Classic Italy Tour: Venice, Florence, Siena & Rome

Begin your classic Italy tour in Venice and travel by gondola beneath the Bridge of Sighs towards the sublime Italo-Byzantine stylings of St. Mark’s Basilica in Piazza San Marco—a boat ride of a lifetime. In the “City of Canals” expression flows like water toward divine creations such as Doge’s Palace, a Venetian Gothic structure that’s just beautiful. Indulge in mussels, clams, and shrimp, or perhaps a classic dish of risotto served with a glass of prosecco, as the sun sets over a floating city. 

The cultural hits keep on coming as you arrive in Florence, a city where an apprentice by the name of Leonardo Da Vinci helped to shape a Renaissance of the arts. The Uffizi Museum exhibits Botticelli’s superb The Birth of Venus—works by Michelangelo and Raphael also hang here. Hungry for more? Then Florence has you covered. Take pause in a piazza and gaze lovingly at the rich architecture as a waiter serves you Antipasto Toscano after an aperitivo of Tignanello wine—simply delicious.  

Head to Siena, one of Tuscany’s Renaissance gems. Explore the Piazza Il Campo and the majestic cathedral, housing Donatello’s dramatic The Feast of Herod. From the city, head northwest to San Gimignano, home to 72 Campanile bell towers and one of Tuscany’s most luxurious culinary delights: Saffron. Head back to Siena armed with a bottle from one of Chianti’s finest vineyards, producing robust reds that challenge anything Bordeaux has to offer.

Rome: the “Eternal City” and birthplace of an empire. Enter its historic past and stand where gladiators once fought at a Colosseum built between 70-80 AD. Sip an espresso or glass of wine before standing beneath the Sistine Chapel in awe of Michelangelo’s work. In Italy’s inspired capital, visit the baroque masterpiece that is the Trevi Fountain in the evening after Suppli, a ball of rice with dripping mozzarella. 

End your classic Italy tour in Sorrento, a coastal town set on craggy cliffs by the Bay of Naples. Lemon and orange groves add to a rustic charm where Limoncello, a liquor made from lemons, is the perfect sundowner after a day walking the alleys of Old Sorrento. The 8th century Cloisters of San Francisco is a romantic monastery with a beautiful garden. By a marina, as the sun dips away, enjoy Spaghetti e Vongole and a bottle of red,  you deserve it.