Compare Secret Italy by Voyages Jules Verne vs Italian Discovery by Eskapas
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| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 10 days |
| Price From | $ 1,757 | $ 2,500 |
| Price Per Day | $ 251 | $ 250 |
| Highlights |
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- Most comprehensive itinerary of Northern and Southern Italy |
| Trip Style | Small group tour | Small group tour |
| Lodging Level | Premium | Premium |
| Physical Level |
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| Travel Themes |
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| Countries Visited | ||
| Cities and Attractions |
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| Flights & Transport | Airfare included | Ground transport included |
| Activities |
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| Meals Included | N/A |
9 breakfasts, 4 Lunches, 3 Dinners (please inform us at the moment of the booking, in case of any food allergy or alimentary restriction) |
| Description |
Of course each region of Italy has its own history and immense cultural heritage, each rivalling many individual countries. With so much focus by visitors on the most famous cities such as Florence and Venice, much remains relatively undiscovered and rewards quiet exploration. We have chosen Assisi as a convenient and atmospheric base for expeditions both within Umbria and to Tuscany and Le Marche, coordinated and accompanied by a private art collector. Visit lesser-known towns of remarkable history and art on day trips by private taxi with the opportunity to enjoy the fine local cuisine. Assisi itself is picturesquely situated on the slopes of Mount Subasio in beautiful Umbrian countryside, a tiny unspoilt Medieval gem of architectural and artistic beauty. Assisi's appearance has hardly changed since the Middle Ages and it retains the spiritual tranquillity of St. Francis who lived there some 800 years ago. |
The ten-day fully escorted “Italian Discovery” tour starts from and ends in Rome. All the iconic Italian cities – from the splendors of the Renaissance in Florence to the ruins of ancient Rome, to the sunny Amalfi coastline – are yours to discover during an epic 10 days in Italy. Get ready to discover the true essence of Italy on this outstanding travel experience with Eskapas. |
Day 1 Depart from London Stansted to Perugia. Transfer to your chosen hotel in Assisi for seven nights. Evening visit to the Assisi home of your tour host who will accompany your daily trips. While enjoying an aperitif, he will describe his collection of Roman, Byzantine and Medieval art.
Day 2 Morning visit to Assisi, including the 13th-century Basilica of St. Francis, decorated with frescoes by Cimambue, Giotto, Lorenzetti and Martini, and other Franciscan churches. Special Umbrian dinner of traditional dishes with local wines. (B, D)
Day 3 Travel to Arezzo to visit San Francesco church for Piero della Francesca's fresco cycle 'Legend of the True Cross', the Romanesque church Pieve di Santa Maria, the Cathedral, San Domenico and Piazza Grande. At Monterchi, see Piero's 'Pregnant Madonna' and at Sansepolcro his 'Resurrection'. (B)
Day 4 Picturesque drive through Valnerina to San Pietro in Valle, an 8th-century Romanesque Abbey with remarkable Lombard sculpture and 12th-century frescoes. Continue to Marmore Falls, the highest waterfall in Europe, and the beautiful Lake Piediluco for a boat ride and fish lunch overlooking the lake. (B, L)
Day 5 A scenic journey to Urbino for a guided tour of the Oratory of St. John the Baptist with its cycle of 15th-century frescoes by Salembeni, then the Palazzo Ducale, the most beautiful Renaissance palace in Italy and its art treasures. Return via Gubbio to view its Palazzo dei Consoli. (B)
Day 6 Stopping for coffee at Lake Trasimeno, a scenic drive through Tuscan countryside to the charming village of Pienza with its Renaissance centre and museum containing the world-famous 14th-century cope of English embroidery. Continue to the lovely Romanesque Abbey of Sant'Antimo and afterwards enjoy a celebratory Tuscan lunch. (B, L)
Day 7 Free day. A local expert presents a selection of Umbrian wines at your host's home with buffet supper. (B, D)
Day 8 Return flight to London Stansted. (B)
Day 1
Rome Arrival
Benvenuti a Roma!
Arrival to Rome , meet and greet with our private driver at the airport. Transfer to your hotel.
Tread in the footsteps of emperors and slaves your first encounter with intoxicating Italy is the ‘Eternal City’ and its glorious past which you will have an opportunity to explore on your own before joining our Rome by Night Guided Walk starting at At 8:30 pm – reach the meeting point (on the corner of Via del Traforo (near street no. 148) and Largo del Tritone, on the wide sidewalk opposite the wedding-dress shop) to be ready for the departure of the Rome by night tour.
Our local expert guide will lead you to discover the wonders of the Eternal City, charming by day – absolutely romantic by night. You enjoy the whole center of this magic city in the moonlight during this panoramic mix of bus and walking tour. The tour ends in Colosseum area. Enjoy on your own the rest of the night. Return to the hotel on your own and overnight stay.
Overnight: Rome Meals: Not Available
Day 2
Rome > Assisi > Siena > Florence (B, D)
Departing at 7:15 am from your hotel by a deluxe coach, you will arrive in Assisi, ready to explore, at your own leisure, this tiny town surrounded by walls, built in the Middle Ages. Take your time to visit the basilica of St. Francis, where you will see masterpieces by Giotto and Cimabue and, then, have free time for lunch (not included). Board on the bus to reach Siena, a Unesco World Heritage Site, world-known for the Palio, the historical horse race around the shell-shaped town square: Piazza del Campo. Next, you will continue on to Florence, where you will check in at your hotel before enjoying dinner and a well-earned night of rest.
Overnight: Florence Meals: Breakfast – Dinner
Day 3
Florence (B,L)
After breakfast, you will spend the day venturing around beautiful Florence, the “Cradle of Renaissance”, where, with the help of Michelangelo, Italian art reached its pinnacle. Based on Etruscan-Roman origins, the city flourished in the Middle Ages as a free “Comune” and was further refined during the Renaissance. You will be fascinated by the uncountable monuments, churches and buildings as Santa Maria del Fiore, more commonly referred to as the Duomo. On your visit, you will be amazed by its magnificent dome built by Filippo Brunelleschi.
Cross a small piazza to see the “Campanile” tower (partly designed by Giotto) and the Baptistery, with its bronze doors where Michelangelo imagined the “Gates of Paradise.” In the heart of the city, you will see Piazza della Signoria, Palazzo della Signoria (also known as Palazzo Vecchio), and the Basilica of Santa Croce.
Lunch in a typical Tuscan restaurant in Piazza Santa Croce. Spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional), one of the four main historical Marine Republics of Italy. There, you will tour the Piazza dei Miracoli with the Duomo, Pisa’s symbol “the Leaning Tower” and the Baptistery.
Overnight: Florence. Meals: Breakfast – Lunch
Day 4
Florence > Bologna > Padua > Venice (B, D)
After breakfast in Florence, departure to Bologna. There, you will discover the elegant city center with its “porticos”, it’s shopping streets and so on. From Piazza Malpighi you will walk to Piazza del Nettuno and Piazza Maggiore (Neptune square and Major square) in the heart of the city, then King Renzo’s Palace; Palazzo Podestà and the basilica of San Petronio, one of the biggest in the world. Bologna it’s a real gourmet’s heaven…don’t miss a tasty meal at your own leisure! In the afternoon, continue toward Padova, with Sant’Antonio Basilica: one of the most visited churches by pilgrims of the catholic world. Later in the afternoon, arrival in Venice (Mestre). Check in at your hotel for dinner and overnight stay.
Overnight: Venice Mestre Meals: Breakfast – Dinner
Day 5
Venice (B)
After breakfast, enjoy your transfer to Piazza San Marco, with “Skip the Line” tickets to visit the splendid St. Mark’s Basilica and, after this, check out the most iconic places of the “Floating City”: the Palazzo dei Dogi, symbol of Venice’s glorious past, the legendary “Bridge of Sighs”. Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel and overnight.
Overnight: Venice Mestre Meals: Breakfast
Day 6
Venice > Tuscany Wine Region (Montepulciano) > Rome (B, L)
After breakfast, departure from Piazzale Roma heading to Tuscany, world-known for its landscapes, its churches and castles and its delicious wines. You will proceed to Val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a medieval town rich in history and art. Known for its “Nobile” wine, on purchase in local wine houses, Montepulciano also hosts an annual Jazz and Wine Festival every July. Lunch in a typical restaurant included!!! After lunch, quick stop to spend some free time. In the evening, you will arrive in Rome to check in into your hotel.
Overniht: Rome Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 7
Rome (B)
Between 7:45/8:00 am, after breakfast, departure from the hotel for the included tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s square with our exclusive “Skip the Line” access! No stress to reach the area: upon arrival, your guide will lead you into the museums where you’ll visit one of the most important art collections of the world. Walk along the beautiful Galleries of Tapestries and Geographical Maps before admiring Raphael’s Rooms and, then, the amazing Sistine Chapel. The tour couldn’t be complete without St. Peter’s Square, the open space which lies before the basilica, redesigned by Gian Lorenzo Bernini and being itself an architectural masterpiece of the Baroque age.
Overnight: Rome Meals: Breakfast
Day 8
Rome > Naples > Pompeii > Sorrento (B, L, D)
After breakfast, pick up at your hotel at 7:00 am approximately. Departure by coach heading south crossing the regions of Lazio and Campania. Arrival in Naples and short panoramic tour climbing up to Vomero hill to enjoy beautiful views over the Gulf of Naples with the Vesuvius, Capri, Ischia and Procida and the city below; time to take some nice pictures. Descending towards the port of Mergellina, you will leave the city and travel south towards Mount Vesuvius and, once you reach the town of Pompeii, you will have lunch with the real Neapolitan pizza! After lunch, you will enter into one of the most important archaeological sites in the world: a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the ruins of Pompeii, with Skip the Line entrance and a guided tour.
Visit the haunting ruins of Pompeii, traveling back in time to the tragic days in 79 AD when the silent Mount Vesuvius suddenly erupted, covering the prosperous Roman city in deadly volcanic ashes and poisonous gases, leaving this prosperous city crystallized until our days. You’ll learn how people lived at that time, visiting houses and “bars” of the time, admiring frescoes and mosaics to imagine how rich and prosperous was the city before the dreadful day. After the visit, you will drive along the Sorrentine Coast, arriving in Sorrento for dinner (dress code: jacket for men) and an overnight in your new hotel.
Overnight: Sorrento Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
Day 9
Sorrento > Capri > Rome (B, L)
After breakfast, get ready for an exciting excursion to the island of Capri: one of the most exclusive summer destinations of the Mediterranean! Depending on weather and sea conditions, you will admire the dreamy Blue Grotto on a small rowboat. Afterward, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant and then roam the island at your own pace. Once back on the mainland, return to Rome in the evening for your last overnight.
Overnight: Rome Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 10
Rome Departure
After your breakfast at the hotel transfer to the airport for your onward flight. End of our services
Overnight: Not Available Meals: Breakfast
