Compare A Taste of Italy by Sarracini Travel vs Classic Italy 2023 by Tauck

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!

Day 1 Arrive Naples / Sorrento

Tour begins: 6:00 PM, Hilton Sorrento Palace. A transfer is included from Naples International Airport to Hilton Sorrento Palace in the southern resort town of Sorrento. Get to know your fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening. Note: We're offering guests who pre-stay or arrive early in Sorrento an optional daytime sightseeing tour from Sorrento to the island of Capri on Day 1; see Pricing & Availability for details or ask at booking.

MEALS : D

LODGING : Hilton Sorrento Palace

PORTOFCALL : Sorrento, Italy

Day 2 Discover the Amalfi Coast

Take an unhurried drive along the Amalfi Coast, one of Europe's most dramatic shorelines. Stop in Positano and visit Amalfi, where some medieval dwellings date to the 10th century, and Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea. Explore Sorrento's piazzas, old Roman streets and narrow alleys as you please upon your afternoon return, spending the evening as you wish and enjoying dinner on your own.

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : Hilton Sorrento Palace

PORTOFCALL : Ravello, Italy

Day 3 Ash-Covered Pompeii and on to Rome

Today, explore an ancient community captured in time – the excavated ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Walk through city streets with a local expert, where you'll discover remarkably preserved ancient architecture and artifacts that portray what daily life was like in this 1st-century city. Continue on to remarkable Rome, where your next three nights are spent at InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace, one of the most prestigious addresses on the famed Via Veneto.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace

PORTOFCALL : Rome, Italy

Day 4 After-Hours at the Vatican Museums

Your sightseeing today begins with a drive to St. Peter's Square in Vatican City for a tour of St. Peter's Basilica to view the art and architecture of one of the largest and most famous churches in the world. After a free afternoon spent as you wish in Rome, your evening is highlighted by a special Tauck Exclusive – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (subject to availability and day of the tour may vary). This after-hours visit means you'll avoid the long lines found earlier in the day; the experience is rich when you explore the treasures in the Vatican Museums without the usual crowds. See the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery, and the Tapestries. In the Sistine Chapel, you'll view artist Michelangelo's masterpiece frescoes adorning the chapel's ceiling – and be able to contemplate all that you see in quieter surroundings. It's certain to be a true highlight on this most memorable of escorted Italy tours... one that you'll remember forever.

MEALS : B

LODGING : InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace

PORTOFCALL : Rome, Italy

Day 5 When in Rome, do as the Romans do

Your day begins with a guided sightseeing excursion of Imperial Rome and the many historical landmarks that stand within its boundaries. Once the virtual capital of the ancient world, today Rome is best known as Italy's capital city and is sure to be highlight of your time in this beautiful country. Following your sightseeing, enjoy some free time this afternoon and evening to explore what interests you most in Rome.

MEALS : B

LODGING : InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace

PORTOFCALL : Rome, Italy

Day 6 Orvieto's Duomo and on to Perugia

Journey to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot-high plateau overlooking vineyards below. Visit the Duomo of Orvieto, a notable Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built over a span of 300 years. After a trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo and some time to explore, continue through the wine-producing regions of Umbria. Arrive in the region's capital, Perugia, and your home for the next two nights, Sina Brufani – an elegant 5-star hotel in the heart of the medieval city. Enjoy dinner tonight at the hotel's renowned restaurant.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : Sina Brufani

Day 7 Medieval Treasures of Assisi

Drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval hill town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture, and the hometown of St. Francis, the revered patron saint of animals and founder of the Franciscan order. Visit the Basilica di San Francesco, built to honor Assisi's beloved saint and favorite son and his final resting place. Gaze at the basilica's impressive 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, some of Italy's finest, and enjoy some free time in the center of town. This afternoon, return to your hotel where the remainder of the day is free.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Sina Brufani

PORTOFCALL : Assisi, Italy

Day 8 San Gimignano to Pisa

Depart your Umbrian resort and head for Tuscany, where for centuries the beauty of nature has blended with the ingenuities of mankind; your travels through the rolling Tuscan hills take you through golden landscapes dotted with olive and fig trees. Arrive in the hilltop town of San Gimignano, one of its gems. Medieval towers, built in the 12th century by the nobility, are visible from afar. Stroll along the quaint streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy's most picturesque town squares. Continue your journey through lush Tuscan countryside to Bagni di Pisa, a celebrated hotel, for an overnight stay; dine at your hotel this evening.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Bagni di Pisa

PORTOFCALL : San Gimignano, Italy

Day 9 Cinque Terre's seaside storybook villages

Travel this morning to Cinque Terre, accessible only by sea for hundreds of years; its five picture-book fishing villages nestled between the Mediterranean's blue waters and the rugged coastal mountains. Cruise along the shores of the Italian Riviera (weather permitting) where views of these centuries-old Cinque Terre villages, set on rocky bluffs hemmed in by steep cliffs, are a knockout! Next, travel by train through the mountains to one of the villages, where you'll get a look at daily life – from the colorful fishing boats home from the sea, to the wine, olives, and citrus fruit produced locally. You'll have some time to explore the cobblestone streets and alleyways, perhaps sampling the unique flavors of the local cuisine for lunch. Journey on to the Tuscan city of Florence for a three-night stay in its Renaissance heart; you'll have an opportunity to dine at your hotel's glass-walled rooftop restaurant with 360-degree views of one of the world's most beautiful cities.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : The Westin Excelsior, Florence

PORTOFCALL : Florence, Italy

Day 10 The Art of Florence

A briefing by an art history lecturer precedes a walking tour of Florence and a guided visit through the collections of works by many of the greatest artists of the 14th and 15th centuries – including Michelangelo's famous sculpture of David and paintings by Botticelli, Uccello, Ghirlandaio, del Sarto and others – at Galleria dell'Accademia. Flourishing for more than four centuries, the world-renowned institution was established in 1563 as the first art school in Europe. Following an included lunch, you'll have time on your own in Florence this afternoon; your hotel is right in the heart of the city, which makes it easy to explore! Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant tonight.

MEALS : B, L, D

LODGING : The Westin Excelsior, Florence

PORTOFCALL : Florence, Italy

Day 11 Inside the Uffizi Gallery

Today, Florence is yours to enjoy as you please; you may want to visit the Pitti Palace or the Medici Chapels, or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens. Tonight, join a local expert for an after-hours, guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence's extraordinary art museum founded by the Medici family in the 16th century; it can be rightfully called the oldest art gallery on Earth. Admire some of the world's greatest art masterpieces on display within its walls, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more. 

MEALS : B

LODGING : The Westin Excelsior, Florence

PORTOFCALL : Florence, Italy

Day 12 Ride a Fast Train to Venice

Guests rave that one of the things they like best about our Italy tours is traveling by different modes of transportation; Classic Italy continues today with a journey aboard a sleek high-speed train from Florence to Venice. Transfer by canal boat to your hotel, conveniently located near St. Mark's Square; after lunch, you'll indulge in the quintessential Venetian experience, a serenade aboard a gondola on the canals followed by an afternoon to explore Venice as you wish. Dinner tonight is on your own in Venice, a city embraced by the most popular Italy tours for its many fine restaurants! This evening, depart your hotel for a private, after-hours tour of St. Mark's Basilica, surely to be a highlight during your stay in Venice!

MEALS : B, L

LODGING : Hotel Danieli

PORTOFCALL : Venice, Italy

Day 13 Venice as you wish

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of the sumptuous Doge's Palace, once the official residence of the elected officials of the Venetian Republic. The rest of your day is free to do as you please in Venice  – and to say that you have a lot of choices is an understatement. You might decide to visit the museums, an eclectic group housing some of the world's most famed art; stroll the winding, narrow streets that lead to countless bridges; or perhaps you might choose to take a boat to one of the islands in the Venetian Lagoon, such as Murano, Burano or Torcello, where centuries-old crafts and a kaleidoscope of color are found... This evening, join us for a farewell cocktail re­cep­tion and dinner that marks the end of one of Tauck's most popular escorted Italy tours.

MEALS : B, D

LODGING : Hotel Danieli

PORTOFCALL : Venice, Italy

Day 14 Journey home

Tour ends: Venice. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from the Hotel Danieli to Venice's Marco Polo Airport. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.

MEALS : B

PORTOFCALL : Venice, Italy