Italy Adventure Tour

We meet at the international departures terminal of Istanbul Airport three hours before the flight. After completing baggage, ticketing and boarding procedures, we fly to Venice on a scheduled Turkish Airlines flight. On arrival, we board the private buses waiting for us and head to central Venice. From Tronchetto Square in Venice, we take a short ferry ride to San Marco Square and begin our panoramic city tour. San Marco Basilica, at the far end of the square, is known for its gold mosaics and Byzantine architecture. The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is where prisoners took a final look at the city as they were led to their cells. Sights on the tour include the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge spanning the canal, the Doge’s Palace, the Bell Tower and Clock Tower, and Giorgio Maggiore Church. Guests who wish can join the optional Grand Canal Tour (55 €), arranged by our guide at an extra charge. Renaissance palaces line the canal, the city’s main transport route. After the tour, you will be transferred to your hotel in Venice and have free time to rest.

After breakfast, we visit Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, to relax and enjoy the lake views. With its green and blue waters, Lake Garda offers opportunities to walk along its shores and relax while taking in the scenery. After our visit to Lake Garda, we depart for Milan and begin our city tour. Located in northern Italy, Milan is a centre for fashion, design and business. One of the city’s well-known landmarks, Milan Cathedral (Duomo di Milano), is an example of Gothic architecture. The world’s fifth-largest church, it is also one of Europe’s largest Gothic cathedrals. Its white marble exterior is decorated with detailed carvings. The front facade features numerous statues and carvings. The golden Madonnina statue at the top of the cathedral is regarded as the city’s patron saint. Located right next to the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is a shopping arcade known for its glass roof and mosaic floors. It houses luxury brand stores, cafés and restaurants. The arcade has four main entrances; the best known is the entrance on the Piazza del Duomo side. The building’s architecture brings together modern engineering and traditional art.

After breakfast, we depart from Milan for Florence. Upon arrival, we begin our city tour of Florence. As the birthplace of the Renaissance and the city where it developed, Florence holds an important place in the world’s cultural heritage. The city saw major developments in art, science and philosophy, with artists and scientists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Brunelleschi working under the patronage of the Medici family. Sights on the tour include the Arno River, which divides Florence in two, Ponte Vecchio Bridge, known for its jewellers, and Palazzo Vecchio. The tour also includes Piazza Della Signoria Square, home to the Renaissance statues of Hercules and David, Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore Duomo), which has Italy’s 3rd-highest dome, and the Baptistery, known for its door. We return to our hotel in the evening. The remaining hours of the day are free time to relax.

After breakfast, you will have free time for the entire day. Guests who wish may join the optional Toscana tour (135 €), arranged by our guide at an extra cost. The tour covers Portofino and Pisa in summer, and Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa in winter. The first stop on the summer tour will be Portofino, one of the coastal towns on the Italian Riviera. Here, we will take a walk to see the colourful houses and small harbour. We will then travel to Pisa. After visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa, which has become a symbol of Italy, and the adjoining Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli), we will return to our hotel. Overnight at our hotel. The first stop on the winter tour will be Siena. The city has a strong neighbourhood culture, with a total of 17 neighbourhoods. During the city tour, we will see Campo Square, where the neighbourhoods compete in the Palio horse races, the unfinished Siena Duomo and the city's narrow streets. We will then travel to San Gimignano, which retains its medieval character. Here, we will see the historic towers built by rival noble families in the 12th and 13th centuries, as well as Cisterna Square. The final stop on the tour will be Pisa.

After breakfast, we depart for Rome. Upon arrival in Rome, we begin our Outlet and Lake District tour (Outlet, Castel Gandolfo, Nemi). Built around a castle, Castel Gandolfo is known for its stone streets, lake and natural surroundings. The Papal Palace in the town centre served as a retreat for popes for centuries. The palace gardens have paths lined with flowers. We then visit Nemi, known for its strawberry fields. The town hosts a Strawberry Festival every year. After our visit to Nemi, we allow free time for shopping in Italy's most famous outlet district. These shopping centres, visited by both locals and tourists, offer souvenirs and everyday essentials. After exploring Rome's historical and cultural sites, you can take a break at the shopping centres. In the evening, we depart for our hotel. Upon arrival at the hotel, we allow free time to rest.

After breakfast, we depart for Rome. Guests who wish to join can take the optional Rome Monuments Tour (55 Euro). Throughout its history, Rome has been home to emperors, gladiators and works of art. During the tour, we view Castel Sant’Angelo, where Cem Sultan was imprisoned, from the outside. Built as a mausoleum by the Roman Emperor Hadrian, Castel Sant’Angelo was later converted into a fortress and used as a prison and papal stronghold during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Our next stop is the Colosseum, where gladiators and wild animals once fought before crowds. After viewing the Colosseum from the outside, we visit the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi), surrounded by statues and made famous by the film La Dolce Vita. Other sights we will see include the Roman Forum, once the centre of social, commercial and religious life; Piazza Venezia, home to the white marble Vittoria Emanuele monument; the Temple of Hadrian; the Pantheon; and the Spanish Steps, which have 135 steps and a fountain shaped like a sunken boat. We then head to St Peter’s Square in the Vatican. On arrival, we have free time to explore the square.

After breakfast, you have free time throughout the day. Guests who wish to join can take the optional Naples-Pompeii tour (135 Euro). First, we visit the ancient city of Pompeii, at the foot of Mount Vesuvius, which was buried under ash when Vesuvius erupted in AD 79. An important centre of trade and culture during the Roman Empire, Pompeii was a wealthy settlement where agriculture, trade and art flourished. The eruption quickly buried the city beneath a layer of lava and ash. This layer preserved traces of daily life from that period to the present day, turning Pompeii into an open-air museum. We then continue to Naples for a city tour. Founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, Naples is the capital of the Campania region in southern Italy. Also an important centre during the Roman Empire, the city has been home to various cultures and civilisations from the Middle Ages to the present day. The Historic Centre (Centro Storico) is known for its narrow streets, historic churches, ancient ruins and squares. After the city tour, you have free time. We meet at the time set by our guide and return to our hotel. Upon arrival, you have free time to rest.

After breakfast, check out of your rooms and enjoy free time, depending on the flight schedule. Meet at the transfer time announced by the guide and travel by private bus to Rome airport. Fly to Istanbul with Türk Havayolları. The tour ends upon arrival in Istanbul. We look forward to seeing you again on another tour.