Enjoy Italy's Pearls in this 7 nights package trip.  Including Rome, Florence & Venice.


ITINERARY

Day 1 arrival in Rome
In Rome one can see many layers of history, from ancient to modern times, existing side by side. The center of the Catholic Church and the third most visited city in Europe, Rome has something for every seeker of culture and adventure. Once the center of the greatest empire on Earth, its universities, libraries, and museums are repositories of culture going back centuries. The Vatican Museums house many of the world’s great art treasures and are a favorite among art lovers worldwide. The Colosseum stands as both a great monument to the vast empire that was ancient Rome, while at the same time giving a warning to future generations about power and decadence. The city is known for its architecture, which spans centuries and offers a glimpse into the distant past as well as its influence on development through the years. Rome is one of Italy’s and the world’s great cities, a title it has held for centuries, a thought and an idea expressed in its past, and presently on display in the Eternal City.

Pick up at Rome’s airport and transfer to your centrally located hotel. Afternoon tour of central Rome. The tour includes Piazza del Popolo, which traditionally marks the northern “door to Rome” with the church Santa Maria del Popolo which was often the first church visitors to Rome would see upon entering its gates. The Spanish Steps follow, with their lively atmosphere and stunning view bring you down into the winding alleys of the heart of Rome's historic center – where you encounter the Trevi Fountain, which needs no introduction. Your path continues with a stop at Piazza Colonna which contains the column erected by Marcus Aurelius and is considered by Romans as the very center of the city of Rome. You will also stop at the Pantheon which, with its impressive concrete dome and open oculus, never fails to impress.
Nearby you explore Piazza Navona, with Bernini’s famous “Fountain of the Four Rivers” (Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi) triumphantly marking its center. Next, Campo de’ Fiori gives you a taste of one of the liveliest and famous traditional Roman piazzas.
Evening at leisure.

Day 2 Rome
Morning tour of Ancient Rome to discover the Colosseo, Palatine and Roman Forum, Piazza Venezia and the Arch of Constantine. Your Ancient Rome Colosseum tour will begin atop Colle Oppio ("Opium Hill") with a panoramic view of the Colosseum, modern Rome’s most recognizable landmark and one of Ancient Rome’s most vital social centers. From there you will descend to a special Skip the Line access to the Colosseum. Once inside, an expert guide will talk you through the bloody past of the amphitheater as you listen to tales of gladiators, mock sea-battles and executions. After a brief rest at the Arch of Constantine, you will arrive at the Palatine Hill- the most famous of the seven hills of Rome. From here you will admire the views of the Roman Forum and Nero’s Circus Maximus where chariot races were once held. Romulus and Remus were said to have been found on the Palatine Hill by the she-wolf who nursed and raised them. Legend holds that Romulus went on to found Rome. The last stop is a walk along the “Via Sacra” or “Sacred Way” which is the main path through the Roman Forum that once sparkled with festivals and triumphal processions. It ends at the Temple which houses the altar where Julius Caesar was cremated. Visitors from around the world still leave flowers and candles at this site today. This classic colosseum tour is specially designed to bring together all of the best that Ancient Rome has to offer. Your English speaking guide will bring the ruins to life for you and your group in a way that is not possible without an expert leading the way.
Afternoon & evening at leisure.  Optional evening opera or concert.

Day 3 Rome
Morning tour of the Vatican. Explore one of world’s most fascinating Meccas on the Vatican City Tour. Stroll the Vatican Museums, which house over 2000 rooms and 9 miles of the most extensive collection of art in the world. Brilliantly decorated and lined with masterpieces, the Museums brim with treasures and history. They will share the stories and secrets contained within the Museum’s walls, pleasures originally meant for the exclusive enjoyment of the Pope. Experience Michelangelo’s famous Creation of Adam with your own eyes as you explore the Sistine Chapel and wander Raphael’s Rooms. After taking in the Museums, be humbled by the imposing beauty of Saint Peter’s Basilica, where you will encounter another of Michelangelo’s masterpieces, La Pietà. For a fascinating finish, you will stop to admire the magnificent Saint Peter’s Square, as your guide points out Bernini’s ingenious use of optical illusion.

Day 4 Florence

Once the hub of the Renaissance, Florence is still a city marked by outstanding cultural and artistic splendor. In the modern day this translates into some of the best shopping anywhere for fine products from leather to gold. A perennial favorite of tourists and home to such historical figures as Machiavelli and the Medici clan, all of the finest aspects of Renaissance culture, from literature and art to theater and music still flourish here. Besides tourism, food and wine production are also prominent industries in this city, which is the main city of the Tuscany wine-producing region. The Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Museum house two of the world’s great art collections and seeing the David by Michealangelo, at the Accademia is a moment never to be forgotten. The Duomo in Florence is as breathtaking as it is massive. This amazing structure can be seen from many vantage points near the city center and it looms in its majesty above the city’s interesting architecture and unique streets.

Take a train to Florence. Check in at your hotel. Afternoon guided tour of the Accademia museum to admire the famous sculpture of the David by Michelangelo. Total immersion in the art of Michelangelo to know his most renowned work, the “David”, and other important works of art such
as ''I Prigioni'' and ''San Matteo'' and the “Palestrina Pietà”. The young Michelangelo carved the David from a huge block of rough marble in three years, creating an imposing sculpture of absolute beauty, an icon of the renaissance model. He depicted a magnificent nude young man at the height of his physical vigour, whose intense expression of strength and courage, which originated from an absolute faith in God, roses as a symbol of power and invincibility of the Florentine Republic at the time of its maximum splendor. Evening on your own.

Day 5 Florence
Morning group tour of the Uffizi museums. You can’t leave Florence without visiting one of the most important art galleries in the world. Here you can admire numerous works of art by Botticelli, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Giotto, Cimabue, Masaccio. You will be able to understand and observe how changes in the way of living and thinking - throughout history - are reflected in the arts. Afternoon tour of the city center.

Day 6 Venice

Perhaps the most famous Venetian in history is Marco Polo, whose travels and writings opened up the Orient to Europe. The City on the Water, once a powerful city-state, is famous for its romantic canals and waterways as well as its explorers and merchants. The architecture of this city alone makes for a fascinating sight-seeing excursion, from its fabulous churches, museums, and palaces to its elegant bridges and rural villas. Yearly festivals include the Venice Carnival, which attracts visitors from around the world to don incredible costumes and masks and dance the night away at lavish parties and banquets, an absolute must to attend; dress up and lose yourself in the grand spectacle!
Major attractions: Piazza San Marco (St. Mark Square), Palazzo dei Dogi (Doge's Palace), Bridge of Sighs, the Clock Tower, Rialto Bridge, the Islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.

Transfer from Venice train station to your hotel, centrally located. Afternoon on your own.
Sunset gondola ride with Prosecco wine. Evening at leisure.  Optional evening opera or concert.

Day 7 Venice
Tour of central Venice. The tour will begin at St. Mark’s Square and will include visits to St.
Mark's basilica, the Doge's Palace, the Bridge of Sighs and the Piombi prison. You will observe the Byzantine heritage of the city in the dazzling gold mosaics of Saint Mark's basilica; admire the exquisite pink and white marbles of the Doge's Palace, and also its beautiful courtyard and magnificently decorated chambers; and you will also take a glimpse of the accommodation reserved to the guests of the Piombi prison (such as Casanova) throughout the centuries.
Afternoon and evening at leisure.

Day 8 return

Transfer to the airport. Return home with great memories.

Price: starting at Euro 1250 per person in double room depending on time of year and type of accommodation.