Discover bella Italia on this most popular of Italy tours with visits to scenic Tuscan hill towns, in centuries-old cities and countryside villages, and along the Amalfi Coast. Classic Italy is highlighted by a Tour Operator Exclusive – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel for an extraordinary look at some of the world's most magnificent art treasures – without the crowds – during a three-night stay in glorious Rome. Art is the focus in Florence; a lecture by an art historian precedes a walking tour of the city and a visit to Galleria dell'Accademia. You'll also tour the magnificent Uffizi Gallery with a local guide. Cruise along the shores of Cinque Terre villages... stay at a 17th-century country house hotel in Torgiano and share the secrets of great Italian cooking with an Umbrian chef... discover historic sights in Pompeii... spend two nights in magical Venice... and visit the hill towns of Orvieto, Assisi and San Gimignano

Day 1 Arrive in Naples and head to Sorrento Meals D
This most comprehensive of Italy tours begins at 6:00 PM at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. A transfer is included from Naples International Airport to Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria. This Classic Italy tour begins in the southern resort town of Sorrento, where your historic hotel – family owned and operated since 1834 – overlooks the beautiful Bay of Naples and powerful Mt. Vesuvius. Get to know your fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner.

Lodging Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

Day 2 A drive along the spectacular Amalfi Coast Meals B, L
Take an unhurried drive along the Amalfi Coast, one of Europe's most dramatic shorelines. Stop for visits in Amalfi, where some medieval dwellings date to the 10th century, and Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea. Explore Sorrento’s piazzas, old Roman streets and narrow alleys as you please upon your afternoon return, spending the evening as you wish.

Lodging Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria

Day 3 Explore Pompeii, then on to the Eternal City of Rome Meals B, L, D
Today, explore an ancient community captured in time – the excavated ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Walk through city streets with a local expert, where you'll discover remarkably preserved ancient architecture and artifacts that portray what daily life was like in this 1st-century city. Continue on to remarkable Rome, where your next three nights are spent at The Westin Excelsior, Rome, one of the most prestigious addresses on the famed Via Veneto.

Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Rome

Day 4 Exclusive – After-hours Vatican Museums visit Meals B
Your sightseeing in Rome on this most remarkable of Italy tours is highlighted by a special Tour Operator Exclusive – an after-hours guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (subject to availability and day of the tour may vary). This after-hours visit means you'll avoid the long lines and the usual crowds found earlier in the day; the experience is rich when you explore the treasures in the Vatican Museums at your own pace. See the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery, and the Tapestries; in the Sistine Chapel, gaze in amazement at Michelangelo's masterpiece ceiling – and be able to contemplate all that you see in quieter surroundings. It's certain to be a true highlight on this most memorable of Italy tours... one that you'll remember forever.

Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Rome

Day 5 A day in the Rome of the Caesars Meals B, D
A sightseeing excursion begins the day in Rome, once the virtual capital of the ancient world, and now Italy's capital city. Tour the 2,000-year-old Colosseum; see Circus Maximus, the 4th-century BC stadium where chariot races were held, and the ruins of the Imperial Palace. View the Roman Forum from above, then return to the microstate of Vatican City for a tour of St. Peter's Basilica to view the art and architecture, and explore St. Peter's Square. Pursue your own passions in Rome during the afternoon. You'll get a real taste of Italian cuisine this evening with a family-style dinner at a traditional restaurant.

Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Rome

Day 6 Orvieto's Duomo and a wine tasting in Torgiano Meals B, L, D
Journey to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot-high plateau overlooking vineyards below. Visit the Duomo of Orvieto, a notable Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built over a span of 300 years. After a trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo, continue through the wine-producing regions of Umbria. Arrive in Torgiano, a small village in the Tiber Valley, and your home for the next two nights, Le Tre Vaselle. The present-day hotel is a carefully renovated 17th century country villa of which the key elements have been preserved – thick walls, wooden beams, terracotta floors, broad stone fireplaces, antique furniture and hand-woven fabrics – with its own private winery. Warm hospitality, elegant decor and exquisite cuisine are reminiscent of the aristocratic country houses of centuries past. Tonight, you'll attend a wine tasting and sample the vineyard's grapes in the osteria.

Lodging Le Tre Vaselle

Day 7 Back in time in old Assisi – and a chef shares secrets Meals B, D
Drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval hill town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture, and the hometown of St. Francis, the revered patron saint of animals and founder of the Franciscan order. Visit the Basilica di San Francesco, built to honor Assisi's beloved saint and favorite son and his final resting place. Gaze at the basilica's impressive 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, some of Italy's finest, and enjoy some free time in the center of town. This evening, return to Torgiano, where you'll discover the secrets of great Italian cuisine from an Umbrian chef who shares insights into the nuances of Italian cooking at a demonstration – another highlight of one of Tour Operator's most popular Italy tours!

Lodging Le Tre Vaselle

Day 8 Traces of Italy's medieval days in Tuscany Meals B, D
From Torgiano, traverse Tuscany's lush, rolling landscapes rich in fig and olive trees to the hilltop town of San Gimignano, where you'll see 13 medieval towers built in the 12th century by the nobility as both private fortresses and symbols of wealth. Stroll along the town's narrow streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy's most picturesque town squares. Continue your travels under the Tuscan sun to the seaside resort town of Viareggio for an overnight at the Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte, where you'll dine à la carte this evening.

Lodging Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte

Day 9 Cinque Terre storybook villages Meals B, D
The picture-book coastal villages of Cinque Terre were accessible only by sea for hundreds of years; today, you'll travel by train through the mountains to one of these villages for a look at daily life in this unique corner of the country. You'll have time to yourself to wander through the town's cobblestone streets, where you'll experience it all from colorful fishing boats home from the sea to the wine, olives and citrus fruit produced locally. Cruise along the Mediterranean shores of the Italian Riviera where views of these centuries-old Cinque Terre villages, set on rocky bluffs hemmed in by steep cliffs, are a knockout! Journey on to the Renaissance city of Florence for a three-night stay in the heart of the city.

Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Day 10 Become an art aficionado in Florence Meals B
Experience magnificent Florence, where the arts flourished between the 13th and 16th centuries, giving birth to the Renaissance. Learn about art history from a local lecturer, then take a walking tour of the city. Later, a guided tour of the Galleria dell'Accademia – the first art school in Europe – introduces you to some of the world's great art treasures, including Michelangelo's marble statue of David. You'll have time on your own in Florence this afternoon; your hotel is right in the heart of the city, which makes it easy to explore!

Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Day 11 Masterpieces of the Uffizi Meals B
Join a local expert for a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence's extraordinary art museum founded by the Medici family in the 16th century; it can be rightfully called the oldest art gallery on Earth. Admire some of the world's greatest art masterpieces on display within its walls, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more. The remainder of the day is spent as you please; you may want to visit the Pitti Palace or the Medici Chapels, or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens.

Lodging The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Day 12 In Venice – the Doge's Palace, after hours... Meals B, L
Guests rave that one of the things they like best about our Italy tours is traveling by different modes of transportation; Classic Italy continues today with a journey by the sleek, high-speed Eurostar train from Florence to Venice. Transfer by canal boat to your hotel, conveniently located near St. Mark’s Square; after lunch, embark on a walking tour. Visit St. Mark’s Basilica as well as the sumptuous Doge’s Palace, once the official residence of the elected officials of the Venetian Republic. Indulge in the quintessential Venetian experience, a serenade aboard a gondola on the canals. Dinner tonight is on your own in Venice, a city embraced by the most popular Italy tours for its many fine restaurants!

Lodging The Westin uropa & Regina, Venice

Day 13 The romance of Venice, as you please Meals B, D
The entire day is free to do as you please in Venice – and to say that you have a lot of choices is an understatement. You might decide to visit the museums, an eclectic group housing some of the world’s most famed art; stroll the winding, narrow streets that lead to countless bridges; or perhaps you might choose to take a boat to one of the islands in the Venetian Lagoon, such as Murano, Burano or Torcello, where centuries-old crafts and a kaleidoscope of color are found... This evening, join us for a farewell cocktail re­cep­tion and dinner that marks the end of one of Tour Operator's most popular Italy tours.

Lodging The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice

Day 14 Ciao! Meals B
One of the most popular Italy tours ends in Venice. Fly home anytime; a transfer is included from The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice to Venice's Marco Polo Airport. You should allow a minimum of 3 hours for flight check-in.

ACCOMMODATIONS

Nights 1 - 2 : Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria - Sorrento, Italy
Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria perches majestically high on a cliff overlooking the blue waters of the Bay of Naples in the midst of the historic center of the beautiful town of Sorrento. Since 1834, its lovely entrance gardens have led crowned heads, heads of state and international celebrities to its elegant and impeccably maintained lounges, parlors and restaurants. The splendors of an age gone by are seen in its original antique furniture and genteel ambiance. Its terraces provide sweeping views of the Bay and Mount Vesuvius, while its five-acre gardens invite one to stroll peacefully at leisure – and the beautiful swimming pool set amidst the gardens beckons.

Nights 3 - 5 : The Westin Excelsior, Rome - Rome, Italy
Located on the most fashionable street in the Eternal City, Via Veneto, between the famous Piazza Barberini and Villa Borghese and close to many of Rome’s must-see sights, The Westin Excelsior, Rome is a monument to the very best of turn-of-the-century style and grace. Furnished with Renaissance, Imperial and Biedermeier reproductions, each sumptuous guest room features Westin’s signature Heavenly Beds® and lovely decorative touches. The new fitness center is state-of-the-art and features an indoor swimming pool. The readers of Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure agree that The Westin Excelsior, Rome is among the 500 best hotels in the world.

Nights 6 - 7 : Le Tre Vaselle - Torgiano, Italy
Set like a jewel in the lush Umbrian landscape just outside the ancient village of Torgiano, the converted 17th-century manor that has become Le Tre Vaselle pours forth a warm welcome. Le Tre Vaselle is named after three XVII-century ceramic wine vessels that belonged to a Umbrian Franciscan convent. The present day hotel is a carefully renovated 17th-century country villa of which the key elements have been preserved – thick walls, wooden beams, terracotta floors, broad stone fireplaces, antique furniture and hand-woven fabrics – giving the hotel the intriguing charm of an aristocratic period country house. Hallways are decorated with oil paintings and trompe l'œil. The spacious, comfortable guest rooms exude an ambiance of comfort: that of feeling at home, immersed in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Many consider the “Le Melograne” restaurant, which offers creative cuisine that faithfully interprets the traditional and seasonal fare of the region, to be the hotel's centerpiece. The refined cuisine of Le Tre Vaselle is best known for its regional Umbrian dishes, the creativity of its chefs and carefully selected ingredients of the highest quality – sure to delight even the most demanding gourmets. The wine cellar of Le Tre Vaselle is sure to surprise even connoisseurs, stocked with the complete range of Lungarotti wines and augmented with carefully selected vintages of the best national and international producers. Le Tre Vaselle has two swimming pools: an outdoor one with solarium, and a hearted indoor one with whirlpool and counter-current swimming. A small gym and Turkish bath are also available. And in a place where everything evokes grapes and wine, special services dedicated to well-being are de rigueur could only be inspired by wine: hence “bellaUve vinotherapy Spa”.

Night 8 : Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte - Viareggio, Italy
Set beside the sea in Viareggio, Grand Hotel Principe di Piemonte is an intriguing blend of different styles, which come together to create a delightful ambiance. Guest room décor ranges from international, art deco, colonial and empire to modern, with each floor reflecting a different period influence. A beautiful heated sunken swimming pool, with Hydro and waterfall massage, graces the top floor of the hotel and joins the Restaurant Bar in offering stunning views of the Apuane Mountains and the sea. Both of its dining venues – Il Piccolo Principe, offering exquisitely refined cuisine, and the Regina Restaurant, serving traditional fare – feature indoor dining and outdoor seating on a veranda overlooking the sea.

Nights 9 - 11 : The Westin Excelsior, Florence - Florence, Italy
Voted one of the 500 best hotels in the world by the readers of Travel + Leisure and named to the prestigious Gold List by Condé Nast Traveler, 5-star The Westin Excelsior, Florence richly deserves those accolades. Located in the very heart of fabulous Florence, close to the Uffizi Gallery, Pitti Palace and the Ponte Vecchio, this deluxe hotel offers both luxurious ambiance and top-notch service. The richly decorated, air-conditioned guest rooms feature Westin’s signature Heavenly Bed® as well as appreciated amenities such as satellite TV channels and in-room movies, hairdryer and bathrobes, high-speed Internet access, minibar and an in-room safe. The WestinWORKOUT gym is the place to head to keep up with your exercise routine. The glass-enclosed roof garden with views out over Florence is home to a posh, retro restaurant featuring Italian culinary methods and cutting-edge ideas. Surround yourself with Tuscan style in the ORVM Bar as you begin or end your evening.

Nights 12 - 13 : The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice - Venice, Italy
Truly a Venetian landmark, the five beautiful baroque palaces that now comprise The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice sit regally overlooking the Grand Canal close to St. Mark’s Square; each of the five magnificently restored historic buildings date from the 17th to 19th centuries. Stylish guest rooms – many of which were recently redecorated – balance contemporary conveniences with local craftmanship and materials that mirror Venice's rich heritage, and feature Westin’s signature Heavenly Bed®, flat-screen LCD TV's, , signature White Tea Aloe bathroom amenities and dual-head Heavenly Showers®. Sip a cocktail as you watch life on the Grand Canal unfold before you at Bar Tiepolo or dine in style at La Cusina overlooking the most famous waterway in Venice. The readers of Travel + Leisure have consistently named The Westin Europa & Regina, Venice one of the 500 best hotels in the world.

EXCLUSIVE
On select departures of Classic Italy, attend a private wine tasting reception in Florence hosted by the grandson of Salvatore Ferragamo – and visit the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum for a viewing of the famed designer’s creations.

INCLUDED
Tour prices are per person in U.S. dollars. All hotel accommodations, motor coach transportation, first-class accommodations on the Eurostar train from Florence to Venice, entertainment, special dinners, sightseeing, admissions, porterage and the services of local guides, drivers and the Tour Director are included. Transportation from Naples International Airport or Naples Central Train Station to the Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria is included, regardless of the time you check in to the hotel, provided you have furnished us with accurate flight arrival information at least two weeks before to the start of your tour. If you are arriving into another local train station please retain a receipt from your transfer and submit it to your Tour Director for reimbursement. Transportation from The Westin Europa & Regina Hotel to Venice to Marco Polo Airport or Santa Lucia Train Station is also included on when you check out of the hotel. Transportation to and from airports and train stations may be shared with other guests.

Hotel Accommodations – The tour price includes all hotel accommodations with private baths. Our standard is to provide the best available accommodations without sacrificing value. Although the quality may differ slightly from one hotel to another, our commitment to your comfort is unwavering. Two-bedded rooms are reserved in most hotels. Triples are usually two-bedded rooms plus a rollaway cot and are not recommended for comfort.

Meals – Most meals are included as specified in the itinerary.

Dining - Most restaurants open for lunch around 12:00 PM and close at 3:00 PM, then re-open again for dinner at 7:30 PM. A "‘coperto", or cover charge, is commonly added to the top of your bill for table service and bread. The typical cover charge ranges from 2-4 Euro per person. A "servizio", or service charge, is often added to the bottom of your bill and ranges from 10-12%. If there is no service charge added to your bill, you may tip as you wish.

Water from the tap is safe to drink; however, restaurants will offer bottled water, usually sparkling, "frizzante", or non-sparkling, "naturale". Ice is not usually offered automatically, as Italians are not fond of it. If you ask for ice, "ghiaccio", you will probably receive a few cubes of ice in a bowl.

Tour Director – Classic Italy is conducted by a Tour Director who remains with the group throughout the tour. Your Tour Director is a professional, fully trained employee of Tour Operator.

Gratuities Included – All customary gratuities for hotel and restaurant staff and local guides are included.

No Options Sold – Your Tour Director will assist with information on free-time activities based on honest opinion and guidance but will not sell you anything. This means better value and a more relaxed and pleasant experience for you.

NOT INCLUDED
Transportation to the tour departure point and from the tour ending point is not included. Airfare may be purchased from us for travel originating in the United States.

Hotel Rooms Before and After Tours – To avoid jet lag and possible flight delays, you may wish to make hotel arrangements for the nights preceding or following your tour. As a service, we will book additional nights for you on a space-available basis using special rates only available through us. Hotel room charges will be added to the tour cost. Train and airport transfers are included for these extended stays as described above under Inclusive Prices. If you wish to spend additional nights, please consult Extend Your Trip in the Accommodations section above on this webpage and discuss it with your reservations sales consultant or travel agent when you book your tour.

Luggage Responsibility – Although every effort is made to handle your luggage carefully, we cannot be responsible, assume liability or accept claims for loss or damage to luggage and personal effects due to breakage, theft, or fair wear and tear through hotel, airline and group carrier handling. It is important for your own self-interest and protection that you make certain you have adequate insurance to cover these eventualities.

Lost luggage is an unfortunate possibility in today's world of airline travel. We suggest that you:
Pack at least one change of clothing in your carry-on bag
Split your items between your suitcase and a traveling companion's suitcase
Do not pack any vital medications or valuables in your checked luggage
Confirm that your luggage is checked and tagged to your final destination at airport check-in
Place your luggage claim tags in a secure place for your flight
File a claim for any missing luggage immediately before leaving the baggage claim area
Secure a case number and contact information for follow-up communications
Make certain that the airline has your onward itinerary

Your Tour Director will assist you with airline and other carrier communications, but has no inside contacts to guarantee or expedite recovery of lost luggage. All recovery costs, including the communication costs, are your responsibility. Check your travel protection details for covered expenses.

Personal Expenses such as phone calls, room service, alcoholic and other beverages not specifically included, laundry, dry cleaning, airline excess luggage charges, vaccinations, visa fees and services, airport arrival and departure taxes, individual train and airport transfers (when applicable), and other optional or incidental extras are not included and may be significant.

Tour Director Gratuities - The customary gratuities for the Tour Director and local drivers are not included. We ask that gratuities be extended on a voluntary, individual basis and not as a group.