Contrasts of Italy
Experience Overview
All aboard this exhilarating journey by high-speed train through Italy’s iconic cities of Rome, Florence and Venice. During your 10 days in Italy, conjure up gladiators and chariots in Rome, shop until you drop on Florence’s ancient Ponte Vecchio, strike a pose in Pisa and discover the secrets of Venice on foot like a local.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 3 Dinner (D)
- 9 Breakfast (B)
- 1 Lunch (L)
Be My Guest
- Florence: Meet Sandra and Antonella on their historic family farm for an exclusive Be My Guest lunch at the Agriturismo Borgo Vigna Vecchia in the Tuscan hills.
Dive into Culture
- Venice: Savor the vibrant atmosphere of Venice during a walk through its calli to a traditional food market in the shadow of the famous Rialto Bridge.
Iconic Experience
- Rome: During an orientation with your Travel Director see the medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and Baroque churches scattered throughout the city.
- Florence: Join a Local Specialist to view the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, adorned by Ghiberti's Gates of Paradise. Visit the political heart of the city, Signoria Square.
- Florence: Admire the enchanting Tuscan landscape as you travel by high-speed train to Florence.
- Florence: Visit the Academy of Fine Arts and admire its Michelangelo collection.
- Pisa: During an orientation, your Travel Director will show you the baptistery, cathedral and the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa.
- Venice: Journey by high-speed train past dramatic mountains and lush plains to ''La Serenissima''.
- Venice: Discover the ancient skill of Venetian glassblowing and play a part in preserving this traditional craft.
MAKE TRAVEL MATTER®
- Venice: Meet Davide and the passionate team from Venice Lagoon Plastic Free for an eye-opening session on protecting Venice’s iconic lagoon. You’ll discover the dramatic impact of plastic pollution on wildlife and local life, learn practical ways to make a difference, and take home your very own tools for sustainable travel – including a reusable glass bottle. Together, you’ll help reduce plastic waste and become a part of the global movement for responsible tourism. Your visit directly supports the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14: Life Below Water.
Must-see Highlights
- Explore Rome, Florence, Pisa and Venice
- Visit The Colosseum in Rome, the Academy of Fine Arts in Florence and a glassblowing factory in Venice
- View the ancient sites in Rome, the Santa Croce Basilica and the Duomo in Florence, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and St. Mark's Basilica in Venice
- Scenic Cruise by private launch to St. Mark's Square in Venice
Trip Details
Product Code: 19209
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+
Tour Operator:
Trafalgar (CA)
Supplier Code: 728.2179A
Starts: Rome, Italy
Finishes: Venice, Italy
Duration: 10 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Whats Included
- An expert Travel Director and professional Driver
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted
- All porterage and restaurant gratuities
- All hotel tips, charges and local taxes
- Breakfast daily and up to half of your evening meals
- Must-see sightseeing and surprise extras
- Audio headsets for flexible sightseeing
- Luxury air-conditioned coach with Wi-Fi in most countries or alternative transportation (such as rail journeys)
- High-speed train from Rome to Florence
- High-speed train from Florence to Venice
- Optional Experiences and free time
- On occasion, hotels of similar standard and location may be utilized
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $4,177 ($418 /day)
Itinerary
2025 marks a Jubilee Year, a momentous Roman Catholic event celebrated every 25 years, turning Rome into a center of celebration. As festivities unfold, itineraries may be adjusted to ensure you make the most of your time as you visit the Eternal City.Benvenuti a Roma. Your Italian journey begins in the 'Eternal City'. Settle in after your travels or head out for a walk along ancient streets filled with lively cafes and centuries of history. In the evening, join your Travel Director and fellow travelers for dinner and your first taste of Italy.
Accommodation: Grand Palatino
Meals: Dinner
This morning see the Vatican city on your sightseeing tour of Rome, you'll pause to see the majestic exterior of St. Peter's Basilica and its grand square. Then venture into Ancient Rome to see Circus Maximus and visit the Colosseum. This evening, Roman flavors take center stage as you dine on local specialties.
Accommodation: Grand Palatino
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Enjoy a full free day in Rome or consider spending some time in beautiful Tivoli. Join an Optional Experience to see the exquisite house and gardens of the 16th-century Villa d'Este – a marvelous example of Renaissance landscape architecture. As the sun sets over the seven hills of Rome, people-watch in one of Rome’s beautiful squares or admire the Trevi Fountain.
Accommodation: Grand Palatino
Meals: Breakfast
Sit back on the high-speed train, bound for Florence and watch the Tuscan landscape go by. Join a Local Specialist on a walking tour to gain insights into the city's Renaissance treasures. View the Ponte Vecchio, almost 700 years old and lined with goldsmiths, then visit the Fine Arts Academy to see one of Michelangelo's masterpieces, the statue of David. Your love affair with Florence continues as you stroll to the Piazza della Signoria, featuring Palazzo Vecchio and the Uffizi Gallery.
Accommodation: Ambasciatori
Meals: Breakfast
Cross the Arno River and see the enchanting skyline of Florence from Piazzale Michelangelo before driving to Pisa through the Arno Valley. Meet your Local Specialist to explore the Square of Miracles and see the famous Leaning Tower, the Cathedral, Baptistery and Camposanto, built on soil brought back from the Holy Land during the Crusades. Over lunch, at the Agriturismo Borgo Vigna Vecchia where you’ll enjoy an exclusive Be My Guest experience surrounded by vineyards and olive groves. This evening, stroll along the Arno River in search of the perfect gelato, see the beautifully lit Duomo or visit a cozy enoteca for some wine tasting.
Accommodation: Ambasciatori
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Today is yours to discover the beauty and elegance of Florence – a city filled with exquisite galleries, lush gardens and opulent palaces. Consider a visit to the hilltop town of San Gimignano, the 'medieval Manhattan' of Tuscany. Venture outside the city to see Tuscan villages and taste rich panforte and tortas, or shop for the latest fashions in Florence's sophisticated boutiques. This evening, consider joining an Optional Experience in the Chianti region for a delicious Tuscan dinner.
Accommodation: Ambasciatori
Meals: Breakfast
All aboard the express train for Venice. Cross the spectacular Apennines and fertile Veneto plain before arriving at the romantic island city of Venice. Get lost this afternoon, wandering its narrow lanes in search of a cozy bacaro, people-watch in St. Mark's Square, the gateway to Venice, or take an unforgettable gondola ride along the city's enchanting canals.
Accommodation: Amadeus, Principe
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, breathe in the salty sea air as you board a private launch and cruise to St. Mark's Square to see the Bridge of Sighs, Palladian Churches, the Customs House, St. Mark's Basilica, and Campanile, as well as the Doge's Palace. Later, witness first-hand the centuries-old craft of glassblowing. You may be tempted to buy a souvenir or two after admiring the talent and skill of the artisans, passed down from generation to generation. This afternoon, enjoy free time to explore the city on your own terms, perhaps finding a quiet campo and sidewalk café or take a cruise to colorful Burano for a delicious meal.
Accommodation: Amadeus, Principe
Meals: Breakfast
This morning, learn about conservation efforts in Venice with our MAKE TRAVEL MATTER experience with Venice Plastic Free before the sights and sounds of modern Venice come to life as you join your Local Specialist for a walk tour. Enjoy an afternoon at leisure for one last taste of Venice. As your adventure through Italy's charming cities is about to come to an end, celebrate newfound friendships and an unforgettable experience at dinner.
Accommodation: Amadeus, Principe
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Say arrivederci to Italy and your fellow travelers as your fascinating holiday comes to an end.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Trafalgar (CA)
Family owned and run since 1920, The Travel Corporation (TTC) is the world leader in immersive travel experiences across an extensive range of travel categories. Each year TTC's 40 award winning hospitality and travel brands connect over 1 million happy travellers to the world. We give you access to the 12 DMC’s behind these brands, so you can build your business by capitalizing on the extensive experience, local expertise, and financial assurance of TTC. LOCAL EXPERTISE The world leaders in travel for over 100 years, we offer unparalleled local expertise with a global footprint. Our 12 DMCs, led by experienced in-destination teams, deliver experience rich travel solutions in more than 80 countries. Additionally, our market based teams are on hand to support across our 40 offices worldwide
In Business Since 1931
Reviews
Rita - Traveled, April 2024
Contrasts of Italy. Trafalgar provided excellent service throughout the tour. They took care of getting our baggage where it needed to go, the fast train between cities and made it easy, and had the coach bus ready to go when we needed it. A daily schedule was always emailed to us the prior night for the next day so there would be no surprises. Everything was very well run. I really enjoyed the entire trip. The tour guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* was fantastic! He was very knowledgeable in an infinite number of subjects, friendly, had a good sense of humor and endless energy. I loved all the additional tours I signed up for and did a Viator night tour of the St. Mark’s Cathedral on my own in Venice which I highly recommend. This tour exceeded all my expectations. However there is a great deal of walking and stair climbing on most days and the tour guides can at times walk fast.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/02/2024
Denise Murrin Coburn - Traveled, May 2024
Trip of a lifetime! It was a once in a lifetime trip for us and it did not disappoint!!! We were able to see so much but never felt rushed. It was wonderful to not have to worry about getting around the towns or to the train station. It was excellent and delivered what we expected. Our tour director *Personal information removed by Feefo* was always making sure we had the best experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/01/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, April 2024
Rome, Florence, and Venice are wonderful cities to visit. They are rich in art, culture, and especially architecture. We had a great trip thanks to our tour director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/02/2024
Alice H. - Traveled, June 2024
Trip of a Lifetime. Our tour director *Personal information removed by Feefo* went above and beyond to make our trip unforgettable. And our driver *Personal information removed by Feefo*, and his dad *Personal information removed by Feefo* who subbed when *Personal information removed by Feefo* needed his mandatory time off due to the length of the trip, were both excellent, friendly and helpful. Our Contrasts of Italy tour was perfect! The high speed train between cities in the morning gave us extra time in the afternoon to explore each new city. The included itinerary and each of the optional experiences were excellent and worth every penny! Plus we had plenty of free time in each city to do our own exploring. We took our two teenager sons, one college bound, on the trip of a lifetime together and they loved it.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/25/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, June 2024
Service was great. Tour guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* and driver *Personal information removed by Feefo* were wonderful! We saw beautiful sights and had great food. My one suggestion would be not to book so many attractions back to back on the same day. We did the Vatican, Sistine chapel, St Peters Basilica and then the Colosseum back to back was too much and felt too rushed.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/21/2024
Trusted Customer - Traveled, October 2024
Booked this trip for the free time which we took full advantage of. The tour director, *Personal details removed by Feefo*was excellent. Very knowledgeable friendly and a great source of information on our many question. She quickly made other arrangements for transportation due to a rail strike. On the flip side, the provided dinners were not the best as well as the hotel accommodation in Florence and Venice.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/25/2024
James F. - Traveled, August 2024
A wonderful overall experience and I would highly recommend to anyone! The highlight and optional experiences were great and encompassed just about any and everything one could desire to see on the Contrast of Italy tour. I think the overall tour was set up perfectly and well balanced with the tour days with the group and personal days for individual exploration. I felt I had a good balance of down time to relax and still felt toughly immersed in the culture and history that is covered on the Contrast of Italy tour. The food and dining experience were second to none and left nothing else to be desired. Weather it was the Traditional Tuscan dinner in the CHIANTI Hills or the Roman Delights with Dinner every dinner/lunch dining experience was well worth the money. Finally, the coach and lodging accommodations were all wonderful, clean, safe and took pride in delivering exceptional service. We did not experience any issue that was not promptly taken care of and the location of all the accommodations was prime location to continue the wonderful overall experience. My experience with Trafalgar was outstanding. As it was my first time using the company, I was initially unsure of what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised. The local specialists were exceptional, providing insightful guided tours and enriching our understanding of the historical sites we visited. Our driver, *Personal information removed by Feefo*, was excellent—always making us feel safe and comfortable. He was patient and respectful toward everyone in our group, and I would highly recommend him for his professionalism. However, the true highlight of the trip was our Italian Travel Director, *Personal information removed by Feefo*. Words cannot fully capture how incredible *Personal information removed by Feefo* was throughout our journey in Italy. His patience, kindness, extensive knowledge, humor, and genuine care made the entire experience unforgettable. *Personal information removed by Feefo* professionalism and communication were unparalleled, and I would return for another Italian adventure with Trafalgar solely because of him. I cannot praise *Personal information removed by Feefo* enough for how well he managed and enriched our tour.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/21/2024
Barbara Niegocki - Traveled, July 2024
Italy 2024. Airport pickup was as promised. We had no issues with anything on the trip. One thing Trafalgar should let travelers know about the extra tips needed so enough cash can be brought. Fantastic trip. More than I expected. *Personal information removed by Feefo* our guide was excellent. Very knowledgeable, kind, helpful great personality. Our driver *Personal information removed by Feefo* was also fantastic. Always felt safe in the bus and also very nice person. I would recommend this trip to everyone wishing to see Italy. I would do it again in a minute. Accommodations were great and convenient to many sites. Thank you Trafalgar, *Personal information removed by Feefo*!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/21/2024
Norah Vollmer - Traveled, July 2024
Amazing people who love their country. Our travel guide *Personal information removed by Feefo* did a fantastic job explaining everything to us, and even pointing out smaller things that not everyone would think to talk about. He made the Italian experience truly authentic and memorable. I learned so many new things and i’m so happy with everything he provided for us! Also *Personal information removed by Feefo* our first local specialist was phenomenal! This package was completely worth it! I feel like it showed you a bit of everything! Italy is really diverse and complex and has so many little secrets, and with each part of the trip you’re always impressed! Always finding new things and each place just has such unique experiences and different stories to learn about. I loved every second of my trip!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/25/2024
Barbara Bosshard - Traveled, July 2024
Excellent trip. Great choice of locations to visit. Well- organized and good guides. This trip was very well- organized. The travel director *Personal information removed by Feefo* was extremely helpful and nice. I enjoyed all the excursions and learned so much about the places we visited.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/18/2024
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