- Start and end in Rome! With the Explorer tour The Italian Dream, you have a 8 days tour package taking you through Rome, Italy and 7 other destinations in Italy. The Italian Dream includes accommodation in a hotel as well as an expert guide, meals, transport and more.
What is included in the tour
- Accommodation Standard Rooms.
- English-speaking tour leader and local guides between days 2 and 7.
- All breakfasts + 3 lunches + 1 dinner (11 meals).
- Visits and entrance fees as per itinerary.
- All taxes, and fees.
- Transportation in a deluxe motor coach between days 2 and 7.
What is NOT included in the tour
- Flights are not included.
- Insurance is not included.
- Optional excursion to Pisa ($).
- Additional Services at Extra Cost.
- Start and end in Rome!
- Follow the steps of amazing Michelangelo and Giotto.
- Lunch in a Tuscan restaurant and indulge in Tuscan wine.
- Discover Bologna’s impressive historical city center.
- Visit the stunning Basilica of Saint Anthony of Padua.
- Tour St. Peters’ Basilica and the Sistine Chapel.
- After breakfast, greeting in the lobby of your hotel.
- End of services.
Day 1 Rome
Arrival at the airport in Rome. You will be greeted by our local representatives after exiting the customs and transferred to your hotel in Rome. The rest of your day is free for you to relax or start your exploration of the Eternal City.
Day 2 Rome - Assisi - Siena - Florence
Breakfast at your hotel. Departure around 7:30 am from your hotel for a short drive to Assisi where you will explore at leisure this historical town surrounded by walls built in the Middle Ages. Take your time to visit the Basilica of St. Francis, where you will see masterpieces by Giotto and Cimabue. Lunch at leisure. In the afternoon, continuation to Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for the Palio, an historical horse race around the shell-shaped town square Piazza del Campo. You will have some free time in Siena to discover the medieval city center and then you will continue to Florence, where you will check in at your hotel before enjoying dinner and a well-earned night of rest. (Breakfast - Dinner).
Day 3 Florence
After breakfast at the hotel, you will meet your local guide and start an interesting tour of Florence, dubbed as “The Cradle of the Renaissance" where with the help of Michelangelo, Italian art reached its pinnacle. Based on Etruscan-roman origins, the city flourished in the Middle Ages as a free "commune" and was further refined by the Renaissance. You will be fascinated by its uncountable monuments, churches, and buildings such as Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly referred to as the Duomo. During your visit, you will be amazed by its magnificent dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi, its campanile tower designed by Giotto and its baptistery with its bronze doors that Michelangelo dubbed the “Gates of Paradise”. In the heart of the city, you will also see the Piazza Della Signoria, the Palazzo Vecchio and the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Following lunch at a typical Tuscan restaurant located at the Piazza Santa Croce, spend the afternoon at leisure strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence (return transfer to the hotel is not included) or opt for an optional trip to Pisa (approximately 45 euros per person payable in cash directly at destination). Pisa is one of the four main historical marine republics of Italy. You will tour the Piazza dei Miracoli with the Duomo, Pisa’s world-famous “Leaning Tower” and the Baptistery. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Florence. (Breakfast-Lunch).
Day 4 Florence - Bologna - Padua - Venice
Breakfast at the hotel. Departure toward Bologna where you will discover the elegant city center with its almost 40km-long porticoes that are one of the defining features of the city's architecture. From the Piazza Malpighi, you will walk to the Piazza del Nettuno and the Piazza Maggiore in the heart of the city, then you will see the Palazzo Re Enzo constructed in the 13th century as an extension to the Palazzo Podestà and finally the Basilica of San Petronio, one of the biggest in the world. Bologna is a real gourmet’s heaven so don’t miss a tasty meal for your lunch at leisure.In the afternoon, you will continue toward Padua where you will see the Basilica di Sant'Antonio da Padua, one of the most visited churches of the Catholic world. Later in the afternoon, you will arrive in Venice, "The City of love", one of the most romantic cities in the world and undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities on Earth! Dinner at leasure and overnight at your hotel in Venice. (Breakfast).
Day 5 Venice
After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the Piazza San Marco and visit the most iconic places of the beautiful ‘Floating City’: The Palazzo dei Dogi, a symbol of Venice's glorious past, and the legendary Rialto Bridge, the oldest of four bridges spanning the Grand Canal, bustling with gondolas. After the walking tour, you will enjoy a taste of the famous 'Cicchetti', a Venetian variation of tapas alongside a glass of spritz or prosecco. The rest of the day is free for you to roam along Venice’s canals and palaces (return transfer to the hotel is not included). Dinner at leisure and overnight in Venice. (Breakfast - Light lunch).
Day 6 Venice- Montepulciano (Tuscany wine region) - Rome
Breakfast at the hotel and departure toward Tuscany, a beautiful region celebrated for its scenic landscapes, its churches and castles, and its world-renowned wines. You will proceed to val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a medieval town with a rich history. Famous for its "Vino Nobile", available for purchase in local wine houses, Montepulciano also hosts an annual jazz and wine festival every July. The lunch will be included in a typical restaurant. After your lunch, enjoy some free time to relax before heading to Rome. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Rome. (Breakfast - Lunch).
Day 7 Rome
After breakfast at the hotel, around 8:00 am, departure for a morning tour of the Vatican Museums like the Sistine Chapel with "Skip the Line" ticket. Upon arrival, your local guide will lead you into the museums where you will visit one of the most important art collections in the world. Then, you will walk along the beautiful Galleries of Tapestries and Geographical Maps before admiring Raphael’s Rooms and the amazing Sistine Chapel, completed in the 16th century. The tour will end at St. Peter's Square.
In the afternoon after lunch (not included), you will walk (or take a taxi) on your own toward the most representative building of Ancient Rome: The Roman Forum. You will step into a fascinating journey by strolling through the iconic Arch of Constantine and traversing the historic Roman Forum, once the vibrant cultural and political heart of Ancient Rome. Let the tour guide take you back in time and try to imagine how it was like to be a Roman citizen 2.000 years ago. You will continue with a visit to the legendary Palatine Hill, the very site where Rome was said to have been founded, and where you will be awestruck by the captivating remnants of the Imperial palaces. Your visit will end with the mesmerizing beauty of the Colosseum's breathtaking panoramic views (from the outside), where the Ancient Romans used to watch a variety of events, such as gladiatorial shows or staged animal hunts. Evening at leisure. Overnight in Rome (Breakfast).
Day 8 Rome
After breakfast, greeting in the lobby of your hotel by local representatives and transfer from your hotel to the airport for your flight home or continue on your own arrangements. (Breakfast)
-End of services-