Italy Off-The-Beaten-Tracks: One Week Driving/Guided Trip in Small Group!
Rome, Italy
Overview
This multi-days tour is what every traveller dreaming of an off-the-beaten-tracks trip to Italy should book to!
The size of the group (maximum 8 passengers, minimum 4) allow us to put the utmost care and personalized attention as if the tour was private.
The accommodations are choosen among a range of unique and characteristic properties in the most authentic and untouched areas just at the gates of cities like Rome, Florence and Venice, to let you feel and breath the real Italian life-style.
But what will really make the difference with ANY other similar trip you may find here around, is the presence of an expert and knowledgeable driver-guide who is able to accommodate your requests, to customize the Itinerary in many ways to fit your desires and that - no need to say - knows the secrets of each area you are visiting, the best restaurants, the less crowdy wineries, the most panoramic paths...
The size of the group (maximum 8 passengers, minimum 4) allow us to put the utmost care and personalized attention as if the tour was private.
The accommodations are choosen among a range of unique and characteristic properties in the most authentic and untouched areas just at the gates of cities like Rome, Florence and Venice, to let you feel and breath the real Italian life-style.
But what will really make the difference with ANY other similar trip you may find here around, is the presence of an expert and knowledgeable driver-guide who is able to accommodate your requests, to customize the Itinerary in many ways to fit your desires and that - no need to say - knows the secrets of each area you are visiting, the best restaurants, the less crowdy wineries, the most panoramic paths...
What's Included
Lunch
2 nights in Rome area at a 3* or higher category Hotel with Breakfast included
2 nights in Florence area at a 3* or higher category Hotel with Breakfast included
2 nights in Venice area at a 3* or higher category Hotel with Breakfast included
Private Guides at Vatican Museums, Florence and Venice as per Itinerary
Skip-the-line Admissions at the Vatican Museums (Rome) and Accademia Gallery (Florence)
Tours and Transfer are all Private for your small group!
Dinner (6)
Gratuities
Meals and beverages not mentioned in the program
Travel Insurance
Departure & Return
What To Expect
Itinerary
Day 1
ARRIVAL IN ROME AIRPORT, GROUP MEETING AND "ROME BY NIGHT" TOUR WITH DINNER!
11 Stops
Upon arrival at Rome FCO Airport, meet your Private Driver and get a transfer to your Hotel in the Rome countryside, enjoying the drive along a landscape of green hills, lovely lakes and ancient villages.
Check in at your Hotel and take a rest in the afternoon, or spend your time to meet the rest of your Small Group.
Admission Ticket Free
The first stop of your "Rome by Night Tour with Pizza and Gelato" is at the gorgeous Pantheon, an ancient Roman temple, still standing after 2000 years. The entrance is free, take advantage of it!
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
The marvelous square with the three Bernini's fountains. In Ancient Rome times, this square was filled with water and used for naval battles!
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Pass by this charming square where at daytime takes place the street-market and, at night, people love to hang out and enjoy the nightlife!
Admission Ticket Free
Have a look at the nightlife of Piazza Farnese, next to Campo de' Fiori and Piazza Navona.
Admission Ticket Free
The Spanish Steps with the Barcaccia fountain and the amazing Trinità dei Monti marble staircase.
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
You will finally be able to enjoy the fountain and toss a coin with much less crowd!
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Enjoy a photo opportunity at the legendary Roman arena lit up at night time!
Admission Ticket Free
Pass by the ruins complex knows as "Imperial" or "Roman Forum", once the heart of the ancient Roman empire
Admission Ticket Free
Before you go back to your hotel, there is one last stop. Rome has some of the greatest gelato in Italy and your guide knows know where to find it.
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Overnight in Rome countryside, 3* or better property!Meals:
Dinner Day 2
HALF DAY VATICAN MUSEUMS, SISTINE CHAPEL AND ST. PETER’S PRIVATE TOUR
4 Stops
Meeting with your driver at the hotel and transfer to Vatican Museums.
Once there, meet an English-speaking Licensed guide and enter the Vatican and its breathtaking Museum together with him, skipping the line thanks to the pre-reserved entrances.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Included
Your guide will focus on the famous masterpieces of the Vatican and of course the Sistine Chapel ceiling by Michelangelo. For sure entering the Sistine Chapel will be one of the high moment of the whole trip.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
Don’t miss, to follow, St. Peter's, for sure the most superb church on earth, then end in magnificent square designed by Bernini. You will be close up with the world renowned Pietà by Michelangelo and take in the architecture, statues and mosaics kept inside this awe-inspiring treasure trove.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
The tour ends in St. Peter’s Square, where you will have meet again your Driver/guide and will have a lunch at a nice place in this district.
Afterwards, the tour continues with a sightseeing of Rome during the which you will have the chance to see some of the monuments you've seen yesterday under a different light and many other new spots of the "Eternal City".
Evening at leisure and overnight in Roman Countryside.
Duration: 4 hours
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Overnight in Rome countryside, 3* or better property!Meals:
Dinner Day 3
TRANSFER TO FLORENCE WITH STOPS IN MONTEPULCIANO AND MONTALCINO
3 Stops
Meeting with the Driver in te morning and transfer to Tuscany, taking advantage of the drive to visit a few charming sites along the way. First visit will be in Montepulciano, famous for its Noble Wine. The biggest and highest of southern Tuscany’s hill towns, with its medieval alleyways and plethora of Renaissance palaces and churches.
Wine tasting will be provided by a local winery, paired with traditional food.
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Free
To follow, reach the charming Montalcino where you will visit the typical village and its fortress – or, why not?, stop at local winery for tasting the legendary Brunello wine!
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
Arrival in the Florence countryside - the so called Chianti wine region - in the late afternoon and check in at your hotel.
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Overnight in Chianti countryside area, 3* property of farmhouseMeals:
Lunch Dinner Day 4
GUIDED WALKING TOUR IN FLORENCE OLD-TOWN AND TRIP TO PISA TO SEE THE LEANING TOWER
10 Stops
Morning transfer to Florence and meeting with your Private Local Guide in the city center to enjoy a 3-hours walking guided tour in Florence Old Town.
Duration: 3 hours
Admission Ticket Free
You will see the majestic David at the Accademia Gallery Museum, where you’ll enjoy a pre-reserved entry to see the Michelangelo's masterpiece together with other works of art made by the Renaissance genius.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Included
See the Cathedral with its huge Dome made by Brunelleschi in the 15th century. For centuries has been the largest in the world.
Duration: 15 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
The Loggia is an open air collection of marvelous Reanaissance statues located in Piazza della Signoria
Admission Ticket Free
The "Old Palace" is the town hall of Florence and dominates Piazza della Signoria. At the feet of the big palace, stands a copy of Michelangelo's David statue.
Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
The "Old Bridge" is a medieval stone bridge over the Arno River, and for sure one of most famous bridges in the world. It's dotted with shops of jewelry and souvenirs, as was once common.
Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
After some leisure time and a Florentine lunch in the old-town, get back on board and with a hour drive reach the town of Pisa and its magnificent “Piazza dei Miracoli”, the large square home of Leaning Tower, the Baptistery and the beautiful Cathedral. The Tower was originally designed to be the Cathedral bell tower, and stands 185 feet high. There is a 297 step spiral staircase inside the tower leading to the top. The access to the Leaning Tower is not included but we can reserve the skip-the-line pass in advance for any passenger in the group who want to climb up and experience this absolutely unique monument.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
If you want to climb the almost 300 steepy steps and get to the top of the Leaning Tower, we can include the timed entry for you.
Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes
Admission Ticket Not Included
In the late afternoon, trip back to your accommodation in the Tuscan countryside, the Chianti region.
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Overnight in Chianti countryside area, 3* property of farmhouse
Meals:
Dinner Day 5
TRANSFER TO VENICE WITH EN-ROUTE STOP IN BOLOGNA
4 Stops
Check out after breakfast and meeting with your Driver/guide. Today you will drive North-East direction to reach the legendary Venice, but first pay a visit to one of most beautiful cities in Northern Italy: Bologna.
Admission Ticket Free
Bologna, the capital of the Emilia-Romagna region, Other than being (as all Italians say) one of best places in the country for the food, is full in art and history. The highlights of the enchanting medieval city center of Bologna include the Basilica of St. Petronius, the two Towers Degli Asinelli, the beautiful streets with shops and arcades.
We suggest to try some slices of "mortadella" typical ham and a glass of Lambrusco in a typical wine shop, the most famous local production.
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Free
Leaving from Bologna, you will still have the time to pay a visit at one of the many local producers of the worldwide renowned Parmiggiano Reggiano cheese, that's definitely the real "gold" of Bologna region!
(Parmiggiano tasting not included)
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
Arrival in Venice area in the late afternoon, and check in at your Hotel in Padua or Mestre surroundings, a few miles far from the Venice lagoon.
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Overnight in the Venice surroundings (in between Mestre and Padua), 3* or better property.Meals:
Dinner Day 6
PRIVATE "HEART OF VENICE" + UNKNOWN CANAREGGIO & JEWISH GHETTO WALKING TOUR
7 Stops
Meet your English-speaking Venice Guide in the city center (morning transfer from your Hotel is of course included) and visit the historical heart of the city.
Duration: 2 hours
Admission Ticket Free
The large square that symbolizes the wealth and power of the ancient Republic of Venice, dominated by the Basilica of St. Mark and the Bell Tower.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
The oriental style of this basilica tells us how cosmopolitan the ancient Republic of Venice was.
Duration: 20 minutes
Admission Ticket Included
A small bridge with a unique and fascinating history. Your guide will reveal his secrets...
Duration: 5 minutes
Admission Ticket Free
The Palace that was the symbol of the Doge's power (the Doge was the "leader" of former Venice Republic) is nowadays an interesting museum.
Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Not Included
After a break for lunch (your guide will surely recommend you to sit at a typical Venice "bacaro" old restaurant: follow the suggestion, as there are only a few non-touristy places surviving in central Venice!), the fun of this tour will continue following different and less beaten paths.
Reach the district of Cannareggio, where is possible to feel the real atmosphere of Venice, far from the crowds.
Walk through Strada Nova (new street) and pass many typical canals and small bridges to arrive at Scuola della Misericordia and the church of Santa Maria de la Misericordia. You could visit the lovely gothic church “Madonna dell’Orto” founded in the mid 14th century, pass Palazzo Mastelli (Tintoretto’s house) and arrive at “Campo dei Mori”.
Duration: 1 hour
Admission Ticket Free
Continue to the oldest Jewish district the “ghetto di Venezia”, home of the Jewish Museum and Synagogue.
At the end of the 4-hours Guided Tour, time at leisure to stroll independently in Venice before meeting again your Driver and prepare for the Farewell Dinner at very nice restaurant not far from your Hotel.
Duration: 10 minutes
Admission Ticket Not Included
Accommodation:
Overnight in the Venice surroundings (in between Mestre and Padua), 3* or better property.Meals:
Dinner Day 7
DEPARTURE FROM VENICE AIRPORT
1 Stop
Private transfer by Minivan from your Hotel to the Venice Airport.
Admission Ticket Free
Accommodation:
Not IncludedMeals:
Not IncludedAdditional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Infant seats available
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 8 travelers
Cancellation policy
If you cancel at least 7 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is no cancellation fee.If you cancel between 3 and 6 day(s) in advance of the scheduled departure, there is a 50 percent cancellation fee.If you cancel within 2 day(s) of the scheduled departure, there is a 100 percent cancellation fee.This experience requires a minimum number of travelers. If it’s canceled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund.Learn more about cancellations.
