Panorama Italiano

This itinerary is the starting point for your tour, but it’s not set in stone. If there are days you would like to change, or specific places you’d like to go, we can work with you to create a personalized program that fits the needs of you and your students.

Day 1: Overnight Flight

Depart from the USA.

Day 2: Venice

Arrive in Venice, meet your ACIS Tour Manager and enjoy a fast and fun transfer by private motor launch to your hotel on the Lido. Then start exploring this magnificent city of canals and palaces with your 48-hour vaporetto pass, which allows you to come and go throughout the city as you please.

Day 3: Venice

Consisting of an archipelago carved by nearly 150 canals into 118 different islands, the incomparable city of Venice contains a wealth of sights. Arrive in St. Mark's Square where you can see the Basilica of St. Mark and the Bridge of Sighs, which connected the old prisons of Venice to the interrogation rooms of the neighboring Doge's Palace. You'll then learn more about one of the most famous Venetian exports during an authentic glassblowing demonstration, before enjoying views up and down the Grand Canal as you stop for a photo at the iconic Rialto Bridge. During your time in Venice, you'll also ascend to the top of the iconic St. Mark's Campanile—as the tallest building in the city, with a belfry that offers 360-degree views, you'll have a stunning perspective of the square and beyond, plus a unique appreciation for the incredible feat of human ingenuity and engineering involved in making Venice what it is. Then explore more at your own pace with unlimited access to the entire canal network and smaller islands using your vaporetto pass. You'll feel like a local in no time.

Day 4: Florence

We leave Venice this morning and travel to Florence, the Cradle of the Renaissance. Once there, you will learn about Italy’s most famous frescoes during a fresco making workshop and test your skills against Michelangelo’s after learning the technique from a master. You will certainly gain a deeper appreciation of what he accomplished with the Sistine Chapel.

Day 5: Florence

Today's sightseeing tour with a local guide shows you the splendid Duomo, Ghiberti's famous Baptistry Doors, Santa Croce and the Piazza della Signoria—the political center of this Renaissance city. Then breeze by the crowds with your own timed entrance to the Accademia, which houses Michelangelo's David. As you explore, keep an eye out for that special trattoria you might want to come back to. Tonight you'll be able to dine like (and with) the locals using our insider tips and restaurant vouchers.

Day 6: Sorrento

Journey to Orvieto. Once a major center of the Etruscan civilization, the city is perched high on a plateau of volcanic tufa stone and is known for its gothic Duomo, whose dramatic outline is visible for miles around. Visit the Duomo, then begin your scenic drive down to coastal Sorrento, situated in the sheltered Bay of Naples under the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. Fragrant orange and lemon trees abound.

Day 7: Sorrento

Today's excursion brings you by high-speed hydrofoil to Capri, the Island of Dreams. Arriving on the island, take the funicular past sub-tropical gardens to the main piazza. There is time to wander through the twisting lanes and shop in the tiny artisan stores that line the square. (Prior to March 15, an excursion to Naples will be substituted for the visit to Capri.). Then return to Sorrento where a dance lesson with local experts will teach you the steps of the Tarantella, a southern Italian folk dance.

Day 8: Rome

This morning head to Pompeii for sightseeing with a local guide. In 79 AD, nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted and covered the city in 23 feet of ash. You will see a perfect picture of life unearthed as it was nearly 2,000 years ago. Today's final destination is Rome.

Day 9: Rome

Rome is called “The Eternal City” because the ancient Romans believed that no matter what empires rose and fell, Rome would endure forever. Today's panoramic drive of the city is a great introduction to the many phases of Roman history. Our local expert accompanies you through the Vatican Museums, including the Sistine Chapel, and St. Peter's Basilica. The best part is that these are timed entrances, meaning you'll breeze right by the long lines facing other tourists. Then go inside the iconic and historic Colosseum with a local guide (another line-avoiding timed reservation) and learn the many stories of this nearly 2,000-year-old Roman landmark that's considered one of the architectural wonders of the ancient world. In the evening, we'll enjoy an authentic, brick-oven Roman pizza dinner and learn the art of the Italian passeggiata romana around Piazza Navona to cap off an exceptional week.

Day 10: Departure

Depart for the USA.



Optional Extensions and Extra Nights:

Further immerse yourself in the culture and wonders of la dolce vita with an extra night in Rome, including the services of your ACIS Tour Manager.