10-Nights Italy Bellissimo

10 nights from: $3,625

Italy Bellissimo
If toasting epic Tuscan sunsets, soaking up the sun-kissed sophistication of Italy’s most popular cities and olive oil tasting in a real Italian Borgo with new friends sounds like your idea of perfection, this is one of those bellissimo Italy trips that would seduce even the sirens of Capri.

Dining Summary

• 5 Dinner (D)
• 10 Breakfast (B)

• Fast-track Admission to the Vatican Museums
• Explore Rome, Pompeii, Capri, Assisi and Florence
• Discover Perugia, Venice and San Gimignano
• Visit St. Peter's Basilica, the Vatican Museums, the Sistine Chapel and the Colosseum in Rome, the excavations at Pompeii, the Basilica of St. Francis in Assisi
• View the ancient sites of Rome, St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Santa Croce Basilica, the Duomo and the Ponte Vecchio in Florence
• Scenic Cruise Ferry to the Isle of Capri, private launch to St. Mark's Square in Venice

• Rome: Gain fast-track admission to the Vatican Museums to marvel at the magnificent work of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.
• Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome with a Local Specialist. See Circus Maximus and visit the mighty Colosseum, which bears witness to the limitless courage of the gladiators.
• Rome: During an orientation with your Travel Director see the medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches scattered throughout the city.
• Pompeii: Walk with a Local Specialist through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the 1st century.
• Capri: Join a Local Specialist for a guided walk through Capri’s elegant lanes and vibrant squares. Hear how this island has long attracted artists, writers and Hollywood icons. Visit historic landmarks and local boutiques, and discover how generations of islanders have lived alongside the glamour, from Roman emperors to the jet-set names of the 1950s and beyond.
• Assisi: With a Local Specialist, find out why the Basilica of St. Francis is considered to be one of the crowning artistic achievements of 13th-century Europe.
• Modena: Travel through the lush landscape of Emilia-Romagna, past hilltop towns and agricultural lands.
• Pisa: In the Piazza dei Miracoli, see the baptistery, cathedral and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
• Florence: Join a Local Specialist to view the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square.
• Florence: See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods, and witness a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
• San Gimignano: Visit the medieval Manhattan of Italy as you explore the UNESCO-listed center of San Gimignano and admire the city's distinctive towers. 

• Perugia: Visit the Laboratorio Giuditta Brozzetti Museum and meet the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise to learn about the history of Italian hand-weaving during a private demonstration. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 5 & 11: Gender Equality & Sustainable Cities and Communities.
• Venice: Discover the ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing and play a part in preserving this traditional craft. Your visit directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.

• Venice: Stay in a restored 19th-century flour mill on Giudecca Island, once Europe’s largest. This local landmark offers a different view of Venice, away from the crowds but just a short boat ride from the heart of the city.

• Florence: Meet Sandra and Antonella on their historic family farm for an exclusive Be My Guest dinner at the Agriturismo Borgo Vigna Vecchia in the Tuscan hills.

Assisi is a well-preserved medieval town that's, after the Vatican, Italy's second most-popular religious-pilgrimage destination. Located high on a hilltop, it has an air of mystical serenity in keeping with its history. Assisi was the home of St. Francis (the founder of the Franciscan order of friars), and the churches and crypt that bear his name draw a steady stream of pilgrims and sightseers every year. Although the town was rocked by an earthquake in 1997, much of the damage has been repaired. One of the most severely damaged buildings, however, was the treasured Basilica of San Francesco, known for its vivid frescoes by Giotto that depict the life of the saint. The upper basilica has recently reopened and, though restoration continues, many of the beloved frescoes can be admired again. The lower basilica and St. Francis' tomb are also open to the public.

Assisi Travel Agents

Other places of interest include the Church of Santa Chiara, a medieval fortress (La Rocca Maggiore), the Piazza del Comune (the old town center) and St. Peter's church. Or just stroll the narrow, picturesque streets and listen to the musicians practicing nearby (though they may be drowned out by construction noises -- many buildings are still under renovation).

You may want to visit during one of Assisi's numerous celebrations: the Feast of Calendimaggio, a five-day coming-of-spring festival with medieval costumes, dances and songs (around the first week of May); a month of folklore and musical events in August; or the Feast of St. Francis (4 October), which celebrates the saint's transition from this life into the next. During this two-day festival, the entire town is illuminated by oil lamps. If you are going to Assisi at one of these times, reserve accommodations well ahead of time -- the city will be filled with pilgrims.