Of all of Tauck's popular Italy tours, this is the one designed with your family in mind – on which you'll share the splendors of Italy together! Explore the imperial city of Rome and the legacy of the powerful Roman Empire that ruled the world millennia ago. Look up at the celebrated ceiling of the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, as well as around at other Vatican treasures, on a special after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums, without the usual crowds! Explore Orvieto's fascinating medieval tunnels, and discover the amazing art masterpieces of fabled Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance, meet an art historian and watch a pizza-making demonstration. Travel to the Tuscan city of Pisa and see the Leaning Tower. Take the high-speed Eurostar train to Venice where gondolas, – and a serenade – mask making and gelato introduce you to daily life in this city of canals on Tauck's most family-friendly of Italy tours.
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Day 1
Arrive Rome, capital of the Ancient World
A transfer is included from Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino to The Westin Excelsior, Rome, ideally located in the heart of the city within walking distance to many historic sights. Your adventures in Italia Bella begin with a guided visit to St. Peter’s Square and Basilica. This vast marble landmark draws pilgrims and visitors from around the world and dates back to the 2nd century. The Basilica you will see today took over a century to complete. All the great architects of the Roman Renaissance and Baroque period had a hand in its design, giving you the perfect introduction to all the spectacular sites you will see during your family vacation. Tonight get a taste of “real” Italian food at our welcome reception and dinner.
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Day 2
Go inside Rome & tour the Vatican after hours
Drive back on perfectly engineered roads through the history of Imperial Rome today, relics of which are visible virtually everywhere you look. While many of the ruins you’ll see just hint at their former grandeur, the Colosseum roars with memories of gladiators, lions and the deafening cheers – or jeers – of the some 55,000 spectators who watched the emperor’s games here. Walk through one of its 80 entrances on a guided tour, learning more about this huge amphitheater from your knowledgeable guide. See the temples, arches and basilicas of the Roman Forum, the epicenter for political, commercial and judicial life in ancient Rome. Nearby, the Vatican has been the heart of papal life since the popes returned to Rome from Avignon at the end of the 14th century. Get set for a special treat when our local expert takes you inside on a guided after-hours tour of the Vatican Museums, without crowds (subject to availability and day of the tour may vary). It is an extraordinary experience, one that creates a lasting lifetime bond for families who experience its treasures together. Look around and up at the palace walls and ceilings to view its colorful frescoes, then look down at the amazing floors you’ll walk on. The Sistine Chapel is adorned with a dozen of these detailed murals, with the most famous of all painted on the ceiling by one of the most famous artists of all time, Michelangelo.
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Day 3
Explore Orvieto’s medieval tunnels
Italy astounds with wonders of another time and place, as you will discover as we drive through the Umbrian and Tuscan countryside to Florence. First stop is Orvieto, looming over vine-covered hills from its walled perch atop a volcanic plateau. This medieval gem is filled with Gothic discoveries, even below ground! Explore its honeycombed tunnels and Etruscan caves on a guided tour that takes you under the town’s cobblestone streets, then continue on your way to Florence. See Michelangelo’s statue of David on a guided visit to the Galleria dell’Accademia before settling into your charming 18th-century palace hotel. A historical landmark, it is ideally located near a Renaissance square overlooking the Arno River. Dine at the hotel tonight, ordering what you want from its à la carte menu
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Day 4
See the Leaning Tower in Pisa's Field of Miracles
In the Middle Ages, Pisa was a powerful maritime nation whose riverfront location on the Ligurian Sea gave its naval fleet a distinct advantage over other seafaring ships. You’ll find many beautiful buildings here that reflect its legacy and wealth, including the Duomo with its intricate medley of cream-colored colonnades and the graceful Baptistry, but it is its famous Leaning Tower on the “Field of Miracles” that has kept the town famous today. Begun in sandy soil in 1173, it was completed in 1350. Its lopsided tilt has attracted many visitors over the centuries – Galileo himself even came here to conduct experiments on falling objects! Learn about the history of the “Field of Miracles” and have lunch in a local restaurant. Dinner is on your own tonight back in Florence, perhaps sampling seasonal Tuscan cuisine in an authentic neighborhood trattoria.
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Day 5
Discover the useful arts of painting and pizza making
Today is all about the making of masterpieces, from learning about paintings by great artists to discovering the best way to make a great tasting pizza. Your day starts after breakfast when you meet an art historian who shares insights about the masterpieces of the Renaissance, many of which you will see today. Join our local guide for a visit inside the Uffizi, one the world’s top museums, to see Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus and Michelangelo’s famed painting of The Holy Family, both very important works by two very important artists. Spend the afternoon exploring Florence as you wish, then join us for dinner and a pizza-making demonstration – a lesson in the culinary arts that is sure to please the entire family!
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Day 6
Take the Eurostar train to Venice, city of canals
Leave the Renaissance behind when you board the sleek Eurostar train for a first-class, high-speed rail trip to Venice. A private boat will be waiting to take you to your hotel along the Grand Canal in time for lunch. The Grand Canal winds its way through the city past lavish palaces that were built over a span of five centuries before it widens out as it approaches San Marco. You’ll see more of the city this afternoon when you join us on a guided visit to St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace, regarded by many as the most beautiful Renaissance palace in Italy. Your tour of this pink marble palace leads through richly decorated rooms and halls to the Bridge of Sighs and the prison. With canals in place of roads, Venice is truly unique in the world. Enjoy a serenade aboard a gondola as you glide along the canals of the city, sure to be a highlight of your two-night stay. The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy as you wish.
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Day 7
Get a glimpse of daily life in Venice
Mask-making is a centuries-old tradition here in Venice and to see them being made in person is a memorable experience. Meet skilled local artists who turn papier-mâché into colorful characters, human and animal, right before your eyes in a fascinating demonstration, creating new facial identities for the wearer! The afternoon is yours to explore the sights of the city and sample daily life on your own – be sure to indulge in some creamy gelato – before joining us tonight for a farewell party as we say arrivederci to Italia Bella and the new friends you have made.
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Day 8
Journey Home
Tour ends: Venice. Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice to Venice’s Marco Polo Airport. Allow a minimum of three hours for flight check-in.
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Special after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums & the Sistine Chapel – fewer crowds & unhurried viewing
Exploration of medieval Orvieto, including a tour of its underground Etruscan caves and tunnels
Art history lesson and guided tours of the Uffizi and Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence
First class aboard the Eurostar train from Florence to Venice
Hands-on pizza-making demonstration in Florence
Mask-making demonstration in Venice
Serenaded gondola ride along a Venetian canal
Airport transfers on arrival and departure as noted
13 meals (7 breakfasts, 2 lunches, 4 dinners); all gratuities to Tauck Director, local guides & drivers; service charges, taxes and porterage
Children 11 and under Discount $100 – Children under 18 must be booked in a room with at least one adult; exceptions may be granted under certain circumstances with parental consent. Triples are usually a two-bedded room with a rollaway cot or a sofa bed; quadruples will be accommodated in two separate rooms.
Recommended age: 8+
Note: The Vatican is unavailable for the after-hours visit on tours of Mar 18, Apr 1, 8, and 22; we have arranged priority early morning entry (ahead of regular visitors).
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