< Designed Trips

The Trip

Experience quintessential Italia, from Roman ruins, to coastal vineyards and Renaissance art, with this Classic Italy Designed Trip. Start in Rome and see the Eternal City’s most impressive sights, visit the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and find the best Roman bites on a food tour of the city’s hidden eateries. The journey heads north to the stunning Cinque Terre, five colorful villages which seem to tumble down the cliffs to the sea. Hike from town to town, through terraced vineyards and olive groves, learn how to make traditional pesto, and kayak the coastline for the best views in the region. The final stop brings you inland, to the Italian Renaissance capital of Florence. See Michelangelo’s David during a privately guided tour of the Accademia Gallery, explore the beautiful rolling hills of Chianti on a full-day wine tour, and practice your culinary skills during a fresh pasta and tiramisu class with a Florentine home chef. Either ​choose to end the trip in Florence or add an additional 3 days in the one-of-a-kind city of Venice, where you’ll discover the lesser-known parts of the city, row a traditional Venetian boat, and eat up the city’s best cicchetti on the ultimate aperitivo tour.

The Details

Price: 
  • 10 Days From $2,485 per person
  • 13 Days From $3,180 per person
Duration:
  • 10 days -OR- 13 days
Inclusions:
  • Highly-rated boutique hotels
  • All transportation within Italy
  • Private & small-group experiences
  • ​​Curated Italy mini-guide
  • Trip preparation & support

The Itinerary

Rome
  • Day 1: After landing in Rome, a driver will meet you in the arrivals hall and take you directly to your boutique luxury hotel (see below) in the city’s historic center. Check in and get settled before meeting up with your private guide for an introduction to some of Rome’s best sights from a local perspective.
  • Day 2: ​Wake up for your first full day in the Eternal City, have a good breakfast and enjoy a delicious cappuccino before heading to the Colosseum and Roman Forum. As the largest amphitheater ever built, the Colosseum was once home to the ancient Roman gladiator games. The nearby Forum was the central square of the Roman urban settlement, where you can visit the incredibly well preserved ruins of several important ancient government buildings up close.
  • Day 3: On the last full day in wondrous Roma you’ll have the option to taste your way around the city on a private food tour with a local, or explore hidden squares and local shops on a Day Like a Roman tour. On the food tour, sample everything from ricotta pie, to pizza, to gelato and Roman Suppli. On the local tour meanwhile, see incredible street art, stop at local restaurants and bars, check out a hidden library and relax in a secret garden. 

Cinque Terre
  • Day 4: After breakfast make your way over to Roma Termini Station for the train trip north to the incredible Cinque Terre (five lands) on the Ligurian Coast. Check in to your boutique hillside hotel and use the rest of your day to take in the sea views from these amazing cliffside towns.
  • Day 5: Sleep in and enjoy a relaxed morning before taking off for a traditional Ligurian pesto making class. Cinque Terre is known as being the original home of pesto, so take a couple of hours to learn how to make this tasty sauce while sipping prosecco and expanding your Italian cooking repertoire. Once you’ve made some amazing pesto, use your Cinque Terre pass to explore the trails that extend from one town to the next, along this spectacular coastline.
  • Day 6: Wake up to the sounds of the sea and enjoy a relaxed morning in your village. Then, catch a 5-minute train down the coast to Monterosso al Mare for a morning sea kayak adventure. Paddle along the picturesque rocky coastline by caves and small waterfalls toward the beautiful village of Vernazza. Stop in a secluded cove to take a dip in the sea and snack on some homemade focaccia before paddling back to Monterosso.

Florence
  • Day 7: Hop on the regional train for the 2.5 hour trip east to magical Florence. Check in to your boutique hotel and wander the city’s ancient, cobbled streets. In the afternoon, uncover the history of Cattedrale di Santa Maria dei Fiori and it’s jaw-dropping Duomo, designed by Brunelleschi. Then head to the world renowned Galleria dell’Accademia to meet your local guide and see the original, Michelangelo’s David.
  • Day 8: Florence is surrounded by the beautiful hills of Tuscany and just to the south of the city are the vineyard covered slopes of Chianti. Explore and taste at some of the region’s best wineries on a private, guided trip with a sommelier. Visit the quaint town of Greve in Chianti, stop at an ancient monastery, and gain insights from a local on the techniques and traditions of this beautiful region.
  • Day 9: After coffee and breakfast at your hotel, hit the streets for a short walk to a Florentine local’s home for small-group cooking class with a private chef. Learn how to make two of Italy’s most iconic dishes, pasta and tiramisu, while sipping a cup of coffee or an Italian aperitivo. Perfect the techniques of making two types of pasta, including how to roll 'sfoglia' (fresh egg pasta), by hand.
  • Day 10: Wake up, drink a cappuccino and enjoy a delicious breakfast. It’s your final day, either talk to us about extending your trip with a 3-day visit to Venice, or hop on the plane for a flight home. 

Optional Add-On: Venice
  • Day 10: If you choose to extend your trip, then head to Santa Maria Novella Station and hop on a high-speed train for Venice. After checking in to your boutique hotel, take some time to relax and unwind. In the evening, meet a local Venetian for an aperitivo tour, tasting the best wine and bites of Venice. Taste a refreshing frizzantino, try some cichetti, walk the incredible canals at night, and hang out on a traditional bacaro boat with some delicious wine and cheese. 
  • Day 11: Wake up, sip on a cappuccino, and then head out to uncover true Venetian heritage during a traditional, hand-crafted batellina boat rowing class with a local non-profit organization. Step aboard a traditional wooden shrimp-tailed batela boat (batela coda di gambero) to learn the art of the Venetian voga, a rowing stroke that has been used for hundreds of years.
  • Day 12: In the morning, meet your private guide and step away from the crowds and the hustle and bustle to experience a more local side of Venice. Stroll through a peaceful local neighborhood, head to the canal where locals buy their fruits and vegetables straight from a boat, and explore the lush, serene gardens of a palazzo courtyard with unique Venetian architecture, before catching the water bus to San Giorgio Island.
  • Day 13: Enjoy your last Italian cappuccino and savor the morning. It’s your final day, so head to the airport and hop on the plane for a flight home.

Pricing & Inclusions

Inclusions
  • 3 hotel nights in Cinque Terre
    • Boutique hotel: Ai Pesci or equivalent
    • Luxury boutique hotel: La Torretta Lodge or equivalent
  • 3 hotel nights in Florence
  • Private round trip airport transfer
  • Train tickets from Rome to Cinque Terre
  • Train tickets from Cinque Terre to Florence
  • Private Rome highlights tour with a local guide
  • Colosseum & Roman Forum tickets
  • Private Roman food tour with a local guide -OR- private 'Day Like A Local' tour
  • Cinque Terre National Park trekking & train pass
  • Small-group Cinque Terre sea kayak excursion
  • Small-group traditional pesto making class in Cinque Terre
  • Private Accademia Gallery tour & tickets with a local guide
  • Small-group fresh pasta & tiramisu workshop in Florence
  • Private authentic Chianti day trip & wine tasting with a local guide
  • Curated Italy mini-guide
  • Trip preparation & support

Venice Add-On
  • 3 nights at a boutique luxury hotel 
  • High-speed train tickets from Florence to Venice
  • Private Venice Away from the Crowds tour with a local guide
  • Private Venetian Heritage rowing class
  • Private Ultimate Aperitivo Tour with a local guide

Exclusions
  • International Flights to Italy
  • Meals & activities not listed above
  • ​Travel insurance

Pricing
  • 10 days with boutique hotels
    • From $2,485 per person
  • 10 days with luxury boutique hotels
    • From $2,850 per person
  • 13 days with boutique hotels
    • From $3,180 per person
  • 13 days with luxury boutique hotels
    • From $3,760 per person
  • ​​Pricing for Cohica Designed Trips is based on double occupancy and may vary depending on travel dates and total number of travelers.
  • This Designed Trip offers the flexibility to make date changes after booking (ask us for details)

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This Designed Trip to Italy includes travel tips, restaurant recommendations, and off-the-beaten-path sights from our own travels.
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