Italy, Off The Beaten Track

Your tour commences this evening in your delightful Venetian Villa hotel, in the little river side town of Mira, near Venice. Join us tonight for a  welcome drink before dinner in this historic Villa. This is an ideal chance to meet, and get to know, your Tour Manager and fellow travellers.

After a leisurely start, we drive west to spend time in the beautiful city of Vicenza. Made famous as the home of the influential 16th century architect Andrea Palladio, ‘Vicenza and the Palladian Villas’ is UNESCO heritage listed. Our local guide will bring this beautiful city to life. Highlights will include; seeing Piazza dei Signori, with its ‘Torre di Piazza’ clock tower, flanked by Palladio’s striking Basilica Palladiana and medieval law courts, and visiting Palladio’s last work and masterpiece, Teatro Olimpico. Later you have free time to explore the heart of the town at leisure. The shopping down Corso Andrea Palladio is excellent. Mid-afternoon we return to our Venetian Villa. Early evening, we travel by boat across to Venice - arguably one of the most romantic cities in the world, where you will have ‘My Time’ to meander through the myriad of narrow streets and alleys spanned by humped back bridges to find that perfect Trattoria for dinner.

We will spend this morning in the ancient university town of Padua. With our local guide, we will explore this historical city. We have included entrance to the Cappella degli Scrovegni (Scrovengi Chapel) with its magnificent Giotto frescoes. Lunchtime is at leisure in the old town.You may like to take a stroll through the nearby UNESCO Heritage listed Orto Botanico – the centuries old Botanical Gardens. We are now in the Emilia-Romagna region, and our home for the next three nights is in the heart of Italy’s gourmet capital – Bologna. Tonight we test the cuisine as we dine in our hotel and enjoy a 4 course Bolognese menu.

This morning we are joined by a local guide for a walking tour of this great city. The highlight of your day will be visiting the Basilica San Petronio on Piazza Maggiore and the Archiginnasio Palace – Europe’s first University. The walls of the courtyard and staircases are covered with crests and heraldic symbols. Included is a visit to the historic Anatomical Theatre. The rest of the day is at leisure. In the evening discover your own café or trattoria around Piazza Maggiore and Piazza Nettuno. After all, this is Italy’s gourmet capital!

This morning we are joined by a local guide to explore the UNESCO Heritage listed ‘renaissance city’ of Ferrara – a true gem of a city that once attracted the greatest artists and intellects of the 15th and 16th centuries. This region of Emilia Romagna is justifiably famous for its food, so it would be a crime not to enjoy a relaxing lunch in a local trattoria. So we do! Your evening is at leisure in Bologna

We enjoy the day exploring the elegant city of Ravenna. Joined by a local guide we visit the UNESCO Heritage listed, early Christian monuments. Dating back around 1450 years, the striking Basilica of San Vitale is built simply with red bricks. The interior is lavishly decorated with striking marble and Byzantine mosaics. We have also included visits to the Neonian Baptistery, Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo and the 1700 year old Mausoleum of Galla Placidia. Later you have free time to explore and find a relaxing lunch spot – perhaps in the attractive Piazza del Popolo which is lined with historical buildings. Mid-afternoon we continue south, where we stay the next 3 nights in the Adriatic beach resort of Pesaro. This evening enjoy dinner in our hotel.

This morning we visit a new country – the Republic of San Marino! On approach the view is spectacular, with its walled castles and towers standing on the rim, beside huge precipices. Joined by our local guide, we catch the cable car up the mountain to San Marino. Dating back to 301 AD, San Marino is one of the smallest countries in the world, covering barely 61 square kilometres. It is also the world’s oldest Republic and has earned UNESCO World Heritage status. From the terrace of Mount Titano there are stunning, sweeping 360 degree views down over the Alta Valmarecchia and Montefeltro hills, right down to the flat plains beside the Adriatic Coast.  Returning to Pesaro you enjoy some 'My Time'.
Later this afternoon, we drive up into the rugged Apennines to visit the hill top town of Mondaino. On arrival we are met by a medieval character and ‘regally’ led into the Pecorino Fossa cheese cellars, with its three original, large pecorino ‘wells’. After a short introduction, you will compare four different cheeses and locally cured salamis and meats. Forming a ‘parade’ through town we also stop at a small mosaic craft shop and learn about this traditional, ancient Roman art form. Dinner tonight is in a local village trattoria.

First stop of the day will be to visit Mussolini’s favourite café, Bar Furlo. This was Mussolini’s favourite tea room and you will discover historic memorabilia and photos of visits.  For the more active, take an easy stroll through the dramatic Passo del Furlo, along a scenic walking path.  
Continuing, we visit the UNESCO Heritage listed city of Urbino. The artist Raffaello (Raphael) was born here and we are joined by a local guide for a walking tour of the old town and through the impressive Ducal Palace. The Duke was incredibly rich and powerful, and the inlaid wood artistry in his small private study is simply unbelievable.
After free time to explore, shop and enjoy lunch, we return to Pesaro where your afternoon and evening are at leisure.

Tourists have not yet discovered the glorious Le Marche region. We have! Taking the inland route, we drive through the rolling hills and vineyards of Le Marche, to stop and explore the 14th century fortified town of Jesi. Following the spine of the Apennines, our afternoon stop will be to explore the charming medieval town of Macerata with its impressive Loggia dei Mercanti – a 16th century arcaded merchants hall. We spend the next three nights in a ‘Palazzo’ hotel, in the wonderful historic city of Ascoli Piceno.  This evening we have included a real treat as we dine at Caffè Meletti, looking down directly on the beautiful polished marble main square. This period-piece restaurant still retains the traditional, fashionable décor of over a century ago, and even brews its own aniseed liqueur!

This morning we are joined by local guide for a walking tour. Dating back well over two centuries, the massive Piazza del Popolo central square, resplendent with travertine marble, is generally recognised as one of the most beautiful squares in Italy, if not all of Europe. This compact city is bursting with colonnaded walkways, Roman antiquities, churches, palaces and remarkably 50 stone towers still exist. The highlight of your tour will be visiting the glorious Duomo. The mosaics and shimmering blue roof are stunning, as is the 900 year old crypt beneath. The rest of your day is entirely free in this gorgeous town. There is so much to see and enjoy.

Today we visit one of the little gems of Le Marche – the lovely little ‘lace town’ of Offida. One of the ‘Borghi più belli d’Italia’ – most beautiful villages in Italy, this was one of the most important lace making towns in Italy, and on a warm day you will still see ladies sitting in their doorways using bobbins to make intricate lace garments. The medieval church of Santa Maria della Rocca (church on the rock) impressively sits perched on a craggy rock outcrop. We have included entrance to the catacombs with their 13th century, time worn frescoes, the lace museum and the 19th century antique opera theatre. An absolute delight! Lunchtime will be enjoyed at leisure in the seaside resort town of Grottammare, on the Adriatic, before we return to Ascoli.  This evening we dine in a local restaurant.

We now step back in time and drive into the wild Apennines of the Abruzzo region. Crossing the Gran Sasso plateau we reach the hill top town of Santo Stefano di Sessanio, in the province of L’Aquila, where we have time to explore and enjoy ‘My Time’ for lunch.   Next we venture into the hills of Umbria and the wonderful walled town of Spoleto where we stay the next two nights. Medieval Spoleto is easily explored on foot. There are numerous romanesque churches and cobblestoned alleyways lined with shops, bars and trattorias.

We spend this morning in the nearby Umbrian city of Assisi. Badly damaged by earthquakes in 1997 the city, dominated by two medieval castles, undertook a remarkable programme of restoration which soon brought it back to all its glory. We are joined by a local guide for a short walking tour.  Afterwards you will have time to visit the Basilica of St Francis with its magnificent frescoes. Later there is time for you to explore Assisi at your own pace. Returning to Spoleto, the rest of the afternoon is at leisure. Perhaps take a leisurely walk along the path around the castle and across the medieval viaduct in to the Umbrian countryside.

Arriving in the historic town of Tivoli, we are joined by a local guide to enjoy a visit of the wonderful UNESCO heritage listed gardens of Villa D’Este. Circling Rome, we reach the area known as Castelli Romani, and the town of Frascati where we stay for our last wonderful night.
This evening we visit a nearby, historic wine estate called Cantine Santa Benedetta – the perfect venue to enjoy a truly grand Frascati farewell dinner, with ‘musica’. First, we relax with a Frascati tasting accompanied by a variety of antipasti on the terrace overlooking the vineyards, with the Rome skyline in the distance. Then, we enjoy dinner accompanied by music from a pianist and opera singer. An extraordinary farewell evening in the hills of Frascati!

This morning we will transfer you into the centre of Rome and to Fiumicino airport. We recommend you book flights that depart after 1pm.