Compare Italian Treasures: Rome, Florence & Venice by Abercrombie & Kent vs Gourmet Food & Fine Wine Tuscany Tours by Alma Italia

Day 1: Arrive Rome

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: The St. Regis Rome

Arrive in Rome, where you are met and transferred to your hotel in the center of the city. Tonight, join your Resident Tour Director for dinner at the hotel.

Day 2: Rome | Essence of the Eternal City

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: The St. Regis Rome

Begin your day discovering the evocative remains of the Eternal City. Start with the Palatine Hill, where your local guide brings to life the legend of the city’s origin in the eighth century BC under twin brothers Romulus and Remus. Then, pass the imposing Arch of Constantine to visit the mighty Colosseum. Built in AD 80, it held 50,000 spectators who reveled in watching gladiatorial combat, executions of criminals, animal fights and mock naval battles. After lunch at a local restaurant, stop at the lovely Campo de Fiori, one of Rome’s thriving markets. Visit the Piazza Navona, dominated by the Baroque Fountain of the Four Rivers, and continue to the Pantheon, instantly recognizable for its large granite Corinthian columns. Later, enjoy a moment at the Trevi Fountain to perhaps toss in a coin, and finish your day at the foot of the picturesque Spanish Steps on the Piazza di Spagna.

Day 3: Rome/Vatican City | Michelangelo’s Finest

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: The St. Regis Rome

Today, tour Vatican City, admiring the stunning collections of antiquities, paintings and objets d’art in its vast museum. Behold the Sistine Chapel with its glorious frescoes painted by Michelangelo, and wonder at St. Peter’s Basilica, first erected in 324 on the orders of Emperor Constantine over the tomb of the saint. View the poignant Pietà of Michelangelo and the exuberant Baldaquin of Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini. Bernini, who was the preeminent sculptor of his day as well as an accomplished architect, was a favorite of popes and royals, and left an enduring mark on the cityscape of Rome.

Day 4: Orvieto/Florence | Tuscan Landscapes

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Accommodation: The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Drive to Florence, stopping en route at the small hilltop town of Orvieto for lunch. Enjoy a guided walking tour of this ancient community, entering the magnificent Piazza del Duomo and the cathedral housing Signorelli’s Cycle of the Apocalypse, which aggressively employs foreshortening techniques to create vibrant images as arresting as they are inspiring. Continue through the breathtaking Tuscan countryside, amid hill-towns encircled by Etruscan walls and slender cypress trees. Arrive in Florence and visit the Accademia, home to Michelangelo’s stunning masterpiece, David. Carved from white Carrara marble and standing 17 feet tall, the statue took three years to complete, with Michelangelo, then in his mid-twenties, working in almost complete secrecy throughout its creation.

Day 5: Pisa | The Tower & the Duomo

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Drive to Pisa to view its famed Leaning Tower, which stands — albeit at a nearly four-degree angle — 196 feet tall. Enjoy a guided tour of the inspiring 11th-century Duomo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the nearby Baptistery, itself a magnificent example of medieval architecture. Renowned for its superb acoustics, its design marks the transition from the Romanesque style to the Gothic style. Then, enjoy lunch before returning to Florence. This afternoon, a guided tour of the Florence Synagogue will reveal the importance of the Jewish community in Italian history. The synagogue, begun in 1874, was constructed with Byzantine architectural touches and features Moorish-influenced interior decorations.

Day 6: Florence | Uffizi Gallery & a Farm-to-Table Dinner

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Join a local art specialist for a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, originally designed to hold the uffizi (administrative offices) of the Medici Grand Duke Cosimo. Browse its celebrated assembly of artworks, which includes paintings from the late Middle Ages through the early 18th century, and admire such striking masterpieces as Caravaggio’s Medusa, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Da Vinci’s Annunciation and Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch. Then, enjoy a very special private entry to the Vasari Corridor, built by the court architect to the Medici family. Having first acquired wealth from success in banking and commerce, members of the House of Medici turned their attention to supporting the arts, in particular during the reign of Lorenzo the Magnificent in the late 15th century. This evening, dine at a local farm-to-table restaurant for an authentic — and delectable — Chef’s Table experience.

Day 7: Florence/Venice | St. Mark’s Basilica

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Accommodation: Belmond Hotel Cipriani

Accompany your guide on a morning stroll through the San Lorenzo district’s famous Central Market before heading into the Tuscan hills to visit an ancient wine and olive oil estate. After a tasting and a light lunch, drive to Venice and take in spectacular views of the lagoon as you enjoy a Scenic Sundowner with your Resident Tour Director and fellow guests. Later, A&K arranges a private after-hours tour of St. Mark’s Basilica, exclusively for your group, led by an expert local guide. Examples of the many artworks on display include the dazzling golden altarpiece known as the Pala d’Oro and the life-size bronze Horses of St. Mark.

Day 8: Venice | Marvels of the Doge’s Palace

Meals: Breakfast and Dinner

Accommodation: Belmond Hotel Cipriani

Begin your day with a cruise down the Grand Canal to visit the city’s former Jewish Ghetto. Afterward, set out on a walking tour of the narrow streets around St. Mark’s Square and the Grand Canal. Visit the lavish Doge’s Palace, the seat of government here for centuries and the former residence of the rulers of the Venetian Republic. Take a moment to marvel at the lavish frescoes, graceful staircases and gilded stuccowork that reveal the glory and opulence of earlier times. Next, embark on a romantic gondola ride, before an afternoon at leisure. Tonight, gather for a farewell dinner with your fellow guests.

Day 9: Depart Venice

Meals: Breakfast

After breakfast, transfer by boat to the airport and depart.

Day 1:  Arrival

On arrival at the airport, you will be greeted by your new friends from Alma Italia. You can relax in the safety and security of a private transfer to your hotel. The next four nights you will be staying in a stylish boutique hotel in the heart of the Chianti Classico producing region. Spend the afternoon taking a swim in the stunning outdoor pool with a panoramic hilltop view overlooking the Chianti scenery, followed by sunset drinks on the terrace before dinner at the hotel. Bliss!

Vineyard sunset

Day 2: Chianti wine and olive oil tasting

Your local English speaking Alma Italia wine guide will meet you at your accommodation after breakfast for a full day of the best wine tasting in Tuscany. Indulge your love of Italian food in Tuscany, and enjoy a full-day tour that combines a cooking class and wine tasting. Following the cooking class enjoy lunch at the estate tasting yet more wines and tasting local olive oils.

In the late afternoon visit the village of Fiesole, overlooking Florence admiring the view before driving down the hill to experience the Renaissance capital of Italy up close. The town and its surroundings are full of charm, character, and history. Enjoy a traditional Tuscan dinner in a trattoria in Florence adored by locals for generations paired with their wine suggestions.

Florence bridge

Day 3: Relaxing cycle through the Tuscan countryside

Your Alma Italia guide will meet you at your accommodation after breakfast for a morning bike ride – Our private rides are tailored to clients’ specific preferences and biking abilities . You’ll cycle at your own pace on peaceful country lanes, through an endless panorama of vineyards, olive groves and centuries-old stone farmhouses. Along the vineyard cycle route enjoy a morning tour and tasting, and you’ll also enjoy a truly delicious Tuscan lunch featuring local products and wine pairings in a stunning Tuscan wine

estate. Relax with private transfers back to your accommodation for a swim in the pool and time to soak up some early evening sun.

Vine bike Tuscany wine tours

Day 4: Explore Siena and the surrounding vineyards

Enjoy a slow morning with a late breakfast and time to relax and enjoy the panoramic outdoor pool with incredible Chianti vineyard views. For those who want to be pampered by different wellness treatments, the hotel offers a range of spa treatments. Private wine tours in Tuscany should be relaxing after all!

Your Alma Italia host and driver will arrive later to take you into Siena for the day! Siena, built on three hills and surrounded by well-preserved walls, is filled with fine examples of Gothic architecture and has one of the world’s most unique piazzas, Piazza dal Campo, dominated by the greatest Gothic building in Tuscany, the Palazzo Pubblico.

Siena Duomo Italy wine week

Day 5: Maremma – Tuscany by the sea

In the morning, relax as your private driver whisks you through the beautiful countryside to the Maremma coast in southern Tuscany. You will feel instantly renewed as you see the blue Mediterraean sea stretch out before you. We will stop on the way to visit an esteemed award winning up and coming vineyard run by 2 generations of the same Tuscan family. You will notice how the proximity to the sea impacts on the wine, so different to that of Chianti Classico but no less delicious! The Maremma is now widely regarded as one of the regions to experience the best wine tasting in Ital and is definately a highlight on our private wine tours in Tuscany

The next Four night’s accommodation will be in an elegant, historic and unique small hotel situated on Tuscany’s Argentario peninsula. A former island off the coast of Tuscany, now connected to the mainland via three narrow sandbars, Monte Argentario is a hidden beach paradise for those looking to mingle sea and mountain fun, all in one place. A special place where the Italian elite seeking out a hidden getaway enjoy the groves of Argentario’s coastline. The two restaurants (one of which is Michelin star) offer unique atmospheres, they share mouth-wateringly good traditional Italian dishes with a modern twist, taste bud tingling vintages and stylish surroundings.

Tuscany wine tours

Day 6: Monte Argentario by private boat

A special day today as your Alma Italia guide takes you on a private boat for a day on the water to explore the coastline of Monte Argentario and Isola Giannutri, an incredible small island unspoiled and breathtaking in the Tuscan Archipelago National Park. Shaped like a half moon , the island of Giannutri will bedazzle you with its unique underwater world and the ruins of imposing Roman villas. It is a simply stunning place to explore and relax with a lunch on the island and swimming in the crystal clear waters to refresh yourself in the afternoon.

Monte Argentario by private boat Italy tours

Day 7: Port Ercole and Morellino di Scansano

A day to explore. Head to 16th century Forte Stella at Porto Ercole, built in the shape of a star and a remnant from the island’s former Spanish invaders. Take a walk along the high-end boutiques of Porto Ercole towards the ‘borgo antico’ or old part of the village, continue towards the ‘la rocca’ fortress for amazing views with lunch in the old town. Or simply relax and enjoy the panoramic Seaview from the pool.

In the afternoon we will continue our wine tasting Italy tour with a visit to vineyard in Morellino di Scansano, now one of the most popular appellations for local Tuscans who consider the small area as offering some of the best wine tasting in Tuscany.

Vineyard san Gimigiano

Day 8: Italian food and wine by the beach

Bike to the Beach!

Your Alma Italia guide will meet you at your accommodation after breakfast for a full day of beaches, biking and of course, some of the best wine tasting in Italy. – Our private bike routes have optional extensions, so you can choose the perfect amount of biking to suit your ability. The ride takes you through medieval towns, beautiful vistas and ends at the Tyrrehnian sea with a swim along the way. Enjoy an amazing local lunch to end the trip – A wide range of local flavours ensure a stunning Tuscan lunch paired with wines in a memorable setting. Late afternoon (chauffeured) transfers back to your accommodation.

Tuscany wine tours

Day 9: Time to say Arrividerci

After a final breakfast in the hotel, relax with private transfers to the airport for your flight home.