The Best of Italy (LB)

11 days from Rome to Rome

2025 Tour Details View 2024 Tour Details »

Layered like a slice of decadent tiramisu, Italy’s classic coffee and cocoa dessert, this satisfying tour of Italy is filled with its sweetest cities for a rich and rewarding vacation. How do you top the history, wonder, and charisma of Rome? With the world-class art of Florence, the alluring romance of Venice, the quiet serenity of Assisi, the historical fascination of Pompeii, and the pure indulgence of Capri. The satiating fun continues as you enter the vine-clad Tuscan hills famous for its signature Chianti wine—and speed across the glittering Bay of Naples to the citrus-scented town of Sorrento renowned for its locally produced Limoncello liqueur. You’ll have the opportunity to snap creative photos at the Leaning Tower of Pisa and devour more magnificent architecture—and artful cuisine—throughout this multi-tiered tour of Italy.

Small-Group Discovery Dates Available

Select Globus 2021 Europe tours are limited to an average of just 24 guests per tour. There’s always room to roam with extra space between you and other travelers—while still getting up close and personal to the experiences you’ve been dreaming of. Small-Group Discoveries include all the features of a traditional Globus European tour, complete with expert Tour Director, Driver, and Local Guides who ensure that your health and safety is our top priority. A Small-Group Discovery Europe vacation is the perfectly sized tour—without the crowds.

We’ve packed everything you need for the perfect vacation—from hand-selected hotels and dining to the friendly expertise of Globus Tour Directors and Local Guides (with headsets to hear every word), to seamless transportation between destinations and VIP access to the world’s most iconic sites! Touring by private, first-class, air-conditioned motorcoach with free Wi-Fi.

* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.

Dates & Prices Book Online

800.268.3636

Photo Highlights

Meals

Meals & Itinerary

Full buffet breakfast daily, 5 three-course dinners

Itinerary

Day 1 ARRIVE IN ROME, ITALY

Welcome to Rome! At 5 pm, meet your Tour Director and travel companions for a welcome dinner at a local restaurant.

ROME-SKYLINE.jpg

Dinner

Day 2 ROME

When in Rome ROME Guided sightseeing includes the Vatican Museums, Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter’s Square and Basilica to admire Michelangelo’s Pietà. Visit the Colosseum and see the Roman Forum. Free time this afternoon and evening.*

* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDARY LIVES Stand in awe and wonder amid one of mankind’s greatest artistic achievements in the Sistine Chapel. Hear how in 1508, a young Michelangelo was commissioned by Pope Julius II to decorate the chapel’s ceiling – a request not welcomed by the 33-year-old sculptor. Michelangelo’s 4-year project was indeed one of physical pain and psychological distress, while painting from scaffolds high above the sanctuary floor. Nevertheless, he created what is considered the most famous ceiling in the world, depicting the Creation of Adam in striking fresco style.

ROME-COLOSSEUM.jpg

Breakfast

Day 3 ROME–ORVIETO–MONTECATINI

Miracles and Men of the Cloth ROME Scenic drive en route to Orvieto.*
ORVIETO An orientation tour includes the cathedral with free time to visit San Brizio Chapel. Enjoy free time for lunch before departing for Montecatini.
199 mi / 320 km

* For operational reasons, schedule changes for the Rome program cannot be excluded.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORY & MYSTERY Orvieto’s Cathedral is perched atop a volcanic hill in stunning style that features a large rose window, golden mosaics, and massive bronze doors. Inside, its frescoed chapels are adorned with spectacular works such as the Judgement Day, the coronation of Mary, the Pietà created by the great artist Scalza, and a spectacular organ with 5,585 pipes. Here, a blood-stained relic cloth is stored in the Chapel of the Corporal, remembrance of the 1263 miracle of Bolsena – when a priest who doubted his faith witnessed the Communion Host begin to bleed onto the altar cloth.

ORVIETO-CITY.jpg

Breakfast

Day 4 MONTECATINI. EXCURSION TO FLORENCE

Italian Beauties FLORENCE Guided sightseeing includes Michelangelo’s masterpiece, David, at the Academy of Fine Arts, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistry’s heavy bronze “Gates of Paradise,” and Signoria Square. Taste a traditional gelato. Free time this afternoon.
81 mi / 130 km

LOCAL FAVORITE
LOCAL TASTES After seeing some of the world’s most magnificent architecture and Rennaissance masterpieces in Florence, your day gets even sweeter with a mouth-watering masterpiece in the birthplace of Italian gelato. We can thank the actual Renaissance man - designer and architect Bernardo Buontalenti - who invented gelato in 16th-century Florence. Created with less fat and less air than commercial ice cream, gelato is a dense, creamy, frozen confection served in a multitude of tastes. Not an easy decision in how you’ll fill your cup or cone!

FLORENCE-DUOMO-THROUGH-WINDOW.jpg

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 5 MONTECATINI–PISA–VENICE ISLAND

The Tilted Tower PISA See the Leaning Tower en route to Venice. Free time for dinner.
249 mi / 400 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ART & ARCHITECTURE See architecture gone askew from the viewpoint of the Piazza dei Miracoli in Pisa. Take the ultimate selfie in front of the Leaning Tower with a tilt of the head or other popular poses to commemorate your visit to this hub of European medieval art in Pisa’s beautiful piazza.

PISA-LEANING-TOWER.jpg

Breakfast

Day 6 VENICE ISLAND

Benvenuti a Venezia VENICE ISLAND Take a private boat ride on the canals. Guided walking tour to see St. Mark’s Square and Basilica, Doge’s Palace and the Bridge of Sighs followed by a glassblowing demonstration. Free time this afternoon and evening.

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
HISTORIC SPOT Locals simply call Piazza San Marco “la piazza.” As paired with the smaller Piazzetta, it forms the social, religious, and political hub of Venice, which Napoleon called “the drawing room of Europe.” St. Mark’s Basilica dominates the square, offering visitors a spectacular view of the great arches, marble embellishments, and the Romanesque carvings of its façade. Also gracing the square is Doge’s Palace – a masterpiece of Venetian Gothic architecture. The enclosed Bridge of Sighs, connecting the palace with the prison, is named for the prisoners breathing in their last view of the Rio di Palazzo on their walk to the prison’s interrogation rooms.

VENICE-GONDOLA.jpg

Breakfast

Day 7 VENICE ISLAND–ASSISI

Medieval Marvels Scenic drive through the Apennine Mountains en route to Assisi.
ASSISI Guided walking tour includes St. Clare’s Church and St. Francis’ Basilica.
267 mi / 430 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
ICONIC FOOTSTEPS Walk in the footsteps of St. Francis of Assisi with a visit to the Basilica named after the deacon, friar, and mystic, who became one of the most venerated religious figures in Christianity. Revered for his love of the Eucharist and the Earth, Francis found communion with God through nature here in this Italian village where he lived and died. Marvel at the magnificent frescoes by Italian master Giotto that adorn the Basilica where the Saint is buried.

ASSISI-SAINT-FRANCIS-BASILICA.jpg

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 8 ASSISI–POMPEII–NAPLES–CAPRI

Time Standing Still in Pompeii POMPEII Join a guided walking tour of the excavations followed by free time for lunch.
NAPLES Embark on a jetfoil ride to the island of Capri.
CAPRI Take a funicular ride from the harbor to Capri village.
292 mi / 470 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
LEGENDS & LORE The fascinating archaeological site of Pompeii is a treasured glimpse into Roman life near the Bay of Naples. This once thriving and sophisticated Roman city was consumed by the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 A.D., with its residents and structures buried beneath inescapable ash and stone. See the preserved site of excavated ruins that reveal remarkable frescoes, artwork, and artifacts within its streets and the dwellings of the people who perished here.

POMPEII-CITY-VIEW.jpg

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 9 CAPRI

Coves & Cliffs on the Clear Blue Sea CAPRI Guided sightseeing includes a visit famous Villa San Michele. Take a scenic cruise (weather permitting) around the island. Free time this afternoon and evening.

LOCAL FAVORITE
PICTURE PERFECT Visit stunning Villa San Michele perched high above the breathtaking Bay of Naples. Swedish physician Axel Munthe dedicated much of his life to the construction of the villa and surrounding gardens. His masterpiece, the Story of San Michele, recounts of his wish for a “house open to the sun and wind and the voice of the sea, like a Greek temple, and light, light, light everywhere!” Follow your visit to the villa with a spectacular cruise around the isle of Capri.

CAPRI-VIEW.jpg

Breakfast

Day 10 CAPRI–SORRENTO–ROME

Arrivederci, Roma CAPRI Embark on a jetfoil ride to Sorrento.
SORRENTO Enjoy free time.
ROME Join a farewell dinner at a local restaurant.
174 mi / 280 km

TOUR HIGHLIGHT
CULTURAL GEMS Just as the sirens of Greek mythology lured sailors to the rocky shores of Sorrento, we are drawn to its alluring panoramas, bistros, and boutiques. Take a seat in a sidewalk cafe to peruse the picturesque panoramas on the Bay of Naples.

SORRENTO-MARINA.jpg

Breakfast

Dinner

Day 11 ROME

Safe travels until we meet again! Your vacation ends with breakfast this morning.

ROME-CAFE.jpg

Breakfast

Tour Director

With GLOBUS, there’s no better way to get to know your destination than through the eyes of a Tour Director. We’d like you to meet one of our Tour Directors, who average over a decade of experience and are representative of the type of expert that will be with you on your vacation.

SABINA KULENOVIC

Escorting tours for more than 15 years

“I was born in Sarajevo, in a multicultural environment, but grew up and live in Italy. Writers have said: "One life is not enough to discover all the treasures that Italy hides," I'm still working on it, and I take the passengers with me on this extraordinary exploration. We do this through the people we meet, through the language and dialects we listen to, through the traditional food we eat, through the cities, medieval little towns and amazing landscapes that surround our journeys... when we go back home we are not the same, there is so much new to share and talk about!”

Accommodations

Optional Excursions

No matter what you’re into: food, wine, history, art, music or anything else, we give you the freedom to personalize your vacation with optional excursions that speak to your interests.

When you book your excursions with us, you can be assured that every optional excursion that we offer coordinates with the free time that you'll have in your destination, so you'll never have conflicts between included and optional activities. Our team of travel experts carefully selects each optional excursion that we offer to ensure that you receive the highest quality at a great value. Our tried-and-true partners have a finger on the pulse of the city in which they operate so they deliver the very best experiences. We offer experiences you cannot create on your own and because you’re booking with us, we coordinate all your transportation and timing needs.

The following optional excursions are examples only for this vacation. These may or may not be offered, and availability is subject to days of operation and seasonality. Please select a departure date to view optional excursions and pricing for a specific date (due to currency fluctuation, pricing shown is subject to change until purchased). Optional excursions are available for purchase on our MyGlobus site 90 days prior to the tour start date.

Price Ranges

$ ($50 CAD and under)
$$ ($51 - $100 CAD)
$$$ ($101 - $150 CAD)
$$$$ (Over $150)

Rome

Montecatini

Venice

Rome

Roman Highlights

Join your Local Guide for a tailor-made itinerary featuring some of the city's authentic jewels. A lifetime experience!

Price Range: $$

Montecatini

Traditional Dinner at a Tuscan Farm

Head into the breathtaking Tuscan countryside for a traditional dinner of regional specialties at a real Italian farmhouse.

Price Range: $$$

Highlights of Uffizi Gallery

Come face-to-face with the world's greatest masterpieces when you skip the long lines and head right into the Uffizi Gallery on this extraordinary guided tour!

Price Range: $$

Venice

Venetian Dinner

The magic of Venice comes to life as you enjoy an unforgettable evening at one of the city's most celebrated local restaurants.

Price Range: $$$

Lagoon Cruise and Meal in Burano

Experience the floating city from the water as you cruise along the lagoon to charming Burano Island for a delicious meal and time to explore.

Price Range: $$$

Gondola

When in Rome, do as the Romans -- and when in Venice, head right for the gondolas! Hop aboard a traditional gondola for a ride through the magical Venetian canals

Price Range: $$

Private Touring

Private Touring: Globus European Private Touring enables you to experience all of the attractions, sights and highlights of your selected Globus tour as a private experience - delivered just for you and your traveling party. With Private Touring, you'll have your own dedicated Tour Director, your own private transportation and driver, and your own professional local guides. All with greater flexibility in pace and your experience.

For your selected tour, there will be additional per-person cost for the size of your party - from 1 to 24. This additional supplement is reduced with each traveler you add to your party.

Here's a sample of the additional cost:

6 guests in a party: $3,409*
18 guests in a party: $948*

Contact Globus or your preferred travel agent for pricing for your specific party size as well as any other information on Globus Private Touring.

* Supplement pricing is per person (CA) and will be added to the standard published price for your given departure date and is based on availability. Supplement price is valid for 2020 and 2021 travel years. Occasionally some included and optional activities & excursions may be operated with other guests. Additional restrictions may apply. Not applicable for custom groups. No Group allowances or promotions are available on Private Touring. Published itineraries only. Note that blackout dates may exist where the Private Touring option is not available.

The “Starting at” or listed price is based on the lowest price available to book. Price is per person based on twin occupancy and any applicable port charges, non-commissionable taxes and fees and intra-vacation flight are included in the price shown. Any included overnight stay in Canada, applicable GST/HST is also included in the price shown. International airfare, however, is not included. If price is crossed out, the new price shown includes a limited time promotional offer(s). Please review current promotions or deals for additional information.

View Ebrochure | Sign Up for Travel Deals