Roaming Heritage in Italy

From the Eternal City of Rome into the rolling terracotta countryside of Tuscany, with its precariously perched hilltop towns, and on to the gently undulating, olive-clad slopes of the Paduan Hills… You will stay in the green and craggy landscape of Umbria and view the breathtaking scenery of the Amalfi Coast where whitewashed villages tumble into azure blue seas.

The program includes the great cities and icons of the regions visited, from the Renaissance excesses of Florence, Pisa and Lucca to the Umbrian mediaeval cities of Perugia, Gubbio and St Francis Assisi. In the North, we visit the ancient university seats of Verona and Padua as well as stunningly beautiful Venice while, in the South, we visit the spectacularly cosmopolitan city of Naples as well as the Roman remains of Pompeii and the island retreat of Capri.

Accommodation will be in wonderful monasteries that provides a safe and convenient refuge with a warm bed and a hearty meal. This tradition still exists in Italy and travelers will have their experience of Italy enhanced by stays in the modern day version of these ancient monasteries. Although many of these still enjoy superb locations and the historic ambience of yesteryear, facilities have been updated to ensure that the needs of the modern traveler are satisfied. All offer rooms with en-suite facilities together with meeting rooms, lounges and dining facilities.

DAY 1 – Arrival at Rome ”the Eternal City” in the late morning. Free lunch. In the afternoon guided tour of the city, rising on Seven Hills on Tiber banks. Founded by the Etruscans, Rome became the centre of Europe's greatest Empire and one of the world's great religions. It still offers an astonishing array of outstanding sights from the Roman Forum and Colosseum to the great Vatican Basilica of St Peter. The traveller is awestruck by the richness of the city's churches, monuments and museums. Rome is a city in which a phenomenal concentration of history, legend and icons co-exists with the hustle and bustle of its four million inhabitants. Accommodation in a Villa-monastery. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 2 –Breakfast. Departure to Sant’Antimo (South of Montalcino). Though not everyone still knows it, the Abbazia is very famous for the genuine "Gregorian Chant". It’s the typical chant the friars sing, without any musical accompaniment. The Abbazia is known as the "The Singing Stone" for its particular travertine marble its nave is build with. Then, departure to Montalcino, famous for the Brunello D.O.C.G. wine, visit to the historical Taverna dei Barbi. Free lunch. In the afternoon, guided visit of Arezzo, one of the most characteristical town of Tuscany. Renowned for its art, history and evocative landscape, Tuscany is a region where the past and present merge in pleasant harmony. Hill-towns gaze across the countryside from on high, many circled by Etruscan walls and slender cypress trees, olive groves or vineyards. At the end, transfer to Florence, accommodation in a typical Villa-monastery. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 3 –Breakfast. Departure to Siena, historical and artistic city, famous for its untouched medieval look and famed for its Palio (13th century costumed horserace) in the Piazza del Campo. Guided tour of the city. Free lunch. In the afternoon departure to San Gimignano, the quintessential Tuscan hilltop town with its 13 mediaeval towers. Visit of the town with wine tasting and naturalistic stroll in a typical farm in Tuscan countryside. Return to Florence. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 4 –Breakfast. Departure to the former city port of Pisa, typical for its aristocratic look and its monuments representing Italian architecture. Guided visit of the wonderful Campo dei Miracoli, with the famous Leaning Tower. Free lunch. In the afternoon visit of Lucca, with its fine mediaeval streets following the plan of the Roman colony. Return to Florence. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 5 –Breakfast. Departure to the Etruscan city of Volterra: built on the top of the Hills between Cecina and Era valleys, its medieval and severe look offers one of the most beautiful view of Tuscany. It boasts nice monuments and archaeological and artistic collections, from its past of Etruscan city. Free lunch. In the afternoon visit to S. Galgano Abbey, inside which is kept the historical and fascinating Spada nella Roccia. Return to Florence. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 6 – Breakfast. Full day guided tour of Florence, built on Arno’s banks, in a harmonious setting of hills full of houses and villas. Cradle of teaching and Italian language, the main city of Tuscany has a universal reputation of wonderful richness and high quality of monuments and art treasures. Free lunch. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 7 –Breakfast. Departure to Verona, nice city known for the Arena. Guided visit of the city. The Veneto is a region of great diversity, from the foothills of the Dolomites to the flat marshlands of the Venetian lagoon. It is a fertile land where many crops are raised on silt deposits. The Romans built their frontier posts here and many of these, such as Vicenza, Padua and Verona survive to this day. The mediaeval cities of the Veneto were located on important trade routes and the consequent wealth gained is reflected in Renaissance palaces and fine Palladian villas. Free lunch. In the afternoon, arrival in a Villa-monastery in the quiet country-side near Padova; it is similar to an ancient Abbey with cloisters. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 8 - Breakfast. Full day guided tour of Venice. Also known as La Serenissima, it raises on a little islands archipelago in the middle of the lagoon of Venice and it is famous for its brightness and the uncommon beauty of its marble monuments on the shore. With its myriad canals and innumerable palaces you can experience a guided walk including a visit to St Mark's Basilica and the Doge's Palace. Free lunch. Afternoon at leisure. Return to Villa in Padua. Dinner and overnight..
DAY 9 –Breakfast In the morning guided tour of Padova, where Saint Anthony died. Walking guided tour in the medieval city: Piazza della Frutta, Piazza delle Erbe, Piazza dei Signori, Piazza Duomo and the Baptistry. Padua is a fine old university city rich in art and architecture and its Cappella degli Scrovegni is famed for its Giotto frescos. Free lunch. Afternoon at leisure. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 10 – Breakfast. In the morning guided tour of the artistic and historical city of Vicenza. In this town Andrea Palladio was born and a walk around this fascinating city is a study in the evolution of his style, complemented by the architect's fine Renaissance bridge in the scenic town of Bassano del Grappa. Free lunch. In the afternoon tour of Bassano del Grappa, with grappa tasting. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 11 –Breakfast. In the morning tour of the delightful and typical Venetian Villas on the river Brenta. These Villas, built by the Venetian nobility, represent one of the most relevant architectural wonder of our country. You will visit: Villa Foscari (called La Malcontenta) by Palladio, Villa Pisani in Stra with the famous frescos by Tiepolo and Villa Barchessa-Valmarana. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 12 –Breakfast. Departure to visit the region long dismissed as Tuscany's "gentler sister": Umbria. Forming an expanse of gentle pastoral countryside and high mountain wilderness of oak woods and ice-clear streams, the picturesque region has been dubbed the "Green Heart of Italy". Arrival in Assisi and guided tour of the medieval city built on Subasio Mountain slope, known for S. Francesco Basilica, made by two churches laid one upon the other. The lower church includes the Saint tomb, the upper one includes 28 frescos by Giotto representing the Saint’s life. Free lunch. In the afternoon tour of Spello, medieval burgh surrounded by Twelve-century walls. Arrival at a Villa-monastery completely renewed around Assisi, encircled by woods. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 13 –Breakfast. Departure to Perugia and guided tour of the city, full of artistic and historical treasures. The region’s capital, Perugia is famous for its 15th century cathedral and university for foreigners and also for Palazzo dei Priori, Corso Vannucci that ends on the asymmetrical IV November Square, in the middle of which is the Fontana Maggiore. Free lunch. In the afternoon tour of Gubbio, with its twisting streets and terracotta tiled houses, on the slope of Ingino Mountain, rich in beauty for its medieval look and noble monuments. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 14 – Breakfast. Departure to Torgiano, city of Lungarotti D.O.C.G and D.O.C. wine. Free lunch. In the afternoon tour of Deruta, nice town known for pottery production and exhibition. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 15 – Breakfast. Departure to Spoleto and tour of the city with its magnificent 14th century aqueduct with views over the huge papal fortress of Rocca Albornoz. Stop at the famous Clitunno Springs, with guided walk through the Umbrian countryside. Free lunch. In the afternoon arrival at the medieval burgh of Trevi and visit to an oil-mill and Bruschetta tasting with the typical Umbrian D.O.P. oil. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 16 –Breakfast. En route to south Italy, little stop in the striking hilltop town of Todi and then in g, built on a tufaceous rock, famous all over the world for its impressive Duomo. Free lunch. Departure to Campania. The ancient history of Campania is associated with the Etruscans and the Greeks whose gigantic ruins can be seen at Paestum. There was a period of great prosperity under Roman leadership, as can be seen in the superb remains at Pompeii and Herculaneum. With its rich well-cultivated plains, the hinterland is largely eclipsed by the Amalfi Coastline and the dramatic Gulf of Naples. Arrival in Caserta and guided visit of Reggia Vanvitelliana. Accommodation in a Villa-monastery completely renewed around Naples. Dinner with the possibility of a tour by-night of the city. Overnight.
DAY 17 – Breakfast. In the morning departure to Naples and guided tour of the city: Campi Flegrei, Capodimonte Museum (or Archaeological Museum or Royal Palace). Free lunch. Walk in the city centre. Departure to Cuma. Guided visit of the Greek colony ruins, Sibilla’s cave and Solfatara’s Volcano. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 18 – Breakfast. Excursion to Capri (boat/jet), the island that gives an air of serene and historic tranquillity, from where Tiberius ruled the Empire. Guided tour of the island and Villa San Michele by van. Free lunch. Tour of Augusto’s gardens, Limoncello tasting and afternoon at disposal. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 19 – Breakfast. Departure to Pompei and guided visit to the excavations. We discover the rich Roman heritage as we visit the excavated sites of the Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum captured in the fateful eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79. Free lunch. Visit of Poppea’s Villa in Oplontis. Dinner and overnight.
DAY 20 – Breakfast. Guided tour of Amalfi Riviera where beautiful villages such as Positano and Amalfi cling to the dramatic rocks above the Gulf of Salerno. Free lunch in Amalfi. Stop at Sorrento, Positano, Amalfi and Ravello. At the end, departure to Rome, for the last night in the Eternal city. Dinner and overnight in a Villa-monastery.
DAY 21 –Breakfast Transfer to Rome airport for return flight home.

Our Wonderful Monastery-Hotels for this Tour:

Villa Domus in Rome

Villa Gardenia in Assisi

Villa la Quercia in Florence

Villa Sant'Antonio in Padua

Villa Daniela in Sorrento