The gondola is a traditional Venetian boat used to move around the city of Venice Italy. In the absence of roads, the inhabitants couldn’t use horses, and the size of the canals required thin and flat bottomed embarkation. The construction of a gondola requires about a year and some well-selected pieces of wood.
Arrive in Milan and meet with your English-speaking assistant. Milan is Italy’s second-largest city and the Lombardy Region’s capital. Hotel check-in and overnight.
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Start the guided city tour of this amazing city combining art, fashion, style, and finance. See the Duomo, the Vittorio Emanuele Gallery called Milan’s lounge, the Scala Opera House, and the amazing Castello Sforzesco, once the home of the Sforza family, and “The Last Supper” by Leonardo da Vinci in Chiesa Santa Maria delle Grazie. In the afternoon, free time is at your disposal to enjoy shopping in the world’s most fashionable city. You will be able to explore Via Montenapoleone and Via della Spiga, where all the great stylists’ boutiques are located, and see with your eyes what you normally see on catwalks. Transfer to Stresa.
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Hotel breakfast and depart from the Stresa Pier to the Borromean Islands. Visit Isola Bella with the Borromeo Palace and its beautiful botanical garden. Until 1632 the island was a rocky crag occupied by a tiny fishing village: but that year Carlo III of the influential House of Borromeo began the construction of a palazzo dedicated to his wife, Isabella D’Adda, from whom the island takes its name. Then Isola dei Pescatori with its lovely landscape. Here the traditional occupation of fishing still exists, but tourism has become central to the island’s economic life, as its picturesque charms have made it a popular destination. Time at leisure for lunch. In the afternoon, continue navigating to the Isola Madre and visit its exotic garden, covering an area of eight hectares whose construction in the English style began in the late eighteenth century on the site of a citrus orchard. Particularly prized is the Scala dei Morti, or staircase of the dead. Evening return to Stresa. Dinner and overnight.
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This morning, leave for Lake Como, the third-largest lake in Italy, after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore. Lake Como has been a popular retreat for aristocrats and wealthy people since Roman times and a very popular tourist attraction with many artistic and cultural gems. It has many villas and palaces (such as Villa Olmo, Villa Serbelloni, and Villa Carlotta). Many VIPs have homes on the shores of Lake Como, which is widely regarded as one of the most romantic lakes in Europe. Meet the guide for the tour of Villa Carlotta, a neoclassical museum with a beautiful garden. Cross the lake by boat and arrive at the world-known Bellagio, called “the pearl of the lake”, the setting of many important movies. Guided tour of Bellagio and then free time for lunch. Afternoon check-in at the hotel. Dinner and overnight
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After breakfast, departure for Lake Garda, the biggest lake in Italy, one of northern Italy’s most popular tourist destinations. Arrive in Desenzano del Garda. Free time, you will also get the chance to stroll along the narrow city center streets full of shops and boutiques. Transfer to hotel and overnight.
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Depart towards Sirmione, with its picturesque Scaliger Castle from the 13th century. The Roman poet Catullus had a villa here, and you will also see the ancient Roman Spa named “Grotte di Catullo”. Lunch at leisure and in the afternoon, free for leisure or optional excursion to Parco Sigurtà, which covers an area of 600,000 square meters and extends to the edges of the morainal hills close to Lake Garda, lying just 5 miles south of Peschiera. It started as the gardens of Villa Maffei, once the headquarters of Napoleone III. Following over forty years of loving care, Carlo Sigurtà took advantage of the water-drawing rights from the river Mincio to achieve the “prodigious” success of turning an arid hill into a flourishing and spectacular green area. Return to hotel.
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Hotel breakfast and depart towards Verona, Romeo and Juliet’s town. The city’s main attractions include Castelvecchio, Gavi Arch, Borsari Gate, Pietra Bridge and the Roman Theatre. Then you will walk to the Scaligera Arches before reaching Piazza dei Signori, Piazza delle Erbe, Juliet’s house, and the world-famous Arena, a Roman amphitheater dating back to the 1st Century A.D. Time at disposal for lunch. Afternoon drive to Lake Garda, the biggest lake in Italy, one of northern Italy’s most popular tourist destinations.
Visit Sirmione and transfer to your hotel in Venice by private boat.
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After breakfast, meet your guide to starting a Venice city tour, considered one of the most beautiful in the whole world. Sited on a group of 118 small islands separated by canals and linked by bridges, it is in the marshy Venetian Lagoon, which stretches along the shoreline between the Po and the Piave Rivers. Venice is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its spectacular architecture, and its artworks. The city, in its entirety, is listed as a World Heritage Site, along with its lagoon. You will get the chance to see: St. Mark’s Square, St. Mark’s Basilica, the Doges Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs that connects the Palace to the prisons. The afternoon is relaxing, walking up and down the romantic canals crossed by narrow bridges. Return to your hotel and overnight.
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Morning at your disposal or optional excursion at the small Islands in the Venetian Lagoon: Burano and Murano, located north of the historic center of Venice. Murano and Burano offer beautiful handicrafts that have made them famous worldwide: the first is characterized by centuries-old glass manufacturing, the second for its sophisticated lace, not to mention the original colorful buildings. Visiting Murano and Burano will give you the most authentic and unusual side of Venice. Return to the center of Venice and have free time.
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After breakfast, transfer to Florence (3 hours). Arrive in Florence and get a private transfer to your hotel. The afternoon is leisure to enjoy this beautiful city on your own.
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After breakfast, a full-day excursion to Florence, the wonderful heart of the Renaissance and the capital city of the Italian Region of Tuscany. Centre of medieval European trade and finance and one of the wealthiest cities of the time, Florence is considered the birthplace of the Renaissance and has been called the Athens of the Middle Ages. A turbulent political history includes periods of ruling by the powerful Medici family and numerous religious and republican revolutions. From 1865 to 1871, the city was also the capital of the recently established Kingdom of Italy. The historic center attracts millions of tourists each year, and Florence is ranked as one of the most visited cities in the world. Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1982, the city contains numerous museums and art galleries, such as the Uffizi Gallery and the Pitti Palace, and still exerts an influence in the fields of art, culture, and politics. Florence is also an important city in Italian fashion, being ranked within the top fifty fashion capitals of the world. You have a guided tour of the city and get the chance, among others, to see the “David” sculpture by Michelangelo. In the afternoon, free time to visit this magnificent city individually.
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Hotel breakfast in the hotel and leave for Siena, driving through the beautiful region of the Chianti wine. The tradition of cultivating vines in Chianti goes back a long time in history, back to the Etruscans that inhabited the area before the Roman empire. In 1984, Chianti obtained the denomination D.O.C.G. (Controlled and Guaranteed Denomination of Origin), which is the highest type of recognition for quality Italian wines. Stop for wine tasting. Travel to Siena for a guided visit to Siena, one of Italy’s most beautiful medieval towns. Its historic center has been declared by UNESCO a World Heritage Site. It is one of the nation’s most visited tourist attractions, and it’s famous for its cuisine, art, museums, medieval cityscape, and the Palio, a horse race in traditional costumes. Meet the guide for the city tour: the City Hall, Piazza del Campo, and the Cathedral. Drive to the capital city of Italy: Rome.
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Meet with your English-speaking guide in the morning for a full-day tour of Rome, Italy’s capital, and the Lazio Region. Rome’s history spans more than 2500 years since its legendary founding in 753 BC, and it is referred to as “The Eternal City.” In the ancient world, it was successively the capital city of the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. It is regarded as one of the birthplaces of Western civilization. You will see the Fori Imperiali, the Colosseum, Constantine’s Arch, and all the other most astonishing sights of Ancient Rome. Time for a stroll in Piazza di Spagna, with world-famous Trinità dei Monti steps, take a picture by the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and finally reach the Pantheon.
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The morning visit to the Vatican Museums originated as a group of sculptures collected by Pope Julius II (1503-1513) and placed in the “Cortile Ottagono” within the museum complex today. Continue your sightseeing with the visit to the Sistine Chapel, one of the greatest art treasures of all time, one of the most celebrated masterpieces in the world, with amazing, frescoed ceilings by Michelangelo. It’s the last stop on the Vatican Museum tour and is the most ardently awaited moment for millions of tourists worldwide. Lunch on your own. In the afternoon time for free or option, visit the 3 most important cathedrals in Rome: San Giovanni in Laterano, Santa Maria Maggiore, and San Paolo Fuori le Mura.
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Hotel breakfast and transfer to the airport in time for your return flight.
Time to say goodbye…
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Price per person in double occupancy in standard accommodation.
Price excluding international flights
This trip is customizable for your private travel.
Please inquire to request a quote for your custom trip!
