Italia Bella: Rome to Venice

Tour begins: 2:00 PM, Hotel Splendide Royal Roma. Welcome to Rome, where your tour of the ancient world (and beyond) begins; a transfer is included from Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Fiumicino to Hotel Splendide Royal Roma. Your adventure starts with a drive through the heart of the city to see real-life relics of Imperial Rome, once capital of the ancient world. See the Circus Maximus and other traces of the ancient empire. Walk through one of the Colosseum's 80 entrances, imagining what it was like for ancient gladiators and the Roman crowds who piled into this famous arena to see them, and pose for pictures with Roman Centurions. Join your fellow family travelers tonight for a welcome reception and dinner featuring authentic Italian fare that whets your appetite for a fun-filled Italy tour.

This morning, enjoy a guided visit to St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City. Midday, just around the corner from Piazza Navona, you'll visit a 17th-century cooking school for a lesson in the making of gelato, an Italian staple. After a free afternoon, join us tonight for a Tauck Exclusive – an after-hours visit to the Vatican Museums, full of fascinating history and artistic masterpieces. View Michelangelo's famous ceiling in the Sistine Chapel – which the artist originally resisted doing because he considered himself a sculptor, not a painter – without the usual crowds! (Subject to availability and day of visit may vary.)

Discoveries abound on your Italy tour adventure today as your family sets off through rural Umbria and Tuscany. The first stop on your travels is walled Orvieto, perched on a volcanic plateau; a guided tour takes you under its cobblestone streets to explore the town's honeycombed medieval tunnels and caves dating back to the time of the ancient Etruscans. Then it's on to Florence, birthplace of the Renaissance. Upon arrival you'll be treated to a panoramic orientation of the city – from the inside of a vintage Fiat 500*! Arrive at your luxury hotel, steps away from the Piazza della Signoria and the Uffizi Gallery, for a memorable three-night stay.

An excursion from Florence takes you and your family to Pisa for a look at this maritime city's great medieval buildings – including a glimpse of the remarkable Leaning Tower and more of Pisa's "field of miracles," such as the Duomo and the Baptistry. If you wish, you'll have an opportunity to climb the famed tower for the view from the inside (children 8 – 18 must be accompanied by an adult). After lunch at a local restaurant, return to Florence for an evening spent as you please, and have dinner as you please in one of this grand Renaissance city's many restaurants.

Today begins with a walk along the Arno, accompanied by a local guide. Learn about the "other side of the Arno"; the Ponte Vecchio; go through Piazza Santa Trinita and little alleyways where you'll get some insights into the tower houses – then on to Signoria Square with its towering Town Hall. Great Renaissance art awaits as you join your local guide for a tour of one of the world's first, and best, art galleries – the Uffizi Gallery. After some free time, visit one of Italy's most famous museums, Galleria dell'Accademia – the oldest art school in the world, home to many famed paintings and Michelangelo's David. Tonight, join us for dinner and a hands-on pizza-making demonstration at a popular local restaurant in Florence.

A first-class rail journey aboard a high-speed train takes your family to Venice, a city of islands where the roads are paved with water. Have lunch at a local restaurant, followed by free time to explore as you please in St. Mark's Square. A canal boat takes you to your hotel, the San Clemente Palace Kempinski Venice – named the #1 hotel in Venice as the winner of Condé Nast Traveler's 2018 "Top Hotels in Italy/Venice" Reader's Choice Award! You're in for a real treat – this beautiful, award-winning hotel is on its own private island, complete with a fantastic pool and walking trails. Embark on a true adventure this evening – a pirate boat excursion around Venice and the islands, with dinner and games.

One of the most iconic spots in Venice is St. Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace; the architecture beckons from St. Mark's Square and your visits inside reveal the secrets of the centuries – including the story behind the Bridge of Sighs. If there is any city in Europe that is perfect for just wandering, seeing and experiencing, it is Venice – and you'll have the chance to do just that for the rest of the day. Follow the small, cobbled streets and alleyways to see where they lead, visit a museum or sample some gelato (served warmer and creamier than traditional ice cream). Tonight, everyone meets again for a farewell party at your hotel on your private island in the Grand Canal... by the pool, weather permitting! A spectacular close to a fantastic week.

Tour ends: Venice. Arrivederci! Fly home anytime. A transfer is included from San Clemente Palace Kempinski to Venice's Marco Polo Airport; allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.