WONDERS OF ITALY

• Benvenuti a Roma! Get swept up in the city’s passion, past and flavours, from storied piazzas to recipes passed down through generations.
• Enjoy exclusive access to the Basilica Santa Maria in Cosmedin with a private after-hours visit.
• See the ‘Mouth of Truth’ without the crowds, learn the legend behind it and explore the church and crypt, where the relics of Saint Valentine are kept.
• Later, come together with your travel companions over dinner to celebrate the start of your Italian journey.

Arrival Transfer: Depart Leonardo da Vinci airport (FCO) at 09:30, 12:30, 15:00

Welcome Meet your Travel Director at 17:00

Included Experience: Rome Orientation, Basilica of Santa Maria in Cosmedin Visit

• Enjoy a guided visit with a Local Specialist through the Vatican Museums, home to a treasure trove of art and history.
• Stand beneath the frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel and see Michelangelo’s Pietà inside St. Peter’s Basilica.
• Then, walk in the footsteps of emperors and gladiators at the mighty Colosseum and pass the Circus Maximus, once the stage for ancient chariot races.
• Due to increased demand during the Jubilee year, access to the Vatican Museums may be limited.
• If tickets are unavailable during your visit, your sightseeing will instead explore the Capitoline Museums, home to the Capitoline Wolf, ancient Roman bronzes and Renaissance art.
• From its spot on Capitoline Hill, you’ll have the chance to take in views of the Roman Forum.

Included Experience: Study the Masterpieces of the Vatican Museums

Optional Experience: Piazzas and Fountains / Roman Evening with Dinner / Roman Delights with Dinner

• Travel north to Lucca for a sightseeing tour with a Local Specialist to admire the 14th-century San Martino Cathedral and Piazza dell’Anfiteatro, built on the site of an ancient Roman arena.
• In your free time, relax in Piazza San Michele or ascend one of the city’s ancient towers for panoramic views.

Included Experience: Lucca Orientation

Optional Experience: Dinner, Wine and Music in The Tuscan Hills

• A sea of pastel pink, yellow and blue houses cling dramatically to the Ligurian cliffs in the villages of the Cinque Terre UNESCO World Heritage Site, which we will explore today on our included excursion.
• Join a Local Specialist and delve into daily life in these picturesque fishing villages.
• Later we visit Pisa and its UNESCO-listed ‘Square of Miracles’ to view the architectural feat that is the Leaning Tower.

Included Experience: Cinque Terre Visit, See Pisa’s Landmarks

• The gentle Tuscan landscape leads us to our next destination, the hilltop town of San Gimignano, famed for its stunning medieval architecture and historic towers, which stand today as a testament to the wealth and power of aristocratic families who lived here centuries ago.
• Later, join your fellow travellers for an opportunity to Connect With Locals over lunch at a Be My Guest experience set against the backdrop of Tuscan vineyards and olive groves.

Included Experience: Meet the Landi Family, Visit San Gimignano

• Discover Renaissance treasures, extraordinary art and exquisite architecture in one of the cultural capitals of the world.
• Join a Local Specialist who will bring the legacy of the influential Medici family to life.
• Walk along narrow lanes into expansive piazzas, viewing the magnificent marble Duomo and a replica of the David statue in Piazza della Signoria.
• View the Ponte Vecchio, almost 700 years old, and admire the spectacular panorama from Piazzale Michelangelo.
• You’ll also learn about the quality and workmanship of two of this city’s historic industries at demonstrations of Florentine leathercraft and 18-carat gold.
• The rest of the day is yours to explore the ‘Cradle of the Renaissance’.
• Visit the masterpieces of Michelangelo, wander through the architectural wonder of Palazzo Vecchio or shop for high-quality leather and gold.

Included Experience: Florence City Tour, Florence Leather Demonstration

Optional Experience: Michelangelo’s ‘David’ & Accademia / Discover Palazzo Vecchio / Tuscan Dinner at Villa Machiavelli

• Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers are remembered today during our jaunt to the romantic city of Verona where we will view the 1st century Roman arena, still used today to host spectacular operatic performances and wander along cobbled streets in the city of star-crossed lovers.
• We venture to Venice next, spending the leisure time searching for hidden treasures.
• Watch the sun set over the Venetian lagoon or perhaps join an Optional Experience.

Included Experience: Verona Orientation

Optional Experience: Gondolas & the Grand Canal

• On this morning’s MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience, witness the centuries-old tradition of Venetian glassblowing that has been passed down from generation to generation.
• You may wish to buy a souvenir to remind you of the talent and skill of the master craftsmen who delight in sharing with visitors how they’re preserving this local craft.
• You’ll see St. Mark’s Basilica, the ornate Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs next, imagining how prisoners felt when they gazed over Venice for the very last time before being imprisoned.
• Cruise by private launch to see the city’s most iconic attractions before enjoying free time to explore the city on your terms.
• Wander through alleys, over ornate bridges and into quiet campi as you indulge your inner explorer and get lost in this enchanting city on water.

Included Experience: Learn about the History and Ancient Skills on Venetian Glassblowing

Optional Experience: Venice’s Secrets / Lagoon Cruise to Burano with Food and Drinks

• Travel through scenic countryside to the mystical town of Assisi, stopping en route in the city of Bologna to view its Kissing Towers that lean towards one another, seemingly poised to embrace.
• We continue to our hotel in Assisi, where we’ll stay at one of Trafalgar’s Stays With Stories – a fully renovated old Franciscan monastery.

Included Experience: Stays with Stories, Bologna Orientation

• Discover the legacy of St. Francis of Assisi in his home town on the slopes of Mount Subasio.
• Join your Local Specialist for a visit to the Basilica of St. Francis, renowned for its beautiful frescoes depicting the life of this beloved saint.
• Then, continue to Tivoli for a guided visit with a Local Specialist of the UNESCO-listed terraced hillside Renaissance gardens of Villa d’Este.
• Wander past bubbling fountains, manicured hedges and ornate statues as you soak up the tranquil atmosphere of this historic hill town.
• This evening, enjoy dinner with your fellow travellers and Travel Director.

Included Experience: Visit the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, Tivoli City Tour

• It’s time to say a fond arrivederci to Italy and our newfound friends after a memorable journey.

Departure Transfer: Arrive at Leonardo da Vinci airport (FCO) at 07:00, 09:30