Venice to Rome by Rail + Sorrento and the Amalfi Coast

Your Italian adventure begins in the magical city of Venice. Arrive at your leisure and join your trip leader for a welcome meeting at 6pm at the hotel. If you arrive early, take the opportunity to explore the city's maze of canals and narrow passageways. In the evening, get your first taste of Venetian cuisine with an optional group dinner.

Start your day with a walking tour through the backstreets of Cannaregio, across the Rialto Bridge into Saint Mark's Square. Visit the famous Doge's Palace and take a vaporetto water bus to the San Giorgio Maggiore Bell Tower for a bird's-eye view of the city. Spend the rest of the day at your own pace, exploring the city's art galleries, museums, and artisanal shops.

Travel by high-speed train to Bologna, the capital of Emilia Romagna. Famous for its arched porticoes and culinary traditions, Bologna is a delight for food lovers. After an orientation walk, enjoy free time to explore the city. In the late afternoon, join a pasta-making demonstration and savor your own hand-made pasta for dinner.

Start your day exploring Bologna's food markets in the medieval area called Quadrilatero. Then, head to Florence by train. On arrival, join an orientation walk through the city's bustling markets and past its most important buildings. Spend the rest of the day exploring Florence at your own pace, taking in its world-class galleries, museums, and cafes.

Travel by train to Pisa, home to the iconic Leaning Tower. Your tour leader will take you on an orientation tour of the Campo dei Miracoli, which houses the Baptistery, Duomo, and Camposanta. Return to Florence at your leisure for further exploration of the city.

Catch a high-speed train to Rome, the eternal city. Upon arrival, join a guided tour of the iconic Colosseum and the Roman Forum. Spend the rest of the day exploring Rome at your own pace, perhaps stopping for an espresso at a streetside cafe or indulging in a delicious gelato.

Spend the day exploring Rome at your own pace. Visit the Vatican, the 'city within a city', and marvel at the Sistine Chapel's magnificent frescoes. In the evening, meet your new trip leader and fellow travelers for the next part of your journey to Naples, Amalfi, and Sorrento.

Enjoy another day in Rome. Visit the Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple dedicated to all the Gods, and the Galleria Borghese, one of the premier museums in Rome. If you're a food lover, don't miss the Testaccio Market, one of the best places to sample Rome's diverse cuisine and excellent street food.

Travel by fast train to Naples, a city of diverse contrasts. After a short orientation tour, enjoy a traditional Neapolitan pizza for lunch. In the afternoon, take a charter bus to Mount Vesuvius for a trip to its volcanic crater. From there, it's a short journey to your hotel in Pompeii.

Start your day with a guided walking tour of the archaeological site of Pompeii. In the afternoon, take the inland route across the hills to the Amalfi Coast, visiting the tranquil town of Ravello en route. Continue on to your hotel in the small resort town of Maiori.

Head out on foot from your hotel along the spectacular Sentiero Dei Limoni (Path of the Lemons) to the neighboring village of Minori. From there, catch a ferry along the coast to Amalfi. Spend the rest of the day exploring Amalfi or relaxing on the beach.

Take the Amalfi Coast road to Sorrento, a spectacular route with incredible views. Upon arrival in Sorrento, visit a local lemon grove to learn about the cultivation of the famous lemons of the region and enjoy a tasting of home-made lemon products including flavoured olive oils and limoncello.

Today, you have the option to visit the island of Capri. Take a hydrofoil ferry from the Port of Sorrento to the island and explore its main sights, including the Villa San Michele and the Villa Jovis. Alternatively, you can take a boat to the famed Blue Grotto, a sea cave with bright blue waters.

The trip ends after breakfast at our hotel in Sorrento. There are no activities planned today, so you are free to depart at any time. If your flight is departing later in the day, luggage storage facilities are available at our hotel.