Assisi, Umbria & the Adriatic Coast

Upon arival, meet your tour manager and board our coach for the transfer south and east across Emilia-Romagna, into Le Marche, and on to your hotel in Pesaro. Settle in to your surroundings, and perhaps enjoy a stroll before dinner is served at your hotel.

The first of your included tours begins with a short drive through the countryside of Le Marche to the exquisite university city of Urbino. Here, in the 15th Century, the court of Federico da Montefeltro, Duke of Urbino, was one of Europe’s greatest centres of culture and civilisation. The great, UNESCO-listed Palazzo Ducale is one of Italy’s finest Renaissance buildings - its elegant rooms and astounding collections a monument to the life of one of the period's most powerful and influential figures.

Surrounding the palace, a lively jumble of medieval streets and squares offers much of interest, and plenty of places in which to enjoy a drink or a bite to eat before you return to Pesaro.

Rest and relax in your hotel or in Pesaro itself, where you'll find beaches fringed by blue waters, café life is centred on the elegant buildings of the central Piazza del Popolo, and where the most energetic pastime on offer is strolling the seafront promenade, gelato in hand. The birthplace of the composer Gioachino Rossini (composer of the William Tell Overture), the town, the delightful heart of which is only a short distance from the seafront, pays homage to its famous son with a museum at his birthplace and a theatre named in his honour.

By day and by early evening, when the passeggiata takes place, Pesaro is a lively, colourful, but low-key seaside town.

Today’s excursion heads first to majestic Ravenna, the ancient former capital of the Western Roman and Byzantine empires. Once a major port, but now some distance from the sea thanks to centuries of accumulated silt, Ravenna is famous the world over for its stunning mosaics - often considered the finest in western art – and which are found in no less than eight UNESCO World Heritage sites dotted around the compact city. After a walking tour, take a seat at a café in Ravenna’s elegant expansive central square, Piazza del Popolo, before re-boarding the coach to journey to the tiny Republic of San Marino.

The world’s fifth-smallest country, the microstate of San Marino is completely encircled by Italy. Take in the spectacular views from the ancient Città, the old town that crowns this fiercely autonomous and resolutely mysterious corner of Europe, before you return to Pesaro in time for dinner.

Today you'll have another free to enjoy the pleasures of the hotel and the town.

Relax in Pesaro, or join today’s optional excursion to Loreto, one of the most revered Catholic pilgrimage shrines. Here the Holy House of the Virgin Mary draws the faithful and the curious from across the globe. In addition to the shrine’s religious significance, it's also a home to some remarkable Renaissance art and set amid beautiful scenery.

You’ll also take in the dramatic cliffs and beautiful surroundings of the Conero Riviera, with its pretty ports and tiny coves. Visits to cliff-top Sirolo and colourful Numana, with its busy harbour, add to the pleasure of a wonderful day.

Perhaps saving the best till last, today’s excursion takes you through the marshes (hence 'Le Marche') into Umbria, Italy’s "green heart". Here the stunning countryside of rolling hills is studded with ancient towns and cities, none more fascinating and compelling than medieval Perugia. Discover the city's famous people-watching street, the Corso Vannucci, its cathedral and its medieval centre, before heading to Assisi, birthplace of Italy’s patron saint, and perhaps Italy’s most famous hill-town.

Assisi's Basilica of St Francis is Umbria's greatest glory, and is home to one of the world's finest art collections. The renowned frescoes, especially those in the Upper Church, reflect the life of the "most saintly of all the saints". Return to Pesaro to enjoy a last dinner at your hotel, and to relive the memories of the past wonderful week.

Bid farewell to your Italian hosts and transfer back to Bologna airport to check in for your flight home.