Secrets of Italy: Rome to VeniceSecrets of Italy: Rome to Venice

Today, we’ll explore the lesser-known corners of the papal city. We’ll begin our day in St. Peter’s Square, where we’ll learn about the symbols hiding throughout the monumental complex, before visiting an unusual location within the Vatican, the Saint Peter's Necropolis. For lunch, we will enjoy a tasting of typical Roman cuisine on a garden terrace before being treated to a private tour of the towering Castel Sant'Angelo. In this mausoleum of the ancient Roman emperor Hadrian, we’ll explore hidden corridors, dark dungeons, and the ornate bathroom of Pope Clement VII, who used the building as a fortress. This evening is yours to relax, wander, and take dinner at your leisure. 

Today, we'll get out of the city and into the so-called Roman Castles, "I Castelli", at the feet of the Alban Hills. This area makes a wide variety of wines including rosés, sparkling frizzantes, and sweet wines. Previously frequented by the noblemen of Rome and the Popes for its fresher climate during summer, we'll explore a Papal garden, a grandiose theater adorned with statues of the Olympian gods, and a patrician villa well-known for its archeological collections. We'll enjoy a delicious wine tasting at a beautiful villa restaurant for lunch. In the afternoon, we'll head to Lake Nemi, a sanctuary dedicated to the goddess Diana in the Roman Era followed by the Museo delle Navi Romane, where the remains of the Nemi Ships are preserved, once elaborate floating palaces built under the Roman emperor Caligula. 

On our last day in Rome, we’ll explore the Domus Aurea - the vast unfinished imperial mansion built by the emperor Nero - with a local archaeologist. Once encrusted with jewels, ivory, marble, gold leaf, and frescoes, it’s now under careful excavation and conservation. You'll have the afternoon free to check out other Rome classics such as the Colosseum, Roman Forum, Palatine Hill, or Sistine Chapel. In the evening we'll regroup to travel back in time to 17th-century masquerades with a private tour of a Palazzo (with a Grand Gallery larger than the one in Versailles) and a final Roman dinner.

Today we'll drive to Umbria - known as Italy's Green Heart - a region often overlooked but filled with incredible medieval towns and quirky culinary traditions, such as saltless bread. Our first stop will be at a vineyard estate where the acclaimed rubesco wine is produced. We'll see a private collection and grab lunch to wash all the wine tastings down. Afterward, we'll head up (and up and up) the hill to Perugia, a charming town considered a major center of medieval art and packed with young university students.  We'll explore the city on foot from it's Etruscan Gate and the piazza packed with students each night to the surprising escalator that brings you from the lower town to a 16th-century fortress. 

Today, we'll drive to Florence, the capital of Tuscany. After taking some time to settle into our historic hotel, we’ll gather for a walking tour of the city and learn about the medieval past of Florence and the myriad myths, mysteries, and supernatural legends that haunt the city. After our orientation walk, we'll visit a 17th-century library tucked away in the former palace of the Medici family. Alongside the library’s director, we’ll explore troves of centuries-old historical documents and baroque frescoes. For lunch, we'll take the luxurious bistecca alla fiorentina in a room decked out in Art Nouveau frescoes. And in the afternoon, we’ll head to the Galleria dell'Accademia for a private, one-hour tour rediscovering a Renaissance universal masterpiece: Michelangelo's David. Once the tour concludes, you can explore the museum at your leisure.

We’ll kick off the morning with a guided tour of the magnificent Santa Maria del Fiore, an elaborate basilica erected in the 13th century and finished nearly 150 years later, learning about an epic architectural project: Brunelleschi's colossal dome. We’ll continue our tour at Palazzo Vecchio, the former seat of the Florentine government. Our knowledgeable guide will lead us through the palace’s secret rooms, alchemy laboratory, and rooftop galleries. And before lunch, we’ll visit one of the most spectacular private homes in the city—a palace designed by architect and sculptor Giuliano da Sangallo. We’ll have the opportunity to explore the residence, sip wine crafted by the family, and have lunch at their home. This afternoon you will have some free time to explore Florence’s wonders, such as the Uffizi Gallery or the Pitti Palace. We’ll regroup for a late afternoon tour in Oltrarno, enjoying dinner at a spectacular private garden with the owner, who will treat us to a meal with his family’s homegrown vegetables.

Enjoy the scenic route of the high-speed train to Venice, the sublime capital of a once powerful empire in the Adriatic Sea. Our first tour will start in the very heart of the city, Rialto Bridge, evoking the sophisticated and cosmopolitan Golden Age of maritime trade. We'll enjoy a lunch of Cicchetti, the traditional Venetian small plates.  We'll do some exploring this afternoon including a palatial (and very unusual) spiral staircase, the grandiose Piazza San Marco, the incredible Basicilca embellished with Byzantine-style mosaics, and a secret tour of the Doge's Palace.

Today we'll start our tour in the Cannaregio district, visiting a palace notorious for its sumptuous ballroom painted by Tiepolo, once a venue for the wildest Carnival parties in the city. Afterward, we’ll meander through the labyrinthine streets of the Jewish ghetto, learning about the Hebrew community in Venice and visiting a baroque pharmacy to check out its infamous poison room and ancient medical collections. Before lunch, we’ll take part in an immersive experience on the canal with a local nautical group that's dedicated to preserving Venice's ancient traditions among the younger generations. Later, we'll hop on a boat to the Isola di San Michele, Venice's Island of the Dead, where we'll discover a monumental cemetery noted for the tombs of illustrious writers and artists.

Today we’ll visit the island of San Lazzaro degli Armeni, originally a leper colony, now an Armenian monastery that’s home to an incredible manuscript library and eclectic museum. After lunch, we'll visit a secret 18th-century casino, previously a cozy and intimate place to meet people, gamble, and listen to music. Afterward, we'll discover the San Polo district with the fascinating Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari, where we'll admire the masonic monument to the sculptor Antonio Canova. Tonight, we’ll share a late dinner at an elegant, historical 19th-century venue specializing in local Venetian fish-seafood gastronomy.

On our final day you can arrange to leave anytime after breakfast (and your final cappuccino).