Italian Intermezzo - Classic Group, Summer
Travel from the shores of Venice to the ancient city of Rome on this 8-day guided tour of Italy. Begin your journey in the Italian Lake District, where a feast complete with decadent Italian wines awaits you on the shores of Lake Maggiore. In Venice, relax on a private boat as you pass by its iconic floating houses to St. Mark’s Square, where you will see a gilded basilica anchoring the bustling piazza. Later, take a traditional gondola ride and sail through the canals as your Italian gondolier serenades you with songs. See the legendary Colosseum in Rome, then travel to the Vatican Museums, where a Local Expert will lead you through the papal art collection and to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Dine with your fellow travelers to celebrate a fantastic trip through Italy.


Dining Summary

• 3 Dinner with Wine (DW)
• 7 Breakfast (B)

Choice Highlights

• Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café.
• Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.

Additional Included Highlights

• : Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
• : Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
• : We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
• : From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
• : Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
• : If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.

Authentic Dining

• Italian Lakes: Enjoy a special Welcome Dinner with wine, as you get to know your fellow travelers.
• Florence: During dinner, meet a sommelier who will talk you through a tasting of some of Tuscan's finest wines.
• Vatican: Experience a special Celebration Dinner inside the Vatican's Anima Mundi Museum.

Insight Experiences

• Vatican: Gain fast-track access into the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and view the splendid dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

Make Travel Matter

• Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft.  The workshop advances UN Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

Top Rated Highlights

• Venice: With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
• Venice: Delight in the magic of this charming city as you are serenaded, traveling through the atmospheric canals by gondola.
• Pisa: Your Local Expert will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the 11th century cathedral and of course, the famous Leaning Tower in the Square of Miracles.
• Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café.
• Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
• Florence: See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
• Orvieto: During your orientation of this Umbrian hilltop town with your Travel Director, visit Piazza del Duomo to admire the cathedral.
• Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a passionate local. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, and stand beside the Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.

Well-being

• : Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
• : Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.