About Your Trip
This nine-day tour of Northern Italy starts in the capital, Rome, where we’ll fast-track past the crowds to the Colosseum, tuck into authentic food at a local lunch spot and seek out the best of the city’s baroque architecture. From here we’ll take a high-speed train north – for art and history in Florence, and a taste of the Tuscan countryside between Siena and San Gimignano. We’ll jump back on the high-speed line to Bologna and Emilia-Romagna for two days stuffed with gourmet foodie experiences, before zipping into Milan – for designer shops, jaw-dropping architecture and a day-long train excursion to Lake Como.
Trip Highlights
- 1Skip the line to the see the Colosseum in Rome
- 2See the best of the capital’s baroque architecture on a walking tour
- 3Experience the beauty of Florence on foot
- 4Tuck into a truffle lunch in the Tuscan countryside
- 5Take a gourmet tour of Bologna
- 6Visit the pretty village of Bellagio at Lake Como
- 7See Milan through the eyes of a Local Insider
- 8Whizz through the Italian countryside by high-speed train
What's Included
- Eight nights accommodation
- Seven breakfasts
- One lunch
- Two dinners
- Architectural tour of Rome
- Group lunch at a local restaurant in Rome
- Skip-the-line entry to the Colosseum
- Half-day tour of Florence
- Guided visit of Siena
- Olive oil tasting and truffle meal at Podere La Marronaia
- Visit to San Gimignano
- Gourmet food tour of Bologna with tastings
- Parmigiano Reggiano dairy visit and tasting
- Visit to Parma
- Visit to a traditional balsamic vinegar production house
- City tour of Milan with a Local Insider
- Tour of Como
- Visit to Bellagio
- Farewell dinner in Milan
- Second-class Italo high speed train tickets for journeys between Rome, Florence, Bologna and Milan
- Second-class return train tickets from Milan to Como
What's Not Included
- Visas
- Travel insurance
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Accommodation
This quirky boutique hotel just outside the Vatican City isn’t short on character. Bright and bold colours, patterns and textures come together to psychedelic effect, like the Amalfi Coast seen through a kaleidoscope. The rooftop bar is a highlight, with views over terracotta roofs and ancient umbrella pines.
On the south bank of the River Arno, just 20 minutes’ walk from the city centre, this stylish hotel has all the interior design flair you’d expect in Florence. A ceiling-to-floor mosaic meets you in the lobby, alongside a sculptural device charging station, while rooms twinkle with star-like LEDs.
This is a sleek, grown-up base right next to Bologna’s train station. Rooms are fresh and contemporary, with floor-to-ceiling windows and glossy terrazzo tiles. The restaurant and breakfast room is equally stylish, with red, glass-topped tables and 60s-style chairs.
For heart-of-the-action location, you won’t do much better than the Ambasciatori. It’s so close to the Milan cathedral, you can see the architectural detail of its spires from the hotel’s rooftop terrace. Rooms are classic and un-flashy, and breakfast is generous.