelo dating back to when he was just 17 years old.

Day 5 Day at Leisure in Florence

1. 1

   Florence

   1 hour 30 min

   Today is a free day for you to enjoy and explore Florence. We recommend visiting a Market Centrale to have a taste of local foods.

Day 6 High Speed Train & Highlights of Rome

1. 1

   Fontana di Trevi

   4 hours Admission ticket included

   Following breakfast in your Florence hotel, you check out and meet your driver for a transfer to the railway station. An hour and a half later you arrive in Rome. Your driver meets you and takes you to your downtown hotel where you meet with your guide and embark on a tour to discover the famous ancient treasures of the Eternal City.

   You see the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the famous Fountain of the Four Rivers, as well as witness the masterpieces by Bernini, Borromini, and many others.
   

After the tour, your guide takes you back to the hotel and you have the evening at leisure.

2. 2

   Pantheon

   30 min Admission ticket included

   The Pantheon in Rome is a true architectural wonder, explore it with your local guide.

3. 3

   Spanish Steps

   30 min

   The Spanish Steps are a set of steps dating from 1723, climbing a steep slope between the Piazza di Spagna at the base and Piazza Trinita dei Monti.

Day 7 Discovering Ancient Rome

1. 1

   Foro Romano

   2 hours Admission ticket included

   In the morning after breakfast, you meet your guide to discover the famous ancient treasures of the Eternal City on a walking tour. Your first stop today is the iconic Roman Forum, situated on low ground between the Palatine and Capitoline hills. Dating back to the 3rd century A.D., the landmark served as the key political and ritual center of ancient Rome.
   Today you can see columns and remains of ancient temples, arches, and buildings, such as the Temple of Caesar and the Arch of Septimius Severus, as well as the adjacent Palatine Hill, which was the site of the city’s first settlements.

2. 2

   Colosseum

   1 hour 30 min Admission ticket included

   The next place you discover today is Rome's hallmark site - the Colosseum. Originally known by the name of Flavius amphitheater, it was the biggest and most imposing building of its kind in the Roman world, designed as an arena for the fights of Roman gladiators and could hold up to 70 thousand spectators.

Day 8 Vatican Sightseeing

1. 1

   Vatican Museums

   2 hours Admission ticket included

   In the morning after breakfast, you meet your guide and walk to a walled enclave and the world’s smallest independent state - Vatican*. When inside the Vatican, you visit private apartments of Julius II, Pinecone Courtyard, Gallery of the Maps, Gallery of the Tapestries and Gallery of Candelabra.

   Next, you proceed to the Sistine Chapel, where you have enough time to admire Michelangelo's famous frescoes and learn about the intense relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo that drove the artist to create the greatest work of art the world has ever known.

   The ending point of your tour is in St. Peter’s Square, where you can admire Michelangelo's Dome and the gorgeous colonnades designed by Bernini. 

   After the tour of the Vatican, you enjoy a leisurely walk to the hotel with your guide and have a photo stop at the legendary Castel Sant'Angelo, built originally as a mausoleum, and then used by the popes as a fortress, refuge and a prison.

2. 2

   Sistine Chapel

   1 hour Admission ticket included

   Next, you proceed to the Sistine Chapel, where you have enough time to admire Michelangelo's famous frescoes and learn about the intense relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo that drove the artist to create the greatest work of art the world has ever known.


3. 3

   St. Peter's Basilica

   1 hour Admission ticket included

   After a coffee break, your tour continues in the vast open spaces of St. Peter’s Basilica where you see a stunning Pieta - a world-famous work of Renaissance sculpture by Michelangelo, and Bernini's impressive Papal Canopy, a legacy left to the Basilica by the Barberini family.

   The ending point of your tour is in St. Peter’s Square, where you can admire Michelangelo's Dome and the gorgeous colonnades designed by Bernini. 


Day 9 Departure from Rome

1. 1

   Rome

   1 hour

   This is the last day of your amazing tour to Italy! After breakfast your driver meets you at the hotel lobby and takes you to the airport for your flight back home. We wish you a safe flight and hope to work on your future vacations!