Overview:

Leisurely paced with two-night stays in each destination and plenty of time to explore, this journey allows you to live your European Dream and come face-to-face with history through memorable local interactions. Meet a gondolier in Venice and learn how the tradition of gondola navigation is being passed on to future generations and marvel at the skills of an Italian chef during a cooking demonstration where you’ll learn how to make homemade pasta. Immerse yourself in European culture, stunning scenery and incredible food on this unforgettable journey. Hosted in the underground cellar of Machiavelli’s home, you’ll taste a fine selection of local Tuscan wines known for their robust flavours and rich heritage. Join your Local Expert for a visit to the Vatican Museums, before they open to the public, and enjoy a private tour of the Bramante staircase for spectacular views over the Vatican gardens. Ascend Mount Stanserhorn in Switzerland for breath-taking views of Lake Lucerne and learn about regional fauna and flora from a Swiss Ranger.

Countries Visited

Italy
Italy
Italy
Italy

Our highly-skilled Travel Director will ensure your journey is seamless, serving as your expert guide, consummate organiser, and friend overseas.

Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxury, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom.

Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.

We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.

Hotel and restaurant tips are included - you'll never have to worry about how much to give, nor search for foreign currency. We also include all taxes and porterage charges at hotels.

Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).

From time to time, your Travel Director will enchant you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.

If your arrival flights are as per the itinerary start date, then arrival transfers are available at scheduled times. If your flights are outside these times or you have booked additional nights accommodation with Insight Vacations, you may purchase transfers or make your own way from/to the airport. You may purchase transfers to London Heathrow and Gatwick airports on departure day, or when additional night accommodation has been booked through Insight Vacations. Alternatively, please make your own way from/to the airport.

Venice: Savour dinner at a local restaurant and then enjoy a short stroll to St Mark’s Square at twilight.
Venice: Sip Bellini cocktails alongside the canals, while being serenaded by an ensemble of talented musicians and soak up the calming atmosphere long after the day-trippers have returned to their mainland hotels.
Tuscany: Enjoy a tasting of locally made wines and sample delicious Tuscan snacks in the underground cellar of Machiavelli's home. While here you will visit the Italian gardens and be privy to a private opening of the office where he wrote 'The Prince.'
Orvieto: At a restaurant in the medieval heart of Orvieto, explore the art of Italian cooking with Chef Lorenzo and observe how he makes fresh pasta by hand. Afterwards, enjoy a Highlight Lunch paired with a glass of Orvieto Classico wine.
Lucerne: Choose from a selection of restaurants on your Dine-Around Evening and hand-pick your preferred ambience, cuisine and drinks for an intimate culinary experience.
Paris: Meet a local foodie for a behind-the-scenes look into Paris and try some local delicacies in a pâtisserie, boulangerie, fromagerie and chocolatier on an off-the-beaten-track, gourmet walking tour.
Paris: Rendezvous at Le Petit Prince de Paris, an atmospheric French bistro, with the motto 'There is no love more sincere than that of good food'. Your Celebration Dinner offers home-style cooking with traditional French ingredients, and of course accompanied by delicious French wines.
Dining Summary: 10 Breakfasts (B), 2 Lunches with Wine (LW) and 3 Dinners with Wine (WD) all with tea or coffee.
Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing and watch artisans create delicate works of art.
Venice: Learn how the Venetian gondola is made on a visit to a traditional arts centre.
Vatican City: Enjoy VIP fast-track entry into the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, as well as exclusive access to the Bramante Staircase that is usually not open to the public. During your visit to St Peter's Basilica, see Michelangelo's 'Pieta' and Bernini's intricately carved Papal Altar.
Stanserhorn: Journey to the summit of Mount Stanserhorn where you will learn about local wildlife from a Swiss Ranger.
Venice: A hotel with traditional and modern elements, the Eurostars Residenza Cannaregio is complete with a door opening onto a canal.
Rome: The Veneto Palace Hotel is located in the monumental and unique scenery of ancient Rome, not far from Piazza di Spagna, the Trevi Fountain and Villa Borghese, which is the largest park in central Rome. The guest rooms offer a classic style that blends in perfect harmony with the style of the building.
Florence: The UNA Vittoria Hotel is located in the historic district of San Frediano.
Lucerne: The Hotel Astoria is sat in the middle of all Lucerne has to offer, with magnificent mountains and astonishing culture.
Venice: With your Travel Director cruise to St. Mark's Square and see the Doge's Palace, Bridge of Sighs and St. Mark's Basilica.
Rome: See the mighty Colosseum and Roman Forum as well as other medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches, scattered through the city.
Orvieto: Visit this pleasant Umbrian hilltop town.
Florence: Join a Local Expert to view the multi-coloured marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square. See the area around Santa Croce Basilica, famous for the quality of its luxury goods.
Florence: Enjoy watching the masters at work as you visit a leather workshop.
Lucerne: View the emotive Lion Monument and walk the covered Chapel Bridge to see the Jesuit Church.
Paris: See the many attractions Paris has to offer such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Eiffel Tower, facades of the Louvre, the River Seine and its romantic bridges, the obelisk in the centre of the Place de la Concorde and enjoy a drive along the Champs-Élysées to the Arc de Triomphe.
Eurostar: Relax on the smooth, high-speed Eurostar train as you journey from Paris to London via the revolutionary Channel Tunnel.
Scenic Drives: Throughout your journey, enjoy the scenery as you pass the areas of Tuscany, Umbria, the Chianti Hills, the Swiss Alps, the Italian Lake District and Burgundy.