These Cities are called 'Great' for a reason. Discover them in the company of 16 guests or less. And enjoy 2 days in Tuscany!
Italy’s Great Cities Tour
We also feature this same itinerary
with our Classic Budget Supreme Tour package
- same itinerary, budget hotels.
(Re)Discover Italy with us on this deluxe Itinerary
~ No big group, deluxe hotels located truly
in the town and city centers, private boat throughout
Venice and small private vehicle along the Tuscan
Wine Road and Assisi.
Day
1 | Depart the United States on your Trans-Atlantic flight
to Europe. Yes, we can arrange your air travel from the
QueensLander air department. We’ll work with you to
get the absolutely lowest-fare available based on your travel
preferences. We utilize both our own air department and online
agencies to find the best rate.
Day
2 | Welcome to Venice, Italy
Our
tour representative will meet you upon arrival at the Venice
airport or Train Station. Opt to take our Arrival Transfer
for $95 per person (minimum two passengers). Arrive in style
and enjoy the Bay of Venice! We make our way to our hotel
in the heart of Venice located very near St. Mark's Square.
Enjoy a great location in Venice with our hotel and
then join the Tour Captain in the lobby tonight for an included
Welcome Dinner to Venice! Ah
Venice!!
·
INCLUDED HOST ORIENTATION
WALKABOUT: Join your Tour Captain Host for a Welcome Orientation
Walk on your arrival day in Venice. Find out where the major
landmarks are located, ATM machines and other helpful sites
~ Hey, where's Harry's Bar?
•
INCLUDED WELCOME
DINNER TONIGHT: Join your Tour Captain for a Welcome Feast
in Venice, Italy. Experience what can only be described as
a tour of the best cuisine in Italy! ~ Free-choice dining means you select what you'd like from
the menu ~ the Tour Captain is available to help you interpret
the menu. Your Tour Captain Host will provide the appetizers
featuring regional cuisine and will select your vino for the
evening ~ a variety of red and white wine from the region!
Day
3 | Venice | Giudecca Canal, St. Mark's Square, Doges' Palace,
Bridge of Sighs
Start
your morning sightseeing in style as your Tour Captain and
our local Guide escorts you throughout Venice! We tour by
walking today, with in-depth visits to St. Mark's Square and
St. Mark's Basilica, the DOGES' PALACE and the Bridge of Sighs.
The romance of this city is apparent every step of the way,
from Venetian glass blowers fashioning their craft in their
traditional style to the classic gondola ride. Enjoy
a boat ride on Luigi’s new authentic Venetian boat over
to the Isle of Murano to experience the original glass blowers
– quite fascinating to observe! The afternoon is at
your leisure as you explore the city of Venice. You may opt
to join your Tour Captain tonight for dinner (departs from
lobby) or opt to explore on your own throughout Venice! Tonight
enjoy an included Gondola ride through the canals of Venice
with professional musicians!
• DAILY HOT BREAKFAST INCLUDED
• INCLUDED
GUIDED TOUR WITH CINZIA, LOCAL GUIDE ~ Today ENJOY ADMISSION
& SIGHTSEEING to:
~
Admission and tour of Doges Palace (Duke or Governor's Palace
- seat of Venetian Power)
~
Admission and tour of Bridge of Sighs - The bridge made famous
for its window and last view of blue sky and freedom as prisoners
are marched to their sentence.
~
Admission and tour of Prison
~
Admission and tour of Basilica San Marco
~
Tour of Piazza San Marco
~
Private Boat Ride of Grand Canal: View the palaces, churches
and edifices that create the backdrop that is Venice! Rialto
Bridge, Ca d'Oro (Palazzo Santa Sofia), and hear and see where
the legends of Casanova, Marco Polo and other infamous Venetians
dwelled!
~ Admission and demonstration on Isle of Murano to see Authentic
Glass Blowing by Venetian family.
Day
4 | Venice to Florence | Birthplace of the Renaissance
We
embark on the EuroStar via 1st Class service with reserved
seats to Florence. Florence is the city of Arts and birthplace
to the Renaissance. After transferring from the Florence Train
Station (smaller groups of less than 10 passengers may utilize
taxi service arranged and included by Tour Captain), we check-in
to our hotel to freshen up and meet in the lobby for a short
walk through the cobblestones streets to dinner. Enjoy
2 nights at the Helvetia & Bristol Hotel or similar. The
Helvetia & Bristol is authentic Italiano and perfectly
located in the heart of Firenze (Florence!). Tonight
included dining at a delightful restaurant, fully authentic!
Florence welcomes us with a variety of regional cuisine, beverages
and a sampling of fine local wines.
•
INCLUDED HOST ORIENTATION WALKABOUT: Join your Tour Captain
Host for a Welcome Orientation Walk on your arrival day in
Florence. Find out where the major landmarks are located,
ATM machines and other helpful sites ~ Hey, is that the
Arno River?
·
INCLUDED REGIONAL
WINES WITH DINNER TONIGHT ~ Free-choice dining
means you select what you'd like from the menu ~ the Tour
Captain is available to help you interpret the menu. Your
Tour Captain Host will provide the appetizers featuring regional
cuisine and will select your vino for the evening ~ a variety
of red and white wine from the region!
Today
join your Tour Captain and our local guide on a guided tour
of Florence. Florence boasts a variety of fine sights to see,
including Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistry's Bronze "Gate
of Paradise," Giotto's Bell Tower, Signoria Square and
the Accademia Galleria where Michelangelo's David is housed. We also visit Piazza Republica, Piazza Signoria
and the "old bridge" - Ponte Vecchio - the only
bridge to survive World War II bombing. A great tour and perfectly
balanced day allows you to enjoy the afternoon for shopping
and sightseeing on your own. We highly recommend the Uffizi
Gallery if you want to dig deeper into the vast riches of
Florence’s art and heritage. This afternoon you may
also choose from our Authentic Italian Cooking Experience.
Inquire with reservations if you're interested in this interesting
class.
Tonight’s dinner is optional – join your Tour
Captain in the lobby or explore Florence on your own tonight
for a great feast!
• INCLUDED
GUIDED TOUR WITH SUSANNA, LOCAL GUIDE ~ Today ENJOY ADMISSION
& SIGHTSEEING to:
~
Admission and tour of Galleria dell'Accademia ~ first art
school of Europe featuring the original The David by Micehelangelo
~ Enjoy up close and personal inspection of Michelangelo's
most famous creation.
~
Admission and tour of Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore ~
The "Duomo," Baptistery and Giotto's Campanile
~
Admission and tour of Santa Croce ~ The Basilica di Santa
Croce (Basilica of the Holy Cross) is the principal Franciscan
church in Florence, Italy, and a minor basilica of the Roman
Catholic Church. It is the burial place of some of the most
illustrious Italians, such as Michelangelo, Galileo, Machiavelli,
Foscolo, Gentile, Rossini, and Marconi, thus it is known also
as the Temple of the Italian Glories (Tempio dell'Itale Glorie).
~
Sightseeing tour of Piazza della Republica, Piazza Signoria
and the Ponte Vecchio (Old Bridge) and the only bridge to
survive World War II Bombing
Day 6 | Under
the Tuscan Sun – Discovering
San Gimignano and Castello della Paneretta in the heart of beautiful
Tuscany and Chianti regions
This morning we enter deep into
the heart of Tuscany with a stop in the hilltop village of
San Gimignano - One of San Gimignano’s most impressive
sights is the medieval skyline made up of 13 remaining towers
dating back from the 11th century. San Gimignano rises on
a hill dominating the Elsa Valley. The town increased in wealth
and developed greatly during the Middle-Ages thanks to the
"Via Francigena" the trading and pilgrim's route
that crossed it. Once in San Gimignano, we enjoy free time
to explore the city of towers. San Gimignano also has several
distractions for shopping – so dig in and enjoy! –
from San Gimi we're off to Castello della Paneretta for a tour
of the cellars and a delightful wine tasting with appetizers.
Experience the castle grounds with a tour of the cellars along
with wine-tasting featuring palate-pleasing appetizers including
pecorino cheese and bruschetta! You’ll get your fill of classic Chianti and Tuscan
vino along with delicate cuisine. We overnight tonight in
Cortona in the heart of Tuscany - absolutely beautiful!
·INCLUDED DINING TONIGHT: Join your Tour Captain for a welcome
dinner in Toscana!
• 1
Night at Villa
Marsili (click for hotel reviews)
Reviews by
• INCLUDED
SIGHTSEEING AND ADMISSION ~ Today ENJOY ADMISSION & SIGHTSEEING
to:
~ Sightseeing and free time in Tuscan town of San Gimignano
~ Admission, Tour and Wine Tasting at Castello della Paneretta ~ located
in the heart of Tuscany ~ Beautiful Views and Estate
~
Tuscany's Wine Road: Winding through the Tuscan hills, the
wine roads offer views with remarkable beauty characterized
by vineyards, wine cellars and rolling landscape.
Day
7 | Cortona in Arezzo, Toscana | Assisi in
Umbria | To Rome
After
breakfast, enjoy morning in Cortona – is a small but
fascinating city in the
province
of
Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy,
situated on a commanding
hill, and overlooking
Lake Trasimeno.
Its cyclopean
walls, still in great part preserved, are said to be 3000
years old. It was one of the twelve cities of Etruria and
is our host this morning as we observe Italian life in Tuscany!
Depart 12:00 for departure for
Assisi. Assisi including the Basilica: the mystic city of St.Francis
surrounded by ancient walls lays on top of the green slopes
of Mount Subasio. Its rose-stone buildings complemented by
winding narrow streets, palaces, balconies with blooming flowers
will hold you spellbound. You will have a visit of the Basilica
of St. Francis, with the masterpieces of Giotto and Cimabue.
Then we're off to
Rome
– where all roads lead. We check into our hotel, the
Grand Hotel de la Minerve - located perfectly in the heart of Old Rome.
•
INCLUDED HOST ORIENTATION WALKABOUT: Join your Tour Captain
Host for a Welcome Orientation Walk on your arrival day in
Florence. Find out where the major landmarks are located,
ATM machines and other helpful sites ~ Hey, is that the
Arno River?
• INCLUDED DINING TONIGHT: Join your Tour Captain for a welcome
dinner in Roma.
• INCLUDED
SIGHTSEEING AND ADMISSION WITH LOCAL GUIDE, GIUSEPPE ~ Today
ENJOY ADMISSION & SIGHTSEEING to:
~
Sightseeing and free time in Tuscan town of Cortona
~
Admission and Guided Tour of Assisi ~ The birthplace of St.
Francis, who founded the Franciscan religious order in the
town in 1208, and St. Clare (Chiara d'Offreducci), the founder
of the Poor Clares.
Day 8 | Welcome to Rome !
Today we have in-depth touring of Rome with the Sistine
Chapel, St. Peter's Square, Roman Forum & the Colosseum.
There
was a dream that was
Rome . You could only whisper
it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish, it was
so fragile.
After
a great breakfast we begin our walking tour of Rome! We begin
along the banks of the Tiber River in the heart of Rome. Your
Tour Captain provides commentary at important points along
the route including Castello San Angelo, the Justice Palace
and finally arriving at St. Peter’s square. We navigate
along the outer perimeter of the square before meeting our
local guide for admission and tour of Vatican City. Our 2
hour tour includes the Vatican museums, Sistine Chapel and
St. Peter’s Basilica – however, make note the
Pope may close any of the Vatican at any time without notice
for a variety of reasons. After exiting the
Vatican
via St. Peter’s square
– smaller groups will take taxis to relocate to the
Pantheon where you will enjoy a delightful lunch at one of
the many restaurants in the Piazza (not included). After lunch,
we continue our tour and go back in time as we visit the Roman
Forum with admission to the Colosseum – one of the most
impressive sights in the entire city of
Rome
– and did you know, all of
Rome
is a live archaeological dig? Literally, new
discoveries are happening all of the time! Ask your Tour Captain
about optional tours later today or tomorrow but join him
tonight for dinner (optional).
·
OPTIONAL DINING
TONIGHT: Join your Tour Captain for dining out tonight in!
• INCLUDED
SIGHTSEEING AND ADMISSION WITH LOCAL GUIDE, CYNTHIA ~ Today
ENJOY ADMISSION & SIGHTSEEING to:
~
Admission and Guided Tour of Heart of The Empire: Roman
Forum walk through archaeological dig
~
Admission and Guided Tour of Colosseum ~ There once was
a dream that was Rome
~
Sightseeing Stop with historical commentary above Circus Maximus,
Capitoline Hill and sightseeing drive to Jewish Quarter and
Mouth of Truth.
~
Admission and Guided Tour to St. Peter's Basilica (if available
by Pope)
~
Admission and Guided Tour of Sistine Chapel (If available
by Pope)
~
Admission and Guided Tour of Vatican City Museum
~
Entrance and Guided Tour of Pantheon
~
Enjoy walking tour to the famous Trevi Fountain, the delightful
Piazza di Spagna or Spanish Steps and Piazza Navona where
mock nautical battles took place in the venue.
Day 9 | Roman Holiday
Enjoy
a free day in
Rome
to sightsee and explore on your own. Go
back to the Colosseum and explore the Forum deeper. Your Tour
Captain will have a variety of activities you can opt for
or you can explore on your own. Tonight, enjoy our farewell
Gala dinner at an authentic Roman restaurant at the Spanish
Steps with your Tour Captain. Our days have been filled with
new sights, tastes and discoveries - tonight enjoy reflecting
on the incredible journey we've had together.
What about an Excursion?
Roman Holiday Self-Guided
Walk
What about the Roman Holiday Film Walk Tour? Enjoy a full
day's adventure on this self-guided tour of Rome as you retrace
the steps of the classic film starring the dashing Gregory
Peck as he cons, entertains and then falls for the beautiful
Audrey Hepburn, all amid the beautiful backdrop of Rome.
Day Trip to Pompeii ~ Round-trip
transportation, private guide with admission What about Pompeii? Enjoy a full day's adventure
to Pompeii: Enjoy train to Naples where you're met by our
tour representative and taken to Pompeii entrance. Meet our
private guide, Giuseppe, and enjoy a full exploration of this
most moving and historical site. Return to Rome late afternoon.
$379 per person, minimum two guests.
•
INCLUDED FAREWELL GALA & DINNER ~ One of our favorite
nights of fun and celebration as we toast one another to a
wonderful trek together. The venue and the music make for
the perfect ending to your Italian vacation.
Day 10 | Check Out or
Extend Further. Arrividerci Day Catch
flights for the USA
from Rome . Until we meet again, may your days be full of
discovery and your nights full of good friends. Or are you
extending to the Enchanted Amalfi Coast? or some other exotic
destination...inquire with reservations for details.
·BREAKFAST INCLUDED
TODAY
·DEPARTURE TRANSFER $59 PER PERSON, minimum two passengers.
***Tour
Ends***
Extend your Italian Vacation!
Amalfi
Coast 3 Day Extension ~Discover the beauty that is the Amalfi
Coast with Positano, Amalfi and Sorrento. Breathtaking!
Admissions throughout, Small Group Touring with QueensLander's
exclusive approach to Italy Touring, all gratuities included,
no tipping guide, driver or tour captain - Worry Free! Hotels
have been personally inspected by our own Hotel Snob, Mark
Story.
Hotel Saturnia &
International, Venice
Located near St. Mark's Square, the Saturnia is a delightful
way to start your Italy Tour - a 14th century palace.
The Hotel Helvetia & Bristol in Florence
is part of the Leading Hotels of the World is situated perfectly
in the heart of Florence and is about a 3 minute leisurely
walk to the Ponte Vecchio and Duomo.
In Cortona you will enjoy the Villa Marsilli
While enjoying your time 'under the Tuscan sun' discover
the romance of this quaint Tuscan town.
In Rome, the 5-Star Grand Hotel de la Minerve
Extending to Amalfi Coast?
Hotel Bellevue Syrene (5 Star) or Hotel BelAir (4 Star)
in Sorrento.
Okay, so you won't want to leave these hotels. Perched perfectly
on the cliffs at Sorrento and each guest room has an incredible
view!
Venice Video: Watch Italian Band play inside
Doges Palace
Small Group Touring™ - Only Way To Go!
Many companies boast interesting itineraries and complement
that with a large group of bus junkies (sometimes upwards of 75 people!). With QueensLander's Italy's Great Cities Tour, you are guaranteed a small group tour experience of
this delightful land. We mean it when we say small: average
size groups range from 10 to 16 passengers.
Licensed Professional Italian Guides
We are proud to comply with Italy law, and offer only professional,
licensed guides throughout our Italy's Great Cities Tour
experience. In Venice, we meet Cinzia and Luigi, our boat
driver. In Florence, it's Susanna. In Rome, it's Cynthia.
Bilingual, friendly, and knowledgeable.
Okay, so you won't want to leave these hotels. Perched perfectly
on the cliffs at Sorrento and each guest room has an incredible
view! 