A Week in Italy: Venice, Florence & Rome

Board your overnight flight to Venice today.

Welcome to Italy! Tonight, join your fellow travelers at a local restaurant for a welcome dinner featuring local specialties and beer or wine.

Today, meet up with your local guide and explore the heart of Venice on foot and by vaporetto, or water taxi. Admire historic churches, hundreds of winding canals, and storied piazzas on a tour of the city, which was founded in the fifth century and is known as the Queen of the Adriatic. The entire city—including its 118 islands and the lagoon in which it sits—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, thanks to its staggering concentration of architectural and artistic masterpieces, its unique and efficient network of canals, and the inextricable relationship between its people and surrounding ecosystem.

• Step onto iconic St. Mark’s Square and enter St. Mark’s Basilica—an opulent, domed church built in the 11th century to house the body of St. Mark the Apostle
• View the stately Doge’s Palace, a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic style that was built in 1340 and served as both the residence of the Doge (the supreme authority of the Republic of Venice) and the seat of the Venetian government
• Marvel at the Bridge of Sighs (or Ponte dei Sospiri in Italian), now a famous Venetian landmark that was built in 1600 to connect the Doge’s Palace to a prison situated just across the canal
• See a Murano glassblowing demonstration and learn about Venice’s most celebrated art form, whose roots in the city date back to the 10th century

Then, enjoy a free afternoon in Venice or add an excursion.

Please note: Travelers should feel comfortable getting into and out of the water taxi.

Today, travel through the scenic Apennine Mountains to Florence—Tuscany’s capital and the world’s greatest treasure trove of Renaissance art and architecture. Get to know the city with a local guide.

• Head to Florence’s UNESCO-listed historic center and view its exquisite, 15th-century cathedral—the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore, or Duomo, which is the world’s third-largest church
• Learn about the cathedral’s distinctive, marble-clad facade and its instantly recognizable dome, the latter of which was built by Filippo Brunelleschi and has become a symbol of the Renaissance and Florence itself
• Pass Giotto’s Campanile, or bell tower, a masterpiece of Gothic architecture that rises nearly 280 feet above the city and features the same red, white, and green marble found on the Duomo’s facade
• Walk past the Piazza della Repubblica, one of Florence’s main squares, to the medieval Ponte Vecchio, an iconic bridge that spans the Arno River and has been lined with shops since the 13th century
• Stroll along the Arno River and through the Uffizi Gallery’s courtyard to the Piazza della Signoria—a beautiful square that’s situated just outside Palazzo Vecchio and is home to several notable statues, including a replica of Michelangelo’s David and the fountain of Neptune

This evening, join your fellow travelers at a local restaurant for an included dinner featuring Tuscan specialties and beer or wine.

Enjoy a free day in Florence or add an excursion.

Depart Florence for Italy’s capital, Rome, whose entire historic center—including its Forum, the Colosseum, the Pantheon, and the religious and public buildings of papal Rome—is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Follow in the footsteps of ancient Romans on a guided tour of the Eternal City.

• Soak up more than 2,000 years of history in Imperial Rome, viewing the fourth-century Arch of Constantine—the largest surviving Roman triumphal arch—and the Arch of Titus
• Enter the Colosseum, the iconic amphitheater that was built between 70–72 A.D. to host events such as gladiatorial games
• Stop at the ruins of the Forum, which served as a setting for parades, elections, and trials
• Pass by Palatine Hill to the ancient chariot-racing stadium known as Circus Maximus, as well as the Terme di Caracalla—a beautiful and luxurious public bath that functioned from the third century until the sixth century

Please note: While sightseeing in Rome, travelers should feel comfortable walking on uneven and rocky pathways and steps. Shade and seating are limited, especially at venues such as the Colosseum and the Roman Forum. 

Enjoy a free day in Rome or add excursions. 

Please note: The Iconic Sights: Vatican City excursion may be offered on day 8, depending on the day of the week. Please call for more information.

Enjoy another free day to explore Rome, or add an excursion. Then, join your group at tonight’s farewell dinner. You'll enjoy a multi-course traditional Italian meal, complete with beer or wine, as well as live musical entertainment.

Please note: The Ancient Rome: St. Paul's Basilica & the Catacombs excursion may be offered on day 7, depending on the day of the week.

Transfer to Rome’s airport for your flight home, or extend your stay to visit the Sorrento peninsula.