A Culinary Journey through Tuscany
with Tour Directory, Sandy Gregory.
Florence, a Tuscan Villa, San Gimignano, A Truffle Hunt and Full-day Cooking Lesson, A full day driving tour through Tuscany in Vintage Fiats, Siena, Pienza with Montalcino and Montepulciano, Chianti with Greve and Panzano
May 28 - June 6, 2027 Sold out!
8 days/7 nights
Check out our itinerary below and use it to start planning your own culinary journey through Tuscany! This itinerary can be scheduled for a tour led by Tour Director, Sandy Gregory or customized for independent travel with our Concierge Travel Services.
Please inquire
with Tour Directory, Sandy Gregory.
Florence, a Tuscan Villa, San Gimignano, A Truffle Hunt and Full-day Cooking Lesson, A full day driving tour through Tuscany in Vintage Fiats, Siena, Pienza with Montalcino and Montepulciano, Chianti with Greve and Panzano
May 28 - June 6, 2027 Sold out!
8 days/7 nights
Check out our itinerary below and use it to start planning your own culinary journey through Tuscany! This itinerary can be scheduled for a tour led by Tour Director, Sandy Gregory or customized for independent travel with our Concierge Travel Services.
Please inquire
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Please join Tour Director Sandy Gregory for this wonderful adventure through Italy, or contact us to help you create your own independent travel experience in Italy with our Concierge Travel Services.
Suggested time to travel: May - October |
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2 nights Florence
6 nights in our Tuscan Villa |
DAY 1: ARRIVE FLORENCE |
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Bienvenuti a Firenze!
Included transfer from the airport to the hotel.
Rooms are usually available after 2 pm, so I will get you oriented with the city and direct you to some great lunch choices. The afternoon is yours to explore as everyone gets settled.
We’ll then get together for passagiatta, or the evening walk, on our way to our sunset toast looking over the city of Florence.
Included Welcome Dinner. Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a cornerstone of Florence’s identity because it reflects the region’s deep roots in Tuscan agriculture, simplicity, and respect for high-quality ingredients—especially the prized Chianina cattle raised in the surrounding countryside. Thick-cut, grilled over wood or charcoal, and served rare with little more than salt and olive oil, it embodies the Florentine philosophy that great food needs minimal interference, making it as much a cultural symbol as a meal.
Overnight in Florence, 2 nights with included breakfast
Included transfer from the airport to the hotel.
Rooms are usually available after 2 pm, so I will get you oriented with the city and direct you to some great lunch choices. The afternoon is yours to explore as everyone gets settled.
We’ll then get together for passagiatta, or the evening walk, on our way to our sunset toast looking over the city of Florence.
Included Welcome Dinner. Bistecca alla Fiorentina is a cornerstone of Florence’s identity because it reflects the region’s deep roots in Tuscan agriculture, simplicity, and respect for high-quality ingredients—especially the prized Chianina cattle raised in the surrounding countryside. Thick-cut, grilled over wood or charcoal, and served rare with little more than salt and olive oil, it embodies the Florentine philosophy that great food needs minimal interference, making it as much a cultural symbol as a meal.
Overnight in Florence, 2 nights with included breakfast
DAY 2: A DAY IN FLORENCE |
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Florence is one of the most preserved Renaissance cities in the world. Boasting over 40% of the world’s great masterpieces, the city is considered the art capital of Italy. The city is compact and walking is definitely the best way to see it. Our walking tour will take us to the small, but poignant Galleria dell’Accademia. There, we’ll learn about the Renaissance, highlighting Michelangelo’s life and masterpieces, including his David, “Unfinished” Slaves and Pieta. We’ll then move on to the Duomo Santa Maria del Fiore, Dante's House and Piazza della Signoria, finishing on the Ponte Vecchio.
The afternoon is yours to explore Florence. You can spend a leisurely afternoon browsing the city’s couture stores and famous San Lorenzo market, where you’ll be able to pick up a great leather jacket, stock up on colorful scarves and purses, or wander through the Mercado Centrale for typical Tuscan delicacies. And don’t forget those shoes! Go on a gelato crawl ... then burn off those calories by climbing the Duomo or Giotto’s Campanile.
Need more art? Let us book a reservation for you to view the vast art collections of the Uffizi Gallery, Vasari Corridor or the Pitti Palace with the Boboli Gardens.
Overnight in Florence
Inquire about one of our Dig a Little Deeper private optional tour excursions below. Pricing will be based on the number of participants. Click on the + below for details.
The afternoon is yours to explore Florence. You can spend a leisurely afternoon browsing the city’s couture stores and famous San Lorenzo market, where you’ll be able to pick up a great leather jacket, stock up on colorful scarves and purses, or wander through the Mercado Centrale for typical Tuscan delicacies. And don’t forget those shoes! Go on a gelato crawl ... then burn off those calories by climbing the Duomo or Giotto’s Campanile.
Need more art? Let us book a reservation for you to view the vast art collections of the Uffizi Gallery, Vasari Corridor or the Pitti Palace with the Boboli Gardens.
Overnight in Florence
Inquire about one of our Dig a Little Deeper private optional tour excursions below. Pricing will be based on the number of participants. Click on the + below for details.
NEW! Dig a Little Deeper Series
The Medici Tour. This afternoon tour examines the relationship between power and art, the political upheavals gave birth to the artistic revolutions of the Renaissance, and the humanistic impulse of one of the most interesting families in history, the Medici. We'll focus on the history and patronage of the family, visiting several key sites connected with them, including the Palazzo Vecchio, Medici Chapels and Medici Palace. We'll trace the family from the era of the Republic to the era of the duchy, and their rise from rich merchants to rulers of a kingdom. We will examine the work of Michelangelo, in the family chapel he created, which includes the tombs of Lorenzo il Magnifico and brother Giuliano.
Made in Florence Artisans Tour and Shopping. The Florentine tradition of producing artisanal goods has been in existence for centuries and remains one of the cornerstones of Florence's visual and social history. This unique tour supports local artisans and celebrates the tradition of craftsmanship. Florentine leatherworkers, silversmiths, shoemakers, and milliners continue to practice their crafts building upon methods passed down through generations. We will visit the private workshops of these distinguished individuals, providing a behind the scenes look at the current state of artisan production. Along the way, your guide will guide you to fashion items, jewelry, ceramics, culinary products and much more…
Galileo and Science in Renaissance Florence. The rule of the Medici family in Renaissance-era Florence led to an explosion of scientific progress, especially astronomy. Under their rule, Florence became a shining beacon for experimentation, which the Roman church was frantically trying to suppress with the Inquisition. At the same time, humanism, stemming from the study of ancient Greek and Latin texts, was a new way of thinking about a man’s place in the world, and became a recurring theme in Renaissance literature, art and society. This tour includes a visit to the Museo Galileo, where the most important Medicean collections of scientific instruments are preserved. After visiting the museum, we will head to the center of town in order to trace the role of humanism in Renaissance Florence; be it through a delve into the poetry of Dante and Petrarch, a discussion of the drastic changes in the art of the period or of the growing interest in the study of the traditional liberal arts.
Fresco Workshop. Learn the Fresco technique and create your own masterpiece with a local artist. Fresco means fresh in Italian, and is the revered art of painting on fast-drying damp plaster with water based pigments. During this 3-hour workshop, you'll learn basic fresco technique from a local Florentine artist, who will take you through the steps of preparing a surface, drawing and transferring a drawing (cartoon), and finally applying the paint. Be warned. It's difficult. It's also a lot of fun and you'll go home with our own hand-made fresco painting. Along the way, you'll gain a deeper, tactile understanding of the development, creation, and legacy of Renaissance art.
Optional Opera Experience:
1. The Three Tenors & Dinner: Featuring a trio of vocal talents as well as a superbly prepared Italian meal. Audience goers will be dazzled by a performance that evokes the famous concert of the 1990s which featured Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo and José Carreras. Including many well-known songs, the concert comfortably blends Neapolitan songcraft with Italian arias drawn from some of the most popular operas in the country.
2. Opera Florence is a delightful evening’s entertainment featuring some exciting and talented vocalists, the program includes operatic works for a soprano, a mezzo-soprano, a tenor, a baritone or a bass. The concert constitutes a thrilling odyssey through some of the best-loved arias drawn from Italian opera, including works by Giacomo Puccini, Gioacchino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. With such superb musicians plus a fabulously ornate and historic setting, there can be no finer way for music lovers to enjoy a selection of the best in Italian opera when staying in the city.
Made in Florence Artisans Tour and Shopping. The Florentine tradition of producing artisanal goods has been in existence for centuries and remains one of the cornerstones of Florence's visual and social history. This unique tour supports local artisans and celebrates the tradition of craftsmanship. Florentine leatherworkers, silversmiths, shoemakers, and milliners continue to practice their crafts building upon methods passed down through generations. We will visit the private workshops of these distinguished individuals, providing a behind the scenes look at the current state of artisan production. Along the way, your guide will guide you to fashion items, jewelry, ceramics, culinary products and much more…
Galileo and Science in Renaissance Florence. The rule of the Medici family in Renaissance-era Florence led to an explosion of scientific progress, especially astronomy. Under their rule, Florence became a shining beacon for experimentation, which the Roman church was frantically trying to suppress with the Inquisition. At the same time, humanism, stemming from the study of ancient Greek and Latin texts, was a new way of thinking about a man’s place in the world, and became a recurring theme in Renaissance literature, art and society. This tour includes a visit to the Museo Galileo, where the most important Medicean collections of scientific instruments are preserved. After visiting the museum, we will head to the center of town in order to trace the role of humanism in Renaissance Florence; be it through a delve into the poetry of Dante and Petrarch, a discussion of the drastic changes in the art of the period or of the growing interest in the study of the traditional liberal arts.
Fresco Workshop. Learn the Fresco technique and create your own masterpiece with a local artist. Fresco means fresh in Italian, and is the revered art of painting on fast-drying damp plaster with water based pigments. During this 3-hour workshop, you'll learn basic fresco technique from a local Florentine artist, who will take you through the steps of preparing a surface, drawing and transferring a drawing (cartoon), and finally applying the paint. Be warned. It's difficult. It's also a lot of fun and you'll go home with our own hand-made fresco painting. Along the way, you'll gain a deeper, tactile understanding of the development, creation, and legacy of Renaissance art.
Optional Opera Experience:
1. The Three Tenors & Dinner: Featuring a trio of vocal talents as well as a superbly prepared Italian meal. Audience goers will be dazzled by a performance that evokes the famous concert of the 1990s which featured Luciano Pavarotti, Plácido Domingo and José Carreras. Including many well-known songs, the concert comfortably blends Neapolitan songcraft with Italian arias drawn from some of the most popular operas in the country.
2. Opera Florence is a delightful evening’s entertainment featuring some exciting and talented vocalists, the program includes operatic works for a soprano, a mezzo-soprano, a tenor, a baritone or a bass. The concert constitutes a thrilling odyssey through some of the best-loved arias drawn from Italian opera, including works by Giacomo Puccini, Gioacchino Rossini, Giuseppe Verdi and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. With such superb musicians plus a fabulously ornate and historic setting, there can be no finer way for music lovers to enjoy a selection of the best in Italian opera when staying in the city.
DAY 3: ON TO THE TUSCAN COUNTRYSIDE |
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We leave Florence today and head to the countryside. Enroute to our villa, we will make a stop at the medieval town of San Gimignano. It’s easy to explore this little town, shop for ceramics, linens and olive wood products, or maybe go in to one of the Torture Museums. We'll enjoy sweeping views of Tuscany and sample some of the best gelato in Italy.
We will finish our day at our Tuscan villa, where we will settle in, take a swim, pop open a bottle of wine and enjoy the view while dining at the villa's gourmet restaurant.
We will finish our day at our Tuscan villa, where we will settle in, take a swim, pop open a bottle of wine and enjoy the view while dining at the villa's gourmet restaurant.
DAY 4: A DAY AT THE VILLA AND EVENING BBQ |
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“Il dolce far nient" is a wonderful Italian expression which translates as “the sweetness of doing nothing.” The art of doing nothing — and doing it well — is what vacation is all about. Today, we will enjoy the day relaxing. Lounge by the pool. Hike the vineyard. Grab a bike.
Tonight: A Tuscan BBQ: In Tuscany, the wood-fired grill known as the brace, is deeply connected to family, farming, and local identity. Tonight we will gather with my long-time local associates and friends and their families to cook, eat, and celebrate the Che Bella community. As the sun sets, we’ll enjoy a winetasting of the villa’s wine accompanied by their olive oil, a selection of tasty Tuscan cheeses, salami and prosciutto. As we sip and snack, we are at the grill, cooking sausages, pork ribs, chicken, and rosticciana (Tuscan-style grilled pork ribs). Our feast will include rustic sides like grilled vegetables, white beans seasoned with olive oil, roasted potatoes, and thick slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic, known as fettunta.
Overnight at the villa.
Tonight: A Tuscan BBQ: In Tuscany, the wood-fired grill known as the brace, is deeply connected to family, farming, and local identity. Tonight we will gather with my long-time local associates and friends and their families to cook, eat, and celebrate the Che Bella community. As the sun sets, we’ll enjoy a winetasting of the villa’s wine accompanied by their olive oil, a selection of tasty Tuscan cheeses, salami and prosciutto. As we sip and snack, we are at the grill, cooking sausages, pork ribs, chicken, and rosticciana (Tuscan-style grilled pork ribs). Our feast will include rustic sides like grilled vegetables, white beans seasoned with olive oil, roasted potatoes, and thick slices of toasted bread rubbed with garlic, known as fettunta.
Overnight at the villa.
DAY 5: TRUFFLE HUNTING, MORNING COOKING CLASS AND LUNCH. |
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We’ll begin our morning in the misty-forest of Tuscany, following the dogs in search of treasure: truffles! We are then on to our included cooking lesson. As we look over the Tuscan countryside, we’ll learn how to prepare a four-course meal of antipasti, primo, secondo, and dolce before indulging in the results of our hard work.
Tonight: Pizza-making at the villa, a little ping pong and maybe an evening swim.
Overnight at the villa
Tonight: Pizza-making at the villa, a little ping pong and maybe an evening swim.
Overnight at the villa
DAY 6: A DAY IN MONTALCINO, MONTEPULCIANO AND PIENZA |
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This morning we are on to Pienza. It's one of the prettiest little towns in Italy and perfect for those of us who love history, architecture and food. The city wall offers a wonderful walk around the perimeter of the town.
Our day will also include exploring the local wine-making towns.
Montalcino is a small walled town that is perched on top of a hill in Val d’Orcia and the home of the famous wine called Brunello.
Montepulciano is a lovely Etruscan Tuscan town. As early as in Roman times, the Gauls were known to have travelled all the way down in the Italian peninsula to Montepulciano to enjoy their excellent red wines. Montepulciano reached its peak of fame and splendour in the 16th Century, with estates designed by the most famous Florentine architects. Their wines were served at the table of popes, cardinals and the Medici family and gained the fame of a very elegant “noble” red wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which literally means Noble Wine from Montepulciano.
Our day will also include exploring the local wine-making towns.
Montalcino is a small walled town that is perched on top of a hill in Val d’Orcia and the home of the famous wine called Brunello.
Montepulciano is a lovely Etruscan Tuscan town. As early as in Roman times, the Gauls were known to have travelled all the way down in the Italian peninsula to Montepulciano to enjoy their excellent red wines. Montepulciano reached its peak of fame and splendour in the 16th Century, with estates designed by the most famous Florentine architects. Their wines were served at the table of popes, cardinals and the Medici family and gained the fame of a very elegant “noble” red wine called Vino Nobile di Montepulciano, which literally means Noble Wine from Montepulciano.
DAY 7: A GUIDED DRIVE AROUND TUSCANY IN VINTAGE FIATS AND SIENA |
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After breakfast, we'll hop into our vintage convertibles and set out for a captivating drive through the colorful landscapes of Tuscany, traversing cypress-lined roads, making stops at charming medieval villages, and discovering hidden gems along the way.
Our private walking tour of Siena we’ll take us through the winding streets of the contrade (neighborhoods) to learn about the passion of Siena’s famous Palio horse race and the striped grandeur of St. Catherine’s Cathedral. You’ll have the afternoon for lunch on your own and to stroll through the winding streets and absorb the city’s rich medieval history. It’s a fun, vibrant town with some very good shopping. Beautiful ties, paper, fabrics, terracotta, gold jewelry, tapestries and wine are all produced locally in Siena. Via di Città is the main street of the city and has plenty of good shops selling bags, purses and leather items.
Our private walking tour of Siena we’ll take us through the winding streets of the contrade (neighborhoods) to learn about the passion of Siena’s famous Palio horse race and the striped grandeur of St. Catherine’s Cathedral. You’ll have the afternoon for lunch on your own and to stroll through the winding streets and absorb the city’s rich medieval history. It’s a fun, vibrant town with some very good shopping. Beautiful ties, paper, fabrics, terracotta, gold jewelry, tapestries and wine are all produced locally in Siena. Via di Città is the main street of the city and has plenty of good shops selling bags, purses and leather items.
DAY 8: GREVE IN CHIANTI AND PANZANO |
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What was once the battle grounds of the country's war-torn past are now beautiful vineyards as far as the eye can see. With over 2000 native grape varietals and hundreds of wine blends, the choices are just as diverse as the regions in Italy. Our stop in Greve will include the largest enoteca (wine shop) in Chianti with more than 140 wines available for tasting using the innovative enomatic wine serving system. It guarantees quality control, quantity and the temperature of the wine distributed, and gives us the opportunity to sample myriad wines at an accessible price. Each guest will purchase their own wine card and explore the wines they want to try. And yes, they ship.
After, we head to our included farewell dinner with Dario, Mad Butcher of Panzano. This communal table dining experience is a cult classic. The air fills with the smell of sizzling steak, rosemary, and wood smoke while long tables overflow with endless platters of grilled meats, beans, crusty bread, and flowing Chianti wine. Dario himself greets guests with booming energy, turning the meal into a celebration of food, friendship, and pure Tuscan hospitality. By the end of the night, strangers are laughing together like old friends, completely swept up in the magic of the feast.
Overnight at the villa
After, we head to our included farewell dinner with Dario, Mad Butcher of Panzano. This communal table dining experience is a cult classic. The air fills with the smell of sizzling steak, rosemary, and wood smoke while long tables overflow with endless platters of grilled meats, beans, crusty bread, and flowing Chianti wine. Dario himself greets guests with booming energy, turning the meal into a celebration of food, friendship, and pure Tuscan hospitality. By the end of the night, strangers are laughing together like old friends, completely swept up in the magic of the feast.
Overnight at the villa
DAY 9: DEPART FLORENCE OR CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY WITH ONE OF OUR POST-TOUR OPTIONS |
Included transfers to the Florence Airport for flights out or on to your Post-Tour Excursions. Suggested: Naples and the Amalfi Coast or Rome.
EXCURSION SUGGESTION TO rome
Day 1. “Tutte e strade portano a Roma” – “All Roads lead to Rome.” Rome is one of the most beautiful, exciting cities in the world. Today’s Rome is a combination of romance, relics and ruins amidst a modern, sprawling, living city. Medieval churches sit atop ancient basilicas above Roman palaces. Gleaming office buildings incorporate fragments of eroded Roman columns. Roads and piazzas follow the lines of ancient city walls. Rome’s history began over 2000 years ago, far before the time of Jesus Christ. It was the capital of the Roman Empire and is still the capital of Italy. We’ll arrive in Rome in the late afternoon and check in to our hotel, located right in the historic centre of Rome. It’s walking distance from all the major sites and serves breakfast right at the foot of the Pantheon.
Tonight we’ll take a walking orientation enroute to included dinner.
Day 2. This morning your guide will pick you up at your hotel to enjoy a private tour of Ancient Rome, including the Capitoline, Forum and Colosseum. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.
In that area after the tour, you might want to think about:
• Visiting the Wedding Cake (Tomb of Victor Emmanuel) and go up the elevator for a great view of Ancient Rome, then go next door to the Capitoline Museum which is really good. Then go over and see Michelangelo’s Moses at St. Peter’s in Chains.
• San Clemente, a church where you can walk down various levels to view centuries of archaeological finds.
• Stroll up Via del Corso and do some shopping and finish at the Spanish Steps. The Spanish Steps are crowded, and are ... steps, but a good afternoon destination for gelato and people watching. This is also at the top of a major shopping district in Rome - Via Condotti.
• Walking along the Tiber and then visiting the synagogue at the ghetto, or Jewish Quarter. There is a whole lively street of great restaurant choices. Not to be missed: The Jewish Artichoke! This local treat dates back to Imperial times, when the Roman Jewish community numbered about 50,000. They look like golden sunflowers and their leaves have a delicious nutty crunchiness. You can also visit the synagogue after lunch. You don’t need advanced reservations, but can go get tickets before lunch for an afternoon tour.
Day 3. This morning we enjoy a private tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s square.
This afternoon you can:
• Stay in the Vatican area for lunch and then stroll down to the Castle of the Angels. It’s a lovely museum with great views of Rome.
• Take a taxi to the orange grove to peek through the keyhole to see a cool view of St. Peter’s dome. Ask your guide for details.
• Dig a Little Deeper with our optional Rome excursions listed above
Tonight: Included Farewell Dinner
Dig a Little Deeper private optional tour excursions:
Before and After-Hours VIP Tours to the Vatican and St. Peter's. Che Bella is now offering off-hour tours, away from the heat of the day and the crowds of the general public.
Opera at the Baths of Caracalla. Formerly public baths for Romans and later enhanced with libraries, the Baths of Caracalla date back around 212-217 AD. the Baths of Caracalla today serve as the perfect backdrop for enjoying an opera. Not only does this outdoor theater offer marvelous acoustics, but there are also stunning lightshows projected onto the Baths’ ruins that accompany and enhance all operatic performances. Every summer, the Baths of Caracalla host a selection of operas from the Teatro dell’Opera. Beginning promptly at 9:00pm, these evening performances are all set in the outdoor theater, Teatro alle Terme di Caracalla. With English and Italian subtitles provided, tickets range from €25 to €100. Please inquire about the performance schedule.
Underground Rome Tour. Every time I'm in Rome, I see new diggings. Be it for the new metro line, a shopping mall or sewage pipes, a new piece of underground Rome is excavated, examined and cataloged. There is a whole world to discover beneath Rome's surface. This tour Peel back Rome's layers of history with visits to three of Rome's eeriest sights: the Capuchin Crypt, the Prscilla Catacombs and the Basilica of San Clemente.
Trastavere Foodie Tour. We came! We saw! We ate! Trastevere is a neighbourhood like no other. Its ivy-coated, cobblestone streets come alive at night, earning it comparisons to Greenwich Village and Paris’s Left Bank. It’s where Romans choose to eat with their families on a Sunday and where young Romans go for buzzing nightlife at evenings and weekends. You can’t leave Rome without walking these streets and tasting the best food in Rome. During this local walking tour, you'll enjoy learning about the history of the area, visit the local food spots, taste along the way, enjoy a magnificent sit down dinner and end with some of the best gelato in Rome.
Enroute to or from Rome, we'll make a 3-hr. stop in wonderful Orvieto, Umbria. It’s a great pedestrian town with artisan shops and a city wall that offers gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. You can tour Orvieto’s famous cathedral or see some of the best artifacts in Tuscany in an underground system of tunnels and caverns carved by the Etruscans.
Tonight we’ll take a walking orientation enroute to included dinner.
Day 2. This morning your guide will pick you up at your hotel to enjoy a private tour of Ancient Rome, including the Capitoline, Forum and Colosseum. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at your leisure.
In that area after the tour, you might want to think about:
• Visiting the Wedding Cake (Tomb of Victor Emmanuel) and go up the elevator for a great view of Ancient Rome, then go next door to the Capitoline Museum which is really good. Then go over and see Michelangelo’s Moses at St. Peter’s in Chains.
• San Clemente, a church where you can walk down various levels to view centuries of archaeological finds.
• Stroll up Via del Corso and do some shopping and finish at the Spanish Steps. The Spanish Steps are crowded, and are ... steps, but a good afternoon destination for gelato and people watching. This is also at the top of a major shopping district in Rome - Via Condotti.
• Walking along the Tiber and then visiting the synagogue at the ghetto, or Jewish Quarter. There is a whole lively street of great restaurant choices. Not to be missed: The Jewish Artichoke! This local treat dates back to Imperial times, when the Roman Jewish community numbered about 50,000. They look like golden sunflowers and their leaves have a delicious nutty crunchiness. You can also visit the synagogue after lunch. You don’t need advanced reservations, but can go get tickets before lunch for an afternoon tour.
Day 3. This morning we enjoy a private tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s square.
This afternoon you can:
• Stay in the Vatican area for lunch and then stroll down to the Castle of the Angels. It’s a lovely museum with great views of Rome.
• Take a taxi to the orange grove to peek through the keyhole to see a cool view of St. Peter’s dome. Ask your guide for details.
• Dig a Little Deeper with our optional Rome excursions listed above
Tonight: Included Farewell Dinner
Dig a Little Deeper private optional tour excursions:
Before and After-Hours VIP Tours to the Vatican and St. Peter's. Che Bella is now offering off-hour tours, away from the heat of the day and the crowds of the general public.
Opera at the Baths of Caracalla. Formerly public baths for Romans and later enhanced with libraries, the Baths of Caracalla date back around 212-217 AD. the Baths of Caracalla today serve as the perfect backdrop for enjoying an opera. Not only does this outdoor theater offer marvelous acoustics, but there are also stunning lightshows projected onto the Baths’ ruins that accompany and enhance all operatic performances. Every summer, the Baths of Caracalla host a selection of operas from the Teatro dell’Opera. Beginning promptly at 9:00pm, these evening performances are all set in the outdoor theater, Teatro alle Terme di Caracalla. With English and Italian subtitles provided, tickets range from €25 to €100. Please inquire about the performance schedule.
Underground Rome Tour. Every time I'm in Rome, I see new diggings. Be it for the new metro line, a shopping mall or sewage pipes, a new piece of underground Rome is excavated, examined and cataloged. There is a whole world to discover beneath Rome's surface. This tour Peel back Rome's layers of history with visits to three of Rome's eeriest sights: the Capuchin Crypt, the Prscilla Catacombs and the Basilica of San Clemente.
Trastavere Foodie Tour. We came! We saw! We ate! Trastevere is a neighbourhood like no other. Its ivy-coated, cobblestone streets come alive at night, earning it comparisons to Greenwich Village and Paris’s Left Bank. It’s where Romans choose to eat with their families on a Sunday and where young Romans go for buzzing nightlife at evenings and weekends. You can’t leave Rome without walking these streets and tasting the best food in Rome. During this local walking tour, you'll enjoy learning about the history of the area, visit the local food spots, taste along the way, enjoy a magnificent sit down dinner and end with some of the best gelato in Rome.
Enroute to or from Rome, we'll make a 3-hr. stop in wonderful Orvieto, Umbria. It’s a great pedestrian town with artisan shops and a city wall that offers gorgeous views of the surrounding countryside. You can tour Orvieto’s famous cathedral or see some of the best artifacts in Tuscany in an underground system of tunnels and caverns carved by the Etruscans.
EXCURSION SUGGESTION TO NAPLES AND THE AMALFI COAST
Post-Tour Day 1. Train to Naples for day tour and on to Sorrento
We’ll begin with a stop at the Naples Archaeological Museum, where you’ll have a private tour and time to see the best of the artifacts from both Pompeii and Herculaneum … and the secret erotica room! After your museum tour, we’re on to Pizza to fortify you for the afternoon. We’re then on our way to our private tour of Herculaneum, with its expansive houses, impressive mosaics and lavish marble in the remains.
We’re then on to the Amalfi Coast, one of the most breathtaking drives in the world.
Our Sorrento hotel located above the town. All rooms will have balconies that look over the Bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius, with included breakfast and a pool.
Tonight we’ll enjoy our passagiatta strolling through the winding streets of Sorrento enroute to Included Dinner.
Post-Tour Day 2. A Day in Positano
Today is a day of leisure in the beautiful town of Positano. We’ll be back in the late afternoon so you can walk down in to Sorrento as well. Transfers from and back to Sorrento included.
Dinner tonight is on your own in Sorrento.
Post-Tour Day 3. A Day in Capri
This morning we’ll board the fast ferry for a day on the island of Capri.
You’ll have the afternoon to explore more of Sorrento and tonight we’ll have an included Farewell dinner to say arrivederci to Italy.
Post-Tour Day 4. Arrivederci Italia!
Transfers to the Naples Airport.
We’ll begin with a stop at the Naples Archaeological Museum, where you’ll have a private tour and time to see the best of the artifacts from both Pompeii and Herculaneum … and the secret erotica room! After your museum tour, we’re on to Pizza to fortify you for the afternoon. We’re then on our way to our private tour of Herculaneum, with its expansive houses, impressive mosaics and lavish marble in the remains.
We’re then on to the Amalfi Coast, one of the most breathtaking drives in the world.
Our Sorrento hotel located above the town. All rooms will have balconies that look over the Bay of Naples and Mt. Vesuvius, with included breakfast and a pool.
Tonight we’ll enjoy our passagiatta strolling through the winding streets of Sorrento enroute to Included Dinner.
Post-Tour Day 2. A Day in Positano
Today is a day of leisure in the beautiful town of Positano. We’ll be back in the late afternoon so you can walk down in to Sorrento as well. Transfers from and back to Sorrento included.
Dinner tonight is on your own in Sorrento.
Post-Tour Day 3. A Day in Capri
This morning we’ll board the fast ferry for a day on the island of Capri.
You’ll have the afternoon to explore more of Sorrento and tonight we’ll have an included Farewell dinner to say arrivederci to Italy.
Post-Tour Day 4. Arrivederci Italia!
Transfers to the Naples Airport.