Treasures of Italy
Experience Overview
Experience Italy on an 11-day guided tour. Explore the Eternal City with a Local Expert, who will whisk you to the Vatican Museums for a tour of the Pope’s art collection. Later, see the infamous Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. Cruise to Capri and stroll through the Caesar Augustus Gardens with a Local Expert and gain unparalleled views of the rugged coastline and sparkling sea. In Venice, walk through St. Mark’s Square and see its basilica of the same name; later, allow yourself to be serenaded as a gondolier glides you through the city’s canals. Sail to the candy-colored island of Burano, where you can toast to a fantastic trip at a dinner featuring wine and freshly-caught specialties.
Highlights
Dining Summary
- 5 Dinner (D)
- 10 Breakfast (B)
Choice Highlights
- Choose between two carefully selected activities
- Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe.
- Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
Additional Included Highlights
- Personal radio headsets give you the freedom to wander during visits to famous highlights, without missing any of your Local Expert's fascinating commentary.
- 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.
- We carry your bags for you and promptly deliver them to your hotel door.
- From time to time, your Travel Director will delight you with an Insight Flourish, which is a local specialty representing the destination.
- Stay connected with friends and family with our complimentary coach and hotel Wi-Fi (where available).
- If your arrival and/or departure flights are as per the itinerary start and end dates, then 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.
Authentic Dining
- Italian Lakes: For your Dine-Around Evening, you are offered a selection of hand-picked local restaurants to choose from, each with its own distinctive ambience and cuisine.
- Lake Iseo: Learn about this historic winery, passed down through the generations, and taste its latest vintages.
- Burano: Cruise to the charming fisherman's island of Burano to enjoy a delicious dinner with wine and new-found friends.
Insight Choice
- Florence: Take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce and immerse yourself in the essence of la dolce vita of Florence while you enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local cafe.
- Florence: Stand beside Michelangelo's monumental statue, 'David', in the Accademia Gallery, and admire the exquisite technique and absorbing history behind the world's most famous sculpture.
Insight Experiences
- Vatican City: Visit the Vatican Museums, witness the genius of Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel and see St. Peter's Basilica.
- Rome: Due to increased demand during the Jubilee year, access to the Vatican Museums may be limited. If tickets are unavailable during your visit, your sightseeing will instead explore the Capitoline Museums, home to the iconic Capitoline Wolf, ancient Roman bronzes and Renaissance art, set atop Michelangelo’s Piazza del Campidoglio with sweeping views of the Roman Forum.
Make Travel Matter
- Venice: Witness the ancient skill of glassblowing, now practised by precious few masters. Watch artisans create delicate works of art using rare traditional practices. The workshop's master craftsmen teach visitors about the traditional craft of glassblowing and its history which dates back to the 15th century. Every visit helps to support the workshop and the survival of this traditional craft. This workshop directly supports United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities.
Top Rated Highlights
- Rome: Discover ancient treasures of Rome. See Circus Maximus and the Ancient Forum, where Ancient Roman political life and law courts mingled with open-air markets and shops.
- Pompeii: Walk with a Local Expert through the cobbled streets of this ill-fated town, frozen in time since the first century.
- Capri: Explore Capri town with your Local Expert and see the whitewashed houses, winding alleyways, small cafes, fashionable boutiques and artisans studios.
- Capri: Discover the luxuriant Gardens of Augustus with a Local Expert and admire views of the Faraglioni rocks.
- Florence: See the historic neighborhood of the Santa Croce Basilica and witness local craftspersons at work during a gold and leatherwork demonstration.
- Florence: Enjoy a stroll through Renaissance Florence and admire the medieval buildings that gave birth to this new style of architecture.
- Cinque Terre: Led by your Local Expert, visit this unique UNESCO World Heritage Site, tucked away on the mountainous Italian Riviera coastline. Explore two of the five charming fishing villages for some memorable pictures.
- Portofino: Visit this elegant fishing village and admire the colored houses and yachts moored in the harbor.
- Venice: Join your Travel Director for an introduction to Venice, exploring its canals, lively squares, and historic landmarks. Discover the city’s unique charm as you navigate its maze of streets and take in iconic sights like St Mark’s Square and the Rialto Bridge.
- Venice: Glide through Venice’s canals on an iconic gondola ride, passing beneath historic bridges and past elegant palaces. Soak up the city’s romantic atmosphere as your gondolier navigates the tranquil waterways, offering a unique perspective of this timeless floating city.
Well-being
- Enjoy the comfort of Insight's luxurious, air-conditioned, 40-seat coach with double the standard legroom and onboard washroom. Our customized luxury coaches are sanitized before the start of your tour and are maintained to very high standards. Physical distancing measures have been implemented on our customized luxury coaches.
- Hand sanitizer is freely available on board for you to use throughout the day.
Trip Details
Product Code: 19567
Tour Type: Group Tour
Accommodation: Deluxe
Transport: Private
Guide Language: English
Travel Styles:
Family, 55+, Luxury
Tour Operator:
Insight Vacations (CA)
Supplier Code: 169.247A
Starts: Rome, Italy
Finishes: Venice, Italy
Duration: 11 days
Departures: Guaranteed
Physical Rating:
Easy
Includes
Price
Price per person: (Double Occupancy) CAD $5,835 ($530 /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. Welcome to Rome, a glorious city filled with classic antiquities, medieval buildings, Renaissance palaces and baroque churches. Settle in before joining your Travel Director as you indulge in dinner with wine at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram
Meals: Dinner
The day is devoted to the Eternal City. Join a Local Expert for an in-depth visit to the Vatican Museums, full of priceless art treasures collected by the Popes. Visit the Sistine Chapel, where Popes are elected, to admire Michelangelo’s famous ceiling and see St. Peter’s Basilica. Cross the Tiber river to enjoy ancient Rome. See the incredible Circus Maximus and the beautifully preserved Arch of Constantine, and imagine the bustling ancient sidewalk of ancient Rome. Discover the history and legends of the iconic Colosseum as you view the exterior of this amazing structure. Later, perhaps continue your exploration of Rome to see the Pantheon, toss a coin in Trevi Fountain and enjoy free time around Piazza Navona.
Accommodation: Golden Tulip Rome Piram
Meals: Breakfast
Journey to the ill-fated town of Pompeii, frozen in time when it was engulfed by an eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. Walk with a Local Expert through cobbled streets to learn about Roman life in the first century before enjoying a refreshing lemon granita. Then continue to your hotel on the spectacular Sorrento Peninsular. The afternoon is yours to explore as you wish, or perhaps join an optional experience to the artist's paradise of Positano.
Accommodation: Isabella, Sorrento
Meals: Breakfast
Enjoy a morning in the town of Sorrento before heading off to the port to board your jetfoil to the Isle of Capri. Appreciate the glorious vistas over the rugged coastline and sparkling sea. Visit Capri town, with its whitewashed houses, winding alleyways and small cafes. A Local Expert will escort you to the lush Gardens of Augustus for views of the Faraglioni rocks. As the glow of twilight descends and the day-trippers have returned to their mainland hotels, the island is yours to saunter along scenic paths, gather with the locals in the piazzetta or relax with a glass of wine at an alfresco restaurant.
Accommodation: Regina Cristina, Capri
Meals: Breakfast
Descend to the port and take the jetfoil across the bay to Naples. Follow the Autostrada del Sole north passing Rome and continuing through the region of Umbria. Journey through idyllic Tuscan landscapes to Florence, center of art and culture, and the heart of the Italian Renaissance. Explore Florence with Insight Choice. Choose to visit the Accademia Museum and see Michelangelo’s David. After, continue on foot to admire the multi-colored marble cathedral, bell tower and baptistery, where Ghiberti’s Gates of Paradise have been recreated in all their glory. Continue into the Piazza della Signoria, still the political heart of Florence and an open-air gallery of Renaissance masterpieces. Spend time gazing at statues such as Neptune and Hercules and Cacus along the front of the Palazzo Vecchio. Alternatively, take a stroll with your Travel Director to Piazza Santa Croce to enjoy a typical Italian treat in a local caffè, where you will be in the perfect spot to admire the basilica, indulge in people-watching the elegant Florentines and pamper yourself shopping for luxury goods like gold and leather.
Accommodation: NH Firenze, Florence
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
See how the local leatherwork is created with a demonstration of the craft and learn about the artistry of the goldsmiths who are famous in the city of Florence. In your free time wander Florence on your own, shop or opt to explore the medieval hilltop town of San Gimignano on an Optional Experience. In the evening, why not sample fine Florentine cuisine of tasty starters and typical Tuscan dishes accompanied by Chianti.
Accommodation: NH Firenze, Florence
Meals: Breakfast
The famous Italian Riviera and the Cinque Terre are a highlight of your journey as a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of Italy’s most beautiful landscapes. With a Local Expert, appreciate the views as you approach one of the picturesque fishing villages by boat. Spend some time exploring the old medieval quarter or the popular sandy beach. Our journey continues to the elegant seaside village of Portofino, epitome of la dolce vita. Admire the colorful houses, browse the boutiques or stay a while in the cafe bars on the piazzetta, watching the yachts moored in the harbor.
Accommodation: Best Western Regina Elena, Santa Margherita Ligure
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
In the morning, journey north to the beautiful Italian Lake District, a favorite retreat of the rich and famous where alpine scenery combines with lush subtropical vegetation. Relax and enjoy an afternoon at leisure at this popular resort and beautiful lake or perhaps take a cruise out to the lovely Borromean Islands? For your dining pleasure, you are invited to choose from a hand-picked selection of local restaurants for your Dine-Around Evening.
Accommodation: Simplon, Baveno
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Follow the southern fringes of the Alps to the Franciacorta wine region near Lake Iseo. Over 100 vineyards produce the famous sparkling wine of the region and winemaking traditions run deep. Taste the delicious vintages produced with a master vintner at a family-owned estate. Continue to the unique city of Venice and step back in time to centuries past.
Accommodation: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice
Meals: Breakfast
Visit St. Mark’s Square where the city’s former wealth and power is evidenced by the riches of St. Mark’s Basilica and admire the Doge's Palace with its adjoining Bridge of Sighs. Take your seat on a gondola and be serenaded through the myriad of beautiful canals, passing water-lapped doorways and Rococo palaces. The rest of the afternoon is yours to discover Venice at leisure. Join a MAKE TRAVEL MATTER® Experience during a visit to a traditional glassblowing workshop, where you can see how beautiful handcrafted glass is made by expert glassblowers, safeguarding traditional skills. Cruise the Venetian lagoon to Burano and sit down to a sumptuous dinner with wine, sampling the local specialties.
Accommodation: Hilton Molino Stucky, Venice
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Your departure transfer arrives at Venice Marco Polo airport.
Meals: Breakfast
Similar Tours
Tour Operator
Insight Vacations (CA)
Part of The Travel Company (TTC) family of brands, Insight Vacations began operations in 1978 and is based in Cypress, CA. Journeys are featured to destinations, such as the U.S. and Canada, Europe, Latin America, North Africa, Asia, the UK and Ireland. The company offers are a variety of tours under the classifications of Regional Journeys, Country Roads, Discovery Journeys, Easy Pace trips, and Special Interest tours. Insight is the ideal name for the tour operator, as the journeys provided by Insight Vacations allow travelers to gain further insight into whatever destination they wish to explore. For example, Discovery Journeys are the ideal choice for first-time visitors to Europe. Itineraries include Dine-at-Home or Farm-to-Table experiences so travelers can learn more about how locals live and dine. Regional Journeys allow trip-goers to see a specific location in Europe that they have always wanted to see – Poland, Switzerland, Italy, etc. The carefully planned trips enable customers to immerse themselves in one specific region or country and to become acquainted with its culture, traditions, and people. For anyone seeking travel off the beaten track, Insight Vacations offers Country Roads – trips that lead travelers off the well-tread tourist trail to explore hidden gems where visitors can savor the local produce with Farm-to-Table dining. Some trips are offered under the Easy Pace travel style – the ideal trip choice for trip-goers who wish to slow their pace during their vacation. During these tours, vacationers stay at least 3 nights at each destination, giving them some additional time to explore a place and enjoy it. Regardless of the travel style, many of the vacations offered by Insight Vacations begin with Relaxed Starts – giving travelers time to sleep in a little, spend more time at breakfast, or explore an area on their own. The tour company prides itself on providing business class tours that features luxury coaches with 40 seats. While most coach touring operators provide vehicles with 53 seats, Insight Vacations has re-configured its motor coaches to hold up to 40 guests. This gives passengers extra leg room while traveling and offers them more space and privacy.
In Business Since 1978
Reviews
Pierre S. - Traveled, April 2025
Great « sample plate » of what Italy has to offer, from historic sites to the big city, beautiful coastlines and delicious food! Grazie Mille!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/01/2025
Rebecca L. - Traveled, April 2025
Insight is a good way to see the world. Everything is organized for you. You don’t have to worry about waiting in long lines for tickets, they were already purchased in advanced or reserved for us. The tour bus was great, always on time. We did not have to worry about luggage. It was taken care of for us. Just a pleasant company to work with. This was my second trip with insight and plan on another one in April 2026! It was a fast paced trip. It is a bit difficult staying only one night in a few places, just the logistics of packing up several nights and having everything ready for the next day is challenging. But, that being said I thoroughly enjoyed seeing so many things through out Italy. That inconvenience was minor in comparison to the amount of ground we covered.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/01/2025
Joyce M. - Traveled, April 2025
I love Insight Vacations.....especially my two Travel Directors, Belinda Richardson several years ago and Margharita Casadei, on my most recent tour. And our Drivers were so personable and extremely talented (especially driving the Amalfi Coast). I rate this itinerary but I would encourage Insight Vacations to not use The Golden Tulip Hotel in Rome as our room was so very much outdated with furnishings from decades ago and the location is not very convenient to all the popular sights. Also the last time I took Treasure of Italy, the itinerary included Verona. I would also delete the wine tasting visit (on our way to Venice) in order to give us more time in Venice or more preferably a visit to Verona.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 05/01/2025
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
I think i motioned in the last note was unbelievable. Very insightful and well educated on a great deal of topics related to the tour. He was always ahead of the unforeseen issues. I would travel with him again! I LOVED it! Hit everything that was important to see. We were Exhausted by the end of it. I understand the schedule it tight. Would have been nice to have a little more free time. But i guess that is on the individual. We could have skipped things if needed. They were Fantastic! Great duo! So educated and insightful. Was always 2 steps ahead of any obstacle, it was quite impressive. You can tell he loves his job and takes it very seriously. We were lucky with a great group too!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/06/2024
Pamela T. - Traveled, June 2024
Everything is done for you no need to worry about transportation or hotels, This tour is filled with information on every area you visit, our tour guide is knowledgeable, personable, friendly and funny. We had the best time, I recommend going April or early May or fall season as it gets very hot and your doing lots of walking. Fast paced not much down time but perfect way to discover Italy, our tour guide is the best, great way to see which cities you would visit again.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 07/06/2024
Columbine P. - Traveled, November 2024
We always go through our travel agent Brian Novac at the Auto Club who gives excellent service with best pricing. It is jampacked with inspiring events and places to experience. Be prepared to be constantly on the go with early morning breakfasts and take offs. The hotels were wonderful and the meals good to excellent. It all comes down to the once in a lifetime experience. Our tour guide Remi was extremely welll organized, compassionate, and kind. This is our third Insight tour to Italy and the motorcoach and driver are always top notch. Make an excellent team! We are already planning our next tour through Insight for next year. I miss seeing guiding us through our Italian adventure.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
Our Travel Director was fabulous. Was very professional, organised and knowledgeable about all things Italian. She also had a bubbly personality and a good sense of humour which set the tone for the Tour. Our driver was punctual, affable, helpful, kept the coach spotless, and delivered us safely to all destinations. The local guides were great too - very knowledgeable and happy to answer any questions. Our hotels were all of a high standard - what's not to like about a lakeside hotel on Lake Maggiore or a hotel on a Venetian canal??? Italy caters very well for those who eat Gluten Free, like myself, and if I wasn't sure, our Travel Director was always on hand to steer me in the right direction. It was a great itinerary. There was plenty of variety starting with the historical sites of Ancient Rome, and Pompeii, and finishing with the very different Venice. In-between there was the beautiful Amalfi Coast, and Tuscany which included a fabulous dinner under the stars at a Tuscan villa - with live singers and musicians - magical. Florence and Cinque Terre were interesting. Next came Portofino where I sipped champagne with friends as we 'people-watched'. Finally came Santa Margherita and the truly serene Lake Maggiore. So often I felt as if I'd walked onto a film set e.g. the Colosseum, the Trevi Fountain, the Spanish Steps, Sorrento, Venice, the hillside villages, the fabulous villas, and the super yachts, etc. - nearly forgot the shopping!!! Words cannot describe the things we saw. You need to experience it all for yourself!!!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, September 2024
All our transfers, hotels, group dinners, and the different venues tickets were organized for us. No lines and that was appreciated due to the heat! I loved the itinerary. It was a lot to see in one visit but we knew that. The hotel rooms were nice but small. No room for our luggage. My favorite places were Rome and the Lakes. Our meals with the group were fantastic. Our traveling group was very friendly and welcoming. Our tour guide was great. He was very knowledgeable and added a lot to the trip. My only complaint was with our hotel in Venice. We had to change hotels due to the film festival. Our air conditioner had mold on it so we were put in a much smaller room. We had the option to change our room for the second night but we were too tired to change for only one night! All in all it was a trip of a lifetime. Thanks insight.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 10/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, October 2024
Excellent from bus hotels and tours treated first class. Captured all of the wonderful sites of Italy each day was better than the last magical never wanted to come home was fabulous and so passionate about her country Amazing experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/06/2024
Lynae S. - Traveled, October 2024
Our Tour Director was very knowledgeable and had a great sense of humor. She made this tour very special. It's a lot. Not much down time, but that's okay. People should be aware this is an active tour but it was fantastic!
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 11/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, August 2024
Luggage was taken care of. Bus was great. no issues. Loved seeing a little big of everything! Definitely saw the highlights of Italy. Tour director, was awesome. Bus was great. Didn't go in many museums and churches - which was fine with us - but tour did include the Vatican, St. Peters, and statue David.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/06/2024
Diane Q. - Traveled, July 2024
Our guide was sensational. She was so knowledgeable about every place we went. She knew so much of the history and details of the Country. I was very impressed with her. I loved it. My only critique would be to have more down time between options and places we visited. It's very fast-paced and there is not much time for relaxation. It would be much more enjoyable and we'd feel less hurried and less stressed if we could go at a reasonable, relaxed pace. It is a vacation after all. Fantastic trip but I wouldn't repeat due to hurried nature of the trip.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, July 2024
Superior service. Roomy bus, Can't beat for a tour director. Great locations.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 08/06/2024
Emily C. - Traveled, August 2024
Our tour guide, was amazing. The service that insight offered with the luggage and buses were incredible. The itinerary was amazing. It was such a perfect taste of Italy, being able to see so many parts of the country. The itinerary was amazing.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, August 2024
Ask for if you go on this trip. He created a friendly atmosphere among the guests and ensured we were comfortable with asking questions and making special requests. Our itinerary was jam packed and fast paced. We saw a lot on this trip and I am thankful for both our driver and guide. We also had several knowledgeable and patient local guides that emhanced our experience.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 09/06/2024
Thomas E. - Traveled, November 2024
We saw a lot of Italy which was what my wife and I wanted. Our guide was great.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
Our tour director and our bus driver couldn't have been more knowlegable, helpful and organized. Everything was on schedule and on time every day. It was a great first time trip to Italy which which gave first timers a sample of all the great places to be visited.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
Excellent fast service, especially when our return flight was cancelled. Beautiful sites on this tour. To improve, I recommend a winery stop between Sorrentl & Florence. The winery we visited was only so-so. Tour guides were fantastic. A couple of the optional dinner experiences were not at a standard I expected. Charge more and insure higher quality of meals.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
Our guide and driver were top notch and untiring with information, kindness and ability. Let us know when booking trip the times needed for each stop so when adding optional experiences we know how full our day will be. Loved it all but it was a packed agenda.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2024
Anonymous - Traveled, November 2024
The guide was amazing and the communication great! Well done. Used every minute. That said, more down time to wander areas would have been appreciated.
Source: Tour operator Submitted: 12/06/2024
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