Italian Amore – 13 nights – 14 days

Detailed Itinerary

DAY 1: WELCOME TO THE ETERNAL CITY

You have arrived in Italy. The Eternal City sprawls before you. It’s up to you to decide what to see, experience, and sink your teeth into. You’ll want to do as the Romans do, after all.

Go for a wander. Climb the famous Spanish Steps. Toss a coin in the famed Trevi Fountain. Lose yourself in Piazza Navona‘s baroque beauty. Cross the river to Trastevere, where narrow cobbled lanes hide trattorias serving the city’s best cacio e pepe.In the evening, stop in somewhere for an aperitivo, just like a local. Or how about learning how to make pizza or pasta with a local chef

Spend the night in Rome.

DAY 2: ROME

Your first full day in the Italian capital. Its energy, chatter, and potential will get you out of bed bright and early.

The Colosseum feels like the heart of Ancient Rome – where gladiators fought and 50,000 spectators roared. But we have a tip: head to the Palatine Hill first. The queues are shorter. And you’ll stand where emperors once lived, looking down over the ruins of the Roman Forum. Buy 1 ticket and see all 3 sites. Further down Rome’s labyrinthine streets, stop by the Pantheon. Sun streaming in, marble columns soaring, and history at your feet – it’s well worth a visit. Then get lost in the medieval lanes, gelato in hand.

Spend another night in Rome.

DAY 3: VATICAN CITY

The Vatican needs no introduction. It’s the world’s smallest country, yet it holds some of its greatest treasures. Today they’re yours to explore. First up, St. Peter’s Square. Arrive early if you can. The morning light catches the basilica just right (and there are fewer people). Inside St. Peter’s Basilica, take your time. Michelangelo’s Pietà alone is worth the visit. Then there’s the soaring dome. The ornate altar. The sheer scale of it all. If you’re up for the 551 steps, the dome can even be climbed. The breathtaking city views are their own reward. The Vatican Museums await, too, if you’ve booked ahead. This is where the Sistine Chapel and its famous ceiling hide away. The journey there through galleries of maps, tapestries, and ancient sculptures is just as memorable. Spend another night in Rome.

DAY 4: TUSCANY

Your journey north begins. Collect your rental car – roll up and roll out. Leave the city behind as the Lazio countryside stretches ahead. All gentle hills and cypress-lined roads. Consider a stop in Orvieto. This Umbrian gem perches on a volcanic cliff. The cathedral alone is worth the visit. Wander the medieval streets. Perhaps grab a coffee in the main square. Then into Tuscany proper. The landscape shifts. Rolling hills striped with vines. Trees heavy with ripening olives. Medieval towers on distant hilltops. Cypress trees stand like sentries along winding roads. That particular golden light that painters have chased for centuries. And now you’re chasing it yourself. Spend the night in the Tuscany/Umbria area.

DAY 5: TUSCANY

Explore Val d’Orcia. Those postcard-perfect Tuscan hills – the ones with the winding roads and lone cypress trees – they’re real. And they’re here. Then you have options, depending on your style. Visit Montepulciano. Its steep medieval streets are lined with wine cellars – this is Vino Nobile territory. Then on to Pienza, the ‘ideal city’ of the Renaissance. Smaller, gentler, famous for its pecorino cheese.

Montalcino beckons, too, if time allows. Another hilltop, another celebrated wine.

Between towns, the landscape does the talking. Stop at a local vineyard for a tasting. Let them pour you their pride and joy while you look out over the vines.

Spend another night in the Tuscany/Umbria area.

DAY 6: UMBRIA

Today, head to Umbria. Tuscany‘s quieter neighbour, where the hills grow steeper, and the stone grows darker.

Perugia rises in layers. Its historic centre sits high above the valley, a maze of medieval alleys and Etruscan arches. The main street pulses with café life and university energy.

Then on to Assisi, spread across the slopes of Mount Subasio. This UNESCO World Heritage town belongs to St. Francis, and you feel it in every stone. The Basilica of St. Francis draws pilgrims from around the world. Its frescoed walls tell his story and of his kindness to animals. Admire it from afar or step inside.

Spend another night in the Tuscany/Umbria area.

DAY 7: UMBRIA

A medieval wonder calls you further through Umbria, Città della Pieve. Saffron-coloured local stone oozes history and masks a turbulent past. Wander its perfumed lanes and find its cathedral. “Il Perugino” – a masterpiece fresco by Pietro Vanucci – awaits you. Mountains and the deep Lake Trasimene form part of the town’s panorama. From Trasimene’s western shore, Castiglione del Lago reaches out. Hannibal led his elephants through the Alps and battered the Romans here. The waters are calmer today. This castle town guards that ancient history and offers you another irresistible stroll.

Cortona caps your day. It reclines on the ridge of Monte Sant’Egidio. Olive groves and vineyards gird the town, cloaking it in the scent of freshness. Spend another night in the Tuscany/Umbria area.

DAY 8: TUSCAN

Weaving onwards, Siena might tempt you to pause. Its shell-shaped Piazza del Campo is one of Italy’s most beautiful squares. The Gothic cathedral? A masterpiece of black and white marble. Even a quick wander through its medieval streets is time well spent. By afternoon, Florence appears ahead. The Duomo‘s dome rising above the terracotta roofs is unmistakable even from a distance. The city’s at its best now, with Giotto’s bell tower catching the golden hour light. Make your way down to the Arno River. Cross the Ponte Vecchio with its jewellery shops glinting. The city hums with aperitivo hour energy. Spend the night in Florence.

DAY 9: THE DUOMO

Florence doesn’t just hold art and history – it overflows with it. Start at the Duomo, the Florence Cathedral. Its façade is a riot of pink, white, and green marble, topped with Brunelleschi’s monumental dome. Climb its 463 steps – we promise, the view is worth every last one. The Uffizi Gallery awaits. Botticelli’s Birth of Venus and Raphel’s Madonna of the Goldfinch, among many, will leave you wonderstruck. Consider booking ahead to be certain you’ll see them. Head to the Accademia for Michelangelo’s David. Everyone knows it. But standing before the actual marble – the detail, the scale, the presence of it – that’s something else entirely.

Wend your way to Piazza della Signoria. It’s home to outdoor sculptures and the imposing Palazzo Vecchio.

DAY 10: TUSCAN SECRETS & LIGURIAN WATERS

Pisa. What can we say about its world-famous Leaning Tower? Surely you want to see it for yourself? Get its good side at the Piazza dei Miracoli. You can’t miss it. Or venture to Lucca, an easy drive or train ride away from Florence. This walled city feels like Tuscany’s best-kept secret. Cinque Terre calls too, with its pastel villages clinging to dramatic cliffs, connected by coastal paths and trains. A guided tour could take you there. Soak up the views, the limoncello, the impossibly blue sea. Or perhaps you’re craving something simpler. La Spezia offers beaches and waterfront ease. Spread out a towel, order seafood by the water, let the Ligurian sun do its work. Spend another night in Florence.

DAY 11: VENICE

Time to trade Tuscany’s hills for Venice‘s canals. Embrace the open road as you drive your way through Emilia-Romagna. Bologna could lure you off the autostrada. A university city of terracotta towers and endless porticoes. Continue to Venice and drop off your car – you won’t need it anymore. Then make your way into Lagoon City. Prefer to let the train do the work? Leave your car in Florence and reach Venice in a couple of hours. No navigation, no parking, just sit back and watch Italy unfold. We can book it for you. Job done.

By evening, you’ll find yourself somewhere entirely different. No cars, no roads. Just water, bridges, and that particular Venetian air. Spend the night in the Venice/Mestre area.

DAY 12: VENICE

Today is yours to explore Venice at your leisure.

Bright and early is the best time to head to Saint Mark’s Basilica. It glitters with its mosaics of Byzantine gold.

Next door, the Doge’s Palace reveals centuries of Venetian power and intrigue. Let the afternoon take you to what you want to see most. Art lovers should seek out the Scuola Grande di San Rocco – Tintoretto’s paintings fill the walls, floor to ceiling. The Rialto Bridge offers those classic Grand Canal views.  Or take to the water. San Giorgio Maggiore offers perhaps the finest view back toward Venice from its bell tower.

Spend another night in the Venice/Mestre area.

DAY 13: VENICE

Venice still has secrets to share. Juicy, crunchy, and fragrant produce beckons at the Rialto Market. Snack like a local and watch them going about their day. In the mood for some synagogue spotting? Then it’s off to the world’s first Jewish Ghetto, where layer upon layer of history awaits. Or perhaps it’s time to venture beyond the city. The choice is yours. In the lagoon, Murano‘s glass-blowing workshops glow with molten colour. Burano‘s houses are painted in every shade imaginable. Mazzorbo offers something quieter. Further afield, guided excursions could tempt you. Shakespearean Verona and fizzy Prosecco promise their own adventures.

Spend another night in the Venice/Mestre area.

DAY 14: ARRIVEDERCI, VENICE

Your Italian adventure draws to a close. If your flight’s not until later, don’t rush. Venice deserves a proper goodbye. A final wander along the canals, perhaps some last-minute shopping in the artisan workshops tucked down side streets. Find a café you haven’t tried yet, order an espresso like a local, and watch the city wake up one more time. When it’s time, make your way to the airport. Tour complete with sweet memories….Ciao Ciao!