Day 1: Arrive in Rome, Italy.
Check into your hotel. The rest of the day is free for you to explore Italy’s ancient capital. This evening, meet your Tour Director and fellow travellers.
Day 2: Rome.
The “Eternal City” is steeped in history, vibrantly alive and exciting, and absolutely unique! Included sight-seeing with a Local Guide starts with St. Peter’s Square and Basilica. Other highlights are the iconic Colosseum, the largest amphitheatre ever built, and Circus Maximus. An optional visit is available to the Vatican Museums and Sistine Chapel, world famous for Michelangelo’s fresco The Last Judgement. Meals included: Breakfast
Day 3: Rome - Pisa - Montecatini.
Vistas of rolling hills, rows of cypress trees, terraced vineyards, olive groves, and rural villages form the backdrop of your journey through beautiful Tuscany. Stop in Pisa, and take a mini-train ride to see the Square of Miracles and the amazing Leaning Tower. Arrive in Montecatini. Meals included: Breakfast
Day 4: Montecatini. Excursion to Florence.
Today, enjoy an included excursion to Florence. Your Local Guide will show you the city highlights on the walking tour. You will see Piazza Santa Croce; beautiful Piazza Signoria; Palazzo Vecchio and its courtyard and Loggia dei Lanzi. To top it all, see Piazza del Duomo and its cathedral with the Giotto Campanile, and the magnificent East Doors of the Baptistry, known as the “Gates of Paradise.” Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 5: Montecatini - La Spezia - Cinque Terre - Genoa.
Travel towards La Spezia, where you’ll hop aboard the train to discover some of the five spectacular Cinque Terre villages. The beauty of the rugged cliffs and romantic fishing villages once inspired poet Lord Byron. From Levanto, head towards Genoa, birthplace of explorer Christopher Columbus.
Day 6: Genoa - Milan - Lake Maggiore.
Today’s included guided tour is an excellent introduction to Genoa. A maze of squares and alleys, the city grew around the port, a natural inlet, and boasts the largest medieval historical centre in Europe. Some of the highlights include the remains of the city’s 17th-century fortifications. Next, head north into the plains of Lombardy, and stop in Milan to marvel at its magnificent gothic DUOMO. Then, continue to Baveno on Lake Maggiore. Meals included: Breakfast
Day 7: Lake Maggiore. Excursion to Lugaon, Switzerland.
Time to relax and get to know Lake Maggiore, one of Italy’s largest lakes, located on the very edge of Alpine Switzerland. On clear days, you can see the peaks of the Alps. Take advantage of the included excursion to visit Lugano in Italian-speaking Swiss Canton Ticino. Meals included: Breakfast
Day 8: Lake Maggiore - Verona - Venice area.
Travel across the Po River plain and stop in the romantic city of Verona to see Juliet´s balcony, and enjoy some time at leisure marvelling at the Roman Arena. Continue to the Venice area. Meals included: Breakfast
Day 9: Venice.
Venice is more like a romantic film set than a real-life city, with its crisscrossing canals, gondolas and water buses, arched bridges, palaces, and piazzas. The included orientation starts with a boat ride to St. Mark’s Square, and is followed by time at leisure and a chance to watch Venetian glassblowers create their delicate objects as they did centuries ago. Don’t miss out on the optional gondola trip, gliding along the picturesque canals with a local troubadour to serenade you. Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 10: Venice area - Assisi - Foligno
Enjoy an interesting drive southward right across the Po Delta, through the Emilia-Romagna region to Assisi, enclosed by ramparts and little changed since the Middle Ages. This is the town of the deeply mystical and poetic St. Francis. See the Basilica of St. Francis with its famous frescoes by Giotto, with history brought to life by a Local Guide. Overnight in Foligno, a town in the green heart of the Umbria region. Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 11: Assisi area - Pompeii - Sorrento Coast.
Travel to Pompeii, where time stopped for the rich, aristocratic town with the terrible eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD. On the included guided visit of the archaeological site, see the remains of luxurious villas, temples, theater, and the forum. Carry on to Sorrento, set on a plateau above the waters of the Bay of Naples. Wander the winding streets lined with shops and stalls, and perhaps stop for a limoncello, absorbing the easy-going lifestyle of this charming resort. Meals included: Breakfast
Day 12: Sorrento Coast. Boat trip to Capri.
Enjoy a day trip to the legendary island, surrounded by a rocky coastline where the crashing sea has formed awe-inspiring caves. The town with its pretty piazzetta, maze of streets, fashionable boutiques, and cozy restaurants, is a mecca for the jet set. Explore on your own or take an optional island tour. Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 13: Sorrento Coast - Rome.
Today, enjoy time at leisure or visit Positano on our exciting optional excursion, before returning to Rome. Meals included: Breakfast
Day 14: Rome.
Your holiday ends with breakfast this morning. Meals included: Breakfast
Low-Priced, Hassle-Free, Air-Inclusive Vacations & Free Airport Transfers. Competitive Prices. No Surprises.
With Cosmos, think of your entire holiday as one-stop shopping. Rather than spending hours researching flights to coordinate with your vacation start and end dates, let us handle the work. And when we book your flights, if there are any changes to your vacation schedule, we make the air changes for you. As a completely independent company, we have no ties to any one airline. We negotiate the lowest possible airfares with the world’s finest carriers on your behalf.
Cosmos offers 2 air options—Flex Air and Instant Purchase Air. Flex Air allows flexibility if you want to make changes to your vacation schedule. Instant Purchase Air may offer additional airline options but has more restrictions. Some holidays may only offer one Air-type option.
Low Air-Inclusive Prices & Free Airport Transfers
Regardless which air option you choose when you book your air-inclusive Cosmos holiday, the transfer to and from the airport to your start and end hotel is included (on published departure and return dates). This can be a substantial savings and give you peace of mind. Airport transfers for US and Canada tours will not be included and are not available for purchase.
Land-only holiday clients who make their own air arrangements on regularly scheduled direct or nonstop flights (not chartered flights) into terminals may purchase our airport transfer service.
