Day 1 - 3 Rome  

Arrive at any time and enjoy the lively city of Rome. Enjoy the local architecture or get a taste of Italy by relaxing at one of its many typical bars or cafes.  Book accommodation for 3 nights.

Day 4 Siena  

Travel from Rome to Siena (estimated travel time: 3 hours), one of Italy's best preserved medieval towns. Wander the streets and enjoy the many treasures of its Romanesque and Gothic architecture. Stay overnight.

Day 5 – 6 Florence  

Take a local bus and head to Florence (estimated travel time: 1.5 hours). Explore the Tuscan capital that inspired the fathers of Italian Art - Cimabue and Giotto. It is the birthplace of the Italian language (Dante Aliguieri) and the Italian Renaissance. Book accommodation for 2 nights.

Introduction

Italy has the richest collection of ancient buildings, museums, art and culture in Europe, with an amazing history to match.

Best time to visit is from March-May, September-November for sightseeing, May-September for beach resorts, Jan-March for skiing, from June-Aug  it gets very hot and crowded.

Must see - The cities of Rome, Venice, Florence, Verona and some stunning scenery around northern lakes, rolling hills of Tuscany or dramatic cliffs of Amalfi coast.


The Best of Italy Tour

14 days Itinerary from Rome to Venice

Recommended transportation: Italy is best discovered by car, if you don’t mind crazy fast Italian drivers. Trains and buses in Italy are efficient and inexpensive.

  Best of Italy

The Best Of Italy

Day 7 Lucca 

Cinque Terre  Travel by train to the beautiful little Tuscan town of Lucca (estimated travel time: 1 hour) . Spend the day in this Tuscan town and get to know Le piazzas, towers and churches of this walled city. Don’t miss a stop in Pisa and it’s famous leaning tower. Continue by train to Cinque Terre (estimated travel time: 1 hour). Book 2 nights accommodation in one of the villages.

Day 8 Cinque Terre  

It  represent one of the best preserved natural and semi-natural areas of the Mediterranean. Five little villages are built into the rocks between the beach and the hills. Hike, swim, drink wine, and watch amazing Mediterranean sunsets. Follow the centuries old footpaths and mule tracks that lead through olive groves, vineyards, orchards and chestnut woods. Walking the entire path  takes approximately 6 hours. 

Italy Recommended Links

                                                                                              Enit.it Official Italian Government tourist board.
Ultimate Italy  provides excellent information about Italy
Musei on line A guide to Italy's museums (in Italian)    

                                                                                             

Transportation
Air One Scheduled and charter airline based in Rome.
Alitalia Italy's flag airline.
Aeroporti di Roma Airport Rome provides information on both Fiumicino and Rome Ciampino airports.
Trenitalia Italy's Railway.
Ferrovie Turistiche FTI - Italian Touristics Railways - Italy by historical railways.

Trains www.ferroviedellostato.it

Buses in Italy www.sena.it

Autostrade  Italy by car.


Festivals and event not to Miss in Italy

Venice Not to be missed - Fiesta del Redentore organises the fireworks that light the Venice sky in the most stunning setting of Venetian lagoon filled with decorated gondolas and boats. The following day there are regattas, rowing competitions and special services in the Redentore church on the Giudecca island.

Venezia Suona - As part of the European Fête de la Musique day, the city of Venice organizes free concerts. From  rock to folk, classical and jazz, the whole of the city is filled with music. Website: Venezia Suona Website (Italian) 

Verona Opera Festival Organized in the Roman amphitheater in July and August, Verona’s open-air opera festival, is the once in a lifetime experience. Websites: Verona Arena Website Or Arena di Verona Website

Opera Festival in Florence and Tuscany It takes place in Florence at Boboli Gardens and Villa Medici of Cafaggiolo and in Siena at San Galgano Abbey. Website: Opera Festival Website

Tuscany - Puccini Festival, from June to August, is held in the composer’s honor in his city of birth Torre del Lago, at an outdoor venue overlooking Lake Massaciuccoli, in Tuscany, Italy. Website:www.puccinifestival.it

Rossini Opera Festival in the town of Pesaro rossinioperafestival.it 

Venice Film Festival & Historic Regatta

Held in August and September in Lido di Venezia is by far the oldest film festival still in existence today. Website:  www.labiennale.org/it/  At the same time, The Historic Regatta, 13th-century boats, can be seen in Canal Grande, on the first Sunday of September. The Burano Regatta is the last Venetian regatta of the season takes place around Burano, starting at the northern end of the nearby island of Sant'Erasmo.

Florence and Tuscany – Culture, perfumes and wines

This month Florence offers something for every taste, from free Jazz in Piazza Annunziata (Jazz in Florence Website) , fragrances (showcases the most exclusive creations in the field of artistic perfumery and is the only event of its kind in Europe) held in the elegant gardens of Palazzo Corsini, Mostra Mercato Internazionale dell'Antiquariato, the oldest antiques show in Italy  in Palazzo Corsini, Lungarno Corsini as well as the Festa della Rificolona (Festival of Lanterns), a cultural event that take place in Piazza Annunziata, along the Arno River and in all four quarters of the city.

Greve Chianti Classico Festival

Chianti Grape Harvest Festival (Festa del Uva in Impruneta, Italy in September (final Sunday of every September) are two wine festivals not to be missed.

 La Giostra della Stella. Four neighborhoods in the nearby town of Bagno a Ripoli compete in a tournament that incorporates everything from a three-legged race to feats of skill on galloping horses. Citizens parade in Renaissance costumes. Fireworks conclude the festivities. Bagno a Ripoli is 15 minutes from Florence by car.

Carnival in Venice, once in the lifetime magical experience in one of the most romantic cities in the world.  Official site www.carnevale.venezia.it/

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Venice

Tuscany

Florence

Rome

Amalfi Coast

Italy

Milan

Verona

Best of Europe

Cinque Terre

Day 9—11 Milano

Take the train to Milano (estimated travel time; 4 hours). Visit this beautiful and classy city. Book accommodation for 3 nights.

Day 10 Como 

Just half an hour, north of Milan, Como is the gate way to Lago Di Como. Take a boat and explore Bellagio, and other places on the lake.

Day 12 Verona - Venice  

Take a train to a romantic city of Verona (estimated travel time: 1.5 hour). Continue to Venice by train (estimated travel time: 2 hours). Book accommodation for 3 nights.

Day 12 - 14 Venice  

Venice is one of the few cities in the world that can be truly described as unique. The city is embellished with monuments of rare splendor that today make it a tourist attraction like none other in the entire world.