Classic Italy

Arrive in Naples and Head to Sorrento Location Information Description

Naples, Italy

The tour begins at 6:00 PM at the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. A transfer is included from Naples International Airport to Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria in the southern resort town of Sorrento.

Location Information Description

Sorrento, Italy

Your historic hotel, the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria, is family owned and operated since 1834 and overlooks the beautiful Bay of Naples and powerful Mt. Vesuvius. Get to know your fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening.

Dinner

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

A Drive Along the Spectacular Amalfi Coast Location Information Description

Amalfi Coast, Italy

Take an unhurried drive along the Amalfi Coast, one of Europe's most dramatic shorelines. Stop in Positano and visit Amalfi, where some medieval dwellings date to the 10th century, and Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea.

Location Information Description

Sorrento, Italy

Explore Sorrento's piazzas, old Roman streets and narrow alleys as you please upon your afternoon return, spending the evening as you wish and enjoying dinner on your own.

Breakfast, Lunch

Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

Explore Pompeii, then on to Eternal Rome Location Information Description

Pompei, Italy

Today, explore an ancient community captured in time – the excavated ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Walk through city streets with a local expert, where you'll discover remarkably preserved ancient architecture and artifacts that portray what daily life was like in this 1st-century city.

Location Information Description

Rome, Italy

Continue on to remarkable Rome, where your next three nights are spent at The Westin Excelsior, Rome, one of the most prestigious addresses on the famed Via Veneto.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The Westin Excelsior

Exclusive After-Hours Vatican Museums Visit Location Information Description

Rome, Italy

Your sightseeing today begins with a drive to St. Peter's Square in Vatican City for a tour of St. Peter's Basilica to view the art and architecture of one of the largest and most famous churches in the world.

After a free afternoon spent as you wish in Rome, your evening is highlighted by a special Tauck Exclusive – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (subject to availability and day of the tour may vary). This after-hours visit means you'll avoid the long lines found earlier in the day; the experience is rich when you explore the treasures in the Vatican Museums without the usual crowds. See the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery, and the Tapestries. In the Sistine Chapel, you'll view artist Michelangelo's masterpiece frescoes adorning the chapel's ceiling – and be able to contemplate all that you see in quieter surroundings. It's certain to be a true highlight on this most memorable of escorted Italy tours... one that you'll remember forever.

Breakfast

The Westin Excelsior

Imperial Rome's Colosseum & more Location Information Description

Rome, Italy

A sightseeing excursion begins the day in Rome, once the virtual capital of the ancient world, and now Italy's capital city. Witness the grandeur of the 2,000-year-old Colosseum; see Circus Maximus, the 4th-century BC stadium where chariot races were held, and the ruins of the Imperial Palace.

This afternoon and evening, enjoy some free time to explore what interests you most in Rome.

Breakfast

The Westin Excelsior

Orvieto's Duomo and on to Perugia Location Information Description

Orvieto, Italy

Journey to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot-high plateau overlooking vineyards below. Visit the Duomo of Orvieto, a notable Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built over a span of 300 years. Enjoy a trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo and some time to explore.

Location Information Description

Perugia, Italy

Continue through the wine-producing regions of Umbria. Arrive in the region's capital, Perugia, and your home for the next two nights, Sina Brufani – an elegant 5-star hotel in the heart of the medieval city. Enjoy dinner tonight at the hotel's renowned restaurant.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Sina Brufani Hotel

Back in Time in Old Assisi Location Information Description

Assisi, Italy

Drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval hill town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture, and the hometown of St. Francis, the revered patron saint of animals and founder of the Franciscan order. Visit the Basilica di San Francesco, built to honor Assisi's beloved saint and favorite son and his final resting place. Gaze at the basilica's impressive 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, some of Italy's finest, and enjoy some free time in the center of town.

Location Information Description

Perugia, Italy

This afternoon, return to your hotel where the remainder of the day is free.

Breakfast, Dinner

Sina Brufani Hotel

Medieval San Gimignano Location Information Description

San Gimignano, Italy

Depart your Umbrian resort and head for Tuscany, where for centuries the beauty of nature has blended with the ingenuities of mankind; your travels through the rolling Tuscan hills take you through golden landscapes dotted with olive and fig trees. Arrive in the hilltop town of San Gimignano, one of its gems. Medieval towers, built in the 12th century by the nobility, are visible from afar. Stroll along the quaint streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy's most picturesque town squares.

Location Information Description

San Giuliano Terme, Italy

Continue your journey through lush Tuscan countryside to Bagni di Pisa, a celebrated hotel, for an overnight stay; dine at your hotel this evening.

Breakfast, Dinner

Bagni di Pisa Hotel

Cinque Terre's Seaside Storybook Villages Location Information Description

Cinque Terre, Italy

Travel this morning to Cinque Terre, accessible only by sea for hundreds of years; its five picture-book fishing villages nestled between the Mediterranean's blue waters and the rugged coastal mountains. Cruise along the shores of the Italian Riviera (weather permitting) where views of these centuries-old Cinque Terre villages, set on rocky bluffs hemmed in by steep cliffs, are a knockout! Next, travel by train through the mountains to one of the villages, where you'll get a look at daily life – from the colorful fishing boats home from the sea, to the wine, olives, and citrus fruit produced locally. You'll have some time to explore the cobblestone streets and alleyways, perhaps sampling the unique flavors of the local cuisine for lunch.

Location Information Description

Florence, Italy

Journey on to the Tuscan city of Florence for a three-night stay in its Renaissance heart; you'll have an opportunity to dine at your hotel's glass-walled rooftop restaurant with 360-degree views of one of the world's most beautiful cities.

Breakfast, Dinner

The Westin Excelsior

All About Art in Renaissance Florence Location Information Description

Florence, Italy

A briefing by an art history lecturer precedes a walking tour of Florence and a guided visit through the collections of works by many of the greatest artists of the 14th and 15th centuries – including Michelangelo's famous sculpture of David and paintings by Botticelli, Uccello, Ghirlandaio, del Sarto and others – at Galleria dell'Accademia. Flourishing for more than four centuries, the world-renowned institution was established in 1563 as the first art school in Europe.

Following an included lunch, you'll have time on your own in Florence this afternoon; your hotel is right in the heart of the city, which makes it easy to explore!

Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant tonight.

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

The Westin Excelsior

Masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery Location Information Description

Florence, Italy

Today, Florence is yours to enjoy as you please; you may want to visit the Pitti Palace or the Medici Chapels, or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens. Tonight, join a local expert for an after-hours, guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence's extraordinary art museum founded by the Medici family in the 16th century; it can be rightfully called the oldest art gallery on Earth. Admire some of the world's greatest art masterpieces on display within its walls, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more.

Breakfast

The Westin Excelsior

By high-speed rail to Venice Location Information Description

Venice, Italy

Guests rave that one of the things they like best about our Italy tours is traveling by different modes of transportation; Classic Italy continues today with a journey aboard a sleek high-speed train from Florence to Venice. Transfer by canal boat to your hotel, conveniently located near St. Mark's Square.

After lunch, you'll indulge in the quintessential Venetian experience, a serenade aboard a gondola on the canals followed by an afternoon to explore Venice as you wish.

Dinner tonight is on your own in Venice, a city embraced by the most popular Italy tours for its many fine restaurants! This evening, depart your hotel for a private, after-hours tour of St. Mark's Basilica, surely to be a highlight during your stay in Venice!

Breakfast, Lunch

Hotel Danieli

The Romance of Venice, as you please Location Information Description

Venice, Italy

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of the sumptuous Doge's Palace, once the official residence of the elected officials of the Venetian Republic. The rest of your day is free to do as you please in Venice – and to say that you have a lot of choices is an understatement. You might decide to visit the museums, an eclectic group housing some of the world's most famed art; stroll the winding, narrow streets that lead to countless bridges; or perhaps you might choose to take a boat to one of the islands in the Venetian Lagoon, such as Murano, Burano or Torcello, where centuries-old crafts and a kaleidoscope of color are found.

This evening, join the group for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner that marks the end of one of Tauck's most popular escorted Italy tours.

Breakfast, Dinner

Hotel Danieli

Ciao and homeward bound Location Information Description

Venice, Italy

The tour ends in Venice. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from the Hotel Danieli to Venice's Marco Polo Airport. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.

Breakfast

• 60 days or more before departure: $350.00 per person
• 59-8 days before departure: $600.00 per person
• 7-1 days before departure: $900.00 per person
• On departure day and later: 100% of total price
• Any changes or cancellations to airline reservations made through Tauck either before or after departure are subject to the cancellation / change policies of the individual airlines. In n some instances these cancellation / change fees may be up to 100% of the ticket price.
• Cancellation fees may also apply to any additional services, including extra night accommodations, independently supplied services, and optional excursions reserved prior to, during, and after the tour. If flight changes, including, but not limited to, flight cancellations or name changes, are requested after full land and air deposits are received, revision fees, change fees, or airline cancellation fees will apply.
• All cancellations must be received in writing prior to tour departure. The cancellation policy will apply according to the date that the cancellation notification is received. The MINIMUM cancellation penalty is the deposit amount.
• The purchase to trip cancellation insurance is strongly recommended.

• Land only “from price” is per person based on two people sharing a room together and does not include airfare unless expressly stated.
• All prices are in US Dollars.
• A $350 non-refundable, non-transferable, per-person, per-vacation deposit is required to reserve space for you. Payment of the deposit indicates you have read and accepted all Terms & Conditions. Your booking is not confirmed until the deposit payment is processed and you receive a confirmation invoice.
• Final payment is due 75 days prior to departure. Within the final payment date, payment in full is required at time of booking to reserve space. Reservations (land, cruise, and air) are canceled if final payment is not received by the due date.
• Additional deposits or payments are required for international air added to the start and/or end of your vacation.