sell11 Day Green Heart of Italy Tour 2024

SATURDAY: Boarding your overnight flight, you’re off to Italy on the adventure of a lifetime!

SUNDAY: Benvenuti a Roma, the Eternal City! We are pleased to offer complimentary transfers from the Rome airport to your hotel at scheduled times. Your Perillo representative will be at the airport to greet you. There will be time to relax this afternoon before dinner with fine local vino at our hotel.

MONDAY: This morning, you’ll get to experience a delicious Italian breakfast, complete with cappuccino, fresh juices, croissants, fresh breads along with salami, cheeses and of course bacon and eggs!

Next, we depart the hotel for a panoramic tour of Imperial Rome including the Roman Forum, the Circus Maximus, and the Great Synagogue build in the heart of the Jewish quarter. Then we’ll enter the Colosseum, reliving the brutal entertainment of the gladiators and the lions, refereed by the Emperor himself.

Tonight, we enjoy a fun dinner out.

*Colosseum entrance subject to ticket availability*

TUESDAY: This morning, after breakfast, it’s a 10-minute bus ride over to another country – Vatican City. With our expert local guide, we’ll tour the Vatican Museums, a massive collection of ancient Greek sculptures, medieval tapestries and Renaissance paintings.

Our visit culminates in the Sistine Chapel, renowned for its Renaissance art, especially the ceiling which was painted by Michelangelo between 1508 and 1512. This room, which attracts more than five million visitors each year, is also where the Pope is elected.

Next, we visit St. Peter’s Basilica, by far the largest church in Christendom. We’ll see Michelangelo’s Pietà, sculpted when he was just 24 years old, as well as Bernini’s seven story bronze canopy located above the main altar.

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy! Take a stroll along the ancient streets of Rome, enjoy a gelato or go shopping!

Tonight, we thought you’d enjoy a dinner on your own. Ask your tour guide for a recommendation or venture out and explore the local restaurants in Rome! Be sure to try a “Supplì,” a Roman delicacy: A fried ball of rice filled with tomato sauce, meat and melted mozzarella.

(Please note that the visit of St. Peter’s Basilica is subject to availability based on the events planned by the Pope.)

WEDNESDAY: This morning after breakfast, we check out of our hotel and travel to the beautiful region of Umbria, also known as Italy’s “Green Heart”. Our first stop will be Spoleto, a hidden gem. This ancient hilltop town is one of the oldest cities in Italy – its history dates back more than 2500 years. It was an important Roman colony and later capital of the Longobard Duchy.

We’ll enjoy a walk through the narrow streets to see the Cathedral, a most complex building with magnificent frescoes by Filippo Lippi (15th century). We’ll come to the bridge called Ponte delle Torri (bridge of the towers), the symbol of Spoleto and one of the city’s panoramic points. It was originally an aqueduct, first built by the Romans then rebuilt in the 12th century to ensure a reliable water supply to Spoleto.

For more than 50 years, Spoleto has been known worldwide for hosting the Festival of the Two Worlds, featuring artists from all over the world in concerts, dance and various exhibitions.

Next, we’ll drive to Assisi, the birthplace of St. Francis, one of Italy’s most famous patron saints. We’ll check in to our beautiful hotel and then head out on a walking tour with a local guide. We visit the Pala Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi, an important pilgrimage site dedicated to St. Francis. We will also visit a crypt where the remains of St. Francis are kept.

Of course, we’ll have to stop for an olive oil tasting at a family-owned oil mill as the extra virgin olive oils from Umbria are some of the finest in the country.

Tonight, we’ll relax in our hotel and enjoy dinner with fine local wines.

THURSDAY: This morning, we depart for Gubbio, a well-preserved medieval town dating back to the Etruscan period. We’ll take a guided walking tour of this wonderful medieval city, famous for the largest Christmas tree in the world.

We’ll see the Palace of the Consuls, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Spoleto, located in the main square: Piazza del Duomo. The palace, which was built in the early 13th century by the city of Spoleto to serve as the seat of the city’s government, is one of the most important examples of medieval civic architecture in Italy.

Next, we’ll enjoy a wine tasting and lunch at Cantina Semonte.

After lunch we’ll return to our hotel and the rest of the day is yours to enjoy. Be sure to ask your tour leader for restaurant suggestions.

FRIDAY: This morning, we depart for Lake Trasimento. We will arrive at the lakeside town of Tuoro where we will take a cruise (weather permitting) to the islands and beautiful areas of the lake. We’ll navigate towards Maggiore Island for a short break and a chance to admire the Castle of Gugliemi, amongst other wonders.

Next, we’ll return to shore and will take a ride to the “Carini Family Winery” to enjoy a wine tasting and lunch.

After lunch, we’ll return to Perugia for a walking tour with your tour leader. Perugia, a popular destination for tourists who come to explore its charming street, museums and art galleries is also a food lover’s paradise! We’ll have some free time to shop or have ice cream.

Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner out at a local restaurant with fine wines.

SATURDAY: This morning, after breakfast, we’ll check out of our hotel and enjoy a ride through the Tuscan countryside. On our way to Florence, we’ll stop to visit Lucignano, one of the most fascinating but lesser-known medieval destinations of Tuscany. Here we will discover a past that’s still alive thanks to hidden treasures like the unique “Tree of Life,” a masterpiece of Gothic jewelry in the shape of a tree.

You’ll have some free time to enjoy a quick lunch before we depart for La Bagnaia Resort.

This afternoon, we’ll enjoy a guided tour of Siena. We’ll stroll through this amazing city which looks like a fascinating maze of alleys that rise and fall and intersect.

Our guided tour will include the elaborately carved Duomo, one of the greatest examples of Italian Romanesque-Gothic architecture. It is said that the great composer Richard Wagner, upon seeing the Cathedral of Siena for the first time, was moved to tears. You’ll be amazed at the art and beauty as well as its wonderful marble floor which is a unique example in the history of art.

Tonight, we’ll enjoy dinner out in Siena with fine local wines.

SUNDAY: Florence – also known as the “Cradle of the Renaissance,” awaits our inspection! Our sightseeing today includes the majestic Duomo built in 1296, Giotto’s Bell Tower and the Baptistery with its renowned “Gates of Paradise” doors.

We follow the medieval streets to the most striking square in Florence, Piazza della Signoria, home of Santa Croce Church, Michelangelo’s final resting place.

“Breathtaking” is the only word to describe one’s first view of Michelangelo’s David. Yes, it’s quite large and detailed. But the real magic is in how Michelangelo transformed a lifeless rock into a man – full of pride, wary of his adversary, yet quietly confident. All with just a hammer and chisel!

You’ll have some free time in Florence to shop and wander around.

Tonight, we’ll enjoy a delicious dinner in our hotel with fine local wines.

MONDAY: Today, we will drive through the beautiful rolling hills of Chianti for a most unique winery visit but first we’ll stop for a tour of San Gimignano along the way. This medieval town, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is known for its 14th-century towers, which rise above the town’s skyline.

Once at the winery, you’ll get to meet our dear friend, Pierluigi Giachi, the world’s most enchanting and entertaining sommelier. First, we’ll start with a truffle hunt: accompanied by a guide with his trained dogs you’ll watch as they skillfully use their noses to find these delicacies.

Next, we’ll enjoy an olive oil and wine tasting while taking a fun, hands-on cooking class with a chef. I hope this meal tastes good because it will be served to you for dinner! This will be a truly fun, memorable day!

TUESDAY: This morning our bus will take us back to Florence airport for our return flights home, arriving in the USA the same day. While we say “arrivederci” to Italy, we realize we’re taking a little piece of it back home with us….and maybe some wine too! Arrivederci Italia!