Compare Secret Italy by Voyages Jules Verne vs A Taste of Italy by Sarracini Travel
Compare details and see what other travelers are saying.
| Trip |
5 | Excellent
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5 | Excellent
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| Duration | 7 days | 8 days |
| Price From | $ 1,757 | $ 1,331 |
| Price Per Day | $ 251 | $ 166 |
| Highlights |
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| Trip Style | Small group tour | Private guided 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 |
Daily Breakfast, 2 Lunches & 2 Dinners |
| 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. |
Like a creamy gelato or hot espresso, one taste of Italy can linger for a lifetime. Travelling from eternal Rome and up through the hazy hills of Tuscany, you’ll spend eight days sampling the best of Assisi, Siena, Florence, Bologna, Padova, Venice, and Montepulciano. Catch the spirit of La Vita Bella as you explore elegant Florentine piazzas, rummage through handcrafted artisanal treasures, sip world-class wines, and float down intimate Venetian canals. Extend your visit by 2-3 days to discover the treasures along Italy’s Amalfi coast, from charmingly gritty Naples to sun-bleached Capri! |
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
Welcome to Rome! After a meet and greet at the airport with your driver, you will be transferred to your hotel. At 8:30 pm reach the meeting point to be ready for the departure of the Rome by Night Tour. The local expert guide will lead you to discover the wonders of the Eternal City, charming by day, absolutely romantic by night. The tour ends in the Colosseum area. Enjoy on your own the rest of the night. Return to the hotel on your own and overnight stay.
Day 2: Rome > Assisi > Siena > Florence
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Early morning departure for Assisi. Visit the Basilica of St. Francis featuring masterpieces by Giotto and Cimabue. Continue to Siena, home of the Palio. End the day in Florence, the birthplace of the Renaissance for dinner and overnight.
Day 3: Florence
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
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. Spend the afternoon strolling the cobblestone streets of Florence on your own or take a short trip to Pisa (optional).
Day 4: Florence > Bologna > Padova > Venice
Meals: Breakfast and Dinner
Depart for Bologna after breakfast in Florence. Wander through some of the city’s many, elegant arcades (or porticos), for which Bologna is famous. In the afternoon, continue toward Padova, with its original Sant’Antonio Basilica. In the early evening, we will arrive in Venice. Check-in to your hotel, dinner and overnight stay.
Day 5: Venice
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast, enjoy your private water-taxi 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”. Spend the afternoon roaming along Venice’s canals at your leisure and then return to the hotel and overnight.
Day 6: Venice > Montepulciano (Tuscany) > Rome
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch
After breakfast, depart for Tuscany, known for its romantic churches, castles and beloved wines. Proceed to Val di Chiana with a stop in Montepulciano, a Medieval town rich with history and art. That evening we will arrive in Rome.
Day 7: Rome
Meals: Breakfast
After breakfast depart from the hotel for the included tour of the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St.Peter’s Basilica with our exclusive “Skip the Line” access. The tour ends in St. Peter’s Square. Afternoon and evening at leisure. Meals: B
Day 8: Rome
Meals: Breakfast
Final breakfast followed by check-out. Arrivederci!
