8-Nights Italy's Great Cities — CALL

Globus

OFFER ID 1488456

All roads may lead to Rome, but we know the scenic avenues to reach all the enchanting cities on your Italy bucket list. That serene passageway in Assisi, that chic leather boutique in Florence, that off-the-beaten-path bridge in Venice-we know the way! We’ve mapped out the iconic experiences of Italy, leading you through the historic streets and piazzas of the "Eternal City," the vine and olive-clad hills of Tuscany, and the romantic canals of the "Floating City" so you can experience the art, architecture, vino, and espresso you’ve long imagined. On this dreamy tour of Italy’s great cities, stroll through the medieval-walled city of Siena, ponder the curious tilt at the Tower of Pisa, and happily lean into the delicious plates of pasta, pizza, and pastries along the way.

8 nights | Call for pricing

Valid for new bookings deposited from January 2, 2024 – December 31, 2025 for travel January 2, 2024 – December 31, 2025

*Promotion may not be combinable with any other offers, promotions, or discounts, and is subject to availability and airline booking guidelines. Other restrictions may apply.

Itinerary

Italy's Great Cities

Day 1 ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALYWelcome to Rome! At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. (D)

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Day 2 ROME–ASSISIRoman Holiday ROME Guided sightseeing includes the Colosseum, the Roman Forum, Fontana di Trevi, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona. *
Take a scenic drive en route to Assisi.
ASSISI Enjoy [LF] wine tasting at a local Cantina. (B,D)
124 mi / 200 km

* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES For two generations, the same family has cared for hectares of fertile ground: an expanse of vines and olives, figs and fruit trees stretching through the valley to the foot of Assisi. Take in the scent of the excellent wine in this timeless cellar and experience a wine tasting in in this blissful vineyard in the Umbrian countryside.

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Day 3 ASSISI–VENICE ISLANDMedieval Marvels ASSISI See the Basilica of St. Francis before a scenic drive en route to Venice. (B)
280 mi / 450 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ICONIC FOOTSTEPS Walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi with a visit to the Basilica named after the deacon, friar, and mystic, who became one of the most venerated religious figures in Christianity. Revered for his love of the Eucharist and the Earth, Francis found communion with God through nature here in this Italian village where he lived and died. Marvel at the magnificent frescoes by Italian master Giotto that adorn the Basilica where the saint is buried.

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Day 4 VENICE ISLANDBenvenuti a Venezia VENICE ISLAND Take a private boat ride on the canals, followed by a guided walking tour to see St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doges’ Palace, and the Bridge of Sighs, followed by a glassblowing demonstration. Free time this afternoon and evening. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT Locals simply call Piazza San Marco “la piazza.” As paired with the smaller Piazzetta, it forms the social, religious, and political hub of Venice, which Napoleon called “the drawing room of Europe.” St. Mark’s Basilica dominates the square, offering visitors a spectacular view of the great arches, marble embellishments, and the Romanesque carvings of its façade. Also gracing the square is Doge’s Palace – a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The enclosed Bridge of Sighs, connecting the palace with the prison, is named for the prisoners breathing in their last view of the Rio di Palazzo on their walk to the prison’s interrogation rooms.

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Day 5 VENICE ISLAND–PISA–FLORENCEThe Tilted Tower PISA See the Leaning Tower en route to Florence. (B)
280 mi / 450 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARCHITECTURE See architecture gone askew from the viewpoint of the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. Take the ultimate selfie in front of the Leaning Tower with a tilt of the head or other popular poses to commemorate your visit to the site of medieval art in this beautiful piazza.

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Day 6 FLORENCEFine Art in Firenze FLORENCE Guided sightseeing includes Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David, at the Academy of Fine Arts, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gates of Paradise,” and Signoria Square. Free time this afternoon and evening. (B)

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARCHITECTURE Those lucky enough to visit the Tuscan capital are witness to some of the world’s most magnificent art. Home to a wealth of Rennaissance masterpieces, Florence is famous for Michelangelo’s Marble Masterpiece, David, standing ready for battle in the Academy of Fine Arts. Outside, the Piazza del Duomo and Signoria Square offer spectacular sights of Florentine Gothic and Renaissance art, architecture, and monuments.

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Day 7 FLORENCE–SIENA–ROMESiena with Sugar on Top SIENA Your orientation walk includes Piazza del Campo. Taste the traditional sweets of [LF] panforte and ricciarelli before returning to Rome. (B)
199 mi / 320 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES A mouth-watering mix of almonds, egg white, honey, sugar, and the pleasing aroma of almond paste are baked into each bite of ricciarelli. Doused with sugar, these oval shaped biscuits are sold by the dozens throughout Siena. Why not make it a baker’s dozen of delight with a slice of panforte? This chewy flourless cake is rich with candied fruit and almonds with a hint of spices. What was once a medieval delicacy prepared for monks and nuns in The Lands of Siena, panforte (strong bread) is now a sweet staple served in virtually every pastry shop you’re lucky enough to pass.

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Day 8 ROME. EXCURSION TO CASTEL GANDOLFOArrivederci, Roma CASTEL GANDOLFO Take a guided visit of the Papal Palace and the Barberini Gardens.
ROME Join a guided visit of the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, St. Peter’s Square and Basilica to admire Michelangelo’s Piet. Enjoy a farewell dinner at a local restaurant this evening. * (B,D)
50 mi / 80 km

* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ICONIC FOOTSTEPS Enjoy an extraordinary, guided visit to explore the Papal Palace and beautiful Barberini Gardens. Stroll the spectacular grounds of the grand papal retreat of Castel Gandolfo, where Holy Fathers and world dignitaries walked and talked about faith and the world at large.

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Day 9 ROMESafe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning. (B)

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Featured Destinations

San Martino in Campo

Venice

With a great historic past and incomparable art treasures, Venice is renowned as one of the world’s great cities. Its 118 islands are separated by more than 150 canals and spanned by 400 bridges. During Venice's artistic golden age many magnificent structures were erected to create world-famous masterpieces. One of the best sightseeing routes is along Grand Canal, with many palaces lining the famous waterway. St. Mark’s Square offers access to some of Venice’s most famed attractions - St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. From Piazza San Marco, a maze of narrow streets are lined with shops, cafés and restaurants. A popular pastime is sitting at an outdoor café facing the square while people-watching and letting the whole marvelous scenario unfold. Venice’s Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands comprise an area famous as home of Venice’s glass-blowing industry and known for their charm, skilled lace-making and medieval monuments. Relax on a gondola ride, see art treasures in museums, churches and palaces, and have a sumptuous meal - all in this incomparable city.

Excursions

Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours

Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours

Rome

Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one
of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded
in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always
been and remains the Eternal City.

Rome enjoyed its greatest splendor during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art
flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman
legions swept outward, conquering all of Italy. These victorious armies then
swept across the Mediterranean and beyond to conquer most of the known world.
With Rome's establishment as capital of the western world, a new ascent to glory
began.

Today's Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious
parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafes and elegant shops, is
one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous
monuments is the Colosseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine
the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combats between
muscled gladiators and ferocious animals.

Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city's political and commercial
center. In later times, Rome's squares were enhanced with such imposing structures
as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di
Trevi. Join the millions who stand in awe of Christendom’s most magnificent
church and admire the timeless masterpieces of Michelangelo's frescoes in the
Sistine Chapel.

Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Grasp all you can during the short,
precious time you have available in the Eternal City. With so much to see and
do, a day or two will only allow you a sampling of the city's marvelous treasures.

Caution: As in many big cities and tourist destinations purse snatching
and pickpocketing is common. Valuable jewelry and excess cash are best left
in a safety deposit box in your hotel.

Shopping For most visitors shopping for beautiful Italian leather articles,
designer shoes, fashions for men and women, linens, knitwear, silk scarves and
ties is a favorite pastime. Except for tourist-oriented shops, the majority
of stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the department stores, such as Rinascente,
open in the late afternoon on Sundays.

Cuisine Rome's choice of restaurants is mindboggling as is the variety
of cuisine. Whether your meal is at a top-rated restaurant or a rustic trattoria,
you can be sure that you will enjoy your food, especially when accompanied by
wines from the hill towns surrounding Rome.

Other Sights Rome's attractions are endless, and depending on how much
time you have at your disposal a careful selection has to be made about what
to see. Be aware of horrendous traffic conditions and major construction work
all around the city in preparation of Jubilee 2000, the Holy Year. Some of the
sights not to be missed:

Piazza Venezia - This busy square is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio
Emanuele II Monument. The white marble structure was inaugurated in 1911 as
a symbol of Italy’s unification.

The Forum - Once the civic heart of ancient Rome, today the remains include
a series of ruins, marble fragments, isolated columns and some worn arches.

Colosseum - No visit to Rome is complete without a stop at this awe-inspiring
theater, which is among the world’s most celebrated buildings. Here ancient
Rome flocked to see gladiatorial contests and numerous other spectacles.

Trevi Fountain - Take a stroll to Rome's famous fountain. A spectacular fantasy
of mythical sea creatures and cascades of splashing water, the fountain is one
of the city's foremost attractions. Legend has it that visitors must toss a
coin into the fountain to ensure their return to Rome.

St. Peter's Square - Part of Vatican City, this square created by Bernini
is considered one of the loveliest squares in the world. Twin Doric colonnades
topped with statues of various saints and martyrs flank either side of the square.
In the center stands an 84-foot obelisk, brought from Egypt in 37 A.D.

St. Peter's Basilica - At the head of the square stands Christendom's most
magnificent church, which was begun in 1452 on the site where St. Peter was
buried. Throughout the following 200 years, such Renaissance masters as Bramante,
Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini worked on its design and created an unparalleled
masterpiece. Of special note are Michelangelo's Pieta and the bronze canopy
over the high altar by Bernini. The immense dome was designed by Michelangelo.

Vatican Museum - To see this museum's immense collection would take days.
As you enter, there are special posters that plot a choice of four color-coded
itineraries. They are repeated throughout the museum and are easy to follow.
It is a good idea to pickup a leaflet at the main entrance and concentrate on
exhibits of major interest. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must. Most likely
you may have to wait in line to enter.

Florence

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

07/06/2024 - 07/14/2024

from $999,999,999 per person

07/20/2024 - 07/28/2024

from $999,999,999 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

Call for pricing

Length

8 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Deluxe
Fine dining, on-site bars or lounges and room service with extended hours are characteristic of deluxe establishments. Guest services usually include valet parking, concierge services, baggage assistance and laundry services. Other on-site facilities often include shops and boutiques, full service spas, full fitness facilities with pools and tennis courts. Business amenities may include available up-to-date technology and support staffs available for services. Attention to detail is apparent in the guestrooms which typically have stylish furnishings, quality bedding and bath products and often provide an evening turn down service.

Remarks

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1488456

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