15-Day Elegant Italy: Art, History, Food and Wine

Venice is a city of opulence and elegance. Regal gondolas and marble palaces create the sense of epic grandeur around winding canals and charming cafes. Your private transfer will meet you at the airport upon your arrival and escort you to the comforts of your hotel, introducing you to the city’s splendor evident in demonstrated artful ambiance. After settling into the city, you can indulge in the unique atmosphere with dinner on a Venetian galleon. History will come alive as you view the city from a different perspective while the aromas of typical Venetian cuisine, such as risotto in squid ink or seasonal small green crabs, fill the air.

Your guide will meet you in the hotel lobby after breakfast, eager to introduce you to the wonders of Venice. The city will reveal its beauty as you witness the marbled facades and exceptional details etched into structures, streets, and cuisine. At St. Mark’s Basilica, the mosaics may glint in the sunlight as you notice the Biblical stories and iconography covering more than 45,600 square feet of the interior.

You will have lunch at a local locanda and plenty of time to wander the winding cobbled lanes around the canals at your preferred pace. In the early evening, you can dine on the specialties of Venice once more by taking part in the tradition of aperitivo. Embrace the elegant ambiance of small dishes accompanied by a glass of wine as you bask in the view of the restaurant overlooking the splendor of the canals and narrow lanes.

In the morning, venture out into the famous lagoon on a private guided tour of the famous Burano, Murano, and Torcello island. Burano may feel like a miniature Venice, with a small canal running through the island's center. Locals display their historic and exceptional lacework. On Murano, you can find the spectacular glow of glass inside glassblower's workshops. They may demonstrate how to make a piece as the workshop fills with red heat.

When visiting Torcello, your guide may introduce you to the preserved nature wrapping around the remains of 7th-century Santa Maria Assunta. You can find hints of the Venetian-Byzantine mosaics decorating the interior. Your private transfer will escort you out of Venice to reach a historical villa in the Valpolicella area, a region celebrated for its wine production dating back to ancient Greece. You can bask in the beauty of the villa as you enjoy the rolling vineyards, pleasant climate, and aromas of tart cherry, chocolate, and cinnamon springing from your glass during a private wine tasting.

Lake Garda is a haven of natural beauty and activity connected to Italy's largest lake. The steep foothills of the Alps edge the northern lakeshores while southern banks reach ingo the Po Valley. After breakfast, your private guide will take you on a stunning hike through the woven trails around the lake, giving way to olives and lemon groves, sandy beaches, and storybook towns known for fortified castles and serene promenades.

You may take to the Tempesta Trail to wander amongst the dense Mediterranean vegetation. At the top of the granite lookout reached by 400 steps, you have a private view over the entire lake where you can watch the passing sailboats, enjoy the colorful architecture lining the shores, or simply relax in the refreshing alpine air.

Florence is a city of the Renaissance, where natural beauty has inspired creative ingenuity for centuries. After traveling from Lake Garde, you will have time to enjoy the marvels of Florence on a private guided tour. With an illustrious collection of palaces, churches, and museums, you will feel immersed in the past set beneath the remarkable dome of the central cathedral.

The aromas of gelato and fresh pasta may fill the air as your guide leads you to the iconic monuments, from the Medici Tombs in San Lorenzo to the gold shops hovering over the Arno River on the Ponte Vecchio. You may enter the Accademia Gallery to view Michelangelo’s breathtaking David. The figure will tower over you at 17 feet tall and reveal how the master artist carved intricate detail into a single piece of marble.

Outside of Florence, you will have a picture-perfect view of Tuscany. The picturesque valley will embrace you with images of chalk plains and conical hilltops crowned with medieval towns or dramatic abbeys. Your private transfer will escort you on a scenic drive through the heart of the region known for lines of cypress trees and layers of vineyards to follow the trail connecting Chianti Classico wines.

At Montalcino, you can enjoy the ambiance of the medieval town where cobbled lanes lead to hillsides decorated with vines. Enoteche line the historic city center wedged into preserved antique structures guarded by the emblematic city walls. You can sample the flavors of favored Brunello di Montalcino to find possible hints of fig, hazelnut, and stewed cherries.

After breakfast, you will meet your guide for an e-bike tour through the Val d’Orcia. The natural charms of the landscape will steer you around the hills and vineyard before you reach the town of Pienza, an immaculate representation of the Renaissance. Piazza Pio II captures the spirit of art in the dignified angular design that frames the cathedral.

The Romanesque church at the western edge of town dates back to the 10th century and contrasts the perspective at the heart of the main piazza, especially in the circular bell tower and arched windows. At lunch, you can sample the flavors of the city at a local trattoria accompanied by a pecorino tasting. The cheese is famous for its delicate, dryer texture with nutty notes and an edible rind.

Tuscany is renowned for its tradition and preserved beauty, which you will experience during a pasta-making class on a local farm. Your cooking instructor will welcome you to the landscape, where you may find the aromas of budding crops before entering the kitchen. You may learn how to craft the dough to craft the customary pasta in the region, pici, a long handmade noodle often tossed in garlic sauce or a ragu di Chianina.

Once in Siena, you can explore the historic streets and famous medieval walls at your pace. You may find the aromas of gelato filling the antique center as you venture to the Gothic Cathedral of Santa Maria Assunta. The alternating dark and light marble stripes create a dominating figure before you enter to find masterpieces in the mosaic floors that depict biblical and mythological stories.

The allure of Rome will come into sharp focus upon your arrival. After settling into the luxuries of your accommodation, you can discover the depth of the Eternal City on a guided tour in a vintage Fiat 500. As you travel along the cobblestone streets, you can wind through narrow alleyways inaccessible to larger vehicles while also cruising along the banks of the Tiber River to witness the layers of history on display, from the dome of the Vatican to the Arch of Constantine.

At the Colosseum, you may view the powerful emblem of ancient Rome featured in the outer walls standing 157 feet tall. In the early evening, you can take pleasure in the comforts of the city during a mouthwatering aperitivo at a restaurant known for its spectacular view over the city.

Your guide will meet you at the hotel after breakfast for a more in-depth guided tour of Rome. With the marvels of the Eternal City at your fingertips, you can witness the elegance of the Trevi Fountain and the balanced aesthetic of Bernini’s Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona. In the morning, the city may retain the aromas of fresh roses and cappuccino, especially when in the bustling market of Campo de Fiori.

With time in the afternoon at your leisure, you can continue to the Vatican Museums to trace the timeline of cultural heritage around the Mediterranean from Ancient Egypt to the Renaissance. In the Sistine Chapel, you can stand beneath the iconic ceiling painted by Michelangelo and search for the image of the Creation of Adam.

You will travel from Rome to Naples and continue with a private driver to the Amalfi Coast. The shoreline features steep cliffs plunging into the Tyrrhenian Sea and colorful villages carved into the mountains. The coastline is approximately 30 miles long and captures the essence of the Mediterranean with cultural grace, natural beauty, and combined grandeur.

You can relax in the town of Ravello, where you can enjoy the scent of orange groves, the splendor of the Romanesque Cathedral of San Pantaleone, and the panoramic views sweeping across the shoreline. You will meet your private instructor for a cooking lesson focused on crafting local dishes from ingredients like peppers or zucchini to making delectable smooth lemon custard.

You will find the wonders of nature as the centerpiece of the Amalfi Coast as you take to the Path of the Gods trail. Your guided hike will introduce you to the foliage and panoramic views along the mountain ridge, both dividing and connecting the towns along the shoreline. You may feel a deep connection with the mythological roots related to The Odyssey as you embrace the views of the shimmering waters and blanketing greenery below.

Upon reaching the town of Positano, you can enjoy the aromas of the sea breeze mixing with the scent of lemons from local shops making limoncello. The cobblestone lanes weave along the contours of the cliffs touching colorful homes before reaching the small marina where fishing boats wade in the quiet sea.

In the morning, you will take a private boat to the famous island of Capri that has captivated the likes of Roman emperors and Hollywood starlets alike. As you reach the Marina Grande, the cliffs will tower over the water nearly 200 feet above sea level. The aroma of the sea will fade as you find the Piazzetta, where cafes and restaurants set out tables to capture the view over the precipices.

The day is at your leisure to enjoy the distinctive Mediterranean ambiance of the island as you embrace the historic opulence along the cobblestone streets of Capri Town or the hidden charms of Anacapri. For a sensational view over the cliffs and water, you can visit the Gardens of Augustus. The grounds of the former emperor overlook the blue-green water surrounding the Faraglioni Sea Stacks.

The morning air may fill with the aromas of lemons after breakfast as you take a private transfer to the ancient city of Pompeii. The unique city was buried beneath pumice and ash during the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. Your guide will lead you on a private tour along the revealed streets and structures that give you insight into life in the ancient Roman colony. At the former Forum, you can find the platform and remaining pillars that once supported the Temple of Jupiter.

In the evening, you will have an in-depth introduction to the flavors of Naples with a private cooking class focused on making a traditional Neapolitan pizza. Your guide will teach you how to craft the dough, work it into a typical circle, and make an aromatic sauce. When finished, you can revel in the melting cheese, rich sauce, and soft crust.

At breakfast, you may find the aromas of cappuccino and fresh-baked cornetti. The city of Naples will return to life once more in the morning as the boats return from their search for fish. If you have time, you may wish to visit the Cappella Sansevero to view the delicate 18th-century statue of the Veiled Christ, which features a thin tissue-like layer over the statue’s face but is carved from marble. Your private transfer will meet you in the hotel lobby when you are ready and escort you to the airport for your flight.