Compare Classic Italy Tour by YMT Vacations vs Rome to Venice Italy Tour for Seniors by Nancy Aiello Tours

Day 1

Depart for Rome, Italy:

Your adventure begins as you depart the U.S. on your transatlantic flight. Overnight in flight.

Day 2

Arrive in Rome:

Arrive in historic Rome, Italy. This evening meet your fellow travelers and learn about the exciting days ahead, then relax over a tasty Italian dinner. (D)

✦ Hotel H10 Roma or similar

Day 3

The Vatican:

This morning, you’ll tour the Vatican City, home of the Pope. Our guided tour explores the Vatican Museums, which house some of the most important and valuable art treasures in the world. Visit the Sistine Chapel to view floor-to-ceiling biblical frescoes painted by Michelangelo in around 1512, St. Peter’s Basilica and St. Peter’s Square. Touring the Vatican Museums requires walking up several staircases and 2-3 hours of walking. (B)

✦Hotel H10 Roma or similar

Day 4

Rome:

A full-day sightseeing tour includes the highlights of this Eternal City. Today’s sights include outside views of the Roman Forum, once a marketplace and center of daily Roman life, and the Colosseum (entrances not included), the Piazza Navona and the renowned Spanish Steps along with the fabled Trevi Fountain, completed in 1762. (B, D)

✦Hotel H10 Roma or similar

Day 5

Orvieto and Montecatini Terme:

Depart Rome and travel north into the picturesque Umbrian countryside. We stop and take the funicular up to the ancient town of Orvieto, where you can explore this charming town and admire a variety of Etruscan, Medieval and Renaissance art. By late afternoon, we arrive at Montecatini Terme for a 2-night stay. (B)

✦Hotel Tamerici & Principe or similar

Day 6

Pisa and Florence:

Today’s full-day excursion starts with a short drive toward the Mediterranean coast and the city of Pisa. Here you will see the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which as of April 2011, is free of scaffolding for the first time in 20 years. Enjoy a walking tour of Florence and see the 13th century Duomo with the Brunelleschi dome and Giotto’s Campanile (bell tower). See Ghiberti’s golden “Gates of Paradise” doors at the marble-clad Baptistery of St. John, the Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio, the medieval bridge spanning the River Arno, complete with shops built along it. (B, D)

✦Hotel Tamerici & Principe or similar

Day 7

Bologna and Venice:

We drive northeast and stop in Bologna. Probably best known for its culinary tradition, Bologna also has an impressive history and is home to the world's oldest university, founded in 1088. Enjoy some time on your own and perhaps pasta with authentic bolognese sauce (ragu alla bolognese in Italian) before we continue toward the Adriatic coast. We’ll arrive in the Venice area by late afternoon and will stay just a few miles across the lagoon from the historic city. (B, D)

✦Crowne Plaza Venice East or similar

Day 8

Venice:

This morning enjoy a sightseeing tour of this amazing city, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, built on an archipelago of 117 islands in a lagoon. Visit St. Mark’s Square, with its Byzantine Basilica and clock tower; see the Grand Canal and the Doge’s Palace, once home to the Duke of Venice (entrance not included), the fabled Bridge of Sighs, as well as the Rialto Bridge. This afternoon you are free to wander through the labyrinth of canals and alleyways, lined with their boutiques and souvenir shops. If you want to get out on the water, there are a variety of boat rides (not included) from water taxis to the traditional gondolas that are synonymous with Venice. (B)

✦Crowne Plaza Venice East or similar

Day 9

Verona, Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore:

Today we head inland from Venice and the Adriatic Sea, through the lush northern Italian landscape as we drive to Verona. A city best known as the setting for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, it also offers wonderful examples of Medieval and Renaissance art and architecture. Our walking tour includes the Duomo (cathedral), Piazza delle Erbe with the famous Torre dei Lamberti (high tower), and of course the house of Juliet, with its famous balcony. We continue west toward Lake Garda — at over 30 miles long, Italy’s largest lake, before spending the night in the Lake Maggiore area. (B, D)

✦Zacchera Hotels or similar

Day 10

Lake Maggiore Cruise and Milan:

This morning we’ll take a scenic lake cruise and you’ll also have a little time to explore one of the picturesque lakeside towns before we continue our journey west to Milan, capital of the region of Lombardy. Your panoramic sightseeing tour highlights will include Piazza del Duomo, the main central square surrounded by several important buildings, such as Milan’s Gothic cathedral and the Royal Palace of Milan. You’ll also have a chance to see Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, an impressive and ornate indoor shopping arcade built in 1865, as well as La Scala Opera House. (B, D)

✦Crowne Plaza Milan Malpensa or similar

Day 11

Depart Milan, for Home:

Bid farewell to Italy, taking home a suitcase full of memories and stories to share. (B)

Please note that this is a proposed itinerary; the actual itinerary may vary due to season, special events, or weather. Because our tour arrangements are often made a year or more in advance, YMT Vacations reserves the right to alter the itinerary. Itinerary changes are made to improve your vacation experience, as well as respond to any unforeseen circumstances that mandate alterations. By their nature, all tour vacations involve a certain level of physical activity. While YMT tours have been designed with our guests in mind and are not physically demanding, this tour does include walking and periods of standing during the sightseeing visits. You will also encounter steps and some uneven ground along the way, particularly at older, historical sights.

Day 1: Welcome to Rome Italy’s Eternal City

The Italy Tour for Seniors starts with a private transfer from the airport to the hotel of your choice for 4 nights. Settle in, adjust to your exciting new surroundings, and get ready for your adventure ahead!

Day 2: Walking The Eternal City

This morning, meet your private guide and set the scene for your Rome walking tour discovering vibrant squares, magic fountains and unusual talking statues. Stroll through the cobbled streets, which takes you to the famous Spanish Steps, Piazza Navona and Trevi Fountain but also little-known treasures. Stop for in-depth discoveries, photo ops and a gelato break. Perfect for first-timers, this introductory tour will give you a greater understanding of the city splendors and prominent place in world history. The afternoon is at leisure to absorb the city’s everyday charms.

Day 3: Step into the Pages of Roman History

The most memorable treasure Rome has to offer is the feeling of history that lingers all around you. The monumental ruins that remain from the city's glorious past are the focus of this private guided walking tour that starts with the most iconic of them all, the Colosseum. After marveling at its vast interior, you enter the Roman Forum the heart of Roman daily life. Finally climb to the top of the Capitoline Hill religious center of ancient Rome. The rest of your day is at your leisure - personalized recommendations will be provided.

Day 4: Treasures of the Vatican

Michelangelo Sistine Chapel and St. Peter's Basilica are the highlights of any vacation in Rome. These treasures and much more will be revealed by your private guide. Stroll the Vatican Museums, which houses the most extensive collection of art in the world. Discover cool Renaissance-era maps, classical Roman sculpture and drama-filled tapestries along the way, ending at the Sistine Chapel. Then be humbled by the beauty of St. Peter's Basilica with its imposing dome and the Pieta, both designed by Michelangelo. Balance of the day at leisure - personalized recommendations will be provided.

Day 5: Departure from Rome to Florence via Orvieto

Today it's off to the capital of Tuscany and the birthplace of the Renaissance. Transfer with private driver stopping en route in the walled hill town of Orvieto. Located in the beautiful Umbrian region, Italy’s ‘Green Heart, Orvieto is sure to capture your heart. The cobbled streets of Orvieto are charmingly medieval and away from the tourist routes but with plenty of distractions including authentic restaurants to enjoy local delicacies. Following lunch, you'll be taken to your hotel in Florence where you will be staying for 4 nights. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Day 6: Journey to the Renaissance

This morning your private guide meets you at your hotel and whisk you off to see the heart of the city. Walk through the history of Florence and relive the Renaissance in the footsteps of Michelangelo. Discover Ponte Vecchio, the city’s oldest bridge. Enjoy Piazza della Signoria a virtual open-air museum of artwork by Renaissance masters. Then comes Piazza del Duomo, where the cathedral, baptistery and bell tower are located. Finally learn the storied history behind Michelangelo’s David. The rest of your day is at your leisure - personalized recommendations will be provided.

Day 7: In the Heart of the Tuscan Vineyards

This morning, it is in your private vehicle with driver-guide that you crisscross the Tuscan countryside, in the direction of the Chianti wine region celebrated all over the world. Tidy rows of vineyards set amidst historic villages and silvery-green olive trees are the scenic backdrop for this wine excursion. You will visit vineyards and century-old cellars, a guided tasting of the estates organic wines and extra-virgin olive oil will follow. Head back to the hotel in the afternoon with the rest of the day at your leisure.

Day 8: Masterpieces of the Uffizi Gallery

Stroll with your private guide through the cobbled streets to the Uffizi Gallery, home to the world’s most extensive collection of Renaissance art. Following a carefully selected route, you will explore the rich artistic layers of famous works, as well as the complex interplay of culture, patronage, and artistic inspiration that gave rise to them. The tour also offers an intriguing second glance for seasoned Uffizi visitors, with an in-depth exploration of the themes that have made the works so enduring. Rest of the day at your leisure - personalized recommendations will be provided.

Day 9: Departure from Florence to Venice via Bologna

When it comes to Italian food, Bologna is the capital! Today, transfer with private driver stopping en route in this historic town famed for its tortellini, mortadella and Bolognese sauce. With its 23 miles of covered porticos, it is a walker’s delight in any season, yet is surprisingly free of tourists. Savor the city highlights and culinary wonders before proceeding to Venice parking lot. Here you'll be taken by private water taxi to your hotel in Venice where you will be staying for for 3 nights. The remainder of the day is at your leisure.

Day 10: Enjoy a True Taste of Venice

Step away from the crowds of tourists and see the off the beaten path Venice has to offer as you wander its winding alleys, cross historic bridges and drift along canals on a gondola. This morning your private guide meets you at your hotel and whisk you off to experience the city like a local. While the hidden gems of Venice will certainly amaze you, the pleasures of the historic Rialto market are sure to delight. To take the edge off, the tour concludes with a private gondola ride. Rest of the day free to do as you please- personalized recommendations will be provided.

Day 11: Island Paradise

Meet your private guide at your hotel and journey by private boat across the Venetian Lagoon to Murano. Here you will visit a glassblower's studio, watch the artisans at work and learn about Venetian glassblowing art. Neighboring Burano has canals lined with colored houses and is famous for its lacemaking, a skill that has developed here since the 16th century. You will learn about this age-old technique at a workshop where lace continues to be made by hand today. After the tour, return to your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure - personalized recommendations will be provided.

Day 12: Depart Venice

The Italy Tour for Seniors ends with a private motorboat transfer to the Venice airport, railway station or port for your departure arrangements. Buon Viaggio!