Flavors of Italy & Spain in 16 days

Rome

Tag 1: Arrival in Rome

Touchdown in Italy. Your driver will welcome you at the airport for transfer to your hotel in the city centre. Take some time to freshen up before embarking on a guided walking tour of the city. Wander Rome's gorgeous streets and squares, admiring its architecture and elaborate church interiors. Stop for gelato and watch the world go by at the Spanish Steps. Your private guide will tailor the tour to suit you and will be a fountain of knowledge about this romantic city. 

Rome

Tag 2: Touring Rome's delights

After a relaxed breakfast, set off for a self-guided stroll through Rome to the Colosseum. We will provide walking tour instructions to help you navigate through the historic streets, concluding at this incredible Roman marvel. Spend an hour or so exploring the Colosseum before finding a spot for lunch.

This afternoon you'll be taking a private guided tour of the Roman Forum and Palatine Hill. Both sites have an incredible amount of history. Your knowledgeable guide will show you around dozens of ancient ruins, talking you through some of their fascinating stories. 

Afterwards, head back to the hotel to relax, then enjoy an evening at leisure.

Rome

Tag 3: Vatican City sights

After breakfast this morning, embark on a self-guided tour of the monumental Vatican City and its museums. Enjoy some of the world's most renowned masterpieces by Michelangelo, Raphael, Caravaggio, and Leonardo da Vinci. Gaze in awe at the iconic interiors and artefacts and marvel at this most renowned of places.

The rest of the day is free for you to explore at your own pace, and find a spot for a sundowner and dinner. 

Rome - Florence

Tag 4: Take the train to Tuscany

After breakfast, set off to Rome Central Station and catch the high-speed train to Florence (two hours). Arrive, then check in at your new hotel.

This afternoon, you'll embark on a private guided tour of Florence, taking in all the sights. Your guide will show you all the famous monuments and give you the inside story on the best places to go and tell you about their recommended restaurants. 

Florence

Tag 5: Florentine flavours

Get going bright and early this morning for a guided market tour and cooking class. Florence's main food market is a treat for the senses, packed full of hyper-local ingredients from small growers and producers. Spend the morning discovering the different stalls and stocking up on ingredients. You'll then head to the kitchen to cook up a storm. Learn to make pasta from scratch, along with sauces and stuffings, then tuck in and enjoy the fruits of your labour.

In the afternoon, walk it off on a self-guided tour of the famous Uffizi Gallery. Later, head back to the hotel to relax and enjoy a free evening.

Florence - Chianti

Tag 6: Chianti wine country

After breakfast this morning, you'll pick up your rental car and leave the city streets behind. Drive into the countryside to the majestic Verazzano Castle for a Chianti wine and tasting experience. As part of a small group, you'll tour the gardens and cellars, learning about the local vines and viniculture. Then, sit down for a tasting of some local vintages accompanied by paired snacks.

Continue your drive to the lovely Medieval hamlet of Monteriggion on a hill dotted with olive trees and vines. Stop for lunch and a stroll before continuing your road trip to the medieval town of San Gimignano and check in at your hotel. The rest of the day is yours to spend at your leisure.

Chianti - Val D'orcia

Tag 7: Villages of Val d'Orcia

After breakfast, set off to Val d'Orcia with its landscape of mellow hills and vineyards dotted with picturesque towns and villages, much of which are UNESCO protected. Visit Montalcino, with its famous wine houses and 14th-century fortress, then continue to Bagno Vignoni. This unique town has a Renaissance-era piazza set with hot spring pools. Finish the day in lovely Pienza with a stroll down the Via dell’Amore, then head back to the hotel for a good night's sleep.

Chianti - Pisa

Tag 8: Pisa & Lucca biking

After breakfast, hit the road for Pisa, park up and have a wander around the city centre. Of course, you'll want to visit the world-famous Leaning Tower of Pisa and there's plenty more of interest nearby.

Later, continue to Lucca, a small town nearby, for a guided walking and cycle tour. Lucca is unique because of its well-preserved Renaissance-era city walls. Tonight you'll be staying at an 18th-century villa, just outside the town. 

Pisa - Sevilla - Granada

Tag 9: Journey to Granada

Drop off your rental car and Pisa Airport in good time for your flight to Sevilla, Spain.

On arrival, pick up your new rental car for the scenic drive into the Andalucian hills to the hilltop town of Granada. Check in at your hotel and spend the rest of the day relaxing after your journey. Take an evening stroll around Granada's characterful streets, stopping off to enjoy tapas and soaking up the atmosphere. 

Granada

Tag 10: Beauty of the Alhambra

After breakfast today, it's time to visit the magical Alhambra Palace on a private guided tour. This UNESCO World Heritage Site has many stories to tell, and your guide for the morning will take you through its history and architecture as you explore its lavish rooms, courtyards and gardens.

You are free to enjoy Granada in the afternoon and evening, making the most of its distinct cuisine and lively city centre. 

Granada - Cordoba

Tag 11: Tapas in Cordoba

Enjoy a relaxed breakfast at your hotel and perhaps a morning shopping trip in Granada. Today, you'll set off for the two-hour drive to Cordoba. Enjoy the beauty of the Andalucian hills and take your time.

On arriving in the handsome city of Cordoba, check in at your hotel and relax. Cordoba is famous for its tapas bars, so be sure to make the most of your evening, either booking a tapas tour or simply following your nose.  

cordoba - Sevilla

Tag 12: On to Sevilla

After breakfast, your day will begin with a private tour of the main sights in the historic centre of Córdoba. Your guide will explain the rich and surprising history of the city's varied religious monuments and architecture, including the Mezquita and the Palacio de Viana. Later, continue your road trip to Sevilla (approximately two hours' drive). Check in at your hotel and spend a leisurely evening strolling around the city's picturesque streets. 

Sevilla

Tag 13: Flamenco & city sights

Enjoy breakfast at your hotel, then indulge in a free day discovering the wonderful city of Sevilla at your own pace. There's a lot to see here with grand plazas, an impressive cathedral and a maze of cobbled streets lined with handsome old houses and churches. Orange trees drop fruit on street corners and fountains tinkle in shady squares.

This evening, experience a full flamenco show at the Museo del Baile Flamenco. The passion and intensity of authentic flamenco are not to be missed and this is just the place for it. 

Sevilla - Madrid

Tag 14: Fast train to Madrid

After breakfast this morning, hop on the high-speed train from Sevilla to Madrid. You'll be whisked through Spain's central plains to its vibrant capital, so look out the window and watch the scenery change.

On arrival, check in at your new hotel. This afternoon, we recommend visiting the Las Letras neighbourhood. As you wander through its charming streets lined with antique bookshops, theatres and boutiques, you'll discover quotes from Spain's literary giants inscribed on the cobblestones beneath your feet, making every step a journey into Spain's rich literary past. Madrid is rightly famous for its tapas scene, so tuck in and make a night of it. 

Madrid

Tag 15: Free day in Madrid

Spend the day exploring Madrid at your own pace today, perhaps heading to the San Miguel Market after breakfast for morning coffee and shopping.

Later, you might like to admire the many masterpieces in the famous Prado Museum galleries. This will be your last evening in Spain, so perhaps a siesta is in order before getting out and about for tapas and making the most of Madrid's lively bar and music scene. 

Madrid

Tag 16: Homeward bound

After breakfast this morning, a private transfer to the airport will collect you from your hotel, in good time for your homeward flight.