The Ultimate Italian 8-Day Adventure: Rome, Florence and Venice

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Grand Guided Walking Tour of the Historic Center

Get to know the historic core of Rome on this three hour private guided walking tour that takes in such famous sights as People's Square (Piazza Popolo), the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain where Anita Ekberg jumped into the water in Frederico Fellini's La Dolce Vita, the column of Marcus Aurelius, the Pantheon, and the most beautiful square in all of Italy - Piazza Navona.

Morning/Mid-Day

Explore the Vatican City's Many Wonders

Rome is unique in the world in that it contains an independent country within its city limits - the Vatican City, from where the Pope administers the Catholic Church. The symbolic center of Catholicism is St Peter's Basilica, the second-largest Catholic church in the world and among the most beautiful. The Vatican Museum contains one of the greatest collections of art in existence, including Michelangelo's jaw-dropping Sistine Chapel. The popes had a bigger influence on Rome than just the collection of art. The Pope's title is actually Bishop of Rome, and popes administed the city for centuries, shaping its architecture & public spaces. Rome was re-built to be an example of urban beauty, and the Vatican was meant to be the showcase within the showcase. Their success is evident from the throngs of visitors who flock here even today.

Morning/Mid-Day

Visit Italy's Greatest Display of Art at the Uffizi Gallery

As the capital of the Renaissance, it's only fitting that Florence should also host Italy's greatest art gallery at the Uffizi. It's understandably busy throughout the year, but it's nevertheless worth the crowds to see to see some of the most sumptuous masterpieces of Renaissance art, including Botticelli's Primavera and Venus, and works by Michelangelo and Da Vinci. If you're planning to visit other galleries and museums in Florence, then it's definitely worth investing in a Firenze Card, which gives you free entry and priority access to 72 venues in the city. At a minimum, you should book ahead for the Uffizi to avoid very long queues.

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

Best of Florence: Half-Day Walking Tour

Enjoy a 3-hour private walking tour of Florence, the perfect introduction to the masterpieces of this city. Stroll around the historic center and take in sights such as the Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, Piazza Della Signora and end your tour at the famous Galleria dell'Accademia where you can enter to see Michelangelo's marble masterpiece, the statue of David.

9:00 AM - 12:00 PM

'First Walk' Guided Tour in Venice

If you are a first-time visitor to Venice, the best approach is an introductory tour. This 3-hour private guided walking excursion begins with a selection of the “must sees,” including St. Mark's Square, the former political center of the Venetian Republic, with its many famous buildings: the Doges' Palace, the Bridge of Sighs, the Marciana Library, the Bell Tower, and the Clock Tower. You'll end your tour in the Rialto neighborhood next to the famous Rialto Bridge.

Morning/Mid-Day

Rialto Bridge & San Polo District

The graceful arch of the Rialto Bridge is perhaps the single most iconic sight in Venice since nearly everyone passes beneath it on their journey along the Grand Canal. It connects Venice's two most visited districts, San Marco and San Polo. While San Marco is famous for St. Mark's Square, San Polo more than holds its own as a must-see destination, as it contains some of the city's oldest neighborhoods and most picturesque canals and bridges. It is also home to some of the best restaurants in Venice, and admittedly some of its worst tourist traps as well. Among many highlights is the bustling Rialto Market, which was once one of medieval Europe's busiest financial and trade markets, and still does a brisk trade in fresh seafood and produce.

To Be Determined

Transfer to Airport by Taxi or Water Bus

Most visitors will depart from the Venice Marco Polo Airport, which is located just across the water on the mainland. Because of the impossibility of driving inside Venice, you will need to take a water bus to Piazzale Roma on the edge of the city and then a land taxi to the airport (40 EUR), or take a water bus directly to the airport (15 EUR). It is also possible to take a private water taxi directly from your hotel to the airport, but it's very expensive. If you are departing from Venice Treviso Airport, you have much further to go. You can either take an expensive taxi ride (about 100 EUR) or take a shuttle bus for 12 EUR. The ATVO line departs from Piazzale Roma and takes 70 minutes, while the Barzi line picks up at the less convenient Tronchetto (the docks) but only takes 40 minutes.