Abercrombie & Kent
OFFER ID 1514481
Tailor Made Italy: Family Style
Travel with your private party on this Luxury Tailor Made Journey, departing when you choose and with expert local guides leading the way; you can even customize the itinerary to your interests.
On a privately guided journey designed to inspire all ages, experience Italy's history come to life on treasure hunts through the Vatican and the streets of Rome, learn ancient combat skills at Gladiator School, discover the legends behind the famed Palio race in Siena, visit Galileo's museum in Florence, and make your own Venetian mask at a workshop in Venice.
9 nights | Call for pricing
Abercrombie & Kent: Tailor Made Italy: Family Style
Day 1 ROME, ITALY
Arrive in Rome, capital of Italy, where you are met by your Guardian Angel, transferred to your hotel and assisted with check-in. Enjoy the remainder of your day at leisure.
Join your expert guide for a morning of exploration by private vehicle through the narrow streetsand wide-open piazzas of central Rome. Listen as your guide tells the stories behind thefountains and monuments you pass, creating a treasure hunt for symbols and animals amongRome’s famous marble sculptures. In the stunning oval-shaped Piazza Navona, see the still-visible outline of the Roman athletics track that once stood in its place and view Bernini's famous Fontana dei Quattro Fiumi (Fountain of the Four Rivers). Stop for a stroll to the nearby Pantheon, Rome’s best-preserved ancient monument. Walk narrow cobblestone streets, past the ministries of the Italian Government, across theVia del Corso, to the world famous Trevi Fountain, where you may wish to toss a coin, to ensure, so it’s said, you return to Rome one day. Finish your morning at the elegant Piazza di Spagna, with the Spanish Steps rising to the Trinita dei Monti. Climb to the top (or choose the elevator) for stunning views over the hills of Rome. After time for lunch at leisure, continue to the Vatican, where you set out to explore the magnificent collections of art, maps and sculptures kept in the museums, the Sistine Chapel and St. Peter’s Basilica. Vatican City, the smallest sovereign state in the world, is one of the biggest highlights of any visit to Rome. Home to the Pope, and perhaps most famous for Michelangelo’s magnificent frescoes on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the walled city-state also encompasses the circular, columned grandeur of St. Peter’s Square; glorious St. Peter’s Basilica; and a complex of museums filled with centuries worth of fine art, sculpture and manuscripts.
Begin today at Rome’s most famous landmark, the Colosseum. Built in AD 72, the great amphitheater hosted gladiatorial combat and other spectacles that entertained some 50,000 spectators. Continue to the Roman Forum, a patchwork of ruined temples set amid the remains of churches and archways. Then, visit Palatine Hill, site of the mythical founding of Rome and see the Farnese Gardens. This afternoon, it’s back to school — Gladiator School, that is. Enjoy a two-hour, all-ages session that starts with a brief historical introduction. Then, don a tunic, pick up a rubber sword and take part in a series of exercises that prepare you for a mock tournament, complete with a prize for the winner and a certificate for all participants.
Drive to Florence, stopping en route in the Tuscan town of Siena. Enjoy lunch at leisure before you explore this medieval city and learn about its famous Palio, one of the world’s oldest and most famous horse races. Pay an uncommon visit to the contrade — the neighborhoods from which Palio contestantsare chosen — taking part in an intriguing scavenger hunt around the city. Receive a map of the city, a scarf from a contrada and a customized wooden coat of arms as you set out to discover the traditions and legends of knights and jockeys. Enjoy breaks from the hunt with tastings of ricciarelli, almond cookies traditional to Siena. Following your time exploring Siena, continue to Florence and check in to your hotel.
This morning, set out on a walking tour of Florence, passing the Piazza della Signoria and visiting the Palazzo Vecchio (City Hall). Next, see the astronomer Galileo’s works at the History of Science Museum, viewing his telescopes, microscopes, clocks and other scientific apparatus. Then, cool down with a behind-the-scenes tour of Florence’s best gelateria. Briefly learn the heritage of gelato in Florence, before sampling all manner of gelato concoctions, including cocktails. Finish with a ride on the carousel in the Piazza della Repubblica before enjoying the remainder of the day at leisure.
Journey to Pisa, a city resplendent with historical landmarks, reminders of its glorious past as a maritime republic. Once there, embark on a walking tour with your local guide to view the Campo dei Miracoli (Field of Miracles), a UNESCO World Heritage Site that features Pisa’s famous Leaning Tower.Climb the tower, if you’re so inclined (minimum age 8 years). Visit the inspiring 11th-century Duomo, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture, and the majestic, circular Baptistery — the largest of its kind in Italy. Just like the tower, both the cathedral and the baptistery have a lean (as do other buildings in Pisa), due to the unsteady soil rich in ground water. Return to Florence and enjoy the balance of the day at leisure.
Stroll the city, admiring its lovely piazzas, churches and palaces. See the Duomo (Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore), as well as the Galleria dell’Accademia, where you behold Michelangelo’s David. Walk through Florence’s historic Mercato Centrale and enjoy tastings of various Tuscan street foods. After lunch at leisure, zoom by high-speed rail to Venice, where you continue by boat to your hotel.
Visit magnificent St. Mark’s Basilica on a family-oriented walking tour, viewing the four bronze horses on the exterior and admiring the interior filled with luminous mosaics and marble floors. Also visit the Doge’s Palace, and continue on foot through unique local sites, as your private guide explains their history. Arrive at a Venetian mask studio, where you learn how to decorate a genuine Venetian mask. You may choose to make a mask from Carnival, Venetian daily life, the theater (Commedia dell’Arte) or perhaps try your hand at a modern, fantasy mask. Finish with a handmade mask of your own design to wear and take home with you. Tonight, enjoy a gondola ride on the iconic Grand Canal.
Enjoy a day in "La Serenissima" completely at your leisure, free to relax, enjoy the many amenities of your luxurious accommodations or explore the city on your own.
After breakfast, transfer to the Venice airport and depart.
Venice: Splendours of Venice Walking Tour - 4 hours
Venice: Venice for Art Lovers Walking Tour - 4 hours
Venice: The Roman City of Verona - 7 hours
Venice: Lagoon Islands - 7 hours
Today you will be met by your local English-speaking guide for a full day excursion by private motor-boat to explore the Lagoon Islands of Murano, Burano and Torcello.
Venice lies in the centre of a vast lagoon that stretches for about 30 miles from north to south, studded by numerous small islands, mostly deserted. This amazing environment is what drove the Venetians to establish their city here, a perfectly secure and inaccessible little world. Enjoy the beauty of a ride across the waters of the lagoon; visit the island of Murano, where glass has been made for over 700 years and where you can see the age-old techniques of glass blowing still in use today.
Continue to Torcello, to see the breathtaking mosaics in the Basilica di Santa Maria dell’Assunta, the oldest building on the lagoon. After a leisurely lunch (payable locally) you reach the island of Burano, a quaint and colourful fisherman island famous for its lace and charming architecture.
Highlights:
Sprawled across seven legendary hills, romantic and beautiful Rome was one
of the great centers of the ancient world. Although its beginning is shrouded
in legend and its development is full of intrigue and struggle, Rome has always
been and remains the Eternal City.
Rome enjoyed its greatest splendor during the 1st and 2nd centuries when art
flourished, monumental works of architecture were erected, and the mighty Roman
legions swept outward, conquering all of Italy. These victorious armies then
swept across the Mediterranean and beyond to conquer most of the known world.
With Rome's establishment as capital of the western world, a new ascent to glory
began.
Today's Rome, with its splendid churches, ancient monuments and palaces, spacious
parks, tree-lined boulevards, fountains, outdoor cafes and elegant shops, is
one of the world’s most attractive and exciting cities. Among the most famous
monuments is the Colosseum. As you walk its cool, dark passageways, imagine
the voices that once filled the arena as 50,000 spectators watched combats between
muscled gladiators and ferocious animals.
Stop to see the remains of the Forum, once the city's political and commercial
center. In later times, Rome's squares were enhanced with such imposing structures
as the Vittorio Emanuele Monument and grandiose fountains like the Fontana di
Trevi. Join the millions who stand in awe of Christendom’s most magnificent
church and admire the timeless masterpieces of Michelangelo's frescoes in the
Sistine Chapel.
Rome jars the senses and captures the soul. Grasp all you can during the short,
precious time you have available in the Eternal City. With so much to see and
do, a day or two will only allow you a sampling of the city's marvelous treasures.
Caution: As in many big cities and tourist destinations purse snatching
and pickpocketing is common. Valuable jewelry and excess cash are best left
in a safety deposit box in your hotel.
Shopping For most visitors shopping for beautiful Italian leather articles,
designer shoes, fashions for men and women, linens, knitwear, silk scarves and
ties is a favorite pastime. Except for tourist-oriented shops, the majority
of stores are closed on Sundays. Some of the department stores, such as Rinascente,
open in the late afternoon on Sundays.
Cuisine Rome's choice of restaurants is mindboggling as is the variety
of cuisine. Whether your meal is at a top-rated restaurant or a rustic trattoria,
you can be sure that you will enjoy your food, especially when accompanied by
wines from the hill towns surrounding Rome.
Other Sights Rome's attractions are endless, and depending on how much
time you have at your disposal a careful selection has to be made about what
to see. Be aware of horrendous traffic conditions and major construction work
all around the city in preparation of Jubilee 2000, the Holy Year. Some of the
sights not to be missed:
Piazza Venezia - This busy square is easily recognized by its imposing Vittorio
Emanuele II Monument. The white marble structure was inaugurated in 1911 as
a symbol of Italy’s unification.
The Forum - Once the civic heart of ancient Rome, today the remains include
a series of ruins, marble fragments, isolated columns and some worn arches.
Colosseum - No visit to Rome is complete without a stop at this awe-inspiring
theater, which is among the world’s most celebrated buildings. Here ancient
Rome flocked to see gladiatorial contests and numerous other spectacles.
Trevi Fountain - Take a stroll to Rome's famous fountain. A spectacular fantasy
of mythical sea creatures and cascades of splashing water, the fountain is one
of the city's foremost attractions. Legend has it that visitors must toss a
coin into the fountain to ensure their return to Rome.
St. Peter's Square - Part of Vatican City, this square created by Bernini
is considered one of the loveliest squares in the world. Twin Doric colonnades
topped with statues of various saints and martyrs flank either side of the square.
In the center stands an 84-foot obelisk, brought from Egypt in 37 A.D.
St. Peter's Basilica - At the head of the square stands Christendom's most
magnificent church, which was begun in 1452 on the site where St. Peter was
buried. Throughout the following 200 years, such Renaissance masters as Bramante,
Michelangelo, Raphael and Bernini worked on its design and created an unparalleled
masterpiece. Of special note are Michelangelo's Pieta and the bronze canopy
over the high altar by Bernini. The immense dome was designed by Michelangelo.
Vatican Museum - To see this museum's immense collection would take days.
As you enter, there are special posters that plot a choice of four color-coded
itineraries. They are repeated throughout the museum and are easy to follow.
It is a good idea to pickup a leaflet at the main entrance and concentrate on
exhibits of major interest. Of course, the Sistine Chapel is a must. Most likely
you may have to wait in line to enter.
All fares are quoted in US Dollars.