Absolute Italy: Mostly Private Tour of Italy including the Amalfi Coast - Capri - Pompeii - Rome - Tuscany - Florence and Venice

Upon arriving at the Naples airport (train station or port) a member of our team will be there to meet you to begin your journey south the Amalfi Coast.  You will travel along one of the most beautiful coastlines in Italy known as the Sorrentine peninsula, to the beautiful town of Sorrento.  Depending on how tired you are, your driver can stop for some wonderful photo opportunities overlooking the bay of Naples which offers impressive views towards the islands of Capri, Ischia and Procida.  

In Sorrento, you will be staying in one of the town’s superior or luxury 4* hotels, situated on the cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean.  Sorrento is loved by visitors for its mild climate, lemon-lined streets and beautiful sea-views, looking out onto Capri.  It’s the perfect location to discover the Amalfi Coast and the ancient sites that surround Mount Vesuvius in the distance.

Upon arrival at the hotel, you will be at your leisure to enjoy a stroll around the town, wander down to the beach or find a clifftop bar and have your first aperitivo and embrace the relaxed pace on an Italian evening.

This evening, walking distance from your hotel, we provide you with ample dinner recommendations and reservations in a number of locally owned fantastic local trattorias we work with where we know the cuisine is outstanding. 

Overnight in Sorrento. 

After you have enjoyed breakfast, looking out onto the sea, your driver will pick you up at the hotel reception for your tour.

Driving the narrow coastal road can be harrowing for experienced drivers if they are unprepared for the twisting roads, sharp drops and oncoming traffic.  In the comfort of a luxury vehicle and in the safe hands of a local, professional driver, you can relax and concentrate on the stunning views on one of Italy’s most beautiful natural landscapes.

Your driver will take you to the most famous of the towns scattered along the jagged cliffs, sharing local knowledge as you go.  First stop of the day will be Positano, once a popular retreat for artists who were responsible for the painted houses.  You will have time to wander the narrow streets that lead down to the beach, discovering great shops and wonderful views as you go.

From here we head further south stopping in towns like Maiori, Minori, Amalfi, Conca Marini, Ravello and many other stunning places.

For lunch, we recommend you to dine in a special tower called Torre Normani, which is one of the most beautiful restaurants on the Amalfi Coast, although we have several other incredible restaurants the Torre Normani is one you don't want to miss, although depending on your interests you may want to dine in Positano, on the cliffs of Ravello, where we will provide you with some simply spectacular and very reasonably priced suggestions. 

Return in the evening to Sorrento where you will have free time to enjoy Sorrento and dinner at leisure. 

Overnight in Sorrento. 

The island of Capri conjures images of wealth and glamour, and there’s no better or more glamorous way to arrive there than by boat. 

Following breakfast, our driver will meet you at your hotel in the morning and accompany you down to the marina, where your English-speaking skipper will be waiting to welcome you on board.  Together you will visit some of the caves that surround Capri, including the Grotto Azzurro (Blue Grotto), if the weather conditions are suitable.  You will have time to go swimming in the island’s clear, blue waters, before docking in time to enjoy lunch on the island.

Explore the island at your leisure, taking the cabal car up to the top of Mount Solaro, or relax in Piazza Umberto, sipping a glass of prosecco while you watch the fashion-conscious locals.

When you return to Sorrento, you will have the evening to yourselves.

Overnight in Sorrento. 

Following your final breakfast in Sorrento, you will find your driver waiting to take you and your bags to Naples.

On the way, you’ll be stopping in the legendary city of Pompeii, for a privately guided tour of the ruins with a licensed, local guide.  For 2hrs you will walk the ancient streets of this incredible city, frozen in time on an August day in AD79 for you to discover as you make your way to the Forum, bath house, theaters, houses and brothel, in the shadow of Europe’s most dangerous volcano.

Before leaving Naples, you will stop for lunch at a local winery, where you’ll enjoy fresh, local produce and some of the wines produced in the rich, volcanic soils that surround Vesuvius. 

Your driver will leave you at Naples train station, in time to catch the high-speed train to Rome and in little over an hour, you’ll be in the heart of the Eternal City and on your way to your hotel with.

Our drivers ensure to put you on the train and there to pick you up in Rome. 

After a demanding day, your first evening in Rome will be at your leisure.

Overnight in Rome

Following breakfast at the hotel, we will pick you up and head to Vatican City, the smallest city state in the world. 

Your local expert guide will show you the highlights of this amazing collection, started by Pope Julius II in the 16th century and added to by successive popes ever since. The path through the galleries, leads to the Sistine Chapel, where you will need a little time to absorb the wealth of detail and color surrounding you from the Creation on the ceiling, to the Last Judgment adorning the altar wall.

Exiting straight into the Basilica of St. Peter's, the most imposing of Rome's Papal Basilicas.  Julius II declared that this was to be the greatest church in all of Christendom and with Bramante, Michelangelo, Carlo Maderno and Bernini all playing a role in its design and construction, it was destined to be.  Prepared to be awed by the space, the light, the lavish decoration and the wonderful works of art that have been commissioned by popes keen to leave their mark here.

Our services will end here at Vatican city an some of you may want to venture into Trastevere for lunch or enjoy more of Vatican city on your own, however our tours try not to jam so much in that you can't enjoy Rome!  

There is great shopping in Rome near the Spanish Steps, Via Condotti and many other areas around your hotel.

The rest of the day will be at leisure.  You will have time to see something of Rome on your own.  

Overnight in Rome

This morning’s tour will take you through some of the fascinating ruins of ancient Rome.  From her mythical foundations, to the expansion of the empire throughout Italy and the Mediterranean, Rome continued to be ruled from the narrow stretch of land in the center of the city: The Roman Forum. Today a mix of temples, churches and monuments spanning more than 12 centuries of history, our guide will help you unravel this mix of beautiful structures and explain the story of their survival.

Standing above the Forum is the Palatine Hill, where Romulus and Remus are said to have been raised by the She-Wolf and where Augustus and the emperors who followed, chose to build their palaces. Here we will see the remains of some of these palaces and the wonderful view the emperors would have had of the races in the Circus Maximus, without having to mix with the people!

The final monument in the archeological complex, is perhaps the pinnacle of Roman engineering and lasting symbol of power: the Colosseum. Here we will skip-the-line and head inside to learn about the violent world of public entertainment in the Roman Empire, discover how and why the Colosseum was built and why this spot was chosen and to dispel a few myths!

Free time for lunch and rest of the afternoon at leisure in Rome.  

Overnight in Rome

It’s time to bid farewell to Rome and prepare for a day in one of the most beautiful parts of Tuscany.

Following breakfast, you will check out of the hotel and meet your driver at the reception. Relax and enjoy watching the hilltop towns of the Lazio region as you drive north into Tuscany and the Orcia Valley.  This valley is a UNESCO World Heritage site, recognized as a cultural treasure for its outstanding natural beauty. 

It is also home to numerous winemakers, producing reds such as Brunello di Montalcino.  Close to Montalcino, you will stop for lunch at a winery to discover some of these wines and enjoy some typical local products. 

In the afternoon, you will have some time to visit Pienza on your own, considered to be the ideal Renaissance town and Montepulciano, where visitors who climb all the way to the square at the top, are rewarded with wonderful views out across the valley.  It’s also a great place to shop for souvenirs, or stock up on wine!

The tour will end as you arrive in your hotel in the heart of Florence and you will be free to relax and enjoy dinner at your leisure.

Overnight in Florence.

Start the day at your own pace today, before your guide arrives to meet you at the hotel at around 10am. 

This morning’s tour will take you through the Renaissance streets of Florence, passing some of the city’s best-known sites including Palazzo Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, Palazzo Pitti and the duomo.  Discover the history of the powerful Medici family who at one time ruled great parts of Tuscany and whose influence of Florence can still be seen today.  Their patronage of young artists gave rise to some of the greatest talents of their day, including Michelangelo.  Your tour will include a visit to the Accademia Gallery, which houses one of his finest sculptures: the monumental statue of David.

The rest of the day will be yours to explore at your leisure, visit the city’s galleries and go shopping at the famous leather market.

Overnight in Florence.

After breakfast, head to the railway station to catch the fast train to Venice, where a private boat will be waiting to take you to your hotel, giving you your first glimpse of the beautiful canals that run throughout the city.

Once you have checked into your hotel, you’ll have some time to look around St. Mark’s Square and the surrounding area and enjoy your first Venetian meal, before getting in another boat and heading out into the lagoon to visit some of the other islands.

The delicate ecosystem of the lagoon is home to 118 small islands, and countless species of animals and birds.  Your tour will take you to 3 of the larger islands, Murano, Burano and Torcello.  Murano has been home to the city’s famed glass-makers for generations, and during your visit you will see a demonstration of glass-blowing.  Burano is known for lace-making and its brightly-colored houses, while Torcello is home to Venice’s first cathedral, the Medieval Santa Maria Assunta, decorated with wonderful examples of 11th century mosaics.

Returning to Venice, you will be free to enjoy dinner, a typical Venetian aperitivo and to visit the streets in the quiet of the evening.

Overnight in Venice.

Your final day will start with a private tour of Venice with a local guide.  Choose between a classic tour of the Doge’s Palace and St. Mark’s or Venice: Off the Beaten Track.  This tour will take you away from the tourist center, through Rialto Market, over the Rialto Bridge to Europe’s first Ghetto, where the city’s Jewish population lived for 270 years.  Discover the houses of Mozart and Marco Polo, the La Fenice opera house, the intriguing Bovolo staircase and a bookshop that is well-prepared for aqua alta!

Of course, no trip to Venice would be complete without a gondola ride!  But it’s no fun to get stuck in a gondola pile-up, so your ride will be in the quieter canals, away from St. Mark’s, where you can relax and enjoy Venice the way it’s meant to be seen – from the water.

In the afternoon, go out and get lost!  Unlike Rome and Florence, Venice isn’t a city of great monuments, but of beautiful canals, tiny hidden squares where local children still play, alleyways and bridges that you will stumble upon unexpectedly.

Overnight in Venice.

A private boat will meet you at your hotel for your airport transfer, in time for your flight home.