Italian Elegance
From CAD $5,469 Was CAD $6,435
Guarantee
Group Tour
Easy
Rating
(20 reviews)
Experience Overview
Experience the food and fun of Italy on this 12-day guided tour. In Rome, see the Colosseum where gladiators fought to the death, then visit the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Travel from Florence to the heart of Tuscany, stopping in scenic San Gimignano for a taste of gelato with a world-champion gelato maker; later, arrive at your hotel for a sampling of the region’s most robust red wines. Prop up the Leaning Tower of Pisa for a photo and see the UNESCO World Heritage Site Cinque Terre with a Local Expert, who will join you for a sea-to-table feast in the medieval town of Monterosso. Allow yourself to be serenaded as you float along the canals of Venice in a traditional gondola, and watch a renowned craftsman blow Venetian glass into a masterful work of art.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 6 Dinner (D)
- 11 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
- Florence: Join your Travel Director on a short walk to a local spot loved by residents. Sample a classic Italian treat and hear how it became a staple of the area. It’s a chance to experience the flavors locals grow up with and return to time and again.
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times, or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport.
Authentic Dining
- San Gimignano: Ascend serpentine alleyways to the artisan gelato parlor of world champion gelato maestro, Sergio Dondoli for a taste of his finest frozen treats.
- Monterosso al Mare: Savor a freshly prepared Sea-to-Table lunch of locally sourced produce.
- Veneto: Visit a local winery and delight in a tasting of their magnificent prosecco. Meet the vignerons and learn how this local drink has come to rival its well-known counterpart in France.
- Venice: Enjoy a true Venetian dining experience.
Insight Choice
- Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
- Florence: Join your Travel Director on a short walk to a local spot loved by residents. Sample a classic Italian treat and hear how it became a staple of the area. It’s a chance to experience the flavors locals grow up with and return to time and again.
Insight Experiences
- Vatican City: Visit the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and see St. Peter's Basilica.
Make Travel Matter
- Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. This workshop directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Top Rated Highlights
- Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, where Ancient Roman political life and law courts mingled with open-air markets and shops.
- Florence: Enjoy a stroll through Renaissance Florence and admire the medieval buildings that gave birth to this new style of architecture.
- San Gimignano: Visit the Tuscan town of San Gimignano, often called the 'Medieval Manhattan' of Italy.
- Pisa: During your orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery bristling with marble spines, and the colonnaded bell tower lurching behind the 11th-century cathedral - the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
- Portofino: Cruise from Santa Margherita and get a taste of the sweet life in this elegant resort.
- Cinque Terre: Led by your Local Expert, visit this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, tucked away on the mountainous Italian Riviera coastline. Explore two of the five charming fishing villages for some memorable pictures.
- Baveno: During your orientation with your Travel Director see the cobbled streets and 16th century square.
- Cortina d'Ampezzo: Enjoy the stunning scenery of the Cortina, a small town framed by magnificent alps as your Travel Director conducts an orientation.
- Venice: Glide through Venice’s canals on an iconic gondola ride, passing beneath historic bridges and past elegant palaces. Soak up the city’s romantic atmosphere as your gondolier navigates the tranquil waterways, offering a unique perspective of this timeless floating city.
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19661
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 107.332A
Starts: Rome, Italy
Finishes: Venice, Italy
Duration: 12 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $5,469 ($456 /day)
Itinerary
2025 marks a Jubilee Year, a momentous Roman Catholic event celebrated every 25 years, turning Rome into a center of celebration between December 24, 2024, and December 31, 2025. As festivities unfold, itineraries may be adjusted to ensure you make the most of your time as you visit the Eternal City. Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches. Relax and settle in before joining your Travel Director and getting to know your fellow travelers over a delicious dinner with wine.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram
Meals: Dinner
Enjoy the very best of the city’s highlights including entering the Vatican City and fast-tracked entry into the Vatican Museums with a Local Expert. Admire the Papal art collection before entering the Sistine Chapel to marvel at Michelangelo’s masterpiece. Afterwards, visit St. Peter’s Basilica. Later, cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome. See the incredible Circus Maximus famous for its chariot races, and the iconic Colosseum. Due to increased demand during the Jubilee year, access to the Vatican Museums may be limited. If tickets are unavailable during your visit, your sightseeing will instead explore the Capitoline Museums, home to the iconic Capitoline Wolf, ancient Roman bronzes and Renaissance art, set atop Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio with sweeping views of the Roman Forum.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. After, continue on foot to admire the multicoloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Continue into the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local café.
Accommodation: Villasanpaolo, San Gimignano
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Spend time exploring the maze of alleyways and admire scenic views across the valley. Ascend serpentine alleyways to the artisan gelato parlor of world champion gelato maestro, Sergio Dondoli, for a taste of his finest frozen treats.
Accommodation: Villasanpaolo, San Gimignano
Meals: Breakfast
Drive through the patchwork of vines, olives and cypresses that typify the Chianti hills before continuing to Pisa and see the incredible Leaning Tower, from which Galileo is said to have conducted experiments on velocity and gravity. See the splendid cathedral and baptistery, decorated with mosaics and designs in solid marble. Next, journey to the sea and cruise along the rugged Ligurian coast to the elegant seaside village of Portofino, the epitome of la dolce vita (should weather permit). Finish your journey in the charming seaside resort of Santa Margherita Ligure, a true gem on the coast.
Accommodation: Best Western Regina Elena, Santa Margherita Ligure
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Head to the port of La Spezia for a highlight of your travels and one of Italy's most beautiful landscapes, the Cinque Terre. With a Local Expert, appreciate the views as you approach one of the picturesque fishing villages by boat. For lunch, enjoy a delicious Sea-to-Table dining experience. Enjoy leisure time to admire the colored houses, browse the boutiques or simply stay a while in the café bars on the piazzetta, watching the yachts moored in the harbor.
Accommodation: Best Western Regina Elena, Santa Margherita Ligure
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Head north to the beautiful Italian Lake District, a favorite retreat of the rich and famous where Alpine scenery combines with lush vegetation. Relax and enjoy an afternoon at leisure at this popular resort and beautiful lake.
Accommodation: Simplon, Baveno
Meals: Breakfast
Travel through the stunning northern Italian countryside to one of the world’s most breath-taking wine regions. The vineyards around Conegliano Veneto produce Italy’s most prized sparkling wine. Be tempted with a taste of the crisp and aromatic flavor of prosecco. Continue through the Dolomites, to the mountain resort of Cortina d'Ampezzo.
Accommodation: Hotel de la Poste, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
The whole day is free for you to explore the colorful peaks and sheer valleys of the Dolomites, one of the most impressive mountain ranges in the Alps. During summer, once the snow and ice have melted away, a breathtaking landscape is revealed. There are a number of walking tracks through pristine Alpine wilderness for the adventurous to explore, or for a more relaxed pace, perhaps take a thrilling optional experience to the summit of one of the peaks for breathtaking panoramic views?
Accommodation: Hotel de la Poste, Cortina d'Ampezzo
Meals: Breakfast
Descend through the mountains to the romantic city of Venice. A private boat glides you past canals lined with ornate palaces to St Mark’s Square. See the basilica, the Doge's Palace and Bridge of Sighs, before checking into your luxurious hotel. With the afternoon at leisure, why not cruise the Venetian Lagoon to the island of Burano for a meal of local specialties and wine?
Accommodation: Splendid Venice - Starhotels Collezione
Meals: Breakfast
Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional arts center, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. Then there is free time to enjoy the magical atmosphere of this incredible city at your own pace. Mingle with the locals at the open air markets near the Rialto Bridge and explore the back lanes and squares where Venetians go about their day. Later, on your romantic gondola serenade, glide along the atmospheric canals exploring the intimate and hidden parts of this unique city while musicians set the mood with traditional songs. This evening, indulge in traditional Venetian dishes that are enriched with inspiration from seasonal produce during a magical dinner.
Accommodation: Splendid Venice - Starhotels Collezione
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
The customer service experience was the best part. The tour guide and driver took care of everyone like they were family. This was a fast paced tour of Italy and we covered a lot of ground in twelve days. Our tour guide was extremely knowledgeable about the history of the country. They made the experience a fabulous adventure. This was a 40 person tour and everyone was wonderful. It's nice to make new friends. Thank you for an experience of a lifetime. I hope to return to Italy someday and would love to find again. Grazie!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
It’s a very professional travel business. No one will be disappointed. They provide you with everything needed for an experience you won’t forget. Our tour director was exceptional, we would rate her with an A+ as well as our driver another A+!! The itinerary was busy which was great, it’s hard to imagine that we saw and did so many amazing places and things. We were not pleased with some of the hotels also some of the food was not what was expected of Italian cuisine. There also was a situation where a couple of people were really sick and we later we told they had Covid but would not have known until someone else was sick and they were tested. I asked if they could be asked to wear masks, they did some of the time but not the way they should have. Each day more and more people were coughing and feeling sick. It should have been handled differently most of all with a plan for that situation and masks should have been provided for everyone. We loved our trip and overall Insight did a great job!!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Susan P. - Traveled, June 2024
Will definitely book with them again Very good service and so much detail in this trip. the little touches that our tour guide added to the trip and the way he made us feel that we were a group of friends taking a trip together. It made it not just a tour but a family vacation. His knowledge helped us understand the sights we saw and the history behind them.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/03/2025
Nadia - Traveled, October 2024
Our Insight Tour Director was amazing in every way. We felt his love for Italy through the wealth of knowledge he shared. Engaging personality, humor, and scrupulous detail to ensure all our needs were met, made this trip a seamless pleasure; an unforgettable trip on all fronts. Thank you. Insight Tours Italian Elegance offered a savoury taste of Italy from the historical beauty of Rome soaked with artistic masterpieces at every turn; through the lush hills of Tuscany, experiencing the Tuscan culture visiting it’s charming historical towns; the breathtaking coastline of Cinque Terre, Portofino, Santa Margherita, Lake Maggiore, Isola Bella, surrounded by panoramic views to be treasured forever; the magnificence of the Dolomites and the unique Italo-Austrian experience of Cortina; and last but certainly not the least, the miracle of Venice, a stand-alone; its water ways and systems; the aristocracy of Venetian families, the Palazzos, artisan wonders never seen before; in all, Italian Elegance is a trip not to be missed; a truly special, historical experience; a culinary feast in every sense!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Denise P. - Traveled, November 2024
The Tour director had a huge part of this vacation being as enjoyable as it was. She was so knowledgeable and definitely made our trip more fun with her stories and jokes. If we did this on our own we would say "oh look at that tapestry or that's a nice statue." They helped us to understand what we were seeing as well as the history behind it. Places that we stayed at were very nice. It was great that we had 2 days at most stops instead of a different place every day. Great group of people that we became friends with on this tour. We will definitely look into Insight vacations if we ever decide to take a big trip again. Thank you. It was a nice mix of history, culture and scenery that was breath taking.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Dalene C. - Traveled, November 2024
Excellent service by Insight vacation. Everything ran smoothly. Never have to worry about a thing. We're well looked after. 100% looked after. Meals were well prepared. Never went hungry. Excellent tour. Can recommend to anybody to have this experience. The itinerary was well thought out. Lovely hotels, excellent tour director Shona and competant bus driver Luca.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
Excellent tour. Can recommend to anybody to have this experience. The itinerary was well thought out. Lovely hotels, excellent tour director Shona and competant bus driver Luca. The itinerary was well thought out and our tour director and driver were the best We were amazed at Lucca's ability to maneuver the narrow roads. One of the main reasons we picked Insight was most of the hotel stays were 2 nights. This made for a much more relaxing trip did not feel so rushed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
It was very well planned. There was no room to be bored. So much history and so much appreciation for other people and culture. Not forgetting the coach driver. Thanks again.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
We would like to be able to check in earlier especially day of flight. I picked it because I wanted to see things I hadn't already seen in Italy. Enjoyed people on trip I met and tour director was excellent.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
I thought it was excellent. Got to visit and see lots of towns and cities. The guides were knowledgeable and interesting with plenty of little personal antidotes. The included meals were delicious. The people we met were friendly and accommodating. Enjoyed the tour immensely.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
All depends what each person wants to see. Loved Cortina D’ampezo Loved the dolomite experience Tuscany it’s great , Unfiortunately it rained for us.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
As above Professional informative as an older traveler takes the worry away an the hassle of worrying about your bags If things go wrong you have a trusted guide to help in all situations. A very comfortable feel Other travelers are supportive while on trip you Become a family for a short time helping each other. Great tour gives you time to relax & look around very professional guide Debra was excellent and passionate & consideration to her group ver informative. I left my medication in the fridge the hotel informed Drebra. Debra organised express post to the hotel we would be staying at in couple days with consideration of the weekend coming up I received my medication. Our anniversary in Venice without our knowledge we had music in our gondola Above & beyond.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
The itinerary was inspiring and covered the most iconic locations in the Northern half of Italy.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Marko Y. - Traveled, October 2024
Our tour director Andie was excellent. With 40 tourists taking up every seat, perhaps a bigger coach was warranted. Trieste is such a nice Italian city that I think the tour should finish there instead of Venice. It is a nice tour of northern Italy, taking in the less touristy places like Cinque Terre, Stress and Cortina at a nice pace.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Mike O. - Traveled, November 2024
Mark was great - funny, very tuned into all details, very precise on times and where to meet. All guides were good on the various tours. We learned so much more than we thought we would. We saw a lot of Italy in a short period of time. Did have to set an alarm daily to fit everything in, but totally worth it. Had plenty of time to shop, explore museums or churches, or just sit and enjoy a glass of wine. Loved this trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/03/2024
Pai Hong Y. - Traveled, October 2024
Fantastic Tour Leader Shona and excellent driver Luca. Shona knows her job very well and is caring whereas Luca is such a quiet steady driver who brings us to each place safely. Diverse landscapes , from history to culture to sea to mountains to canals. Relaxed and yet able to enjoy the richness of the culture and peop.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Doreen P. - Traveled, October 2024
Fabulous company and tour! Will do it again! Fabulous itinerary. Didn’t know the Dolomites existed before this trip. A truly elegant area so the tour was appropriately named.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Mark S. - Traveled, October 2024
Very diverse settings and scenery.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Monique B. - Traveled, October 2024
Great places visited, beautiful scenery, food and wine terrific. Guide and driver were very professional and pleasant. Would go back with this tour!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
Hotels were centrally located and clean. We could walk and explore the area easily. The travel director and driver were knowledgeable and made each experience special. The pace of the itinerary was perfect. Had time to ourselves. The locations we visited were interesting and diverse. We stayed a couple of nights in most places. Would have liked the details of the itinerary weeks before I left. We only found out what we were doing a day or two before the activity.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/03/2024
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