Easy Pace Italy - Classic Group, Summer

Rome is a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director and getting to know your fellow travelers over a delicious dinner with wine.

Explore Vatican City with your Local Expert. With fast-track entry, visit the Vatican Museums to view the extensive Papal art collection. In the Sistine Chapel, take time to admire Michelangelo’s ceiling fresco before continuing to St. Peter’s Basilica, a masterpiece of Renaissance architecture. Then cross the Tiber River to discover ancient Rome. See the Circus Maximus, once the site of thrilling chariot races, and visit the Colosseum—an enduring symbol of Imperial power and engineering. Please note: On some departures, access to St. Peter’s Basilica may be restricted due to the Papal Audience. You’ll still have time to take in the atmosphere of St. Peter’s Square during your visit to Vatican City.

Spend another day enjoying Rome at your own pace. Stroll to the boutiques of the Via del Corso and Via Nazionale or visit the elegant designer stores near the Spanish Steps. Perhaps take an Optional Experience south to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, buried in 79 AD by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, and explore one of the greatest archaeological sites in the world. With your Local Expert, stroll into a 2,000-year-old town revealing fascinating discoveries preserved in time. With the dormant volcano of Vesuvius and panoramic views of the Bay of Naples in the background, you have a few treats in store along the way and then return to Rome, passing the formidable Abbey of Montecassino, the site of an epic battle in 1944. As night falls, why not sip a glass of prosecco at a sidewalk cafe in Piazza Navona and enjoy life’s pageantry pass by?

Drive through Lazio and the rolling hills of Umbria, often regarded as Italy’s green heart. Admire the medieval hilltop towns perched like crown jewels overlooking the valleys below. Journey onwards to the Chianti Hills and the city of Florence. Explore Florence with Insight Choice: choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe. Afterwards, continue on foot to admire the multicoloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Continue into the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune, Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio.