Land Offer

10-Nights Best of Italy - Small Group, Winter

Insight Vacations

Deluxe

Vacation Offer ID 1470276

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From $4,075

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Overview

Insight Vacations

Best Of Italy - Small Group, Winter
Explore the best of Italy on this 11-day guided tour. In Rome, enjoy a VIP Vatican tour that includes access to the Bramante Staircase - a spiraling Renaissance masterpiece normally off-limits to visitors. As your travels continue along the Bay of Naples, stop on the slopes of Mount Vesuvius for lunch at a local farm still growing traditional produce unique to the region. In Florence, learn the secrets of leather making from a local leatherworker. Fall in love with Venice as you see churches and palaces from a private boat, and cruise its canals on a romantic gondola ride. Sail to Capri, where craggy mountains cascade into the Tyrrhenian Sea; a Local Expert will help you navigate its narrow alleys. But before you say arrivederci to Italy, enjoy one last experience: a private opera during a four-course meal that features local wine.

Dining Summary

5 Dinner with Wine (DW)
10 Breakfast (B)
1 Lunch with Wine (LW)

Choice Highlights

Choose between two carefully selected activities
Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café.

Additional Included Highlights

: Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
: Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
: We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
: From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
: Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
: If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

Rome: Enjoy a Welcome Dinner with your fellow travelers at a uniquely Roman local restaurant.
Rome: Enjoy a Celebration Dinner of delicious Italian cuisine and wine, accompanied by the rich tremolo of some of Italy's best loved songs.

Insight Experiences

Vatican: Gain Fast Track access into the Vatican Museums and admire the famous Bramante Staircase. Witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and view the splendid dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Make Travel Matter

Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. The workshop advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Vesuvius National Park: Visit Casa Barone, a small family-run farm on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius and one of the world’s only producers of Piennolo tomatoes. Learn about their commitment to sustainability and taste the flavors of this special tomato during your Farm-to-Table lunch. Casa Barone cultivates the endangered endemic food species of Piennolo tomato as well as other traditional elements of the classic Vesuvian Countryside, using cultivation methods with low environmental impact. Through their production the farm prevents the local biodiversity from disappearing. This experience advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 15: Life on Land.

Top Rated Highlights

Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a passionate local. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, and stand beside the Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.
Florence: See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café.
Florence: Enjoy a stroll through Renaissance Florence and admire the medieval buildings that gave birth to this new style of architecture.
Pisa: During your orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurches behind the 11th century cathedral - the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
Venice: With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
Venice: Delight in the magic of this charming city as you are serenaded, traveling through the atmospheric canals by gondola.
Assisi: See St. Mary of the Angels Church and join your Local Expert to walk through the cobbled streets and beautifully preserved medieval laneways of this quaint town.
Assisi: With a Local Expert, find out why the Basilica of St. Francis is considered one of the crowning achievements of Europe.
Capri: Cruise by jetfoil to this famous isle through beautiful blue Mediterranean waters to meet your Local Expert.
Capri: Explore Capri town with your Local Expert and see the whitewashed houses, winding alleyways, small cafes, fashionable boutiques and artisans studios.
Capri: Relax and enjoy the views as you are driven in an iconic open-top taxi.

Pompeii: Walk with a Local Expert through the cobbled streets of this ill-fat...

Featured Destinations

Rome

Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one  of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded  in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always  been and remains the Eternal City. Rome enjoyed its greatest splendor during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art  flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman  legions swept outward, conquering all of Italy. These victorious armies then  swept across the Mediterranean and beyond to conquer most of the known world.  With Rome's establishment as capital of the western world, a new ascent to glory  began. Today's Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious  parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafes and elegant shops, is  one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous  monuments is the Colosseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine  the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combats between  muscled gladiators and ferocious animals. Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city's political and commercial  center. In later times, Rome's squares were enhanced with such imposing structures  as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di  Trevi. Join the millions who stand in awe of Christendom’s most magnificent  church and admire the timeless masterpieces of Michelangelo's frescoes in the  Sistine Chapel. Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Grasp all you can during the short,  precious time you have available in the Eternal City. With so much to see and  do, a day or two will only allow you a sampling of the city's marvelous treasures. Caution: As in many big cities and tourist destinations purse snatching  and pickpocketing is common. Valuable jewelry and excess cash are best left  in a safety deposit box in your hotel. Shopping For most visitors shopping for beautiful Italian leather articles,  designer shoes, fashions for men and women, linens, knitwear, silk scarves and  ties is a favorite pastime. Except for tourist-oriented shops, the majority  of stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the department stores, such as Rinascente,  open in the late afternoon on Sundays. Cuisine Rome's choice of restaurants is mindboggling as is the variety  of cuisine. Whether your meal is at a top-rated restaurant or a rustic trattoria,  you can be sure that you will enjoy your food, especially when accompanied by  wines from the hill towns surrounding Rome. Other Sights Rome's attractions are endless, and depending on how much  time you have at your disposal a careful selection has to be made about what  to see. Be aware of horrendous traffic conditions and major construction work  all around the city in preparation of Jubilee 2000, the Holy Year. Some of the  sights not to be missed: Piazza Venezia - This busy square is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio  Emanuele II Monument. The white marble structure was inaugurated in 1911 as  a symbol of Italy’s unification. The Forum - Once the civic heart of ancient Rome, today the remains include  a series of ruins, marble fragments, isolated columns and some worn arches. Colosseum - No visit to Rome is complete without a stop at this awe-inspiring  theater, which is among the world’s most celebrated buildings. Here ancient  Rome flocked to see gladiatorial contests and numerous other spectacles. Trevi Fountain - Take a stroll to Rome's famous fountain. A spectacular fantasy  of mythical sea creatures and cascades of splashing water, the fountain is one  of the city's foremost attractions. Legend has it that visitors must toss a  coin into the fountain to ensure their return to Rome. St. Peter's Square - Part of Vatican City, this square created by Bernini  is considered one of the loveliest squares in the world. Twin Doric colonnades  topped with statues of various saints and martyrs flank either side of the square.  In the center stands an 84-foot obelisk, brought from Egypt in 37 A.D. St. Peter's Basilica - At the head of the square stands Christendom's most  magnificent church, which was begun in 1452 on the site where St. Peter was  buried. Throughout the following 200 years, such Renaissance masters as Bramante,  Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini worked on its design and created an unparalleled  masterpiece. Of special note are Michelangelo's Pieta and the bronze canopy  over the high altar by Bernini. The immense dome was designed by Michelangelo. Vatican Museum - To see this museum's immense collection would take days.  As you enter, there are special posters that plot a choice of four color-coded  itineraries. They are repeated throughout the museum and are easy to follow.  It is a good idea to pickup a leaflet at the main entrance and concentrate on  exhibits of major interest. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must. Most likely  you may have to wait in line to enter.

Destination Guide

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Prices are per person, based on double occupancy, and subject to availability and change without notice. Prices reflect land only accommodations, airfare is additional. Blackout dates/seasonal supplements may apply. Itinerary and map subject to change. Tour prices and dates are correct at the time of the website going live, however are subject to confirmation at the time of booking. Prices displayed reflect available discounted rates such Early Payment Discount or Red Hot Deal (discounts are not combinable). Discounts may be withdrawn at anytime, book early to confirm space.

Information and pricing is subject to change without notice. While we do our very best to ensure that information and pricing appearing in this website is complete and accurate, we cannot be responsible for incomplete and inaccurate representations, which may or may not be under our control. In the event of a pricing error, misrepresentation or omission, we reserve the right to adjust the pricing or make any other corrections.

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Insight Vacations

Featured Destinations

Rome

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