Today, enjoy a private transfer from Naples International Airport to Sorrento, and check in to your hotel. Get to know your fellow travelers at a welcome cocktail reception and dinner this evening.

Hotel: Hilton Sorrento Palace

Drive along the incomparable Amalfi Coast, one of Europe’s most dramatic shorelines. Small, picturesque towns are charming, boasting breathtaking views. Visit lemon-scented Amalfi and drive up to Ravello, perched on towering cliffs above the sea. The remainder of the day is free to enjoy Sorrento as you please.

Hotel: Hilton Sorrento Palace

Today, explore an ancient community captured in time – the excavated ruins of the Roman city of Pompeii, buried in volcanic ash when Mt. Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD. Walk through city streets with a local expert, where you'll discover remarkably preserved ancient architecture and artifacts that portray what daily life was like in this 1st-century city. Continue to remarkable Rome, where your next three nights are spent at InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace, one of the most prestigious addresses on the famed Via Veneto.

Hotel: InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace

Today, enjoy a drive to St. Peter's Square in Vatican City for a tour of St. Peter's Basilica to view the art and architecture of one of the largest and most famous churches in the world. After a free afternoon spent as you wish in Rome, your evening is highlighted by a guided visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel. See the Candelabra Gallery, Map Gallery, and the Tapestries, as well as an impressive collection of paintings by renowned artists such as Giotto, Leonardo da Vinci, Caravaggio, and Raphael. In the Sistine Chapel, you'll view artist Michelangelo's masterpiece frescoes adorning the chapel's famous ceiling.

Hotel: InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace

This morning, your day begins with a guided sightseeing excursion of Imperial Rome and the many historical landmarks that stand within its boundaries. Once the virtual capital of the ancient world, today Rome is best known as Italy's capital city and is sure to be highlight of your time in this beautiful country. Following your sightseeing, enjoy some free time this afternoon and evening to explore what interests you most in Rome.

Hotel: InterContinental Rome Ambasciatori Palace

Journey to Orvieto, set on a 984-foot-high plateau overlooking vineyards below. Visit the Duomo di Orvieto, a notable Romanesque-Gothic cathedral built over 300 years. After a trattoria lunch near the Piazza del Duomo, continue through the wine-producing regions of Umbria to Perugia, your home for the next two nights.

Hotel: Sina Brufani

This morning, enjoy a drive to Assisi, a well-preserved medieval hill town designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its art and architecture, and the hometown of St. Francis, the revered patron saint of animals and founder of the Franciscan order. Visit the Basilica di San Francesco, built to honor Assisi's beloved saint and favorite son and his final resting place. Gaze at the basilica's impressive 13th- and 14th-century frescoes, some of Italy's finest, and enjoy some free time in the center of town. This afternoon, return to your hotel where the remainder of the day is spent at your own leisure.

Hotel: Sina Brufani

This morning, depart your Umbrian resort and head for Tuscany, where centuries of beauty and nature have blended with the ingenuities of mankind; your travels through the rolling Tuscan hills take you through golden landscapes dotted with olive and fig trees. Arrive in the hilltop town of San Gimignano, one of its gems. Medieval towers, built in the 12th century by the nobility, are visible from afar. Stroll along the quaint streets and visit Piazza della Cisterna, one of Italy's most picturesque town squares. Continue your journey through the lush Tuscan countryside to Bagni di Pisa, a celebrated hotel.

Hotel: Bagni di Pisa

This morning, travel to Cinque Terre, a town only accessible by sea for hundreds of years; its five picture-book fishing villages nestled between the Mediterranean's blue waters and the rugged coastal mountains. Cruise along the shores of the Italian Riviera where views of these centuries-old Cinque Terre villages, set on rocky bluTs hemmed in by steep cliTs, are a standout. Following this, travel by train through the mountains to one of the five villages, where you'll get a look at daily life – from the colorful fishing boats home from the sea, to the wine, olives, and citrus fruit produced locally. You'll have some time to explore the cobblestone streets and alleyways, perhaps sampling the unique flavors of the local cuisine for lunch. Journey on to the Tuscan city of Florence for a three-night stay in its Renaissance heart; you'll have an opportunity to dine at your hotel's glass-walled rooftop restaurant with 360-degree views of one of the world's most beautiful cities.

Hotel: The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Today, enjoy a briefing by an art history lecturer precedes a walking tour of Florence and a guided visit through the collections of works by many of the greatest artists of the 14th and 15th centuries – including Michelangelo's famous sculpture of David and paintings by Botticelli, Uccello, Ghirlandaio, del Sarto and others – at Galleria dell'Accademia. Flourishing for more than four centuries, the world-renowned institution was established in 1563 as the first art school in Europe. Following a local lunch, you'll have time on your own in Florence this afternoon; your hotel is right in the heart of the city, which makes it easy to explore! Enjoy dinner at a local restaurant tonight.

Hotel: The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Today, Florence is yours to enjoy as you please; you may want to visit the Pitti Palace or the Medici Chapels, or stroll across the Ponte Vecchio to the lovely Boboli Gardens. Tonight, join a local expert for a guided tour of the Uffizi Gallery, Florence's extraordinary art museum founded by the Medici family in the 16th century; it can be rightfully called the oldest art gallery on Earth. Admire some of the world's greatest art masterpieces on display within its walls, including works by Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Michelangelo, Botticelli, and more.

Hotel: The Westin Excelsior, Florence

Guests rave that one of the things they like best about our Italy tours is traveling by different modes of transportation; Classic Italy continues today with a journey aboard a sleek high- speed train from Florence to Venice. Transfer by canal boat to your hotel, conveniently located along the Grand Canal near St. Mark's Square; after lunch, you'll indulge in the quintessential Venetian experience, a serenade aboard a gondola on the canals followed by an afternoon to explore Venice as you wish. Dinner tonight is on your own in Venice, a city embraced by the most popular Italy tours for its many fine restaurants!

Hotel: Hotel Monaco and Grand Canal

This morning, enjoy a guided tour of the sumptuous Doge's Palace, once the official residence of the elected officials of the Venetian Republic. The rest of your day is yours to do as you please in Venice. You might decide to visit the museums, an eclectic group housing some of the world's most famed art; stroll the winding, narrow streets that lead to countless bridges; or perhaps you might choose to take a boat to one of the islands in the Venetian Lagoon, such as Murano, Burano or Torcello, where centuries-old crafts and a kaleidoscope of color are found. This evening, join us for a farewell cocktail reception and dinner that marks the end of a fabulous two weeks in Italy.Today, enjoy a transfer from your hotel to Venice's Marco Polo Airport. As you fly home, reflect on your magnificent two week journey in Italy.

Hotel: Hotel Monaco and Grand Canal

Today, enjoy a transfer from your hotel to Venice's Marco Polo Airport. As you fly home, reflect on your magnificent two week journey in Italy.