Compare Ultimate Italy by G Adventures vs Genius in Italy: Discover the Works of Da Vinci, Galileo & More by Road Scholar

Day 1 Rome

Arrive at any time.

There are no planned activities until tonight's welcome meeting.

We recommend booking pre-tour accommodation to fully explore this magnificent city. Please speak to a G Adventures representative about booking accommodations in Rome before Day 1 of this itinerary. Please note that if Vatican City is on your must-see list, we highly recommend purchasing your tickets online several weeks prior to your trip. Advance tickets can be reserved online at https://tickets.museivaticani.va/home. Same-day entrance to St. Peter's Basilica and the Vatican Museums (including the Sistine Chapel) cannot be guaranteed without advance tickets. We also recommend pre-booking your ticket to the Colosseum to guarantee entrance and avoid long queues: https://ticketing.colosseo.it/en

Day 2 Rome

Enjoy a G Adventures supported migrant led walk of Rome before enjoying a free day to explore a myriad of options. Opt to tour Vatican City, cross the river to charming Trastevere, eat some gelato in Piazza Navona, or swing by the Colosseum and Forum.

While you're here, why not opt to rent a Vespa for the day? Live "la dolce vita" and opt to pre-book the Rome Vintage Vespa Tour on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.

Day 3 Rome/Montepulciano

Travel to Montepulciano in the heart of the Tuscan countryside. Explore the medieval and renaissance hill town with an orientation walk.

Montepulciano is famous for producing delectable local pork, cheese, "Pici" pasta, and honey. It is also major wine producing area. Take in the stunning vistas, wander cobbled lanes, or opt to sample the local delicacies in small, family-run establishments.

Day 4 Montepulciano

Spend the day in the Italian countryside. The famous wine-producing region is the perfect place for an optional vineyard tour and wine tasting, or a bike ride in the rolling hills.

Opt to travel further afield to the thermal springs of Bagni San Filippo.

Day 5 Montepulciano/Florence

Continue on to Florence. Enjoy an evening walk to Piazzale Michelangelo for a fantastic panoramic view of the city.

Continue to the inimitable Firenze. Walk through the city catching a glimpse of the Duomo, Piazza Indipendenza, Piazza della Signoria, and the Ponte Vecchio. Continue to Piazzale Michelangelo for the most famous and photographed vista of the city. Opt to visit the local leather markets and souvenir stalls set up all over the city.

Day 6 Florence

With a free day, the choices are endless. Opt to visit the Duomo, David at the Galleria dell’Accademia, Uffizi Gallery, medieval Ponte Vecchio, or the Medici Chapels, just to name a handful.

The day is yours to explore. Check out the Mercato Centrale or any number of cafés and trattorias. If you came to shop, start at one end of the city and just keep going. There's beautiful architecture, famous museums, Renaissance art pieces, and charming cobblestone streets everywhere. If you wish to go further afield, take a wine tasting bike tour up to Fiesole and the vineyards of Chianti. For a truly local experience, indulge your inner gastronome on a culinary tour of the city. Opt to pre-book the "Florence Food Tour" on the checkout page ahead of time, to include this optional on your tour.

If you wish to visit popular museums like the Uffizi and Accademia Galleries, we strongly advise reserving tickets in advance to avoid waiting in line for a long time (especially during the high season from May-September, where this can take several hours). Advance tickets can be reserved online at https://www.uffizi.it/en/tickets and https://www.galleriaaccademiafirenze.it/tickets/

Day 7 Florence

Enjoy a day trip to vibrant Siena. After an orientation walk around this medieval city, opt to visit Torre del Mangia, Battistero, il Campo, or the Duomo or to take a "passeggiata" and meet the Sienese locals. Return to Florence at the end of the day.

Day 8 Florence/Cinque Terre

Visit Pisa en route to the coast. Settle into the colourful, charming town in the Cinque Terre.

Head by train to Pisa and stop for a visit at the Field of Miracles to see the famous leaning tower (entrance fee not included). Later, head on to the coastal paradise of Cinque Terre.

Day 9 Cinque Terre

Walk the coastal path between Riomaggiore and Monterosso or opt to take the train. Visit charming, colourful towns along the way.

The national park pass and daily unlimited train ticket is included. Opt to follow your CEO along centuries-old footpaths and mule tracks leading through olive groves, vineyards, and orchards on a full day hike, or hop on and off the train, experiencing each town on your own. Choose to rest in each of the 5 villages, sampling delicacies in each place, such as local pesto, espresso, or delicious gelato.

Please note that some popular hiking paths along the Cinque Terre have been temporarily closed due to water erosion and damage caused by landslides in 2016. Your CEO will guide you on the best, most accessible path for today's hike.

Day 10 Cinque Terre/Lake Como

Travel to Lake Como, a perfectly picturesque region laden with villas and lush gardens. Arrive in the late afternoon and start exploring the town.

Set out from Cinque Terre on a train journey with a few changes en route, passing through Milan and on to elegant Como Town, located on the shores of Lake Como. On the border with Switzerland, enjoy the spectacular backdrop of the snowy-peaked Alps.

Day 11 Lake Como

Spend the day on Lake Como with a day pass for the Lake Como boat. Visit multiple towns along the shores. Opt to take the funicular to Brunate for a fantastic view over the area.

Set out by boat to explore the lake and its many elegant villas and towns, such as Bellagio with its shops, restaurants, and fine residences. In the afternoon, there is plenty of free time for soaking up the elegant atmosphere in one of the lakeside cafés or restaurants. Take some time for shopping — some of the finest Italian designers are to be found in Como's chic boutiques.

Day 12 Lake Como/Venice

Travel to Venice, the "city of canals," and enjoy an orientation walk over bridges and canals and view Piazza San Marco.

Travel east to captivating Venice, the unique "city of canals," full of magnificent monuments. There will be plenty of time to wander the narrow cobblestone streets and wide piazzas, crossing hundreds of tiny bridges and, of course, getting lost in Venice's labyrinth.

Day 13 Venice

Spend the day getting lost in Venice. Opt for a vaporetto (water taxi) ride to the islands of Murano and Burano, take a gondola under the Ponte Rialto (Bridge of Lovers), explore the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, or get lost in the twisting maze of the city.

Day 14 Venice

Depart at any time.

We recommend staying an extra day or two to fully experience all this beautiful city has to offer.

Day 1
In Transit to Program
In Flight

Day 2
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Florence D Hotel California
Activity note: Hotel check in from 3.00 p.m.

Afternoon: After arriving at the hotel, check in and get your room, then take some time to unpack, freshen up, and relax. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. All transportation will be provided by motorcoach unless specified otherwise. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.< br> Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.< br> Before dinner, we’ll enjoy a welcome cocktail together.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated meal featuring tasty regional cuisine plus a glass of wine, mineral water, coffee; other beverages available for purchase.

Evening: Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

Day 3
Brunelleschi’s Dome, Santa Maria del Fiore Museum, Free Time
Florence B Hotel California
Activity note: Walking up to 1.5 miles. The climb to the top of the dome of the Duomo (optional) is 463 steps; no elevator.

Breakfast: At the hotel, the breakfast buffet offers choices such as scrambled eggs, meats, cereals, fruit, pastries, juices, milk, cappuccino, espresso, coffee, tea, water.

Morning: An art historian will lecture on Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1466), a goldsmith and clockmaker who developed as an architect, engineer, and artist; and his interaction with Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli (1397-1482), a merchant and medical doctor who became one of the most distinguished scientists of the 15th century as an astronomer, cosmographer, and mathematician. Toscanelli taught Brunelleschi geometry. We will focus on the importance of mathematical knowledge in the Renaissance and Brunelleschi’s design for the dome of the cathedral of Florence, Santa Maria del Fiore — known simply as the Duomo. Brunelleschi’s dome is a miracle of architecture, still the largest masonry dome ever built, nearly 150 feet (45 meters) across. We’ll then walk to Il Grande Museo del Duomo — the museum that comprises the entire complex of the cathedral, dome, and Baptistery, to learn more about Brunelleschi’s amazing achievement.

Lunch: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

Afternoon: Free Time. Those who wish may climb to the top of Brunelleschi’s dome. On the way up and down, you can see the magnificent frescoes adorning the interior of the dome. Those with strength and stamina will be rewarded with exceptional views of the city. For those who prefer not to climb, you can explore the Baptistery next to the Duomo, the oldest religious monument in Florence. Its design, incredible mosaics, and magnificent bronze doors are justly world renowned. You are welcome to return to the hotel when you like.

Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 4
Cathedral Santa Maria del Fiore, Gnomon, Vespucci Ognissanti
Florence B,L Hotel California
Activity note: Walking up to 1.5 miles.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: During a field trip to Santa Maria del Fiore — the Duomo (cathedral) of Florence — we will learn about its “gnomon.” This 15th century scientific invention measures the exact moment of the summer solstice when sunlight passes through a small opening inside Brunelleschi’s dome and appears on a precise spot, a marble circle on the floor of the cathedral. It is said to have been the brainchild of Paolo dal Pozzo Toscanelli. The gnomon aided in astronomical calculations, helped determine the exact duration of the year, and helped decide when to plant crops. It may even have helped Christopher Columbus plan his great sea voyage.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated meal featuring tasty regional cuisine plus a glass of wine, mineral water, coffee; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Tradition says America was named for the Florentine explore Amerigo Vespucci. True or not, Vespucci was a major figure in exploration of the New World. He was an explorer, a navigator, cartographer, and the first to demonstrate that the lands “discovered” by Columbus were not part of Asia, but a new continent. He named Venezuela — “little Venice” — because he thought the little stilt houses looked like those in Venice. We will see the exterior of his birthplace in Borgo Ognissanti and the church where the Vespucci family had its own private chapel with frescoes by Ghirlandaio representing some members of the family.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 5
Anchiano, Museo Leonardiano Vinci, Free Time
Florence B,L Hotel California
Activity note: The trip from Florence to Anchiano is about 30 miles, approximately 1.5 hours.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Leonardo da Vinci is best known as the artist who created masterpieces including the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper. His was also one of the foremost scientific minds of all time. He was an inventor, and acute observer, and conducted research in everything from anatomy to architecture, astronomy, geography, geology, paleontology, and zoology. Such was his talent and intellect that some thought the source of his gifts was supernatural. We will take a field trip by private motor coach to his birthplace, the village of Anchiano outside Vinci, where our expert will give us a presentation on Leonardo’s universal genius and his machines. The house where Leonardo was born in Anchiano is one of just a few in the countryside. We’ll then explore the Museo Leonardiano in Vinci, with the world’s largest collection of models constructed from his drawings. There are now more than 80 that provide insights into Leonardo’s unique imagination.

Lunch: At local restaurant.

Afternoon: Returning to the hotel, the remainder of the afternoon is free.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 6
Milan, Last Supper, Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia
Florence B,D Hotel California
Activity note: Walking 600 feet to train station in Florence. From Milan train station, we will transfer to the Cenacolo and then we walk to the nearby Museo della Tecnologia. Walking up to 1 mile during scheduled part of the day.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will walk to the train station, about 15 minutes, then take the fast train, to Milan for what will surely be a highlight of our program, a pilgrimage to see Leonardo’s “The Last Supper” painted from 1494-1498. This world renowned fresco is on a wall of the refectory in the Dominican convent adjoining the church of Santa Maria delle Grazie. Leonardo used a technique called “a secco” that was new at the time. It has since deteriorated and has been repaired and restored several times over the centuries. Since the last extensive preservation project in 1999, only a maximum of 25 people are now permitted to enter the refectory every 15 minutes.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Our next field trip is to the Museo Nazionale Scienza e Tecnologia Leonardo da Vinci (National Museum of Science and Technology). It is named after the immortal Leonardo da Vinci in recognition of the connection he exemplified between science, technology, art, and culture. Housed in a 16th century monastery, the museum preserves and presents the history and heritage of scientific and technological development with an emphasis on Italy.

Dinner: At a local restaurant.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 7
Istituto Geografico Militare, Galileo Galilei Science Museum
Florence B,L Hotel California
Activity note: Walking up to 3 miles throughout the day.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will visit the Istituto Geografico Militare (Miltary Geographical Institute) close to SS. Annunziata. The institute, recently opened to the public, displays a number of modern and ancient geographical maps used by great navigators such as Vespucci. The collection of more than 400 items spans centuries and includes instruments such as theodolites, tachymeters (tachometers), and other surveying, meteorological or geophysical instruments and appliances. We will gain and understanding and appreciation of the evolution and progress in this scientific field.

Lunch: At a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated meal featuring tasty regional cuisine plus a glass of wine, mineral water, coffee; other beverages available for purchase.

Afternoon: Transfer by minivan with our expert, to the Museo Galileo, housed in an 11th century palazzo. Previously known as the Institute and Museum of the History of Science, it holds one of the world’s most important collections of scientific instruments including all the remaining artifacts of Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) as well as collections of the Medici family from the 15th through the 18th centuries. We will have an on-site presentation about Galileo Galilei, his experimental method, and “new” science.

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 8
Pisa
Florence B Hotel California
Activity note: The drive to Pisa is about 55 miles, approximately 1.5 hours. Walking approximately 4 miles throughout the day, opportunities to sit.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: We will board our motorcoach and depart on a field trip to Pisa to experience the “places” of Galileo. We will see the house where he was born in 1564, the cathedral where an oscillating incense lamp inspired him (the original is now located in the Chapel Aulla in the nearby cemetery) and of course the so-called Leaning Tower of Pisa — actually the campanile (bell tower) of the cathedral — where it was long thought he conducted experiments on gravity. We will also visit the Orto botanico (botanical garden), Galileo’s first scientific laboratory. We will also pass by the Scuola Normale Superiore in the Cavalieri piazza where Enrico Fermi studied. The Normale is among the best 100 Universities in Europe, giving a complete education to future genius.

Lunch: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Afternoon: Free time in Pisa. Returning to the hotel.

Dinner: On your own.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 9
Arcetri, Cimento Academy, Specola Museum
Florence B,L Hotel California
Activity note: Walking up to 3.5 miles throughout the day. Walking at all sites, opportunities to sit.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: Our next field trip by motorcoach is a few miles away to Arcetri where we will visit the monastery (now a private home) where Galilei’s daughters lived and the villa where he died. Galileo is considered the father of modern science thanks to his pioneering observations. He supported the theory of Copernicus that the planets revolve around the sun rather than the sun around the earth, which contradicted accepted teachings of the Catholic Church. Galileo constructed a telescope that enabled him to publish scientific observations that further contradicted church teachings. After Copernican theory was denounced as heresy, Galileo was ordered not to “hold, teach, or defend” it in any manner. Years later, he published a book that resulted in his own trial for heresy by the Inquisition. He was found guilty, and in order to avoid being burned at the stake, was forced to recant his work and ordered to live under house arrest. He died in 1642. In 1992, the Vatican formally cleared Galileo’s name.

Lunch: At a local restaurant.

Afternoon: We will transfer by minivan with our expert, to the Museo di Storia Naturale “La Specola” (Museum of Zoology and Natural History). An art historian will lecture on Galileo Galilei's students and the cimento Accademy. The Medicis were not only collectors of artistic treasures, they assembled a collection from the natural world including animals, exotic plants, fossils, and more that eventually led to this museum. In addition to the zoological section with old and new examples of animals preserved through taxidermy, a special highlight is the collection of anatomic waxes that possess extraordinary artistic value besides being excellent models used to teach anatomy. Our next stop is the Giardini di Boboli (Boboli Gardens) outside the Palazzo Pitti (Pitti Palace) that was the primary residence of the ruling Medici family in the 16th century. The park was created for Grand Duke Cosimo’s wife, Eleanora. Because there was no natural water source, a channel was cut from the nearby River Arno for an elaborate irrigation system to feed fountains and maintain greenery beautifully landscaped to showcase sculpture, statuary, and fountains. It is the largest green space in Florence today. It was here that the Accademia del Cimento — Academy of Experiments — developed circa 1657 under the patronage of Prince Leopoldo de’ Medici. Though short-lived, it was the precursor of later scientific societies. Students of Galileo and other scientists gathered in Leopoldo’s apartments to follow the experimental method of Galileo. We will see a room dedicated to Galileo in what is now the Museo degli Argenti (Silver Museum) that displays a vast collection of Medici household treasures. 1 lec 1 field

Dinner: On your own to enjoy what you like.

Evening: At leisure.

Day 10
Uffizi Gallery, Santa Croce Church
Florence B,D Hotel California
Activity note: Walking up to 3.5 miles throughout the day. Walking at all sites, opportunities to sit.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet.

Morning: With a local expert, we will visit the Uffizi Gallery to admire the works by Leonardo.

Lunch: On your own.

Afternoon: We’ll move on to the Basilica di Santa Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross). This is the richest medieval church in Florence and the largest Franciscan church in the world. It features frescoes by Giotto, a chapel by Brunelleschi and the tombs of Michelangelo, Galileo Galilei, Machiavelli, Dante Alighieri. We’ll also have an on-site presentation about great Italian scientists after Galile including Viviani, Torricelli, Marconi, and Fermi.

Dinner: At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner with primo piatto, secondo piatto, dolce, wine, water; other beverages available for purchase. We’ll share our favorite experiences with new friends

Evening: At leisure. Be sure to prepare for check-out and departure in the morning

Day 11
Program Concludes
In Flight B
Activity note: Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m. See the travel information section regarding transfers.

Breakfast: Hotel buffet depending on departure time. This concludes our program.

Morning: If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. < br> We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!