Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1 FRIDAY: Fly overnight to Rome

DAY 2: (SATURDAY) Rome: bus to Hotel

VATICAN (5)

  • Begin with the Vatican Museums
  • Sistine Chapel
  • St. Peter’s Square/Piazza San Pietro
  • St. Peter’s Basilica
  • Vatican walls

Proceed to restaurant (paid). Return to hotel.

DAY 3: (SUNDAY) ROME (35)

Bus to, then begin walking tour:

  • Walk up Palatine Hill: Imperial palaces
  • Look down on the Circus Maximus
  • Visit the Farnese gardens
  • Gaze over several Imperial Forums
  • Walk down to visit the Coliseum
  • Walk through the Roman Forum
  • Walk up stairs to the Capitoline Hill
  • Aracoeli 6th + 16th century church
  • Michelangelo piazza: pavement,
  • Façades, stairs to Piazza Venezia
  • Monument to Victor Emmanuel
  • Piazza Venezia
  • Palazzo Venezia (Mussolini balcony)
  • Area Sacra archeological site
  • Piazza dei Fiori – cafes, flowers, history
  • Piazza Navona: three fountains, cafes
  • St Louis des Français: masterpieces
  • Palazzo Madama: Italian Senate, etc.
  • Piazza Rotonda: fountain, obelisk
  • Enter Pantheon, by Emperor Hadrian
  • Temple of Hadrian in Piazza di Pietra
  • Italian Parliament: Piazza Montecitorio
  • Marcus Aurelius Column: campaigns
  • Piazza Colonna: Prime Minister offices
  • Trevi Fountains, piazza
  • Via Condotti high-fashion shops
  • Barcaccia boat fountain
  • Piazza di Spagna
  • Climb the Spanish Steps: panorama
  • Visit the Pincio Gardens
  • Pincio Hill panoramic overlook
  • Stairs to Piazza del Popolo, fountains
  • Santa Maria del Popolo Church
  • Walls of Imperial Rome (11 miles)
  • Walk to the Mausoleum of Augustus
  • Ara Pacis, altar of the Caesars
  • Walk back to Piazza del Popolo

Return to hotel. 

DAY 4: (MONDAY) NAPLES (14)

  • Eurostar high-speed train to Naples
  • Bus to hotel in Historic District
  • Walk to Piazza Municipio (City Hall)
  • Castel Nuovo (museum, chapel, etc.)
  • Walk through the Galleria, cafés/snack
  • Royal Palace
  • Piazza Plebiscito, Pantheon-like church
  • Funicular/cable car up Vomero Hill
  • San Martino Abbey and Chapel
  • Art Museum, 800+ statue nativities
  • Naval Museum: ancient royal barges
  • Castel Sant’Elmo: 815-foot panorama
  • Cable car down Vomero Hill
  • Walk to Gesù Nuovo Jesuit Church
  • Piazza del Gesù, ornate spire
  • Santa Chiara church, Royal tombs
  • Santa Chiara cloister garden
  • Piazza Bellini: Greek walls, cafes
  • Archeological Museum: Pompeii etc.

Return to hotel

DAY 5: (TUESDAY)

POMPEII (bus) (1)

  • Archaeological site of the ancient city

SORRENTO (bus) (2)

  • Walk through Lemon grove
  • Bus to Sorrento Harbor
  • Cruise Bay of Naples to Capri

ISLE OF CAPRI (14)

  • Arrive at Marina Grande harbor
  • Convertible car ride up cliffs to Anacapri
  • San Michele villa, garden, panorama
  • San Michele church, Garden of Eden
  • Drive on down to Capri Town
  • Capri Town: piazzetta, cafes, shopping
  • Walk to Faraglioni terrace: villas, views
  • Gardens of Augustus on the cliffs
  • Walk back to Piazzetta cafes
  • Santo Stefano church, Roman remains
  • Walk to palace of Tiberius: seascapes
  • Parco Astarita, forest on 1000-foot cliffs
  • Roman signal tower
  • Palace of Emperor Tiberius, 360° view
  • Walk back to piazzetta
  • Funicular cable car 450 feet to harbor
  • Sunset cruise to Port of Naples

DAY 6 WEDNESDAY: FLORENCE (8)

  • Bus to Naples train station
  • Eurostar high-speed train to Florence
  • Bus to hotel in Renaissance Florence
  • Piazza Santissima Annunziata
  • St. Mary of the Flowers Cathedral
  • Bell Tower
  • Baptistery – Gates of Paradise
  • Piazza della Signoria: statues, history
  • Ponte Vecchio bridge: 3-level, shopping
  • Pitti Palace and Boboli Gardens
  • Dinner in typical restaurant (prepaid)

Return to hotel.

DAY 7: (THURSDAY) VENICE (8)

  • Eurostar high-speed train to Venice
    • Saint Mark’s Square/Piazza
    • Saint Mark’s Cathedral
    • Palace of the Doges
    • Bridge of Sighs
    • Elevator up 300-ft Bell Tower
    • Correr Museum: art + history of Venice
    • Glass statuettes workshop
    • Walk to Rialto Bridge
    • Cruise the Grand Canal
    • Eurostar to Florence

Return to hotel in Florence

DAY 8: (FRIDAY)

PISA (bus) (3)

  • Field of Miracles park, including
    •    Cathedral of Pisa, Baptistery
    •    (Leaning) Bell Tower

TUSCANY TOUR: (Bus to Rome)

SIENA (3)

  • Piazza del Campo, City Hall complex, fountain, medieval streets
  • St. Catherine of Siena Cathedral

Return to bus.

ROME: bus to hotel, arrive evening 

DAY 9 SATURDAY:

  • Bus to airport, fly back to U.S.