Italy
Midnight waters, strewn with stars. Bustling bazaars that yield the occasional treasure. Placid lakes, edged with century-old pines on towering cliff tops. Architecture that has witnessed the rise and fall of civilisations. Italy has centuries of history and beauty to offer those who seek an atmosphere favourable to romance. From the watchful mystery of Venice’s serene canals to the awe-inspiring loveliness of the Sistine Chapel or the Colosseum, Italy is every lover’s dream destination.
City Information
Rome
The sheer excess of beauty here can prove overwhelming to the unsuspecting visitor. Roman columns soar up beside medieval basilicas, the tinkling of water fountains fills the air at Renaissance palaces, colour and aroma fill the sprawling markets and cobbled streets. Rome is also one of the world’s fashion capitals, and its shopping is amongst the most popular in the world.Sorrento
Southern Italy’s prettiest seaside town, Sorrento is both the birthplace of the poet Tasso and that most piquant of liqueurs - limoncello. Set on steep white cliffs overlooking the Bay of Naples, the city offers glorious sunsets generously infused with the scent of oranges and lemons from the orchards that dot the landscape. Legend has it that it was in Sorrento’s waters that the sirens lured sailors to their doom. The same magical pull draws tourists to the city today, with happier results.Florence
The city rises from the breathtaking landscape of Tuscany like a living piece of history. Even the simplest street or building is a work of art, embodying the classical beauty that defined the Renaissance. Everywhere you turn you will see works by Michelangelo, Donatello and other artists of Italy’s Golden Age. But Florence is also a city of today - the piazzas are full of fashionable boutiques and fashionable people; and cafés are still central to its social life.Venice
It captures the imagination more powerfully than any other city in Europe. Its fabled canalled thoroughfares and gilded palaces possess a beauty unsurpassed anywhere on earth. Grandiose buildings in fabulous colours lean at crazy angles over dark water. In Venice, light and water combine to create a restless magic. Here, priceless art is commonplace and the bland is the exception.Milan
Business capital to some, fashion paradise to the rest. Set in the mid-western plains of Lombardy, this is the city that dictates style and fashion to the rest of the world. While here, immerse yourself in the rich history and culture that is an inherent part of Milan.Lake Como
About half an hour from Milan, you will find paradise. Lake Como is possibly both the most beautiful and the most peaceful place in Italy. Several small towns circle the lake, with a ferry to take tourists around.
A City tour of Rome
Drive past the Quirinal Square and the Presidential Palace towards Piazza Venezia at the heart of the city with its monument to Victor Emanuel II, also called the ‘Vittoriano’. Walk up to Capitol Square, designed by Michelangelo, for a magnificent view over the Roman Forum. End your tour with a visit to the Colosseum.
Capri and Anacapri
The island of Capri has been immortalised in song and literature over the centuries. Here, you may choose to visit the villa of local author Dr. Axel Munthe, or take the chairlift to the top of Mt. Solaro. Explore Capri Town’s winding streets, the several pretty cafés at Piazza Umberto, and the verdant Gardens of Augustus overlooking the Faraglioni Rocks.
Florence City Tour
Take the coach to Fiesole, a delightful town of Etruscan origin on the hill that dominates Florence and the Arno Valley. Your tour continues to the historic centre for a visit to the Church of Santa Croce. A short walk brings you to the famous Piazza della Signoria, where you can admire the imposing Palazzo Vecchio and the beautiful Loggia dei Lanzi. Visit the Uffizi Gallery to admire the paintings of Botticelli, Michelangelo, Giotto and Masaccio. The Uffizi Gallery is closed on Mondays.
A Wine tasting tour
Tuscany is known for its exquisite wines. Stop over at a vineyard for a day, and wander through the fields, learning about the process of wine making. End your tour at a farm over a snack and a wine tasting.
A Gondola ride in Venice
Escape from the crowds that throng St. Marks’s Square and stroll about La Fenice, Sant’Angelo and Santo Stefano with a guide for company, up to Santa Maria del Giglio gondola station where you will enjoy a gondola ride. These canals travel along the Grand Canal, providing a very special panorama of the historic palaces that line this spectacular waterway.
Murano, Burano and Torcello
Sail past the island of San Giorgio Maggiore and on towards one of Murano’s glass factories, to learn how the eponymous coloured glass is made. Continue to Burano, famous not only for its lace but also for its brightly painted fishermen’s houses. After another short cruise, reach Torcello, the earliest centre of civilisation in the estuary. Here, you will halt for half an hour before returning to St. Mark’s Square.
3d Rewind
Step into the third century in an exhilarating 3D journey through imperial Rome. A virtual world is created using motion capture animation, right down to the frescoes on the walls. Stroll along the Roman forum or participate in gladiator fights. Become part of this grand civilisation.
WANDERLUST IN ITALY (9D/8N)
Rome, Sorrento, Florence, Venice.
Make your way through the most romantic country in the world, stopping every once in a while at magnificent structures, dreamy canals and vineyards.
YOUR ITINERARY
Rome 2 nights
Sorrento 2 nights
Florence 2 nights
Venice 2 nights
DAY 1
Arrive in Rome and check in at your hotel. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city by yourselves. Overnight in Rome. DAY 2
After a delicious breakfast, set off for a tour of the city, where you will see the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. Return to your hotel once you've explored the city. DAY 3
Rise early today. After an early breakfast, travel to Naples by train. Upon reaching Naples, head to your hotel in Sorrento. This is where you will be spending the next two nights. DAY 4
After an early breakfast, set off to explore Capri and Anacapri. Later, return to your hotel. DAY 5
Rise early and board the 8.50 am train to Florence. From the station, head to your hotel and check in. The afternoon is reserved for a city tour that will show you all the sights you can take in before you return to your hotel for the night. DAY 6
Today, you may choose to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa at the Field of Miracles, or go on a wine tasting tour in the Tuscan region. Overnight in Florence. DAY 7
Post breakfast, make your way to Florence train station to travel to Venice, where you will spend the afternoon exploring the canals on a romantic gondola ride. Later, return to your hotel. DAY 8
After an early breakfast, explore Murano, Burano and Torcello. You will be returning to Venice at the end of this tour. DAY 9
After a buffet breakfast at your hotel, head to Venice Airport to catch your flight home, or extend your holiday to Lake Como and Milan.
Arrive in Rome and check in at your hotel. Spend the rest of the day exploring the city by yourselves. Overnight in Rome. DAY 2
After a delicious breakfast, set off for a tour of the city, where you will see the Colosseum and Palatine Hill. Return to your hotel once you've explored the city. DAY 3
Rise early today. After an early breakfast, travel to Naples by train. Upon reaching Naples, head to your hotel in Sorrento. This is where you will be spending the next two nights. DAY 4
After an early breakfast, set off to explore Capri and Anacapri. Later, return to your hotel. DAY 5
Rise early and board the 8.50 am train to Florence. From the station, head to your hotel and check in. The afternoon is reserved for a city tour that will show you all the sights you can take in before you return to your hotel for the night. DAY 6
Today, you may choose to visit the Leaning Tower of Pisa at the Field of Miracles, or go on a wine tasting tour in the Tuscan region. Overnight in Florence. DAY 7
Post breakfast, make your way to Florence train station to travel to Venice, where you will spend the afternoon exploring the canals on a romantic gondola ride. Later, return to your hotel. DAY 8
After an early breakfast, explore Murano, Burano and Torcello. You will be returning to Venice at the end of this tour. DAY 9
After a buffet breakfast at your hotel, head to Venice Airport to catch your flight home, or extend your holiday to Lake Como and Milan.
YOUR CHOICE OF EXTENSIONS
YOUR ITINERARY
Lake Como 2 nights
Milan 1 night
DAY 9 Lake Como, Milan.
YOUR ITINERARY
Lake Como 2 nights
Milan 1 night
Board the train to Lake Como, one of Italy’s most peaceful, most beautiful places. Spend the day exploring on your own. Overnight at Lake Como. DAY 10
This morning, you may choose to take a twohour ferry ride to Bellagio by yourselves. This pretty resort town has played host to several artists and writers through the ages. Later, return to your hotel. Overnight at Lake Como. DAY 11
Board the train to Milan by yourselves, and check in at your hotel. Later in the afternoon, explore the area on a city tour. In the evening, stroll through the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele, famous for being the world’s oldest arcade. Overnight at Milan. DAY 12
Head to the airport to catch your flight home.