Here's the itinerary for the May 2019 Italy Tour!

Italy Alive 2019 Tour of Italy ~ May 12-22

Cost: $4500/per person – double occupancy

Rome for 3 nights

Day 1

Meet & greet private transfer from Rome airport to hotel

Breakfast included at Hotel Colosseum***

Hotel Colosseum is set in a quiet street in the city center. The roof terrace offers unforgettable views of ancient Rome. The Coliseum and the Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica are just a short walk away.

All rooms at the Colosseum Hotel are air-conditioned, and come with a satellite TV and elegant parquet floors. The private bathrooms are complete with bath or shower, hairdryer, and toiletries.

Breakfast is a varied buffet.

http://www.hotelcolosseum.com/fr/?gclid=Cj0KCQiA_5_QBRC9ARIsADVww14L-nc9n08H0izbVBDnIEgrDBZzpzzOc4YGUl5KiRXPlgag2YIF5rEaAkUYEALw_wcB

Dinner at Osteria La Carbonara

On the go since 1906, this busy restaurant was favoured by the infamous Ragazzi di Panisperna, the group of young physicists whose discoveries led to the construction of the first atomic bomb. The waiters are brusque, the atmosphere crackles with energy, and the interior is covered in graffiti – tradition dictates that diners should leave their mark in a message on the wall.

Day 2

Crypts and Catacombs

Duration of tour: 3 hours 30 mins

These subterranean tunnels were created by Rome’s first Christians during a time when their religion was heavily persecuted. They can plunge six stories deep into the ground and once held the remains of saints, martyrs, and thousands of early converts. Step back in time 2,000 years with an unforgettable experience of Rome hidden history. Your tour also includes the Capuchin Crypt. An incredible series of rooms decorated with the bones of 4,000 monks. Although it is unclear how the decorating process began, the end product is undeniably creepy. There are light fixtures made from spinal bones, a coat of (real) arms, and a few full skeletons still wearing their monk robes. Included in your ticket is the Capuchin Museum, where your guide will point out an authentic Caravaggio and some strange mementos of monks. You'll board a private vehicle for the journey across town to the highlight of our tour. You will learn about the Domitilla Catacombs, an ancient Christian burial ground, and the Church of San Clemente, built over an ancient fourth century church which was built over an even older Roman house containing Christian artifacts and a pagan temple almost 20 metres below ground level.

Includes: Tickets to the Capuchin Crypt and Museum, Round-trip transport between sites, English speaking guide.

Day 3

Walking tour of the Roman sites which include:

The Forum, the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain, Piazza Navona, and St. Peter’s Basilica

Private transfer from Rome to Florence

Florence for 3 nights

Day 4

Private transfer from Rome to Florence

Breakfast included at Hotel Paris***

Set in a 17th century Florentine palace, the Paris is a luxury boutique hotel featuring frescoed ceilings and stained glass windows. It lies 300 m from Florence Cathedral.

Rooms at Hotel Paris are richly decorated with red carpets and antique furniture. Each room has a flat-screen TV with satellite and pay-per-view channels, a safe and a minibar. The classic marble bathrooms come with bath or shower and toiletries. Some rooms face Florence Cathedral or the Medici Chapels.

A breakfast buffet is served in a 17th-century dining room with frescoed ceilings and stained glass mosaics. There is also a hanging garden on the 1st floor, which offers views over the historic centre of the city.

Free Wi-Fi is provided in the entire building, while an internet point is available on request.

http://www.parishotel.it/en/

Day 5

Priority access tickets to see The David at The Accademia Gallery Tour

Enter the Accademia Gallery museum with a fast track priority entrance ticket and discover the original Michelangelo's masterpiece that has become the symbol of Renaissance splendour, The David. Admire it from every perspective, gaze in awe at David, that dominates the central gallery of the museum. The David was sculpted by a very young Michelangelo (in his twenties) entirely from a single block of local Carrara marble and it's 5.17 metres tall (17 ft).

Private round-trip transfer to Fiesole

Dinner at La Reggia degli Etruschi included

Located on one of the most panoramic terraces of Fiesole, La Reggia degli Etruschi (once a monastery and later a tearoom) is today one of the most exclusive restaurants in the city with a breathtaking view over Florence and its monuments. This typical restaurant offers its guests the best traditional Cucina Toscana.

The restaurant is also an "enoteca" (a winery) where you can taste Tuscan wines recognized worldwide such as Solaia, Brunello di Montalcino, the fabulous "Super Tuscans", and many others that could accompany your traditional tuscan dinner in Fiesole, while immersed in the magic of the Florentine hills...

Besides two spacious internal halls with traditional tile floors, wooden ceiling beams and large, bright windows offering an unforgettable view over Florence and Fiesole, the restaurant boasts a delightful terrace on two levels surrounded by flowers and greenery; inside there is an abundant wine cellar featuring the best Tuscan wines – such as Morellino di Scansano, Tignanello, and Sassicaia – an incredible selection made with passion and experience by Leonardo, the restaurant's grand chef/sommelier.

Day 6

Afternoon Chianti Experience with 2 Wine Tastings and 2 charming Villages departure at 1 pm A comprehensive experience in one of the most fascinating areas of Tuscany, known all over the world for its wine and its countryside of unrivalled charm, where woods alternate with vineyards and olive groves. The first stop of the tour is in the heart of the Florentine Chianti Classico, in a historic Winery with Castle producing also extra virgin olive oil. Here you'll experience an original itinerant tasting tour with four different wines and local products, guided by an expert winemaker. The tour continues then to the picturesque medieval village of Greve. Here you'll have free time to admire the famous main square of the ancient market with its characteristic arcades. Moving along the ancient Via Chiantigiana, you'll cross the heart of the Chianti Classico, admiring the breathtaking views of the rolling hills that made so famous this part of Tuscany. Then you'll reach a family-run Winery located in the Sienese area of the Chianti Classico, which stands out for the excellent quality of its wines. Here, after the guided tour of the cellars and the lovely aromatic garden, a delicious tasting of four different wines and local products will be waiting for you. The last stop of the tour is Castellina, a fortified hilltop village of Etruscan origin, among the most lively and picturesque of Chianti: here, walking through the picturesque medieval covered street Via delle Volte, the tour leader will guide you to discover the charming historical center.

Includes: Transportation, Tour Escort, 2 Wine Tastings with Snacks

Levanto for 2 nights

Day 7

Private transfer from Florence to Levanto

Breakfast included at Hotel Carla*** Hotel Carla is personally run by the Tuvo family, who welcome you to the Cinque Terre area. Centrally located in Levanto, the property is 400 m from the Ligurian Sea. Free parking is available nearby.

All rooms are equipped with private bathroom, air conditioning, and a satellite TV. Free Wi-Fi is available in the lobby. Breakfast is a varied buffet. You can walk to the train station in approximately 10 minutes. https://www.carlahotel.com/en/Home

Day 8

Cinque Terre—five tiny villages clinging to the rocky cliffs of the Mediterranean coast.

We will take the train to browse a few of the villages and enjoy scenic walks along the sea where there are terraced vineyards and olive groves, and citrus trees.

I would suggest stopping in at the churches, bell towers, convents and monasteries in the area — they offer great views into the type of people who have lived and thrived in these villages for centuries. Stop for lunch at a classic local restaurant serving delicious Ligurian cuisine and wine.

Farewell Dinner at Osteria Tumelin included

Among all the symbolic buildings of Levanto we can find Casa del Capitanato, built up during the XII-XIV century. It is a really suggestive building with a gothic-romantic style, located in the historical center of Levanto. In the lower level of Casa del Capitanato, you can find another symbol of the town:Osteria Tumelin. Here you can find the best Ligurian traditional food.

http://www.tumelin.it/en/index.html

Day 9 Milan for 1 night

Day at leisure to explore Levanto.

Private transfer from Levanto to Milan at 5 pm

Breakfast included at Hotel Novotel Milano Malpensa****

Novotel Milano Malpensa Aeroporto is a design hotel with large soundproofed rooms. It offers a shuttle to the airport, 9 minutes' drive from the property. An outdoor swimming pool, and a 24-hour dining service are available.

Each room at this Novotel has a 26" LCD satellite TV, free WiFi, and an electric kettle. Rooms feature air conditioning and a private bathroom with bath and shower.

The Novotelcafé serves international cuisine and specialities from the Milan area.

Surrounded by the Ticino Park, the hotel is 50 m from the Cardano al Campo Sud exit of the SS336 national road. Free external parking is provided. Malpensa Terminal 2 is 2.2 km away

https://www.accorhotels.com/fr/hotel-3458-novotel-milano-malpensa-airport/index.shtml

Day 10 Early morning private transfer from hotel to Milan airport