Portrait of Italy From the Amalfi Coast to Venice
From the breathtaking Amalfi Coast to eternal Rome, through the gentle Umbrian and Tuscan countryside to timeless Venice, this wide-ranging tour showcases ancient sites, contemporary life, priceless art, and beautiful natural scenery. You’ll especially appreciate the small size of your group as you stay in unique accommodations in the Tuscan countryside and in a medieval village.
Portrait of Italy
Reserve your spot today!
Dates: April 2-17, 2024
Please note, all prices are for a standard, double room unless listed otherwise.
Deposit: $500 (per person)
From San Francisco (air-inclusive): $5,574
Land Only (transfers not included): $4,395
*Other cities listed on brochure, which can be downloaded on the overview tab of this trip. Airline prices are subject to change, and airline upgrades will be additional to the costs listed above.
Your Tour Price Includes:
- Round-trip air transportation from listed cities
- 14 nights’ accommodations in Superior First Class and First Class hotels
- 22 meals: 14 breakfasts, 8 dinners
- Extensive sightseeing as described, including all entrance fees
- Services of an Odysseys Unlimited Tour Director
- Private motorcoach transportation throughout your trip
- Luggage handling for one bag per person
- Gratuities for local guides, dining room servers, airport and hotel porters, and all drivers
- $100 frequent traveler credit towards your next Odysseys Unlimited tour ($200 after 3 tours; $300 after 10 tours)
If you would like to reserve your place on the Italy tour, fill out the reservation form on the back of the trip brochure and email it to IEtravel@ucsc.edu.
On receipt of your signed reservation form and deposit, we will, subject to availability, reserve your place on your trip.
Travel Dates: April 2-17, 2024
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Tuesday, April 2, 2024
This evening we depart the US for Italy.
Wednesday, April 3, 2024
After arriving in Naples this morning, we travel to the storied Amalfi Coast, a popular resort and our base for exploring Italy’s Campania region. Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997, the Amalfi Coast is one of the most popular and beautiful destinations in Italy. We dine at our hotel tonight, as we will throughout our stay here.
Accommodation: Hotel San Francesco, Maiori (Amalfi Coast)
(D)
Thursday, April 4, 2024
This morning we experience this breathtaking coast by sea as we cruise from our hotel to Amalfi Center (weather permitting). We pass by the Duomo (cathedral), which dominates the main piazza, and then are free to wander as we please through Amalfi’s atmospheric waterfront or browse in the small shops that surround the square. We have lunch on our own, then ascend to mountaintop Ravello, with its spectacular gardens and coastal views. It’s widely agreed that, at 1,100 feet above sea level, the view from Ravello is stunning; we can see a splendid panorama of the entire Amalfi Coast.
Accommodation: Hotel San Francesco, Maiori (Amalfi Coast)
(B, D)
Friday, April 5, 2024
Our full-day excursion begins in Pompeii, the city frozen in time by the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius in 79 CE but not excavated until 1748. The ash from this eruption literally “froze” the town in time, leaving exquisite ruins that show us how these ancient Romans lived: vivid frescoes, a forum, and one of the largest surviving Roman amphitheaters in existence. After a tour and lunch on our own here we embark on a breathtaking drive along the winding Amalfi Coast road high above the azure Mediterranean – with stops for photos and in Sorrento along the way. This 31-mile stretch of coastline from Sorrento to Salerno has inspired movies, music, and books; indeed, it is one of the most glorious drives in Europe – or anywhere, for that matter. We return to our hotel late afternoon.
Accommodation: Hotel San Francesco, Maiori (Amalfi Coast)
(B, D)
Saturday, April 6, 2024
En route to Rome today we visit the town of Montecassino, whose abbey is the mother church of the Benedictine order and a center of medieval art. A German stronghold during World War II, the hilltop abbey was destroyed by Allied bombing then rebuilt as a replica of the 17th-century original. We tour the Abbey, then continue on to the Eternal City. We arrive at our well-located hotel mid-afternoon; our tour director will lead an informal walk of the nearby area.
Accommodation: Monti Palace Hotel, Rome
(B)
Sunday, April 7, 2024
From St. Peter’s Square to the Spanish Steps, the Forum to the Trevi Fountain, Rome is filled with some of the greatest monuments, museums, and ruins in Western civilization. This morning we tour the heart of this ancient city: the 55,000-seat Colosseum, built in 72 CE to stage gladiator spectacles; and the temples of the Forum, ancient Rome’s political and legal center. The afternoon is free to explore on our own; the possibilities endless: shopping along the fashionable Via Veneto; sipping espresso in beautiful Piazza Navona; seeing the Pantheon, the city’s best preserved ancient building; tossing a coin into Trevi Fountain; or visiting any number of renowned museums and churches.
Accommodation: Monti Palace Hotel, Rome
(B)
Monday, April 8, 2024
Another morning of touring followed by a free afternoon. Today we visit the Vatican for a tour of St. Peter’s Square and Basilica, and the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican Museums. Highlights include Michelangelo’s Pieta in St. Peter’s, considered one of the greatest sculptures of all time; his frescoed ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, now restored to its original glory; and art-filled St. Peter’s itself, the most important church in all Christendom. The afternoon is free to experience Rome’s myriad of delights as we wish. For solitude, the grounds of the Villa Borghese offer a brief respite from the bustle of the city. For shopping, fabulous designer stores (and great people watching!) can be found the famed Via Veneto or the Via del Corso. And lovely Piazza Navona is the perfect spot to sit at a sidewalk café and soak up the vibrant atmosphere of this incredible city.
Accommodation: Monti Palace Hotel, Rome
(B)
Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Leaving Rome, we travel north through a pastoral landscape of gentle agricultural land bounded by mountain wilderness and dotted with traditional villages and medieval hill towns. This is Umbria, known as the “green heart of Italy.” Mid-afternoon we reach Orvieto, perched high on a plateau above a vineyard-clad plain. After we check in at our hotel in the heart of the city’s medieval quarter, our tour director leads us on an informal walking tour. Tonight we attend a simple cooking demonstration followed by dinner at Zeppelin Restaurant, a Culinary Art Institute in the heart of Orvieto’s historic district.
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Italia, Orvieto (Umbria)
(B, D)
Wednesday, April 10, 2024
This morning we embark on a guided walking tour of this dramatically set city. We visit the medieval Duomo featuring a frescoed chapel by Fra Angelico and Luca Signorelli’s masterpiece, The Last Judgment. Next we explore the formerly secret passages of Parco delle Grotte, a labyrinth of underground caves used since Etruscan times. Then the remainder of the day is free for independent exploration in this city known for its classic Orvieto white wine and its ceramics tradition dating back to the early medieval era. Today we can sample Orvieto’s Umbrian cuisine with lunch and dinner on our own.
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Italia, Orvieto (Umbria)
(B)
Thursday, April 11, 2024
Today’s excursion is to Assisi, considered a gem of an Umbrian town, where Saint Francis was born in 1182. Though the town itself is stunning, with inviting plazas, abundant flowers, buildings of white marble, and a pervasive medieval air, the highlight of our day is a tour of the famed Basilica of St. Francis, which has been fully restored after an earthquake caused serious damage to the upper church in 1997. The church is the burial place of St. Francis, and features the priceless Life of St. Francis frescoes by Giotto, depicting stories of the saint’s life and deeds. We also visit the Basilica of St. Clare, displaying perhaps the world’s most famous crucifix: the San Damiano Cross. There’s time on our own to stroll the fountain-splashed piazzas and to enjoy local specialties for lunch. We also visit Deruta, where we observe a demonstration showcasing the town’s prized hand-painted Majolica ceramics.
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Italia, Orvieto (Umbria)
(B)
Friday, April 12, 2024
Continuing our journey, today we visit walled Siena, whose ochre-colored buildings and ancient ramparts evoke the city’s medieval past. Fan-shaped Piazza del Campo is one of Europe’s greatest public squares; its Duomo, one of Italy’s finest. We set out on a guided walking tour that includes an inside visit to the Duomo, housing masterpieces by Michelangelo and Donatello, then have free time for lunch on our own and to explore as we wish.
Accommodation: Villa San Filippo, Barberino Val d’Elsa (Tuscany)
(B, D)
Saturday, April 13, 2024
A living monument to the Renaissance, Florence is the crown jewel of Tuscany. We discover this splendid city on a full-day excursion that includes a morning walking tour. Then we visit the Galleria dell’Accademia to view Michelangelo’s sublime David, as well as his pieces for the papal tombs; and the revered Duomo, with its stupendous dome by Brunelleschi. This afternoon is free to enjoy Florence as we wish. Tonight we enjoy dinner together at our hotel.
Accommodation: Villa San Filippo, Barberino Val d’Elsa (Tuscany)
(B, D)
Sunday, April 14, 2024
We encounter classic Tuscany today as we visit the hill town of San Gimignano, known for the 13 watchtowers that have left its skyline virtually unchanged since medieval times. Later we visit a local winery and enjoy a tasting served with the appropriate hors d’oeuvres. This region is best known for the Vernaccia di San Gimignano, a white wine made from grapes grown around Tuscany, and for the most well-known of all Italian wines, Chianti. Mid-afternoon, we return to our lodgings, where we have time to relax before tonight’s dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Villa San Filippo, Barberino Val d’Elsa (Tuscany)
(B,D)
Monday, April 15, 2024
Leaving Tuscany today, we travel through the Veneto region to Venice, city of drama and doges, canals and Canaletto. We arrive early this afternoon; the remainder of the day is free to explore this wondrous city on our own. Venice (and its surrounding lagoon) rank as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the world’s most atmospheric destinations.
Accommodation: Carnival Palace Hotel, Venice
(B)
Tuesday, April 16, 2024
This morning’s guided walking tour reveals a host of Venetian delights: Piazza San Marco (St. Mark’s Square), with its fantastic Basilica; the romantic Bridge of Sighs; and the Rialto district with its bustling market, among many others. Our afternoon is at leisure to enjoy this timeless city as we wish, and the options are endless. Venice is an eminently walkable city, filled with cafes and shops to explore, and riddled with its trademark canals. Take a water taxi or gondola ride, enjoy some gelato after a lunch of Venetian seafood dishes, and revel in simply wandering around this world-class floating city. This evening we gather at a local restaurant for a farewell dinner to bid “arrivederci” to Italy and to our fellow travelers.
Accommodation: Carnival Palace Hotel, Venice
(B, D)
Wednesday, April 17, 2024
We depart early this morning for our connecting flights to the U.S.
(B)
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Accommodations:
Hotel San Francesco, Maiori (Amalfi Coast) / Days 2-4 / First Class
Situated amongst orchards of citrus trees and floral gardens, the contemporary Hotel San Francesco stands across the street from the longest beachfront stretch of the Amalfi coast. The 44-room hotel features a restaurant and bar, safe deposit box, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, laundry service (for a fee), private beach with beachside bar, and a swimming pool overlooking the beach. Each air-conditioned guest room offers a private terrace and has a private bath with hair dryer, minibar, TV, and phone.
Monti Palace Hotel, Rome / Days 5-7 / Superior First Class
Sitting just a 10-minute walk from Rome’s famed Colosseum, the Monti Palace Hotel occupies a 19th-century building in the heart of the Eternal City. Amenities of this stylish and contemporary hotel include a rooftop bar with terrace overlooking the city, library bar and lounge, 24-hour fitness center, laundry services (for a fee), and complimentary Wi-Fi internet access. Air-conditioned guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, minibar, tea- and coffee-making facilities, TV, and phone.
Grand Hotel Italia, Orvieto (Umbria) / Days 8-10 / First Class
Located in Orvieto’s medieval town center, this refurbished 19th-century building with hanging gardens sits close to some of Orvieto’s key points of interest, including the Palazzo del Popolo, Moro Tower, and the Duomo. The intimate 46-room hotel also features a bar, rooftop terrace, library, complimentary Wi-Fi internet access, and laundry and dry cleaning service (for a fee). Air-conditioned guest rooms have private bath with hair dryer, in-room safe, TV, and phone.
Villa San Filippo, Barberino Val d’Elsa (Tuscany) / Days 11-13 / First Class
Located within the Chianti Hills surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, this 18th-century antique villa is a family-run country retreat, part of the Italian tradition of agriturismo, the preservation of rural ways of life. The 21-room Villa San Filippo features a Tuscan-style dining area and bar, walking gardens, safe-deposit boxes, laundry and dry cleaning services, internet access, and outdoor pool. Each air-conditioned room includes private bathroom with hair dryer, TV, and phone. There are no elevators. Please note that because of the unique nature of this family residence, room sizes vary.
Carnival Palace Hotel, Venice / Days 14-15, Extension / Superior First Class
Opened in 2012, the contemporary Carnival Palace overlooks the Cannaregio Canal in the heart of historic downtown Venice. Along with a garden and waterfront terrace bar, the 67-room hotel offers Internet access and laundry service. Guest rooms have Venetian furnishings, private bath with hair dryer, mini-bar, in-room safe, TV, and phone.
VENICE, ITALY – ON YOUR OWN
Price: $395
Single Room Supplement: $325
For 3 days and 2 nights enjoy time on your own in this most timeless of cities.
Your Tour Price Includes:
- 2 nights’ accommodations at Carnival Palace Hotel (Superior First Class)
- 2 meals: 2 breakfasts
- Transfer to airport
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