The combined stories of history, art, and nature that spread throughout the country will show you the quintessence of Italy on this 11-day highlights tour. Storied ruins, Renaissance masterworks, romantic canals, and whispered flavors will come to life beyond the cities of Rome, Florence, and Venice, where you can find the allure of architecture, landscapes, and ambiance creating the essence of Italy along the way.
Customizable Itinerary
Day 1
Rome - Essential Rome
Welcome to Rome, a city that has seen history from the Etruscans to the Visigoths and the modern European Union. You will be met at the airport and taken to your luxurious accommodation situated within the city center. Venture out onto a guided walk through the ancient buildings to get acquainted with the “Eternal City.” The buildings help guide you through the maze-like walkways to an open square where you find the large stone façade of the Pantheon.
The imposing building was built during the reign of Hadrian around the second century to replace the once burnt down Pantheon commissioned by Emperor Augustus. The portico boasts magnificent Corinthian columns made of granite, while the structure itself continues to have the largest unreinforced concrete dome in the world. When you enter you find an interior that was once dedicated to the many gods of pagan Rome.
What's Included:
Day 2
Rome - Charming Past
Day 3
Rome - The Quintessential Flavors of Rome
Day 4
Rome - Southern Pearls
Day 5
Perugia - In and Around Piety
Day 6
Florence - The Tuscan Marvels
Day 7
Florence - Essential Secretes Revealed
Day 8
Venice - Northern Capitals
Day 9
Venice - Beside the Storied Canals
Day 10
Rome - Roman Returns
Day 11
Rome - The Essence Continues
Trip Highlights
- Traverse the canals of Venice on a gondola ride through the city
- Visit the collection of Renaissance masterworks at the Uffizi Gallery
- Witness the grandeur of Michelangelo’s David
- Sample the tremendous flavor of local wines
- Follow in the footsteps of the revered St. Francis of Assisi in his hometown
- Discover the majesty hidden within the ash of Pompeii
- Tour through the antiquity of Rome including the majesty of the St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City
- Wander through a secret Medici passageway in the Uffizi, a unique tour not offered to the general public
Starting Price
$5,000 per person (excluding international flights)
What's Included
- Accommodations
- In-country transportation
- Some or all activities and tours
- Expert trip planning
- 24x7 support during your trip
Your final trip cost will vary based on your selected accommodations, activities, meals, and other trip elements that you opt to include.
Reviews of Zicasso's Referral Service
4.9 stars based on 5906 reviews.
The trip Zicasso's travel specialist arranged for us exceeded all our expectations. It was absolutely wonderful; not a single detail was overlooked. The hotels were excellent, the tours were great, and the drivers were always on time. I totally recommend Zicasso and the agency, and will undoubtedly use them for future travel plans.
Reviewed By Philip S.
Zicasso's travel designer did a terrific job. We had the initial phone consult, after which she delivered a first draft of the itinerary. From there, she helped guide us through a few revisions until we got the details smoothed out. We are experienced travelers and can appreciate a well-constructed trip, and that's what our experience with our agent reflected.
One crucial thing is that all the drivers who are engaged to move you around are prompt. Every one of them was right on time and friendly and helpful to boot. It was much appreciated.
To sum up our experience, I would do it all again with Zicasso and the agency and our agent. Our trip to Italy in the late summer of 2025 was something we will not soon forget!
Reviewed By tony B.
Zicasso's travel partner is very thorough and makes sure the trip is tailored to your vision. They are flexible and very responsive. We would recommend them to anyone traveling.
Reviewed By Evan C.
Zicasso's travel agency far exceeded our expectations. We had our five-year-old and 11-year-old children with us, so the tour guides and walking needed to be kid-friendly.
Our hotel in Rome was wonderful, the location was perfect, and they had good A/C and a breakfast buffet. There were plenty of great restaurants within easy walking distance, as well as the Vatican.
Our tour guide for the Colosseum and Roman Forum was great. Pompeii was amazing. Our tour guide was basically a celebrity down there and knew exactly how to take us around the ruins without ever waiting.
Tuscany was our favorite by far. We did a cheese-making experience and lunch that was super-cool. The kids got to play with the farm animals and the owners were so attentive and interesting. We did a cooking class with a chef that was the kids' favorite thing on the entire trip. I would make a point to book this experience; the kids still talk about it and wear the aprons around the house. The resort in Tuscany was nice. We had our own private pool, plus the resort pool, and could easily walk to a small local town with some great food.
Venice was good, but probably our least favorite on the trip. You have to walk a ton, which was difficult for the kids, but it's still worth experiencing.
We travel a bunch and I would highly recommend using Zicasso's travel partner.
Reviewed By Kevin S.
Zicasso's travel designer made the whole trip run very smoothly. It was a pleasure working with her.
Reviewed By Joseph B.
This was the best trip ever!!! I am so grateful Zicasso introduced us to our tour operator. This team was amazing! They set up a call to learn more about us and jumped into action. Within a short time, they came back to us with a presentation on ideas, with recommendations. There is no chance our trip would have been half as good without them. They even had a text group on standby while we were here in case we needed anything.
Reviewed By Linda C.