Highlights
- Two night stay in Venice
- Cruise along the Grand Canal on board a Venetian Gondola
- Two night stay in the Romeo & Juliet town of Verona
- Guided walking tour of the medieval town of Verona
- Visit picturesque Cernobbio overlooking Lake Como
- Take a scenic funicula ride for breathtaking views over Como Town
- Milan city tour including Sforzesco Castle, Duomo di Milano and Galleria Vittoria Emanuele II
- Cruise to the Cinque Terre town of Riomaggiore and walk the famous Via dell'Amore (Path of Love)
- Enjoy walking tour of Lucca, viewing Puccini's birthplace, San Michele, Piazza Napoleone & Romanesque Cathedral
- Three night stay in Florence including a guided food tour
- Visit Regello olive oil producer including tasting & tour of the olive groves
- See the Leaning Tower of Pisa
- Wine, cheese & charcuterie tasting in Orvieto
- Overnight stay in the beautiful Tuscan San Gimignano area
- Five night stay in Rome
- Half day guided tour of Rome taking in the main city sights
- Half day guided coach tour of the Vatican Museum, Sistine Chapel & St Peters Basilica
- Free time in Rome to explore or relax at leisure
Inclusions
- Fully escorted by an experienced Sisterhood Tour Hostess who is on hand to assist with making your holiday a memorable one
- Return economy airfares including taxes ex Melbourne (other departure cities and classes of travel upon request)
- All sightseeing as per detailed itinerary
- All meals as per detailed itinerary
- Quality accommodation as per itinerary ++
- Tips for touring Coach Driver and Tour Manager
- Hotel city taxes
- Hotel porterage of 1 bag
- Willing to share option (subject to availability)
- Zoom Meet and Greet prior to departure
++ Accommodation is subject to change and will be of similar standard
Notice
Moderate Fitness Rating - A moderate level of fitness will be required for these tours due to the length and/or overall physicality of our tour itinerary. You can expect to walk more than 10,000 steps daily on more challenging terrain and longer periods. You must be capable of boarding and disembarking coaches, trains and boats unaided and at times handle your luggage. For more information on our physical ratings please click here
Local tipping is customary and appreciated. Outside of the included tipping, we may have local guides at many of our destinations. Sisterhood Womens Travel tipping system on all Group Tours involves passengers contributing to a kitty which is paid to the tour hostess at the beginning of the tour who then distributes it daily to service providers on your behalf. This avoids the need for you to consider individual tipping situations daily throughout your trip. The estimated amount for your tour is EUR150 and this will confirmed in your final documentation.
CLICK HERE to view our route map
Itinerary
Day 1 - Saturday 11 May 2024
Melbourne - Dubai
Welcome to Sisterhood Womens Travel. Meet your fellow travellers at Melbourne Airport for your flight to Venice via Dubai. Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment of your airline as you head towards your next adventure.
Day 2 - Sunday 12 May 2024
Dubai - Venice (D)
Upon arrival in Venice Airport, we will be met by the tour manager and transferred by private boat to the hotel for a 2 night stay.
There may be some walking involved however porters will deliver the bags to the hotel.
Remainder of the day is at leisure.
Dinner in a local restaurant tonight (3 courses).
Accommodation: Hotel Santa Marina, (or similar) Venice– 2 nights
Day 3 - Monday 13 May 2024
Venice Island (B)
This morning, we'll have some free time then hop aboard a Venetian gondola for a leisurely ride along the Grand Canal mid-morning.
Later, we have a walking tour of San Marco Island with a local guide. Explore the famous sites of Venice as we follow the guide through a romantic maze of backstreets to discover some of Venice’s hidden gems.
Visit St Mark’s Basilica, Doge’s Palace and see the Bridge of Sighs. Learn the fascinating history of Venice as we wander through narrow alleys and over stone footbridges.
Some free time for shopping or exploring before returning to the hotel for the evening at leisure.
Day 4 - Tuesday 14 May 2024
Venice Island - Verona (B,D)
Transfer from Venice Island to Tronchetto via private boat.
Travel to Verona with a stop en route for lunch (lunch at own expense). Verona is a medieval town built on the Adige River and famous for being the setting of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”.
Transfer to the hotel and dinner in a local restaurant tonight (3 courses).
Accommodation: Hotel Firenze (or similar), Verona – 2 nights
Day 5 - Wednesday 15 May 2024
Verona (B)
Enjoy a half-day guided walking tour of Verona with a local guide. We'll visit Arena di Verona and Piazza delle Erbe and also take a visit to Juliet’s House.
Return to the hotel for the remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 6 - Thursday 16 May 2024
Verona - Cernobbio - Como (B,D)
The morning is at leisure in Verona. This afternoon we'll travel to Cernobbio with a stop en route for lunch (lunch at our own expense). Cernobbio is a picturesque town overlooking Lake Como.
Later, we'll transfer to the hotel in Como and have dinner in a local restaurant tonight (3 courses).
Accommodation: Hotel Avenue, (or similar), Como – 2 nights
Day 7 - Friday 17 May 2024
Como (B)
This morning, we take the funicular (a train up the mountainside) up to Brunate, a small village up the mountain.
The village, situated at an altitude of 715 meters, leaning against Mount Tre Croci, is best known for the presence of numerous Eclectic and Art Nouveau-style villas and numerous viewpoints from which one can see in addition to Lake Como, the entire western Alps, the Po Valley and the Apennines, a feature that has made it known as the "Balcony of Italy"
Later, we'll return to Como, which is located on the Italian-Swiss border. It overlooks the southwest end of its lake and is surrounded by green ridge hills, resulting in unparalleled, natural scenery. Explore the town centre and take a walk on the lakefront, as well as visiting the Como Cathedral (cost EUR 1 per person, payable on the day).
Return to the hotel for the evening at leisure.
Day 8 - Saturday 18 May 2024
Como - Milan (B,D)
This morning, we'll check out and transfer to Milan, followed by a city tour with a local guide taking in the sights and viewing the Duomo di Milano (view from outside), plus visits to the Sforza Castle and Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.
Check into our hotel and the remainder of the day at leisure.
Dinner in a local restaurant (3 courses).
Accommodation: Star Hotel Ritz (or similar), Milan – 1 night
Day 9 - Sunday 19 May 2024
Milan - La Spezia - Riomaggiore - Monterosso - La Spezia (B,D)
Early this morning we will collect our boxed breakfasts and then transfer to La Spezia.
We'll board our cruise and sail along the coast from Riomaggiore past the Cinque Terre villages and end up in Monterosso. Walk to the train station and board the train back to La Spezia where the hotel minivan will have transferred our luggage, whilst we walk to the hotel (about 950m).
Dinner in a local restaurant (3 courses).
Accommodation: CDH La Spezia (or similar), La Spezia – 1 night
Day 10 - Monday 20 May 2024
La Spezia - Lucca - Pisa - Florence (B,D)
This morning we transfer to Lucca for a walking tour of the historic centre with a local guide. Walk on the vast encircling city walls, Puccini’s birthplace (stop to view only, no interior visit), the pretty church of San Michele, Piazza Napoleone and nearby Piazza del Giglio and the Romanesque cathedral. Take in Via Fillungo, the most prestigious shopping street with its medieval buildings and towers, including the Torre Guinigi.
Continue to Pisa to view the Leaning Tower (view from outside only) and then transfer to Florence for a three-night stay.
Dinner in a local restaurant (3 courses).
Accommodation: Grand Hotel Baglioni (or similar), Florence – 3 nights
Day 11 - Tuesday 21 May 2024
Florence - Vinci - Florence (B)
Today, we take a half-day panoramic city tour with a local guide including the historical centre, Duomo, Baptistery gates, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Palazzo Vecchio and the Medici Palace & Tombs (all from the outside).
Entrance is included to the Accademia to see the statue of David by Michelangelo.
In the afternoon we travel to Vinci, the one-time home of Leonardo Da Vinci. Once there, we'll visit de Vinci's Birth House and the Leonardo Museum.
Later, we'll return to Florence with this evening at leisure.
Day 12 - Wednesday 22 May 2024
Florence (B)
This morning we enjoy a locally guided food tour of Florence while strolling the quaint Florentine streets.
Discover what makes Tuscan food unique. Tastings include tortellini, mortadella, parmiggiano, prosciutto and more.
Return to the hotel for the remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 13 - Thursday 23 May 2024
Florence - Reggello - San Gimignano (B,D)
Today, we travel by coach to Reggello, in the Florentine mountains and the Vallombrosa Woods among abbeys and incredible castles. We'll visit an olive oil producer for a tour and tasting. The olive groves in Reggello have been growing since the 14th century.
Continue to San Gimignano for a walking tour of this ‘Medieval Manhattan’ with a local guide before a stop at a vineyard for a tour and tasting session.
Later, we transfer to the hotel and have dinner in the hotel restaurant (3 courses).
Accommodation: Borgo di Cortefreda, (or similar) San Gimignano area – 1 night
Day 14 - Friday 24 May 2024
San Gimignano - Siena (B,D)
Today, we travel by coach to Siena, Italy’s loveliest medieval city and enjoy a late morning walking tour of Siena with a local guide. View Piazza del Campo, Duomo de Siena and Torre del Mangia.
Transfer to the hotel and have dinner in a local restaurant (3 courses).
Accommodation: Hotel Garden (or similar), Siena – 1 night
Day 15 - Saturday 25 May 2024
Siena - Orvieto - Rome (B, D)
This morning, we travel by coach to Orvieto, perched on a rock cliff in Umbria. We'll enjoy time at leisure in Orvieto and then visit a local wine producer for a wine, cheese and charcuterie tasting before continuing to the "Eternal City" and capital of Italy, Rome for a five-night stay.
Dinner in a local restaurant (3 courses).
Accommodation: Hotel Quirinale (or similar), Rome – 5 nights
Day 16 - Sunday 26 May 2024
Rome (B)
This morning embark on a half-day guided tour of Rome taking in the main sights of the city including, Via Veneto, Piazza della Republica, Via Nazionale, Palazzo della Esposozioni, the world-famous Trevi Fountain, Via del Corso, visit to the Pantheon, Piazza Navona, Roman Forums, Imperial Forums, Piazza Venezia with the Tomb to the Unknown Soldier and a stop to view the Colosseum (no internal visit).
*At this point, the group will be split into two smaller groups: the people who have opted for the additional Colosseum tour will enter the Colosseum, while the remainder of the group will meet the coach and be transferred back to the hotel.
The remainder of the day will be at leisure.
Day 17 - Monday 27 May 2024
Rome (B)
Today is at leisure to relax or explore Rome on your own.
Day 18 - Tuesday 28 May 2024
Rome (B)
Today, we'll have a tour of St. Peter's Basilica followed by a half-day guided city tour of the Vatican, taking in the Vatican museum and the Sistine Chapel (headsets included)
At the Vatican Museums, which include the magnificent Sistine Chapel, we'll spend some time admiring Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel and Raphael’s School of Athens, one of the most famous frescoes of the Renaissance period. The Sistine Chapel is also where the Conclave for the election of the new pope is held. The ceiling of the Chapel is legendary.
Return to the hotel for the remainder of the day at leisure.
Day 19 - Wednesday 29 May 2024
Rome (B,D)
Today is at leisure to relax or explore Rome on your own.
Tonight we celebrate great times with new friends at our Farewell Dinner (3 courses).
Day 20 - Thursday 30 May 2024
Rome - Dubai (B)
A morning at leisure before we bid Arriverderci to Italy and head home.
We will be met and transferred to Rome Airport for the onward flight.
Sit back, relax and enjoy the inflight entertainment of our airline as we head towards home.
Day 21 - Friday 31 May 2024
In transit (in-flight meals)
In flight
Day 22 - Saturday 1 June 2024
Arrive Melbourne
Flight from Dubai and early morning arrival back into Melbourne. What a fantastic adventure we've enjoyed.
Thank you for travelling with Sisterhood Womens Travel and we look forward to welcoming you back.
Welcome Home!