This new tour will explore the heart of Italy from Florence to Rome with four nights at Villa Santa Barbara, a 16th century summer retreat. Dubbed the “Green Heart of Italy,” Umbria's idyllic countryside is a mozaic of rolling farm fields and vineyards enveloped by mountains and dotted with traditional villages and fortified hill towns. From our villa hotel situated in the vineyards at the foot of Montefalco, we will take day excursions to the nearby hill towns of  Siena, Assisi, Perugia, and Orvieto.  We plan to arrange special visits to a stained glass studio founded in 1850; a textile studio that uses 18th century, antique looms to fabricate replicas of Renaissance tapestries; a vineyard (of course!) for a wine tasting; and a special treat -- we'll go on a hunt for truffles!  We hope you can join us next autumn on this enchanting trip.

ITINERARY

OPTIONAL PRE-TOUR EXCURSION TO VENICE

September 30

Depart the US

October 01, Tuesday

Afternoon:  Arrive Venice Marco Polo Airport

Private transfer by water taxi to Hotel Saturnia International.

Overnight at the Hotel Saturnia International

October 02, Wednesday     Venice

Full day walking tour with private guide of the landmarks of Venice: the Doge's Palace, San Marco Basilica, and the Bridge of Sighs. Our guide will take us off the beaten path to admire the quiet canals, and artisan workshops that still handcraft traditional masks and gondolas.  Overnight at the Hotel Saturnia International

October 03, Thursday  

Day at leisure to explore Venice on your own. We may arrange an optional 4-5 hr boat trip to see the glassblowers in Murano and traditional lace-making workshops in lesser-known Burano (price TBD).   Overnight at the Hotel Saturnia International

October 04, Friday    Transfer to Florence

8:15 am  Transfer with luggage to the Venice train station.

9:20 am  Depart Venice by train

11:20 am  Arrive in Florence. Meet & greet service and porterage.

Transfer to our hotel. Afternoon free until our welcome dinner.

Overnight Hotel Santa Maria Novella or Kraft Hotel.

Details and price on request.

MAIN PROGRAM

Day 1: October 3,  Thursday

Individual departures from the U.S. for Florence.

Note: Our tour officially begins with a welcome dinner on October 4. We plan to reserve a block of rooms for the evening of October 3 for those who wish to arrive a day early in Florence. Please Note: Our stay in Florence does not include a tour of the Uffizi Galery, home to the finest collection of Italian paintings anywhere, including works by Leonardo, Botticelli, Michelangelo, and more. If you arrive a day early we can help you secure tickets for a visit to the Uffizi Gallery.

Day 2: October  4, Friday   (D)    Florence  

Individual arrivals in Florence. Check into the Santa Maria Novella Hotel for our 3-night stay. Situated on a lovely church square, the hotel is a 6-minute walk to both the Florence Cathedral and the Accademia Gallery.  Before this evening’s welcome dinner, join staff and fellow travelers on the hotel's rooftop terrace for a glass of prosecco to toast our adventure.

Overnight Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Day 3: October  5, Saturday  (B, L)                 Florence

We will begin the day with a walking tour of the city's historic center. Highlights will include The Duomo, the city’s cathedral featuring Brunelleschi's magnificent terracotta-tiled dome; its bell tower designed by Giotto; and Ghiberti's stunning bronze doors that adorn the Baptistry. In the afternoon, we will visit the Accademia Gallery, home of many sculptures of Michelangelo including his greatest masterpiece, David.  Overnight Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Day 4: October  6, Sunday     (B, L)               Siena

We will make a day excursion to the Tuscan town of Siena, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its Romanesque-Gothic architecture. We will take a guided walking tour of the town’s historic district that includes a visit to the striking black and-white marble Duomo, housing masterpieces by Michelangelo and Donatello. Our tour will end at the town’s Piazza del Campo, one of Europe’s greatest public squares and the site of the famous Palio horse races.  Overnight Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Day 5: October  7, Monday     (B, D)                Perugia

Today we depart Florence for Umbria, dubbed the “Green Heart of Italy,” with its idyllic farm fields and vineyards enveloped by mountains and dotted with traditional villages and fortified hill towns.  En route, we will explore Perugia, host of the annual Eurochocolate Festival and known for its famous Perugina’s ‘Baci’ chocolate “kisses.”  On a walking tour led by a local expert, we will see the Arco Etrusco, built by the Etruscans in the 3rd century BC. We’ll marvel at the Rocca Paolina, an underground labrynth that is all that remains of a huge, 16th century papal fortress. We plan to visit to Moretti Caselli-Stained Glass Studio that has been in the same family since it was founded in the 1850s. We may also arrange a tour of The Giuditta Brozzetti textile museum-workshop, one of the last ateliers where copies of magnificent fabrics popular in the Renaissance are still being produced entirely by hand on antique hand-operated wooden looms of the 18th and 19th centuries.We will check into our charming villa hotel for our four-night stay. This peaceful retreat is set on a 10 acre park-like garden featuring centuries old trees and 1,000 rose bushes.  Overnight Villa Saint Barbara, Montefalco

Day 6:   October  8, Tuesday   (B, D)             Orvieto & Civita di Bagnoregio

Today we will take a funicular up to Umbria's grand hill town of Orvieto, originally settled by the Etruscans in the 9^th century. An orientation tour will include the Cathedral of St. Mary of the Assumption, featuring Luca Signorelli’s frescoes in the Chapel of San Brizio that influenced Michelangelo’s rendition of “The Last Judgement” in the Sistine Chapel. On our way back to our hotel, we will stop to take photos of one of Umbria’s most picturesque hamlets, Civita di Bagnoregio.  This tiny gem of a village, perched precariously atop a rocky mount, is only accessible via a pedestrian rock bridge. Overnight Villa Saint Barbara, Montefalco

Day 7: October 9, Wednesday         (B, D)                Assisi

This morning’s excursion is to the lovely hill town of Assisi, where St. Francis was born in 1182. We will tour the beautifully frescoed Basilica of St. Francis, which has been fully restored after an earthquake caused serious damage in 1997. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the church is the burial place of St. Francis, and features 28 priceless frescoes painted by Giotto in the 1290s depicting stories of the saint’s life and deeds. We will also visit the Basilica of St. Clare, and the Santa Maria sopra Minerva, a church built inside the ancient Roman Temple of Minerva in 1539.

We will stop at a local farm to hunt for truffles!  In the company of the farmer, we will follow his trained dogs through the woods in search for “black gold,” one of the most expensive foods in the world.  Overnight Villa Saint Barbara, Montefalco

Day 8: October 10, Thursday       (B, D)     Spoleto & Spello             

Today we will explore the ancient city of Spoleto. An expert local guide will lead us on walking tour featuring the first-century Roman amphitheatre, the 12th-century cathedral, the 13th-century aqueduct, and the 14-century hilltop fortress.  We will continue to Spello, dubbed one of the "most beautiful villages of Italy."  We will end the day with a visit to a winery for a guided walk through their vineyards followed by a wine tasting. Overnight Villa Saint Barbara, Montefalco

Day 9: October 11, Friday       (B, L)            Drive to Rome via Tivoli

On our way to Rome, we will stop in Tivoli to visit two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Villa d'Este is a gem of architectural and landscape splendor. Famous for its magnificent fountains, it is one of the most beautiful examples of an Italian Renaissance Garden in Europe. Hadrian's Villa (Villa Adriana) in Tivoli bears witness to the grandeur of the Roman Empire. Built by Roman Emperor Hadrian at the foot of the Tiburtine Hills between 118 and 138 AD, this vast residential complex originally extended over an area of 300 acres. 

Continue to Rome and check into our hotel which is a 7-minute walk to St. Peter's Square.

Overnight Hotel Della Conciliazione, Rome

Day 10: October 12, Saturday    (B)       Vatican City   

We will spend the morning in Vatican City for a tour St. Peter’s Basilica, home to Michelangelo's sublime Pietà; the Sistine Chapel; and a portion of the vast collections in the Vatican Museum. You will have free time in the afternoon to explore a corner of the Eternal City on your own.

Overnight Hotel Della Conciliazione, Rome

 Day 11: October 13, Sunday      (B, L)      Ancient Rome

Today we will explore the heart of ancient Rome. In the company of a local guide we will tour the 55,000-seat Colosseum; the Roman Forum; the Domus Aurea (The Golden House of Nero); and the site of Julius Caesar's assassination which was recently made accessible to the public. We will toast our Italian adventure at this afternoon's farewell luncheon.. Overnight Hotel Della Conciliazione, Rome

Day 12: October 14, Monday                         

Individual departures from Rome for the USA.

OPTIONAL POST-TOUR EXCURSION TO POMPEII

October 14: Depart Rome. Arrive in Pompeii for a private 3-hour guided tour.

Check into our hotel.

Overnight at Le Medusa Hotel, Castellammare di Stabia

October 15:  Take a 2-hr private guided tour of Herculaneum archaeological site. We will spend the afternoon exploring a portion of the Amalfi Coast.

Overnight at Le Medusa Hotel, Castellammare di Stabia

October 16: Individual departures from Naples or Rome Airport.

Details and price on request

MAIN TOUR INCLUDES (12 days/10 nights):

* Expert localguides for our visits in Florence, Umbria, and Rome

* Services of a professional Italian tour director who will accompany us throughout the tour

* Marty Gane will be the assistant tour director throughout the tour

* Private guided tours of sites and museums where available

* 10 nights hotel accommodations in 4-star hotels

* Private, 50-seat motor coach; (with a group of 20 there's plenty of room to spread out)

* 2 wine/beer receptions, daily breakfasts, 4 lunch and 5 dinners with wine included

* All admissions, tours and excursions as described in the itinerary

* All taxes, baggage handling, & all gratuities (including guides and bus drivers)

* Pre-trip notes and map book

What is Not Included:

Airfare; transfers between airport and hotel; trip insurance; personal items such as wines, liquors, a la carte orders, room service, laundry charges; and meals and other items not specifically mentioned as included.

Prices do not include airfare, however, we are happy to assist you with flight arrangements. We will post staff flight details shortly in case you would like to book seats on the same flights as Tour Manager Marty Gane.

COST: 12 DAYS/10 NIGHTS with a choice of hotel in Florence:

Double Occupancy: $6395 with the Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Florence

Single Occupancy:  $7695 with the Hotel Santa Maria Novella, Florence

(extra nights at the Hotel Santa Maria Novella are approx. $505 per room per night)

OR

Double Occupancy: $5895 with the Hotel Kraft, Florence

Single Occupancy: $6895 with the Hotel Kraft, Florence

(extra nights at the Hotel Kraft are approx. $315 per room per night)

PLEASE INDICATE YOUR PREFERRED HOTEL ON YOUR APPLICATION FORM

A LESS EXPENSIVE OPTION: We searched high and low for a more reasonably priced hotel in Florence.  We found the nearby Hotel Kraft, however, we could only secure 10 rooms; not enough to book the entire group. Located in a residential neighborhood, the Kraft is a 10-minute walk from the Hotel Santa Maria Novella and involves more walking. Both hotels are ranked 4.5 stars on TripAdvisor and awarded “Travelers Choice 2023.” Both hotels have rooftop bars with views of the city. The Kraft is a 20-minute (1 mile) walk to the Palazzo Vecchio in the heart of Florence's historic district versus the Hotel Santa Maria Novella which is a 10-minute walk (.5 mile).  

NOTE: Prices are based on a minimum of 20 participants.