Italian Pearls Tour

1st day: Arrival at Rome Fiumicino Airport. Meeting with your Tour Escort. Transfer to the Hotel. This exciting Tour will start with an excellent lunch in a typical restaurant near Forum Romanum…. Buon Appettito! In the afternoon the excitement will continue with the Walking Tour of ancient Rome including tours of the Coliseum and Forum. A professional Italian Tour Guide will walk with you through these magical places, where you will begin to discover the beauty of the eternal city, there is something fascinating to be found with every step that you will take. Dinner and overnight.
2nd day: Breakfast. An italian espresso will give you all the energy you need to start another beautiful day. Guided visit of the Vatican Museum and St. Peter’s Cathedral, one of the most magnificent treasure houses in the world. Your guide will illuminate for you the world-renewed Sixtine Chapel. Breathtaking and awe-inspiring, a visit to the Vatican Museums is sure to be one of the most memorable experiences of your Roman holiday. Afternoon at leisure strolling around. Dinner and wine tasting in the wine region of Frascati located just outside Rome. The wine tasting will take place in one of most important winery in the area! At the end of the dinner transfer to the hotel and overnight.
3rd day: Breakfast. Walking tour of Rome including Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain and Piazza Navona. You will tour the old city to see the major sites but also many less known places and some churches where you can see many beautiful works of art like carvings and paintings/frescoes. During the time in the city you will be able to see both the art/architecture and experience some of the life of the city. Lunch at typical restaurant, you will be overwhelmed by wonderful Italian food. Afternoon: Time at your disposal. Dinner and overnight.
4th day: Breakfast. Departure for Assisi: a hill top city located in Umbria. Assisi is the birthplace of St. Francis. Thousands of tourists and pilgrims flock yearly to basilica of San Francesco, where St. Francis is buried. Guided Tour of the City including a visit of the Basilica of Assisi, as well the visit of this medieval town. Transfer to a wonderful ex-monastery in Cortona. Dinner and overnight.
5th day: Breakfast. Depart to Sant’ Antimo Monastery. This abbey is just south of Montalcino in beautiful southern Tuscany. This monastery is tranquil as well as beautiful, monks chant there several times a day. It is well worth going Sant'Antimo Abbey, not just for the monks, but also to see the beautiful church and its location. There is a hiking trial from the church which takes you up into the woods towards Montalcino. Listen to monks chant Gregorian Mass. Visit to a local winery including lunch. Stop at San Gimignano and visit of the enchanting Siena. Return to Cortona monastery. Dinner and Overnight.
6th day: Breakfast. Departure to Florence, built on the Arno's banks, in a harmonious settings of hills full of houses and villas. The main city of Tuscany has a universal reputation of wonderful richness and high quality of monuments and art treasures. Florence is considered the Queen of Italian Renaissance and you will have the opportunity to see its world wide famous art treasure: the Cathedral, the Giotto Tower, the Baptistery, the Signoria Square, the church of Santa Croce and the famous bridge over the River Arno, Ponte Vecchio. Arrival and walking tour of Florence. Afternoon at leisure or enjoy how to learn to make wonderful meals with a Cooking class (OPTIONAL). Accommodation in a wonderful monastery near Florence. Dinner and overnight.
7th day: Breakfast. Departure to Pisa. Visit of the tower of Pisa and the famous Piazza dei Miracoli, wondering at the "leaning tower", the baptistery and the Cathedral. Travel to Lucca and visit of this famous medieval town. Return to Florence. Dinner and overnight.
8th day: Breakfast. Departure to La Spezia. Boat excursion to Cinque Terre: 18 kilometers of sheer rocky coastline in northern Italy, terraced hills and vineyards sloping steeply down to the sea. Five little villages are built into the rocks between the beach and the hills. Each village has its own character, they are a few minutes apart by train. There are almost no cars as the villages are not easily accessible by road, but the main railway between Rome and Paris runs along the coast, mainly in tunnels. Return to Florence. Dinner and overnight.
9th day: Breakfast. Departure to San Marino. This tiny ancient European State, whose earliest statutes date back to 1263, was recognized by Napoleon in 1797 and by the Congress of Vienna in 1815. San Marino maintains diplomatic and consular relations with a number of European and American countries, mints its own coins, issues its own postage stamps and grants honors of merit. Dinner and overnight.
10th day: Breakfast. Departure to Venice via Padua. Stop in Padua and visit of Basilica of St. Anthony. Continuation to Venice. Entering Venice is like leaving behind reality for a world of fantasy. You lose the conscience of space and time. It's very easy you get involved in the magic atmosphere that glitters on its channels and on its bridges. Leisure Time or Gondola ride (OPTIONAL). Dinner and overnight in monastery-villa.
11th day: Breakfast. Guided Walking Tour of Venice included visit of San Marco’s Basilica. Rest of the day at leisure. Enjoy “la dolce vita” with an unforgettable Farewell Dinner. Dinner and overnight.
12th day: Transfer to the Venice airport for your back home flight. Arrivederci!!!