Italian Dream Discovery

Your Italian adventure begins the moment you land in Venice. A private English-speaking assistant meets you at the arrivals terminal and escorts you to your private water taxi for a spectacular transfer to your hotel along the legendary Grand Canal — renowned as the most beautiful avenue in the world. As you glide through the water, your guide points out iconic monuments, palaces and charming smaller canals that weave through the city's vibrant neighbourhoods. Check in to the Ruzzini Palace Hotel – a beautifully restored 18th-century historic building set in Campo Santa Maria Formosa, one of Venice's oldest and most atmospheric squares.

Venice is a city like no other, and today you will discover its very best with your own private expert guide. After being collected from your hotel, you head to the elegant Piazza San Marco, surrounded by magnificent buildings from the ancient republic. The shimmering golden mosaics of St. Mark’s Basilica are sure to take your breath away. Continue through the historic Castello district to the great square of Santa Maria Formosa, passing the Marco Polo House before reaching the iconic Rialto Bridge, where panoramic views of the Grand Canal stretch before you. Your included 1-hour private Grand Canal boat tour and 3-hour private guided walking tour give you an intimate feel for this incomparable city.

Today you bid arrivederci to Venice and transfer in style to Rome. Your English-speaking assistant meets you at the hotel for a private water taxi transfer to Venice Santa Lucia railway station, where your included first-class train tickets await for the scenic 4-hour journey south to Rome. Upon arrival at Roma Termini, a private English-speaking driver meets you for a direct transfer to your hotel. Check in to Palazzo Velabro — a beautifully remodelled 18th-century mansion in the heart of Rome, perfectly positioned to celebrate both ancient and modern Rome, with an outdoor terrace offering breathtaking views of the Roman Forum. The rest of the day is at your leisure to begin exploring Rome’s extraordinary streets.

This morning your private English-speaking driver transfers you directly to the Colosseum for one of the most spectacular days of your journey. With your skip-the-line entrance tickets already in hand, bypass the queues and step straight into one of the world’s greatest monuments. Your private licensed English-speaking guide brings the ancient world to life in vivid detail — the emperors, gladiators, aristocrats and wild beasts that once inhabited this extraordinary arena. From the Colosseum, continue to the adjacent Roman Forum, the beating heart of ancient Roman political, religious and commercial life, and the Palatine Hill, from where legendary emperors once gazed out over their empire. This 3-hour private tour is an unmissable journey through the very foundations of Western civilisation.

Today you explore the Vatican — the world’s smallest sovereign state and one of its greatest repositories of art and faith. Your private driver transfers you directly to the Vatican Museums, where your skip-the-line tickets mean you walk straight in. Your qualified English-speaking expert guide leads you through one of the world’s most treasured art collections, past centuries of masterpieces and highlights that no visitor should miss. Nestled among the Vatican’s astonishing marvels is the world-famous Sistine Chapel, where Michelangelo’s breathtaking ceiling fresco continues to move every person who stands beneath it. Finally, your guide escorts you into the magnificent St. Peter’s Basilica, where Michelangelo’s Pietà and the soaring dome of the Roman Catholic Church leave a lasting impression. Skip-the-line entrance tickets for all three sites are included.

Today you leave Rome behind and head south towards the Sorrentine Peninsula. Your private English-speaking driver collects you from the hotel for the transfer, with an included 4-hour stop in Pompeii — one of the world’s most remarkable archaeological sites. Begin with a visit to a charming winery situated close to the excavations, where you will enjoy a guided tour of the vineyards, the cellar and the Museum of Wine, followed by a traditional lunch with wine pairing. Then your private licensed guide leads you through the haunting ruins of Pompeii itself — the prosperous Roman city frozen in time by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. Walk through preserved streets, houses, forums and temples, and understand how this vibrant civilisation was suddenly and dramatically buried. Your skip-the-line entrance tickets are included. After the tour, continue to Sorrento and check in to the magnificent Hotel Corallo, a seaside cliff property with stunning views of the Gulf of Naples and Mount Vesuvius.

Today is one of the most spectacular days of your entire journey. Your private English-speaking driver meets you in the hotel lobby for a full 8-hour tour along the legendary Amalfi Coast — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the most beautiful stretches of coastline in the world. Traverse the mesmerising ‘Divine Coast,’ stopping at panoramic viewpoints for stunning photo opportunities. Your first stop is Positano, a jewel of a village tumbling down the cliffside to the sea, its Mediterranean-white houses draped in vivid bougainvillea. Next, you arrive in Amalfi, a charming small Italian town surrounded by dramatic landscapes where you have free time to explore the labyrinthine streets and admire the magnificent facade of the Cathedral of Saint Andrew. Finally, ascend to the elegant hilltop village of Ravello, beloved of poets, philosophers and artists, and enjoy relaxed moments in its picturesque square while drinking in one of the most breathtaking panoramas on the entire coast.

Today you discover one of Sorrento’s most delightful secrets — its legendary lemon gardens. Join a private guided tour of a traditional Lemon Garden to learn about the cultivation and production of Sorrento’s famous lemons, celebrated for their thick skin and intensely fragrant essential oils. The tour is followed by a wonderful tasting of locally produced limoncello, orange and lemon marmalades, cheese from Provolone del Monaco, lemon and orange scented olive oil, honey and biscuits. As the day draws to a close, your unique farm-to-table dining experience begins: a private 3-course dinner (beverages not included) is served at a magical setting surrounded by a grove of 8,000 lemon trees — a truly unforgettable farewell dinner in one of the world’s most beautiful places.

After a final leisurely morning soaking up Sorrento’s extraordinary atmosphere — perhaps a last espresso on the terrace overlooking the Gulf of Naples — your private English-speaking driver meets you at the hotel lobby for a direct transfer to Naples International Airport. It is time to bid a fond farewell to Italy, carrying with you the memories of gondola rides on the Grand Canal, the awe of standing in the Colosseum, the wonder of the Sistine Chapel, the silence of Pompeii’s ancient streets, and the sheer beauty of the Amalfi Coast. Arrivederci, Italia — until we meet again.