Rome, Tuscany & Cinque Terre

Welcome to Rome! On arrival, you will be collected at the airport and transferred to our hotel. The remainder of the day is at leisure.

Today we explore Vatican City, home to the Pope and technically an independent country - another one you can tick off your list!

Departing the hotel after breakfast, we'll enjoy a guided tour of the Vatican's museums and galleries with 'skip the line' tickets. Take in the Gallery of Tapestries, the beautifully decorated frescoes of Raphael's Rooms, and of course, the Sistine Chapel. We can also admire the stunning St Peter's Basilica from the outside. This iconic landmark dominates the Vatican and is one of the largest Christian churches in the world, as well as being the pinnacle of Renaissance architecture. It is allegedly where Saint Peter was buried and titans of Italian design including Donato Bramante and Michelangelo had a hand in its creation. The rest of today is at leisure in Rome.

Rome - Montepulciano - Pienza - Montalcino - Siena. We depart Rome early this morning, travelling through the tranquil regions of Lazio, Umbria and Tuscany. We reach medieval Montepulciano, known for its wine and historic architecture. There is free time to explore the town and find an authentic local restaurant for lunch.

We continue to Pienza, jewel of the Val d'Orcia region. This town was the birthplace of Pope Pius II and it was here that Renaissance-era town planning was first put into place by the Pope in 1459. There's free time to explore before we arrive in Montalcino with time to wander the walls of the town's hilltop fortress. Then we enjoy an included wine tasting at Enoteca la Fortezza, one of Montalcino's most established wine bars. Regional wines will be paired with light bites and pecorino cheese. After this authentic experience, we proceed to Siena for the evening.

Siena - Greve - Poggio al Sole - San Gimignano - Siena. After breakfast we head out for a full day of exploration in the Chianti Hills. We stop first in Greve to admire the triangular-shaped plaza, and there is free time for you to take a stroll.

Moving on to Poggio al Sole, we enjoy wine tasting and a light lunch of Tuscan specialties at a local winery. You will also enjoy a guided tour of the wine cellar and learn about the production process, from grape to bottle!

Our final stop of the day is the famous UNESCO-listed town of San Gimignano. Admire the medieval buildings and the famous fortified wall, plus spend your free time enjoying local delicacies such as medieval ricciarelli (almond biscuits). We return to Siena for a second evening at leisure.

Siena - Florence - Lucca. We can't leave Siena without first exploring this medieval walled town. During our short walking tour we see the magnificent Piazza del Campo, which hosts the bi-annual "Il Palio" horse race featured in the James Bond movie 'Quantum of Solace'.

Leaving Siena, we make our way to the 'Cradle of the Renaissance', Florence. This beautiful city is home to some of Italy's finest architecture, including the beautiful Duomo, the majestic Basilica of Santa Croce and Palazzo Vecchio. You can also see the iconic replica of Michelangelo's David. We have free time to explore the centre of the city before we make our way to Lucca. Dinner is included at the hotel.

Lucca - Pisa - La Spezia. This morning we enjoy a 2-hour guided walking tour in Lucca. Passing through the city's iconic fortified walls, we take in highlights including the Piazza di San Michele, the Cathedral of San Martino and the grand Basilica of San Frediano.

Departing Lucca, our next stop is Pisa, home to the famed Leaning Tower. You will have plenty of time to admire the tower from the outside with free time in the Piazza dei Miracoli. You may choose to pay to go inside the tower, if time allows. After our visit in Pisa, we complete our drive north along the coast to La Spezia, where we spend the night.

La Spezia - Cinque Terre - La Spezia. Today we discover one of Italy's most famous destinations - Cinque Terre. A cluster of colourful villages perched on clifftops and offering some of the clearest water and lushest scenery in the Mediterranean. Our trip begins with a bus ride to Levanto and we make use of the local train network to explore some of the villages which make up Cinque Terre, each offering something unique. There's free time to wander down winding paths, admire pretty terraced vineyards and gaze out to sea from one of the many vantage points. You will also be able to find a charming restaurant in which to enjoy lunch. After several hours of exploration, we make our return to La Spezia for the evening.

La Spezia - Rapallo - Portofino - Sestri Lavante - La Spezia. Today we travel to Rapallo for an enjoyable harbourside walk, flanked by a historic medieval castle. We can also delve into some of the town's rich Roman heritage with a stroll down narrow grid-aligned streets. We then enjoy a scenic boat ride first to Santa Margherita Ligure and then onwards to glamorous Portofino.

In Santa Margherita Ligure we can admire the port and the surrounding mountains. In Portofino, we have free time to explore the colourful streets and admire the coastal views. Known for exclusive beaches, luxury boutique shopping and fine dining, it's one of Liguria's top destinations.

Returning to Rapallo, we then drive to Sestri Lavante for wine and food tasting. Then it's back to La Spezia for the night.

Our tour arrangements come to an end today after a final breakfast in the hotel.