Christmas in Italy: 14-Day Luxury Celebration

Rome is a fantastic destination to visit during Christmas with so much authentic history, unique art, and distinctive beauty. As an icon of faith connected to Vatican City, the intertwining cobblestone streets, jovial sidewalk cafes, and welcoming ambiance of the winter season will easily seduce you upon your arrival in the city. Your private transfer will meet you at the airport and escort you into the heart of the city to indulge in the holiday displays and the aromas of candied orange found in Panettone or the lights strung between the artisan shops near the trickling waters of Piazza Navona.

The splendor of Rome during the winter season will become evident as your guide meets you in the hotel lobby and escorts you along the lively cobblestone lanes for your tour of the Imperial City. The layers of history will unravel as you visit the tiers of the Colosseum and the standing columns of the Roman Forum. As you leave behind the holiday spirit for the grandeur of the former empire, you can find the staggering size of the Colosseum’s outer walls. The remainder of the day is yours to view the ornate Nativity scenes displayed around the local churches.

As you explore Rome with your guide, you can revel in the festive aromas of lemon and vanilla drifting through the bakeries as you visit the Classical monuments around the city. At the Trevi Fountain, the power of Neptune looms above the horses and tritons as the water cascades into the waiting pool. Locals enjoy ice skating on a rink set beneath the mausoleum of Castle Sant’Angelo. As you continue to the Vatican, you can experience the true essence of the Christmas season at the heart of Christianity embodied in the grand ceiling of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.

A VIP Christmas tour of Rome will take you through the city to find connections to ancient Christianity at monuments like Basilica St. Peter’s in Chains, where you can witness the 5th-century foundations and Michelangelo’s powerful sculpture of Moses. You can continue to the heart of Christianity at the Vatican, where you can participate in Christmas Eve Mass. The Pope will lead the service that celebrates the season, commemorates the purpose, blesses those in attendance, and features the uplifting sounds of a chorus whose voices echo beneath the soaring ceiling of the Basilica.

Rome feels like an open-air museum, and on Christmas Day, you can experience the beauty of the city at a slower pace. The lights will continue to fill the city, and the aromas of pastries and espresso will continue to add layers to the cozy atmosphere. You can visit the nativity scenes on display across the city or see the impressive life-sized display often shown at St. Peter’s Square. Piazza Navona will continue to celebrate the season and the holiday as the market encapsulated the festive light and delicate aromas of the Historic City Center.

Naples is a vibrant and colorful city on the shores of the bay with views directly to the infamous peak of Mount Vesuvius. Your guide will take you on a fascinating tour of the city bustling city with foundations dating back to the 8th century BC. You can find the aromas of pizza and sfogliatelle across the broad promenades. At the Cappella Sansevero, you can view the statue of Veiled Christ to witness the sculpted, translucent tissue of marble. At Pompeii, the marvels of ancient Rome are revealed in the unearthed cityscape with homes, shops, and even people.

Venice is an elegant city filled with secret corners and the charm of winding canals lined by graceful palaces. You will travel by train to reach the floating city, where your private transfer will escort you to the comforts of your accommodation. The city moves at a fast pace along the waters of the Grand Canal and through the winding cobbled lanes opening to views of St. Mark’s Basilica’s bulbous domes. The remainder of the day is at your leisure to indulge in the city’s enticing beauty, from the Rialto Bridge’s arch to the marble filigree of the Ca d’Oro.

The city will open up from a new perspective, with the ambiance of the holiday season still spreading around the streets and making the city feel like a winter postcard. You will step onto a gondola and glide through the waters of the city for views of the Scuola Grande di San Rocco or the displayed artwork of the Peggy Guggenheim Collection. After exploring on a gondola, you can continue with your guide for an immersive city experience. Once at St. Mark’s Basilica, you may notice the glinting golden mosaics spread through the interior, covering 86,000 square feet.

The city of Siena remains a strong reference of Medieval prowess and early Renaissance strength. Before you reach the famous Tuscan city perched on the hills, you can stop in Pisa to visit the renowned Leaning Tower and the grandeur of the Piazza dei Miracoli. Once a major Roman port and naval powerhouse, the city glints with marbled splendor captured in the tower's infamous image leaning at nearly four degrees. The Cathedral embodies typical Gothic Pisan design with slim columns and splashes of colorful mosaic. Once in Siena, you can relax in the welcoming Tuscan city.

Siena is a larger Tuscan city with the feel of a small medieval town. The historic center's surrounding walls preserve the story of antique shops, traditional restaurants, and the vibrant Cathedral made of marble. The ice skating rink may still be open near the fortress, with locals enjoying the cool winter air. You will meet your guide for an introduction to Tuscan flavors with a private cooking class offering insight into the local and seasonal ingredients. You may roll out handmade cappelletti pasta, make a roast chicken, or craft a customary pandoro with cinnamon, sugar, and spice.

Before you reach the Renaissance city of Florence, your guide will take you on an immersive tour of Tuscany experienced through the distinctive wines of Montalcino and the Val d’Orcia. The streets of Montalcino are lined with wine shops and retain their medieval history reaching terraces overlooking the picturesque vineyards. Your guide may take you to private cellars and vineyards to sample the layered flavors of Brunello di Montalcino with hints of dried figs, candied cherries, and hazelnuts. You can explore the photographic scenery of the Val d’Orcia as you wind the fortified villages lining the antique Via Francigena.

Renaissance wonder towers over the streets of Florence on the banks of the Arno River. Your guide will meet you at the hotel and escort you to the highlights of the city, from the Duomo’s remarkable dome to the panoramic view sweeping across the city at Piazzale Michelangelo. You may visit the Uffizi Gallery to wander the antique galleries connected to the Medici family, where you can view Botticelli’s Birth of Venus or explore the Accademia to find Michelangelo’s David. An exclusive tour may give you an enjoyable view of the city above the rooftops seen from the inspiring dome.

The day is yours to enjoy the charms of the Renaissance or the beauty around the city. You can visit the Central Market or discover the elaborate frescoes of Santa Maria Novella. From a different perspective, you can enjoy a full-day tour of Assisi, Cortona, and Perugia. Assisi is the home of St. Francis and weaves into the slopes of Monte Subasio. The elaborate Basilica has an upper church with 28 frescoes depicting the saint's life and a lower church with stained-glass windows and works of master artisans from around Europe.

The Christmas spirit in Italy continues until January 6th, when the children receive gifts from La Befana, the good witch. The aromas of espresso may mix with the scent of spices and candied orange from the bakeries around the city. After breakfast, your private transfer will escort you to the train station to meet the fast train bound for Rome, where you will continue to the airport for your flight home, bringing an end to your celebration of the holiday season in Italy.