ITALY

Unforgettable Italy: A Journey to 4 Cities & Amalfi Coast

Day 1: Departure | Direct flight from Montreal (YUL) to Rome (FCO).

Day 2: Ancient Rome & The Colosseum | The Colosseum: Start your morning at this 1st-century stone arena. Imagine the 50,000–80,000 spectators who once gathered here between 72–80 AD to witness gladiator combat and wild animal hunts.

The Colosseum (Interior & Underground): Head inside the world’s largest amphitheater to explore the multi-tiered seating. Peer down into the exposed underground chambers—the "hypogeum"—where a labyrinth of tunnels and animal pens once sat hidden beneath a wooden floor.

Day 3: Vatican City Exploration | The Vatican Museums: Move into the heart of the world’s largest art complexes. Walk through the 24 galleries housing massive Roman and Greek sculptures and Renaissance masterpieces, culminating in a visit to Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel.

St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro): Step out into Bernini’s iconic Baroque Plaza. Take in the enormous oval design, the 284 columns, and the 140 statues that look down on the site of major papal addresses.

St. Peter's Basilica: Conclude your Vatican tour at this premier Renaissance church. Built over the burial site of St. Peter, you can admire the architectural genius of Michelangelo and Bernini in one of Catholicism's most sacred sites.

Day 4: Our first High-Speed Train Journey to Florence | For your first high-speed train journey to Florence, you will most likely depart from Roma Termini, Rome’s primary and largest railway hub. You will arrive at the station located in the heart of Florence, directly across from the 15th-century Santa Maria Novella Basilica.

Sightseeing Florence: The hop-on hop-off bus is an open-top, double-decker service designed to help you navigate the city's top landmarks while providing panoramic views such as the Basilica di Santa Croce and Piazzale Michelangelo, a must-see destination.

Day 5: Explore through the historic streets of Florence | The Pitti Palace is a massive 15th-century Renaissance palace located across the Arno River in Florence. It was once the residence of the Medici family, a powerful dynasty of merchants and bankers and features opulent spaces like the White Room.

The Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore:  Commonly known as the Duomo, it is Florence’s primary cathedral and a pinnacle of Gothic and Renaissance design. The site includes the main cathedral with the world’s largest dome, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the dome was engineered by Filippo Brunelleschi using revolutionary techniques that allow it to remain the largest masonry vault in the world today.

Day 6: Journey by train from Florence to Venice | Trains depart from Firenze Santa Maria Novella and arrive at the station on the historic island Venezia Mestre. The first portion of the trip involves many tunnels as the train passes through the Apennine Mountains toward Bologna. As you approach Venice, the highlight is crossing the Ponte della Libertà, a long rail bridge over the lagoon that offers your first views of the city rising from the water.

A first look at Venice reveals the Grand Canal, the city's iconic S-shaped "main street." Stretching nearly 4 km through the heart of the city, this primary waterway is constantly bustling with traditional gondolas, private water taxis (cities limousines) or the vaporetto, a public water bus system running frequent stops along the Grand Canal.

The St. Mark’s Basilica (Basilica di San Marco) and its iconic Bell Tower are the centerpieces of Piazza San Marco in Venice consecrated in 1904 the Basilica is a unique blend of Byzantine, Romanesque, and Gothic styles. The "Church of Gold": It earned this nickname for its breathtaking interior which features over 8,000 square meters of golden mosaics.

While dining at the Hard Rock Cafe in Venice, you can enjoy the views of many traditional gondolas moored and circulating directly on the canal.

Day 7: Panoramic City Tour of Murano, Torcello & Burano | Murano & Glassblowing: At the historic Ferro & Lazzarini factory (est. 1929), visitors can watch master artisans perform traditional glassblowing demonstrations to create high-quality vases, chandeliers and jewelry.

Burano & Lacemaking: Known as one of the world's most colorful places due to its brightly painted houses, Burano is home to the Martina Vidal atelier. This renowned shop and museum preserve the intricate art of handmade Burano lace, specializing in luxury linens and fashion accessories.

Day 8: Our High-Speed Train Journey from Venice to Naples | Located in southern Italy on a stunning bay, Naples is a UNESCO-listed historic city famous for its vibrant culture and culinary traditions.

Birthplace of Pizza: Naples is the home of an artisanal, protected tradition. Authentic Neapolitan pizza features soft, thin dough with high, blistered edges, quickly baked in wood-fired ovens.

Subterranean Naples: 40 meters beneath the cobblestones lies a 2,400-year-old, 450-kilometre labyrinth of tunnels and cisterns. Carved from volcanic rock, this "hidden city" evolved from Greek quarries and Roman aqueducts into WWII air-raid shelters.

Day 9: Capri Island Discovery | Capri is a mountainous limestone island in Italy’s Bay of Naples, renowned for its dramatic coastal cliffs, luxury boutiques and vibrant villages, accessible via ferry from Naples. Key highlights include the main towns of Capri and Anacapri, along with popular boat tours of the island's famous grottos.

Shops across Capri offer tastings of Limoncello, a popular Italian liqueur crafted from the island's famous citrus. The star of these treats is the Sfusato Amalfitano (Amalfi lemon), an iconic fruit recognized by its large, tapered shape and thick, fragrant rind which gives the drink its signature sweet aroma.

Day 10: Immerse yourself into the Amalfi Coast | An excursion from Naples explores the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Amalfi Coast featuring stops in Sorrento, Positano, Praiano, Amalfi and Ravello. Sorrento is highlighted as a charming cliff-top resort town serving as the premier gateway to the region.

Praiano & Ristorante Costa Diva: We enjoyed a romantic lunch at Costa Diva, a restaurant set within a lush lemon grove. The experience featured authentic Mediterranean seafood and homemade pasta with views overlooking the sea.

The Town of Amalfi: As the coast's primary hub, Amalfi balances a "real town" feel with its status as a major transportation base. Its bustling center is filled with narrow, winding streets, local artisan shops and traditional eateries.

Unique Coastal Features: Unlike typical white-sand beaches, Amalfi’s shores are characterized by dark volcanic sediments, pebbles and gravel. The landscape remains defined by its dramatic cliffs and the vibrant lemon groves that surround the town.

Day 11: Our High-Speed Train return to Rome | On our final day in Rome, we boarded the Hop-On, Hop-Off Bus to visit two of the city's most iconic Baroque landmarks including the following:

The Spanish Steps: We climbed this famous 18th-century staircase, which consists of 135 steps connecting the Piazza di Spagna to the Trinità dei Monti church. Built in the 1720s, it remains one of Rome's most popular gathering spots.

The Trevi Fountain: A short walk away, we visited Rome's largest and most famous fountain. Completed in 1762, this travertine masterpiece marks the end of an ancient aqueduct and features a dramatic statue of Oceanus. Following tradition, many visitors toss a coin into the water to ensure a future return to the Eternal City.

Day 12: Homeward Bound | Direct flight from Rome (FCO) back to Montreal (YUL).