Grand Tour of Italy: Rome, Florence, Venice and Milan

After breakfast, participants meet the tour leader at 9:00 AM and board the bus for a guided sightseeing experience of Rome. In the historic city center, a licensed local guide leads a panoramic walking tour through some of the Eternal City’s most iconic landmarks, including the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Via del Corso, Piazza del Popolo, the Pantheon (external view), and Piazza Navona.

Lunch is served at 12:00 PM in a traditional Roman trattoria, offering classic local dishes. The afternoon is free to explore Rome independently, relax, or continue sightseeing at a personal pace. Dinner is not included.

After breakfast, participants meet the tour leader and depart at 9:00 AM for the Papal Basilica of Saint Mary Major. The guided visit begins at 9:30 AM and includes access to the Upper Areas, the Dome and Cupola, and the Archaeological Area, offering an in-depth look at one of Rome’s most important religious and artistic sites.

At around 11:30 AM, the visit continues in an exclusive room within the Basilica, where participants are welcomed with a glass of Bocelli 1831 Prosecco. Shortly afterward, a private concert featuring a pianist and a pop-opera singer takes place, with performances of Italian classics and selections from Andrea Bocelli’s repertoire.

At approximately 12:45 PM, lunch is served at a panoramic restaurant overlooking Rome, featuring a four-course menu inspired by Roman cuisine and paired with selected Bocelli wines.

In the afternoon, the experience continues with a guided walk of about one hour, focusing on the exterior of the Colosseum, Via dei Fori Imperiali, and the Altare della Patria. The remainder of the afternoon and evening is free, with dinner not included.

After breakfast, participants check out of the hotel and depart Rome at 9:00 AM, heading north toward Tuscany. The first stop is Orvieto, reached around 10:30 AM, where a guided visit explores the historic center and the magnificent Gothic Duomo, followed by a walk through medieval streets and panoramic viewpoints.

Lunch is served at 12:30 PM in a traditional Umbrian restaurant, featuring regional specialties and local wine. In the early afternoon, the journey continues to Civita di Bagnoregio, arriving around 2:45 PM. Time is available to walk across the pedestrian bridge and explore this unique hilltop village, known for its dramatic setting and timeless atmosphere.

Departure from Civita takes place at 4:00 PM, with arrival in Florence around 6:00 PM. After check-in at a 4-star hotel, dinner is served at 8:00 PM at the hotel, featuring traditional Tuscan cuisine.

After breakfast, participants meet a licensed local guide and begin a 3-hour walking tour of Florence at 9:30 AM. The visit covers the historic center, including the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, the Baptistery, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Piazza della Signoria, and Ponte Vecchio, with insights into Florence’s Renaissance heritage.

The guided visit ends around 12:30 PM, after which the afternoon is free for independent exploration. Lunch is not included.

In the evening at 6:30 PM, the group gathers again for a festive New Year’s Eve dinner in a traditional Florentine restaurant. The celebration features a multi-course Tuscan menu, local wines, and a lively atmosphere to welcome the New Year together in the heart of Florence.

The morning is free for a relaxed start after the New Year’s celebrations. At 11:30 AM, participants meet the tour leader and depart for a historic winery in the Chianti countryside. Upon arrival, a guided visit introduces the estate, its cellars, and its winemaking traditions.

Lunch is served at 1:00 PM, featuring traditional Tuscan dishes prepared with local ingredients and paired with the estate’s wines. In the afternoon, the group returns to Florence. The remainder of the day is free, with dinner not included.

After breakfast, participants check out of the hotel at 9:00 AM and depart Florence toward Venice. Along the way, a stop is made in Bologna at around 11:00 AM. Here, participants enjoy a guided food-focused experience in the historic center, discovering local specialties such as fresh pasta, cured meats, cheeses, and traditional desserts while exploring the city’s streets and piazzas.

After the visit, the journey continues toward Venice, reaching Piazzale Roma in the late afternoon. A water taxi transfer leads to the 4-star hotel, offering first views of Venice from the canals. Dinner with the group is served at 7:30 PM.

After breakfast, participants meet a licensed guide at around 9:30 AM for a half-day walking tour of Venice. The visit includes Piazza San Marco, with views of St. Mark’s Basilica and the Doge’s Palace (exterior and courtyard), the Bridge of Sighs, the Rialto Bridge, and quieter neighborhoods that reveal everyday Venetian life.

Lunch is served at around 12:30 PM in a traditional Venetian restaurant. The afternoon is free for independent exploration. Dinner is not included.

After breakfast, participants check out and travel by water taxi to Piazzale Roma before continuing by private bus toward Milan, with a stop in Verona. Arrival in Verona is expected at around 10:30 AM.

A guided walking tour explores the city’s highlights, including Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza Bra, the Arena of Verona, Juliet’s House, and the historic center. Lunch is served at around 12:30 PM in a local restaurant.

In the early afternoon, the journey continues to Milan, arriving around 5:00 PM. After check-in at a 4-star hotel, dinner is served with the group at 7:30 PM.

After breakfast, participants meet a licensed guide at 9:30 AM for a walking tour of Milan. The visit includes Piazza del Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, Piazza della Scala, and other central landmarks, with insights into Milan’s artistic, musical, and fashion heritage.

Lunch is served at around 12:30 PM in a local restaurant. The afternoon is free for independent activities, shopping, or sightseeing. Dinner is not included.

After breakfast, participants check out of the hotel and depart independently, marking the conclusion of the tour.

Art. 1 – Terms and Regulations:

• Group capacity:  min 14 pax – max 28 people per group
• If the group tour does not reach the minimum capacity of participants by 3 months (90 days) prior the start of the tour, it will be cancelled.
• In case of the cancellation by the great italy tour, the great italy tour will return the amount paid by the customer via nexi payment platform.

Art. 2 – Cancellation policy on behalf of the client:

• Once customers pay the amount of a day tour, in the case of the eventual withdrawal on behalf of the client for any reason before departure, the client will be charged the following percentage of the participating shares, calculated taking into consideration how many days before departure he/she has requested the cancellation. From the day following the booking until:

 
– 60 days pre-departure: 40% penalty : in this case Great Italy Tour will refund the 60% of the full amount paid.

– 59-30 days pre-departure: 70% penalty : in this case Great Italy Tour will refund the 30% of the full amount paid.

– 29-0 days pre-departure 100% penalty.

• By confirming the reservation and making the payment, you accept the regulation and the itinerary as previously described.

Art. 3 – Tour variations

• The service providers (hotels, agritourisms, restaurants, chefs, etc.) At times mentioned in our tour itineraries are subject to change. In this unlikely event they will only be substituted by others of equal or better quality in order to avoid affecting the content of our services.
• The itineraries are subject to changes. Suggested activities may have to be substituted as a result of natural disasters, sudden atmospheric changes, temporary closures, striking or any other problems for which the tour organizers may not be held accountable. Any alterations made will be done so in order to improve the service on offer and will always be of equal commercial value.