This 3-week Italy extravaganza is new on offer by Contiki and includes (but is hardly limited to) Rome, Florence, the Amalfi Coast and the island of Sicily. Ask about discounts on certain departs.
The Colosseum! The Duomo! The Italian Rivera! Sicily! From getting to see Europe’s most iconic art — and art museums — up close, to road tripping up the coast and learning the secret to Italian pizza, this is a tour some dreams are made of! And if Italy’s on your destination bucket-list, it’s possible there has never been a better time to go. Contiki has been doing tours to Italy for decades, but this is new, 3-week itinerary is specially-designed to include almost anything spot you could want to see when exploring Italy.
You begin in historic and iconic Rome, then head to one of the world’s art capitals, the city of Florence via the UNESCO heritage city of Sienna, where you explore classic Renaissance Italy (including Pisa and Lucca in Tuscany).
Then it’s off to Cinque Terra, the five quaint seaside pastel-coloured villages that sit on the Riviera in northwestern Italy, where you can hike, or train-ride around, or learn to make classic Italian pesto. Then it’s Milan, oft-thought the fashion capital of the world, with its cool nightlife (but not before stopping in Lake Como). From Milan you head to iconic Venice — but not before stopping to explore ancient Verona, with its 2000-year-old history and architecture (and yes, Shakespeare’s famed balcony!).
After Venice, where you should absolutely partake of a gondola ride, you head back to Rome (after stopping for lunch in Bologna), where you get another night and full day to explore, before hitting the road to Naples, legendary birthplace of the pizza (where yes, you can indulge to your delight!). Naples is not far from Mount Vesuvius, the famed active volcano that plastered and mummified the town of Pompeii, the site/ruins of which you can explore.
There’s nothing like Italian pizza in Naples, Italy, said to be the staple’s birthplace! (Anastasiia Chepinska/Unsplash)
You then head up the breathtaking Mediterrean coast to the incomparable Amalfi coast, where you can stop for an espresso in the coastal cafes of Positano and Capri, or hop a cruise and explore the isles around Amalfi.
Then, it’s back to Rome for a third time and another full day and night, where Contiki “recommends taking our optional Emperors & Gladiators tour,” which will see you “skip the queues” to get right into the Colosseum!
View of Rome skyline from Castel Sant’Angelo. (Credit: MasterLu/iStock)
From Rome, you fly to the island of Sicily (flight included in trip price), where you spend a whole spectacular week touring one of Italy’s most renowned spots! Surrounded by sea and sun, with ancient archeological sites and towns, verdant and hilly (Mount Etna, an active volcano is on the island), laidback Sicilian life is only bested by its renowned cuisine! Eat, drink and be merry, indeed.
Highlights | “Ultimate Italy”
- 21 domestic destinations: Rome, Florence, Cinque Terre, Milan, Venice, Naples, Amalfi, Catania, Taormina, Noto, Cefalu, Palermo, Siena, Pisa, Lucca, Lake Como, Verona, Bologna, Vatican City, Syracuse, Agrigento.
- Duration: 22 days
- Includes as a minimum “expert trip manager and local guides,” 21 breakfasts and 6 dinners.
- Only $99 CDN deposit to book. Pay in full 45 days prior to departure. Or, Contiki also offers a “pay over time, interest free ‘Part Pay’ program.”(Contact Contiki directly for details.)
- At least one dinner at Altrove Restaurant in Rome, which “supports youth from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
“Ultimate Italy” | by CONTIKI
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Phone: 866.532.0355
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SM: IG, FB, YouTube
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Length/Departs: 22 days; May, June, July, Sept.
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Accommodation/transportation: Hotels; road trip by coach; one domestic flight.
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Must ask about current pricing, and about current discounts on offer (if any at time of booking).
Trip description/details from operator. For more info about this trip, click here.
A few guidelines on trip descriptions: All descriptions/itineraries are sourced from trip/tour operator, and Outpost assumes no liability. Prices are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise indicated, are often “starting from” the one listed, and don’t necessarily reflect final/total cost (that is, taxes, in-country or extra fees might be added). And, prices indicated here do NOT include airfare, unless it says so. Date changes are always possible and sometimes even inescapable. So, always get in touch with an operator directly; sometimes they’ll let you know about a sale or special so a price may actually be less than listed here.
