Italy

10 Days / 9 Nights — Amalfi, Umbria, Florence, Venice, Lake District

Bellisimma! Italy, where colorful memories are collected memories like a slideshow...Pompeii, Assisi, St. Mark's, Ponte Vecchio, Grand Canal, Lake Como and more.

DAY 1 — Rome, Amalfi

Traveling south from Rome on the Autostrada del Sole, your first destination is the Amalfi Coast. Here the magic comes alive with Pompeii, Sorrento and the Isle of Capri. Alight into the Le Sirenuse, clinging to the hillside overlooking a storybook town and blue sea. Lodging: Le Sirenuse

DAY 2 — Amalfi

The Amalfi Drive follows the rocky coast between Sorrento and Salerno. Its innumerable bends along the coastline, afford consistently changing views of enchanting landscapes, oddly shaped rocks plunging vertically into a crystal-clear sea, and Saracen towers, once the haunts of pirates, perched on peaks and reefs. Lodging: Le Sirenuse

DAY 3 — Umbria

Drive north this morning to the extraordinary hill town of Orvieto. It has preserved its medieval ambiance, evident in its narrow, twisting streets and ancient houses. La Badia, considered by many historians as the oldest hotel in Italy, was originally founded as a Benedictine Monastery in the 8th century. Lodging: La Badia

I'm a photographer and there were times the light was just fantastic. So, I often asked our driver to pull over and I took all the pictures I needed. You can't do that with a tour bus.

DAY 4 — Florence

En route to Florence, our first stop is Assisi. With its old streets and houses still enclosed by ramparts, Assisi has hardly changed since the Middle Ages. The famous Basilica of St. Francis, built in 1253, is two, superimposed churches. The lower contains the tomb of St. Francis and the upper features the frescos that mark the beginning of Renaissance painting. Lodging: Grand Hotel Villa Cora

DAY 5 — Florence

During the Renaissance, the illustrious Medici family ruled Florence and left their mark as great patrons of the arts. Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci, Boccaccio, Petrach, Dante and Donatello are the major names linked to Florence's glorious past. The city today remains a work of art by virtue of its rich endowment of medieval monuments and Renaissance buildings. Lodging: Grand Hotel Villa Cora

DAY 6 — Venice

Today's drive takes you via Ravenna, famed for its glorious mosaics in the Church of San Vitale. Continue along the Adriatic Sea to Venice, which is situated on a broad lagoon comprising some 118 little islands separated from each other by more than 150 canals — spanned by nearly 400 bridges. Lodging: Hotel Royal Danieli

DAY 7 — Venice

A relaxing day to enjoy St. Mark's Square with its palatial arcades, the Bridge of Sighs, the splendid palazzos along the Grand Canal, or shopping for Venetian Glass on the nearby island of Murano. Lodging: Hotel Royal Danieli

DAY 8 — Lake Como

Continue along the open road into the beautiful Italian Lake District and the famed Villa d'Este, a charming hotel situated on the elegant shores of the "Lago de Como." Settle in quickly and begin to live the life of luxury with the glorious view of the lake before you. Lodging: Grand Hotel Villa d'Este

DAY 9 — Lake Como

Take a day to explore the fjord-like Lake Como. Choose a visit to the unique and beautiful gardens of the Villa Carlotta, or a short boat ride across the lake to the delightful town of Bellago, or just relax in this world-famous setting. Lodging: Grand Hotel Villa d'Este

DAY 10 — Milan

Enjoy a morning of leisure at the Villa d'Este with its backdrop of steep mountains, terraced vineyards and celebrated villas before your departure to Milan and the end of your "Renaissance Experience.'

: Top