Italy 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 travel to central Venice on the private buses waiting for us. 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 end of San Marco Square, is known for its gold mosaics and Byzantine architecture. The Bridge of Sighs (Ponte dei Sospiri) is where prisoners took their last look at the city as they were led to their cells. During the tour, we will see the Grand Canal, the Rialto Bridge spanning the canal, the Doge’s Palace, the Bell Tower and Clock Tower, and Giorgio Maggiore Church. Palaces dating from the Renaissance line the Grand Canal (Canal Grande), the main waterway of Venice, a city known for its waterways. After the tour, we transfer you to your hotel in Venice. You have free time to rest.

After breakfast, we visit Lake Garda, Italy’s largest lake, to relax and enjoy the scenery. You can walk around the lake, known for its green and blue waters, or take in the views. 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 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 features detailed carvings, and its front facade has numerous statues. The golden Madonnina statue at the top of the cathedral is regarded as the city’s patron saint. 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. Of the arcade’s four main entrances, the best known opens onto Piazza del Duomo. The building’s architecture brings together modern engineering and traditional art. After the tour, we transfer you to your hotel. You have free time to rest.

After breakfast, we depart from Milan for Florence. On arrival, we begin our city tour of Florence. As the birthplace and center of development of the Renaissance, Florence holds an important place in the world's cultural heritage. Artists and scientists such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Botticelli and Brunelleschi worked under the patronage of the Medici family in this city, where advances were made in art, science and philosophy. The tour includes the Arno River, which divides Florence in two, Ponte Vecchio bridge, known for its jewelers, and Palazzo Vecchio. We will also see Piazza Della Signoria, home to the statues of Hercules and David, important works of the Renaissance; Florence Cathedral (Santa Maria del Fiore Duomo), with the 3rd highest dome in Italy; and the Baptistery, known for its door. We return to the hotel in the evening. The rest of the day is free time to rest.

After breakfast, we will begin our Toscana tour. In summer, our route will take us to Portofino and Pisa, while in winter we will visit Siena, San Gimignano and Pisa. Our first stop in summer will be Portofino, one of the coastal towns on the Italian Riviera. We will take a walk here to see the colourful houses and small harbour. We will then continue to Pisa. After visiting the Leaning Tower of Pisa, one of Italy’s landmarks, and the adjacent Square of Miracles (Piazza dei Miracoli), we will return to our hotel. We will spend the night at our hotel. Our winter tour will begin in Siena. The city has a strong neighbourhood culture and a total of 17 neighbourhoods. During our city tour, we will see Campo Square, where the neighbourhoods compete in the Palio horse races, the unfinished Siena Duomo and the narrow streets. We will then continue 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 and Cisterna Square.

After breakfast in Florence, we depart for Rome. Upon arrival, we begin our Outlet and Lake District (Outlet - Castel Gandolfo - Nemi) tour. Built around a castle, Castel Gandolfo is known for its stone streets, lake and the Papal Palace in the town centre. The palace, used by popes as a retreat for centuries, has gardens with paths lined with flowers. We then visit Nemi, known for its strawberry fields. The town holds a Strawberry Festival every year. After our visit to Nemi, we have free time for shopping in Italy's best-known outlet area. These centres, visited by locals and tourists, offer souvenirs and personal items. 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 have free time to rest.

After breakfast, we begin our tour of Rome. In this city that has been home to emperors, gladiators and works of art throughout history, we will first see Castel Sant’Angelo, where Cem Sultan was imprisoned. 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 tour continues with the Colosseum in the city centre. In ancient times, spectators watched contests involving gladiators and wild animals in this arena. After visiting the Colosseum, we head to the Trevi Fountain (Fontana di Trevi), surrounded by statues and made famous by the film La Dolce Vita. According to tradition, anyone who makes a wish and throws a coin into the fountain will one day return to Rome. We will also see the Temple of Hadrian, the Pantheon and the Spanish Steps, which have 135 steps and a fountain shaped like a sunken boat at their base. We then head to St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican. On arrival, you will have free time to visit the square.

After breakfast, we depart for Naples. Founded by the Greeks in the 7th century BC, Naples is the capital of the Campania region in southern Italy. An important centre during the Roman Empire, the city has been home to many cultures and civilisations from the Middle Ages to the present day. The city centre (Centro Storico) is known for its narrow streets, historic churches, ancient ruins and squares. Its main landmarks and places include Duomo di Napoli (Naples Cathedral), Castel Nuovo (New Castle), built in the 13th century, Palazzo Reale (Royal Palace), San Carlo Theatre, Galleria Umberto I and Via Toledo street. After our tour, we set off for Rome, the capital of Italy. Upon arrival in Rome, we proceed to the hotel where we will be staying. In the evening, we return to our hotel and 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 specified by our guide and travel to Rome Airport by private coach. Depart for Istanbul with Turkish Airlines. Our tour ends upon arrival in Istanbul. We look forward to seeing you on another tour.