8D/7N Tour Of Italy - The Bucket List

The Italy Bucket List

8 Days / 7 Nights
CDV Bellissima™ exclusive events:
Exclusive Vatican after it closes experience; Dinner in a private Roman countryside villa; Lunch in a Tuscan Vineyard; Lunch with a local Tuscan family in a tiny hamlet; Visit an artisan Gondola builder.
Places: Rome, Lazio; Montepulciano & Florence, Tuscany; Venice, Veneto
Meals Included: 20. (All Inclusive Vacation)
Itinerary:
Day Cities Meals Description
1 Rome D After transfers and getting settled in the hotel, we will have a welcome cocktail reception, followed by a Welcome Dinner extravaganza in Rome.
2 Rome B-L-D Breakfast at your leisure in the hotel dining room. Be ready for a great day as we explore Rome. We will be shuttled to the Colosseum for a guided tour of this iconic arena. The tour also includes the Roman Forum, Arch of Constantine and the Campidoglio - the "Triumph Walk", followed by lunch together at a local trattoria. After lunch we will have some time to rest before our first CDV Bellissima™ exclusive event: We will have the Vatican Museum all to ourselves during a private, after-hours tour that concludes with a rare look inside the Sistine Chapel. This is a very special experience as we literally will be the only group admitted. After this amazing experience, we will have dinner at a local restaurant just a short walk from the Vatican museum.
3 Rome B-L-D Breakfast at your leisure in the hotel dining room before we leave for a guided visit of some of the most iconic monuments in Rome such as The Spanish Steps and the Trevi Fountain. We will then transfer by bus to where our walking tour continues along to the Pantheon and the picturesque Piazza Navona with it’s beautiful fountains and street vendors. We’ll also be visiting the famous street markets in Campo de’ Fiori. Here, you can stroll and visit local vendors selling everything from artisanal foods to souvenirs, amongst the many stall of fresh produce and beautiful flowers. After our busy morning, we will enjoy a relaxing lunch at a restaurant close to the Piazza. After lunch, you can either come back to the hotel for some time to relax, pack up for our transfer to Florence tomorrow - or explore more of Rome on your own. Maybe take a walk down the famous “Via del Corso” shopping district, or the eclectic Trastevere area. Dinner tonight will be another CDV Bellissima™ exclusive experience: Tonight, we will have a very unique dinner in a countryside villa on the outskirts of Rome. We’ll have a lovely evening drinking local wines, dining on regional foods, listening to music and relaxing together in this beautiful setting.
4 Rome > Montepulciano > Florence B-L-D Today we will transfer to Florence, but on our way, our third CDV Bellissima™ event: Weather permitting, we will stop for a private lunch in private vineyard in Tuscany, hosted by the owners of the vineyard. If the weather is not cooperating, we move the lunch to their historic 15th century wine cellar! This centuries-old cellar is widely accepted as one of the most beautiful wine cellars in the world. Lunch will be in their private tasting room.We then continue to Florence with some time to relax before heading to dinner at a small, farm-to-table restaurant.
5 Florence, Chianti B-L-D Today, we have yet another CDV Bellissima™ exclusive event: We will visit a tiny hamlet in the Tuscan hills to meet our host, Simone and his family. Not only do they make excellent limited-production Chianti wines, they also raise Chianina cows whose beef is used to make the famous Bistecca Fiorentina steak. This is a private and immersive experience very far away from tourists. We will dine on the Bistecca Fiorentina along with freshly baked pizza bread straight from the wood-burning oven and grill, all while enjoying our wine in the informal setting amongst the backdrop of their Tuscan vineyard and olive orchard. After lunch, we will head back to Florence for a guided tour of the Galleria dell’ Academia. Here, we’ll get an up close and personal look and insight into one of the most spectacular and famous artistic masterpieces in all the world - Michelangelo’s David. Tonight dinner in another unique local restaurant in the heart of Florence.
6 Florence > Venice B-L-D Today We’ll be traveling first class on the high-speed rail line from Florence to the Venice Santa Lucia Station. We will have a special packed lunch on the train together. As we exit the station, we'll get our first glimpse of the famous Grand Canal and what life in Venice is all about! There will be no doubt as to why the entire city is an UNESCO World Heritage Site! Take some time to rest or walk around Venice on your own before we meet up for aperitivi and a special dinner together in Venice.
7 Venice B-L-D After breakfast, we will have an exclusive and private visit with a premier artisan builder or “Squero” of some of the many famous gondolas in Venice. We’ll see how gondola are built from someone who is a third-generation family gondola builder. Lunch together in a local Trattoria, followed by a private tour of Venice including the famous San Marco square and Doge's Palace and some free time for shopping. Finally, after our very special and exclusive day, we will have some time to rest and freshen up before our CDV Traditions™ Farewell Dinner all together.
8 Venice Airport B Sadly, our week comes to a close this morning. We will offer transfers to the Airport the Venice Airport until we meet again :-).

Dates

This itinerary is available anytime for private groups of more than 12 people, and can be customized to your group's needs. Look for this itinerary on our public calendar in the near future.

Pricing

For private groups the price will vary depending on group size. Please contact us for a quote. When this is placed on our public calendar, fixed pricing will be available.

Inclusions

Things we include that you may not expect:

  • Tour Concierge Service
    dedicate person other than the host that is always there with us to take care of our special needs, whatever they may be.
  • Boutique accommodations: The small, beautiful, family run places.
  • Welcome fruit and unique CDV gift in your room on the 1st night we arrive at each new accommodations.
  • Advance Luggage transfer between locations so your luggage is waiting for you in your room when you arrive (1 Bag per person)
  • We take care of all local tipping of local guides, hotel staff and restaurants.
  • A hassle-free guarantee that we will never guide you into a tourist trap shopping experience.
  • A hassle-free guarantee that we will never surprise you with add-on "options".
  • All meals are included as per itinerary, although you are always free to go it on your own at any time.
  • Local wines are included with all lunches and dinners.
  • All transportation on 1st class motor-coaches or 1st class rail
  • WIFI on all motor-coaches and rail (where cellular service is available)
  • Activities when on motor-coach, such as "Italian Language Classes" and many other fun activities.
  • CDV Travel Kit

Things we do not include, just to be clear

  • Transportation to Rome before the tour and from Venice after the tour
  • Hard Alcohol
  • Purchases personal in nature (gifts, medications, etc.)
  • Any food or drink no listed on our itinerary.