Tours around Rome
FLORENCE | Tuscany Drive and Florence City Center
A fast drive down Autostrada del Sole through Umbria and Tuscany brings you to Florence. Here you see Michelangelo's Tomb (Santa Croce) then head to the Accademia to view his most famous sculpture, "David". With pre-booked tickets (optional) you avoid the lines. Then you head to the Duomo and Baptistry, just ten minutes away. Lunch in a special Florentine setting, followed by a stroll through the piazzas and a walk over the Ponte Vecchio.
After a shopping break the afternoon continues with a drive through spectacular Chianti countryside and a stop in Orvieto.
POMPEII | and Amalfi Coast (optional)
Nothing compares to the magic and mystery of Pompeii. You view the seemingly tranquil Mt. Vesuvius and then walk among the remains of a city buried underneath 30 feet of ash during its violent eruption. A bakery, theatre, gymnasium and public bath all stand sentinels to a time and lifestyle literally sucked breathless in a split second then entombed for a thousand years.
extension to Amalfi Coast and Positano:
The dazzling turquoise water and brilliant sunshine of the bay of Naples is dramatic. Tiny, colourful villages clinging to steep cliffs high above the sea, islands and coast ablaze with lemon groves make the South unforgettable.
TIVOLI | Hadrian's Villa and the Villa d'Este
We'll drive you to the slopes of the Apennine Mountains East of Rome. Here in the fabled medieval city of Tivoli you visit two spectacular sites. The Villa d'Este is home to arguably the most spectacular fountains and gardens of the world. This palatial residence of Cardinal d'Este (son of Lucrecia Borgia) harbors over 1,000 fountains and clearly illustrates the opulent lifestyle of the Renaissance aristocracy.
Then we're off to the former country estate of the Emperor Hadrian. Ruler at the height of Rome's power and influence, Hadrian fancied himself an architect and patron of the arts. The ruins of this Villa bear witness to his talents, vision and empirical taste. These two private dream residences, separated by a thousand years, are similar in vision and grandeur.
We'll see you in Italy!