Italy 360: Venice, Florence, Rome

Flights to and from Italy are not included in the package, giving everyone the freedom to choose the airline, airport, and schedule that works best for them.

We recommend flying into Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) and making your own way to our hotel.

We’ll meet as a group in the late afternoon. Once we’ve dropped off our bags and met our new travel crew, there’s only one proper way to kick off a trip to Italy: with a toast.

We head out through Venice’s narrow alleyways, bridges, and hidden squares for our first taste of the city before stopping for our Welcome Drink: a classic Venetian Spritz.

It’s the perfect chance to break the ice and officially kick off our Italian adventure.

The rest of the evening is ours to enjoy. We can decide together where to have dinner and start soaking up the atmosphere of Venice by night.

After breakfast, it’s time to really get to know Venice.

Together with a local guide, we explore the heart of the city, weaving through narrow alleyways, small squares, bridges, and historic neighborhoods while learning about the history and traditions of one of the most unique cities in the world.

We make our way to St. Mark’s Square, Venice’s grandest gathering place, and step inside the magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica, famous for its golden mosaics and extraordinary history.

From here, we continue through the city toward some of Venice’s most iconic sights, eventually reaching Rialto Bridge and the Grand Canal.

The afternoon is free.

You might choose to take a gondola ride, visit a museum, do some shopping, or simply get lost among the canals and stop at a traditional bacaro for cicchetti and a glass of local wine.

In the evening, we meet back up and decide together where to have dinner.

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Vly.enice and make our way to Santa Lucia train station.

We travel by high-speed train from Venice to Florence, avoiding a long bus ride and arriving right in the heart of our next destination.

Once in Florence, we drop off our bags at the hotel and start exploring.

We walk through Santa Maria Novella, Piazza del Duomo, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery, Piazza della Signoria, and Ponte Vecchio.

Florence feels like an open-air museum, and today is all about getting our first taste of one of the most beautiful cities in Ita

Lunch comes with a true Florence essential: a traditional Florentine schiacciata from one of the city’s most famous sandwich spots, filled with Tuscan cured meats, cheeses, and local ingredients.

In the afternoon, we continue exploring the city with our Coordinator.

The evening is free, giving us time to choose where to have dinner and experience Florence after dark.

After breakfast, we have another full day to dive deeper into Florence.

The morning is free, so everyone can experience the city in their own way.

Art lovers can visit the Accademia Gallery to see Michelangelo’s David or explore the masterpieces inside the Uffizi Gallery. Those looking for a slower morning can wander through the Central Market, explore the Oltrarno neighborhood, go shopping, or simply enjoy a coffee with a view of the Duomo.

In the afternoon, we leave the museums behind and turn our attention to another form of Italian art: food.

During our fresh pasta cooking class, we learn about traditional ingredients and techniques and get hands-on as we make pasta from scratch.

Tagliatelle, ravioli, or other Italian specialties whatever is on the menu, this is guaranteed to be one of the most fun and social experiences of the trip.

Before or after the cooking class, depending on timing, we can make our way up to Piazzale Michelangelo for one of the best panoramic views over Florence.

Today we completely change scenery.

After breakfast, we can decide to leave Florence with local transportation and head into the Tuscan countryside, surrounded by rolling hills, vineyards, cypress trees, and charming villages.

Our destination is Chianti, one of Italy’s most famous wine regions.

We visit a local winery to discover how wine is produced here, from the vineyard all the way to the bottle.

Then, of course, comes the part we’ve all been waiting for: a guided Chianti wine tasting.

During the day, we’ll also have time to stop in one of the area’s picturesque villages, wander through its streets and squares, and take in the slower pace of the Tuscan countryside.

Lunch is not included, so we can decide as a group whether to stop at a trattoria, an agriturismo, or grab something more casual along the way.

In the late afternoon, we return to Florence.

Our final evening in the city is free.

After breakfast, we say goodbye to Florence and get ready for our second major transfer of the trip.

We travel by high-speed train from Florence to Rome, arriving right in the center of the Italian capital.

After dropping off our bags at the hotel, we head straight out to discover the Eternal City.

Together with a local guide, we explore the historic center and some of Rome’s most iconic landmarks.

We walk through the Spanish Steps, the Trevi Fountain, the Pantheon, and Piazza Navona, while hearing the stories, legends, and fascinating details behind the city.

And yes — throwing a coin into the Trevi Fountain is basically mandatory. According to tradition, it means you’ll return to Rome one day.

In the evening, we can head over to Trastevere, one of Rome’s most atmospheric and lively neighborhoods.

Tonight’s mission is simple: find a great local trattoria and settle the ultimate Roman debate carbonara, amatriciana, or cacio e pepe and of course a glass of red wine

Today we travel back almost 2,000 years.

After breakfast, we head to one of the most famous landmarks in the world: the Colosseum.

We step inside the legendary amphitheater and discover the world of gladiators, public spectacles, and Imperial Rome.

From here, we continue to the Roman Forum, once the political, religious, and commercial heart of the city, before making our way up Palatine Hill, where according to legend, Rome itself was founded by Romulus.

It’s a morning completely immersed in the history of Ancient Rome and one of the absolute highlights of the trip.

The afternoon is free.

Those who want to keep exploring can head to St. Peter’s Basilica and Vatican City, visit the Vatican Museums, go shopping, return to the Trevi Fountain, or simply enjoy their final hours in Rome with no schedule at all.

Toward the end of the day, we can meet again and head to the Pincian Hill for one last sunset over Rome before our final evening together.

Dinner is free, so we’ll decide together where to spend our last night and toast to the past seven days.

After our final breakfast together, it’s time to say goodbye.

The trip ends in Rome, with no scheduled group activities today, giving everyone the freedom to arrange their flight home from Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) or continue traveling through Italy.

Eight days ago, we were strangers meeting over a Spritz in Venice.

Since then, we’ve crossed Venice, Florence, the rolling hills of Chianti, and Rome together.

Not bad for one week.