Classic Italy

Sat within a shallow lagoon between the mouths of Po and Piave rivers, Venice is formed of 118 islands formed by some 170 canals connected by over 400 bridges. The entire city is considered a World Heritage Site, an extraordinary architectural masterpiece in which even the smallest building may contain works by some of the Europe's greatest artists.

Iconic attractions on the main Rialto islands are evocative by name alone - Piazza San Marco, the Rialto Bridge, Doge’s Palace, Saint Mark’s Basilica and the Grand Canal - a unique collection of brooding Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque architecture. Days can be spent discovering tucked away galleries, museums and palazzos. Away from the crowds, other islands are where traditional Venetian culture still runs deep.

If you imagine landing in Venice from the sea, as did those who came inland by ship, the first thing you see rising out of the water is the unmistakable shape of the Doge's Palace - the city's most famous building. This building, considered the most representative symbol of Venice's culture, together with the Basilica of San Marco, forms of the most famous sceneries in the world. For centuries the Doge's Palace had fundamental roles, as the Doge residence, the seat of government and as the palace of justice.

Your historical walking tour will then take you through the backstreets of Venice to the shimmering, mosaic-filled St. Mark's Basilica, the mightiest of Venetian monuments. Its architecture, a mixture of Byzantine, Roman and Venetian, is the work of artists and craftsmen coming from all over the world.

No visit to Venice would be complete without experiencing it. Travel like a Venetian on a gondola down the city’s iconic canals. It gives you a very special point of view and it is from the water that Venice offers its most spectacular side.

Visit Venice’s most famous islands, Murano, Burano and Torcello, to learn their importance in history and trade. The first stop will be in Murano, worldwide famous since the 1200s for the art of glass making, where you will visit one of Venice’s most important glass factories and have a private show of how the intricate glasswork is made and then tour the showroom with works of great glass masters like Signoretto.

The second picturesque island is Burano, a fisherman island known for its brightly coloured houses and for its lace school. You will see the women who still work this antique technique of lace making by hand. The last stop is Torcello, the first island to be inhabited in the lagoon, where you will hear the history and see its beautiful cathedral with its magnificent mosaics dating back to the 1100s. In Torcello you will also see the Locanda Cipriani where Ernest Hemingway stayed when in Venice and wrote A Farewell to Arms.

Surrounded by rolling Tuscan hills, the beautiful city of Florence is one of Europe's most enchanting and historically influential cities. If anywhere in the world can claim to have shaped modern Western consciousness, it is Florence's grand piazzas and palazzos.

The world's greatest Renaissance artworks and sculpture can be found at every turn in the historical centre, an area that can be traversed on foot in under an hour but would take infinitely longer to properly explore.

Explore Florence’s Renaissance past with this guided walking tour of the city's historic centre. The Academia Gallery is home to Michelangelo's ‘David’, one of the finest sculptures ever created, and though there are many copies across the city, this is the real deal. You'll also visit the church of Santa Maria del Fiore – the famous Duomo - to view Brunelleschi’s magnificent dome; the nearby Campanile of Giotto (bell tower); and Ghiberti’s enchanting ‘Gates of Paradise’, the door to the Baptistry. Continue to the Piazza della Signoria, centre of Florentine politics and home to a captivating outdoor sculpture gallery. Shopping, architecture and history will collide as you stroll over the Ponte Vecchio.

Today discover the beautiful Chianti region with a private driver at your disposal. Learn about some of the most excellent Italian wines, or perhaps simply explore the beautiful of Tuscany countryside and its scattered Medieval towns.

Your tour starts at the Piazza del Duomo with the spectacular Romanesque and Gothic cathedral. The square is surrounded by the Santa Maria della Scala Hospital, the Archbishop's Palace, the unfinished Duomo, Opera del Duomo museum, the crypt and the baptistry. You'll then reach the Piazza del Campo, a unique shell-shaped area which was paved with bricks in the 14th century. Be sure to look out for the different animals and symbols that represent the city's 17 contradas; giraffes, dragons, owl, unicorns and caterpillars all appear on the outside of buildings and competition between them is fierce during the Palio horse race which happens twice a year.

Located on a hilltop in the beautiful Umbrian countryside, Orvieto is sure to capture your heart with its churches, cobbled lanes, and medieval piazzas; the stunning Gothic cathedral is not to be missed.

Rome, Italy’s capital and largest city, needs little introduction. One of the most historied locations in the world, glorious reminders of Rome’s illustrious past, from ancient Roman wonders to Renaissance masterpieces, are all on show. That’s not to say that its cosmopolitan streets do not embrace the now; Rome is as exhilarating and forward thinking as ever.

Astride your own Vespa with a driver upfront, enjoy becoming acquainted with the capital in a totally fun and unique way.

See the sights of Rome from the back of a vintage Vespa, in true ‘Roman Holiday’ style as you weave your way through everything from large avenues to tiny alleyways. The tour will be led by a private bilingual guide and will take in all the most important monuments and neighbourhoods in Rome.

Driven by professional Vespa drivers, passengers are assured complete safety and peace of mind. The tour lasts around four hours with five scheduled stops.

Visit Rome's famous Campo de' Fiori food market with the chef, and stock up on fresh, seasonal ingredients. You'll then prepare a delicious meal while learning all about southern Italian cuisine, before sitting down to enjoy what you have made.

Discover the great Roman Forum, for centuries the centre of civic life as the site of triumphal processions, elections, public speeches and criminal trials. Then, along the Via Sacra (Sacred Way), head to the Palatine Hill, one of the most ancient parts of the city, where you’ll enjoy a breathtaking view of the Circus Maximus, an ancient Roman chariot racing stadium Last but not least, enter the magnificent Colosseum, considered one of the greatest works of Roman architecture and Roman engineering, and capable of seating up to 50,000 spectators.

The Vatican City is the smallest state in the world, covering just 0.44 square kilometres. At the sprawling Vatican Museum you'll tour the seemingly endless collection of treasures as you make your way to the single work of art that dwarfs them all: Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel, the best-known chapel in the Apostolic Palace, the official residence of the Pope in the Vatican City. This tour will end with the extraordinary St. Peter’s Basilica designed principally by Donato Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Gian Lorenzo Bernini.