Grand tour of Italy for groups: Venice, Rome and Sicily

Day 1 : Journey to Central Switzerland

• Morning departure from the location of your choice.
• Drive through Luxembourg, Alsace and Basel, with regular breaks along the way.
• Arrival in the Lucerne area in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 2 : Over the Gotthard to the Veneto

• Crossing of the Alps through the Gotthard Tunnel and descent to Ticino.
• Break on the shores of Lake Lugano.
• Drive across the Po Valley and arrival in the Veneto in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel, on the mainland near Venice.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 3 : Venice

• Crossing of the lagoon by vaporetto to St Mark's Square.
• Guided tour of St Mark's Square, the basilica and the Doge's Palace (on request).
• A walk through the alleys and campi to the Rialto Bridge.
• Gondola ride (on request).
• Free afternoon, or boat excursion to the islands of Murano and Burano (on request).
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 4 : From Venice to Florence

• Drive to Tuscany via Bologna and the Apennines.
• Arrival in Florence in the late morning; the coach drops the group off near the historic centre.
• Guided walking tour: the Duomo and Brunelleschi's dome, the Baptistery, Piazza della Signoria and the Ponte Vecchio (on request).
• End of the day at Piazzale Michelangelo, overlooking the city.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 5 : Florence, Siena and journey to Rome

• Visit to the Uffizi Gallery (on request).
• Drive through the Tuscan hills to Siena.
• Discovery of the Piazza del Campo and Siena Cathedral.
• Drive to Rome and arrival in the early evening.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 6 : Ancient Rome

• Guided tour of the Colosseum, the Roman Forum and the Palatine (on request).
• Up the Capitoline Hill and past Piazza Venezia.
• In the afternoon, a walk to the Pantheon, Piazza Navona and on to the Trevi Fountain.
• Group dinner in a trattoria in Trastevere (on request).

Day 7 : The Vatican and free afternoon

• Visit to the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel (on request).
• Discovery of St. Peter's Square and Basilica.
• Free afternoon, around the Spanish Steps or to rest.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 8 : Pompeii and Sorrento

• Drive to Campania.
• Visit to the archaeological site of Pompeii, buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in AD 79.
• Official guide for the visit to Pompeii (on request).
• Arrival in Sorrento in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 9 : The Amalfi Coast

• Boat excursion from Sorrento, with stops in Positano and Amalfi (on request).
• Discovery of Amalfi, its Cathedral of St. Andrew and its stepped alleys.
• Or a free day in Sorrento, facing the Bay of Naples and Vesuvius.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 10 : To Sicily

• Drive south through Calabria, with regular breaks along the way.
• Ferry crossing of the Strait of Messina, with the coach.
• Drive along the Ionian coast and arrival in Taormina in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 11 : Taormina and Etna

• A walk along Corso Umberto and visit to the ancient theatre, facing Etna and the sea.
• Excursion on the slopes of Etna to the Silvestri craters (on request).
• Free afternoon, for example at Mazzarò beach and Isola Bella.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 12 : Cefalù and Palermo

• Drive to the north coast of Sicily.
• Stop in Cefalù: the Norman cathedral and the old town by the sea.
• Arrival in Palermo in the late afternoon.
• Check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 13 : Palermo, Monreale and embarkation

• Guided tour of Palermo: the cathedral, the Palatine Chapel in the Norman Palace and the Quattro Canti (on request).
• A walk through the Ballarò market.
• Visit to Monreale Cathedral and its golden mosaics.
• Evening embarkation on the ferry to Genoa and settling into the cabins.
• Dinner on board (on request).

Day 14 : Crossing to Genoa

• A day sailing on the Tyrrhenian Sea, relaxing on board.
• Disembarkation in Genoa at the end of the day.
• Drive to Lake Como and check-in at the hotel.
• Dinner in the hotel restaurant (on request).

Day 15 : Return via Switzerland

• A short walk along the Como waterfront before departure.
• Drive through Ticino and across the Alps via the Gotthard, with regular breaks along the way.
• Arrival back in your region in the evening.