Best of Florence and Rome

Arrival in Florence
Welcome to Florence! Upon arrival, your driver transfers you to the hotel for check-in. The rest of the day is at your own leisure to relax after the trip. 

Florence Sightseeing & Evening Wine Tasting
Meet your guide and go on a comprehensive walking tour of Florence's highlights. 

Today's program includes exploration of the Piazza del Duomo with a visit to the Baptistery dedicated to St. John the Baptist.

Your ticket to the Grande Museo del Duomo allows you to visit the other magnificent monuments of Piazza del Duomo in your free time within 72 hours: the Cathedral itself, the Dome and its famous Bell Tower.

As you proceed to the main square of the city - Piazza della Repubblica - you pass by the touristic area of the Strozzi Palace a bustling shopping street, via Tornabuoni.

You also visit the Galleria dell'Accademia to see the famous Michelangelo's statue David as well before ending the tour on the Ponte Vecchio.

After the tour you return to the hotel.

*Please note: the tour can be held in the morning or afternoon. 

In the evening meet your fellow travelers for a wine tasting organized for your small group. Enjoy a tasting of 3 different wines selected by the sommelier and paired with snacks. 

Departure to Rome
Following breakfast in your hotel, you check out and meet your driver for a transfer to the train station. 

Arrival & Highlights of Rome
An hour and a half later you arrive in Rome. Your driver meets you and takes you to your downtown hotel where you meet with your guide and embark on a tour to discover the famous ancient treasures of the Eternal City.

You see the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, Pantheon, Piazza Navona, the famous Fountain of the Four Rivers, as well as witness the masterpieces by Bernini, Borromini, and many others.

After the tour, your guide takes you back to the hotel and you have the evening at leisure.

Discovering Ancient Rome 
Meet your guide to discover the famous ancient treasures of the Eternal City on a walking tour.  

Your first stop today is the iconic Roman Forum, situated on low ground between the Palatine and Capitoline hills, it was the key political, ritual, and civic center of ancient Rome and can be traced 3 thousand years back. Today you can see columns and remains of ancient temples, archs and buildings, such as the Temple of Caesar and the Arch of Septimius Severus, as well as the adjacent Palatine Hill, which was the site of the city’s first settlements. 

The next place you discover today is Rome's hallmark site - the Colosseum. Originally known by the name of Flavius amphitheatre, it was the biggest and most imposing building of its kind in the Roman world, designed as an arena for the fights of Roman gladiators and could hold up to 70 thousand spectators. 

After the tour, your guide takes you back to the hotel and you have the evening at leisure.

*Please note: the tour can be held in the morning or afternoon.   

Vatican Sightseeing
Today you meet your guide and have a transfer to the walled enclave and the world’s smallest independent state - Vatican*. 

When inside the Vatican, you visit private apartments of Julius II, Pinecone Courtyard, Gallery of the Maps, Gallery of the Tapestries and Gallery of Candelabra.

Next, you proceed to the Sistine Chapel, where you have enough time to admire Michelangelo's famous frescoes and learn about the intense relationship between Pope Julius II and Michelangelo that drove the artist to create the greatest work of art the world has ever known.

Then your tour continues in the vast open spaces of St. Peter’s Basilica, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture and one of the most iconic landmarks in the world. As you step into the basilica, you'll be awestruck by the grandeur of its immense, ornately decorated interiors. 

The ending point of your tour is St. Peter’s Square, where you can admire Michelangelo's Dome and the gorgeous colonnades designed by Bernini.

Upon your return to the hotel, you have the rest of the day at leisure to enjoy the beauty of Rome on your own.

*Please note: the Vatican is a sacred religious site thus the dress code for visiting it is applied just as when you visit any church in Italy: no shorts – no uncovered knees and shoulders, no backpacks. Due to religious services St. Peters Basilica may be spontaneously closed, thus entrance to St. Peters Basilica may not be guaranteed.

*Please note: the tour can be held in the morning or afternoon.  

Departure 
This is the last day of your amazing tour to Italy! After breakfast your driver meets you at the hotel lobby and takes you to the airport for your flight back home. We wish you a safe flight and hope to work on your future vacations!