9-Nights Iconic Italy: Rome, Florence and Venice - Tailormade Journeys — CALL

Abercrombie & Kent

OFFER ID 1677234

Take a seat at the chef’s table in the country’s most romantic region, gorge on history and art in buildings so grand they sigh under the weight of their stories, and bring home bottles from your new favorite vineyard. A true insider’s journey through Italy, this curated itinerary is designed to satiate appetites for art, history, food and wine by tapping into our unrivalled network of experts across the country. In Rome, A&K can unlock doors closed to the public in the Vatican; in Florence, you’ll see Renaissance masterpieces by Botticelli and Micaelangelo up close; while in Venice, private tours of top galleries take you deep into the world of Italian art.

9 nights | Call for pricing

Itinerary

1 Arrive Rome, Italy

The Eternal City is a masterpiece of romance and relics, where every sculpted face whispers a story, from the mighty Colosseum to the tombs of ancient emperors and churches adorned with masterpieces revealing tales of faith and artistry. Chefs, saints, aesthetes and artisans have woven their magic into this city, its skyline echoing with the sound of whir of Vespas and the clinking of espresso cups while the dome of St. Peter’s presides over it all.

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2 Rome | Michelangelo’s Vatican Masterpieces

An exclusive journey through the Vatican Museums unlocks doors closed to the public. Step behind the red rope to explore some of the 1,400 rooms, chapels and galleries, culminating in Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel. Gain rare access to Bramante’s double-helix staircase, commissioned by Pope Julius I. Conclude at the majestic Basilica of St. Peter, a fusion of Renaissance and Baroque architecture.

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3 Rome | Ancient Grandeur of the Imperial City

Immersed in the grandeur of ancient Rome, your expert guide reveals wonders at Capitoline Hill, the heart of the city’s religious and political power. Explore the Capitoline Museums; marvel at historical frescoes in Palazzo dei Conservatori; and see Palazzo Nuovo’s stunning sculptures. Later, venture to the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill, ending the day at the awe-inspiring Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine.

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4 Orvieto | Tuscan Wine Tasting

A guided walking tour of hilltop Orvieto whisks you through labyrinthine streets to a storied cathedral housing Signorelli’s haunting Renaissance masterpiece Cycle of the Apocalypse. Continuing through the rolling, vineyard-dotted hills of the Tuscan countryside, visit a local winery for a tasting and learn about the region’s winemaking tradition.

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5 Florence | Renaissance Restorations

Florence's storied past and winding streets invite exploration alongside your guide. The renowned Accademia Gallery is your first stop, home to Michelangelo's timeless David. Then, explore the majestic Cathedral, its soaring silhouette a testament to human ingenuity. Enter the hallowed halls of the Museo dell'Opera del Duomo, learning about the evolution of the cathedral and its enduring significance to Florentine culture. Spend the rest of the day as you wish.

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6 Chianti | Tasting at a Medieval Abbey

Tuscany is a region where art, history and breathtaking landscapes intertwine. Take in the vineyards and olive groves that paint the Tuscan landscape, dotted with charming hamlets, rustic farmhouses, and imposing fortified villas and castles. A unique opportunity awaits at the Badia di Passignano, a historic Benedictine abbey where Vallombrosian monks open the door exclusively to you. See Ghirlandaio’s Last Supper before descending into the monastery’s ancient cellars for a wine tasting. Afterward, sit down to a Michelin-starred meal, each dish reflecting the region’s rich terroir, paired with local wines.

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7 Venice | Gallery of the Medici

Embark on a guided walking tour of Florence, beginning at the renowned Uffizi Gallery, a treasure trove of Renaissance masterpieces. Alongside your knowledgeable guide, admire Caravaggio’s Medusa, Botticelli’s Birth of Venus, Leonardo da Vinci’s Annunciation and Raphael’s Madonna of the Goldfinch. Stroll through Florence’s historic Mercato Centrale, indulging in the flavors of Tuscany. This afternoon, begin your visit to Venice with a serene cruise along the Grand Canal.

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8 Venice | Murano Glassware

Venice — a heady dream of Carnival, canals, basilicas and Byzantine relics — casts a spell the moment you arrive. Journey by private motorboat across the Venetian Lagoon to the island of Murano, renowned worldwide for its exquisite glassware, followed by Burano, famous for its delicate handmade lace. Discover Venice on a walking tour, culminating at St. Mark’s Basilica, with its luminous mosaics and intricate marble floors.

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9 Venice | Artistic Wonders

Step into the artistic heart of Venice at the Accademia Gallery. With a private guide, delve into its extraordinary collection of works by celebrated Venetian masters such as Paolo Veneziano, Gentile and Giovanni Bellini, Carpaccio, Giorgione, Titian, Tintoretto, Veronese and Tiepolo, each piece offering a window into the rich artistic heritage and evolution of Venice.

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10 Depart Venice

Depart Venice.

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Featured Destinations

Florence

Tuscany

Venice

With a great historic past and incomparable art treasures, Venice is renowned as one of the world’s great cities. Its 118 islands are separated by more than 150 canals and spanned by 400 bridges. During Venice's artistic golden age many magnificent structures were erected to create world-famous masterpieces. One of the best sightseeing routes is along Grand Canal, with many palaces lining the famous waterway. St. Mark’s Square offers access to some of Venice’s most famed attractions - St. Mark’s Basilica and Doge’s Palace. From Piazza San Marco, a maze of narrow streets are lined with shops, cafés and restaurants. A popular pastime is sitting at an outdoor café facing the square while people-watching and letting the whole marvelous scenario unfold. Venice’s Murano, Burano and Torcello Islands comprise an area famous as home of Venice’s glass-blowing industry and known for their charm, skilled lace-making and medieval monuments. Relax on a gondola ride, see art treasures in museums, churches and palaces, and have a sumptuous meal - all in this incomparable city.

Excursions

Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours

Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours

Venice - St. Marks, Grand Canal and Murano - 6 hours

Venice in a Day - 8 hours

Meet your private English-speaking assistant and private boat at the pier side of Venice port.
The tour will start with an hour cruise by private boat along the Grand Canal to see its beauty as it was intended to be seen by boat. Continue visiting the island of Murano: you will enter into a real working studio and see how the glass is blown and shaped with the original tools which have been used throughout history.

Next, you will come back to Venice and enjoy a ride by gondola: the symbol of Venice. Both if you are honeymooner or young people or well travelled tourist, you will be captured by the elegance and charm of this experience.

After lunch your private English speaking guide will meet you and take you on a walking tour, explaining the historical background of Venice, its origin and development. Visiting St. Mark's square with the Golden Basilica and the Doge's palace, you will come in touch with the most admired and well known artistic jewels, especially from a monumental & architectural point of view. The past splendours of the Serenissima will appear through palaces, churches, bell towers, well curbs, elegant renaissance and baroque facades.

Also worth a detailed visit is the lively area of Rialto's market, connecting the famous bridge to St. Mark's square through the well known Mercerie street: the remnants of Venice's magnificence will fascinate you.
We will ensure your timely return transfer to the Venice Port

Highlights:

Grand Canal, Murano island, Golden Basilica, Doge’s Palace, Bell Tower, main and -off the truck- highlights

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: No

Physical Activity Level: Low

Inclusions:
·         3 hours Luxury private boat at disposal for the entire day
·         English-speaking assistant at disposal for the entire day
·         4 hour private English-speaking guide
·         No Line entrance fees for Basilica and Doge’s Palace

Exclusions:
·         All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
·         Gratuities

Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours

The story of Murano and Burano

The Canal Grande cruise followed by a walking tour of Venice

Rome

Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one
of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded
in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always
been and remains the Eternal City.

Rome enjoyed its greatest splendor during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art
flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman
legions swept outward, conquering all of Italy. These victorious armies then
swept across the Mediterranean and beyond to conquer most of the known world.
With Rome's establishment as capital of the western world, a new ascent to glory
began.

Today's Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious
parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafes and elegant shops, is
one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous
monuments is the Colosseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine
the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combats between
muscled gladiators and ferocious animals.

Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city's political and commercial
center. In later times, Rome's squares were enhanced with such imposing structures
as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di
Trevi. Join the millions who stand in awe of Christendom’s most magnificent
church and admire the timeless masterpieces of Michelangelo's frescoes in the
Sistine Chapel.

Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Grasp all you can during the short,
precious time you have available in the Eternal City. With so much to see and
do, a day or two will only allow you a sampling of the city's marvelous treasures.

Caution: As in many big cities and tourist destinations purse snatching
and pickpocketing is common. Valuable jewelry and excess cash are best left
in a safety deposit box in your hotel.

Shopping For most visitors shopping for beautiful Italian leather articles,
designer shoes, fashions for men and women, linens, knitwear, silk scarves and
ties is a favorite pastime. Except for tourist-oriented shops, the majority
of stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the department stores, such as Rinascente,
open in the late afternoon on Sundays.

Cuisine Rome's choice of restaurants is mindboggling as is the variety
of cuisine. Whether your meal is at a top-rated restaurant or a rustic trattoria,
you can be sure that you will enjoy your food, especially when accompanied by
wines from the hill towns surrounding Rome.

Other Sights Rome's attractions are endless, and depending on how much
time you have at your disposal a careful selection has to be made about what
to see. Be aware of horrendous traffic conditions and major construction work
all around the city in preparation of Jubilee 2000, the Holy Year. Some of the
sights not to be missed:

Piazza Venezia - This busy square is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio
Emanuele II Monument. The white marble structure was inaugurated in 1911 as
a symbol of Italy’s unification.

The Forum - Once the civic heart of ancient Rome, today the remains include
a series of ruins, marble fragments, isolated columns and some worn arches.

Colosseum - No visit to Rome is complete without a stop at this awe-inspiring
theater, which is among the world’s most celebrated buildings. Here ancient
Rome flocked to see gladiatorial contests and numerous other spectacles.

Trevi Fountain - Take a stroll to Rome's famous fountain. A spectacular fantasy
of mythical sea creatures and cascades of splashing water, the fountain is one
of the city's foremost attractions. Legend has it that visitors must toss a
coin into the fountain to ensure their return to Rome.

St. Peter's Square - Part of Vatican City, this square created by Bernini
is considered one of the loveliest squares in the world. Twin Doric colonnades
topped with statues of various saints and martyrs flank either side of the square.
In the center stands an 84-foot obelisk, brought from Egypt in 37 A.D.

St. Peter's Basilica - At the head of the square stands Christendom's most
magnificent church, which was begun in 1452 on the site where St. Peter was
buried. Throughout the following 200 years, such Renaissance masters as Bramante,
Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini worked on its design and created an unparalleled
masterpiece. Of special note are Michelangelo's Pieta and the bronze canopy
over the high altar by Bernini. The immense dome was designed by Michelangelo.

Vatican Museum - To see this museum's immense collection would take days.
As you enter, there are special posters that plot a choice of four color-coded
itineraries. They are repeated throughout the museum and are easy to follow.
It is a good idea to pickup a leaflet at the main entrance and concentrate on
exhibits of major interest. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must. Most likely
you may have to wait in line to enter.

Excursions

Rome Highlights and Vatican: 9 hours

Meet your private English-speaking driver at the pier side of Civitavecchia port.
Rome is a mix of architecture styles, of antiques and new, of sacred and profane. In this full day tour you can enjoy a sample of this capital city. With your guide reach the Vatican city where you can visit the Museums, admiring its priceless collection of art and architecture: highlights include Raphael's Transfiguration, The Raphael Rooms, the Sculpture Garden featuring the famous Laokoon. Finally, the restored Sistine Chapel, famous all over the world for the breathtaking Michelangelo’s ceiling and the Last Judgment. From here you walk to St. Peter's Basilica to marvel at Michelangelo's Dome, his statue Pietà, Bernini's magnificent Baldacchino and the Tombs of the Popes. The tour will continue with a look at the ancient part of the Eternal city and its symbol: the Coliseum, where, jumping the lines, you will be able to enter in the magnificent Flavian Amphitheatre and admire where the gladiatorial duels, wild beast fights were arranged for the entertainment of Roman people.
The second part of the day will be dedicated to the visit of the city center, starting from Navona Square, the most important of Baroque Rome, where today it is possible to admire the monumental Fountain of the Rivers by Bernini. Continue your tour visiting the Pantheon, the jewel of Roman architecture, then Trevi Fountain, the most famous and beautiful fountain in Rome. End the tour at the Spanish Steps, built entirely in travertine in the 18th century.
We will ensure your timely return transfer to the Civitavecchia Port

Access to the Vatican Museums and St. Peter's Basilica is allowed only to properly attired visitors.

Highlights:

Vatican Museums, Ancient Rome, main highlights

Tour Duration: 8 hours

Tour can Operate: Morning

Wheelchair Accessible: Yes

Physical Activity Level: low

Inclusions:
·         Luxury Mercedes minivan at disposal for the entire day
·         English-speaking driver at disposal for the entire day
·         6 hour private English-speaking guide
·         No Line entrance fees for the Vatican Museums and Colosseum

Exclusions:
·         All cruise travel, personal items, meals and associated costs
·         Gratuities

Tivoli: Villas in the Countryside - 8 Hours

Ostia Antica - 6 Hours

Cardinals’ Villas and Parks - 8 Hours

Roman Castles - 8 Hours

Lake Bracciano and the Monster Park - 8 Hours

Vacation Details

Valid Date Ranges

09/01/2025 - 09/01/2027

from $999,999,999 per person

* This departure has been designated a guaranteed departure by the operator, meaning that the minimum number of guests has been met, although still subject to weather and other conditions.

Prices Start At

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Length

9 Nights

Air City

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Vacation Rating

Luxury
The finest hotels in the world, luxury lodging is characterized by luxury accommodations, impeccable service and the highest standards of comfort and pampering. Luxury hotels and resorts are often found in the most desirable locations. Building from the amenities and guest services offered at a deluxe hotel or resort, the luxury establishment usually puts on the finishing touches - fresh flowers around the hotel and original works of art throughout. Hotel restaurants often employ world renowned chefs to create delectable dishes and a unique dining experience. Attention to detail and personalized service are the hallmarks of luxury hotels and resorts.

Remarks

Prices are per person, double occupancy and include internal air where applicable. Holiday surcharge may apply. Departure dates, prices and availability may change at any time. Some restrictions may apply.

All fares are quoted in US Dollars.

OFFER ID

1677234

Reference this number when contacting our agency so we may better serve you. Also keeping this number handy will allow you to locate this document again quickly.

Kathleen Stahl Travel Services

529 36th Street
Des Moine, IA 50312
USA

(515) 271-8091