Elba island, Tuscany, Italy

Visions of the Past: Art & History Tour of Rome and Elba Island

Ratings of Zicasso's Service
Customizable Itinerary

This is a sample itinerary to inspire a personalized trip designed with your travel specialist

Countries Visited

Italy, Vatican City

Places Visited

Rome, Vatican City, Elba,  Rio Marina...

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Suggested Duration

10 Days

The splendors of Rome and the beaches of Elba offer the perfect escape into mystique, legend, and opulent history. Your 10-day tour immerses you in the continued grandeur of empires and the stunning beauty of the Mediterranean landscape. Witness captivating mythology captured by Bernini in timeless sculptures. Enjoy kneading soft dough against your skin as you shape delectable pasta. Embrace the lavish palaces of Napoleon during his island exile and bask in the warm sunlight glinting off the turquoise...

Customizable Itinerary

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Trip Highlights

  • Uncover the distinctive flavors of Rome during a private cooking class presenting you with the ingredients and style of celebrated regional cuisine
  • Wander the breadth of the Vatican Museums during an After Hours tour, offering a uniquely quiet and serene view of the famous galleries
  • Traverse the ancient ruins of Rome, from the Colosseum to the villas at Palatine Hill, with a private guided tour of the former Imperial prestige
  • Discover the elaborate decor and captivating history of the churches and cathedrals of Rome, each harboring enough history to border legend
  • Delight in a sweet sampling of gelato with a private tour of the best gelaterias in Rome, followed by a quick lesson in crafting the perfect flavor
  • Relish a unique four-course dinner while cruising down the Tiber River
  • Witness the opulence of Emperor Napoleon’s life while exiled on the Isle of Elba by visiting his former palaces
  • Venture to the top summit of Mount Capanne for a sweeping panorama of the island
  • Traverse the waters of the Elba Nature and National Park on a sailboat or on a scuba diving excursion in search of fish, dolphins, whales, and much more
  • Wander the remaining cobblestones of the former Appian Way on the fringes of Rome to view the marvelous ancient Christian Catacombs
  • Bask on the white sand beaches and enjoy the embracing sunshine on Elba

Detailed Description

Rome and Elba offer excitement, beauty, and luxury in their vast history and enchanting artistry. Your customizable tour is best experienced between April and October, allowing you to embrace the hot sandy beaches, refreshingly cool waters, and immaculate artistry of both Rome and the island of Elba. Escape to the cobbled streets of Rome to begin your lavish journey. Your private transfer meets you at Fiumicino Airport and escorts you to a former palace that has been renovated as a hotel. Meet your guide in the lobby when you are ready for an introductory tour of the cobblestone streets and iconic artwork turning the historic city center into an open-air museum.

Your private guide meets you at the hotel once more, this time escorts you to the ancient grounds of Imperial Rome, leading you through the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill. Later in the day, you have a private cooking course during which time you learn the art and soul of Roman cuisine. Begin the following morning at your leisure before embarking on a delicious tour of Rome’s best gelaterias to sample the different flavors of the city, followed by a chance to craft your own gelato. In the afternoon, you make your way to Vatican City to explore the famous remarkable museums with a semi-private after-hours tour. Next, you wander through the opulent galleries in the Villa Borghese before enjoying a picnic lunch in the celebrated park.

The remainder of the day is at your leisure to enjoy the Eternal City. Your guide leads you through a remarkable timeless journey by visiting the historic churches of Rome, which offer a timeline of the city’s progression from paganism to Christianity. The next day takes you to a nature reserve to traverse the preserved cobblestones of the Appian Way, beneath which stands miles of intricate networks connecting historic Christian catacombs. Next, you have a private transfer north to the port of Piombino. Stop in the ancient Etruscan catacombs of Cerveteri and in the towns of Orbetello before boarding your ferry to Portoferraio.

Your private transfer escorts you through town on a tour between the historic marina and the palaces once occupied by Napoleon before taking you to a villa overlooking the water. Traverse the island to visit the town of Marciana and the summit of Monte Capanne. You can also take the time to linger on the beach of Rio Marina or Fetovaia. The following day is at your leisure to enjoy the splendors of Elba. Dig your toes into the hot sand at Lacona or visit the Romanesque cathedrals. You could also sail along the waters of the marina park in search of whales and dolphins. On the final day, you have a private transfer to Marina di Campo airport to make your connecting flight home at Galileo Galilei Airport in Pisa. 

Starting Price

$4,500 per person (excluding international flights)

Your Zicasso trip is fully customizable, and this sample itinerary is a starting place for your travel plans. Actual costs are dynamic, and your selection of accommodations and activities, your season of travel, and other such variables will bring this budget guideline up or down. Throughout your planning experience with your Zicasso specialist, your itinerary is designed around your budget. You can book your trip when you are satisfied with every detail. Planning your trip with a Zicasso travel specialist is a free service.

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 5955 reviews.

Italy Tour Review: Cinque Terre, Positano, 15-Day Trip

The trip was very well planned by Zicasso's travel company and all of the stops and pick-up points, cars, trains, boats, etc., were there and reliable. We had a fantastic time.

Reviewed By Jeffrey C.

Italy Trip Review: Amalfi Coast, Capri, Naples, Rome, Pompeii,...

I am writing to express my immense gratitude to the entire team at Zicasso’s travel partner for curating the most spectacular trip to Italy for my family. From start to finish, the level of service was beyond impeccable and truly set a new standard for what we consider luxury travel.

The planning process was an absolute pleasure. Communication was one of their greatest strengths; our contact was consistently available and responses to our questions were nearly instantaneous. This travel company made us feel like we were their only clients. They took the time to understand the different ages and interests within our family, and built a bespoke itinerary that perfectly balanced history, leisure, and unique local experiences.

This was genuine white-glove service in every sense of the word. From the moment we landed, every detail was flawlessly executed. Private drivers were waiting for us, guides were engaging and knowledgeable, and our accommodations were magnificent. We never once had to worry about a single logistic, allowing us to be fully present and enjoy our time together.

If you are looking for a travel partner that offers unparalleled personalized service and flawless execution for a trip to Italy, look no further. Thank you for giving our family memories we will cherish forever.

Reviewed By Christopher L.

Italy Travel Review: Rome, Ravello, Amalfi Coast, Positano,...

My husband and I were thrilled with our recent trip to Italy that Zicasso’s travel designer put together. We began by attending a family friend’s wedding, held in Ravello, on the Amalfi Coast. Due to my husband’s mobility issues, we were met by a driver and headed to the Amalfi Coast. The driver was first class and the trip was very comfortable.

After the wedding festivities, we were able to have the most wonderful experiences visiting the towns of Amalfi and Positano, and our base for one week was in beautiful Sorrento. We attended a cooking class and enjoyed eating what we prepared. We had in-depth learning opportunities in Naples and Sorrento. Every guide we had spoke excellent English and was so knowledgeable. We especially enjoyed Pompeii! A super-fun day was had on the small group tour of Capri. The crew was fantastic and very accommodating in consideration of my husband’s mobility issues.

From beginning to end everything went well. The use of a messaging app was great for making sure everyone was on the same page.

The only thing that was a disappointment was the pizza in Naples. It wasn’t the best.

The hotel in Sorrento was phenomenal - it couldn’t have been better. The view of Mt. Vesuvius from our balcony helped create memories we will have forever. The hotel in Rome was also very nice. It was right in the middle of the main attractions.

We are very happy with our experience with this travel company and would not hesitate to recommend it!

Reviewed By Anne F.

Italy Family Trip Review: Venice, Florence, Rome, Naples,...

Our trip was a family one, two grandparents over 70, two parents and one adult son, one teenage girl, and one younger girl, 12. Three of us had been to Italy while the others had not. We wanted as complete a trip as we could in 14 days, so we included all the traditional places, Venice, Florence, Rome, and Naples/Pompeii. We spent three days in each and one day in Ferrara. While it was a lot for 14 days, we did not feel rushed.

What I like about Zicasso is they give you options to pick the best fit for your trip—we worked with two other agencies before we picked Zicasso’s travel partner. This travel partner took the time to understand our needs: three hotel rooms, all different in sizes, and tours and timing. Very important was the degree of coordination before the trip with the travel agent; she was available and knowledgeable, and took the time to adjust our needs. One of the best things about this travel partner was they used a van for all the travel, except from Rome to Naples. This was a much better option than the train for seven people and baggage.

During the trip, we were met on time by every driver and every guide. The hotels were excellent and the whole trip went well. When we had a delay on the train, the driver knew it and adjusted our pick-up.

Reviewed By Fred S.

Italy Tour Review: Wine Tour, Cooking Classes, Local Cuisine,...

Zicasso’s travel company was wonderful in planning our trip on short notice and in line with our requests and preferences. Their suggestions of what to do and where to stay were perfect. And when we accidentally got off on the wrong island, the travel company quickly got us new ferry tickets to get to the right place. It was all seamless.

Reviewed By Sherry G.

Italy Honeymoon Review: Rome, Sorrento, Cooking Class, Private...

This trip was the greatest week of our lives! Everything planned was better than I could have imagined. The private drivers being coordinated behind the scenes made the trip so easy and removed all the stress of trying to navigate a new country. Every driver and our tour guide was so nice and I feel like we made friends with all of them.

My favorite part of the trip was definitely the cooking classes and that every tour was private and intimate for my wife and I. The connections Zicasso’s travel agent hooked us up with made the trip the most memorable experience. Our travel agent and the travel company took special care of all the tiny details of the trip; our hotel knew it was my birthday and had a special surprise for me! I’m beyond thankful for the perfect honeymoon they provided my wife and I.

Reviewed By Branson S.

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